Ameriprise Financial Reports First Quarter 2021 Results

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP):

Ameriprise increased its quarterly dividend 9 percent to $1.13 per share

As indicated, the severe market dislocation and steep interest rate reduction in the first quarter of 2020 related to COVID-19 distorted the company’s prior year GAAP and operating results. This included a tax benefit in the year ago quarter from a projected net operating loss (NOL) that was not ultimately realized.

Advice & Wealth Management pretax adjusted operating earnings were $389 million, driven by strong flows, higher transactional activity and strong expense management. Excluding the impact from the decline in short-term interest rates of $78 million, adjusted operating earnings increased 30 percent and pretax adjusted operating margin increased 215 basis points. On a sequential basis, pretax operating earnings increased 11 percent and pretax adjusted operating margin expanded 90 basis points.

Adjusted operating net revenues were $1.9 billion, reflecting strong net flows and market appreciation. Excluding the decline in short-term interest rates, revenues increased 16 percent. On a sequential basis, revenues increased 6 percent from strong flows and market appreciation, partially offset by fewer fee days in the current quarter.

Total expenses were $1.5 billion. General and administrative expense was well managed and increased 2 percent, which was in line with expectations based upon the cost associated with increased activity and the impact of share price appreciation on compensation expense.

Total client assets grew 36 percent to $762 billion, with continued strong total client flows of $9.3 billion in the quarter. The company’s ability to meet client needs efficiently and effectively is translating into excellent organic growth. Advisor productivity remains high with a 55 percent increase in flows in the investment advisory business and a 12 percent increase in transactional activity. Wrap net flows reached a record $10.4 billion. Cash balances remain elevated at $40.4 billion with a substantial opportunity for clients to put cash back to work in the future.

Adjusted operating net revenue per advisor on a trailing 12-month basis was $689,000. Excluding the decline in short-term interest rates, adjusted net revenue per advisor increased 8 percent. Total advisors were 10,031 from a combination of high advisor retention and the addition of 93 experienced advisors in the quarter.

Asset Management pretax adjusted operating earnings were $228 million, up 45 percent, reflecting our investment engine, which is driving revenue growth through consistent investment performance and compelling thought leadership leading to increased customer engagement. The prior year quarter included an unfavorable performance fee adjustment. The net pretax adjusted operating margin was 43.9 percent.

Adjusted operating revenues increased 21 percent to $828 million from the cumulative benefit of inflows, a favorable mix shift and higher equity markets. The overall fee rate remained strong at 52 basis points.

Adjusted operating expenses increased 13 percent. General and administrative expenses grew 12 percent driven primarily from higher compensation expense related to stronger business performance and Ameriprise share price appreciation compared to last year, as well as the costs associated with increased activity levels.

Total assets under management increased 32 percent reflecting higher equity markets and net inflows. Investment performance remained strong across equity, fixed income and asset-allocation strategies.

In the quarter, net inflows were $4.9 billion, an improvement of $7.3 billion from a year ago. Excluding legacy insurance partners outflows, net inflows were $6.2 billion, reflecting a continuation of positive flow trends across multiple distribution channels and strategies.

• Retail net inflows were $4.6 billion. Net inflows in North America were $4.8 billion with notable inflows in the broker-dealer channel partially offset by modest outflows in EMEA.
• Global institutional net inflows were $1.6 billion, with gross sales across multiple strategies.

Retirement & Protection Solutions pretax adjusted operating earnings increased 10 percent to $183 million. Results were strong from market appreciation, partially offset by higher claims versus an abnormally low level in the year ago period. Overall claims remain within expected ranges.

Retirement sales increased 30 percent year-over-year to $1.5 billion. Retirement sales without living benefit guarantees represented 64 percent of variable annuity sales, driven by our lower-risk structured product, as well as our RAVA 5 product without living benefit guarantees. This sales shift is having a gradual impact on our inforce block, with account values with living benefit riders down nearly 2 percentage points year-over-year to 63 percent. This sales trend is expected to continue and meaningfully shift the mix of the business over time to lower-risk products that do not have living benefit guarantees. Annuity net amount at risk as a percent of account values was de minimis at 0.4 percent for living benefits and 0.1 percent for death benefits, which management believes is one of the lowest among major variable annuity writers, reflecting the high quality of the book.

Sales of protection products were flat to a year ago with a product mix shift that is consistent with our focused approach. Sales of higher-margin accumulation VUL products increased more than 75 percent and sales shifted away from indexed UL products as expected given pricing changes that reflect the low interest rate environment.

Total Corporate & Other pretax adjusted operating loss was $21 million, a $29 million improvement from the prior year.

Corporate & Other, excluding Closed Blocks, pretax adjusted operating loss was $63 million. Results in the quarter included $11 million of higher compensation expense related to the impact of Ameriprise share price appreciation and $15 million from a strategic investment gain. The year ago quarter included an $11 million benefit from Ameriprise share price depreciation.

Long Term Care pretax adjusted operating earnings were $46 million from higher mortality and terminations, primarily related to COVID-19, which had a decreasing impact as we moved through the quarter.

Fixed Annuities pretax adjusted operating loss was $4 million from narrowed spreads related to continued low interest rates.

Taxes

The operating effective tax rate was 14.9 percent for the first quarter. The full year operating effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 17 percent.

About Ameriprise Financial

At Ameriprise Financial, we have been helping people feel confident about their financial future for more than 125 years. With extensive advisory, asset management and insurance capabilities and a nationwide network of approximately 10,000 financial advisors, we have the strength and expertise to serve the full range of individual and institutional investors' financial needs. For more information, or to find an Ameriprise financial advisor, visit ameriprise.com.

Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC offers financial planning services, investments, insurance and annuity products. Columbia Funds are distributed by Columbia Management Investment Distributors, Inc., member FINRA and managed by Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC. Threadneedle International Limited is an SEC- and FCA-registered investment adviser affiliate of Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC based in the U.K. RiverSource insurance and annuity products are issued by RiverSource Life Insurance Company, and in New York only by RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of New York, Albany, New York. Only RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of New York is authorized to sell insurance and annuity products in the state of New York. These companies are all part of Ameriprise Financial, Inc. CA License #0684538. RiverSource Distributors, Inc. (Distributor), Member FINRA.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The company believes the presentation of adjusted operating earnings and other non-GAAP financial measures, and the corresponding ratios, best represents the underlying performance of our core operations and facilitates a more meaningful trend analysis without the distortion of various adjustment items. Management uses non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate our financial performance on a basis comparable to that used by some securities analysts and investors and to provide a valuable perspective for investors. These non-GAAP financial measures are taken into consideration, to varying degrees, for purposes of business planning and analysis and for certain compensation-related matters. Non-GAAP financial measures are intended to supplement investors’ understanding of our performance and should not be considered alternatives for financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP. These measures are discussed in more detail below and may not be comparable to other companies’ similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP financial measure reconciliations can be found on the subsequent pages.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management’s plans, estimates and beliefs. Actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. Examples of such forward-looking statements include:

• statements of the company’s plans, intentions, positioning, expectations, objectives or goals, including those relating to asset flows, mass affluent and affluent client acquisition strategy, client retention and growth of our client base, financial advisor productivity, retention, recruiting and enrollments, the introduction, cessation, terms or pricing of new or existing products and services, acquisition integration, general and administrative costs, consolidated tax rate, return of capital to shareholders, and excess capital position and financial flexibility to capture additional growth opportunities;
• statements about the expected trend in the shift of the retirement product sales business to lower risk products without living benefit guarantees over time;
• other statements about future economic performance, the performance of equity markets and interest rate variations and the economic performance of the United States and of global markets; and
• statements estimating the expected full year operating effective tax rate;
• statements of assumptions underlying such statements.

The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “optimistic,” “intend,” “plan,” “aim,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “likely,” “forecast,” “on track,” “project,” ”continue,” “able to remain”, “resume,” “deliver,” “develop,” “evolve,” “drive,” ”enable,” “flexibility,” “scenario, “case,” “appear” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Management cautions readers to carefully consider the risks described in the “Risk Factors” discussion under Part 1, Item 1A of and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, Part 1, Item 1A available at ir.ameriprise.com. Management undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements.

The financial results discussed in this news release represent past performance only, which may not be used to predict or project future results. The financial results and values presented in this news release are based upon asset valuations that represent estimates as of the date of this news release and may be revised in the company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

Ameriprise Financial announces financial and other information to investors through the company’s investor relations website at ir.ameriprise.com, as well as SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. Investors and others interested in the company are encouraged to visit the investor relations website from time to time, as information is updated and new information is posted. The website also allows users to sign up for automatic notifications in the event new materials are posted. The information found on the website is not incorporated by reference into this release or in any other report or document the company furnishes or files with the SEC.