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AM Best Revises Issuer Credit Rating Outlook to Negative for Catholic Order of Foresters

BY Business Wire | CORPORATE | 04:44 PM EST

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has revised the outlook to negative from stable for the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term ICR of ?bbb+? (Good) of Catholic Order of Foresters (COF) (Naperville, IL). The outlook of the FSR is stable.

The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect COF?s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as adequate, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

The negative Long-Term ICR outlook reflects COF?s declining trend of balance sheet metrics, with four of the past five years seeing surplus deceases. Declining capital has been attributable to strained earnings over the latest five-year period. While earnings have improved over the most recent two-year period, reserving and unrealized capital losses have continued to lower surplus levels. Quality of assets is below average with allocations to SBA securities and below investment grade bonds. The balance sheet profile is supported by low use of reinsurance and financial leverage. Liquidity capability is good, supported by a line of credit and Federal Home Loan Bank facility.

COF?s operating losses have been impacted by stagnant investment income, invested asset base and yields in its small business loan interest-only strip holdings and mortgages. Withdrawals and surrenders have contributed to negative cash flow for 2023. Over recent years, operating performance has been unfavorable compared with the marginal benchmark with profitability ratios below peers.

COF is a regional insurer in the Midwest targeting middle-income Catholic families, small business owners, pre-retirees and retirees. Premium and product diversification has been slow but continues to improve each year. ERM capabilities are appropriate for the size and scale of operations.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best?s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best?s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best?s Credit Ratings, Best?s Performance Assessments, Best?s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best?s Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright ? 2024 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Source: AM Best

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In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

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