22.10.2007 20:46:00
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Assured Guaranty Ltd. Announces Unrealized Mark-to-Market Loss on Derivatives and Record Quarterly New Business Production for the Third Quarter of 2007
Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO) ("Assured”
or the "Company”)
announced today that its third quarter 2007 results include an after-tax
unrealized mark-to-market loss on derivatives of $163 million ($221
million before tax), or $2.40 per diluted share, on financial guaranties
written in credit default swap ("CDS”)
contract form. Approximately 70% of Assured’s
unrealized mark-to-market loss on derivatives is due to a decline in the
market value of high yield and investment grade corporate collateralized
loan obligation transactions, with the balance generated by lower market
values principally in the residential and commercial mortgage-backed
securities markets. The mark-to-market loss does not reflect actual
claims or credit losses, nor does it reduce Assured’s
claims-paying resources, rating agency capital requirements or
regulatory capital position. The Company’s
CDS exposures are substantially similar to its financial guaranty
insurance contracts and provide for credit protection against payment
default. They are contracts that are held to maturity and are not
subject to margin or collateral calls due to changes in market value.
The net gain or loss on CDS exposure will amortize to zero as the
exposure approaches its maturity date, unless there is a payment default
on the exposure. As of September 30, 2007, Assured had CDS net par
outstanding of $62.3 billion, $61.0 billion of which was underwritten by
the financial guaranty direct segment. Details of Assured’s
financial guaranty direct exposure as of September 30, 2007 by rating,
and by sector and average rating are available in Table 1 of this press
release.
"The widening of credit spreads, which has
caused the decline in the value of our in-force derivatives book, has
also created significant demand and favorable pricing for new business,”
stated Dominic Frederico, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Accordingly, Assured also announced today that third quarter 2007 new
business production as measured by the Present Value of Gross Written
Premiums ("PVP”),
a non-GAAP financial measure, was $133 million in the financial guaranty
direct segment, a 46% increase compared to the third quarter 2006. This
is the highest financial guaranty direct quarterly PVP in the Company’s
history. The financial guaranty reinsurance segment’s
PVP was $33 million, a 10% decline compared to the third quarter of
2006. The Company also achieved a quarterly record for consolidated PVP,
which was $166 million, an increase of 30% from the prior year period.
Assured has provided this preliminary information on third quarter 2007
results prior to the Company’s scheduled
third quarter 2007 earnings release due to investors’
inquiries on the impact of credit market conditions on the Company.
Assured’s preannouncement is strictly limited
to the information contained in this press release and the Company will
not provide any other details on these items or third quarter 2007
financial results until the Company’s
scheduled earnings release.
Third Quarter 2007 Earnings Release and Conference Call Details:
Assured will release its third quarter 2007 earnings press release and
financial supplement after 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (6:00 p.m. Atlantic
Time) on Thursday, November 8, 2007. A copy of these documents will be
available in the Investor Information section of the Company's website
located at www.assuredguaranty.com.
The Company will host a conference call for investors at 8:00 a.m. ET
(9:00 a.m. AT) on Friday, November 9, 2007. The earnings conference call
will be available via live and archived webcast in the Investor
Information section of the Company’s website
at www.assuredguaranty.com
or by dialing 800-638-4930 (in the U.S.) or 617-614-3944
(International), passcode 44297800. A replay of the call will be
available through December 9, 2007. To listen to the replay dial:
888-286-8010 (in the U.S.) or 617-801-6888 (International), passcode
12378747.
Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a Bermuda-based holding company. Its operating
subsidiaries provide credit enhancement products to the U.S. and
international public finance, structured finance and mortgage markets.
More information can be found at www.assuredguaranty.com.
Table 1 Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Credit Default Swap ("CDS") Exposure Profile1 (dollars in millions)
Financial Guaranty Direct Distribution of CDS Exposure by Rating
September 30, 2007
December 31, 2006 Net Par
Net Par
Ratings2: Outstanding
% Outstanding
%
AAA/Aaa
$ 59,158
97.0%
$ 45,901
94.4%
AA/Aa
1,334
2.2%
1,863
3.8%
A/A
102
0.2%
432
0.9%
BBB/Baa
391
0.6%
394
0.8%
Below investment grade
29
-
51
0.1%
Total exposures
$ 61,015
100.0%
$ 48,641
100.0%
Financial Guaranty Direct Distribution of CDS Exposure by Sector
and Average Rating
September 30, 2007 December 31, 2006 Sector: Net Par Out- standing
Average Rating2 Net Par Out- standing
Average Rating2 U.S. public finance
General obligation
$ 432
AAA
$ 454
AAA
Tax backed
70
AAA
112
AAA
Investor-owned utilities
39
AAA
39
AAA
Municipal utilities
26
AAA
26
AAA
Healthcare
-
--
-
--
Higher education
-
--
-
--
Housing
-
--
-
--
Other public finance
-
--
-
--
Structured municipal
-
--
-
--
Transportation
-
--
-
--
Total U.S. public finance
$ 567
AAA
$ 630
AAA
U.S. structured finance
Pooled corporate obligations
$ 27,884
AAA
$ 21,099
AAA
Subprime mortgage-backed and home equity
5,861
AAA
5,023
AAA
Commercial receivables
5,703
AAA
5,999
AA
Prime mortgage-backed and home equity
2,777
AAA
589
AAA
Other structured finance
1,087
AAA
2,315
AAA
Consumer receivables
313
AA
310
AAA
Total U.S. structured finance
$ 43,625
AAA
$ 35,335
AAA
International
Pooled corporate obligations
$ 5,916
AAA
$ 2,126
AAA
Pooled infrastructure
4,294
AAA
4,616
AAA
Mortgage-backed and home equity
3,932
AAA
3,351
AA+
Other structured finance
1,594
AAA
1,767
AAA
Infrastructure
490
AAA
311
AAA
Regulated utilities
450
AAA
259
AAA
Future flow
98
BBB+
158
A-
Insurance securitizations
41
BBB
41
A-
Public finance
9
AAA
49
A
Total international
$ 16,823
AAA
$ 12,676
AAA
Total exposures
$ 61,015
AAA
$ 48,641
AAA
1. Some amounts may not add due to rounding.
2. Assured internal rating. Assured's scale is comparable to that of
the nationally recognized rating agencies.
Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures:
The following section defines the non-GAAP financial measure presented
in this press release and describes why it is useful for investors.
Present value of gross written premiums or PVP, which is a non-GAAP
financial measure, is defined as gross upfront and installment premiums
received and the present value of gross estimated future installment
premiums on contracts written in the current period, discounted at 6%
per year. Management believes that PVP is a useful measure for
management, equity analysts and investors because it permits the
evaluation of the value of new business production for Assured by taking
into account the value of estimated future installment premiums on new
contracts underwritten in a reporting period, which GAAP gross premiums
written does not adequately measure. Actual future net earned or written
premiums may differ from PVP due to factors such as prepayments,
amortizations, refundings, contract terminations or defaults that may or
may not be influenced by market interest rates, refinancing or refunding
activity, prepayment speeds, policy changes or terminations, credit
defaults, or other factors that management cannot control or predict.
This measure should not be viewed as a substitute for gross written
premiums determined in accordance with GAAP. Below is a reconciliation
of PVP to gross written premiums:
Three Months Ended
September 30, (dollars in millions) 2007
2006 Premium analysis:
Gross written premiums (GWP) analysis:
Present value of GWP (PVP)
Financial guaranty direct
$
132.7
$
90.9
Financial guaranty reinsurance
32.8
36.5
Total PVP 165.5 127.4
Less: Financial guaranty installment premium PVP
118.0
86.1
Upfront financial guaranty GWP
47.5
41.3
Plus: Financial guaranty installment GWP
40.3
30.3
Financial guaranty GWP
87.8
71.6
Plus: Mortgage guaranty segment GWP
1.4
1.9
Plus: Other segment GWP
0.1
0.1
Total gross written premiums $ 89.3
$ 73.6 Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
Any forward-looking statements made in this press release reflect the
Company’s current views with respect to
future events and financial performance and are made pursuant to the
safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause
actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these
statements. For example, the Company’s
forward looking statements, including its calculation of PVP and
statements regarding losses, pricing and growth of the direct business
could be affected by many events. These events include a significant
reduction in the amount of reinsurance ceded by one or more of our
principal ceding companies, rating agency action such as a ratings
downgrade, difficulties with the execution of the Company’s
business strategy, contract cancellations, developments or volatility in
the world’s financial and capital markets,
more severe or frequent losses associated with products affecting the
adequacy of the Company’s loss reserves,
changes in regulation or tax laws, governmental actions, natural
catastrophes, the Company’s dependence on
customers, decreased demand or increased competition, loss of key
personnel, technological developments, the effects of mergers,
acquisitions and divestitures, changes in accounting policies or
practices, changes in general economic conditions, other risks and
uncertainties that have not been identified at this time, management’s
response to these factors, and other risk factors identified in the
Company’s filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on these forward looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on
which they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly
update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise.
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