1. AM Best revised outlook for Singapore Re to positive from stable. 2. Singapore Re maintains strong balance sheet; financial performance expected to be robust. 3. Support from Fairfax enhances Singapore Re's ratings and growth prospects. 4. Singapore Re projects a significant return-on-equity of 21.3% for 2024.
The positive outlook for Singapore Re generally indicates financial stability and growth, reflecting positively on Fairfax (TSX:FFH). This could bolster investor confidence in FFH, as it signals potential growth and stability in its subsidiaries.
The article discusses a direct rating agency evaluation relevant to Fairfax, which could influence market sentiment and stock price. Improved ratings often correlate with uplifted stock prices, reflecting strong performance indicators.
The immediate impact of the positive outlook from AM Best could reflect in short-term trading. Historical cases show similar upgrades often lead to bullish market sentiment, translating into increased stock prices.
AM Best has revised the outlook to positive from stable for the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of "a" (Excellent) of Singapore Reinsurance Corporation Limited (Singapore Re) (Singapore). The outlook of the FSR is stable.
The Credit Ratings (ratings) reflect Singapore Re's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. In addition, the ratings factor in rating enhancement from the company's ultimate parent, Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (Fairfax) (TSX:FFH).
The revision of the Long-Term ICR outlook to positive from stable reflects AM Best's expectation that Singapore Re will continue to demonstrate a trend of favourable underwriting and operating performance over the near to medium term, while maintaining a strong balance sheet strength assessment. Singapore Re reported a return-on-equity ratio of 21.3% in 2024 and its operating results in the first half of 2025 remained favourable. The company's investment income, which comprises mainly interest and dividend income, continues to provide a sizable contribution to overall earnings. Prospectively, AM Best expects Singapore Re's operating performance to remain robust, supported by healthy business growth, while maintaining prudent underwriting discipline.
Singapore Re's balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation that is expected to remain at the strongest level over the medium term, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The company's investment portfolio is focused on cash, deposits and fixed-income securities, albeit with some exposure to higher-risk asset classes such as equities. Singapore Re strategically utilises retrocession to increase its underwriting capacity and manage exposure to catastrophe accumulations and large single risks. The credit quality of the retrocession panel remains excellent, with the majority of reinsurance recoverables held with highly rated counterparties. Additionally, Singapore Re benefits from good financial flexibility due to the support provided by Fairfax.
AM Best assesses Singapore Re's business profile as limited. Singapore Re is a modest-sized non-life reinsurer based in Singapore, writing treaty and facultative business primarily in Asia and the Middle East. Geographic diversification is supported by operations across these regions, with the top three markets being Singapore, India and China, based on 2024 gross premium written. A partially offsetting factor is the company's elevated cedant concentration risk; however, this risk is mitigated partly by the fact that some of its largest cedants are companies within the Fairfax group or affiliates and others that have long-standing relationships.
The rating enhancement from Fairfax factors in explicit and implicit support from the group, including access to shared resources and services across various business functions. Despite Singapore Re's operations accounting for a small component of Fairfax's consolidated revenue and earnings, the company is considered strategically important to the group's international expansion strategy and provides access to local and regional business.
Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.
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 specialising 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.
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Sin Yee Chuah, CFA
Senior Financial Analyst
+65 6303 5022
sinyee.chuah@ambest.com
Victoria Ohorodnyk
Director, Analytics
+65 6303 5020
victoria.ohorodnyk@ambest.com
Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com
Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com