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AUSTIN, Texas, May 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ross R. Moody, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer of National Western Life Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NWLI), announced today first quarter 2021 consolidated net earnings of $62.1 million, or $17.57 per diluted Class A common share, compared with a consolidated net loss of $2.1 million, or $0.58 per diluted Class A common share, for 2020. The Company's book value per share as of March 31, 2021 was $673.95.
The Company reported total revenues for the quarter, excluding realized and unrealized gains on index options and investments, of $200.9 million in 2021 compared to $155.6 million in 2020. Mr. Moody noted that the Company's revenues benefited from a previously announced reinsurance transaction executed at the end of 2020. "We achieved our goal last year of transferring a block of annuity business which was experiencing compression on profit margins with a reinsurance transaction. In the first quarter, we received an accounting benefit associated with this structure which resulted in incremental revenues." In addition, Mr. Moody observed that the Company's core business continued to perform observing, "Annuity sales increased 64% in the first quarter over last year and life insurance sales increased 8%. This illustrates the value our products provide in times of financial uncertainty."