Max Capital Group Ltd. Announces Update on Alternative Investment Portfolio
March 10, 2009
HAMILTON, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 10, 2009--
Max Capital Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: MXGL; BSX: MXGL BH) today announced that
the return on its alternative investments for the two months ended
February 28, 2009 is expected to be approximately 2%, or an increase in
value of approximately $18 million.
The Company’s alternative investment performance for the two months
compares to 0.36% for the HFRI Fund of Funds Composite Index, which the
Company believes is the most comparable benchmark for this asset class.
W. Marston (Marty) Becker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Max
Capital, said: “Recent results demonstrate that the actions Max took in
the latter half of 2008 to rebalance and reduce risk in our alternative
asset portfolio are working. Over the course of 2008, we reduced our
alternative investment allocation from approximately 21% at December 31,
2007 to 14% at year-end 2008. Our intention is to further reduce the
allocation to a 10-12% range, as well as to rebalance strategies within
this asset class. This transition is well underway and, following the
anticipated merger of IPC and Max, we expect the combined company to
target this same 10-12% level of alternative assets, and to further
diversify its allocation within alternative investments. It is expected
that no more than 5- 7% of invested assets will be in hedge funds with
the balance of the 10-12% of invested assets in other attractive
alternative asset classes. These steps are intended to lower the
volatility of investment returns to a level considered appropriate for a
growing global specialty insurance and reinsurance company such as Max.”
In accordance with the Company’s accounting policy the unrealized mark
to market gains and losses emanating from its alternative investment
portfolio are recorded through net income rather than as an adjustment
to book value through other comprehensive income.
Max Capital Group Ltd., through its operating subsidiaries, provides
specialty insurance and reinsurance products to corporations, public
entities, property and casualty insurers and life and health insurers.
This release includes statements about future economic performance,
finances, expectations, plans and prospects of Max Capital Group Ltd.
that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those suggested by such statements. For further information regarding
cautionary statements and factors affecting future results, please refer
to Max Capital 's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q filed subsequent to the Annual Report and other
documents filed by Max Capital with the SEC. Max Capital undertakes no
obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statement
whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Source: Max Capital Group Ltd.
Max Capital Group Ltd.
Susan Spivak Bernstein, 1-212-898-6640
Senior
Vice President
susan.spivak@maxcapservices.com
or
Kekst
and Company
Roanne Kulakoff, 1-212-521-4837
roanne-kulakoff@kekst.com