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	The Travelers Companies Inc	212.90	0.55	0.26%
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Travelers Reports Excellent First Quarter Results

First Quarter 2024 Net Income per Diluted Share of $4.80, up 16%, and Return on Equity of 18.0%

First Quarter 2024 Core Income per Diluted Share of $4.69, up 14%, and Core Return on Equity of 15.4%

Board of Directors Declares 5% Increase in Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend to $1.05 per Share

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  First quarter net income of $1.123 billion and core income of $1.096 billion.
  
  


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  Quarter included an elevated level of catastrophe losses of $712 million pre-tax, compared to $535 million pre-tax in the prior year quarter.
  
  


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  Excellent consolidated combined ratio of 93.9% improved 1.5 points; outstanding underlying combined ratio of 87.7% improved 2.9 points.
  
  


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  Net written premiums of $10.182 billion, up 8% compared to the prior year quarter, with growth in all three segments.
  
  


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  Total capital of $620 million returned to shareholders, including $388 million of share repurchases.
  
  


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  Book value per share of $109.28, up 9% over March 31, 2023; adjusted book value per share of $125.53, up 8% over March 31, 2023.
  
  

"Through terrific marketplace execution across all three segments, we grew net written premiums in the quarter by 8% to $10.2 billion. In Business Insurance, we grew net written premiums by 9% to $5.6 billion. Renewal premium change in the segment remained very strong at 10.6%, while retention remained high at 86% and new business increased 8% to a record $691 million. In Bond & Specialty Insurance, we grew net written premiums by 6% to more than $940 million with strong retention and new business in our high-quality management liability business. In our industry-leading surety business, we grew net written premiums by 15%. Given the attractive returns, we are very pleased with the strong production results in both of our commercial business segments. In Personal Insurance, continued strong pricing drove 9% growth in net written premiums. Renewal premium change was 16.6% in our Auto business and 13.4% in our Homeowners and Other business.

"The year is off to a terrific start with strong profitability and production in all three segments, as well as higher investment income. In short, we're firing on all cylinders. We also continue to invest in important strategic initiatives. We have demonstrated success in executing our innovation strategy, which has contributed to superior returns with industry-low volatility, growth in our premium base and higher adjusted book value per share. With this momentum and the best talent in the industry, we remain well positioned for success this year and beyond."

First Quarter 2024 Results
(All comparisons vs. first quarter 2023, unless noted otherwise)

Net income of $1.123 billion increased $148 million, due to higher core income and higher net realized investment gains. Core income of $1.096 billion increased $126 million, primarily due to higher net investment income and a higher underlying underwriting gain, partially offset by higher catastrophe losses. The underlying underwriting gain benefited from higher business volumes. The underlying underwriting gain in the prior year quarter included a one-time tax benefit of $211 million due to the expiration of the statute of limitations with respect to a tax item. Net realized investment gains were $35 million pre-tax ($27 million after-tax), compared to $6 million pre-tax ($5 million after-tax) in the prior year quarter.

Combined ratio:

• The combined ratio of 93.9% improved 1.5 points due to an improvement in the underlying combined ratio (2.9 points), partially offset by higher catastrophe losses (1.1 points) and lower net favorable prior year reserve development (0.3 points).

• The underlying combined ratio of 87.7% improved 2.9 points. See below for further details by segment.

• Net favorable prior year reserve development occurred in Personal Insurance and Bond & Specialty Insurance. There was no net prior year reserve development in Business Insurance. See below for further details by segment.

• Catastrophe losses primarily resulted from severe wind and hail storms in the central and eastern regions of the United States.

Net investment income of $846 million pre-tax ($698 million after-tax) increased 28%. Income from the fixed income investment portfolio increased over the prior year quarter due to a higher average yield and growth in fixed maturity investments. Income from the non-fixed income investment portfolio increased over the prior year quarter primarily due to higher private equity partnership returns. Non-fixed income returns are generally reported on a one-quarter lagged basis and directionally follow the broader equity markets.

Net written premiums of $10.182 billion increased 8%. See below for further details by segment.

Shareholders' Equity

Shareholders' equity of $25.022 billion increased slightly over year-end 2023, primarily due to net income of $1.123 billion, largely offset by higher net unrealized investment losses, common share repurchases and dividends to shareholders. Net unrealized investment losses included in shareholders' equity were $4.720 billion pre-tax ($3.721 billion after-tax), compared to $3.970 billion pre-tax ($3.129 billion after-tax) at year-end 2023. The increase in net unrealized investment losses was driven by higher interest rates. Book value per share of $109.28 increased slightly over year-end 2023. Adjusted book value per share of $125.53, which excludes net unrealized investment gains (losses), increased 2% over year-end 2023.

The Company repurchased 1.2 million common shares in the open market during the first quarter under its share repurchase authorizations for a total cost of $250 million. The average cost per share repurchased was $217.31. In addition, the Company acquired 0.6 million common shares for a total cost of $138 million in connection with employee share-based compensation. At March 31, 2024, the Company had $5.790 billion of capacity remaining under its share repurchase authorizations approved by the Board of Directors.

At the end of the quarter, statutory capital and surplus was $25.329 billion, and the ratio of debt-to-capital was 24.3%. The ratio of debt-to-capital excluding after-tax net unrealized investment gains (losses) included in shareholders' equity was 21.8%, within the Company's target range of 15% to 25%.

The Board of Directors declared a 5% increase in the regular quarterly dividend to $1.05 per share. The dividend is payable June 28, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 10, 2024.

First Quarter 2024 Results
(All comparisons vs. first quarter 2023, unless noted otherwise)

Segment income for Business Insurance was $764 million after-tax, an increase of $8 million. Segment income increased primarily due to higher net investment income, partially offset by a lower underlying underwriting gain. The underlying underwriting gain benefited from higher business volumes. The underlying underwriting gain in the prior year quarter included a one-time tax benefit of $171 million due to the expiration of the statute of limitations with respect to a tax item.

Combined ratio:

• The combined ratio of 93.3% improved 0.3 points due to a lower underlying combined ratio (0.4 points) and lower catastrophe losses (0.3 points), partially offset by no net prior year reserve development compared with net favorable prior year reserve development in the prior year quarter (0.4 points).

• The underlying combined ratio improved 0.4 points to a very strong 89.2%.

• There was no net prior year reserve development in the current quarter, as better than expected loss experience in the domestic operations' workers' compensation product line for multiple accident years was offset primarily by higher than expected loss experience in the general liability product line for recent accident years, as well as an addition to reserves related to run-off operations.

Net written premiums of $5.596 billion increased 9%, reflecting strong renewal premium change and retention, as well as higher levels of new business.

First Quarter 2024 Results
(All comparisons vs. first quarter 2023, unless noted otherwise)

Segment income for Bond & Specialty Insurance was $195 million after-tax, a decrease of $12 million. Segment income decreased primarily due to lower net favorable prior year reserve development, partially offset by higher net investment income. The underlying underwriting gain benefited from higher business volumes. The underlying underwriting gain in the prior year quarter included a one-time tax benefit of $9 million due to the expiration of the statute of limitations with respect to a tax item.

Combined ratio:

• The combined ratio of 84.5% increased 4.5 points due to lower net favorable prior year reserve development (4.2 points) and a higher underlying combined ratio (0.4 points), partially offset by a smaller impact from catastrophe losses (0.1 points).

• The underlying combined ratio of 86.5% increased 0.4 points.

• Net favorable prior year reserve development was primarily driven by better than expected loss experience in multiple product lines within domestic operations.

Net written premiums of $943 million increased 6%, reflecting strong production in both surety and management liability.

First Quarter 2024 Results
(All comparisons vs. first quarter 2023, unless noted otherwise)

Segment income for Personal Insurance was $220 million after-tax, an increase of $137 million. Segment income increased primarily due to a higher underlying underwriting gain, higher net favorable prior year reserve development and higher net investment income, partially offset by higher catastrophe losses. The underlying underwriting gain benefited from higher business volumes. The underlying underwriting gain in the prior year quarter included a one-time tax benefit of $31 million due to the expiration of the statute of limitations with respect to a tax item.

Combined ratio:

• The combined ratio of 96.9% improved 4.6 points due to an improvement in the underlying combined ratio (6.8 points) and higher net favorable prior year reserve development (0.8 points), partially offset by higher catastrophe losses (3.0 points).

• The underlying combined ratio of 86.1% improved 6.8 points, reflecting improvement in both Automobile and Homeowners and Other.

• Net favorable prior year reserve development was primarily driven by better than expected loss experience in the domestic operations' automobile product line for recent accident years.

Net written premiums of $3.643 billion increased 9%, reflecting strong renewal premium change in both Domestic Automobile and Homeowners and Other.

Financial Supplement and Conference Call

The information in this press release should be read in conjunction with the financial supplement that is available on our website at Travelers.com. Travelers management will discuss the contents of this release and other relevant topics via webcast at 9 a.m. Eastern (8 a.m. Central) on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Investors can access the call via webcast at investor.travelers.com or by dialing 1.888.440.6281 within the United States or 1.646.960.0218 outside the United States. Prior to the webcast, a slide presentation pertaining to the quarterly earnings will be available on the Company's website.

Following the live event, replays will be available via webcast for one year at investor.travelers.com and by telephone for 30 days by dialing 1.800.770.2030 within the United States or 1.647.362.9199 outside the United States. All callers should use conference ID 5449478.

About Travelers

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has more than 30,000 employees and generated revenues of more than $41 billion in 2023. For more information, visit Travelers.com.

Travelers may use its website and/or social media outlets, such as Facebook and X, as distribution channels of material Company information. Financial and other important information regarding the Company is routinely accessible through and posted on our website at investor.travelers.com, our Facebook page at facebook.com/travelers and our X account (@Travelers) at twitter.com/travelers. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about Travelers when you enroll your email address by visiting the Email Notifications section at investor.travelers.com.

Travelers is organized into the following reportable business segments:

Business Insurance - Business Insurance offers a broad array of property and casualty insurance products and services to its customers, primarily in the United States, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and throughout other parts of the world, including as a corporate member of Lloyd's.

Bond & Specialty Insurance - Bond & Specialty Insurance offers surety, fidelity, management liability, professional liability, and other property and casualty coverages and related risk management services to its customers, primarily in the United States, and certain surety and specialty insurance products in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, as well as Brazil through a joint venture, in each case utilizing various degrees of financially-based underwriting approaches.

Personal Insurance - Personal Insurance offers a broad range of property and casualty insurance products and services covering individuals' personal risks, primarily in the United States, as well as in Canada. Personal Insurance's primary products of automobile and homeowners insurance are complemented by a broad suite of related coverages.

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Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains, and management may make, certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, may be forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "will," "should," "likely," "probably," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "views," "ensures," "estimates" and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements include, among other things, the Company's statements about:

• the Company's outlook, the impact of trends on its business, such as the impact of elevated industrywide loss costs in Personal Insurance, and its future results of operations and financial condition;
• the impact of legislative or regulatory actions or court decisions;
• share repurchase plans;
• future pension plan contributions;
• the sufficiency of the Company's asbestos and other reserves;
• the impact of emerging claims issues as well as other insurance and non-insurance litigation;
• the cost and availability of reinsurance coverage;
• catastrophe losses and modeling;
• the impact of investment, economic and underwriting market conditions, including interest rates and inflation;
• the Company's approach to managing its investment portfolio;
• the impact of changing climate conditions;
• strategic and operational initiatives to improve profitability and competitiveness;
• the Company's competitive advantages and innovation agenda, including executing on that agenda with respect to artificial intelligence;
• the Company's cybersecurity policies and practices;
• new product offerings;
• the impact of developments in the tort environment;
• the impact of developments in the geopolitical environment; and
• the impact of the Company's acquisition of Corvus Insurance Holdings, Inc.

The Company cautions investors that such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the Company's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements.

Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the following:

Insurance-Related Risks

• high levels of catastrophe losses;
• actual claims may exceed the Company's claims and claim adjustment expense reserves, or the estimated level of claims and claim adjustment expense reserves may increase, including as a result of, among other things, changes in the legal/tort, regulatory and economic environments, including increased inflation;
• the Company's potential exposure to asbestos and environmental claims and related litigation;
• the Company is exposed to, and may face adverse developments involving, mass tort claims; and
• the effects of emerging claim and coverage issues on the Company's business are uncertain, and court decisions or legislative changes that take place after the Company issues its policies can result in an unexpected increase in the number of claims.

Financial, Economic and Credit Risks

• a period of financial market disruption or an economic downturn;
• the Company's investment portfolio is subject to credit and interest rate risk, and may suffer reduced or low returns or material realized or unrealized losses;
• the Company is exposed to credit risk related to reinsurance and structured settlements, and reinsurance coverage may not be available to the Company;
• the Company is exposed to credit risk in certain of its insurance operations and with respect to certain guarantee or indemnification arrangements that it has with third parties;
• a downgrade in the Company's claims-paying and financial strength ratings; and
• the Company's insurance subsidiaries may be unable to pay dividends to the Company's holding company in sufficient amounts.

Business and Operational Risks

• the intense competition that the Company faces, including with respect to attracting and retaining employees, and the impact of innovation, technological change and changing customer preferences on the insurance industry and the markets in which it operates;
• disruptions to the Company's relationships with its independent agents and brokers or the Company's inability to manage effectively a changing distribution landscape;
• the Company's efforts to develop new products or services, expand in targeted markets, improve business processes and workflows or make acquisitions may not be successful and may create enhanced risks;
• the Company's pricing and capital models may provide materially different indications than actual results;
• loss of or significant restrictions on the use of particular types of underwriting criteria, such as credit scoring, or other data or methodologies, in the pricing and underwriting of the Company's products;
• the Company is subject to additional risks associated with its business outside the United States; and
• future pandemics (including new variants of COVID-19).

Technology and Intellectual Property Risks

• as a result of cyber attacks (the risk of which could be exacerbated by geopolitical tensions) or otherwise, the Company may experience difficulties with technology, data and network security or outsourcing relationships;
• the Company's dependence on effective information technology systems and on continuing to develop and implement improvements in technology, including with respect to artificial intelligence; and
• the Company may be unable to protect and enforce its own intellectual property or may be subject to claims for infringing the intellectual property of others.

Regulatory and Compliance Risks

• changes in regulation, including higher tax rates; and
• the Company's compliance controls may not be effective.

In addition, the Company's share repurchase plans depend on a variety of factors, including the Company's financial position, earnings, share price, catastrophe losses, maintaining capital levels appropriate for the Company's business operations, changes in levels of written premiums, funding of the Company's qualified pension plan, capital requirements of the Company's operating subsidiaries, legal requirements, regulatory constraints, other investment opportunities (including mergers and acquisitions and related financings), market conditions, changes in tax laws (including the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022) and other factors.

Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release or as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of these factors, see the information under the captions "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Forward Looking Statements" in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 15, 2024, as updated by our periodic filings with the SEC.

GLOSSARY OF FINANCIAL MEASURES AND RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP MEASURES TO NON-GAAP MEASURES

The following measures are used by the Company's management to evaluate financial performance against historical results, to establish performance targets on a consolidated basis and for other reasons as discussed below. In some cases, these measures are considered non-GAAP financial measures under applicable SEC rules because they are not displayed as separate line items in the consolidated financial statements or are not required to be disclosed in the notes to financial statements or, in some cases, include or exclude certain items not ordinarily included or excluded in the most comparable GAAP financial measure. Reconciliations of these measures to the most comparable GAAP measures also follow.

In the opinion of the Company's management, a discussion of these measures provides investors, financial analysts, rating agencies and other financial statement users with a better understanding of the significant factors that comprise the Company's periodic results of operations and how management evaluates the Company's financial performance.

Some of these measures exclude net realized investment gains (losses), net of tax, and/or net unrealized investment gains (losses), net of tax, included in shareholders' equity, which can be significantly impacted by both discretionary and other economic factors and are not necessarily indicative of operating trends.

Other companies may calculate these measures differently, and, therefore, their measures may not be comparable to those used by the Company's management.

RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO CORE INCOME AND CERTAIN OTHER NON-GAAP MEASURES

Core income (loss) is consolidated net income (loss) excluding the after-tax impact of net realized investment gains (losses), discontinued operations, the effect of a change in tax laws and tax rates at enactment, and cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles when applicable. Segment income (loss) is determined in the same manner as core income (loss) on a segment basis. Management uses segment income (loss) to analyze each segment's performance and as a tool in making business decisions. Financial statement users also consider core income (loss) when analyzing the results and trends of insurance companies. Core income (loss) per share is core income (loss) on a per common share basis.

RECONCILIATION OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY TO ADJUSTED SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY AND CALCULATION OF RETURN ON EQUITY AND CORE RETURN ON EQUITY

Adjusted shareholders' equity is shareholders' equity excluding net unrealized investment gains (losses), net of tax, included in shareholders' equity, net realized investment gains (losses), net of tax, for the period presented, the effect of a change in tax laws and tax rates at enactment (excluding the portion related to net unrealized investment gains (losses), preferred stock and discontinued operations.

Return on equity is the ratio of annualized net income (loss) less preferred dividends to average shareholders' equity for the periods presented. Core return on equity is the ratio of annualized core income (loss) less preferred dividends to adjusted average shareholders' equity for the periods presented. In the opinion of the Company's management, these are important indicators of how well management creates value for its shareholders through its operating activities and its capital management.

Average shareholders' equity is (a) the sum of total shareholders' equity excluding preferred stock at the beginning and end of each of the quarters for the period presented divided by (b) the number of quarters in the period presented times two. Adjusted average shareholders' equity is (a) the sum of total adjusted shareholders' equity at the beginning and end of each of the quarters for the period presented divided by (b) the number of quarters in the period presented times two.

RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO UNDERWRITING GAIN EXCLUDING CERTAIN ITEMS

Underwriting gain (loss) is net earned premiums and fee income less claims and claim adjustment expenses and insurance-related expenses. In the opinion of the Company's management, it is important to measure the profitability of each segment excluding the results of investing activities, which are managed separately from the insurance business. This measure is used to assess each segment's business performance and as a tool in making business decisions. Underwriting gain, excluding the impact of catastrophes and net favorable (unfavorable) prior year loss reserve development, is the underwriting gain adjusted to exclude claims and claim adjustment expenses, reinstatement premiums and assessments related to catastrophes and loss reserve development related to time periods prior to the current year. In the opinion of the Company's management, this measure is meaningful to users of the financial statements to understand the Company's periodic earnings and the variability of earnings caused by the unpredictable nature (i.e., the timing and amount) of catastrophes and loss reserve development. This measure is also referred to as underlying underwriting gain, underlying underwriting margin, underlying underwriting income or underlying underwriting result.

A catastrophe is a severe loss designated a catastrophe by internationally recognized organizations that track and report on insured losses resulting from catastrophic events, such as Property Claim Services (PCS) for events in the United States and Canada. Catastrophes can be caused by various natural events, including, among others, hurricanes, tornadoes and other windstorms, earthquakes, hail, wildfires, severe winter weather, floods, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and other naturally-occurring events, such as solar flares. Catastrophes can also be man-made, such as terrorist attacks and other intentionally destructive acts including those involving nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological events, cyber events, explosions and destruction of infrastructure. Each catastrophe has unique characteristics and catastrophes are not predictable as to timing or amount. Their effects are included in net and core income and claims and claim adjustment expense reserves upon occurrence. A catastrophe may result in the payment of reinsurance reinstatement premiums and assessments from various pools.

The Company's threshold for disclosing catastrophes is primarily determined at the reportable segment level. If a threshold for one segment or a combination thereof is exceeded and the other segments have losses from the same event, losses from the event are identified as catastrophe losses in the segment results and for the consolidated results of the Company. Additionally, an aggregate threshold is applied for international business across all reportable segments. The threshold for 2024 ranges from $20 million to $30 million of losses before reinsurance and taxes.

Net favorable (unfavorable) prior year loss reserve development is the increase or decrease in incurred claims and claim adjustment expenses as a result of the re-estimation of claims and claim adjustment expense reserves at successive valuation dates for a given group of claims, which may be related to one or more prior years. In the opinion of the Company's management, a discussion of loss reserve development is meaningful to users of the financial statements as it allows them to assess the impact between prior and current year development on incurred claims and claim adjustment expenses, net and core income (loss), and changes in claims and claim adjustment expense reserve levels from period to period.