EMC Insurance Group Inc. provided earnings guidance for the first quarter of 2018. First quarter 2018 results were impacted by a higher than anticipated level of non-catastrophe losses in the property and casualty insurance segment. Catastrophe and storm losses are expected to total approximately $4.7 million, which is a decline of approximately 65% from the record amount experienced in the first quarter of 2017; however, most of this decline is expected to be offset by a significant reduction in the amount of favorable development experienced on prior years’ reserves. Management anticipates that the company will report first quarter 2018 net income in the range of loss of $0.02 to profit of $0.02 per share, non-GAAP operating income in the range of $0.18 to $0.22 per share, and that the GAAP combined ratio for the first quarter will be approximately 104.6%. The property and casualty insurance and reinsurance segments are expected to report first quarter GAAP combined ratios of approximately 107.4% and 95.5%, respectively. Based on actual results for the first three months of 2018 and projections for the remainder of the year, management has revised its 2018 non-GAAP operating income guidance from the previous range of $1.40 to $1.60 per share to a range of $1.10 to $1.30 per share. This revised guidance is based on a projected GAAP combined ratio of 103.2% for the year, which is 2.5 percentage points higher than the ratio utilized in the previous guidance. The company expects income tax benefit of $0.05.