Hallmark Reiterates The Need For Change At Specialty Underwriters'
28 Abril 2009 - 5:42PM
PR Newswire (US)
Urges Stockholders to Elect Hallmark's Seasoned, Insurance
Experienced Slate of Independent Director Nominees in Responding to
Additional Proxy Advisory Report FORT WORTH, Texas, April 28
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hallmark Financial Services, Inc.
(NASDAQ:HALL) today reiterated the need for change at Specialty
Underwriters' Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:SUAI). Hallmark urged
stockholders to vote the GOLD proxy card for the election of its
seasoned, insurance experienced slate of independent nominees, C.
Gregory Peters, Mark E. Pape and Robert M. Fishman, at SUAI's
upcoming Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held next Tuesday,
May 5, 2009. SUAI stockholders are urged to visit
http://www.suaitownhall.com/ for additional information regarding
the upcoming election, including biographies of Hallmark's three
independent Board nominees. In response to an additional proxy
advisory report trumpeted by SUAI, Hallmark notes the report
states: -- The appeal of the Hallmark campaign is the apparent
quality of the nominees, who appear to be not only knowledgeable
about the industry but intellectually engaged with SUAI's
challenges and opportunities for growth. -- They are well-chosen
nominees with clearly deep experience in the industry. In addition
to extolling the experience and qualifications of Hallmark's
nominees, Hallmark believes that the Proxy Governance report did a
credible job of summarizing the dissident's view of the challenges
facing SUAI, which Hallmark strongly believes is supported by the
complete set of facts: -- SUAI strikingly undiversified in lines of
business - workers' compensation and commercial automobile
accounted for 78% of 2008 gross premium written -- Expense ratio
significantly higher than industry average for each of the past
four years -- Fronting relationships with "A" rated insurance
companies leave very little economics left over for SUAI
shareholders after fees are paid -- Operating challenges
exacerbated by governance issues which have allowed the board to
act against the best interests of shareholders. Proxy Governance
notes in its report that Hallmark believes the incumbent directors
have presided over a failure to create stockholder value since
SUAI's 2004 IPO. Hallmark has no additional comment other than to
refer stockholders to its proxy materials, which highlight a
cumulative stockholder return since SUAI's IPO through December 31,
2008 of negative 72%, annual growth in book value per share for the
five-year period ended December 31, 2008 of a paltry 1.6%, and, as
shown below, cumulative net income from inception of only $2.2
million, and only a single-digit return-on-equity in the best of
years. (In contrast, Proxy Governance explains that SUAI management
believes that the company's performance since its IPO has been
"sufficiently solid"). Hallmark is unaware of any plan put forth or
actions taken by the incumbent SUAI board that Hallmark believes
has any realistic prospect of improving these results in the
future. (Dollars in thousands) Net Shareholders' Return on Year
Income Equity Equity 2004 (8,155) 118,930 -6.9% 2005 (17,996)
100,815 -17.9% 2006 8,408 113,982 7.4% 2007 12,589 131,137 9.6%
2008 7,425 136,289 5.4% Total 2,271 Average 454 120,231 0.4%
Hallmark urges all stockholders to vote promptly and to discard any
proxy materials they may receive from management. If stockholders
have returned management's white proxy card, they can change their
vote by executing the GOLD proxy card. If stockholders have any
questions, or need assistance in voting the GOLD proxy card, they
can call Hallmark's proxy solicitor, MacKenzie Partners, Inc.,
toll-free at (800) 322-2885 or (212) 929-5500 (call collect).
DATASOURCE: Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. CONTACT: Dan Sullivan
or Jeanne Carr, both of MacKenzie Partners, Inc., +1-212-929-5500
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