AIG Shares Tumble After First-Quarter Results Miss Expectations

(Bloomberg) -- American International Group Inc. shares dropped to the lowest level in almost two years after first-quarter profit declined and fell short of analysts' estimates.

Insurance results were hurt by catastrophe costs and a decline in net premiums written, the company said Wednesday. AIG has said it's making progress in its turnaround, but investors aren't seeing the results they want yet.

Chief Executive Officer Brian Duperreault, who's been in charge about a year, has reorganized the company, replacing senior executives and announcing a $5.56 billion deal to buy Bermuda-based reinsurer Validus Holdings Ltd. to expand abroad and enter new businesses. AIG expects to report an underwriting profit by the end of this year, Duperreault said in a conference call Thursday.

“We need to get to an underwriting profit in this place and we're going to do it,” he said.

The combined ratio for general insurance was 103.8, meaning AIG lost 3.8 cents for every premium dollar after claims and expenses. Duperreault said getting the combined ratio under 100 would produce a good return on equity.

AIG fell 8.5 percent to $50.17 at 9:48 a.m. in New York. The shares declined 8 percent this year through Wednesday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Louis in Chicago at blouis1@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael J. Moore at mmoore55@bloomberg.net, Steve Dickson, Steven Crabill

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