FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)
March 31, 2008
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(unaudited)
March 31, 2008
| CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited): | ||
| Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited) | 1 | |
| Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (unaudited) | 2 | |
| Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) | 3 | |
| Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) | 4 |
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)
(in thousands, except share data)
| |
At March 31, 2008 |
At December 31, 2007 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASSETS | ||||||||
| General investment portfolio: | ||||||||
| Bonds at fair value (amortized cost of $5,303,005 and $4,857,295) | $ | 5,441,952 | $ | 5,019,961 | ||||
| Equity securities at fair value (cost of $39,153 and $40,020) | 38,241 | 39,869 | ||||||
| Short-term investments (cost of $172,862 and $88,972) | 175,931 | 90,075 | ||||||
| Variable interest entities segment investment portfolio: | ||||||||
| Bonds at fair value (amortized cost of $1,135,126 and $1,119,359) | 1,153,949 | 1,139,568 | ||||||
| Guaranteed investments contracts from GIC Affiliates at fair value (amortized cost of $636,434 and $621,054) | 668,813 | 639,950 | ||||||
| Short-term investments (at cost which approximates fair value) | 9,270 | 8,618 | ||||||
| Assets acquired in refinancing transactions (includes $172,578 and $22,433 at fair value) | 213,464 | 229,264 | ||||||
| Total investment portfolio | 7,701,620 | 7,167,305 | ||||||
| Cash | 37,677 | 21,770 | ||||||
| Deferred acquisition costs | 346,456 | 347,870 | ||||||
| Prepaid reinsurance premiums | 1,129,211 | 1,119,565 | ||||||
| Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses | 125,178 | 76,478 | ||||||
| Deferred tax asset | 32,295 | — | ||||||
| Other assets (includes $1,137,860 and $758,740 at fair value) (See Note 12) | 1,836,098 | 1,456,620 | ||||||
| TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 11,208,535 | $ | 10,189,608 | ||||
| LIABILITIES, MINORITY INTEREST AND SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY | ||||||||
| Deferred premium revenue | $ | 3,011,268 | $ | 2,879,378 | ||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses | 526,301 | 274,556 | ||||||
| Variable interest entities segment debt (includes $1,978,917 at fair value at March 31, 2008) | 2,778,073 | 2,584,800 | ||||||
| Deferred tax liability | — | 110,156 | ||||||
| Notes payable to affiliate | 195,620 | 210,143 | ||||||
| Other liabilities and minority interest (includes $1,319,263 and $702,737 at fair value) (See Note 12) | 1,643,520 | 1,168,274 | ||||||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND MINORITY INTEREST | 8,154,782 | 7,227,307 | ||||||
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | ||||||||
| Preferred stock (5,000.1 and 0 shares authorized; 0 shared issued and outstanding; par value of $1,000 per share) | ||||||||
| Common stock (334 and 344 shares authorized; issued and outstanding; par value of $44,910 and $43,605 per share) | 15,000 | 15,000 | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 1,129,692 | 679,692 | ||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of deferred income tax provision of $50,257 and $58,530 | 93,335 | 108,669 | ||||||
| Accumulated earnings | 1,815,726 | 2,158,940 | ||||||
| TOTAL SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY | 3,053,753 | 2,962,301 | ||||||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES, MINORITY INTEREST AND SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY | $ | 11,208,535 | $ | 10,189,608 | ||||
The accompany Notes are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited).
1
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (unaudited)
(in thousands)
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2008 |
2007 |
||||||||
| REVENUES | ||||||||||
| Net premiums written | $ | 206,878 | $ | 88,995 | ||||||
| Net premiums earned | $ | 84,550 | $ | 87,156 | ||||||
| Net investment income from general investment portfolio | 64,476 | 57,188 | ||||||||
| Net realized gains (losses) from general investment portfolio | (231 | ) | (96 | ) | ||||||
| Net change in fair value of credit derivatives: | ||||||||||
| Realized gains (losses) and other settlements | 34,688 | 22,239 | ||||||||
| Net unrealized gains (losses) | (489,134 | ) | (13,206 | ) | ||||||
| Net change in fair value of credit derivatives | (454,446 | ) | 9,033 | |||||||
| Net interest income from variable interest entities segment | 24,510 | 35,846 | ||||||||
| Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments (See Note 3) | 187,898 | 11,242 | ||||||||
| Net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value | (119,895 | ) | — | |||||||
| Income from assets acquired in refinancing transactions | 3,722 | 5,852 | ||||||||
| Other income | 18,206 | 2,109 | ||||||||
| TOTAL REVENUES | (191,210 | ) | 208,330 | |||||||
| EXPENSES | ||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses | 300,429 | 4,390 | ||||||||
| Interest expense | 3,746 | 5,600 | ||||||||
| Amortization of deferred acquisition costs | 15,829 | 15,951 | ||||||||
| Foreign exchange (gains) losses from variable interest entities segment | 13,252 | 15,132 | ||||||||
| Interest expense from variable interest entities segment | 36,509 | 38,905 | ||||||||
| Other operating expenses | 23,735 | 22,343 | ||||||||
| TOTAL EXPENSES | 393,500 | 102,321 | ||||||||
| INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND MINORITY INTEREST |
(584,710 | ) | 106,009 | |||||||
| Provision (benefit) for income taxes | (238,280 | ) | 27,029 | |||||||
| NET INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE MINORITY INTEREST | (346 430 | ) | 78,980 | |||||||
| Less: Minority interest | 25,060 | (7,929 | ) | |||||||
| NET INCOME (LOSS) | (371,490 | ) | 86,909 | |||||||
| OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS), NET OF TAX | ||||||||||
| Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities arising during the period, net of deferred income tax provision (benefit) of $(7,546) and $(4,139) | (13,985 | ) | (7,687 | ) | ||||||
| Less: reclassification adjustment for gains (losses) included in net income, net of deferred income tax provision (benefit) of $727 and $162 | 1,349 | 301 | ||||||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss) | (15,334 | ) | (7,988 | ) | ||||||
| COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) | $ | (386,824 | ) | $ | 78,921 | |||||
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited).
2
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited)
(in thousands)
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2008 |
2007 |
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| Cash flows from operating activities: | |||||||||
| Premiums received, net | $ | 168,328 | $ | 57,444 | |||||
| Credit derivative fees received, net | 32,819 | 30,852 | |||||||
| Other operating expenses paid, net | (129,186 | ) | (140,368 | ) | |||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses paid, net | (67,831 | ) | (845 | ) | |||||
| Net investment income received from general investment portfolio | 59,996 | 57,667 | |||||||
| Federal income taxes paid | (8,192 | ) | (6,822 | ) | |||||
| Interest paid | (3,777 | ) | (3,798 | ) | |||||
| Interest paid on variable interest entities segment | (2,487 | ) | (1,416 | ) | |||||
| Net investment income received from variable interest entities segment | 9,833 | 9,311 | |||||||
| Net derivative payments in variable interest entities segment | (6,038 | ) | (6,370 | ) | |||||
| Income received from assets acquired in refinancing transactions | 3,739 | 4,132 | |||||||
| Other | 2,403 | 5,059 | |||||||
| Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities | 59,607 | 4,846 | |||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: | |||||||||
| Proceeds from sales of bonds in general investment portfolio | 878,099 | 732,597 | |||||||
| Proceeds from maturities of bonds in general investment portfolio | 46,717 | 57,708 | |||||||
| Purchases of bonds in general investment portfolio | (1,335,774 | ) | (778,552 | ) | |||||
| Net (increase) decrease in short-term investments in general investment portfolio | (81,946 | ) | 7,321 | ||||||
| Proceeds from maturities of bonds in variable interest entities segment | 14,500 | — | |||||||
| Net (increase) decrease in short-term investments in variable interest entities segment | (653 | ) | 10,575 | ||||||
| Paydowns of assets acquired in refinancing transactions | 13,953 | 15,374 | |||||||
| Proceeds from sales of assets acquired in refinancing transactions | 1,129 | 286 | |||||||
| Purchases of property, plant and equipment | (594 | ) | (52 | ) | |||||
| Other investments | 818 | 14,732 | |||||||
| Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities | (463,751 | ) | 59,989 | ||||||
| Cash flows from financing activities: | |||||||||
| Repayment of notes payable to affiliate | (14,523 | ) | (14,120 | ) | |||||
| Repayment of variable interest entities segment debt | (14,500 | ) | (10,000 | ) | |||||
| Capital contribution | 500,000 | — | |||||||
| Repurchase of shares | (50,000 | ) | (35,000 | ) | |||||
| Other | (1,168 | ) | (220 | ) | |||||
| Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities | 419,809 | (59,340 | ) | ||||||
| Effect of changes in foreign exchange rates on cash balances | 242 | 242 | |||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash | 15,907 | 5,737 | |||||||
| Cash at beginning of period | 21,770 | 29,660 | |||||||
| Cash at end of period | $ | 37,677 | $ | 35,397 | |||||
The accompanying Notes are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited).
3
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited)
1. ORGANIZATION AND OWNERSHIP
Financial Security Assurance Inc. ("FSA" or together with its consolidated entities, the "Company"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd. (the "Parent"), is an insurance company domiciled in the State of New York. The Company operates in two business segments: a financial guaranty segment and a variable interest entities ("VIE") segment. The Company is primarily engaged in providing financial guaranty insurance on public finance and asset-backed obligations in domestic and international markets including Europe, the Asia Pacific region and elsewhere in the Americas. The financial strength of FSA and its insurance company subsidiaries is rated "Triple-A" by the major securities rating agencies and obligations insured by them are generally awarded "Triple-A" ratings by reason of such insurance. FSA was the first insurance company organized to insure non-municipal obligations and has been a major insurer of asset-backed and other non-municipal obligations since its inception in 1985. The Company expanded the focus of its business in 1990 to include financial guaranty insurance of municipal obligations and has since become a major insurer of municipal and other public finance obligations.
Financial guaranty insurance written by the Company typically guarantees scheduled payments on financial obligations. Upon a payment default on an insured obligation, the Company is generally required to pay the principal, interest or other amounts due in accordance with the obligation's original payment schedule or may, at its option, pay such amounts on an accelerated basis. The Company's underwriting policy is to insure obligations that would otherwise be investment grade without the benefit of its insurance. In addition, the Company insures guaranteed investment contracts ("GICs") issued by FSA Capital Management Services LLC ("FSACM"), FSA Capital Markets Services (Caymans) Ltd. and, prior to April 2003, FSA Capital Markets Services LLC (collectively, the "GIC Affiliates"), affiliates of the Company.
Public finance obligations insured by the Company consist primarily of general obligation bonds supported by the issuers' taxing powers, tax-supported bonds and revenue bonds and other obligations of states, their political subdivisions and other municipal issuers supported by the issuers' or obligors' covenant to impose and collect fees and charges for public services or specific projects. Public finance obligations include obligations backed by the cash flow from leases or other revenues from projects serving substantial public purposes, including government office buildings, toll roads, health care facilities and utilities.
Asset-backed obligations insured by the Company are generally issued in structured transactions and are backed by pools of assets such as residential mortgage loans, consumer or trade receivables, securities or other assets having an ascertainable cash flow or market value. The Company insures synthetic asset-backed obligations that generally take the form of credit default swap ("CDS") obligations or credit-linked notes that reference asset-backed securities or pools of securities or other obligations, with a defined deductible to cover credit risks associated with the referenced securities or loans.
The Company refinanced certain poorly performing transactions by employing refinancing vehicles to raise funds, prepay the claim obligations and take control of the assets. These refinancing vehicles are consolidated with the Company and considered part of the financial guaranty segment.
Commencing in the fourth quarter of 2007, major financial institutions, including financial guaranty insurers, became subject to increasing stress. This has led to ratings downgrades and negative outlooks for a number of the Company's competitors as well as increased scrutiny from regulatory authorities and rating agencies. The Company and its insurance company subsidiaries are rated Triple-A/stable by
4
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
1. ORGANIZATION AND OWNERSHIP (Continued)
Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Ratings Services ("S&P") and Fitch Ratings ("Fitch"). However, the impact of recent developments on the financial guaranty insurance industry and the Company remains uncertain, and could include decreased demand for financial guaranty insurance as well as increases in the requirements for conducting, or restrictions on the types of business conducted by, financial guaranty insurers.
The Company consolidated the results of certain VIEs, which include FSA Global Funding Limited ("FSA Global") and Premier International Funding Co. ("Premier") because it retains the majority of the risks and rewards related to the VIEs. The Company does not own an equity interest in the VIEs.
FSA Global is a special purpose funding vehicle partially owned by a subsidiary of the Parent. FSA Global issues FSA-insured medium term notes and generally invests the proceeds from the sale of its notes in FSA-insured GICs or other FSA-insured obligations with a view to realizing the yield difference between the notes issued and the obligations purchased with the note proceeds. Premier is principally engaged in debt defeasance for finance lease transactions.
The Company's management believes that the assets held by FSA Global, Premier and the refinancing vehicles, including those that are eliminated in consolidation, are beyond the reach of the Company and its creditors, even in bankruptcy or other receivership.
The Parent is a direct subsidiary of Dexia Holdings, Inc. ("Dexia Holdings"), which, in turn, is owned 90% by Dexia Crédit Local S.A. ("Dexia Crédit Local") and 10% by Dexia S.A. ("Dexia"). Dexia is a Belgian corporation whose shares are traded on the NYSE Euronext Brussels and NYSE Euronext Paris markets, as well as on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Dexia Crédit Local is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dexia. At March 31, 2008, Dexia Holdings owned over 99.9% of the outstanding shares of the Parent.
2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows as of and for the period ended March 31, 2008 and for all periods presented. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included as an exhibit to the Parent's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have not been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). The December 31, 2007 consolidated balance sheet was derived from audited financial statements. The results of operations for the periods ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year. Certain prior-year balances have been reclassified to conform to the 2008 presentation.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make extensive estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities in the Company's consolidated balance sheets at March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income during the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 and disclosure of contingent assets
5
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Continued)
and liabilities. Such estimates and assumptions include, but are not limited to, losses and loss adjustment expenses, fair value of financial instruments and the deferral and amortization of policy acquisition costs and taxes. Actual results may differ from those estimates.
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
The Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 157, "Fair Value Measurements" ("SFAS 157"), effective January 1, 2008. SFAS 157 addresses how companies should measure fair value when required to use fair value measures under GAAP. SFAS 157:
In February 2007 the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued SFAS No. 159, "The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities" ("SFAS 159"). SFAS 159 provides an option to elect fair value as an alternative measurement for selected financial assets and financial liabilities not previously recorded at fair value. The Company adopted SFAS 159 on January 1, 2008 and elected fair value accounting for certain fixed-rate VIE segment debt and certain assets acquired in refinancing FSA-insured transactions not previously carried at fair value. See Note 4.
The Company's valuation methodologies for its assets and liabilities measured at fair value were applied to all of the assets and liabilities carried at fair value effective January 1, 2008, whether those instruments are carried at fair value as a result of the adoption of SFAS 159 or in compliance with other authoritative accounting guidance.
Fair value is based upon pricing received from dealer quotes or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency, internally developed estimates that employ credit-spread algorithms or models that use market-based or independently sourced market data inputs, including yield curves, interest rates, volatilities, debt prices, foreign exchange rates and credit curves. In addition to market information, models also incorporate instrument-specific data, such as maturity.
Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret the data to develop the estimates of fair value. Accordingly, the estimates presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the amount the Company could realize in a current market exchange. The use of different market assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair-value amounts.
6
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
The Company has fair value committees to review and approve valuations and assumptions used in its models. These committees meet quarterly prior to issuing quarterly financial statements.
The transition adjustment in connection with the adoption of SFAS 157 was an increase of $26.6 million after-tax to beginning retained earnings, which relates to day one gains that had been deferred under EITF 02-03.
The following table summarizes the components of the fair-value adjustments included in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income:
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2008 |
2007 |
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| |
(in thousands) |
||||||||||
| Derivatives | |||||||||||
| Net change in fair value of credit derivatives (See Note 10) | $ | (454,446 | ) | $ | 9,033 | ||||||
| Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments: | |||||||||||
| VIE segment derivatives(1) (See Note 11) | $ | 187,729 | $ | 11,135 | |||||||
| Other financial guaranty segment derivatives | 169 | 107 | |||||||||
| Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments | $ | 187,898 | $ | 11,242 | |||||||
Net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value |
|||||||||||
| Financial guaranty segment: | |||||||||||
| Assets acquired in refinancing transactions | $ | (1,861 | ) | $ | — | ||||||
| Committed preferred trust put options | 32,000 | — | |||||||||
| Net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value in the financial guaranty segment | 30,139 | — | |||||||||
| VIE segment: | |||||||||||
| Fixed rate VIE segment debt: | |||||||||||
| Fair-value adjustments other than the Company's own credit risk | (173,702 | ) | — | ||||||||
| Fair-value adjustments attributable to the Company's own credit risk | 23,668 | — | |||||||||
| Net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value in the VIE segment | (150,034 | ) | — | ||||||||
| Net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value | $ | (119,895 | ) | $ | — | ||||||
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes |
|||||||||||
| General Investment Portfolio | $ | (14,625 | ) | $ | (8,166 | ) | |||||
| Assets acquired in refinancing transactions | (709 | ) | 178 | ||||||||
| Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes | $ | (15,334 | ) | $ | (7,988 | ) | |||||
7
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
Valuation Hierarchy
SFAS 157 establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. The three levels are defined as follows:
A financial instrument's categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available.
Inputs to Valuation Techniques
Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants use in pricing assets or liabilities, including assumptions about risk. Inputs may be observable or unobservable.
Observable inputs are inputs that reflect assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from independent sources.
Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect management's assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.
Valuation Techniques
Valuation techniques used for assets and liabilities accounted for at fair value are generally categorized into three types:
8
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
present value techniques, option-pricing models that incorporate present value techniques, and the multi-period excess earnings method.
The Company uses valuation techniques that it concludes are appropriate in the specific circumstances and for which sufficient data are available. In selecting the valuation technique to apply, management considers the definition of an exit price and considers the nature of the asset or liability being valued.
Financial Instruments Carried at Fair Value
The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for instruments measured at fair value, including the general classification of such instruments within the valuation hierarchy.
General Investment Portfolio
The fair value of bonds in the Company's portfolio of investments held by FSA and its insurance subsidiaries (the "General Investment Portfolio") is generally based on quoted market prices received from dealer quotes or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. Such quotes generally consider a variety of factors, including recent trades of the same and similar securities. If quoted market prices are not available, the valuation is based on pricing models that use as inputs: dealer price quotations, price activity for traded securities with similar attributes and other relevant market factors, including security type, rating, vintage, tenor and its position in the capital structure of the issuer. Assets in this category are primarily categorized as Level 2. The Company's equity securities are comprised mainly of its preferred stock investment in XL Financial Assurance Ltd ("XLFA"). The fair value of the Company's investment in XLFA is based on internally developed estimates of recoverability and is categorized as Level 3 in the valuation hierarchy.
For short-term investments in the General Investment Portfolio the carrying amount is fair value, which are those investments with a maturity of less than one year at time of purchase. These short-term investments include money market funds and other highly liquid short-term investments which are categorized as Level 1 on the valuation hierarchy and foreign government and agency securities which are categorized as Level 2.
VIE Segment Investment Portfolio
The "VIE Segment Investment Portfolio" is comprised of investments supporting the VIE liabilities, which are primarily designated as available-for-sale, but in some cases are classified as held-to-maturity. The fair value of bonds in the VIE Segment Investment Portfolio is generally based on quoted market prices received from dealer quotes or alternative pricing sources with reasonable levels of price transparency. Such quotes generally consider a variety of factors, including recent trades of the same and similar securities. For assets not valued by quoted market prices received from dealer quotes or alternative pricing sources, fair value is based on either internally developed models using
9
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
market-based inputs, or based on broker quotes for identical or similar assets. Valuation results, particularly those derived from valuation models and quotes on certain mortgage and asset-backed securities, could differ materially from amounts that would actually be realized in the market. Assets in the VIE Segment Investment Portfolio are generally categorized as Level 3 on the valuation hierarchy.
For short-term investments in the VIE Segment Investment Portfolio, which are those investments with a maturity of less than one year at time of purchase, the carrying amount is fair value. These short-term investments include overnight money market funds, which are categorized as Level 1 on the valuation hierarchy.
Assets Acquired in Refinancing Transactions
For certain assets acquired in refinancing transactions, fair value is either the present value of expected cash flows or a quoted market price as of the reporting date. This portfolio is comprised primarily of bonds, securitized loans, common stock, mortgage loans, real estate and short term investments, of which only bonds and common stocks are carried at fair value. The majority of the assets in this portfolio are categorized as Level 3 in the valuation hierarchy, except for the short-term investments and interest rate derivatives that economically hedge these assets, both of which are categorized as Level 2.
Credit Derivatives in the Insured Portfolio
The Company's insured portfolio includes contracts accounted for as derivatives, namely,
The Company considers all such agreements to be a normal part of its financial guaranty insurance business but, for accounting purposes, these contracts are deemed to be derivative instruments and therefore must be recorded at fair value, with changes in fair value recorded in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income in the line item "net change in fair value of credit derivatives."
Credit Default Swap Contracts
In the case of CDS contracts, a trust that is consolidated by the Company writes a derivative contract that provides for payments to be made if certain credit events occur related to certain specified reference obligations, in exchange for a fee. The need to interpose a trust is a regulatory requirement imposed by the New York State Insurance Department as an exception to its general rule, in order to allow the financial guarantors to sell credit protection by entering into credit derivative contracts (albeit indirectly by guaranteeing the trust), while other types of insurance enterprises may
10
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
neither directly enter into such credit derivative contracts, nor provide such guarantees to a trust. The trust's obligations on the CDS contracts it writes are guaranteed by a financial guaranty contract written by the Company that provides payments to the insured if the trust defaults on its payments under the derivative contract. In these transactions, the Company is considered the counterparty to a financial guaranty contract that is defined as a derivative. The credit event is typically based upon failure to pay or the insolvency of a referenced obligation. In such cases, the claim represents payment for the shortfall amount.
The Company's accounting policy regarding CDS contract valuations is a "critical accounting policy and estimate" due to the valuation's significance to the financial statements since it requires management to make numerous complex and subjective judgments relating to amounts that are inherently uncertain. CDS contracts are valued using proprietary models because such instruments are unique, complex and are typically highly customized transactions. Valuation models and the related assumptions are continuously reevaluated by management and enhanced, as appropriate, based on market developments and improvements in modeling techniques and the availability of market observable data. Due to the significance of unobservable inputs required to value CDS contracts, they are considered to be Level 3 under the SFAS 157 fair value hierarchy.
The assumed credit quality, the assumed credit spread attributable to credit risk exclusive of funding costs and the appropriate reference credit index or price source are significant assumptions that, if changed, could result in materially different fair values. Accordingly, market perceptions of credit deterioration would result in an increase in the expected exit value (amount required to be paid to exit the transaction due to wider credit spreads).
Fair Value of CDS Contracts in which the Company Sells Protection
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value is determined based on quoted market prices, if available. As most of the Company's CDS contracts are not traded, there are no observable "exit prices" in a principal market. Therefore, the determination of fair value is based on internally developed estimates of an exit price in a "hypothetical market" comprised of other market participants, namely other monoline financial guaranty insurers that have similar credit ratings or spreads as the Company. The Company's methodology for estimating the fair value of a CDS contract incorporates all the remaining future premiums to be received over the life of the CDS contract, discounted to present value and multiplied by the ratio of the current exit value premium to the contractual premium. The estimation of the current exit value premium is derived using a unique credit-spread algorithm for each defined CDS category that utilizes various publicly available credit indices, depending on the types of assets referenced by the CDS contract and the length of the contract. Management applies judgment when developing these estimates and considers factors such as current prices charged for similar agreements, performance of underlying assets, changes in internal credit assessments or rating agency-based shadow ratings, and the level at which the deductible has been set. Estimates generated from the Company's valuation process may differ materially from values that may be realized in market transactions.
During the first quarter of 2008, the Company observed that CDS counterparties that prior to the first quarter had entered into pooled corporate CDS contracts and CDS of funded CDOs and CLOs directly with the Company were, due to concerns of these counterparties regarding the financial
11
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
stability of the financial guaranty industry, rarely willing to enter into a CDS contract directly with a financial guarantor. Instead, these counterparties would generally enter into such contracts with the Company through a back-to-back arrangement with a bank that, unlike the Company, was prepared to post collateral to the counterparty as security for the bank's obligation under the CDS contract, referred to as an "intermediated" trade. In an intermediated trade, the Company receives a smaller fee than it receives in non-intermediated trades. Accordingly, the Company applied a discount factor to arrive at the fair value of these contracts to reflect that the Company does not currently receive full contract value because it does not post collateral. The Company believes that this discount factor has the effect of adjusting the fair value of these contracts for the Company's credit quality.
Pooled Corporate CDS Valuation: A pooled corporate CDS contract is a contract that insures the default risk of a pool of referenced corporate entities. As there is no observable exchange trading of bespoke pooled corporate CDS, the Company values these contracts using an internal pricing model that uses the mid-point of the bid and ask prices (the "mid-market price") of published third-party indexes as inputs to its pricing model, principally the Dow Jones CDX for domestic corporate CDS and iTraxx for European corporate CDS. Each such index provides price quotes for standard attachment and detachment points (or "tranches") for contracts with maturities of three, five, seven and ten years. The mid-market price is a practical expedient for the fair value measurement within a bid-ask spread. Prices quoted for these tranches do not represent perfect pricing references, but are the only relevant market-based information available for this type of non-traded contract. The recent market volatility in the index tranches has had a significant impact on the estimated fair value of the Company's portfolio of pooled corporate CDS.
The Company's valuation process for pooled corporate CDS involves stratifying its investment-grade and high-yield contracts by remaining term to maturity, consistent with the reference indexes. Within maturity bands, further distinction is made for contracts that have higher attachment points. As index prices are quoted for standard attachment and detachment points (or tranches), the Company calibrates the quoted index price to the typical attachment points for its individual CDS contracts in order to derive the appropriate value, which is then validated by comparing it with relevant recent market transactions, if available.
In order to estimate the weighted-average market price of an investment-grade pooled corporate CDS contract, the Company multiplies the mid-market price quoted for a given tranche of a given duration as published in the CDX North America IG Index by the ratio of that tranche's width to the total tranche width for that given duration. In order to estimate the weighted-average market price for high-yield pooled corporate CDS contracts, the Company uses the average of dealer prices obtained for the most senior quoted of the respective three year, five-year and seven-year tranches of the CDX North America High Yield Index and then applies a factor to the quoted prices. The factor is intended to calibrate the published index price to the Company's pooled corporate high-yield CDS contract, which reference entities are of higher credit quality than those reflected in the published CDX North America HY Index (as measured by weighted average rating factor).
CDS of Funded CDOs and CLO Valuations: As with pooled corporate CDS, there is no observable exchange trading of CDS of funded CDOs and CLOs. The Company estimates its market price with reference to the current all-in London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") spread for Triple-A rated cash-funded CLOs as published by J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., which includes a credit and funding component. Depending on the absolute value of the LIBOR spread, the Company applies
12
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
a factor to the spread as a means of estimating the fair value of its contract which only refers to the credit component.
Other Structured Obligations Valuation: For CDS for which observable market value information is not available, management applies its best judgment to estimate the appropriate current fair value. For example, the Company determines the fair value of CDS of European residential mortgage loan portfolios with reference to the recent auction prices of KfW Bankengruppe, the German development bank, when available.
Fair Value of CDS Contracts in which the Company Purchases Protection
The Company generally utilizes reinsurance to purchase protection for CDS contracts it writes in the same way that it employs reinsurance in respect of other financial guaranty insurance policies. The Company's use of reinsurance to mitigate risk exposures for CDS contracts and financial guaranty insurance policies are nearly identical as it involves the same reinsurers, the same underwriting process evaluating the reinsurers and the same credit risk management and surveillance processes supporting the reinsurance function. The Company enters into reinsurance agreements on CDS contracts primarily on a quota share basis. Under a quota share reinsurance agreement with a reinsurer, the Company cedes to the assuming reinsurer a proportionate share of the risk and premium.
The Company determines the fair value of a CDS contract in which it purchases protection from a reinsurer (the "ceded CDS contract") as the proportionate percentage of the fair value of the related written CDS contract, and adjusted for any ceding commission and consideration of counterparty risk. In quota share reinsurance agreements, the assuming reinsurer typically pays a ceding commission periodically over the life of the CDS contract to the ceding company that is intended to defray the ceding company's costs for the services it provides to the reinsurer such as risk selection and underwriting activities. As an element of the fair value of the ceded CDS contract, the ceding commission paid to the ceding company represents the ceding company's marginal profit on the ceded CDS contract, i.e., the difference between the price of the protection the ceding company purchased from the reinsurer, which is net of the ceding commission, and the price that the ceding company would receive to exit the ceded CDS contract in its principal market, which is comprised of other ceding insurers of comparable credit standing. The Company applies a credit valuation adjustment to the fair value of a ceded CDS contract due from a reinsurer if the reinsurer's credit quality (as determined by CDS price if available, or if not, its credit rating) is less than that of the Company's, based upon the premise that the exit market for these contracts would be another monoline financial guarantee insurer that has similar credit rating or spread as the Company.
Interest Rate Swaps and NIMs
The Company insures IR swaps entered into in connection with the issuance of certain public finance obligations. Because the financial guaranty contract insures a derivative, the financial guaranty contract is deemed to be a derivative. Therefore, the contract is required to be carried at fair value, with the change in fair value being recorded in the income statement. As there is no observable market for these policies, the fair value of these contracts is determined by using an internally developed model and therefore, they are classified as Level 3 in the valuation hierarchy.
13
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
The NIM securitizations issued in connection with certain mortgage-backed security financings are deemed to be hybrid instruments that contain an embedded derivative. The Company elected to record these financial instruments at fair value under SFAS 155, "Accounting for Certain Hybrid Financial Instruments." Changes in the fair value of these contracts are recorded in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. As there is no observable market for these policies, the fair value of these contracts is based on internally derived estimates and they are therefore classified as Level 3 in the valuation hierarchy.
VIE Segment Derivatives
On the date of adoption, all derivatives used to hedge VIE debt were valued by obtaining prices from brokers or counterparties, and accordingly were classified as Level 3 in the valuation hierarchy. At March 31, 2008, these derivatives were valued using a pricing model that uses observable market inputs, such as interest rate curves and foreign exchange rates. Therefore these derivatives are classified as Level 2 in the valuation hierarchy at March 31, 2008 provided all of the significant model inputs were observable in the market.
Committed Preferred Trust Put Options
As there is no observable market for the Company's committed preferred trust put options, fair value is based on internally derived estimates and therefore these put options are categorized as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.
FSA determined the fair value of the committed preferred trust put options by estimating the fair value of a floating rate security with an estimated market yield reflective of the underlying committed preferred security structure and the relevant coupon based on the capped auction rate.
VIE Segment Debt
The fair value of the VIE fixed-rate liabilities for which the Company elected the fair value option as described in Note 4 (the "fair-valued liabilities") is determined based on a discounted cash flow model. Fair value calculated by these models includes assumptions for interest rate curves based on selected benchmark securities and weighted average expected lives. In addition, the valuation of the fair-valued liabilities includes an adjustment to reflect the credit quality of the Company that represented the impact of changes in market credit spreads on these liabilities. The fair-valued liabilities are generally categorized as Level 3 in the valuation hierarchy.
14
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
The following table presents the financial instruments carried at fair value at March 31, 2008, by caption on the consolidated balance sheet and by SFAS 157 valuation hierarchy.
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
| |
March 31, 2008 |
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Total |
||||||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
|||||||||||||
| Assets: | ||||||||||||||
| General investment portfolio: | ||||||||||||||
| Bonds | $ | — | $ | 5,386,388 | $ | 55,564 | $ | 5,441,952 | ||||||
| Equity securities | 171 | — | 38,070 | 38,241 | ||||||||||
| Short-term investments | 65,476 | 110,455 | — | 175,931 | ||||||||||
| VIE segment investment portfolio: | ||||||||||||||
| Bonds | — | 25,682 | 1,797,080 | 1,822,762 | ||||||||||
| Short-term investments | 9,270 | — | — | 9,270 | ||||||||||
| Assets acquired in refinancing transactions | — | 18,180 | 154,398 | 172,578 | ||||||||||
| Other assets: | ||||||||||||||
| VIE segment derivatives | — | 744,279 | 66,905 | 811,184 | ||||||||||
| Credit derivatives | — | — | 294,676 | 294,676 | ||||||||||
| Committed preferred trust put option | — | — | 32,000 | 32,000 | ||||||||||
| Total assets at fair value | $ | 74,917 | $ | 6,284,984 | $ | 2,438,693 | $ | 8,798,594 | ||||||
Liabilities: |
||||||||||||||
| VIE segment debt | $ | — | — | $ | 1,978,917 | $ | 1,978,917 | |||||||
| Other liabilities: | ||||||||||||||
| Credit derivatives | — | — | 1,319,260 | 1,319,260 | ||||||||||
| Other financial guarantee segment derivatives | — | 3 | — | 3 | ||||||||||
| Total liabilities at fair value | $ | — | $ | 3 | $ | 3,298,177 | $ | 3,298,180 | ||||||
Changes in Level 3 Recurring Fair Value Measurements
The table below includes a rollforward of the balance sheet amounts for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 for financial instruments classified by the Company within Level 3 of the valuation hierarchy. When a determination is made to classify a financial instrument within Level 3, the determination is based upon the significance of the unobservable data to the overall fair value measurement. However, Level 3 financial instruments may include, in addition to the unobservable or Level 3 components, observable components; accordingly, the gains and losses in the table below include changes in fair value due in part to observable factors that are part of the valuation methodology. Level 3 assets were 21.8% of total assets at March 31, 2008. Level 3 liabilities were 40.4% of total liabilities at March 31, 2008.
15
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in Unrealized Gains/(Losses) Related to Financial Instruments Held at March 31, 2008 |
||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
Total Pre-tax Realized/Unrealized Gains/ (Losses)(1) recorded in: |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
| |
Fair Value at January 1, 2008 |
Net Income (Loss) |
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) |
Purchases, Issuances, Settlements, net |
Transfers in and/or out of Level 3(2) |
Fair Value at March 31, 2008 |
|||||||||||||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| General investment portfolio: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonds | $ | 59,840 | $ | — | $ | (1,928 | ) | $ | (2,348 | ) | $ | — | $ | 55,564 | $ | — | |||||||
| Equity securities | 39,000 | — | (930 | ) | 0 | — | 38,070 | — | |||||||||||||||
| VIE segment bonds(9) | 1,760,483 | 7,114 | (3) | 12,719 | 16,764 | — | 1,797,080 | 7,114 | |||||||||||||||
| Assets acquired in refinancing transactions | 170,492 | (2,034 | )(5) | (1,091 | ) | (12,969 | ) | — | 154,398 | (2,034 | ) | ||||||||||||
| VIE segment debt(9) | (1,852,759 | ) | (140,658 | )(6) | — | 14,500 | — | (1,978,917 | ) | (140,658 | ) | ||||||||||||
| VIE segment derivatives(9) | 634,458 | 11,388 | (3) | — | — | (578,941 | ) | 66,905 | 11,388 | ||||||||||||||
| Committed preferred trust put options | — | 32,000 | (4) | — | — | — | 32,000 | 32,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Net credit derivatives(8) | (537,321 | ) | (487,263 | )(7) | — | — | — | (1,024,584 | ) | (486,994 | ) | ||||||||||||
16
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Continued)
4. FAIR VALUE OPTION
In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS 159, which is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. The Company adopted SFAS 159 effective January 1, 2008. SFAS 159 provides an option to elect fair value as an alternative measurement for selected financial assets and financial liabilities not previously carried at fair value. The fair-value option may be applied to single eligible instruments, is irrevocable and is applied only to entire instruments and not to portions of instruments.
The Company's fair value elections were intended to mitigate the volatility in earnings that had been created by recording financial instruments and the related risk management instruments on a different basis of accounting, to eliminate the operational complexities of applying hedge accounting or to conform to the fair value elections made by the Company in 2006 under its International Financial Reporting Standards reporting to Dexia. The requirement, under SFAS 157, to incorporate a reporting entity's own credit risk in the valuation of liabilities which are carried at fair value, has created some additional volatility in earnings as credit risk is not hedged. The following table provides detail regarding the Company's elections by consolidated balance sheet line as of January 1, 2008.
| |
Carrying Value of Financial Instruments |
Transition Gain/(Loss) Recorded in Retained Earnings |
Adjusted Carrying Value of Financial Instruments |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||||||
| Assets acquired in refinancing transactions | $ | 163,285 | $ | 2,537 | $ | 165,822 | |||||
| VIE segment debt | (1,824,676 | ) | (28,083 | ) | (1,852,759 | ) | |||||
| Subtotal | (25,546 | ) | |||||||||
| Minority interest | 28,083 | ||||||||||
| Deferred income taxes | (888 | ) | |||||||||
| Cumulative effect of adoption of SFAS 159 | $ | 1,649 | |||||||||
Elections
The following is a discussion of the primary financial instruments for which fair value elections were made and the basis for those elections:
On January 1, 2008, the Company elected to record the following at fair value:
17
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
4. FAIR VALUE OPTION (Continued)
derivatives at fair value without having to designate them in a fair value hedge relationship under SFAS 133.
Changes in Fair Value under the Fair Value Option Election
The following table presents the pre-tax changes in fair value included in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, for items for which the fair value election was made. The profit and loss information presented below only includes the financial instruments that were elected to be measured at fair value.
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Financial Instruments at Fair Value
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, 2008 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(in thousands) |
|||
| Assets acquired in refinancing transactions | $ | (1,861 | ) | |
| VIE segment debt | (150,034 | )(1) | ||
The Company elected to record at fair value under SFAS 155 certain NIM securitizations that were deemed to be hybrid instruments that contain an embedded derivative, as is further described in Note 3. Changes in fair value of these hybrid instruments are reported in "net change in fair value of credit derivatives" in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income.
During the first quarter of 2008, the change in fair value of the VIE segment debt attributable to instrument-specific credit risk was derived principally from changes in the Company's credit spread, which equated to a gain of approximately $23 million. The change in fair value of the assets acquired in refinancing transactions attributable to instrument-specific credit risk was de minimus.
Aggregate Fair Value and Aggregate Remaining Contractual Principal Balance Outstanding
The following table reflects the aggregate fair value and the aggregate remaining contractual principal balance outstanding at March 31, 2008, for certain assets acquired in refinancing transactions and VIE segment debt for which the SFAS 159 fair value option has been elected.
| |
March 31, 2008 |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Remaining Aggregate Contractual Principal Amount Outstanding |
Fair Value |
|||||
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||
| Assets acquired in refinancing transactions | $ | 150,458 | $ | 151,134 | |||
| VIE segment debt(1)(2) | (1,858,983 | ) | (1,978,917 | ) | |||
18
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
4. FAIR VALUE OPTION (Continued)
net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. See Note 11.
5. LOSSES AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES
The Company establishes loss and loss adjustment expense ("LAE") liabilities based on its estimate of specific and non-specific losses. LAE consists of the estimated cost of settling claims, including legal and other fees and expenses associated with administering the claims process.
The Company calculates case reserves based upon identified risks inherent in its insured portfolio. If an individual policy risk has a reasonably estimable and probable loss as of the balance sheet date, a case reserve is established. For the remaining policy risks in the portfolio, a non-specific reserve is calculated to account for the statistically estimated inherent credit losses.
The following table presents the activity in non-specific and case reserves for the three months ended March 31, 2008. Adjustments to reserves represent management's estimate of the amount required to cover the present value of the net cost of claims, based on statistical provisions for new originations. In order to determine reasonableness of the non-specific reserve, management employs a methodology similar to that proposed in the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") proposed accounting guidance for financial guaranty contracts, which references a calculation of expected loss for risks that are below-investment-grade and high risk watch-list transactions. In the first quarter of 2008, the result of the reasonableness test required a higher non-specific reserve than the statistical calculation in order to account for the significant negative migration of the second lien RMBS portfolio which resulted in estimates of loss in excess of the non-specific reserve balance.
19
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
5. LOSSES AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES (Continued)
Reconciliation of Net Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses
| |
Non-Specific |
Case |
Total |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(in thousands) |
|||||||||
| December 31, 2007 | $ | 99,999 | $ | 98,079 | $ | 198,078 | ||||
| Incurred | 300,429 | — | 300,429 | |||||||
| Transfers | (354,137 | ) | 354,137 | — | ||||||
| Payments and other decreases | — | (97,384 | ) | (97,384 | ) | |||||
| March 31, 2008 balance | $ | 46,291 | $ | 354,832 | $ | 401,123 | ||||
| |
March 31, 2008 |
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Gross Par Outstanding |
Net Par Outstanding |
Gross Case Reserve(1) |
Net Case Reserve(1) |
Number of Risks |
||||||||||
| |
(dollars in thousands) |
||||||||||||||
| Asset-backed—HELOCs | $ | 5,618,089 | $ | 4,535,008 | $ | 280,234 | $ | 228,829 | 8 | ||||||
| Asset-backed—Alt-A | 823,504 | 784,928 | 91,202 | 86,894 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Asset-backed—other | 128,870 | 115,764 | 22,829 | 6,847 | 7 | ||||||||||
| Public finance | 1,165,087 | 561,417 | 85,745 | 32,262 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Total | $ | 7,735,550 | $ | 5,997,117 | $ | 480,010 | $ | 354,832 | 23 | ||||||
| |
December 31, 2007 |
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Gross Par Outstanding |
Net Par Outstanding |
Gross Case Reserve(1) |
Net Case Reserve(1) |
Number of Risks |
||||||||||
| |
(dollars in thousands) |
||||||||||||||
| Asset-backed—HELOCs | $ | 1,803,340 | $ | 1,442,657 | $ | 69,633 | $ | 56,913 | 5 | ||||||
| Asset-backed—other(2) | 47,185 | 40,554 | 8,289 | 6,267 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Public finance | 1,164,248 | 560,610 | 96,635 | 34,899 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Total | $ | 3,014,773 | $ | 2,043,821 | $ | 174,557 | $ | 98,079 | 13 | ||||||
20
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
5. LOSSES AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES (Continued)
The table below presents certain assumptions inherent in the calculations of the case and non-specific reserves:
Assumptions for Case and Non-Specific Reserves
| |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case reserve discount rate | 1.93%–5.90% | 3.13%–5.90% | ||
| Non-specific reserve discount rate | 1.20%–7.95% | 1.20%–7.95% | ||
| Current experience factor | 5.3 | 2.0 |
During the first quarter, management increased net case reserves from $98.1 million to $354.8 million. The increase was primarily due to increased net reserves on home equity line of credit ("HELOC") transactions, which increased from $56.9 million at December 31, 2007 to $228.8 million at March 31, 2008, and the establishment of net reserves of $86.9 million on four Alt-A closed-end second-lien mortgage ("CES") transactions. HELOC transactions in the asset-backed portfolio have experienced greater than expected defaults in the first quarter of 2008. At March 31, 2008, the Company increased its projected estimated ultimate net loss (discounted to present value) to $333.1 million on HELOC transactions from $65.0 million. Such estimates of loss are net of reinsurance and anticipated recoveries and are reevaluated on a quarterly basis. In the first quarter of 2008, the Company paid net claims of $56.6 million in HELOC claims. This brought the inception to date net claim payments on HELOC transactions to $104.2 million. There were no claims paid on Alt-A CES through March 31, 2008.
Credit support for the HELOC transactions is primarily provided by excess spread. Generally, once the overcollateralization is exhausted, the Company pays a claim if losses in a period exceed excess spread for the period, and to the extent excess spread exceeds losses, the Company is reimbursed for any losses paid to date.
The Company assigns each insured credit to one of five designated surveillance categories to facilitate the appropriate allocation of resources to monitoring, loss mitigation efforts and rating the credit condition of each risk exposure. Such categorization is determined in part by the risk of loss and in part by the level of routine involvement required. The surveillance categories are organized as follows:
21
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
5. LOSSES AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES (Continued)
ultimate losses, net of recoveries, are expected. Category IV and Category V transactions are subject to intense monitoring and intervention.
The table below presents the gross and net par outstanding and the gross and net reserves for risks classified as described above:
| |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Gross |
Net |
Gross |
Net |
|||||||||
| |
(in millions) |
||||||||||||
| Categories I and II | $ | 554,833 | $ | 420,723 | $ | 547,832 | $ | 415,355 | |||||
| Category III | 9,091 | 5,629 | 8,467 | 5,053 | |||||||||
| Category IV | 1,107 | 673 | 3,976 | 3,297 | |||||||||
| Category V no claim payments | 2,066 | 1,447 | 2,654 | 1,737 | |||||||||
| Category V with claim payments | 5,675 | 4,554 | 1,163 | 900 | |||||||||
| Total | $ | 572,772 | $ | 433,026 | $ | 564,092 | $ | 426,342 | |||||
| |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Gross |
Net |
Gross |
Net |
|||||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||||||||
| Category V no claim payments | $ | 165,920 | $ | 115,313 | $ | 112,629 | $ | 64,430 | |||||
| Category V with claim payments | 314,090 | 239,519 | 61,928 | 33,649 | |||||||||
| Total | $ | 480,010 | $ | 354,832 | $ | 174,557 | $ | 98,079 | |||||
Management of the Company periodically evaluates its estimates for losses and LAE and establishes reserves that management believes are adequate to cover the present value of the ultimate net cost of claims. The Company will continue, on an ongoing basis, to monitor these reserves and may periodically adjust such reserves, upward or downward, based on the Company's actual loss experience, its mix of business and economic conditions. However, because of the uncertainty involved in developing these estimates, the ultimate liability may differ materially from current estimates.
Management is aware that there are differences regarding the method of defining and measuring both case reserves and non-specific reserves among participants in the financial guaranty industry. Other financial guarantors may establish case reserves only after a default and use different techniques to estimate probable loss. Other financial guarantors may establish the equivalent of non-specific reserves, but refer to these reserves by various terms, such as, but not limited to, "unallocated losses," "active credit reserves" and "portfolio reserves," or may use different statistical techniques from those used by the Company to determine loss at a given point in time.
22
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
6. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES SEGMENT DEBT
At March 31, 2007, the interest rates on VIE segment debt were between 1.98% and 6.22% per annum. Payments due under the VIE segment debt including $1,000.5 million of future interest accretion on zero coupon obligations for 2008 and each of the next four years ending December 31 and thereafter, are as follows:
Maturity Schedule of VIE Segment Debt
| |
Principal Amount |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(in thousands) |
|||
| 2008 | $ | 109,230 | ||
| 2009 | 401,219 | |||
| 2010 | 94,428 | |||
| 2011 | 17,504 | |||
| 2012 | 150,307 | |||
| Thereafter | 2,885,973 | |||
| Total | $ | 3,658,661 | ||
7. OUTSTANDING EXPOSURE
The Company's insurance policies typically guarantee the scheduled payments of principal and interest on public finance and asset-backed (including credit derivatives in the insured portfolio) obligations. The gross amount of financial guaranties in force (principal and interest) was $876.8 billion at March 31, 2008 and $857.9 billion at December 31, 2007. The net amount of financial guaranties in force was $638.7 billion at March 31, 2008 and $622.9 billion at December 31, 2007.
23
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
7. OUTSTANDING EXPOSURE (Continued)
The par outstanding of insured obligations in the public finance insured portfolio includes the following amounts by type of issue:
Summary of Public Finance Insured Portfolio(1)
| |
Gross Par Outstanding |
Ceded Par Outstanding |
Net Par Outstanding |
|||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Types of Issues |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
||||||||||||||
| |
(in millions) |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic obligations | ||||||||||||||||||||
| General obligation | $ | 151,494 | $ | 146,883 | $ | 32,829 | $ | 32,427 | $ | 118,665 | $ | 114,456 | ||||||||
| Tax-supported | 72,246 | 69,534 | 19,933 | 19,453 | 52,313 | 50,081 | ||||||||||||||
| Municipal utility revenue | 60,244 | 57,975 | 13,875 | 13,610 | 46,369 | 44,365 | ||||||||||||||
| Health care revenue | 26,092 | 25,843 | 11,999 | 11,796 | 14,093 | 14,047 | ||||||||||||||
| Housing revenue | 9,721 | 9,898 | 2,143 | 2,187 | 7,578 | 7,711 | ||||||||||||||
| Transportation revenue | 31,496 | 29,189 | 11,825 | 11,782 | 19,671 | 17,407 | ||||||||||||||
| Education/University | 8,212 | 7,178 | 1,795 | 1,710 | 6,417 | 5,468 | ||||||||||||||
| Other domestic public finance | 2,739 | 2,773 | 805 | 900 | 1,934 | 1,873 | ||||||||||||||
| Subtotal | 362,244 | 349,273 | 95,204 | 93,865 | 267,040 | 255,408 | ||||||||||||||
| International obligations | 50,080 | 49,224 | 22,064 | 21,925 | 28,016 | 27,299 | ||||||||||||||
| Total public finance obligations | $ | 412,324 | $ | 398,497 | $ | 117,268 | $ | 115,790 | $ | 295,056 | $ | 282,707 | ||||||||
24
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
7. OUTSTANDING EXPOSURE (Continued)
The Company seeks to limit its exposure to losses from writing financial guarantees by underwriting investment-grade obligations, diversifying its portfolio and maintaining rigorous collateral requirements on asset-backed obligations, as well as through reinsurance. The gross, ceded and net par outstanding of insured obligations in the asset-backed insured portfolio includes the following amounts by type of collateral:
Summary of Asset-Backed Insured Portfolio
| |
Gross Par Outstanding |
Ceded Par Outstanding |
Net Par Outstanding |
|||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Types of Collateral |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
||||||||||||||
| |
(in millions) |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic obligations | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Residential mortgages | $ | 22,043 | $ | 22,882 | $ | 3,020 | $ | 3,108 | $ | 19,023 | $ | 19,774 | ||||||||
| Consumer receivables(2) | 11,664 | 12,647 | 968 | 1,076 | 10,696 | 11,571 | ||||||||||||||
| Pooled corporate | 68,271 | 69,317 | 10,383 | 10,110 | 57,888 | 59,207 | ||||||||||||||
| Financial products(1) | 18,492 | 19,468 | — | — | 18,492 | 19,468 | ||||||||||||||
| Other domestic asset-backed | 3,889 | 4,000 | 1,817 | 2,024 | 2,072 | 1,976 | ||||||||||||||
| Subtotal | 124,359 | 128,314 | 16,188 | 16,318 | 108,171 | 111,996 | ||||||||||||||
| International obligations | 36,089 | 37,281 | 6,290 | 5,642 | 29,799 | 31,639 | ||||||||||||||
| Total asset-backed obligations | $ | 160,448 | $ | 165,595 | $ | 22,478 | $ | 21,960 | $ | 137,970 | $ | 143,635 | ||||||||
8. FEDERAL INCOME TAXES
The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits at both March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 was $17.7 million. If recognized, the entire amount would favorably affect the effective tax rate. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as part of income taxes. For the period ended March 31, 2008, the Company accrued $0.2 million of expenses related to interest and penalties. Cumulative interest and penalties of $1.7 million had been accrued on the Company's balance sheet at March 31, 2008.
The Company files consolidated income tax returns in the United States as well as separate tax returns for certain of its subsidiaries in various state and local and foreign jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia. With limited exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to income tax examinations for its 2003 and prior tax years for U.S. federal, state and local, or non-U.S. jurisdictions.
25
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
8. FEDERAL INCOME TAXES (Continued)
Within the next 12 months, it is reasonably possible that unrecognized tax benefits for tax positions taken on previously filed tax returns will become recognized as a result of the expiration of the statute of limitations for the 2004 tax year, which, absent any extension, will close in September 2008.
The 2008 and 2007 effective tax rates differ from the statutory rate of 35% as follows:
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2008 |
2007 |
||||
| Tax provision (benefit) at statutory rate | (35.0 | )% | 35.0 | % | ||
| Tax-exempt investments | (2.5 | ) | (12.4 | ) | ||
| Minority interest | (1.5 | ) | 2.6 | |||
| Fair-value adjustments for committed preferred trust put options | (1.9 | ) | 0.0 | |||
| Other | 0.1 | 0.3 | ||||
| Total tax provision (benefit) | (40.8 | )% | 25.5 | % | ||
The current-year effective tax rate reflects the lower ratio of tax-exempt interest income to year-to-date pre-tax loss due to the significant negative fair value adjustments.
The additional losses from the HELOC and CES transactions led to a distorted budgeted effective tax rate. The Company, therefore, believes it is unable to make a reliable estimate using the effective rate method and has used the actual tax calculated for the period ended March 31, 2008.
9. NOTES PAYABLE TO AFFILIATE
The Company has $195.6 million of notes payable to GIC Affiliates at March 31, 2008 and $210.1 million at December 31, 2007. For the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007 the Company recorded $3.7 million and $4.2 million, respectively, of interest expense on the notes payable.
Principal payments due under these notes for each of the remainder of 2008 and next four years ending December 31 and thereafter are as follows:
Maturity Schedule of Notes Payable
| |
Principal Amount |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(in thousands) |
|||
| 2008 | $ | 9,646 | ||
| 2009 | 8,383 | |||
| 2010 | 14,344 | |||
| 2011 | 20,193 | |||
| 2012 | 33,594 | |||
| Thereafter | 109,460 | |||
| Total | $ | 195,620 | ||
26
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
10. CREDIT DERIVATIVES IN THE INSURED PORTFOLIO
Credit derivatives in the Company's insured portfolio are comprised primarily of CDS contracts in which the Company sells credit protection by entering into CDS contracts with various financial institutions. In certain cases the Company purchases back-to-back credit protection on all or a portion of the risk written, primarily from reinsurance companies. Management views these CDS contracts as part of its financial guarantee business, under which the Company intends to hold its written and purchased positions for the entire term of the related contracts. These CDS contracts are accounted for at fair value since they do not qualify for the financial guarantee scope exception under SFAS 133. The insured portfolio also includes financial guarantees of other derivative contracts that are required to be marked to market, namely insured IR swaps entered into in connection with the issuance of certain public finance obligations and insured NIM securitizations issued in connection with certain RMBS financings. The Company's net par outstanding of $82.3 billion and $84.3 billion relating to credit derivatives at March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively, is included in the balances in Note 7.
In consultation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), members of the financial guaranty industry have collaborated to develop a presentation of credit derivatives issued by financial guaranty insurers that is more consistent with that of non-insurers. The tables below illustrate the current required presentation with prior-period balances reclassified to conform to the current presentation. The reclassifications do not affect net income or equity, although they do affect various revenue, asset and liability line items. Changes in fair value are recorded in "Net change in fair value of credit derivatives" in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. The "realized gains (losses) and other settlements" component of this income statement line includes premiums received and receivable on written CDS contracts and premiums paid and payable on purchased contracts. If a credit event occurred that required a payment under the contract terms, this caption would also include losses paid and payable to CDS contract counterparties due to the credit event and losses recovered and recoverable on purchased contracts.
The components of net change in fair value of credit derivatives are shown in the table below:
Summary of Net Change in Fair Value of Credit Derivatives
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2008 |
2007 |
|||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||||
| Net change in fair value of credit derivatives: | |||||||||
| Realized gains (losses) and other settlements(1) | $ | 34,688 | $ | 22,239 | |||||
| Net unrealized gains (losses): | |||||||||
| CDS | (491,000 | ) | (11,732 | ) | |||||
| NIMs and interest rate swaps | 1,866 | (1,474 | ) | ||||||
| Net change in fair value of credit derivatives | $ | (454,446 | ) | $ | 9,033 | ||||
The fair value of credit derivatives are reported in the balance sheet as "other assets" or "other liabilities and minority interest" based on the net gain or loss position with each counterparty, and
27
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
10. CREDIT DERIVATIVES IN THE INSURED PORTFOLIO (Continued)
incorporates both the realized and unrealized components. The unrealized component includes the market appreciation or depreciation of the derivative contracts, as discussed in Note 3.
Unrealized Gains (Losses) of CDS Portfolio(1)
| |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(in thousands) |
|||||||||
| Pooled corporate CDS: | ||||||||||
| Investment grade | $ | (265,559 | ) | $ | (111,586 | ) | ||||
| High yield | (273,749 | ) | (142,509 | ) | ||||||
| Total pooled corporate CDS | (539,308 | ) | (254,095 | ) | ||||||
| Funded CLOs and CDOs | (374,365 | ) | (264,475 | ) | ||||||
| Other structured obligations | (83,595 | ) | (28,654 | ) | ||||||
| Total | $ | (997,268 | ) | $ | (547,224 | ) | ||||
Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) of CDS Portfolio(1)
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2008 |
2007 |
||||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
|||||||||
| Pooled corporate CDS: | ||||||||||
| Investment grade | $ | (173,721 | ) | $ | (6,757 | ) | ||||
| High yield | (141,842 | ) | (2,366 | ) | ||||||
| Total pooled corporate CDS | (315,563 | ) | (9,123 | ) | ||||||
| Funded CLOs and CDOs | (116,129 | ) | (2,884 | ) | ||||||
| Other structured obligations | (59,308 | ) | 275 | |||||||
| Total | $ | (491,000 | ) | $ | (11,732 | ) | ||||
28
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
10. CREDIT DERIVATIVES IN THE INSURED PORTFOLIO (Continued)
Prior to the adoption of SFAS 157 on January 1, 2008 (the "Adoption Date"), the Company followed EITF 02-03. Under EITF 02-03, the Company was prohibited from recognizing a profit at the inception of its CDS contracts (referred to as "day one" gains) because the fair value of those derivatives is based on a valuation technique that incorporated unobservable inputs. Accordingly, the Company deferred approximately $41.0 million pre-tax of day one gains related to the fair value of CDS contracts purchased that were not permitted to be recognized under EITF 02-03. As SFAS 157 nullified the guidance in EITF 02-03, on the Adoption Date the Company recognized in beginning retained earnings as a transition adjustment $41.0 million of previously deferred day one gains (pre-tax). See Note 3 for further discussion of the Company's adoption of SFAS 157.
The negative fair-value adjustments in the first quarter of 2008 resulted from continued widening of credit spreads during the quarter. Despite the structural protections associated with the Company's CDS, the significant widening of credit spreads on pooled corporate CDS and funded CDOs and collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs"), as with other structured credit products, resulted in a decline in fair value of these contracts. As a result, Triple-A spreads to LIBOR continued to widen in the first quarter and resulted in the significant adverse mark reflected in the CDS fair-value results.
As the fair value of a CDS contract incorporates all the remaining future payments to be received over the life of the CDS contract, the fair value of that contract will change, in part, solely from the passage of time as fees are received. Absent any claims under the contract, any "losses" recorded in marking the contract to fair value will be reversed by an equivalent "gain" at or prior to the expiration of the contract, and any "gain" recorded will be reversed by an equivalent "loss" over the remaining life of the transaction, with the cumulative changes in the fair value of the CDS contract summing to zero by the time of each contract's maturity.
The Company's typical CDS contract is different from CDS contracts entered into by parties that are not financial guarantors because:
Credit derivatives in the asset-backed portfolio represent 69% of total asset-backed par outstanding. The tables below summarize the credit rating, net par outstanding and remaining weighted average lives for the primary components of the Company's CDS portfolio. While most of the Company's CDS are pooled corporate exposures, there are also some CDS in other sectors, including $408.3 million in U.S. RMBS categories.
29
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
10. CREDIT DERIVATIVES IN THE INSURED PORTFOLIO (Continued)
Selected Information for CDS Portfolio
at March 31, 2008
| |
Credit Ratings |
|
|
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
Remaining Weighted Average Life |
|||||||||||||||
| |
Triple-A*(1) |
Triple-A |
Double-A |
Other Investment Grades(2) |
Below Investment Grade(3) |
Net Par Outstanding |
|||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
(in millions) |
(in years) |
||||||||||
| Pooled Corporate CDS: | |||||||||||||||||
| Investment grade | 90 | % | 1 | % | 9 | % | — | % | — | % | $ | 21,648 | 4.5 | ||||
| High yield | 92 | 3 | — | — | 5 | 15,263 | 3.2 | ||||||||||
| Funded CDOs and CLOs | 28 | 65 | (5) | 7 | (5) | — | — | 33,189 | 3.2 | ||||||||
| Other structured obligations(4) | 60 | 17 | (5) | 21 | (5) | 2 | (5) | — | 12,116 | 2.1 | |||||||
| Total | 61 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 1 | $ | 82,216 | 3.4 | |||||||||
Selected Information for CDS Portfolio
at December 31, 2007
| |
Credit Ratings |
|
|
||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
|
Remaining Weighted Average Life |
|||||||||||||||
| |
Triple-A*(1) |
Triple-A |
Double-A |
Other Investment Grades(2) |
Below Investment Grade |
Net Par Outstanding |
|||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
(in millions) |
(in years) |
||||||||||
| Pooled Corporate CDS: | |||||||||||||||||
| Investment grade | 91 | % | 1 | % | 8 | % | — | % | — | $ | 22,883 | 4.1 | |||||
| High yield | 95 | — | — | 5 | — | 14,765 | 3.3 | ||||||||||
| Funded CDOs and CLOs | 28 | 72 | (5) | — | — | — | 33,000 | 3.4 | |||||||||
| Other structured obligations(4) | 62 | 36 | (5) | 1 | 1 | — | 13,529 | 2.1 | |||||||||
| Total | 62 | 34 | 3 | 1 | — | $ | 84,177 | 3.4 | |||||||||
11. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES SEGMENT DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS
The Company enters into derivative contracts to manage interest rate and foreign currency exposure in its VIE segment debt and VIE Segment Investment Portfolio. All gains and losses from changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income whether designated in fair-value hedging relationships or not. These derivatives generally include futures, interest rate and currency swap agreements, which are primarily utilized to
30
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
11. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES SEGMENT DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS (Continued)
convert fixed-rate debt and investments into U.S. dollar floating rate debt and investments. Hedge accounting is applied to fair-value hedges provided certain criteria are met. As a result of interest rate fluctuations, fixed-rate assets and liabilities appreciate or depreciate in market value. Gains or losses on the derivative instruments that are linked to the fixed-rate assets and liabilities being hedged are expected to substantially offset this unrealized appreciation or depreciation relating to the risk being hedged.
The Company uses foreign currency contracts to manage the foreign exchange risk associated with certain foreign currency-denominated assets and liabilities. Gains or losses on the derivative instruments that are linked to the foreign currency denominated assets or liabilities being hedged are expected to substantially offset this variability.
In order for a derivative to qualify for hedge accounting, it must be highly effective at reducing the risk associated with the exposure being hedged. In order for a derivative to be designated as a hedge, there must be documentation of the risk management objective and strategy, including identification of the hedging instrument, the hedged item and the risk exposure, and how effectiveness is to be assessed prospectively and retrospectively. To assess effectiveness, the Company uses analysis of the sensitivity of fair values to changes in the risk being hedged, as well as dollar value comparisons of the change in the fair value of the derivative to the change in the fair value of the hedged item that is attributable to the risk being hedged. The extent to which a hedging instrument has been and is expected to continue to be effective at achieving offsetting changes in fair value must be assessed and documented at least quarterly. Any ineffectiveness must be reported in current-period earnings. If it is determined that a derivative is not highly effective at hedging the designated exposure, hedge accounting is discontinued.
An effective fair-value hedge is defined as one whose periodic change in fair value is 80% to 125% correlated with the change in fair value of the hedged item. The difference between a perfect hedge (i.e., the change in fair value of the hedge and hedged item offset one another so that there is zero effect on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, referred to as being "100% correlated") and the actual correlation within the 80% to 125% effectiveness range is the ineffective portion of the hedge. A failed hedge is one whose correlation falls outside of the 80% to 125% effectiveness range. There were no failed hedges in the VIE segment derivative portfolio for the three months ended March 31, 2008. The table below presents the net gain (loss) related to the ineffective portion of the Company's fair-value hedges.
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2008 |
2007 |
|||
| |
(in thousands) |
||||
| Ineffective portion of fair-value hedges(1) | $ | (730 | ) | N/A | |
31
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
11. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES SEGMENT DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS (Continued)
The inception-to-date net unrealized gain on the outstanding derivatives held by the VIE segment of $631.7 million and $474.4 million at March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively, was recorded in other assets.
As of January 1, 2008, the Company adopted SFAS 159 and elected the fair value option for certain fixed-rate liabilities in the VIE segment debt portfolio, as described in Note 4. The fair value option allows the fair value adjustment on these liabilities to be recorded in earnings without hedge documentation and effectiveness testing requirements prescribed under SFAS 133. However, when the fair value option is elected, the fair value adjustment of liabilities must incorporate all components of fair value, including valuation adjustments related to the reporting entity's own credit risk.
Fixed-rate assets in the available-for-sale VIE Segment Investment Portfolio that are economically hedged with interest rate swaps are designated in fair value hedging relationships since November 2007. Under fair value hedge accounting, the fair value adjustments related to the hedged risk are recorded in earnings and adjust the amortized cost basis of the related assets. The interest expense and fair value adjustments on the derivatives and the interest income and fair value adjustment on the assets attributable to the hedged interest rate risk are recorded in "Net interest income from variable interest entities segment" in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, thereby offsetting each other and reflecting economic inefficiency on the hedging relationship in earnings. The Company does not seek to apply hedge accounting to all of its economic hedges.
12. OTHER ASSETS AND OTHER LIABILITIES AND MINORITY INTEREST
The detailed balances that comprise other assets and other liabilities and minority interest at March 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007 are as follows:
| |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||
| Other assets: | |||||||
| VIE segment derivatives at fair value | $ | 811,184 | $ | 634,458 | |||
| Credit derivatives at fair value | 294,676 | 124,282 | |||||
| VIE other invested assets | 315,178 | 301,599 | |||||
| Tax and loss bonds | 155,352 | 153,844 | |||||
| Accrued interest on VIE segment investment portfolio | 16,568 | 14,333 | |||||
| Accrued interest income on general investment portfolio | 67,760 | 63,317 | |||||
| Salvage and subrogation recoverable | 1,830 | 39,669 | |||||
| Committed preferred trust put options at fair value | 32,000 | — | |||||
| Other assets | 141,550 | 125,118 | |||||
| Total other assets | $ | 1,836,098 | $ | 1,456,620 | |||
32
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
12. OTHER ASSETS AND OTHER LIABILITIES AND MINORITY INTEREST (Continued)
Other Liabilities and Minority Interest
| |
March 31, 2008 |
December 31, 2007 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||
| Other liabilities and minority interest: | |||||||
| Credit derivatives at fair value | $ | 1,319,260 | $ | 702,564 | |||
| Equity participation plan | 60,092 | 101,307 | |||||
| Accrued interest on VIE segment debt | 94,911 | 69,243 | |||||
| Payable for securities purchased | 42,900 | — | |||||
| Other liabilities and minority interest | 126,357 | 295,160 | |||||
| Total other liabilities and minority interest | $ | 1,643,520 | $ | 1,168,274 | |||
13. SEGMENT REPORTING
The Company operates in two business segments: financial guaranty and variable interest entities. The financial guaranty segment is primarily in the business of providing financial guaranty insurance on public finance and asset-backed obligations. See Note 1 for description of business. The following tables summarize the financial information by segment on a pre-tax basis, as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and 2007.
Financial Information Summary by Segment
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, 2008 |
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Financial Guaranty |
Variable Interest Entities |
Intersegment Eliminations |
Total |
||||||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
|||||||||||||
| Revenues: | ||||||||||||||
| External | $ | (266,667 | ) | $ | 75,457 | $ | — | $ | (191,210 | ) | ||||
| Intersegment | 676 | — | (676 | ) | — | |||||||||
| Expenses: | ||||||||||||||
| External | (343,710 | ) | (49,790 | ) | — | (393,500 | ) | |||||||
| Intersegment | — | (676 | ) | 676 | — | |||||||||
| GAAP income to operating earnings adjustments | 457,689 | (20,223 | ) | — | 437,466 | |||||||||
| Pre-tax segment operating earnings (losses) | (152,012 | ) | 4,768 | — | (147,244 | ) | ||||||||
| Segment assets | $ | 8,233,520 | $ | 2,975,536 | $ | (521 | ) | $ | 11,208,535 | |||||
33
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
13. SEGMENT REPORTING (Continued)
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, 2007 |
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Financial Guaranty |
Variable Interest Entities |
Intersegment Eliminations |
Total |
||||||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
|||||||||||||
| Revenues: | ||||||||||||||
| External | $ | 161,349 | $ | 46,981 | $ | — | $ | 208,330 | ||||||
| Intersegment | 909 | — | (909 | ) | — | |||||||||
| Expenses: | ||||||||||||||
| External | (48,251 | ) | (54,070 | ) | — | (102,321 | ) | |||||||
| Intersegment | — | (909 | ) | 909 | — | |||||||||
| GAAP income to operating earnings adjustments | 16,744 | 7,953 | — | 24,697 | ||||||||||
| Pre-tax segment operating earnings (losses) | 130,751 | (45 | ) | — | 130,706 | |||||||||
| Segment assets | $ | 6,909,718 | $ | 3,268,229 | $ | — | $ | 10,177,947 | ||||||
Reconciliations of Segments' Pre-Tax Operating Earnings (Losses) to Net Income (Loss)
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, 2008 |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Financial Guaranty |
Variable Interest Entities |
Intersegment Eliminations |
Total |
|||||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||||||||
| Pretax operating earnings (losses) | $ | (152,012 | ) | $ | 4,768 | $ | — | $ | (147,244 | ) | |||
| GAAP income to operating earnings adjustments | (457,689 | ) | 20,223 | — | (437,466 | ) | |||||||
| Tax (provision) benefit | 238,280 | ||||||||||||
| Minority interest | (25,060 | ) | |||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | (371,490 | ) | ||||||||||
| |
Three Months Ended March 31, 2007 |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Financial Guaranty |
Variable Interest Entities |
Intersegment Eliminations |
Total |
|||||||||
| |
(in thousands) |
||||||||||||
| Pretax operating earnings (losses) | $ | 130,751 | $ | (45 | ) | $ | — | $ | 130,706 | ||||
| GAAP income to operating earnings adjustments | (16,744 | ) | (7,953 | ) | — | (24,697 | ) | ||||||
| Tax (provision) benefit | (27,029 | ) | |||||||||||
| Minority interest | 7,929 | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 86,909 | |||||||||||
The intersegment revenues and expenses relate to premiums paid by FSA Global on FSA-insured notes.
GAAP income to operating earnings adjustments are primarily comprised of fair-value adjustments deemed to be non-economic. Such adjustments relate to (1) fair-value adjustments for credit derivatives in the insured portfolio, (2) impairment charges on investments, (3) fair-value adjustments for instruments with economically hedged risks and (4) fair-value adjustments attributable to the
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FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
13. SEGMENT REPORTING (Continued)
Company's own credit risk. Management believes that by removing these effects, and absent true credit impairment, the measure more closely reflects the underlying economic performance of segment operations.
14. RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
In April 2007, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position FIN 39-1, "Amendment of FASB Interpretation No. 39" ("FSP 39-1"). FSP 39-1 amends FASB Interpretation No. 39, "Offsetting of Amounts Related to Certain Contracts" ("FIN 39"), to permit a reporting entity to offset fair value amounts recognized for the right to reclaim cash collateral (a receivable) or the obligation to return cash collateral (a payable) against fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments executed with the same counterparty under the same master netting arrangement that have been offset in accordance with FIN 39. FSP 39-1 also amends FIN 39 for certain terminology modifications. FSP 39-1 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, with early application permitted, and is applied retrospectively as a change in accounting principle for all financial statements presented. Upon adoption of FSP 39-1, the Company is permitted to change its accounting policy to offset or not offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments under master netting arrangements. The Company's adoption of FSP 39-1 on January 1, 2008 did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
On April 18, 2007, the FASB issued an Exposure Draft entitled "Accounting for Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts," an interpretation of SFAS 60 (the "Exposure Draft"). The Exposure Draft addresses premium revenue and claim liabilities recognition, as well as related disclosures. The proposed recognition approach for a claim liability would require the Company to recognize a claim liability when there is an expectation that a claim loss will exceed the unearned premium revenue (liability) on a policy basis based on the present value of expected cash flows. Under the Exposure Draft, the premium earnings methodology would also change significantly. Additionally, the Exposure Draft would require the Company to provide expanded disclosures relating to factors affecting the recognition and measurement of financial guaranty contracts.
Based on the comment letter responses to the Exposure Draft, the FASB reopened deliberations on some of the proposed guidance of the draft. The final statement is expected to be issued in the second quarter of 2008. Until final guidance is issued by the FASB, the Company will continue to apply its existing policies with respect to the establishment of both case and non-specific loss reserves and the recognition of premium revenue.
In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, "Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities," an amendment of SFAS 133 ("SFAS 161"). This statement amends and expands the disclosure requirements for derivative instruments and hedging activities by requiring companies to provide enhanced disclosures about (a) how and why an entity uses derivative instruments, (b) how derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for under SFAS 133 and its related interpretations, and (c) how derivative instruments and related hedged items affect an entity's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. This statement is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. The Company is currently assessing the impact of SFAS 161 on the notes to the consolidated financial statements.
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, "Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements" ("SFAS No. 160"). SFAS No. 160 will change the accounting for minority
35
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) (Continued)
14. RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS (Continued)
interests, which will be recharacterized as noncontrolling interests and classified by the parent company as a component of equity. This statement is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008, with early adoption prohibited. Upon adoption, SFAS No. 160 requires retroactive adoption of the presentation and disclosure requirements for existing minority interests and prospective adoption for all other requirements. The Company is currently assessing the impact of SFAS No. 160 on the Company's consolidated financial position and results of operations.
15. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
In the ordinary course of business, the Company and certain subsidiaries are parties to litigation.
On November 15, 2006, the Parent received a subpoena from the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice issued in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation of bid rigging of awards of municipal GICs. On November 16, 2006, the Company received a subpoena from the SEC related to an ongoing industry-wide investigation concerning the bidding of municipal GICs. The subpoenas requested that the Company furnish to the DOJ and SEC records and other information with respect to the Company's municipal GIC business.
On February 4, 2008, the Parent received a "Wells Notice" from the staff of the Philadelphia Regional Office of the SEC relating to the SEC's investigation concerning the bidding of municipal GICs. The Wells Notice indicates that the SEC staff is considering recommending that the SEC authorize the staff to bring a civil injunctive action and/or institute administrative proceedings against the Parent, alleging violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and Section 17(a) of the Securities Act.
In March and April 2008, three purported class action lawsuits were commenced seeking damages for alleged violations of antitrust laws in connection with the bidding of municipal GICs and derivatives: (i) Hinds County, Mississippi et al. v. Wachovia Bank, N.A. et al. (filed on or about March 12, 2008 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, case No. 08 CV 2516), (ii) Fairfax County, Virginia et al. v. Wachovia Bank, N.A. et al. (filed on or about March 12, 2008 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, case No. 08-cv-00432) and (iii) City of Oakland, California, et al. v. AIG Financial products Corp. et al. (filed on or about April 23, 2008 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, case No. CV 08 2116). In the lawsuits, a large number of financial institutions, including the Parent and, in (i) and (ii), the Company, are named as defendants. The Company intends to contest these purported class action lawsuits.
FSA Holdings has also received various regulatory inquiries and requests for information. These include subpoenas duces tecum and interrogatories from the State of Connecticut Attorney General related to antitrust concerns associated with the municipal rating scales employed by Moody's and a proposal by Moody's to assign corporate equivalent ratings to municipal obligations.
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