UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 10-Q

[ X ]
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2011
 
OR

[   ]
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from _______________ __ to ___________________

Commission File Number:  0-11774
 
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


North Carolina
56-1110199
(State of incorporation)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 

121 North Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
 
(919) 968-2200
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   Yes   X   No ___

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes    X    No __

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.  (Check one):
 
Large accelerated filer ___
Accelerated filer ___
Non-accelerated filer ___
Smaller reporting company  X
 
 
(do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).   Yes ___    No   X  
 
 
As of July 19, 2011, there were 2,127,735 common shares of the registrant outstanding.
 
 
 

 
 
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY
AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
INDEX
 
PART I.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
 
 
 
 
 
1
 
   
 
2
 
   
 
3
 
   
 
4
 
   
 
5
 
 
6
 
 
 
21
 
35
 
 
PART II.
OTHER INFORMATION
 
 
36
 
37
 
 
 
38
 
 
 

 
 
Item 1.      Financial Statements
           
             
Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
 
 
As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010
 
(Unaudited)
 
             
             
   
June 30, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
             
Assets:
           
  Investments in securities:
           
     Fixed maturities, available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost:
           
       2011: $79,192,609; 2010: $81,784,262)
  $ 84,442,518     $ 86,033,557  
     Equity securities, available-for-sale, at fair value (cost: 2011: $10,214,982; 2010: $9,458,773)
    15,268,038       13,872,370  
     Short-term investments
    22,212,440       27,203,550  
     Other investments
    2,995,116       2,888,958  
        Total investments
    124,918,112       129,998,435  
                 
  Cash and cash equivalents
    12,652,920       8,117,031  
  Premiums and fees receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of  
               
     $1,302,000 and $1,421,000 for 2011 and 2010, respectively
    5,490,826       7,253,786  
  Accrued interest and dividends
    1,114,632       1,150,602  
  Prepaid expenses and other assets
    4,910,571       2,816,661  
  Property, net
    3,574,593       3,672,317  
  Current income taxes recoverable
    730,356       -  
  Deferred income taxes, net
    -       476,534  
                 
Total Assets
  $ 153,392,010     $ 153,485,366  
                 
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
               
Liabilities:
               
  Reserves for claims
  $ 37,605,000     $ 38,198,700  
  Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
    12,414,679       10,301,495  
  Current income taxes payable
    -       1,056,356  
  Deferred income taxes, net
    994,169       -  
      Total liabilities
    51,013,848       49,556,551  
                 
Commitments and Contingencies
               
                 
Stockholders' Equity:
               
  Class A Junior Participating preferred stock (shares authorized 100,000; no shares issued)
    -       -  
  Common stock - no par value (shares authorized 10,000,000;
               
     2,127,735 and 2,282,596 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2011 and
               
     December 31, 2010, respectively, excluding 291,676 shares for 2011 and 2010
               
     of common stock held by the Company's subsidiary)
    1       1  
  Retained earnings
    95,599,613       98,240,109  
  Accumulated other comprehensive income
    6,778,548       5,688,705  
      Total stockholders' equity
    102,378,162       103,928,815  
                 
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
  $ 153,392,010     $ 153,485,366  
                 
See notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
               
 
 
1

 
 
Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
 
 
For the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2011 and 2010
 
(Unaudited)
 
                         
                         
                         
    Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended  
    June 30    
June 30
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
Revenues:
                       
Net premiums written
  $ 21,451,022     $ 13,638,950     $ 39,316,610     $ 25,425,252  
Investment income - interest and dividends
    878,818       915,852       1,778,190       1,822,474  
Net realized gain on investments
    147,075       325,780       120,915       350,930  
Other
    1,242,298       1,338,184       2,525,518       2,317,521  
Total Revenues
    23,719,213       16,218,766       43,741,233       29,916,177  
                                 
Operating Expenses:
                               
Commissions to agents
    13,293,828       6,476,376       24,173,414       12,075,827  
Provision for claims
    1,229,961       112,415       1,951,587       1,424,819  
Salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes
    4,639,675       4,345,961       9,331,671       8,830,273  
Office occupancy and operations
    952,460       978,822       1,916,387       2,067,227  
Business development
    372,239       352,365       759,786       626,661  
Filing fees, franchise and local taxes
    118,146       147,277       332,259       292,699  
Premium and retaliatory taxes
    502,984       281,784       908,457       582,730  
Professional and contract labor fees
    411,557       338,794       720,081       703,872  
Other
    159,558       182,412       262,579       294,094  
Total Operating Expenses
    21,680,408       13,216,206       40,356,221       26,898,202  
                                 
Income Before Income Taxes
    2,038,805       3,002,560       3,385,012       3,017,975  
                                 
Provision For Income Taxes
    444,000       465,000       771,000       463,000  
                                 
Net Income
  $ 1,594,805     $ 2,537,560     $ 2,614,012     $ 2,554,975  
                                 
Basic Earnings Per Common Share
  $ 0.75     $ 1.11     $ 1.20     $ 1.12  
                                 
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding - Basic
    2,134,164       2,285,653       2,184,323       2,285,392  
                                 
Diluted Earnings Per Common Share
  $ 0.74     $ 1.11     $ 1.19     $ 1.11  
                                 
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding - Diluted
    2,155,116       2,293,199       2,201,398       2,293,232  
                                 
Cash Dividends Paid Per Common Share
  $ 0.07     $ 0.07     $ 0.14     $ 0.14  
                                 
See notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
                               
 
 
2

 
 
Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
For the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2011 and 2010
(Unaudited)
                         
                         
                         
      Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended  
    June 30    
June 30
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
Net income
  $ 1,594,805     $ 2,537,560     $ 2,614,012     $ 2,554,975  
Other comprehensive income, before tax:
                               
   Amortization related to prior year service cost
    5,097       5,097       10,194       10,194  
   Amortization of unrecognized loss
    643       641       1,286       1,284  
   Unrealized gains (losses) on investments arising during the year
    1,080,784       (271,741 )     1,760,987       111,747  
   Reclassification adjustment for sale of securities included in net income
    (186,171 )     (340,125 )     (229,288 )     (435,824 )
   Reclassification adjustment for write down of securities included in net income
    39,096       14,347       108,372       84,895  
Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax
    939,449       (591,781 )     1,651,551       (227,704 )
Income tax expense related to postretirement health benefits
    1,949       1,952       3,905       3,899  
Income tax expense (benefit) related to unrealized gains (losses) on investments arising during the year
    367,381       (84,312 )     598,747       45,938  
Income tax expense related to reclassification adjustment for
                               
    sale of securities included in net income
    (65,462 )     (119,324 )     (79,219 )     (152,055 )
Income tax expense related to reclassification adjustment for
                               
     write down of securities included in net income
    15,369       5,530       38,275       30,564  
Net income tax expense (benefit) on other comprehensive income
    319,237       (196,154 )     561,708       (71,654 )
Other comprehensive income (loss)
    620,212       (395,627 )     1,089,843       (156,050 )
Comprehensive income
  $ 2,215,017     $ 2,141,933     $ 3,703,855     $ 2,398,925  
                                 
See notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
                               
 
 
3

 
 
 
Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
 
 
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2011 and 2010
 
(Unaudited)
                                 
                                 
                                 
                       
Accumulated
   
Total
 
     
Common Stock
   
Retained
   
Other Comprehensive
   
Stockholders'
 
     
Shares
   
Amount
   
Earnings
   
Income
   
Equity
 
                                 
 
Balance, January 1, 2010
    2,285,289     $ 1     $ 92,528,818     $ 4,730,258     $ 97,259,077  
 
Net income
                    2,554,975               2,554,975  
 
Dividends ($.14 per share)
                    (319,944 )             (319,944 )
 
Stock options exercised
    3,995               49,022               49,022  
 
Share based compensation expense
                    110,188               110,188  
 
Repurchase of shares
    (4,375 )             (145,622 )             (145,622 )
 
Amortization related to postretirement health benefits
              7,579       7,579  
 
Net unrealized loss on investments, net of tax
                      (163,629 )     (163,629 )
                                           
 
Balance, June 30, 2010
    2,284,909     $ 1     $ 94,777,437     $ 4,574,208     $ 99,351,646  
                                           
 
Balance, January 1, 2011
    2,282,596     $ 1     $ 98,240,109     $ 5,688,705     $ 103,928,815  
 
Net income
                    2,614,012               2,614,012  
 
Dividends ($.14 per share)
                    (302,221 )             (302,221 )
 
Stock options exercised
    7,550               152,526               152,526  
 
Share-based compensation expense
                    106,053               106,053  
 
Repurchase of shares
    (162,411 )             (5,210,866 )             (5,210,866 )
 
Amortization related to postretirement health benefits
              7,575       7,575  
 
Net unrealized gain on investments, net of tax
                      1,082,268       1,082,268  
                                           
 
Balance, June 30, 2011
    2,127,735     $ 1     $ 95,599,613     $ 6,778,548     $ 102,378,162  
                                           
                                           
 
See notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
                                 
 
 
4

 
 
Investors Title Company and Subsidiaries
 
 
For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2011 and 2010
 
(Unaudited)
 
             
   
2011
   
2010
 
Operating Activities:
           
Net income
  $ 2,614,012     $ 2,554,975  
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
               
     provided by operating activities:
               
        Depreciation
    255,290       272,125  
        Amortization, net
    165,255       167,243  
        Amortization related to postretirement benefits obligation
    11,480       11,478  
        Share-based compensation expense related to stock options
    106,053       110,188  
        Decrease in allowance for doubtful accounts on premiums receivable
    (119,000 )     (247,000 )
        Net gain on disposals of property
    -       (480 )
        Net realized gain on investments and other assets
    (120,915 )     (350,930 )
        Net earnings from other investments
    (159,071 )     (183,889 )
        Provision for claims
    1,951,587       1,424,819  
        Provision for deferred income taxes
    909,000       1,343,000  
  Changes in assets and liabilities:
               
        Decrease (increase) in receivables
    1,881,960       (441 )
        Increase in other assets
    (2,096,473 )     (307,559 )
        Increase in current income taxes receivable
    (730,356 )     (949,449 )
        Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
    2,113,184       (513,397 )
        Decrease in current income taxes payable
    (1,056,356 )     (670,290 )
        Payments of claims, net of recoveries
    (2,545,287 )     (3,162,819 )
    Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
    3,180,363       (502,426 )
                 
Investing Activities:
               
  Purchases of available-for-sale securities
    (3,553,734 )     (9,874,722 )
  Purchases of short-term securities
    (2,776,535 )     (9,724,271 )
  Purchases of other investments
    (225,315 )     (51,143 )
  Proceeds from sales and maturities of available-for-sale securities
    5,412,268       9,868,039  
  Proceeds from maturities of held-to-maturity securities
    -       2,000  
  Proceeds from sales and maturities of short-term securities
    7,767,645       7,019,021  
  Proceeds from sales and distributions of other investments
    249,324       269,239  
  Purchases of property
    (157,566 )     (75,936 )
  Proceeds from the sale of property
    -       1,200  
    Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
    6,716,087       (2,566,573 )
                 
Financing Activities:
               
  Repurchases of common stock
    (5,210,866 )     (145,622 )
  Exercise of options
    152,526       49,022  
  Dividends paid
    (302,221 )     (319,944 )
    Net cash used in financing activities
    (5,360,561 )     (416,544 )
                 
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents
    4,535,889       (3,485,543 )
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Period
    8,117,031       8,733,221  
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Period
  $ 12,652,920     $ 5,247,678  
                 
Supplemental Disclosures:
               
Cash  Paid During the Period for:
               
   Income taxes, payments, net
  $ 1,649,000     $ 741,000  
                 
Non cash net unrealized (gain) loss on investments, net of deferred tax
               
(provision) benefit of  ($557,803) and $75,554 for 2011 and 2010,
               
respectively
  $ (1,082,268 )   $ 163,629  
                 
See notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
               
 
 
5

 
 
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY
AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
June 30, 2011
(Unaudited)

Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Reference should be made to the "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" of Investors Title Company’s (“the Company”) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 for a complete description of the Company’s significant accounting policies.

Principles of Consolidation – The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts and operations of Investors Title Company and its subsidiaries (Investors Title Insurance Company, National Investors Title Insurance Company, Investors Title Exchange Corporation, Investors Title Accommodation Corporation, Investors Title Management Services, Inc., Investors Title Commercial Agency, LLC, Investors Capital Management Company, and Investors Trust Company), and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X.  Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted.  All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows in the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been included.  All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature.  Operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011.

Use of Estimates and Assumptions – The preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions used.

Subsequent Events - The Company has evaluated and concluded that there were no material subsequent events requiring adjustment to or disclosure in its consolidated financial statements.
 
Recently Issued Accounting Standards – In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“the FASB”) updated requirements relating to the presentation of comprehensive income.  The objectives of this accounting update are to facilitate convergence of GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), to improve the comparability, consistency, and transparency of financial reporting and to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income.  The main provisions of the guidance require that all nonowner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements.  For public entities, this update becomes effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011.  Early adoption is permitted, and the Company elected to adopt this new guidance in the second quarter of 2011.  This update did not have an impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.
 
 
6

 

In January 2010, the FASB updated the requirements for fair value measurements and disclosures to provide for additional disclosure related to transfers in and out of securities valuation hierarchy Levels 1 and 2, and to require companies to present Level 3 securities purchases, sales, issuances and settlement on a gross rather than net basis. Refer to Note 6 for a discussion of valuation hierarchy levels. The new disclosures are clarifications of existing disclosures and are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, except that the disclosures requiring the presentation of Level 3 securities trading activity on a gross basis are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. This update did not have an impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.

Pending Accounting Standards – In May 2011, the FASB updated requirements for measuring and disclosing fair value information, resulting in common principles and requirements in accordance with GAAP and IFRS.  For public entities, this guidance becomes effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011.  Early application by public entities is not permitted.  Management does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.


Note 2 - Reserves for Claims

Transactions in the reserves for claims for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and the year ended December 31, 2010 are summarized as follows:

   
June 30, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
Balance, beginning of period
  $ 38,198,700     $ 39,490,000  
Provision, charged to operations
    1,951,587       4,435,066  
Payments of claims, net of recoveries
    (2,545,287 )     (5,726,366 )
Ending balance
  $ 37,605,000     $ 38,198,700  

The total reserve for all reported and unreported losses the Company incurred through June 30, 2011 is represented by the reserves for claims. The Company's reserves for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses are established using estimated amounts required to settle claims for which notice has been received (reported) and the amount estimated to be required to satisfy incurred claims of policyholders which may be reported in the future. Despite the variability of such estimates, management believes that the reserves are adequate to cover claim losses which might result from pending and future claims under policies issued through June 30, 2011.  The Company continually reviews and adjusts its reserve estimates to reflect its loss experience and any new information that becomes available.  Adjustments resulting from such reviews may be significant.
 
 
7

 

A summary of the Company’s loss reserves, broken down into its components of known title claims and incurred but not reported claims (“IBNR”), follows:

   
June 30, 2011
   
%
   
December 31, 2010
   
%
 
Known title claims
  $ 5,833,158       15.5     $ 6,121,941       16.0  
IBNR
    31,771,842       84.5       32,076,759       84.0  
Total loss reserves
  $ 37,605,000       100.0     $ 38,198,700       100.0  

Claims and losses paid are charged to the reserves for claims. Although claims losses are typically paid in cash, occasionally claims are settled by purchasing the interest of the insured or the claimant in the real property. When this event occurs, the acquiring company carries assets at the lower of cost or estimated realizable value, net of any indebtedness on the property.


Note 3 - Earnings Per Common Share and Share Awards

Basic earnings per common share are computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting period.  Diluted earnings per common share is computed by dividing net income by the combination of dilutive potential common stock, comprised of shares issuable under the Company’s share-based compensation plans and the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting period.  Dilutive common share equivalents include the dilutive effect of in-the-money share-based awards, which are calculated based on the average share price for each period using the treasury stock method.  Under the treasury stock method, the exercise price of a share-based award, the amount of compensation cost, if any, for future service that the Company has not yet recognized, and the amount of estimated tax benefits that would be recorded in additional paid-in capital, if any, when the share-based awards are exercised they are assumed to be used to repurchase shares in the current period.  The incremental dilutive potential common shares, calculated using the treasury stock method, were 20,952 and 7,546 for the three months ended June 30, 2011, and 2010, respectively, and 17,075 and 7,840 for the six months ended June 30, 2011, and 2010, respectively.
 
 
8

 

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share for the three and six month periods ended June 30:
 
   
Three months ended
June 30,
   
Six months ended
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
Net income
  $ 1,594,805     $ 2,537,560     $ 2,614,012     $ 2,554,975  
Weighted average common shares outstanding – Basic
    2,134,164       2,285,653       2,184,323       2,285,392  
Incremental shares outstanding assuming                                
the exercise of dilutive stock options                                 
and SARs (share settled)
    20,952       7,546       17,075       7,840  
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Diluted
    2,155,116       2,293,199       2,201,398       2,293,232  
                                 
Basic earnings per common share
  $ 0.75     $ 1.11     $ 1.20     $ 1.12  
                                 
Diluted earnings per common share
  $ 0.74     $ 1.11     $ 1.19     $ 1.11  

There were 9,500 and 13,500 shares excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, because these shares were anti-dilutive. There were 11,500 and 10,500 shares excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, because these shares were anti-dilutive.
 
 
The Company has adopted employee stock award plans (the "Plans") under which restricted stock, and options or stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) to acquire shares (not to exceed 500,000 shares) of the Company's stock may be granted to key employees or directors of the Company at a price not less than the market value on the date of grant.  SARs and options (which have predominantly been incentive stock options) awarded under the Plans thus far are exercisable and vest immediately or within one year or at 10% to 20% per year beginning on the date of grant and generally expire in five to ten years.  All SARs issued to date have been share settled only.  There have not been any SARs exercised in 2011 or 2010.
 
 
9

 

A summary of share-based award transactions for all share-based award plans follows:

         
Weighted
   
Average
       
         
Average
   
Remaining
   
Aggregate
 
   
Number
   
Exercise
   
Contractual
   
Intrinsic
 
   
Of Shares
   
Price
   
Term (years)
   
Value
 
Outstanding as of January 1, 2010
    117,245     $ 27.54       5.10     $ 541,543  
SARs granted
    3,000       33.31                  
Options exercised
    (9,445 )     14.88                  
Options/SARs cancelled/forfeited/expired
    -       -                  
Outstanding as of December 31, 2010
    110,800     $ 28.77       4.51     $ 353,955  
SARs granted
    3,000       41.50                  
Options exercised
    (7,550 )     20.20                  
Options/SARs cancelled/forfeited/expired
    (4,500 )     28.61                  
Outstanding as of June 30, 2011
    101,750     $ 29.79       4.41     $ 1,075,771  
                                 
Exercisable as of June 30, 2011
    89,477     $ 29.72       4.36     $ 955,189  
                                 
Unvested as of June 30, 2011
    12,273     $ 30.34       4.77     $ 120,582  

During both the second quarters of 2011 and 2010, the Company issued 3,000 share-settled SARs to the directors of the Company.   SARs give the holder the right to receive stock equal to the appreciation in the value of shares of stock from the grant date for a specified period of time, and as a result, are accounted for as equity instruments.  As such, these were valued using the Black-Scholes option valuation model.  The fair value of each award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option valuation model with the weighted-average assumptions noted in the table shown below. Expected volatilities are based on both the implied and historical volatility of the Company’s stock. The Company uses historical data to project SAR exercise and employee termination within the valuation model. The expected term of awards represents the period of time that SARs granted are expected to be outstanding. The interest rate for periods during the expected life of the award is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of the grant.  The weighted-average fair value for the SARs issued was $15.55 and was estimated using the weighted-average assumptions shown in the table below.

   
2011
 
2010
 
 
Expected Life in Years
5.0
 
5.0
 
 
Volatility
43.6%
 
42.4%
 
 
Interest Rate
1.9%
 
2.1%
 
 
Yield Rate
0.8%
 
0.8%
 

There was approximately $106,000 and $110,000 of compensation expense relating to SARs or options vesting on or before June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, included in salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes in the consolidated statements of income.  As of June 30, 2011, there was approximately $150,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested share-based compensation arrangements granted under the Company’s stock award plans. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 6 months.
 
 
10

 

There have been no stock options or SARs granted where the exercise price was less than the market price on the date of grant.


Note 4 – Segment Information

The Company has one reportable segment, title insurance services.  The remaining immaterial segments have been combined into a group called “All Other.”

The title insurance segment primarily issues title insurance policies through approved attorneys from underwriting offices and through independent issuing agents. Title insurance policies insure titles to real estate.

Provided below is selected financial information about the Company's operations by segment for the periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010:

Three Months Ended
June 30, 2011
 
Title
Insurance
   
All
Other
   
Intersegment
Eliminations
   
Total
 
                                 
Operating revenues
  $ 21,809,129     $ 1,082,802     $ (198,611 )   $ 22,693,320  
Investment income
    773,973       125,263       (20,418 )     878,818  
Net realized gain on investments
    145,144       1,931       -       147,075  
Total revenues
  $ 22,728,246     $ 1,209,996     $ (219,029 )   $ 23,719,213  
Operating expenses
    20,610,222       1,268,797       (198,611 )     21,680,408  
Income (loss) before income taxes
  $ 2,118,024     $ (58,801 )   $ (20,418 )   $ 2,038,805  
Total assets
  $ 116,889,860     $ 36,502,150     $ -     $ 153,392,010  

Three Months Ended
                       
June 30, 2010
                       
                                 
Operating revenues
  $ 14,105,259     $ 1,068,601     $ (196,726 )   $ 14,977,134  
Investment income
    797,149       139,121       (20,418 )     915,852  
Net realized gain on investments
    259,293       66,487       -       325,780  
Total revenues
  $ 15,161,701     $ 1,274,209     $ (217,144 )   $ 16,218,766  
Operating expenses
    12,342,992       1,069,940       (196,726 )     13,216,206  
Income before income taxes
  $ 2,818,709     $ 204,269     $ (20,418 )   $ 3,002,560  
Total assets
  $ 103,957,299     $ 41,641,287     $ -     $ 145,598,586  
 
 
11

 

Six Months Ended
June 30, 2011
 
Title
Insurance
   
All
Other
   
Intersegment
Eliminations
   
Total
 
                                 
Operating revenues
  $ 39,996,441     $ 2,254,586     $ (408,899 )   $ 41,842,128  
Investment income
    1,564,946       254,079       (40,835 )     1,778,190  
Net realized gain (loss) on investments
    124,609        (3,694 )     -       120,915  
Total revenues
  $ 41,685,996     $ 2,504,971     $ (449,734 )   $ 43,741,233  
Operating expenses
    38,137,759       2,627,361       (408,899 )     40,356,221  
Income (loss) before income taxes
  $ 3,548,237     $ (122,390 )   $ (40,835 )   $ 3,385,012  
Total assets
  $ 116,889,860     $ 36,502,150     $ -     $ 153,392,010  
                                 
Six Months Ended
                               
June 30, 2010
                               
                                 
Operating revenues
  $ 26,039,165     $ 2,096,978     $ (393,370 )   $ 27,742,773  
Investment income
    1,567,336       295,973       (40,835 )     1,822,474  
Net realized gain on investments
    303,096       47,834       -       350,930  
Total revenues
  $ 27,909,597     $ 2,440,785     $ (434,205 )   $ 29,916,177  
Operating expenses
    25,008,822       2,282,750       (393,370 )     26,898,202  
Income before income taxes
  $ 2,900,775     $ 158,035     $ (40,835 )   $ 3,017,975  
Total assets
  $ 103,957,299     $ 41,641,287     $ -     $ 145,598,586  


Note 5 – Retirement Agreements and Other Postretirement Benefits

On November 17, 2003, the Company’s subsidiary, Investors Title Insurance Company, entered into employment agreements with key executives that provide for the continuation of certain employee benefits and other payments due under the agreements upon retirement totaling $5,415,000 and $5,134,000 as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.  The executive employee benefits include health insurance, dental, vision and life insurance and are unfunded.  These amounts are classified as accounts payable and accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.  The following sets forth the net periodic benefits cost for the executive benefits for the periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010:

   
For the Three
Months Ended
June 30,
   
For the Six
Months Ended
June 30,
 
   
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
                         
Service cost – benefits earned during the year
  $ 6,425     $ 6,425     $ 12,849     $ 12,849  
Interest cost on the projected benefit obligation
    7,689       7,689       15,378       15,378  
Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost
    5,097       5,097       10,194       10,194  
Amortization of unrecognized gains
    643       641       1,286       1,284  
Net periodic benefits costs
  $ 19,854     $ 19,852     $ 39,707     $ 39,705  
 
 
12

 
 
Note 6 - Fair Value Measurement
 
Valuation Hierarchy .  The FASB has established a valuation hierarchy for disclosure of the inputs to valuation used to measure fair value of financial assets and liabilities, such as securities. This hierarchy categorizes the inputs into three broad levels as follows.  Level 1 inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.  Level 2 inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly through market corroboration, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.  Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs based on the Company’s own assumptions used to measure assets and liabilities at fair value.

Valuation Techniques .  A financial instrument’s classification within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement—consequently, if there are multiple significant valuation inputs that are categorized in different levels of the hierarchy, the instrument’s hierarchy level is the lowest level (with Level 3 being the lowest level) within which any significant input falls.

The Level 1 category includes equity securities that are measured at fair value using quoted active market prices.

The Level 2 category includes fixed maturity investments such as corporate bonds, U.S. government and agency bonds and municipal bonds.  Their fair value is principally based on market values obtained from a third party pricing service.  Factors that are used in determining their fair market value include benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data.  The Company receives one quote per security from the pricing service, although as discussed below, the Company does consult other pricing resources when confirming that the prices it obtains reflect the fair values of the instruments in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820 , Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures .  Generally, quotes obtained from the pricing service for instruments classified as Level 2 are not adjusted and are not binding.  As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the Company did not adjust any Level 2 fair values.

A number of the Company’s investment grade corporate bonds are frequently traded in active markets, and trading prices are consequently available for these securities.  However, these securities were classified as Level 2 because the third party pricing service from which the Company has obtained fair values for these instruments uses valuation models which use observable market inputs in addition to traded prices.  Substantially all of the input assumptions used in the service’s model are observable in the marketplace or can be derived or supported by observable market data.

The Level 3 category only includes the Company’s investments in student loan auction rate securities (“ARS”) because quoted prices were unavailable due to the failure of auctions.  Some of the inputs to this model are unobservable in the market and are significant—therefore, the Company utilizes another third party pricing service to assist in the determination of fair market value of these securities.  That service uses a proprietary valuation model that considers factors such as the following: the financial standing of the issuer; reported prices and the extent of public trading in similar financial instruments of the issuer or comparable companies; the   ability of the issuer to obtain required financing; changes in the economic conditions affecting the issuer; pricing by other dealers in similar securities; time to maturity; and interest rates.  The following table summarizes some key assumptions the service used to determine fair value as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
 
 
13

 

   
2011
 
2010
Cumulative probability of earning maximum rate until maturity
 
0.0-0.9%
 
0.0-0.8%
Cumulative probability of principle returned prior to maturity
 
85.8-98.6%
 
85.3-98.6%
Cumulative probability of default at some future point
 
1.4-14.1%
 
1.4-14.7%

Based upon these inputs and assumptions, the pricing service provides a range of values to the Company for its ARS.  The Company records the fair value based on the midpoint of the range and believes that this valuation is the most reasonable estimate of fair value.  In 2011 and 2010, the difference in the low and high values of the ranges was between approximately three and four percent of the carrying value of the Company’s ARS.

The Company’s ARS portfolio is comprised entirely of investment grade student loan ARS. The par value of the ARS bonds was $5,800,000 and $5,900,000 as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively, with approximately 81.9% and 82.2% as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively, guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education.

The following table presents, by level, the financial assets carried at fair value measured on a recurring basis as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010.  The table does not include cash on hand and also does not include assets which are measured at historical cost or any basis other than fair value.

As of June 30, 2011
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Equity Securities
                       
    Common stock and nonredeemable preferred stock
  $ 15,268,038     $ -     $ -     $ 15,268,038  
Fixed Maturities
                               
    Obligations of states and political subdivisions*
    -       65,888,637       2,538,796       68,427,433  
    Corporate Debt Securities*
    -       13,159,885       2,855,200       16,015,085  
Total
  $ 15,268,038     $ 79,048,522     $ 5,393,996     $ 99,710,556  
                                 

                         
As of December 31, 2010
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total
 
Equity Securities
                       
    Common stock and nonredeemable preferred stock
  $ 13,872,370     $ -     $ -     $ 13,872,370  
Fixed Maturities
                               
    Obligations of states and political subdivisions*
    -       67,202,641       2,618,844       69,821,485  
    Corporate Debt Securities*
    -       13,358,672       2,853,400       16,212,072  
Total
  $ 13,872,370     $ 80,561,313     $ 5,472,244     $ 99,905,927  
   
*Denotes fair market value obtained from pricing services.
 
 
There were no transfers into or out of Levels 1 and 2 during the period.  The following table presents a reconciliation of the Company’s assets measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the period ended June 30, 2011 and the year ended December 31, 2010:
 
 
14

 
 
Changes in fair value during the period ended:
 
2011
   
2010
 
Beginning balance at January 1
  $ 5,472,244     $ 10,097,795  
Redemptions and sales
    (100,000 )     (4,938,500 )
Realized loss-included in realized (loss) gain on investments
    -       (314,386 )
Unrealized gain-included in other comprehensive income
    21,752       627,335  
Ending balance
  $ 5,393,996     $ 5,472,244  
 
Certain investments and other assets are measured at estimated fair value on a non-recurring basis, such as investments that are impaired during the period and recorded at estimated fair value in the financial statements as of or during the periods ended June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010.  The following table summarizes the corresponding estimated fair value hierarchy of such investments and other assets at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 and the related impairments recognized.
 

 
 
June 30, 2011
Valuation
Method
 
Impaired
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total at
Estimated
Fair Value
   
Impairment
Losses
 
Cost method                                               
investment
Fair Value
 
Yes
  $ -     $ -     $ 58,281     $ 58,281     $ (28,904 )
Other assets Fair Value   Yes     -       -       17,000       17,000       (15,500
Total cost method                                              
investments and other                                               
assets
        $  -     $  -     $  75,281     $  75,281     $ (44,404 )
                                               
December 31, 2010
Valuation
Method
 
Impaired
 
Level 1
   
Level 2
   
Level 3
   
Total at
Estimated
Fair Value
   
Impairment
Losses
 
Cost method investment
Fair Value
 
Yes
  $ -     $ -     $ 52,625     $ 52,625     $ (47,141 )  
Other assets Fair Value   Yes     -       -       -       -       (47,550
Total cost method                                               
investments and other                                               
assets
        $  -     $  -     $  52,625     $  52,625     $ (94,691 )
 
To help ensure that fair value determinations are consistent with ASC 820 f air value measurements , prices from our pricing services go through multiple review processes to ensure appropriate pricing.  Pricing procedures and inputs used to price each security include, but are not limited to the following: unadjusted quoted market prices for identical securities such as stock market closing prices, non-binding quoted prices for identical securities in markets that are not active, interest rates, yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals, volatility, prepayment speeds, loss severity, credit risks and default rates.  The Company reviews the procedures and inputs used by its pricing services and verifies a sample of the services’ quotes by comparing them to values obtained from other pricing resources.  In the event the Company disagrees with a price provided by its pricing services, the service reevaluates the price to corroborate the market information and then reviews inputs to the evaluation in light of potentially new market data.  The Company believes that these processes and inputs result in appropriate classifications and fair values consistent with ASC 820.

 
15

 

Note 7 – Investments in Securities

The aggregate estimated fair value, gross unrealized holding gains, gross unrealized holding losses and cost or amortized cost for securities by major security type are as follows:

         
Gross
   
Gross
   
Estimated
 
   
Amortized
   
Unrealized
   
Unrealized
   
Fair
 
June 30, 2011
 
Cost
   
Gains
   
Losses
   
Value
 
Fixed Maturities-
                       
  Available-for-sale, at fair value:
                       
     Obligations of states and political subdivisions
  $ 61,721,601     $ 4,201,974     $ 34,938     $ 65,888,637  
     Corporate debt securities
    12,143,901       1,100,513       84,529       13,159,885  
     Auction rate securities
    5,327,107       68,088       1,199       5,393,996  
     Total
  $ 79,192,609     $ 5,370,575     $ 120,666     $ 84,442,518  
Equity Securities, available-for-sale at fair value-
                               
  Common stocks and nonredeemable preferred stocks
  $ 10,214,982     $ 5,157,846     $ 104,790     $ 15,268,038  
     Total
  $ 10,214,982     $ 5,157,846     $ 104,790     $ 15,268,038  
Short-term investments-
                               
  Certificates of deposit and other
  $ 22,212,440     $ -     $ -     $ 22,212,440  
     Total
  $ 22,212,440     $ -     $ -     $ 22,212,440  
                                 
December 31, 2010
                               
Fixed Maturities-
                               
  Available-for-sale, at fair value:
                               
     Obligations of states and political subdivisions
  $ 64,120,509     $ 3,248,821     $ 166,690     $ 67,202,640  
     Corporate debt securities
    12,258,359       1,123,051       22,737       13,358,673  
     Auction rate securities
    5,405,394       66,850       -       5,472,244  
     Total
  $ 81,784,262     $ 4,438,722     $ 189,427     $ 86,033,557  
Equity Securities, available-for-sale at fair value-
                               
  Common stocks and nonredeemable preferred stocks
  $ 9,458,773     $ 4,430,175     $ 16,578     $ 13,872,370  
     Total
  $ 9,458,773     $ 4,430,175     $ 16,578     $ 13,872,370  
Short-term investments-
                               
  Certificates of deposit and other
  $ 27,203,550     $ -     $ -     $ 27,203,550  
     Total
  $ 27,203,550     $ -     $ -     $ 27,203,550  
 
The scheduled maturities of fixed maturity securities at June 30, 2011 were as follows:

   
Available-for-Sale
 
   
Amortized
   
Fair
 
   
Cost
   
Value
 
Due in one year or less
  $ 3,129,360     $ 3,168,037  
Due after one year through five years
    30,959,343       32,806,623  
Due five years through ten years
    35,902,456       38,760,593  
Due after ten years
    9,201,450       9,707,265  
     Total
  $ 79,192,609     $ 84,442,518  
 
 
16

 
 
Gross realized gains and losses on securities for the six months ended June 30 are summarized as follows:

   
2011
   
2010
 
Gross realized gains:
           
  Obligations of states and political subdivisions
  $ 36,274     $ 98,197  
  Common stocks and nonredeemable preferred stocks
    262,952       356,373  
     Total
    299,226       454,570  
Gross realized losses:
               
  Obligations of states and political subdivisions
  $ -     $ -  
  Common stocks and nonredeemable preferred stocks
    (46,413 )     (14,346 )
  Other than temporary impairment of securities
    (64,468 )     (8,055 )
     Total
    (110,881 )     (22,401 )
Net realized gain
  $ 188,345     $ 432,169  

Realized gains and losses are determined on the specific identification method.  Also included in net realized gain on sales in the Consolidated Statements of Income are impairments of other investments and loss on sales of property acquired in the settlement of claims totaling $(67,430) and $(81,239) for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

The following table presents the gross unrealized losses on investment securities and the fair value of the related securities, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous loss position at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010.
 

   
Less than 12 Months
   
12 Months or Longer
 
Total
 
   
Fair
   
Unrealized
   
Fair
 
Unrealized
 
Fair
 
Unrealized
 
   
Value
   
Losses
   
Value
 
Losses
 
Value
 
Losses
 
June 30, 2011
                             
Auction rate securities
  $ 1,858,766     $ (1,199 )   $ -   $ -   $ 1,858,766   $ (1,199 )
Obligations of states and  political subdivisions     1,548,620       (34,938     -     -     1,548,620     (34,938
Corporate debt securities     939,790       (84,529     -     -     939,790     (84,529
Total Fixed Income Securities
  $ 4,347,176     $ (120,666 )   $ -   $ -   $ 4,347,176   $ (120,666 )
Equity Securities
    1,017,901       (104,790 )     -     -     1,017,901     (104,790 )
Total temporarily impaired securities
  $ 5,365,077     $ (225,456 )   $ -   $ -   $ 5,365,077   $ (225,456 )

   
Less than 12 Months
   
12 Months or Longer
   
Total
 
   
Fair
   
Unrealized
   
Fair
 
Unrealized
   
Fair
 
Unrealized
 
   
Value
   
Losses
   
Value
 
Losses
   
Value
 
Losses
 
December 31, 2010
                               
Obligations of states and  political subdivisions
  $  7,008,818     $ (166,690 )   $  -   $  -     $  7,008,818   $ (166,690 )
Corporate debt securities
    1,077,263       (22,737 )     -     -       1,077,263     (22,737 )
Total Fixed Income Securities
  $ 8,086,081     $ (189,427 )   $ -   $ -     $ 8,086,081   $ (189,427 )
Equity Securities
    746,388       (7,710 )     220,635     (8,868 )     967,023     (16,578 )
Total temporarily impaired securities
  $ 8,832,469     $ (197,137 )   $ 220,635   $ (8,868 )   $ 9,053,104   $ (206,005 )

 
17

 
 
As of June 30, 2011, the Company held $4,347,176 in fixed maturity securities with unrealized losses of $120,666.  As of December 31, 2010, the Company held $8,086,081 in fixed maturity securities with unrealized losses of $189,427.  The decline in fair value of the fixed maturity securities can be attributed primarily to changes in market interest rates and changes in credit spreads over treasury securities.  Because the Company does not have the intent to sell these securities and will likely not be compelled to sell them before it can recover its cost basis, the Company does not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired.

As of June 30, 2011, the Company held $1,017,901 in equity securities with unrealized losses of $104,790.  As of December 31, 2010, the Company held $967,023 in equity securities with unrealized losses of $16,578.  The unrealized losses related to holdings of equity securities were caused by market changes that the Company considers to be temporary.  Since the Company has the intent and ability to hold these equity income securities until a recovery of fair value, the Company does not consider these investments other-than-temporarily impaired.

Factors considered in determining whether a loss is temporary include the length of time and extent to which fair value has been below cost, the financial condition and prospects of the issuer (including credit ratings and analyst reports) and macro-economic changes.  A total of 14 and 26 securities had unrealized losses at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.  Reviews of the values of securities are inherently uncertain and the value of the investment may not fully recover, or may decline in future periods resulting in a realized loss.  During 2011, the Company recorded an other-than-temporary impairment charge in the amount of $64,468 related to stocks.  During 2010, the Company recorded an other-than-temporary impairment charge in the amount of $382,692 related to securities, of which, $281,156 was related to Level 3 auction rate securities that have had a history of being below cost and a change in the Company’s intent not to sell these securities.  Other-than-temporary impairment charges are included in net realized gain on investments in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
 
 

Note 8 – Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings.   A class action lawsuit is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia against several title insurance companies, including Investors Title Insurance Company, entitled Backel v. Fidelity National Title Insurance et al . (6:2008- CV-00181). The plaintiff in this case contends a lack of meaningful oversight by agencies with which title insurance rates are filed and approved. There are further allegations that the title insurance companies have conspired to fix title insurance rates. The plaintiffs seek monetary damages, including treble damages, as well as injunctive relief. Similar suits have been filed in other jurisdictions, several of which have already been dismissed. In West Virginia, the case has been placed on the inactive list pending the resolution of the bankruptcy of LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc. The Company believes that this case is without merit, and intends to vigorously defend against the allegations. At this stage in the litigation, the Company does not have the ability to make a reasonable range of estimates in regards to potential loss amounts, if any.

The Company and its subsidiaries are also involved in other legal proceedings that are incidental to their business. In the Company’s opinion, based on the present status of these proceedings, any potential liability of the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to these legal proceedings, will not, in the aggregate, be material to the Company’s consolidated financial condition or operations.
 
 
18

 
 
Regulation .  The Company’s title insurance and trust subsidiaries are regulated by various federal, state and local governmental agencies and are subject to various audits and inquiries. It is the opinion of management based on its present expectations that these audits and inquiries will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or operations.

Escrow and Trust Deposits .  As a service to its customers, the Company, through Investors Title Insurance Company (“ITIC”), administers escrow and trust deposits representing earnest money received under real estate contracts, undisbursed amounts received for settlement of mortgage loans and indemnities against specific title risks.  These amounts are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are excluded from the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.  However, the Company remains contingently liable for the disposition of these deposits.

Like-Kind Exchanges Proceeds .  In administering tax-deferred property exchanges, the Company’s subsidiary, Investors Title Exchange Corporation (“ITEC”), serves as a qualified intermediary for exchanges, holding the net sales proceeds from relinquished property to be used for purchase of replacement property. Another Company subsidiary, Investors Title Accommodation Corporation (“ITAC”), serves as exchange accommodation titleholder and, through limited liability companies (“LLCs”) that are wholly owned subsidiaries of ITAC, holds property for exchangers in reverse exchange transactions. Like-kind exchange deposits and reverse exchange property totaled approximately $12,237,000 and $23,044,000 as of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. These amounts are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are excluded from the accompanying consolidated balance sheets; however, the Company remains contingently liable for the disposition of the transfers of property, disbursements of proceeds and the return on the proceeds at the agreed upon rate. These like-kind exchange funds are primarily invested in money market and other short-term investments, including approximately $1,000,000 of par value in an auction rate security, as of June 30, 2011. The Company does not believe the current illiquidity of the auction rate security will impact its operations, as it believes it has sufficient capital to provide continuous and immediate liquidity as necessary.

 
19

 

Note 9 – Related Party Transactions

The Company does business with unconsolidated limited liability companies that it has investments in that are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. These unconsolidated companies are primarily title insurance agencies.  The following table sets forth the approximate values by year found within each financial statement classification:

Financial Statement Classification,
             
As of
June 30,
   
As of December 31,
 
Consolidated Balance Sheets
                2011     2010  
Other investments
              $ 1,605,000     $ 1,682,000  
Premiums and fees receivable
              $ 569,000     $ 739,000  
                             
Financial Statement Classification,
 
For the three months ended June 30,
   
For the six months ended June 30,
 
Consolidated Statements of Income
  2011     2010     2011     2010  
Net premiums written
  $ 2,579,000     $ 2,746,000     $ 4,701,000     $ 4,848,000  
Other income
  $ 243,000     $ 349,000     $ 458,000     $ 455,000  
 
 
20

 

Item 2.                        Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The Company's 2010 Annual Report on Form l0-K should be read in conjunction with the following discussion since it contains important information for evaluating the Company's operating results and financial condition.

Overview

Investors Title Company (the "Company") is a holding company that engages primarily in issuing title insurance through two subsidiaries, Investors Title Insurance Company ("ITIC") and National Investors Title Insurance Company ("NITIC").  Operating revenues from the title segment accounted for 95.6% of the Company's operating revenues in the first six months of 2011.  Through ITIC and NITIC, the Company underwrites land title insurance for owners and mortgagees as a primary insurer.  Title insurance protects against loss or damage resulting from title defects that affect real property.

There are two basic types of title insurance policies - one for the mortgage lender and one for the real estate owner.  A lender often requires property owners to purchase title insurance to protect its position as a holder of a mortgage loan, but the lender's title insurance policy does not protect the property owner.  The property owner has to purchase a separate owner's title insurance policy to protect his investment.  When real property is conveyed from one party to another, occasionally there is an undisclosed defect in the title or a mistake or omission in a prior deed, will or mortgage that may give a third party a legal claim against such property.  If a claim is made against real property, title insurance provides indemnification against insured defects.

The Company issues title insurance policies through issuing agencies and also directly through home and branch offices.  Issuing agents are typically real estate attorneys or subsidiaries of community and regional mortgage lending institutions, depending on local customs and regulations and the Company's marketing strategy in a particular territory.  The ability to attract and retain issuing agents is a key determinant of the Company's growth in premiums written.

Revenues for this segment result from purchases of new and existing residential and commercial real estate, refinance activity and certain other types of mortgage lending such as home equity lines of credit.

Volume is a factor in the Company's profitability due to fixed operating costs which are incurred by the Company regardless of premium volume.  The resulting operating leverage tends to amplify the impact of changes in volume on the Company's profitability.  The Company's profitability also depends, in part, upon its ability to manage its investment portfolio to maximize investment returns and minimize risks such as interest rate changes, defaults and impairments of assets.

The Company's volume of title insurance premiums is affected by the overall level of residential and commercial real estate activity, which includes sales, mortgage financing and mortgage refinancing.  In turn, real estate activity is affected by a number of factors, including the availability of mortgage credit, the cost of real estate, consumer confidence, employment and family income levels and general United States economic conditions.  Interest rate volatility is also an important factor in the level of residential and commercial real estate activity.
 
 
21

 

The cyclical nature of the residential and commercial real estate markets - and consequently, the land title industry - has historically caused fluctuations in revenues and profitability, and it is expected to continue to do so in the future. Additionally, there are seasonal influences in real estate activity and accordingly in revenue levels for title insurers.

Services other than title insurance provided by operating divisions of the Company that are not required to be reported separately are reported in a category called "All Other."  These other services include those offered by the Company and by its smaller wholly owned subsidiaries,  Investors Title Exchange Corporation ("ITEC"), Investors Title Accommodation Corporation  ("ITAC"), Investors Trust Company ("Investors Trust"), Investors Capital Management Company ("ICMC") and Investors Title Management Services, Inc. ("ITMS").

The Company's exchange services division, ITEC and ITAC, provides customer services in connection with tax-deferred real property exchanges.  ITEC serves as a qualified intermediary in like-kind exchanges of real or personal property under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  In its role as qualified intermediary, ITEC coordinates the exchange aspects of the real estate transaction, and its duties include drafting standard exchange documents, holding the exchange funds between the sale of the old property and the purchase of the new property, and accepting the formal identification of the replacement property within the required identification period.  ITAC serves as exchange accommodation titleholder in reverse exchanges.  An exchange accommodation offers a vehicle for accommodating a reverse exchange when the taxpayer must acquire replacement property before selling the relinquished property.

In conjunction with Investors Trust, ICMC provides investment management and trust services to individuals, companies, banks and trusts.  ITMS offers various consulting services to provide clients with the technical expertise to start and successfully operate a title insurance agency.

Business Trends and Recent Conditions

By the mid 2000's, there had been a long-term trend of rising home values in the United States that resulted in inflated home values in many areas of the country.  From 2001 to 2003, the Federal Reserve lowered short-term interest rates 13 times.  Home sales reached record highs and simultaneously, lenders began to loosen their loan underwriting standards, particularly with non-traditional loan products.  Lower underwriting standards and innovative loan products increased the supply of mortgage credit and resulted in more mortgage loans to high-risk borrowers.  As a result, loan defaults and mortgage foreclosures increased.  During September 2008, many financial firms failed or restructured, contributing to a widespread financial crisis in the United States.  Lenders responded to the financial crisis by implementing stricter loan underwriting standards, which, combined with high unemployment and weakened consumer confidence, reduced the demand for homes.   In an attempt to stabilize the struggling economy, the U.S. government took steps to provide economic stimulus during 2009 and 2010.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included an $8,000 tax credit available for certain first time home buyers for the purchase of a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009.  On November 6, 2009, the President signed a law which extended the first-time homebuyer credit to persons who signed a binding purchase contract by April 30, 2010 and closed on the purchase of their residence by September 30, 2010.  A similar credit of $6,500 was also extended to homebuyers who had owned their current home at least five of the prior eight years.

 
22

 
 
According to data published by Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate in the United States was 4.76% for the first six months of 2011, compared with 4.95% for the first six months of 2010.  The Mortgage Bankers Association ("MBA") June 15, 2011 Mortgage Finance Forecast projects 2011 annual mortgage originations to be $1.025 trillion, a decrease of approximately 34.8% compared with 2010.  Refinancing activity is projected to decrease 46.0% and purchasing activity is projected to decrease 8.7% from 2010 levels.

In 2010, refinancing activity accounted for 69.9% of all mortgage originations.  In 2011, refinancing transactions are projected by the June 15, 2011 MBA Mortgage Finance Forecast to account for only 57.9% of mortgage originations.  The projected decrease is attributable to the significant levels of refinance volume that occurred in prior years and the forecasted increases in mortgage interest rates.

Currently, the U.S. the economy is showing mixed signals with several federal programs in various stages.  The Federal Reserve’s program of purchasing U.S. Treasury Bonds to reduce long-term interest rates, Quantitative Easing 2, ended in the second quarter of 2011.   Meanwhile, federal lawmakers have agreed to extend certain provisions of the Bush-era tax cuts and negotiations are in process concerning the raising of the federal debt ceiling and possible reforms of the U.S. mortgage financing system, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  The MBA’s June 15, 2011 Economic Forecast projects slight improvements in unemployment rates and residential investment, a static domestic product, and decreases in business investments and personal consumption expenses for the balance of 2011.  In general, the overall economy remains uncertain, which will likely result in a continuation of the sluggish real estate market for the balance of 2011.

Historically, activity in real estate markets has varied over the course of market cycles in response to evolving economic factors.  Operating results can vary from year to year based on cyclical market conditions and do not necessarily indicate the Company's future operating results and cash flows.

Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies

The preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of certain assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosures surrounding contingencies and commitments.  Actual results could differ from these estimates.  During the quarter ended June 30, 2011, the Company made no material changes in its critical accounting policies as previously disclosed in Management's Discussion and Analysis in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Results of Operations

For the quarter ended June 30, 2011, net premiums written increased 57.3% to $21,451,022, investment income decreased 4.0% to $878,818, total revenues increased 46.2% to $23,719,213 and net income decreased approximately $943,000 to $1,594,805, all compared with the same quarter in 2010.  Both net income per basic and diluted common share decreased from $1.11 in the second quarter of 2010 to $0.75 and $0.74, respectively, with the comparable quarter in 2011.

 
23

 
 
For the six months ended June 30, 2011, net premiums written increased 54.6% to $39,316,610, investment income decreased 2.4% to $1,778,190, total revenues increased 46.2 % to $43,741,233 and net income increased approximately $59,000 to $2,614,012, all compared with the same six-month period in 2010.  Both net income per basic and diluted common share for the six months ended June 30, 2011 increased $0.08 to $1.20 and $1.19, respectively, for the comparable period in 2010.

Net operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 were primarily impacted by premium growth, which is mainly attributable to the Company's recent expansion into Texas.  Agent commissions increased for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 comparable with the same periods in 2010 as a result of growth in agency premiums and an increase in agent business from markets with higher premium rates, primarily Texas.  The increase in the provision for claims for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 was primarily due to a $942,000 recovery under the Company's fidelity bond in the second quarter of 2010, which reduced the provision during the 2010 periods.
 
 
Operating Revenues

Operating revenues include net premiums written plus other fee income, trust income, management services income, and exchange services income. Investment income and realized investment gains and losses are not included in operating revenues and are discussed separately under “Non-Operating Revenues” below.

Title Orders:   The volume of title orders issued increased 10.2% in the first six months of 2011 to 98,409 compared with 89,308 title orders in the same period in 2010.  The Company's expansion into Texas was the primary reason for the increases in net premiums written and order counts.

Title insurance companies typically issue title insurance policies directly through home and branch offices or through title agencies.  Following is a breakdown of net premiums generated by home and branch offices and agency operations for the quarters ended June 30:


   
Three Months Ended June 30,
    Six Months Ended June 30,
    2011      
%
     
2010
     
%
     
2011
     
%
     
2010
     
%
 
Home and Branch
  $  3,977,234       18.5     $  4,420,264       32.4     $  7,673,514       19.5     $  8,170,064       32.1  
Agency
    17,473,788       81.5       9,218,686       67.6       31,643,096       80.5       17,255,188       67.9  
Total
  $ 21,451,022       100     $ 13,638,950       100     $ 39,316,610       100     $ 25,425,252       100  

Home and Branch Office Net Premiums:   In the Company's home and branch operations, the Company issues the insurance policy and retains the entire premium, as no commissions are paid in connection with these policies.  Net premiums written from home and branch operations decreased 10.0% and 6.1% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively, as compared with the comparable prior year periods.  The decrease in 2011 for home and branch operations primarily reflects stagnation in the real estate market and a decline in mortgage refinancing.  All of the Company's home office operations and the majority of branch offices are located in North Carolina; as a result, the home and branch office net premiums written are primarily for North Carolina policies.
 
 
24

 

Agency Net Premiums:   When a policy is written through a title agency, agents retain the majority of the title premium collected, with the balance remitted to the title underwriter for bearing the risk of loss in the event that a claim is made under the title insurance policy.  The increase in the percentage of total premiums written by agencies in 2011 is primarily due to the Company's strategy of growth through expansion of its agency base and the influence of local geographic trends.  Agency net premiums written increased 89.5% and 83.4% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with the prior year, primarily due to the Company's recent expansion into Texas.

Following is a schedule of net premiums written for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 in select states in which the Company's two insurance subsidiaries ITIC and NITIC currently underwrite insurance:

   
Three Months Ended June 30,
   
Six Months Ended June 30,
 
State
 
2011
   
2010
   
2011
   
2010
 
Texas
  $ 8,654,845     $ -     $ 13,865,909     $ -  
North Carolina
    5,258,993       5,762,751       10,067,260       10,684,455  
Michigan
    822,209       1,026,010       2,648,576       1,982,856  
South Carolina
    1,489,652       1,377,219       3,136,594       2,746,405  
Virginia
    1,055,384       1,090,823       1,936,847       2,056,391  
Other States
    4,217,775       4,408,545       7,750,361       8,015,128  
    Direct Premiums
    21,498,858       13,665,348       39,405,547       25,485,235  
Reinsurance Assumed
    4,899       -       10,496       9,934  
Reinsurance Ceded
    (52,735 )     (26,398 )     (99,433 )     (69,917 )
   Net Premiums
  $ 21,451,022     $ 13,638,950     $ 39,316,610     $ 25,425,252  

Other Revenues:   Other revenues primarily include other fee income, trust income, management services income, exchange services income, and income related to the Company's equity method investments.  Other revenues were $1,242,298 and $2,525,518 for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with $1,338,184 and $2,317,521 in the prior year periods.  The decrease in other revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2011 is primarily related to decreases in equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates and exchange service revenues.  The increase in other revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2011 is primarily due to increases in trust income and fees associated with the title industry and exchange service revenues.

Non-Operating Revenues

Investment income and realized gains and losses from investments are included in nonoperating revenues.

 
25

 
 
Investment Income:   The Company derives a substantial portion of its income from investments in municipal and corporate bonds and equity securities. The Company's title insurance subsidiaries are required by statute to maintain minimum levels of investments in order to protect the interests of policyholders.

In formulating its investment strategy, the Company has emphasized after-tax income. The Company's investments are primarily in bonds and, to a lesser extent, equity securities.  The effective maturity of the majority of the bonds is within 10 years.  The Company's invested assets are managed to fund its obligations and evaluated to ensure long term stability of capital accounts.

As the Company generates cash from operations, it is invested in accordance with the Company's investment policy and corporate goals.  The Company's investment policy has been designed to balance multiple goals, including the assurance of a stable source of income from interest and dividends, the preservation of principle, and the provision of liquidity sufficient to meet insurance underwriting and other obligations as they become payable in the future.  Securities purchased may include a combination of taxable bonds, tax-exempt bonds and equity securities.  The Company strives to maintain a high quality investment portfolio. Interest and investment income levels are primarily a function of general market performance, interest rates and the amount of cash available for investment.

Investment income decreased 4.0% and 2.4% to $878,818 and $1,778,190 for the three and six months ended June, 30, 2011, respectively, compared with $915,852 and $1,822,474 for the same periods in 2010.  The Company believes the decline in investment income in 2011 was due primarily to a lower investment balance and a slightly lower level of interest earned on short-term funds.

Net Realized Gain on Investments:   Dispositions of equity securities at a realized gain or loss reflect such factors as industry sector allocation decisions, ongoing assessments of issuers' business prospects and tax planning considerations.  Additionally, the amounts of net realized investment gains and losses are affected by assessments of securities' valuation for other-than-temporary impairment.  As a result of the interaction of these factors and considerations, net realized investment gains or losses can vary significantly from period to period.

Net realized gain on investments was $147,075 and $120,915 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with $325,780 and $350,930 for the same periods in 2010.  The year-to-date 2011 net gain included impairment charges of $108,872 on certain investments and other assets including property acquired in the settlement of claims that were deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired, offset by net realized gains on the sales of investments and other assets of $229,787. The year-to-date 2010 net realized gain included impairment charges of $92,950 on certain investments and other assets including property acquired in the settlement of claims offset by net realized gains on the sales of investments and other assets of $443,880.  Management believes unrealized losses on remaining fixed income and equity securities at June 30, 2011 are temporary in nature.

The securities in the Company's portfolio are subject to economic conditions and market risks.  The Company considers relevant facts and circumstances in evaluating whether a credit or interest-related impairment of a security is other-than-temporary.  Relevant facts and circumstances include the extent and length of time the fair value of an investment has been below cost.

 
26

 
 
There are a number of risks and uncertainties inherent in the process of monitoring impairments and determining if an impairment is other-than-temporary.  These risks and uncertainties include the risk that the economic outlook will be worse than expected or have more of an impact on the issuer than anticipated, the risk that the Company's assessment of an issuer's ability to meet all of its contractual obligations will change based on changes in the characteristics of that issuer, the risk that information obtained by the Company or changes in other facts and circumstances leads management to change its intent to hold the equity security until it recovers in value or its intent to sell the debt security, and the risk that management is making decisions based on misstated information in the financial statements provided by issuers.

Expenses

  The Company's operating expenses consist primarily of commissions to agents, salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes, provision for claims and office occupancy and operations.  Operating expenses increased 64.0% and 50.0% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2010. The total year-to-date increase in operating expenses resulted primarily from increases in commissions, the provision for claims and salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes.

Following is a summary of the Company's operating expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010.  Inter-segment eliminations have been netted; therefore, the individual segment amounts will not agree to Note 4 in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.

    Three Months Ended June 30,     Six Months Ended June 30,
   
2011
   
%
   
2010
   
%
   
2011
   
%
   
2010
   
%
Title insurance
 
$
20,422,468
   
94.2
   
$
12,158,799
   
92.0
   
$
37,762,453
   
93.6
   
$
24,643,318
   
91.6
All other
   
1,257,940
   
5.8
     
1,057,407
   
8.0
     
2,593,768
   
6.4
     
2,254,884
   
8.4
Total
 
$
21,680,408
   
100
   
$
13,216,206
   
100
   
$
40,356,221
   
100
   
$
26,898,202
   
100

On a combined basis, after-tax profit margins were 6.7 % and 6.0% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively, and 15.6% and 8.5% for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, respectively.

Commissions:   Agent commissions represent the portion of premiums retained by agents pursuant to the terms of their respective agency contracts.  Commissions to agents increased 105.3% and 100.2% for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, from the comparable prior year periods primarily due to increased premiums from agency operations in Texas in 2011.  Commission expense as a percentage of net premiums written by agents was 76.1 % and 76.4% for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with 70.3% and 70.0% for the same periods in 2010, respectively.  The increase in average commission rate in 2011 compared with 2010 is related to an increase in agent business from markets with higher premium and commission rates, primarily Texas. Commission rates may vary due to geographic locations, different levels of premium rate structures and state regulations.

 
27

 
 
Provision for Claims:   The provision for claims as a percentage of net premiums written was 5.7% and 5.0% for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, versus 0.8% and 5.6% for the same periods in 2010. Factors resulting in the higher loss provision rate for the three months ended June 30, 2011 include a recovery against the Company's fidelity bond of $942,000 in 2010, which lowered the provision during this period.  The lower loss provision rate for the six months ended June 30, 2011 is primarily due to lower claim payments, as well as a decline in the relative share of North Carolina business as a percentage of the total. Since North Carolina's premium rates are less than half the national average, the resulting loss ratio for North Carolina business is higher than for our other markets.

The improvement in the loss provision rate for the six months ended June 30, 2011 from the 2010 level resulted in approximately $252,000 less in reserves than would have been recorded at the higher 2010 level.  Loss provision ratios are subject to variability and are reviewed and adjusted as experience develops.

Title claims are typically reported and paid within the first several years of policy issuance.  The provision for claims reflects actual payments of claims, net of recovery amounts, plus adjustments to the specific and incurred but not reported claims reserves, the latter of which are actuarially determined based on historical claims experience.  Actual payments of claims, net of recoveries, were $2,545,287 and $3,162,819 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Reserves for Claims:   At June 30, 2011, the total reserves for claims were approximately $37,605,000.  Of that total, approximately $5,833,000 was reserved for specific claims, and approximately $31,772,000 was reserved for claims for which the Company had no notice.  Because of the uncertainty of future claims, changes in economic conditions and the fact that many claims do not materialize for several years, reserve estimates are subject to variability.

Changes from prior periods in the expected liability for claims reflect the uncertainty of the claims environment, as well as the limited predictive power of historical data.  The Company continually updates and refines its reserve estimates as current experience develops and credible data emerges.  Adjustments may be required as new information develops which often varies from past experience.

Movements in the reserves related to prior periods were primarily the result of changes to estimates to better reflect the latest reported loss data, rather than as a result of material changes to underlying key actuarial assumptions or methodologies.  Such changes include payments on claims closed during the quarter, new details that emerge on still-open cases that cause claims adjusters to increase or decrease the case reserves and the impact that these types of changes have on the Company's total loss provision.

Salaries, Employee Benefits and Payroll Taxes :   Personnel costs include base salaries, benefits and payroll taxes, and bonuses paid to employees.  Salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes were $4,639,675 and $9,331,671 for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, as compared with $4,345,961 and $8,830,273 for the same periods in 2010.  The increases for the three and six month periods in 2011 compared with the same periods in 2010 were primarily due to increases in bonus expense, employee benefits and salaries.  On a consolidated basis, salaries, employee benefits and payroll taxes as a percentage of total revenues were 19.6% and 21.3% for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, as compared with 26.8% and 29.5% for the same periods in 2010.

 
28

 
 
Office Occupancy and Operations:   Overall office occupancy and operations expenses as a percentage of total revenues were 4.0% and 6.0% for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and 4.4% and 6.9% for the first six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The decrease in office occupancy and operations expenses in 2011 compared with 2010 was primarily due to decreases in internet and communications, insurance, rent, postage and depreciation expenses as part of the Company's ongoing initiative to reduce operating expenses.

Business Development: Business development expenses for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011 were $372,239 and $759,786, respectively, compared with $352,365 and $626,661 for the same periods ended in 2010.  Business development expenses increased in 2011 compared with 2010 primarily due to increases in marketing expenses related to higher levels of marketing efforts associated with the Company’s recent expansion into Texas.

Premium and Retaliatory Taxes:   Title insurance companies are generally not subject to state income or franchise taxes.  However, in most states they are subject to premium and retaliatory taxes, as defined by statute.  Premium tax rates vary from state to state; accordingly, the total premium tax burden is dependent upon the geographical mix of operating revenues.  Premium and retaliatory taxes as a percentage of net premiums written were 2.3% and 2.3% for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with 2.1 % and 2.3% for the same periods in 2010.

Professional and Contract Labor Fees:   Professional and contract labor fees were $411,557 and $720,081 for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with $338,794 and $703,872 for the same periods in 2010.  The increases in 2011 primarily relate to banking industry professional fees.

Oth e r Expenses: Other operating expenses primarily include miscellaneous operating expenses of the trust division and other miscellaneous expenses of the title segment.  These amounts typically fluctuate in relation with transaction volume of the title segment and the trust division.

Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes was $444,000 and $771,000 for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with $465,000 and $463,000 for the same periods in 2010.  Income tax expense as a percentage of earnings before income taxes was 21.8% and 22.8%, for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011, respectively, compared with 15.5% and 15.3% for the same periods in 2010.  The increase in the effective rate for 2011 from 2010 was primarily due to a higher proportion of taxable to tax-exempt investment income. The effective income tax rate for both 2011 and 2010 was below the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate of 34%, primarily due to the effect of tax exempt income.  Tax-exempt income lowers the effective tax rate.

 
29

 
 
The Company believes it is more likely than not that the tax benefits associated with recognized, impairment and unrecognized losses recorded through June 30, 2011 will be realized. However, this judgment could be impacted by further market fluctuations.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity: Cash flows provided by operating activities increased from 2010 to 2011, primarily due to the collection of receivables and lower claim payments.  Cash and cash equivalents at June 30, 2011 increased approximately $7,405,000 from June 30, 2010, to approximately $12,653,000, due to cash provided by investing and operating activities in 2011.

Due to the Company's historical consistent ability to generate positive cash flows from its consolidated operations and investment income, management believes that funds generated from operations will enable the Company to adequately meet its current operating needs for the foreseeable future.  However, there can be no assurance that future experience will be similar to historical experience, since it is influenced by such factors as the interest rate environment, the Company's claims-paying ability and its financial strength ratings.  The Company is unaware of any trend that is likely to result in material adverse liquidity changes, but continually assesses its capital allocation strategy, including decisions relating to repurchasing the Company's stock and/or conserving cash.  The Company's current cash requirements include general operating expenses, income taxes, capital expenditures, dividends on its common stock declared by the Board of Directors and share repurchases of its common stock.

In addition to operational liquidity, the Company maintains a high degree of liquidity within its investment portfolio in the form of short-term investments and other readily marketable securities.

The Company's investment portfolio is considered as available-for-sale. The Company reviews the status of each of its securities quarterly to determine whether an other-than-temporary impairment has occurred.

Cash Flows: Net cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities were $3,180,363 and ($502,426) for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.  The primary use of cash in operations was payments of claims and income taxes.  Cash flows from operations have historically been the primary source of financing for expanding operations, additions to property and equipment, dividends to shareholders, and operating requirements.

The principal non-operating use of cash and cash equivalents in 2011 was repurchases of common stock.  The principal non-operating use of cash and cash equivalents in 2010 was purchases of securities to the investment portfolio.  The net effect of all activities on total cash and cash equivalents was an increase of $4,535,889 and a decrease of $3,485,543 for the six months ended 2011 and 2010, respectively.  As of June 30, 2011, the Company held cash and cash equivalents of $12,652,920, short-term investments of $22,212,440, fixed maturity securities of $84,442,518 and equity securities of $15,268,038.

As noted previously, the Company's operating results and cash flows are heavily dependent on the real estate market.  The Company's business has certain fixed costs such as personnel; therefore, changes in the real estate market are monitored closely and operating expenses such as staffing levels are managed and adjusted accordingly. The Company believes, however, that its significant working capital position and management of operating expenses will aid its ability to manage cash resources through fluctuations in the real estate market.

 
30

 
 
Receipt of Dividends from Subsidiaries:   The Company believes that all anticipated cash requirements for current operations will be met from internally generated funds, through cash dividends and distributions from subsidiaries and cash generated by investment securities.  The Company's significant sources of funds are dividends and distributions from its subsidiaries.  The holding company receives cash from its subsidiaries in the form of dividends and as reimbursements for operating and other administrative expenses that it incurs.  The reimbursements are executed within the guidelines of management agreements between the holding company and its subsidiaries.

The Company's ability to pay dividends and operating expenses is dependent on funds received from the insurance subsidiaries, which are subject to regulation in the states in which they do business.  Each state of domicile regulates the extent to which the Company's title underwriters can pay dividends or make distributions.  These regulations, among other things, require prior regulatory approval of the payment of dividends and other intercompany transfers.  The Company believes that amounts available for transfer from the insurance and other subsidiaries are adequate to meet the Company's current operating needs.

The maximum dividend permitted by law is not necessarily indicative of an insurer's actual ability to pay dividends, which may be constrained by regulatory and business considerations, such as the impact of dividends on surplus, which could affect an insurer's ratings.  Further, depending on regulatory and business conditions, the Company may in the future need to retain cash in its underwriting subsidiaries in order to maintain their ratings or their statutory capital position.  Such requirements could be the result of adverse financial results, changes in interpretation of statutory accounting requirements by regulators, reserve charges or investment losses.

Purchase of Company Stock:   On November 10, 2008, the Board of Directors of the Company approved the purchase of an additional 394,582 shares pursuant to the Company's stock repurchase plan, such that there was authority remaining under the plan to purchase up to an aggregate of 500,000 shares of the Company's common stock pursuant to the plan immediately after the approval.  Pursuant to this approval, the Company purchased 162,411 shares in the first six months of 2011 and 4,375 for the same period in 2010 at an average per share price of $32.08 and $33.29, respectively.

Capital Expenditures:   During 2011, the Company has plans for various capital improvement projects, including hardware purchases and software projects that are anticipated to be funded via cash flows from operations.  All material anticipated capital expenditures are subject to periodic review and revision and may vary depending on a number of factors.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

As a service to its customers, the Company, through ITIC, administers escrow and trust deposits representing earnest money received under real estate contracts, undisbursed amounts received for settlement of mortgage loans and indemnities against specific title risks.  These amounts are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are excluded from the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.  However, the Company remains contingently liable for the disposition of these deposits.

 
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In addition, in administering tax-deferred property exchanges, ITEC serves as a qualified intermediary for exchanges, holding the net sales proceeds from relinquished property to be used for purchase of replacement property.  ITAC serves as exchange accommodation titleholder and, through limited liability companies that are wholly owned subsidiaries of ITAC, holds property for exchangers in reverse exchange transactions.  Like-kind exchange deposits are held at third-party financial institutions.  These amounts are not considered assets of the Company for accounting purposes and, therefore, are excluded from the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.  Exchange services revenues include earnings on these deposits; therefore, investment income is shown as exchange services revenue, rather than investment income.  The Company remains contingently liable to customers for the transfers of property, disbursements of proceeds, and the return on the proceeds at the agreed upon rate.

External assets under management and administration by Investors Trust Company are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are excluded from the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

It is not the general practice of the Company to enter into off-balance sheet arrangements, nor is it the policy of the Company to issue guarantees to third parties.  The Company does not have any material source of liquidity or financing that involves off-balance sheet arrangements.  Other than items noted above, off-balance sheet arrangements are generally limited to the future payments under noncancelable operating leases, payments due under various agreements with third party service providers and unaccrued obligations pursuant to certain executive employment agreements.

Recent Accounting Standards

For a description of recent accounting pronouncements, please refer to Note 1 to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements herein.
 
 
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Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as information included in future filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission and information contained in written material, press releases and oral statements issued by or on behalf of the Company, contains, or may contain, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that reflect management’s current outlook for future periods.  These statements may be identified by the use of words such as "plan," "expect," "aim," "believe," "project," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "should," "could" and other expressions that indicate future events and trends. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company's strategy for growth, product and service development, market share position, claims, expenditures, financial results and cash requirements, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that are subject to risks and uncertainties.

Actual future results and trends may differ materially from historical results or those projected in any such forward-looking statements depending on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the following:
 
the level of real estate transactions, the level of mortgage origination volumes (including refinancing) and changes to the insurance requirements of the participants in the secondary mortgage market, and the effect of these factors on the demand for title insurance;
changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including the performance of the financial and real estate markets;
compliance with government regulation and significant changes to applicable regulations or in their application by regulators;
the possible inadequacy of provisions for claims to cover actual claim losses;
the incidence of fraud-related losses;
heightened regulatory scrutiny and investigations of the title insurance industry;
unanticipated adverse changes in securities markets, including interest rates, which could result in material losses on the Company’s investments;
the Company’s dependence on key management personnel, the loss of whom could have a material adverse affect on the Company’s business;
the Company’s ability to develop and offer products and services that meet changing industry standards in a timely and cost-effective manner;
statutory requirements applicable to the Company’s insurance subsidiaries which require them to maintain minimum levels of capital, surplus and reserves and restrict the amount of dividends that they may pay to the Company without prior regulatory approval;
significant competition that the Company’s operating subsidiaries face;
the Company’s business concentration in the states of North Carolina and Texas;
weakness in the commercial real estate market and increases in the amount or severity of commercial real estate claims; and
other risks detailed elsewhere in this document and in the Company’s other filings with the SEC.
 
 
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These and other risks and uncertainties may be described from time to time in the Company's other reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  For more details on factors that could affect expectations, see the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.  The Company is not under any obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) and does not undertake to update or alter any forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.  You should consider the possibility that actual results may differ materially from our forward-looking statements.

 
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Item 4.    Controls and Procedures

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company's disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms, and include controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in such reports is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
 
No system of controls, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide absolute assurance that the objectives of the system of controls are met, and no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that the system of controls has operated effectively in all cases.  The Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, however, are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the objectives of disclosure controls and procedures are met.
 
Pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of the Company's management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures. Based on that evaluation, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of June 30, 2011 to provide reasonable assurance that the objectives of disclosure controls and procedures are met.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
 
During the quarter ended June 30, 2011, there were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
 
 
35

 
 
PART II.   OTHER INFORMATION

Item 2.    Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

(a)        None
(b)        None
(c)        The following table provides information about purchases by the Company (and all affiliated purchasers) during the quarter ended June 30, 2011 of equity securities that are registered by the Company pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act:


Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
 
 
 
 
Period
 
 
 
Total Number of
Shares Purchased
   
 
 
Average Price Paid
per Share
   
Total Number of
Shares Purchased as
Part of Publicly Announced Plan
   
Maximum
Number of Shares
that May Yet Be
Purchased Under
the Plan
 
Beginning of period
                      346,808  
04/01/11– 04/30/11
    15,979     $ 31.16       15,979       330,829  
05/01/11– 05/31/11
    12,441     $ 39.76       12,441       318,388  
06/01/11– 06/30/11
    7,223     $ 40.18       7,223       311,165  
Total:
    35,643     $ 35.99       35,643       311,165  

For the quarter ended June 30, 2011, the Company purchased an aggregate of 35,643 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the purchase plan (the “Plan”) that was publicly announced on June 5, 2000.  On November 10, 2008, the Board of Directors of the Company approved the purchase of an additional 394,582 shares pursuant to the Plan, such that there was authority remaining under the Plan to purchase up to an aggregate of 500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the Plan immediately after this approval.  Unless terminated earlier by resolution of the Board of Directors, the Plan will expire when all shares authorized for purchase under the Plan have been purchased.  The Company anticipates making further purchases under this Plan from time to time in the future, depending on such factors as the prevailing market price of the Company’s common stock, the Company’s available cash and then existing alternative uses for such cash.
 
 
36

 

Item 6.    Exhibits
 
 
10
 
Form of Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement under 2009 Stock Appreciation Right Plan, filed herewith
       
 
31(i)
 
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
       
 
31(ii)
 
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
       
 
32
 
Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
       
 
101.INS*
 
XBRL Instance Document
       
 
101.SCH*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
       
 
101.CAL*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
       
 
101.LAB*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
       
 
101.PRE*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
       
 
101.DEF*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
       
 
*
In accordance with Rule 406T of Regulation S-T, the XBRL related information in Exhibit 101 to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.
 
 
37

 
 
SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY
 
       
 
By:
/s/ James A. Fine, Jr.  
    James A. Fine, Jr.  
    President, Principal Financial Officer and  
    Principal Accounting Officer   


Dated: August 9, 2011
 
 
38
 
Exhibit 10
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY
 
2009 STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHT PLAN
 
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT


THIS STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of DATE by and between Investors Title Company, a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and NAME, a director of the Company (the “Grantee”):
 
W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Company recognizes the value to it of the services of the Grantee and desires to provide the Grantee with an incentive to remain as a director of the Company and an opportunity to acquire common stock of the Company, so that the Grantee may acquire or increase  a proprietary interest in the Company’s success, and

WHEREAS, the Company desires to award the Grantee stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) under Article II of the Company's 2009 Stock Appreciation Right Plan (the “Plan”), and the Grantee desires to accept such SARs in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties agree as follows:

1.            Grant of SARs.   Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Plan, the Company hereby awards to the Grantee NUMBER (#) SARs at a grant price of PRICE ($) per SAR (the “Grant Price”).  Each SAR gives the Grantee the right upon exercise of the SAR in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Plan, to receive an amount equal to the difference between (i) the fair market value (as defined in Section 2.1 of the Plan) of one (1) share of the Company common stock as of the exercise date, and (ii) the Grant Price.  Upon exercise, such amount shall be payable to the Grantee in shares of the Company common stock (the “Shares”) in a single payment as soon as administratively practicable (but in no event later than thirty 30 days) following the exercise date.  The number of Shares to be delivered to the Grantee shall equal (x) the amount payable to the Grantee upon exercise of the SARs divided by (y) the fair market value (as defined in Section 2.1 of the Plan) of one share of the Company common stock as of the exercise date, with cash payable for any fractional share.

 
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2.             Vesting and Exercisability of SARs .   The SARs shall vest in number (#) (specify – quarterly, etc.) installments if the Grantee continues to provide services as a director of the Company through each of the vesting dates as follows:

Vesting Date
 
Number of SARs
that become Exercisable

SCHEDULE

Notwithstanding the foregoing, all SARs granted hereunder shall fully vest in the event of the Grantee’s death.

The SARs granted hereunder shall become exercisable upon vesting and shall remain exercisable until the expiration of the SARs.  Unless sooner terminated as provided in the Plan or in paragraph 5 hereof, all vested SARs shall terminate, and all rights of the Grantee hereunder shall expire, at the close of business on the seventh anniversary of the date of this Agreement.

3.            Transfer of SARs .   The SARs may not be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution, unless otherwise agreed by the Committee.

4.            Adjustments .  If the shares of common stock of the Company are increased, decreased, changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or securities through merger, consolidation, combination, exchange of shares, other reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split or reverse stock split in which the Company is the surviving entity, the aggregate number of SARs and the Grant Price shall be appropriately and proportionately adjusted in the manner provided in the Plan.

5.            Termination of SARs .  The SARs hereby granted shall terminate and be of no force or effect upon the happening of the first to occur of the following events:

(a)           expiration of three (3) months 1   after the date of termination of the Grantee's service as a director of the Company for any reason other than the death or disability of the Grantee;

(b)           expiration of three (3) months after the disability, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, of the Grantee while serving as a director of the Company;

(c)           expiration of twelve (12) months after the death of the Grantee while serving as a director of the Company;

(d)           occurrence of any event described in paragraph 10 hereof that causes a termination of the SARs; or

________________________________
 
 
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(e)           the close of business on the seventh anniversary of the date of this Agreement.

Except as provided in paragraph 2 hereof, any SARs that may be exercised for a period following termination of the Grantee's service as a director may be exercised only to the extent such SARs were vested immediately before such termination and in no event after the SARs would expire by their terms without regard to such termination.

6.            Method of Exercise .   The SARs shall be exercised by delivery to the Company at its principal place of business of a written notice, at least three (3) business days prior to the proposed date of exercise, which notice shall:

(a)  state the election to exercise the SARs, the number of SARs which are being exercised, and the name, address, and social security number of the person in whose name the stock certificate or certificates for the Shares to be issued in connection with the exercise of the SARs are to be registered;

(b)  contain any such representations and agreements as to Grantee's investment intent with respect to such Shares as shall be reasonably required by the Committee pursuant to paragraph 8 hereof; and

(c)  be signed by the person entitled to exercise the SARs, and if the SARs are being exercised by any person or persons other than the Grantee, be accompanied by proof, satisfactory to the Committee, of the right of such person or persons to exercise the SARs.

After receipt of such notice in a form satisfactory to the Committee, the Company shall deliver to the Grantee a certificate or certificates representing the Shares acquired hereunder, provided, that if any law or regulation requires the Company to take any action with respect to the Shares specified in such notice before the issuance thereof, the date of delivery of such Shares shall be extended for the period necessary to take such action.

7.            Rights of a Shareholder .   The Grantee shall not be deemed for any purpose to be a shareholder of the Company with respect to any Shares covered by the SARs unless the SARs shall have been exercised in the manner provided herein.  No adjustment will be made for dividends or other rights where the record date is prior to the date of exercise.  Upon the exercise of the SARs as provided herein and the issuance of the certificate or certificates evidencing the Shares covered thereby, the Grantee shall have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including the right to receive all dividends or other distributions paid or made with respect to such Shares.

8.             Compliance with Securities Laws . The Grantee recognizes that any registration of the Shares issuable pursuant to the SARs under applicable federal and state securities laws, or actions to qualify for applicable exemptions from such registrations, shall be at the option of the Company.  The Grantee acknowledges that, in the event that no such registrations are undertaken or maintained and the Company relies on exemptions from such registrations, the Shares shall be issued only if the Grantee qualifies to receive such Shares in accordance with the exemptions from registration on which the Company relies and that, in connection with any issuance of certificates evidencing such shares, the Board of Directors may require appropriate representations from the Grantee and take such other action as the Board of Directors may deem necessary, including but not limited to placing restrictive legends on such certificates and placing stop transfer instructions in the Company’s stock transfer records, or delivering such instructions to the Company’s transfer agent, in order to assure compliance with any such exemptions.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement (i) no Shares will be issued upon any exercise of the SARs unless and until such Shares have been registered under all applicable federal and state securities laws or unless, in the opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company, all actions necessary to qualify for exemptions from such registrations shall have been taken and (ii) the Company shall have no obligation to undertake such registrations or such actions necessary to qualify for exemptions from registrations and shall have no liability whatsoever for not doing so.
 
 
-3-

 
 
9.            Rule 144 .  The Grantee acknowledges that, notwithstanding any registration of the SARs and the Shares issuable upon exercise of the SARs under the Securities Act of 1933 or under the securities laws of any state, if, at the time of exercise of the SARs , he is deemed to be an “affiliate” of the Company as defined in Rule 144 of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any Shares acquired hereunder will nevertheless be subject to sale only in compliance with Rule 144 (but without any holding period) or pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, and that the Company shall take such action as it deems necessary or appropriate to assure such compliance, including, to the extent it deems appropriate, placing restrictive legends on certificates evidencing such Shares and delivering stop transfer instructions to the Company's transfer agent.

10.            Reorganizations .  To the extent permitted under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, if the Company shall be a party to any merger or consolidation in which it is not the surviving entity or pursuant to which the shareholders of the Company exchange their common stock, or if the Company shall dissolve or liquidate or sell all or substantially all of its assets, the SARs granted hereunder shall terminate on the effective date of such merger, consolidation, dissolution, liquidation or sale; provided, however, that prior to such effective date, the Committee may, in its discretion, cause the SARs to become immediately exercisable, and may, to the extent the SARs are terminated as provided in this paragraph 10, authorize a payment to the Grantee that approximates the economic benefit that the Grantee would realize if the SARs were exercised immediately before such effective date, or authorize a payment in such other amount as it deems appropriate to compensate the Grantee for the termination of the unexercised portion of the SARs, or arrange for the granting of substitute SARs to the Grantee.

This Agreement shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or to dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.

11.            Tax Matters .   The Grantee acknowledges that, upon exercise of the SARs, the Grantee will recognize taxable income generally in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the acquired Shares (plus cash for any fractional shares), and the Company may have certain withholding obligations for income and other taxes.  It shall be a condition to the Grantee’s receipt of a stock certificate covering the Shares acquired upon exercise of the SARs that the Grantee pay to the Company such amounts as it is required to withhold or, with the consent of the Company, that the Grantee otherwise provide for the discharge of the Company’s withholding obligation (including, for example, by having the number of Shares withheld upon exercise of the SARs which have a fair market value (as defined in Section 2.1 of the Plan and determined as of the date of exercise) equal to the amount of any taxes required to be withheld with respect to such exercise of SARs).  If any such payment is not made by the Grantee, the Company may deduct the amounts required to be withheld from payments of any kind to which the Grantee would otherwise be entitled from the Company.
 
 
-4-

 
 
12.            Construction .   This Agreement shall be construed so as to be consistent with the Plan and the provisions of the Plan shall be deemed to be controlling in the event that any provision hereof should be inconsistent therewith.  The Grantee hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan from the Company and agrees to be bound by all of the terms and provisions of the Plan.

Whenever the word “Grantee” is used in any provision of this Agreement under circumstances where the provision should logically be construed to apply to (i) the estate, personal representative, or beneficiary to whom the SARs may be transferred by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or (ii) the guardian or legal representative of the Grantee acting pursuant to a valid power of attorney or the decree of a court of competent jurisdiction, then the term “Grantee” shall be construed to include such estate, personal representative, beneficiary, guardian or legal representative.

13.            Severability .  The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereto.

14.            Successor and Assigns .  The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall enure to the benefit of any successors or assigns of the Company and of the Grantee.

15.            Notices .  Notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) when personally delivered, (ii) when forwarded by FedEx, UPS, or another private carrier which maintains records showing delivery information, (iii) when sent via facsimile but only if a written facsimile acknowledgment of receipt is received by the sending party, or (iv) when placed in the United States Mail and forwarded by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the party to whom such notice is being given or such other address as furnished to the Company from time to time for this purpose.

16.            Entire Agreement; Modification .  This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the SARs granted herein and supersedes any and all prior and contemporaneous negotiations, understandings and agreements with regard to the SARs and the matters set forth herein, whether oral or written.  No representation, inducement, agreement, promise or understanding altering, modifying, taking from or adding to the terms and conditions hereof shall have any force or effect unless the same is in writing and validly executed by the parties hereto.
 
 
-5-

 
 
17.            Governing Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina.


[ signature page follows ]
 
 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Grantee has executed this Agreement and the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer, effective as of the day and year first above written.


GRANTEE:

_____________________________________
 
Name:________________________________

 
INVESTORS TITLE COMPANY

 
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
 
-7-
Exhibit 31(i)

Certification

I, J. Allen Fine, certify that:

1.  
I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Investors Title Company;

2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.
The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 
a)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
 
 
b)
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
 
 
c)
Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 
d)
Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

5.
The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors:

 
a)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 
b)
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: August 9, 2011
     
       
       
 
 
/s/  J. Allen Fine  
    J. Allen Fine  
    Chief Executive Officer  
       
 
 
Exhibit 31(ii)

Certification


I, James A. Fine, Jr., certify that:

1.  
I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Investors Title Company;

2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.
The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 
a)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

 
b)
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 
c)
Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 
d)
Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

5.
The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors:

 
a)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 
b)
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
 
Date: August 9, 2011
     
       
       
 
 
/s/  James A. Fine, Jr.  
    James A. Fine, Jr.  
    Chief Financial Officer  
       
 
 
Exhibit 32


Certifications
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
As adopted pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002


In connection with the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Investors Title Company, a North Carolina corporation (the "Company") for the quarter ended June 30, 2011 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), each of the undersigned officers of the Company does hereby certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that:

(i)  
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and

(ii)  
the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Dated: August 9, 2011
  /s/  J. Allen Fine  
    J. Allen Fine   
    Chief Executive Officer   
 
Dated: August 9, 2011
  /s/  James A. Fine, Jr.  
    James A. Fine, Jr.   
    Chief Financial Officer