Ryan Specialty Group Reports Fourth Quarter 2021 Results

Ryan Specialty Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: RYAN) (“Ryan Specialty” or the “Company”), a leading international specialty insurance firm, today announced results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2021.

Fourth Quarter 2021 Highlights

• Total Revenue grew 15.8% period-over-period to $378.5 million, compared to $326.9 million in the prior-year period
• Organic Revenue Growth Rate* was 15.4% for the quarter, compared to 21.8% for the same quarter last year
• Net Income of $29.6 million, compared to Net Loss of $3.5 million in the prior-year period. Diluted Earnings per Share was $0.09
• Adjusted EBITDAC* increased 18.2% to $120.3 million, compared to $101.8 million in the prior-year period
• Adjusted EBITDAC Margin* rose 70 basis points period-over-period to 31.8%
• Adjusted Net Income* increased 24.1% to $77.0 million, compared to $62.1 million in the prior-year period
• Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $0.29

Full Year 2021 Highlights

• Total Revenue grew 41% year-over-year to $1.4 billion, compared to $1.0 billion in the prior year
• Organic Revenue Growth Rate* was 22.4%, compared to 20.4% for the prior year
• Net Income of $56.6 million, compared to Net Income of $70.5 million in the prior year. Net Income for 2021 included $79.5 million of one-time costs incurred by the Company during 2021 related to the Company’s completed initial public offering (“IPO”)
• Adjusted EBITDAC* increased 56.8% to $460.2 million, compared to $293.5 million in the prior year
• Adjusted EBITDAC Margin* rose 330 basis points year-over-year to 32.1%
• Adjusted Net Income* increased 56.5% to $290.1 million, compared to $185.4 million in the prior year

“Our fourth quarter performance capped off a banner 2021, which is a true testament to the dedication and talent of our entire Ryan Specialty team,” said Patrick G. Ryan, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ryan Specialty Group. “Another quarter of strong double-digit organic growth enabled us to record a second consecutive full year of over 20% organic revenue growth, a remarkable feat that clearly demonstrates the value our differentiated platform and world-class team provides our clients. Additionally, we improved margins once again on a year-over-year basis, further validating the scalability of our platform, and successfully completed the integration of All Risks into Ryan Specialty. As we progress through 2022, we remain well positioned to gain additional share of the expanding E&S market and are confident in our ability to continue delivering sustainable and profitable growth over the long term.”

Summary of Fourth Quarter Results

Fourth Quarter 2021 Review*

Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $378.5 million, an increase of 15.8% compared to $326.9 million in the prior-year period. This increase was primarily due to strong organic revenue growth of 15.4%, driven by new client wins, expanded relationships with existing clients, an overall expansion of the E&S market, and premium rate increases.

Total operating expenses for the fourth quarter of 2021 were $323.3 million, a 16.1% increase compared to the prior-year period. This was primarily due to an increase in Compensation and benefits expense, which is heavily correlated to revenue growth as many of Ryan Specialty’s producers are compensated based on a percentage of the revenue they generate for the Company. General and administrative expense also rose compared to the prior-year period to accommodate revenue growth.

Net income for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $29.6 million, compared to a net loss of $3.5 million in the prior-year period. The increase was due to year-over-year growth, as well as a $28.2 million non-operating loss incurred by the Company in the fourth quarter of 2020 that did not recur in the fourth quarter of 2021. Diluted Earnings per Share for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $0.09.

Adjusted EBITDAC of $120.3 million grew 18.2% from $101.8 million in the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDAC Margin for the quarter was 31.8%, a 70 basis point improvement compared to the prior-year period. The increases in Adjusted EBITDAC and Adjusted EBITDAC Margin were primarily driven by increasing operating leverage as strong revenue growth outpaced Compensation and benefits expense, as well as continued execution of the Company’s restructuring plan, partially offset by increased General and Administrative expense. The restructuring plan, which the Company initiated in 2020, is anticipated to achieve $25 million in cumulative annualized cost savings when fully actioned by June 30, 2022.

Adjusted Net Income for the fourth quarter of 2021 rose 24.1% to $77.0 million, compared to $62.1 million in the prior-year period. Adjusted Net Income Margin rose 130 basis points to 20.3%, reflecting operating leverage as revenue growth outpaced growth in operating expenses. Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share for the fourth quarter of 2021 was $0.29.

* For the definition of each of the non-GAAP measures referred to above as well as a reconciliation of such non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures, see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” below.

Fourth Quarter 2021 Revenue by Specialty

Net commissions and fees growth in all specialties was primarily driven by strong organic growth.

Liquidity and Financial Condition

As of December 31, 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $387.0 million and outstanding debt principal of $1.6 billion.

Full Year 2022 Outlook*

The Company is initiating its full year 2022 outlook for both Organic Revenue Growth Rate and Adjusted EBITDAC Margin as follows:

• Organic Revenue Growth Rate guidance for full year 2022 to be between 13.0% – 15.0%
• Adjusted EBITDAC Margin guidance for full year 2022 to be between 28.0% – 30.0%

For a definition of Organic Revenue Growth Rate and Adjusted EBITDAC Margin as well as an explanation of the Company’s inability to provide reconciliations of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures, see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators” below.

Conference Call Information

Ryan Specialty will host a conference call today at 5:00 PM ET to discuss these results. A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s website at ryansg.com in its Investors section.

The dial-in number for the conference call is (877) 451-6152 (toll-free) or (201) 389-0879 (international). Please dial the number 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

A webcast replay of the call will be available on the Company’s website at ryansg.com in its Investors section for one year following the call.

About Ryan Specialty Group

Founded in 2010, Ryan Specialty Group (NYSE: RYAN) is a service provider of specialty products and solutions for insurance brokers, agents and carriers. Ryan Specialty provides distribution, underwriting, product development, administration and risk management services by acting as a wholesale broker and a managing underwriter. Our mission is to provide industry-leading innovative specialty insurance solutions for insurance brokers, agents and carriers. Learn more at ryansg.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this release and in the corresponding earnings call that are not historical are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. For example, all statements the Company makes relating to its estimated and projected costs, expenditures, cash flows, growth rates and financial results or its plans and objectives for future operations, growth initiatives, or strategies and the statements under the caption “Full Year 2022 Outlook” are forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “can have,” “likely” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that the Company expected. Specific factors that could cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those disclosed previously in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that include, but are not limited to: the Company’s potential failure to develop a succession plan for the senior management team, including Patrick G. Ryan; the Company’s failure to recruit and retain revenue producers; the cyclicality of, and the economic conditions in, the markets in which the Company operates; conditions that result in reduced insurer capacity; the potential loss of the Company’s relationships with insurance carriers or its clients, becoming dependent upon a limited number of insurance carriers or clients or the failure to develop new insurance carrier and client relationships; significant competitive pressures in each of the Company’s businesses; decreases in the premiums or commission rates set by insurers, or actions by insurers seeking repayment of commissions; decreases in the amounts of supplemental or contingent commissions the Company receives; the Company’s inability to collect its receivables; the potential that the Company’s underwriting models contain errors or are otherwise ineffective; any damage to the Company’s reputation; decreases in current market share as a result of disintermediation within the insurance industry; impairment of goodwill; the inability to maintain rapid growth or to generate sufficient revenue to achieve and maintain profitability; the impact if the Company’s MGU programs are terminated or changed; the risks associated with the evaluation of potential acquisitions and the integration of acquired businesses as well as introduction of new products, lines of business and markets; the occurrence of natural or man-made disasters; being subject to E&O claims as well as other contingencies and legal proceedings; the impact on the Company’s operations and financial condition from the effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of breaches in security that cause significant system or network disruptions; not being able to generate sufficient cash flow to service all of the Company’s indebtedness and being forced to take other actions to satisfy its obligations under such indebtedness; and the impact of being unable to refinance the Company’s indebtedness.

For more detail on the risk factors that may affect the Company’s results, see the section entitled ‘‘Risk Factors’’ in our annual report on Form 10-K which we expect to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 16, 2022, and in other documents that we file with, or furnish to, the SEC. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Given these factors, as well as other variables that may affect the Company’s operating results, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, not to assume that past financial performance will be a reliable indicator of future performance, and not to use historical trends to anticipate results or trends in future periods. The forward-looking statements included in this press release and on the related earnings call relate only to events as of the date hereof. We do not undertake, and expressly disclaim, any duty or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement after the date of this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Key Performance Indicators

In assessing the performance of our business, we use non-GAAP financial measures that are derived from our consolidated financial information, but which are not presented in our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. We use these non-GAAP financial measures when planning, monitoring and evaluating our performance. We consider these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful metrics for management and investors to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period by excluding potential differences caused by variations in capital structures, tax positions, depreciation, amortization and certain other items that we believe are not representative of our core business. We use the following non-GAAP measures for business planning purposes, in measuring our performance relative to that of our competitors, to help investors to understand the nature of our growth, and to enable investors to evaluate the run-rate performance of the Company. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed as supplementing, and not as an alternative or substitute for the consolidated financial statements prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. The footnotes to the reconciliation tables below should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on form 10-K filed with the SEC. Industry peers may provide similar supplemental information but may not define similarly-named metrics in the same way we do and may not make identical adjustments.

Organic Revenue Growth Rate: Organic Revenue Growth Rate represents the percentage change in revenue, as compared to the same period for the year prior, adjusted for revenue attributable to acquisitions during their first 12 months of the Company’s ownership, and other adjustments such as contingent commissions, fiduciary investment income, and foreign exchange rates. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is Total Revenue Growth Rate.

Adjusted Compensation and Benefits Expense: Adjusted Compensation and Benefits Expense represents Compensation and Benefits Expense adjusted to reflect items such as (i) equity-based compensation, (ii) acquisition and restructuring related compensation expenses, and (iii) other exceptional or non-recurring compensation expenses, as applicable. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is Compensation and Benefits Expense.

Adjusted General and Administrative Expense: Adjusted General and Administrative Expense represents General and Administrative Expense adjusted to reflect items such as (i) acquisition and restructuring related general and administrative expenses, and (ii) other exceptional or non-recurring general and administrative expenses, as applicable. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is General and Administrative Expense.

Adjusted Compensation and Benefits Expense Ratio: Adjusted Compensation and Benefits Expense Ratio represents the Adjusted Compensation and Benefits Expense as a percentage of total revenue. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is Compensation and Benefits Expense Ratio.

Adjusted General and Administrative Expense Ratio: Adjusted General and Administrative Expense Ratio represents the Adjusted General and Administrative Expense as a percentage of total revenue. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is General and Administrative Expense Ratio.

Adjusted EBITDAC: Adjusted EBITDAC is defined as Net Income before interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation, amortization, and change in contingent consideration, adjusted to reflect items such as (i) equity-based compensation, (ii) acquisition-related expenses, and (iii) other exceptional or non-recurring items, as applicable. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is Net Income.

Adjusted EBITDAC Margin: Adjusted EBITDAC Margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDAC as a percentage of total revenue. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is Net Income Margin.

Adjusted Net Income: Adjusted Net Income is tax-effected earnings before amortization and certain items of income and expense, gains and losses, equity-based compensation, acquisition related long-term incentive compensation, acquisition-related expenses, costs associated with the IPO and certain exceptional or non-recurring items. The Company will be subject to United States federal income taxes, in addition to state, local, and foreign taxes, with respect to our allocable share of any net taxable income of Ryan Specialty Group, LLC. For comparability purposes, this calculation incorporates the impact of federal and state statutory tax rates on 100% of our adjusted pre-tax income as if the Company owned 100% of Ryan Specialty Group, LLC. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is Net Income.

Adjusted Net Income Margin: Adjusted Net Income Margin is defined as Adjusted Net Income as a percentage of total revenue. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is Net Income Margin.

Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share: Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share is defined as Adjusted Net Income divided by diluted shares outstanding after adjusting for the effect of the exchange of 100% of the outstanding common units of New RSG Holdings, LLC (together with the shares of Class B common stock) into shares of Class A common stock and the effect of unvested equity awards. The most directly comparable GAAP financial metric is Diluted Earnings per Share. The reconciliation of the above non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is set forth in the reconciliation table accompanying this release.

With respect to the Organic Revenue Growth Rate and Adjusted EBITDAC Margin outlook presented in the ”Full Year 2022 Outlook” section of this press release, the Company is unable to provide a comparable outlook for, or a reconciliation to, Total Revenue Growth Rate or Net Income because it cannot provide a meaningful or accurate calculation or estimation of certain reconciling items without unreasonable effort. Its inability to do so is due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting the timing of items that have not yet occurred and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for such reconciliation, including variations in effective tax rate, expenses to be incurred for acquisition activities and other one-time or exceptional items.

Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)

Non-GAAP Financial Measures (unaudited)

Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited – All balances presented in thousands, except unit and par value data

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

The Company revised the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows presentation to include Cash held in a fiduciary capacity as a component of total Cash, presented as cash, cash equivalents, and cash held in a fiduciary capacity. The Company revised the 2020 presentation for comparable purposes.

Net Commissions and Fees

Reconciliation of Organic Revenue Growth Rate to Total Revenue Growth Rate

Reconciliation of Adjusted Compensation and Benefits Expense to Compensation and Benefits Expense

Reconciliation of Adjusted General and Administrative Expense to General and Administrative Expense

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDAC to Net Income

Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income to Net Income