EMC Insurance Group Inc. today reported its best first quarter since becoming a public company in 1982. The Des Moines-based property and casualty insurer had operating income of $19.8 million, compared with $9.8 million for the first quarter of 2014. Net income, including realized investment gains and losses, totaled $20.3 million, or $1.49 per share for the first quarter of 2015, compared with $10.6 million, or 79 cents per share, for the year-ago quarter.

“We are very pleased to report a record-breaking first quarter,” EMC President and CEO Bruce Kelley said in a release. “This strong start to the year provides a solid foundation to work from as we continue to focus on improving underwriting profitability.”

The company will hold an earnings teleconference call at 11 a.m. Central time today to discuss first-quarter results, as well as expectations for the rest of 2015. The teleconference can be accessed at (877) 407-9205, or online atwww.emcins.com/ir.

Although the Northeast experienced severe winter weather during the first quarter, EMC’s losses from cold-weather events were not widespread and had little impact on first-quarter results, Kelley said. Catastrophe and storm losses totaled $4.6 million in the first quarter of 2015, compared with $7.4 million in the first quarter of 2014, which included about $4 million in losses attributed to 2014’s polar vortex that hit the eastern U.S.

Premium growth remained strong in the mid-single digits in the property and casualty insurance segment, driven by a variety of programs and industries across EMC’s 16 branch offices, the company said.

In addition, EMC announced that its board of directors has approved a three-for-two stock split of the company’s outstanding shares of common stock, in the form of a 50 percent stock dividend. Stockholders of record at the close of business on June 16 will receive one additional share of EMC common stock for every two shares of common stock held. The additional shares of EMC Insurance Group Inc. common stock will be distributed on June 23.

“In light of our strong first quarter and recent stock price appreciation, we felt it was an appropriate time to implement a stock split, which should enhance the liquidity of our shares and make them more accessible and attractive to a broader range of investors,” Kelley said.

In a separate announcement, EMC said it will break ground on May 12 for a new four-story office building at 219 Eighth St., to be located downtown on the northwest corner of the block bordered by Seventh and Eighth streets and Walnut and Mulberry streets. The ceremony will be held at the site at 4 p.m.