Document
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
____________________________________________________________________________
FORM 10-Q
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ý | | QUARTERLY REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 2018
Or
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o | | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition Period from to
Commission File No. 001-32141
ASSURED GUARANTY LTD.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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| | |
Bermuda | | 98-0429991 |
(State or other jurisdiction | | (I.R.S. employer |
of incorporation) | | identification no.) |
30 Woodbourne Avenue
Hamilton HM 08
Bermuda
(Address of principal executive offices)
(441) 279-5700
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer x | | Accelerated filer o |
Non-accelerated filer o | | Smaller reporting company o |
| | Emerging growth company o |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes o No x
The number of registrant’s Common Shares ($0.01 par value) outstanding as of November 5, 2018 was 105,667,478 (includes 51,746 unvested restricted shares).
ASSURED GUARANTY LTD.
INDEX TO FORM 10-Q
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
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ITEM 1. | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)
(dollars in millions except per share and share amounts)
|
| | | | | | | |
| As of September 30, 2018 | | As of December 31, 2017 |
Assets | |
| | |
|
Investment portfolio: | |
| | |
|
Fixed-maturity securities, available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost of $10,006 and $10,187) | $ | 10,192 |
| | $ | 10,674 |
|
Short-term investments, at fair value | 738 |
| | 627 |
|
Other invested assets | 95 |
| | 94 |
|
Total investment portfolio | 11,025 |
| | 11,395 |
|
Cash | 82 |
| | 144 |
|
Premiums receivable, net of commissions payable | 916 |
| | 915 |
|
Ceded unearned premium reserve | 61 |
| | 119 |
|
Deferred acquisition costs | 103 |
| | 101 |
|
Salvage and subrogation recoverable | 471 |
| | 572 |
|
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ assets, at fair value | 596 |
| | 700 |
|
Other assets | 485 |
| | 487 |
|
Total assets | $ | 13,739 |
| | $ | 14,433 |
|
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity | |
| | |
|
Unearned premium reserve | $ | 3,538 |
| | $ | 3,475 |
|
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserve | 1,147 |
| | 1,444 |
|
Long-term debt | 1,249 |
| | 1,292 |
|
Credit derivative liabilities | 239 |
| | 271 |
|
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities with recourse, at fair value | 545 |
| | 627 |
|
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities without recourse, at fair value | 104 |
| | 130 |
|
Other liabilities | 334 |
| | 355 |
|
Total liabilities | 7,156 |
| | 7,594 |
|
Commitments and contingencies (see Note 14) |
| |
|
Common stock ($0.01 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized; 106,637,701 and 116,020,852 shares issued and outstanding) | 1 |
| | 1 |
|
Additional paid-in capital | 200 |
| | 573 |
|
Retained earnings | 6,303 |
| | 5,892 |
|
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax of $33 and $89 | 78 |
| | 372 |
|
Deferred equity compensation | 1 |
| | 1 |
|
Total shareholders’ equity | 6,583 |
| | 6,839 |
|
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ | 13,739 |
| | $ | 14,433 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited)
(dollars in millions except per share amounts)
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Three Months Ended September 30, | | Nine Months Ended September 30, |
| 2018 | | 2017 | | 2018 | | 2017 |
Revenues | | | | | | | |
Net earned premiums | $ | 142 |
| | $ | 186 |
| | $ | 423 |
| | $ | 512 |
|
Net investment income | 98 |
| | 99 |
| | 298 |
| | 322 |
|
Net realized investment gains (losses): | | | | | | | |
Other-than-temporary impairment losses | (8 | ) | | (20 | ) | | (23 | ) | | (23 | ) |
Less: portion of other-than-temporary impairment loss recognized in other comprehensive income | 1 |
| | (7 | ) | | (3 | ) | | 6 |
|
Net impairment loss | (9 | ) | | (13 | ) | | (20 | ) | | (29 | ) |
Other net realized investment gains (losses) | 2 |
| | 20 |
| | 6 |
| | 83 |
|
Net realized investment gains (losses) | (7 | ) | | 7 |
| | (14 | ) | | 54 |
|
Net change in fair value of credit derivatives: | | | | | | | |
Realized gains (losses) and other settlements | 1 |
| | (1 | ) | | 4 |
| | 19 |
|
Net unrealized gains (losses) | 20 |
| | 59 |
| | 99 |
| | 87 |
|
Net change in fair value of credit derivatives | 21 |
| | 58 |
| | 103 |
| | 106 |
|
Fair value gains (losses) on financial guaranty variable interest entities | 5 |
| | 3 |
| | 11 |
| | 25 |
|
Bargain purchase gain and settlement of pre-existing relationships | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 58 |
|
Commutation gains (losses) | 1 |
| | 255 |
| | (16 | ) | | 328 |
|
Other income (loss) | 14 |
| | 15 |
| | (17 | ) | | 53 |
|
Total revenues | 274 |
| | 623 |
| | 788 |
| | 1,458 |
|
Expenses | | | | | | | |
Loss and loss adjustment expenses | 17 |
| | 223 |
| | 43 |
| | 354 |
|
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs | 3 |
| | 5 |
| | 12 |
| | 13 |
|
Interest expense | 23 |
| | 24 |
| | 71 |
| | 73 |
|
Other operating expenses | 56 |
| | 58 |
| | 183 |
| | 183 |
|
Total expenses | 99 |
| | 310 |
| | 309 |
| | 623 |
|
Income (loss) before income taxes | 175 |
| | 313 |
| | 479 |
| | 835 |
|
Provision (benefit) for income taxes | | | | | | | |
Current | 3 |
| | (148 | ) | | (28 | ) | | (102 | ) |
Deferred | 11 |
| | 253 |
| | 74 |
| | 259 |
|
Total provision (benefit) for income taxes | 14 |
| | 105 |
| | 46 |
| | 157 |
|
Net income (loss) | $ | 161 |
| | $ | 208 |
| | $ | 433 |
| | $ | 678 |
|
| | | | | | | |
Earnings per share: | | | | | | | |
Basic | $ | 1.48 |
| | $ | 1.75 |
| | $ | 3.87 |
| | $ | 5.56 |
|
Diluted | $ | 1.47 |
| | $ | 1.72 |
| | $ | 3.83 |
| | $ | 5.48 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (unaudited)
(in millions)
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Three Months Ended September 30, | | Nine Months Ended September 30, |
| 2018 | | 2017 | | 2018 | | 2017 |
Net income (loss) | $ | 161 |
| | $ | 208 |
| | $ | 433 |
| | $ | 678 |
|
Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the period on: | | | | | | | |
Investments with no other-than-temporary impairment, net of tax provision (benefit) of $(11), $10, $(42) and $63 | (59 | ) | | 27 |
| | (245 | ) | | 133 |
|
Investments with other-than-temporary impairment, net of tax provision (benefit) of $(3), $(7), $(5) and $44 | (16 | ) | | (15 | ) | | (21 | ) | | 81 |
|
Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the period, net of tax | (75 | ) | | 12 |
| | (266 | ) | | 214 |
|
Less: reclassification adjustment for gains (losses) included in net income (loss), net of tax provision (benefit) of $0, $3, $(2) and $29 | (7 | ) | | 4 |
| | (11 | ) | | 52 |
|
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments | (68 | ) | | 8 |
| | (255 | ) | | 162 |
|
| | | | | | | |
Net unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period on financial guaranty variable interest entities' liabilities with recourse attributable to changes in instrument-specific credit risk, net of tax provision (benefit) of $(1), $-, $(1) and $- (see Note 1) | (5 | ) | | — |
| | (6 | ) | | — |
|
Less: reclassification adjustment for gains (losses) included in net income (loss), net of tax provision (benefit) of $0, $-, $(1) and $- | (2 | ) | | — |
| | (5 | ) | | — |
|
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on financial guaranty variable interest entities' liabilities with recourse | (3 | ) | | — |
| | (1 | ) | | — |
|
| | | | | | | |
Other, net of tax provision | (3 | ) | | 3 |
| | (6 | ) | | 15 |
|
Other comprehensive income (loss) | (74 | ) | | 11 |
| | (262 | ) | | 177 |
|
Comprehensive income (loss) | $ | 87 |
| | $ | 219 |
| | $ | 171 |
| | $ | 855 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Shareholders’ Equity (unaudited)
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018
(dollars in millions, except share data)
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Common Shares Outstanding | | | Common Stock Par Value | | Additional Paid-in Capital | | Retained Earnings | | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | | Deferred Equity Compensation | | Total Shareholders’ Equity |
Balance at December 31, 2017 | 116,020,852 |
| | | $ | 1 |
| | $ | 573 |
| | $ | 5,892 |
| | $ | 372 |
| | $ | 1 |
| | $ | 6,839 |
|
Net income | — |
| | | — |
| | — |
| | 433 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 433 |
|
Dividends ($0.48 per share) | — |
| | | — |
| | — |
| | (54 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | (54 | ) |
Common stock repurchases | (10,250,175 | ) | | | 0 |
| | (380 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (380 | ) |
Share-based compensation and other | 867,024 |
| | | 0 |
| | 7 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 7 |
|
Other comprehensive loss | — |
| | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (262 | ) | | — |
| | (262 | ) |
Effect of adoption of ASU 2016-01 (see Note 1) | — |
| | | — |
| | — |
| | 32 |
| | (32 | ) | | — |
| | — |
|
Balance at September 30, 2018 | 106,637,701 |
| | | $ | 1 |
| | $ | 200 |
| | $ | 6,303 |
| | $ | 78 |
| | $ | 1 |
| | $ | 6,583 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)
(in millions)
|
| | | | | | | |
| Nine Months Ended September 30, |
| 2018 | | 2017 |
Net cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities | $ | 352 |
| | $ | 354 |
|
Investing activities | |
| | |
|
Fixed-maturity securities: | |
| | |
|
Purchases | (1,478 | ) | | (1,615 | ) |
Sales | 908 |
| | 1,128 |
|
Maturities | 746 |
| | 689 |
|
Net sales (purchases) of short-term investments | (91 | ) | | (240 | ) |
Net proceeds from paydowns on financial guaranty variable interest entities’ assets | 90 |
| | 117 |
|
Acquisition of MBIA UK Insurance Limited, net of cash acquired | — |
| | 95 |
|
Proceeds from maturity of other invested asset | — |
| | 85 |
|
Other | 19 |
| | (27 | ) |
Net cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities | 194 |
| | 232 |
|
Financing activities | |
| | |
|
Dividends paid | (55 | ) |
| (53 | ) |
Repurchases of common stock | (380 | ) |
| (431 | ) |
Repurchases of common stock to pay withholding taxes | (13 | ) | | (13 | ) |
Net paydowns of financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities | (90 | ) | | (124 | ) |
Paydown of long-term debt | (73 | ) | | (29 | ) |
Proceeds from option exercises | 5 |
| | 5 |
|
Net cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities | (606 | ) | | (645 | ) |
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes | (2 | ) | | 4 |
|
Increase (decrease) in cash and restricted cash | (62 | ) | | (55 | ) |
Cash and restricted cash at beginning of period (see Note 10) | 144 |
| | 127 |
|
Cash and restricted cash at end of period (see Note 10) | $ | 82 |
| | $ | 72 |
|
Supplemental cash flow information | |
| | |
|
Cash paid (received) during the period for: | |
| | |
|
Income taxes | $ | (5 | ) | | $ | 3 |
|
Interest on long-term debt | $ | 66 |
| | $ | 53 |
|
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.
Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)
September 30, 2018
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1. | Business and Basis of Presentation |
Business
Assured Guaranty Ltd. (AGL and, together with its subsidiaries, Assured Guaranty or the Company) is a Bermuda-based holding company that provides, through its operating subsidiaries, credit protection products to the United States (U.S.) and international public finance (including infrastructure) and structured finance markets. The Company applies its credit underwriting judgment, risk management skills and capital markets experience primarily to offer financial guaranty insurance that protects holders of debt instruments and other monetary obligations from defaults in scheduled payments. If an obligor defaults on a scheduled payment due on an obligation, including a scheduled principal or interest payment (debt service), the Company is required under its unconditional and irrevocable financial guaranty to pay the amount of the shortfall to the holder of the obligation. The Company markets its financial guaranty insurance directly to issuers and underwriters of public finance and structured finance securities as well as to investors in such obligations. The Company guarantees obligations issued principally in the U.S. and the United Kingdom (U.K.), and also guarantees obligations issued in other countries and regions, including Australia and Western Europe. The Company also provides other forms of insurance (non-financial guaranty insurance) that are in line with its risk profile and benefit from its underwriting experience.
In the past, the Company sold credit protection by issuing policies that guaranteed payment obligations under credit derivatives, primarily credit default swaps (CDS). Contracts accounted for as credit derivatives are generally structured such that the circumstances giving rise to the Company’s obligation to make loss payments are similar to those for financial guaranty insurance contracts. The Company’s credit derivative transactions are governed by International Swaps and Derivative Association, Inc. (ISDA) documentation. The Company has not entered into any new CDS in order to sell credit protection in the U.S. since the beginning of 2009, when regulatory guidelines were issued that limited the terms under which such protection could be sold. The capital and margin requirements applicable under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act also contributed to the Company not entering into such new CDS in the U.S. since 2009. The Company actively pursues opportunities to terminate existing CDS, which terminations have the effect of reducing future fair value volatility in income and/or reducing rating agency capital charges.
Basis of Presentation
The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). In management's opinion, all material adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) are reflected in the periods presented and are of a normal, recurring nature. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements are as of September 30, 2018 and cover the three-month period ended September 30, 2018 (Third Quarter 2018), the three-month period ended September 30, 2017 (Third Quarter 2017), the nine-month period ended September 30, 2018 (Nine Months 2018) and the nine-month period ended September 30, 2017 (Nine Months 2017). Certain financial information that is normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, but is not required for interim reporting purposes, has been condensed or omitted. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP.
The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AGL, its direct and indirect subsidiaries and its consolidated VIEs. Intercompany accounts and transactions between and among all consolidated entities have been eliminated. Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the current year's presentation.
These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in AGL’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The Company's principal insurance company subsidiaries are:
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• | Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. (AGM), domiciled in New York; |
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• | Municipal Assurance Corp. (MAC), domiciled in New York; |
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• | Assured Guaranty Corp. (AGC), domiciled in Maryland; |
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• | Assured Guaranty (Europe) plc (AGE), organized in the U.K.; |
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• | Assured Guaranty Re Ltd. (AG Re), domiciled in Bermuda; and |
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• | Assured Guaranty Re Overseas Ltd. (AGRO), domiciled in Bermuda. |
The Company’s organizational structure includes various holding companies, two of which - Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc. (AGUS) and Assured Guaranty Municipal Holdings Inc. (AGMH) - have public debt outstanding. See Note 15, Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities and Note 18, Subsidiary Information.
The Company combined the operations of its European subsidiaries, AGE, Assured Guaranty (UK) plc (AGUK), Assured Guaranty (London) plc (AGLN) and CIFG Europe S.A. (CIFGE), in a transaction that was completed on November 7, 2018. In the combination, AGUK, AGLN and CIFGE transferred their insurance portfolios to and merged with and into AGE.
Adopted Accounting Standards
Financial Instruments
In January 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10) - Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The amendments in this ASU are intended to make targeted improvements to GAAP by addressing certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of financial instruments. Amendments under this ASU apply to the Company's financial guaranty variable interest entities’ (FG VIEs’) liabilities, which the Company has historically elected to measure through the statement of operations under the fair value option, and to certain equity securities in the Company’s investment portfolio.
For FG VIEs’ liabilities with recourse, the portion of the change in fair value caused by changes in instrument-specific credit risk (ISCR) (i.e., in the case of FG VIEs’ liabilities, the Company's own credit risk) must now be separately presented in other comprehensive income (OCI) as opposed to the statement of operations. See Note 9, Variable Interest Entities for additional information.
Amendments under this ASU also apply to equity securities, except those that are accounted for under the equity method of accounting or that resulted in consolidation of the investee by the Company. For equity securities accounted for at fair value, changes in fair value that previously were recorded in OCI are now recorded in other income in the condensed consolidated statements of operations effective January 1, 2018. Equity securities carried at cost as of December 31, 2017, are now recorded at cost less impairment plus or minus the change resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. See Note 10, Investments and Cash for additional information.
Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted this ASU with a cumulative-effect adjustment to the statement of financial position as of January 1, 2018. This resulted in a reclassification of a $32 million loss, net of tax, from retained earnings to accumulated OCI (AOCI).
Income Taxes
In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740) - Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which removed the prohibition against immediate recognition of the current and deferred income tax effects of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. Under the ASU, the selling (transferring) entity is required to recognize a current income tax expense or benefit upon transfer of the asset. Similarly, the purchasing (receiving) entity is required to recognize a deferred tax asset or deferred tax liability, as well as the related deferred tax benefit or expense, upon receipt of the asset. The ASU was applied using a modified retrospective approach (i.e., by recording a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is adopted). The ASU was adopted on January 1, 2018 with no material effect on the condensed consolidated financial statements.
Future Application of Accounting Standards
Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities
In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-08, Receivables-Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Topic 310-20) - Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities. This ASU shortens the amortization period for the premium on certain purchased callable debt securities to the earliest call date. This ASU has no effect on the accounting for purchased callable debt securities held at a discount. It is to be applied using a modified retrospective approach and the ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company does not expect this ASU to have a material effect on its condensed consolidated financial statements.
Leases
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). Subsequent to the issuance of this ASU, Topic 842 was amended by various updates that clarified the impact and implementation of ASU 2016-02. Collectively, these updates will require lessees to present right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. The Company currently accounts for its lease agreements, where the Company is the lessee, as operating leases and, therefore, does not record these leases on its condensed consolidated balance sheet. Upon adoption, the Company will report an increase in both assets and liabilities as a result of including right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, primarily related to the Company's office space leases. The amended guidance will allow entities to recognize and measure leases at the adoption date prospectively. These updates are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company intends to adopt these updates on January 1, 2019.
Credit Losses on Financial Instruments
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The ASU provides a new current expected credit loss model to account for credit losses on certain financial assets and off-balance sheet exposures (e.g., reinsurance recoverables, premium receivables, held-to- maturity debt securities, and loan commitments). That model requires an entity to estimate lifetime credit losses related to those financial assets recorded at amortized cost, based on relevant historical information, adjusted for current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that could affect the collectability of the reported amount. The ASU also makes targeted amendments to the current impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities, which includes requiring the recognition of an allowance rather than a direct write-down of the investment. The allowance may be reversed in the event that the credit of an issuer improves. In addition, the ASU eliminates the existing guidance for purchased credit impaired assets and introduces a new model for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration, such as the Company's loss mitigation securities. That new model would require the recognition of an initial allowance for credit losses and an increase to the purchase price.
The ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim period within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. For reinsurance recoverables, premiums receivable and debt instruments such as loans and held to maturity securities, entities will be required to record a cumulative-effect adjustment to the statement of financial position as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is adopted. The changes to the impairment model for available-for-sale securities and changes to purchased financial assets with credit deterioration are to be applied prospectively. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted. The Company does not plan to early adopt this ASU. The Company is evaluating the effect that this ASU will have on its financial statements.
Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-12, Financial Services - Insurance (Topic 944): Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts. The amendments in this ASU:
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• | improve the timeliness of recognizing changes in the liability for future policy benefits and modify the rate used to discount future cash flows, |
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• | simplify and improve the accounting for certain market-based options or guarantees associated with deposit (or account balance) contracts, |
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• | simplify the amortization of deferred acquisition costs, and |
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• | improve the effectiveness of the required disclosures. |
This ASU does not impact the Company’s financial guaranty insurance contracts, but may impact its accounting for certain non-financial guaranty contracts. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years,
beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted. The Company does not expect this ASU to have a material effect on its condensed consolidated financial statements.
Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. This ASU removed, modified and added additional disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Certain amendments will be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. All other amendments will be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. Early adoption is permitted. An entity is permitted to early adopt any removed or modified disclosures upon issuance of this ASU and delay adoption of the additional disclosures until their effective date. The Company is in the process of determining what impact this ASU will have on its condensed consolidated financial statements.
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2. | Assumption of Insured Portfolio and Business Combinations |
Reinsurance of Syncora Guarantee Inc.’s Insured Portfolio
On June 1, 2018, the Company closed a reinsurance transaction (SGI Transaction) with Syncora Guarantee Inc. (SGI) under which AGC assumed, generally on a 100% quota share basis, substantially all of SGI’s insured portfolio and AGM reassumed a book of business previously ceded to SGI by AGM. As of June 1, 2018, the net par value of exposures reinsured and commuted totaled approximately $12 billion (including credit derivative net par of approximately $1.5 billion). The reinsured portfolio consisted predominantly of public finance and infrastructure obligations that met AGC’s underwriting criteria. On June 1, 2018, as consideration, SGI paid $363 million and assigned to Assured Guaranty estimated financial guaranty future insurance installment premiums of $45 million, and future credit derivative installments of approximately $17 million. The assumed portfolio from SGI included below-investment-grade (BIG) contracts which had, as of June 1, 2018, expected losses to be paid of $131 million (present value basis using risk free rates), which is to be expensed over the expected terms of those contracts as unearned premium reserve amortizes. In connection with the SGI Transaction, the Company incurred and expensed $4 million in fees to professional advisors. The effect of the SGI Transaction on the insurance and credit derivative balances is summarized below:
Effect of SGI Transaction
As of June 1, 2018
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Commutation | | Assumption | | Total |
| | (in millions) |
Cash | | $ | 20 |
| | $ | 343 |
| | $ | 363 |
|
| | | | | | |
Premiums receivable/payable, net of commissions | | $ | 16 |
| | $ | 45 |
| | $ | 61 |
|
Unearned premium reserve, net | | (56 | ) | | (319 | ) | | (375 | ) |
Credit derivative liability, net | | — |
| | (68 | ) | | (68 | ) |
Other | | 2 |
| | (1 | ) | | 1 |
|
Impact to net assets (liabilities), excluding cash | | $ | (38 | ) | | $ | (343 | ) | | $ | (381 | ) |
| | | | | | |
Commutation loss | | $ | 18 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 18 |
|
Additionally, beginning on June 1, 2018, on behalf of SGI, AGC began providing certain administrative services on the assumed portfolio, including surveillance, risk management, and claims processing.
MBIA UK Insurance Limited
AGC completed its acquisition (the MBIA UK Acquisition) of MBIA UK Insurance Limited (MBIA UK), the U.K. operating subsidiary of MBIA Insurance Corporation (MBIA) on January 10, 2017 (the MBIA UK Acquisition Date). As consideration for the outstanding shares of MBIA UK plus $23 million in cash, AGC exchanged all its holdings of notes issued
in the Zohar II 2005-1 transaction (Zohar II Notes), which were insured by MBIA. AGC’s Zohar II Notes had total outstanding principal of approximately $347 million and fair value of $334 million as of the MBIA UK Acquisition Date. The MBIA UK Acquisition added approximately $12 billion of net par insured on January 10, 2017. In connection with the MBIA UK Acquisition in the first quarter of 2017, the Company recognized a $56 million bargain purchase gain and a $2 million gain on settlement of pre-existing relationships.
MBIA UK was renamed Assured Guaranty (London) Ltd. and on June 1, 2017, was re-registered as a public limited company (plc). In a business combination completed on November 7, 2018, it transferred its insurance portfolio to and merged with and into AGE. See Note 1, Business and Basis of Presentation for additional information on the Company's European subsidiaries combination.
For additional information on the acquisition of MBIA UK, including the purchase price and the allocation of the purchase price to net assets acquired and the resulting bargain purchase gain and the gain on settlement of pre-existing relationships, see Note 2, Acquisitions, in Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of AGL’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.
3. Ratings
The financial strength ratings (or similar ratings) for the Company’s insurance companies, along with the date of the most recent rating action (or confirmation) by the rating agency, are shown in the table below. Ratings are subject to continuous rating agency review and revision or withdrawal at any time. In addition, the Company periodically assesses the value of each rating assigned to each of its companies, and as a result of such assessment may request that a rating agency add or drop a rating from certain of its companies.
|
| | | | | | | |
| S&P Global Ratings, a division of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC | | Kroll Bond Rating Agency | | Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. | | A.M. Best Company, Inc. |
AGM | AA (stable) (6/26/18) | | AA+ (stable) (1/23/18) | | A2 (stable) (5/7/18) | | — |
AGC | AA (stable) (6/26/18) | | AA (stable) (12/1/17) | | (1) | | — |
MAC | AA (stable) (6/26/18) | | AA+ (stable) (7/12/18) | | — | | — |
AG Re | AA (stable) (6/26/18) | | — | | — | | — |
AGRO | AA (stable) (6/26/18) | | — | | — | | A+ (stable) (7/13/18) |
AGE | AA (stable) (6/26/18) | | — | | A2 (stable) (5/7/18) | | — |
AGUK | AA (stable) (6/26/18) | | — | | (1) | | — |
AGLN | BB (positive) (6/26/18) | | — | | (2) | | — |
CIFGE | — | | — | | — | | — |
____________________
| |
(1) | AGC requested that Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's) withdraw its financial strength ratings of AGC and AGUK in January 2017, but Moody's denied that request. Moody’s continues to rate AGC A3 (stable) and AGUK A3; Moody's put AGUK on review for upgrade on June 27, 2017, following its transfer to AGM. |
| |
(2) | Assured Guaranty did not request that Moody's rate AGLN. Moody's continues to rate AGLN, and upgraded its rating to Baa2 (stable) on January 13, 2017, following its acquisition by AGC, and then to Baa1 on review for further upgrade on June 27, 2017, following its transfer to AGM. |
There can be no assurance that any of the rating agencies will not take negative action on the financial strength ratings (or similar ratings) of AGL's insurance subsidiaries in the future or cease to rate one or more of AGL's insurance subsidiaries, either voluntarily or at the request of that subsidiary.
For a discussion of the effects of rating actions on the Company, see Note 6, Contracts Accounted for as Insurance, and Note 13, Reinsurance and Other Monoline Exposures.
The Company primarily writes financial guaranty contracts in insurance form. Until 2009, the Company also wrote some of its financial guaranty contracts in credit derivative form, and has acquired or reinsured portfolios both before and after
2009 that include financial guaranty contracts in credit derivative form. Whether written as an insurance contract or as a credit derivative, the Company considers these financial guaranty contracts. The Company also writes a relatively small amount of non-financial guaranty insurance. The Company seeks to limit its exposure to losses by underwriting obligations that it views as investment grade at inception, although on occasion it may underwrite new issuances that it views as BIG, typically as part of its loss mitigation strategy for existing troubled exposures. The Company also seeks to acquire portfolios of insurance from financial guarantors that are no longer writing new business by acquiring such companies, providing reinsurance on a portfolio of insurance or reassuming a portfolio of reinsurance it had previously ceded; in such instances, it evaluates the risk characteristics of the target portfolio, which may include some BIG exposures, as a whole in the context of the proposed transaction. The Company diversifies its insured portfolio across asset classes and, in the structured finance portfolio, typically requires rigorous subordination or collateralization requirements. Reinsurance may be used in order to reduce net exposure to certain insured transactions.
Public finance obligations insured by the Company consist primarily of general obligation bonds supported by the taxing powers of U.S. state or municipal governmental authorities, as well as tax-supported bonds, revenue bonds and other obligations supported by covenants from state or municipal governmental authorities or other municipal obligors to impose and collect fees and charges for public services or specific infrastructure projects. The Company also includes within public finance obligations those obligations backed by the cash flow from leases or other revenues from projects serving substantial public purposes, including utilities, toll roads, health care facilities and government office buildings. The Company also includes within public finance similar obligations issued by territorial and non-U.S. sovereign and sub-sovereign issuers and governmental authorities.
Structured finance obligations insured by the Company are generally issued by special purpose entities, including VIEs, and backed by pools of assets having an ascertainable cash flow or market value or other specialized financial obligations. Some of these VIEs are consolidated as described in Note 9, Variable Interest Entities. Unless otherwise specified, the outstanding par and debt service amounts presented in this note include outstanding exposures on VIEs whether or not they are consolidated. The Company also provides non-financial guaranty insurance and reinsurance on transactions without special purpose entities but with similar risk profiles to its structured finance exposures written in financial guaranty form.
Surveillance Categories
The Company segregates its insured portfolio into investment grade and BIG surveillance categories to facilitate the appropriate allocation of resources to monitoring and loss mitigation efforts and to aid in establishing the appropriate cycle for periodic review for each exposure. BIG exposures include all exposures with internal credit ratings below BBB-. The Company’s internal credit ratings are based on internal assessments of the likelihood of default and loss severity in the event of default. Internal credit ratings are expressed on a ratings scale similar to that used by the rating agencies and are generally reflective of an approach similar to that employed by the rating agencies, except that the Company's internal credit ratings focus on future performance rather than lifetime performance.
The Company monitors its insured portfolio and refreshes its internal credit ratings on individual exposures in quarterly, semi-annual or annual cycles based on the Company’s view of the exposure’s quality, loss potential, volatility and sector. Ratings on exposures in sectors identified as under the most stress or with the most potential volatility are reviewed every quarter. For assumed exposures, the Company may use the ceding company’s credit ratings of transactions where it is impractical for it to assign its own rating. The Company provides surveillance for exposures assumed from SGI, so for those exposures the Company assigns its own rating.
Exposures identified as BIG are subjected to further review to determine the probability of a loss. See Note 5, Expected Loss to be Paid, for additional information. Surveillance personnel then assign each BIG transaction to the appropriate BIG surveillance category based upon whether a future loss is expected and whether a claim has been paid. The Company uses a tax-equivalent yield, which reflects long-term trends in interest rates, to calculate the present value of projected payments and recoveries and determine whether a future loss is expected in order to assign the appropriate BIG surveillance category to a transaction. For financial statement measurement purposes, the Company uses risk-free rates, which are determined each quarter, to calculate the expected loss.
More extensive monitoring and intervention is employed for all BIG surveillance categories, with internal credit ratings reviewed quarterly. The Company expects “future losses” on a transaction when the Company believes there is at least a 50% chance that, on a present value basis, it will pay more claims on that transaction in the future than it will have reimbursed. The three BIG categories are:
| |
• | BIG Category 1: Below-investment-grade transactions showing sufficient deterioration to make future losses possible, but for which none are currently expected. |
| |
• | BIG Category 2: Below-investment-grade transactions for which future losses are expected but for which no claims (other than liquidity claims, which are claims that the Company expects to be reimbursed within one year) have yet been paid. |
| |
• | BIG Category 3: Below-investment-grade transactions for which future losses are expected and on which claims (other than liquidity claims) have been paid. |
Unless otherwise noted, ratings disclosed herein on the Company's insured portfolio reflect its internal ratings. The Company classifies those portions of risks benefiting from reimbursement obligations collateralized by eligible assets held in trust in acceptable reimbursement structures as the higher of 'AA' or their current internal rating.
Financial Guaranty Exposure
The Company purchases securities that it has insured, and for which it has expected losses to be paid, in order to
mitigate the economic effect of insured losses (loss mitigation securities). The Company excludes amounts attributable to loss mitigation securities from par and debt service outstanding, which amounts are included in the investment portfolio, because it manages such securities as investments and not insurance exposure. As of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company excluded $1.9 billion and $2.0 billion, respectively, of net par attributable to loss mitigation securities and other loss mitigation strategies (which are mostly BIG).
The following table presents the gross and net debt service for financial guaranty contracts.
Financial Guaranty
Debt Service Outstanding
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross Debt Service Outstanding | | Net Debt Service Outstanding |
| September 30, 2018 | | December 31, 2017 | | September 30, 2018 | | December 31, 2017 |
| (in millions) |
Public finance | $ | 367,910 |
| | $ | 393,010 |
| | $ | 364,731 |
| | $ | 386,092 |
|
Structured finance | 14,391 |
| | 15,482 |
| | 13,962 |
| | 15,026 |
|
Total financial guaranty | $ | 382,301 |
| | $ | 408,492 |
| | $ | 378,693 |
| | $ | 401,118 |
|
In addition to amounts shown in the tables above, the Company had outstanding commitments to provide guaranties of $440 million of gross par as of the date of this filing. The commitments are contingent on the satisfaction of all conditions set forth in them and may expire unused or be canceled at the counterparty’s request. Therefore, the total commitment amount does not necessarily reflect actual future guaranteed amounts.
Financial Guaranty Portfolio by Internal Rating
As of September 30, 2018
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Public Finance U.S. | | Public Finance Non-U.S. | | Structured Finance U.S | | Structured Finance Non-U.S | | Total |
Rating Category | | Net Par Outstanding | | % | | Net Par Outstanding | | % | | Net Par Outstanding | | % | | Net Par Outstanding | | % | | Net Par Outstanding | | % |
| | (dollars in millions) |
AAA | | $ | 428 |
| | 0.2 | % | | $ | 2,422 |
| | 5.4 | % | | $ | 1,691 |
| | 15.9 | % | | $ | 278 |
| | 23.6 | % | | $ | 4,819 |
| | 1.9 | % |
AA | | 22,715 |
| | 12.0 |
| | 200 |
| | 0.4 |
| | 3,412 |
| | 32.2 |
| | 65 |
| | 5.5 |
| | 26,392 |
| | 10.7 |
|
A | | 108,914 |
| | 57.2 |
| | 14,047 |
| | 31.4 |
| | 1,532 |
| | 14.4 |
| | 213 |
| | 18.1 |
| | 124,706 |
| | 50.5 |
|
BBB | | 52,190 |
| | 27.4 |
| | 26,995 |
| | 60.4 |
| | 1,027 |
| | 9.7 |
| | 518 |
| | 44.1 |
| | 80,730 |
| | 32.7 |
|
BIG | | 6,171 |
| | 3.2 |
| | 1,071 |
| | 2.4 |
| | 2,949 |
| | 27.8 |
| | 102 |
| | 8.7 |
| | 10,293 |
| | 4.2 |
|
Total net par outstanding | | $ | 190,418 |
| | 100.0 | % |
| $ | 44,735 |
|
| 100.0 | % |
| $ | 10,611 |
|
| 100.0 | % |
| $ | 1,176 |
|
| 100.0 | % |
| $ | 246,940 |
|
| 100.0 | % |
Financial Guaranty Portfolio by Internal Rating
As of December 31, 2017
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Public Finance U.S. | | Public Finance Non-U.S. | | Structured Finance U.S | | Structured Finance Non-U.S | | Total |
Rating Category | | Net Par Outstanding | | % | | Net Par Outstanding | | % | | Net Par Outstanding | | % | | Net Par Outstanding | | % | | Net Par Outstanding | | % |
| | (dollars in millions) |
AAA | | $ | 877 |
| | 0.4 | % | | $ | 2,541 |
| | 5.9 | % | | $ | 1,655 |
| | 14.7 | % | | $ | 319 |
| | 22.5 | % | | $ | 5,392 |
| | 2.1 | % |
AA | | 30,016 |
| | 14.3 |
| | 205 |
| | 0.5 |
| | 3,915 |
| | 34.9 |
| | 76 |
| | 5.4 |
| | 34,212 |
| | 12.9 |
|
A | | 118,620 |
| | 56.7 |
| | 13,936 |
| | 32.5 |
| | 1,630 |
| | 14.5 |
| | 210 |
| | 14.9 |
| | 134,396 |
| | 50.7 |
|
BBB | | 52,739 |
| | 25.2 |
| | 24,509 |
| | 57.1 |
| | 763 |
| | 6.8 |
| | 703 |
| | 49.7 |
| | 78,714 |
| | 29.7 |
|
BIG | | 7,140 |
| | 3.4 |
| | 1,731 |
| | 4.0 |
| | 3,261 |
| | 29.1 |
| | 106 |
| | 7.5 |
| | 12,238 |
| | 4.6 |
|
Total net par outstanding | | $ | 209,392 |
| | 100.0 | % | | $ | 42,922 |
| | 100.0 | % | | $ | 11,224 |
| | 100.0 | % | | $ | 1,414 |
| | 100.0 | % | | $ | 264,952 |
| | 100.0 | % |
Components of BIG Portfolio
Financial Guaranty Portfolio
Components of BIG Net Par Outstanding
As of September 30, 2018
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| BIG Net Par Outstanding | | Net Par |
| BIG 1 | | BIG 2 | | BIG 3 | | Total BIG | | Outstanding |
| | | | | (in millions) | | | | |
Public finance: | | | | | | | | | |
U.S. public finance | $ | 1,559 |
| | $ | 390 |
| | $ | 4,222 |
| | $ | 6,171 |
| | $ | 190,418 |
|
Non-U.S. public finance | 821 |
| | 250 |
| | — |
| | 1,071 |
| | 44,735 |
|
Public finance | 2,380 |
| | 640 |
| | 4,222 |
| | 7,242 |
| | 235,153 |
|
Structured finance: | | | | | | | | | |
U.S. Residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) | 268 |
| | 254 |
| | 2,038 |
| | 2,560 |
| | 4,566 |
|
Triple-X life insurance transactions | — |
| | — |
| | 85 |
| | 85 |
| | 1,185 |
|
Trust preferred securities (TruPS) | 81 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 81 |
| | 1,034 |
|
Other structured finance | 173 |
| | 82 |
| | 70 |
| | 325 |
| | 5,002 |
|
Structured finance | 522 |
| | 336 |
| | 2,193 |
| | 3,051 |
| | 11,787 |
|
Total | $ | 2,902 |
| | $ | 976 |
| | $ | 6,415 |
| | $ | 10,293 |
| | $ | 246,940 |
|
Financial Guaranty Portfolio
Components of BIG Net Par Outstanding
As of December 31, 2017
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| BIG Net Par Outstanding | | Net Par |
| BIG 1 | | BIG 2 | | BIG 3 | | Total BIG | | Outstanding |
| | | | | (in millions) | | | | |
Public finance: | | | | | | | | | |
U.S. public finance | $ | 2,368 |
| | $ | 663 |
| | $ | 4,109 |
| | $ | 7,140 |
| | $ | 209,392 |
|
Non-U.S. public finance | 1,455 |
| | 276 |
| | — |
| | 1,731 |
| | 42,922 |
|
Public finance | 3,823 |
| | 939 |
| | 4,109 |
| | 8,871 |
| | 252,314 |
|
Structured finance: | | | | | | | | | |
U.S. RMBS | 374 |
| | 304 |
| | 2,083 |
| | 2,761 |
| | 4,818 |
|
Triple-X life insurance transactions | — |
| | — |
| | 85 |
| | 85 |
| | 1,199 |
|
TruPS | 161 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 161 |
| | 1,349 |
|
Other structured finance | 170 |
| | 118 |
| | 72 |
| | 360 |
| | 5,272 |
|
Structured finance | 705 |
| | 422 |
| | 2,240 |
| | 3,367 |
| | 12,638 |
|
Total | $ | 4,528 |
| | $ | 1,361 |
| | $ | 6,349 |
| | $ | 12,238 |
| | $ | 264,952 |
|
Financial Guaranty Portfolio
BIG Net Par Outstanding
and Number of Risks
As of September 30, 2018
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Net Par Outstanding | | Number of Risks (2) |
Description | | Financial Guaranty Insurance (1) | | Credit Derivative | | Total | | Financial Guaranty Insurance (1) | | Credit Derivative | | Total |
| | (dollars in millions) |
BIG: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Category 1 | | $ | 2,746 |
| | $ | 156 |
| | $ | 2,902 |
| | 130 |
| | 6 |
| | 136 |
|
Category 2 | | 968 |
| | 8 |
| | 976 |
| | 41 |
| | 2 |
| | 43 |
|
Category 3 | | 6,337 |
| | 78 |
| | 6,415 |
| | 146 |
| | 8 |
| | 154 |
|
Total BIG | | $ | 10,051 |
| | $ | 242 |
| | $ | 10,293 |
| | 317 |
| | 16 |
| | 333 |
|
Financial Guaranty Portfolio
BIG Net Par Outstanding
and Number of Risks
As of December 31, 2017
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Net Par Outstanding | | Number of Risks (2) |
Description | | Financial Guaranty Insurance (1) | | Credit Derivative | | Total | | Financial Guaranty Insurance (1) | | Credit Derivative | | Total |
| | (dollars in millions) |
BIG: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Category 1 | | $ | 4,301 |
| | $ | 227 |
| | $ | 4,528 |
| | 139 |
| | 7 |
| | 146 |
|
Category 2 | | 1,344 |
| | 17 |
| | 1,361 |
| | 46 |
| | 3 |
| | 49 |
|
Category 3 | | 6,255 |
| | 94 |
| | 6,349 |
| | 150 |
| | 9 |
| | 159 |
|
Total BIG | | $ | 11,900 |
| | $ | 338 |
| | $ | 12,238 |
| | 335 |
| | 19 |
| | 354 |
|
_____________________
(1) Includes net par outstanding for VIEs.
| |
(2) | A risk represents the aggregate of the financial guaranty policies that share the same revenue source for purposes of making debt service payments. |
Exposure to Puerto Rico
The Company had insured exposure to general obligation bonds of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico or the Commonwealth) and various obligations of its related authorities and public corporations aggregating $4.8 billion net par as of September 30, 2018, all of which was rated BIG. Puerto Rico has experienced significant general fund budget deficits and a challenging economic environment since at least the financial crisis. Beginning on January 1, 2016, a number of Puerto Rico exposures have defaulted on bond payments, and the Company has now paid claims on all of its Puerto Rico exposures except for Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), Municipal Finance Agency (MFA) and University of Puerto Rico (U of PR).
On November 30, 2015 and December 8, 2015, the former governor of Puerto Rico (Former Governor) issued executive orders (Clawback Orders) directing the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company to "claw back" certain taxes pledged to secure the payment of bonds issued by the Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority (PRHTA), Puerto Rico Infrastructure Financing Authority (PRIFA), and Puerto Rico Convention Center District Authority (PRCCDA). The Puerto Rico exposures insured by the Company subject to clawback are shown in the table “Puerto Rico Net Par Outstanding”.
On June 30, 2016, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) was signed into law by the President of the United States. PROMESA established a seven-member financial oversight board (Oversight Board) with authority to require that balanced budgets and fiscal plans be adopted and implemented by Puerto Rico. PROMESA provides a legal framework under which the debt of the Commonwealth and its related authorities and public corporations may be voluntarily restructured, and grants the Oversight Board the sole authority to file restructuring petitions in a federal court to restructure the debt of the Commonwealth and its related authorities and public corporations if voluntary negotiations fail, provided that any such restructuring must be in accordance with an Oversight Board-approved fiscal plan that respects the liens and priorities provided under Puerto Rico law.
In May and July 2017, the Oversight Board filed petitions under Title III of PROMESA with the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico (Federal District Court for Puerto Rico) for the Commonwealth, the Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corporation (COFINA), PRHTA, and Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA). Title III of PROMESA provides for a process analogous to a voluntary bankruptcy process under chapter 9 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Bankruptcy Code).
Judge Laura Taylor Swain of the Southern District of New York was selected by Chief Justice John Roberts of the United States Supreme Court to preside over any legal proceedings under PROMESA. Judge Swain has selected a team of five federal judges to act as mediators for certain issues and disputes.
On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, causing loss of life and widespread devastation in the Commonwealth. Damage to the Commonwealth’s infrastructure, including the power grid, water system and transportation system, was extensive, and rebuilding and economic recovery are expected to take years.
In December 2017, legislation known as the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Act) was enacted. Many of the provisions under the Tax Act are geared toward increasing production in the U.S. and discouraging companies from having operations or intangibles off-shore. Since Puerto Rico is considered a foreign territory under the U.S. tax system, the Tax Act may have adverse consequences to Puerto Rico’s economy. However, the Company is unable to predict the impact of the Tax Act on Puerto Rico.
The Oversight Board has certified a number of fiscal plans (in some instances certifying revisions of previously certified plans) for the Commonwealth, PRHTA, PREPA and PRASA. The Company does not believe the certified fiscal plans for the Commonwealth, PRHTA, PREPA or PRASA comply with certain mandatory requirements of PROMESA.
The Company believes that a number of the actions taken by the Commonwealth, the Oversight Board and others with respect to obligations the Company insures are illegal or unconstitutional or both, and has taken legal action, and may take additional legal action in the future, to enforce its rights with respect to these matters. See “Puerto Rico Recovery Litigation” below.
The Company participates in mediation and negotiations relating to its Puerto Rico exposure. The Company is a party to a consensual resolution for COFINA debt memorialized in an agreement dated September 20, 2018. The Company has not agreed to the potential resolution of the PREPA debt announced in July 2018. See discussions below.
The final form and timing of responses to Puerto Rico’s financial distress and the devastation of Hurricane Maria eventually taken by the federal government or implemented under the auspices of PROMESA and the Oversight Board or otherwise, and the final impact, after resolution of legal challenges, of any such responses on obligations insured by the Company, are uncertain.
The Company groups its Puerto Rico exposure into three categories:
| |
• | Constitutionally Guaranteed. The Company includes in this category public debt benefiting from Article VI of the Constitution of the Commonwealth, which expressly provides that interest and principal payments on the public debt are to be paid before other disbursements are made. |
| |
• | Public Corporations – Certain Revenues Potentially Subject to Clawback. The Company includes in this category the debt of public corporations for which applicable law permits the Commonwealth to claw back, subject to certain conditions and for the payment of public debt, at least a portion of the revenues supporting the bonds the Company insures. As a constitutional condition to clawback, available Commonwealth revenues for any fiscal year must be insufficient to pay Commonwealth debt service before the payment of any appropriations for that |
year. The Company believes that this condition has not been satisfied to date, and accordingly that the Commonwealth has not to date been entitled to claw back revenues supporting debt insured by the Company. Prior to the enactment of PROMESA, the Company sued various Puerto Rico governmental officials in the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico asserting that Puerto Rico's attempt to “claw back” pledged taxes is unconstitutional, and demanding declaratory and injunctive relief. See "Puerto Rico Recovery Litigation" below.
| |
• | Other Public Corporations. The Company includes in this category the debt of public corporations that are supported by revenues it does not believe are subject to clawback. |
Constitutionally Guaranteed
General Obligation. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $1,341 million insured net par outstanding of the general obligations of Puerto Rico, which are supported by the good faith, credit and taxing power of the Commonwealth. Despite the requirements of Article VI of its Constitution, the Commonwealth defaulted on the debt service payment due on July 1, 2016, and the Company has been making claim payments on these bonds since that date. As noted above, the Oversight Board filed a petition under Title III of PROMESA with respect to the Commonwealth.
On October 23, 2018, the Oversight Board certified a revised fiscal plan for the Commonwealth. The revised certified Commonwealth fiscal plan indicates an expected primary budget surplus, if fiscal plan reforms are enacted, of $17.0 billion that would be available for debt service over the six-year forecast period ending 2023. The Company believes the available surplus set forth in the Oversight Board's revised certified fiscal plan (which assumes certain fiscal reforms are implemented by the Commonwealth) should be sufficient to cover contractual debt service of Commonwealth general obligation issuance and of authorities and public corporations directly implicated by the Commonwealth’s general fund during the forecast period. However, the revised certified Commonwealth fiscal plan indicates a net primary budget deficit for the period from 2023 through 2058, and there can be no assurance that the fiscal reforms will be enacted or, if they are, that the forecasted primary budget surplus will occur or, if it does, that such funds will be used to cover contractual debt service.
Puerto Rico Public Buildings Authority (PBA). As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $141 million insured net par outstanding of PBA bonds, which are supported by a pledge of the rents due under leases of government facilities to departments, agencies, instrumentalities and municipalities of the Commonwealth, and that benefit from a Commonwealth guaranty supported by a pledge of the Commonwealth’s good faith, credit and taxing power. Despite the requirements of Article VI of its Constitution, the PBA defaulted on most of the debt service payment due on July 1, 2016, and the Company has been making claim payments on these bonds since then.
Public Corporations - Certain Revenues Potentially Subject to Clawback
PRHTA. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $844 million insured net par outstanding of PRHTA (transportation revenue) bonds and $475 million insured net par outstanding of PRHTA (highways revenue) bonds. The transportation revenue bonds are secured by a subordinate gross lien on gasoline and gas oil and diesel oil taxes, motor vehicle license fees and certain tolls, plus a first lien on up to $120 million annually of taxes on crude oil, unfinished oil and derivative products. The highways revenue bonds are secured by a gross lien on gasoline and gas oil and diesel oil taxes, motor vehicle license fees and certain tolls. The non-toll revenues consisting of excise taxes and fees collected by the Commonwealth on behalf of PRHTA and its bondholders that are statutorily allocated to PRHTA and its bondholders are potentially subject to clawback. Despite the presence of funds in relevant debt service reserve accounts that the Company believes should have been employed to fund debt service, PRHTA defaulted on the full July 1, 2017 insured debt service payment, and the Company has been making claim payments on these bonds since that date. As noted above, the Oversight Board filed a petition under Title III of PROMESA with respect to PRHTA.
On June 28, 2018, the Oversight Board certified a revised fiscal plan for PRHTA. The revised certified PRHTA fiscal plan projects very limited capacity to pay debt service over the six-year forecast period.
PRCCDA. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $152 million insured net par outstanding of PRCCDA bonds, which are secured by certain hotel tax revenues. These revenues are sensitive to the level of economic activity in the area and are potentially subject to clawback. There were sufficient funds in the PRCCDA bond accounts to make only partial payments on the July 1, 2017 PRCCDA bond payments guaranteed by the Company, and the Company has been making claim payments on these bonds since that date.
PRIFA. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $16 million insured net par outstanding of PRIFA bonds, which are secured primarily by the return to Puerto Rico of federal excise taxes paid on rum. These revenues are potentially subject to the clawback. The Company has been making claim payments on the PRIFA bonds since January 2016.
Other Public Corporations
PREPA. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $848 million insured net par outstanding of PREPA obligations, which are secured by a lien on the revenues of the electric system. The Company has been making claim payments on these bonds since July 1, 2017.
On December 24, 2015, AGM and AGC entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement (PREPA RSA) with PREPA, an ad hoc group of uninsured bondholders and a group of fuel-line lenders that, subject to certain conditions, would have resulted in, among other things, modernization of the utility and a restructuring of current debt.
The Oversight Board did not certify the PREPA RSA under Title VI of PROMESA as the Company believes was required by PROMESA, but rather, on July 2, 2017, commenced proceedings for PREPA under Title III of PROMESA.
On July 30, 2018, the Oversight Board and the Governor of Puerto Rico announced that they had reached a tentative agreement with a certain group of PREPA bondholders regarding approximately $3 billion, or approximately one-third, of PREPA’s outstanding debt. Bondholders would be able to exchange their debt for new securitization debt maturing in 40 years at 67% of par, plus growth bonds tied to the recovery of Puerto Rico at 10% of par. The Company and certain other creditors of PREPA have not agreed to the terms of that tentative agreement.
On August 1, 2018, the Oversight Board certified a revised fiscal plan for PREPA.
PRASA. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $373 million of insured net par outstanding of PRASA bonds, which are secured by a lien on the gross revenues of the water and sewer system. On September 15, 2015, PRASA entered into a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that requires it to spend $1.6 billion to upgrade and improve its sewer system island-wide. The PRASA bond accounts contained sufficient funds to make the PRASA bond payments due through the date of this filing that were guaranteed by the Company, and those payments were made in full.
On August 1, 2018, the Oversight Board certified a revised fiscal plan for PRASA.
MFA. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $303 million net par outstanding of bonds issued by MFA secured by a lien on local property tax revenues. The MFA bond accounts contained sufficient funds to make the MFA bond payments due through the date of this filing that were guaranteed by the Company, and those payments were made in full.
COFINA. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $273 million insured net par outstanding of subordinate COFINA bonds, which are secured primarily by a second lien on certain sales and use taxes. As noted above, the Oversight Board filed a petition on behalf of COFINA under Title III of PROMESA. COFINA bond debt service payments were not made on August 1, 2017, and the Company made its first claim payments on these bonds. The Company has continued to make claim payments on these bonds.
On September 20, 2018, the Commonwealth, the Oversight Board, and senior and subordinate COFINA creditors, including the Company, representing a total of approximately $10 billion of COFINA debt, executed an amended and restated Plan Support Agreement (COFINA PSA) allocating between the senior and subordinate COFINA bondholders the portion to be received by COFINA of the pledged sales tax base amount (PSTBA) of the 5.5% Sales and Use Taxes (SUT). Under the COFINA PSA, the Company expects implied recoveries, including fees for parties to the COFINA PSA, will total in the mid-90% range for the senior bonds and approach 60% for the subordinate bonds, and both senior and subordinate COFINA creditors will exchange their positions for new senior closed lien COFINA bonds. The COFINA PSA includes a term sheet that details the terms and conditions of the settlement reached on June 7, 2018 among the court-appointed agents for COFINA and the Commonwealth to resolve a dispute between the Commonwealth and COFINA regarding ownership of the PSTBA. The June 7, 2018 agreement in principle, which was filed with the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico, requires, among other things, that future challenges to it be barred by the court or made illegal, and provides that, beginning July 1, 2018, the SUT would be paid first to COFINA until it has received 53.65% of the PSTBA and that the remaining 46.35% of the PSTBA would be paid to the Commonwealth thereafter. The June 7, 2018 agreement in principle does not impact SUT in excess of the PSTBA, which is paid to the Commonwealth. The Company is reserving its contractual voting rights as sole bondholder of certain Commonwealth general obligation bonds and its related subrogee rights with respect to both the SUT revenues allocated
to the Commonwealth and other available resources of the Commonwealth. Under the Constitution of the Commonwealth, such revenues and resources must be used to pay general obligation debt before any other claim, debt or expense, including government expenses.
U of PR. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $1 million insured net par outstanding of U of PR bonds, which are general obligations of the university and are secured by a subordinate lien on the proceeds, profits and other income of the university, subject to a senior pledge and lien for the benefit of outstanding university system revenue bonds. As of the date of this filing, all debt service payments on U of PR bonds insured by the Company have been made.
Puerto Rico Recovery Litigation
The Company believes that a number of the actions taken by the Commonwealth, the Oversight Board and others with respect to obligations it insures are illegal or unconstitutional or both, and has taken legal action, and may take additional legal action in the future, to enforce its rights with respect to these matters.
On January 7, 2016, AGM, AGC and Ambac Assurance Corporation commenced an action for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief in the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico to invalidate the executive orders issued by the Former Governor on November 30, 2015 and December 8, 2015 directing that the Secretary of the Treasury of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company claw back certain taxes and revenues pledged to secure the payment of bonds issued by the PRHTA, the PRCCDA and the PRIFA. The Commonwealth defendants filed a motion to dismiss the action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, which the court denied on October 4, 2016. On October 14, 2016, the Commonwealth defendants filed a notice of PROMESA automatic stay. While the PROMESA automatic stay expired on May 1, 2017, on May 17, 2017, the court stayed the action under Title III of PROMESA.
On May 16, 2017, The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee for the bonds issued by COFINA, filed an adversary complaint for interpleader and declaratory relief with the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico to resolve competing and conflicting demands made by various groups of COFINA bondholders, insurers of certain COFINA Bonds and COFINA, regarding funds held by the trustee for certain COFINA bond debt service payments scheduled to occur on and after June 1, 2017. On May 19, 2017, an order to show cause was entered permitting AGM to intervene in this matter. On September 20, 2018, the Oversight Board, the Commonwealth, and senior and subordinate COFINA bondholders, including AGM, entered into the COFINA PSA described above. The Company believes that the dispute would be resolved if the court approved the COFINA PSA.
On June 3, 2017, AGC and AGM filed an adversary complaint in the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico seeking (i) a judgment declaring that the application of pledged special revenues to the payment of the PRHTA bonds is not subject to the PROMESA Title III automatic stay and that the Commonwealth has violated the special revenue protections provided to the PRHTA bonds under the Bankruptcy Code; (ii) an injunction enjoining the Commonwealth from taking or causing to be taken any action that would further violate the special revenue protections provided to the PRHTA bonds under the Bankruptcy Code; and (iii) an injunction ordering the Commonwealth to remit the pledged special revenues securing the PRHTA bonds in accordance with the terms of the special revenue provisions set forth in the Bankruptcy Code. On January 30, 2018, the court rendered an opinion dismissing the complaint and holding, among other things, that (x) even though the special revenue provisions of the Bankruptcy Code protect a lien on pledged special revenues, those provisions do not mandate the turnover of pledged special revenues to the payment of bonds and (y) actions to enforce liens on pledged special revenues remain stayed. AGC and AGM are appealing the district court’s decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (First Circuit).
On June 26, 2017, AGM and AGC filed a complaint in the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico seeking (i) a declaratory judgment that the PREPA RSA is a “Preexisting Voluntary Agreement” under Section 104 of PROMESA and the Oversight Board’s failure to certify the PREPA RSA is an unlawful application of Section 601 of PROMESA; (ii) an injunction enjoining the Oversight Board from unlawfully applying Section 601 of PROMESA and ordering it to certify the PREPA RSA; and (iii) a writ of mandamus requiring the Oversight Board to comply with its duties under PROMESA and certify the PREPA RSA. On July 21, 2017, in light of its PREPA Title III petition on July 2, 2017, the Oversight Board filed a notice of stay under PROMESA.
On July 18, 2017, AGM and AGC filed in the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico a motion for relief from the automatic stay in the PREPA Title III bankruptcy proceeding and a form of complaint seeking the appointment of a receiver for PREPA. The court denied the motion on September 14, 2017, but on August 8, 2018, the First Circuit vacated and remanded the
court's decision. On October 3, 2018, AGM and AGC, together with other bond insurers, filed a motion with the court to lift the automatic stay to commence an action against PREPA for the appointment of a receiver.
On May 23, 2018, AGM and AGC filed an adversary complaint in the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico seeking a judgment declaring that (i) the Oversight Board lacked authority to develop or approve the new fiscal plan for Puerto Rico which it certified on April 19, 2018 (Revised Fiscal Plan); (ii) the Revised Fiscal Plan and the Fiscal Plan Compliance Law (Compliance Law) enacted by the Commonwealth to implement the original Commonwealth Fiscal Plan violate various sections of PROMESA; (iii) the Revised Fiscal Plan, the Compliance Law and various moratorium laws and executive orders enacted by the Commonwealth to prevent the payment of debt service (a) are unconstitutional and void because they violate the Contracts, Takings and Due Process Clauses of the U.S. Constitution and (b) are preempted by various sections of PROMESA; and (iv) no Title III plan of adjustment based on the Revised Fiscal Plan can be confirmed under PROMESA. On August 13, 2018, the court-appointed magistrate judge granted the Commonwealth's and the Oversight Board's motion to stay this adversary proceeding pending a decision by the First Circuit in an appeal of an unrelated adversary proceeding decision by Ambac Assurance Corporation, which may resolve certain similar issues.
On July 23, 2018, AGC and AGM filed an adversary complaint in the Federal District Court for Puerto Rico seeking a judgment (i) declaring the members of the Oversight Board are officers of the U.S. whose appointments were unlawful under the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution; (ii) declaring void ab initio the unlawful actions taken by the Oversight Board to date, including (x) development of the Commonwealth's Fiscal Plan, (y) development of PRHTA's Fiscal Plan, and (z) filing of the Title III cases on behalf of the Commonwealth and PRHTA; and (iii) enjoining the Oversight Board from taking any further action until the Oversight Board members have been lawfully appointed in conformity with the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Title III court dismissed a similar lawsuit filed by another party in the Commonwealth’s Title III case in July 2018. On August 3, 2018, a stipulated judgment was entered against AGM and AGC at their request based upon the court's July decision in the other Appointments Clause lawsuit and, on the same date, AGM and AGC appealed the stipulated judgment to the First Circuit. On August 15, 2018, the court consolidated, for purposes of briefing and oral argument, AGM and AGC's appeal with the other Appointments Clause lawsuit. On September 7, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit consolidated AGM's and AGC's appeal with a third Appointments Clause lawsuit.
Puerto Rico Par and Debt Service Schedules
All Puerto Rico exposures are internally rated BIG. The following tables show the Company’s insured exposure to general obligation bonds of Puerto Rico and various obligations of its related authorities and public corporations.
Puerto Rico
Gross Par and Gross Debt Service Outstanding
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross Par Outstanding | | Gross Debt Service Outstanding |
| September 30, 2018 | | December 31, 2017 | | September 30, 2018 | | December 31, 2017 |
| (in millions) |
Exposure to Puerto Rico | $ | 4,971 |
| | $ | 5,186 |
| | $ | 8,037 |
| | $ | 8,514 |
|
Puerto Rico
Net Par Outstanding
|
| | | | | | | |
| As of September 30, 2018 | | As of December 31, 2017 |
| (in millions) |
Commonwealth Constitutionally Guaranteed | | | |
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico - General Obligation Bonds (1) | $ | 1,341 |
| | $ | 1,419 |
|
PBA | 141 |
| | 141 |
|
Public Corporations - Certain Revenues Potentially Subject to Clawback | | | |
PRHTA (Transportation revenue) (1) | 844 |
| | 882 |
|
PRHTA (Highways revenue) (1) | 475 |
| | 495 |
|
PRCCDA | 152 |
| | 152 |
|
PRIFA | 16 |
| | 18 |
|
Other Public Corporations | | | |
PREPA (1) | 848 |
| | 853 |
|
PRASA | 373 |
| | 373 |
|
MFA | 303 |
| | 360 |
|
COFINA (1) | 273 |
| | 272 |
|
U of PR | 1 |
| | 1 |
|
Total net exposure to Puerto Rico | $ | 4,767 |
| | $ | 4,966 |
|
____________________ | |
(1) | As of the date of this filing, the Oversight Board has certified a filing under Title III of PROMESA for these exposures. |
The following table shows the scheduled amortization of the insured general obligation bonds of Puerto Rico and various obligations of its related authorities and public corporations. The Company guarantees payments of interest and principal when those amounts are scheduled to be paid and cannot be required to pay on an accelerated basis. In the event that obligors default on their obligations, the Company would only be required to pay the shortfall between the principal and interest due in any given period and the amount paid by the obligors.
Amortization Schedule of Puerto Rico Net Par Outstanding
and Net Debt Service Outstanding
As of September 30, 2018
|
| | | | | | | |
| Scheduled Net Par Amortization | | Scheduled Net Debt Service Amortization |
| (in millions) |
2018 (October 1 - December 31) | $ | 0 |
| | $ | 3 |
|
| | | |
2019 (January 1 - March 31) | 0 |
| | 117 |
|
2019 (April 1 - June 30) | 0 |
| | 3 |
|
2019 (July 1 - September 30) | 224 |
| | 341 |
|
2019 (October 1 - December 31) | 0 |
| | 3 |
|
Subtotal 2019 | 224 |
| | 464 |
|
2020 | 285 |
| | 516 |
|
2021 | 147 |
| | 364 |
|
2022 | 137 |
| | 345 |
|
2023-2027 | 1,229 |
| | 2,128 |
|
2028-2032 | 812 |
| | 1,436 |
|
2033-2037 | 1,217 |
| | 1,572 |
|
2038-2042 | 453 |
| | 602 |
|
2043-2047 | 263 |
| | 316 |
|
Total | $ | 4,767 |
| | $ | 7,746 |
|
Exposure to the U.S. Virgin Islands
As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $496 million insured net par outstanding to the U.S. Virgin Islands and its related authorities (USVI), of which it rated $222 million BIG. The $274 million USVI net par the Company rated investment grade was composed primarily of bonds secured by a lien on matching fund revenues related to excise taxes on products produced in the USVI and exported to the U.S., primarily rum. The $222 million BIG USVI net par comprised (a) Public Finance Authority bonds secured by a gross receipts tax and the general obligation, full faith and credit pledge of the USVI and (b) bonds of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority secured by a net revenue pledge of the electric system.
Hurricane Irma caused significant damage in St. John and St. Thomas, while Hurricane Maria made landfall on St. Croix as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, causing loss of life and substantial damage to St. Croix’s businesses and infrastructure, including the power grid. The USVI is benefiting from the federal response to the 2017 hurricanes and has made its debt service payments to date.
Non-Financial Guaranty Exposure
The Company also provides non-financial guaranty insurance and reinsurance on transactions with similar risk profiles to its structured finance exposures written in financial guaranty form. All non-financial guaranty exposures shown in the table below are rated investment grade internally.
Non-Financial Guaranty Exposure
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gross Exposure | | Net Exposure |
| | As of September 30, 2018 | | As of December 31, 2017 | | As of September 30, 2018 | | As of December 31, 2017 |
| | (in millions) |
Capital relief triple-X life reinsurance (1) | | $ | 883 |
| | $ | 773 |
| | $ | 766 |
| | $ | 675 |
|
Aircraft residual value insurance policies | | 340 |
| | 201 |
| | 218 |
| | 140 |
|
____________________
| |
(1) | The capital relief triple-X life reinsurance net exposure is expected to increase to approximately $1.0 billion prior to September 30, 2036. |
| |
5. | Expected Loss to be Paid |
This note provides information regarding expected claim payments to be made under all contracts in the insured portfolio.
Loss Estimation Process
The Company’s loss reserve committees estimate expected loss to be paid for all contracts by reviewing analyses that consider various scenarios with corresponding probabilities assigned to them. Depending upon the nature of the risk, the Company’s view of the potential size of any loss and the information available to the Company, that analysis may be based upon individually developed cash flow models, internal credit rating assessments, sector-driven loss severity assumptions and/or judgmental assessments. In the case of its assumed business, the Company may conduct its own analysis as just described or, depending on the Company’s view of the potential size of any loss and the information available to the Company, the Company may use loss estimates provided by ceding insurers. The Company monitors the performance of its transactions with expected losses, and each quarter the Company’s loss reserve committees review and refresh their loss projection assumptions, scenarios and the probabilities they assign to those scenarios based on actual developments during the quarter and their view of future performance.
The financial guaranties issued by the Company insure the credit performance of the guaranteed obligations over an extended period of time, in some cases over 30 years, and in most circumstances, the Company has no right to cancel such financial guaranties. As a result, the Company's estimate of ultimate losses on a policy is subject to significant uncertainty over the life of the insured transaction. Credit performance can be adversely affected by economic, fiscal and financial market variability over the life of most contracts.
The determination of expected loss to be paid is an inherently subjective process involving numerous estimates, assumptions and judgments by management, using both internal and external data sources with regard to frequency, severity of loss, economic projections, governmental actions, negotiations and other factors that affect credit performance. These estimates, assumptions and judgments, and the factors on which they are based, may change materially over a reporting period, and, as a result, the Company’s loss estimates may change materially over that same period.
The Company does not use traditional actuarial approaches to determine its estimates of expected losses. Actual losses will ultimately depend on future events or transaction performance and may be influenced by many interrelated factors that are difficult to predict. As a result, the Company's current projections of losses may be subject to considerable volatility and may not reflect the Company's ultimate claims paid. For information on the Company's loss estimation process, see Note 5, Expected Loss to be Paid, of Part II, Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data in AGL's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.
In some instances, the terms of the Company's policy gives it the option to pay principal losses that have been recognized in the transaction but which it is not yet required to pay, thereby reducing the amount of guaranteed interest due in the future. The Company has sometimes exercised this option, which uses cash but reduces projected future losses.
The following tables present a roll forward of net expected loss to be paid for all contracts. The Company used risk-free rates for U.S. dollar denominated obligations that ranged from 0.0% to 3.20% with a weighted average of 3.03% as of September 30, 2018 and 0.00% to 2.78% with a weighted average of 2.38% as of December 31, 2017. Expected losses to be
paid for transactions denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar represented approximately 3.2% and 3.7% of the total as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.
Net Expected Loss to be Paid
Roll Forward
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Third Quarter | | Nine Months |
| 2018 | | 2017 | | 2018 | | 2017 |
| (in millions) |
Net expected loss to be paid, beginning of period | $ | 1,432 |
| | $ | 1,297 |
| | $ | 1,303 |
| | $ | 1,198 |
|
Net expected loss to be paid on the SGI portfolio as of June 1, 2018 (see Note 2) | — |
| | — |
| | 131 |
| | — |
|
Net expected loss to be paid on the MBIA UK portfolio as of January 10, 2017 | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 21 |
|
Economic loss development (benefit) due to: | | | | | | | |
Accretion of discount | 10 |
| | 8 |
| | 27 |
| | 24 |
|
Changes in discount rates | (9 | ) | | (6 | ) | | (15 | ) | | 28 |
|
Changes in timing and assumptions | (1 | ) | | 202 |
| | (17 | ) | | 246 |
|
Total economic loss development (benefit) | 0 |
| | 204 |
| | (5 | ) | | 298 |
|
Net (paid) recovered losses | (241 | ) | | (209 | ) | | (238 | ) | | (225 | ) |
Net expected loss to be paid, end of period | $ | 1,191 |
| | $ | 1,292 |
| | $ | 1,191 |
| | $ | 1,292 |
|
Net Expected Loss to be Paid
Roll Forward by Sector
Third Quarter 2018
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net Expected Loss to be Paid (Recovered) as of June 30, 2018 | | Economic Loss Development / (Benefit) | | (Paid) Recovered Losses (1) | | Net Expected Loss to be Paid (Recovered) as of September 30, 2018 (2) |
| (in millions) |
Public finance: | | | | | | | |
U.S. public finance | $ | 1,041 |
| | $ | 42 |
| | $ | (251 | ) | | $ | 832 |
|
Non-U.S. public finance | 41 |
| | (3 | ) | | — |
| | 38 |
|
Public finance | 1,082 |
| | 39 |
| | (251 | ) | | 870 |
|
Structured finance: | | | | | | | |
U.S. RMBS | 326 |
| | (40 | ) | | 17 |
| | 303 |
|
Other structured finance | 24 |
| | 1 |
| | (7 | ) | | 18 |
|
Structured finance | 350 |
| | (39 | ) | | 10 |
| | 321 |
|
Total | $ | 1,432 |
| | $ | 0 |
| | $ | (241 | ) | | $ | 1,191 |
|
Net Expected Loss to be Paid
Roll Forward by Sector
Third Quarter 2017
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net Expected Loss to be Paid (Recovered) as of June 30, 2017 | | Economic Loss Development / (Benefit) | | (Paid) Recovered Losses (1) | | Net Expected Loss to be Paid (Recovered) as of September 30, 2017 |
| (in millions) |
Public finance: | | | | | | | |
U.S. public finance | $ | 1,044 |
| | $ | 229 |
| | $ | (227 | ) | | $ | 1,046 |
|
Non-U.S. public finance | 42 |
| | 0 |
| | 5 |
| | 47 |
|
Public finance | 1,086 |
| | 229 |
| | (222 | ) | | 1,093 |
|
Structured finance: | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
U.S. RMBS | 182 |
| | (19 | ) | | 13 |
| | 176 |
|
Other structured finance | 29 |
| | (6 | ) | | 0 |
| | 23 |
|
Structured finance | 211 |
| | (25 | ) | | 13 |
| | 199 |
|
Total | $ | 1,297 |
| | $ | 204 |
| | $ | (209 | ) | | $ | 1,292 |
|
Net Expected Loss to be Paid
Roll Forward by Sector
Nine Months 2018
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net Expected Loss to be Paid (Recovered) as of December 31, 2017 (2) | | Net Expected Loss to be Paid on SGI Portfolio as of June 1, 2018 | | Economic Loss Development / (Benefit) | | (Paid) Recovered Losses (1) | | Net Expected Loss to be Paid (Recovered) as of September 30, 2018 (2) |
| (in millions) |
Public finance: | | | | | | | | | |
U.S. public finance | $ | 1,157 |
| | $ | 0 |
| | $ | 59 |
| | $ | (384 | ) | | $ | 832 |
|
Non-U.S. public finance | 46 |
| | 1 |
| | (9 | ) | | 0 |
| | 38 |
|
Public finance | 1,203 |
| | 1 |
| | 50 |
| | (384 | ) | | 870 |
|
Structured finance: | | | | | | | | | |
U.S. RMBS | 73 |
| | 130 |
| | (52 | ) | | 152 |
| | 303 |
|
Other structured finance | 27 |
| | — |
| | (3 | ) | | (6 | ) | | 18 |
|
Structured finance | 100 |
| | 130 |
| | (55 | ) | | 146 |
| | 321 |
|
Total | $ | 1,303 |
| | $ | 131 |
| | $ | (5 | ) | | $ | (238 | ) | | $ | 1,191 |
|
Net Expected Loss to be Paid
Roll Forward by Sector
Nine Months 2017
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net Expected Loss to be Paid (Recovered) as of December 31, 2016 | | Net Expected Loss to be Paid on MBIA UK as of January 10, 2017 | | Economic Loss Development / (Benefit) | | (Paid) Recovered Losses (1) | | Net Expected Loss to be Paid (Recovered) as of September 30, 2017 |
| (in millions) |
Public finance: | | | | | | | | | |
U.S. public finance | $ | 871 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 431 |
| | $ | (256 | ) | | $ | 1,046 |
|
Non-U.S. public finance | 33 |
| | 13 |
| | (4 | ) | | 5 |
| | 47 |
|
Public finance | 904 |
| | 13 |
| | 427 |
| | (251 | ) | | 1,093 |
|
Structured finance: | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
U.S. RMBS | 206 |
| | — |
| | (70 | ) | | 40 |
| | 176 |
|
Other structured finance | 88 |
| | 8 |
| | (59 | ) | | (14 | ) | | 23 |
|
Structured finance | 294 |
| | 8 |
| | (129 | ) | | 26 |
| | 199 |
|
Total | $ | 1,198 |
| | $ | 21 |
| | $ | 298 |
| | $ | (225 | ) | | $ | 1,292 |
|
____________________
| |
(1) | Net of ceded paid losses, whether or not such amounts have been settled with reinsurers. Ceded paid losses are typically settled 45 days after the end of the reporting period. Such amounts are recorded in reinsurance recoverable on paid losses included in other assets. The Company paid $6 million and $7 million in loss adjustment expenses (LAE) for Third Quarter 2018 and 2017, respectively, and $17 million and $16 million in LAE for Nine Months 2018 |