Mercury General in California Reports 4Q Earnings Loss

Mercury General Corp. reported a fourth-quarter loss of $81.9 million, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier.

The Los Angeles, Calif.-based carrier said it had a loss of $1.48 per share. Losses, adjusted for investment costs, were 26 cents per share.

The auto insurance company posted revenue of $816.6 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $901.8 million.

For the year, the company reported a loss of $5.7 million, or 10 cents per share, swinging to a loss in the period. Revenue was reported as $3.51 billion.

Mercury General shares have risen slightly more than 3 percent since the beginning of the year. The stock has risen 24 percent in the last 12 months.