ASSURED GUARANTY LTD
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Feb 28, 2024.
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FY2023 · Filed Feb 28, 2024
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Holding
AGL and its U.S. Holding Companies
AGL directly owns (i) AG Re, an insurance company domiciled in Bermuda, and (ii) AGUS, a U.S. holding company with public debt outstanding. AGUS directly owns: (i) AGC, an insurance company domiciled in Maryland; and (ii) AGMH, a U.S. holding company with public debt outstanding. AGMH directly owns AGM, an insurance subsidiary domiciled in New York. AGUS and AGMH are collectively referred to as the U.S. Holding Companies.
Sources and Uses of Funds
The liquidity of AGL and its U.S. Holding Companies is largely dependent on dividends and other distributions from their operating subsidiaries (see “— Insurance Subsidiaries — Distributions from Insurance Subsidiaries” below for a description of dividend and other capital distribution restrictions) and their access to external financing. The operating liquidity requirements of AGL and the U.S. Holding Companies include:
principal and interest on debt issued by AGUS and AGMH;
dividends on AGL’s common shares; and
the payment of operating expenses.
AGL and its U.S. Holding Companies may also require liquidity to:
make capital investments in their operating subsidiaries;
fund acquisitions of new businesses;
purchase or redeem the Company’s outstanding debt; or
repurchase AGL’s common shares pursuant to AGL’s share repurchase authorization.
In the ordinary course of business, the Company evaluates its liquidity needs and capital resources in light of holding company expenses and dividend policy, as well as rating agency considerations. The Company also subjects its cash flow projections and its assets to a stress test, maintaining a liquid asset balance of one and a half times its stressed operating company net cash flows. Management believes that AGL will have sufficient liquidity to satisfy its needs over the next twelve months. See “— Overview— Key Business Strategies, Capital Management” above for information on common share repurchases.
Long-Term Debt Obligations
The Company has outstanding long-term debt issued by the U.S. Holding Companies. See Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 12, Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities, and Guarantor and U.S. Holding Companies’ Summarized Financial Information, below.
U.S. Holding Companies
Long-Term Debt and Intercompany Loans
| As of December 31, | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 · 2022 | ||||
| (in millions) | ||||
| Effective Interest Rate · Final Maturity · Principal Amount | ||||
| AGUS - long-term debt | ||||
| 5% Senior Notes | 5.00% | 2024 | $— | $330 |
| 6.125% Senior Notes | 6.125% | 2028 | 350 | — |
| 3.15% Senior Notes | 3.15% | 2031 | 500 | 500 |
| 7% Senior Notes | 6.40% | 2034 | 200 | 200 |
| 3.6% Senior Notes | 3.60% | 2051 | 400 | 400 |
| Series A Enhanced Junior Subordinated Debentures (1) | 3 month CME Term SOFR +2.64% | 2066 | 150 | 150 |
| AGUS long-term debt | 1,600 | 1,580 | ||
| AGUS - intercompany loans from: | ||||
| AGC and AGM | 3.50% | 2029 | 250 | 250 |
| AGRO | 5.00% | 2028 | 20 | 20 |
| AGUS intercompany loans | 270 | 270 | ||
| Total AGUS long-term debt and intercompany loans | 1,870 | 1,850 | ||
| AGMH | ||||
| Junior Subordinated Debentures (2) | 6.40% | 2066 | 300 | 300 |
| Total AGMH long-term debt | 300 | 300 | ||
| AGMH’s long-term debt purchased by AGUS (3) | (154) | (154) | ||
| U.S. Holding Company long-term debt | $2,016 | $1,996 | ||
(1) Until June 30, 2023, the Series A Enhanced Junior Subordinated Debentures paid interest based on LIBOR. The reference to LIBOR in such debentures has been replaced with a rate based on Three-Month Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Term Secured Overnight Finance Rate (SOFR).
(2) If the AGMH Junior Subordinated Debentures are outstanding after December 15, 2036, then the principal amount of the outstanding debentures will bear interest at One-Month CME Term SOFR plus 2.33%.
(3) Represents principal amount of Junior Subordinated Debentures issued by AGMH that has been purchased by AGUS.
Interest Paid on U.S. Holding Companies’ Long-Term Debt and Intercompany Loans
| Year Ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| (in millions) | |||
| AGUS - long-term debt | $68 | $68 | $50 |
| AGUS - intercompany loans | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Total AGUS | 78 | 78 | 60 |
| AGMH - long-term debt | 19 | 19 | 40 |
| AGMH’s long-term debt purchased by AGUS | (10) | (10) | (10) |
| Total interest paid | $87 | $87 | $90 |
On August 21, 2023, AGUS issued $350 million of 6.125% Senior Notes due 2028. On September 25, 2023, AGUS redeemed $330 million of 5% Senior Notes due 2024. See Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 12, Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities.
U.S. Holding Companies
Expected Debt Service of Long-Term Debt
| Year | AGUS | AGMH | Eliminations (1) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | ||||
| 2024 | $95 | $19 | $(20) | $94 |
| 2025 | 136 | 19 | (69) | 86 |
| 2026 | 134 | 19 | (68) | 85 |
| 2027 | 131 | 19 | (66) | 84 |
| 2028 | 492 | 19 | (84) | 427 |
| 2029-2048 | 1,331 | 384 | (249) | 1,466 |
| 2049-2066 | 755 | 646 | (331) | 1,070 |
| Total | $3,074 | $1,125 | $(887) | $3,312 |
(1) Includes eliminations of intercompany loans payable and AGMH’s debt purchased by AGUS.
From time to time, AGL and its subsidiaries have entered into intercompany loan facilities. For example, on October 25, 2013, AGL, as borrower, and AGUS, as lender, entered into a revolving credit facility pursuant to which AGL may, from time to time, borrow for general corporate purposes. Under the credit facility, AGUS committed to lend a principal amount not exceeding $225 million in the aggregate. The commitment under the revolving credit facility terminates on October 25, 2033 (the loan commitment termination date). The unpaid principal amount of each loan will bear semi-annual interest at a fixed rate equal to 100% of the then applicable interest rate as determined under Internal Revenue Code Section 1274(d). Accrued interest on all loans will be paid on the last day of each June and December, and at maturity. AGL must repay unpaid principal amounts of the loans, if any, by the third anniversary of the loan commitment termination date. AGL has not drawn upon the credit facility.
Intercompany Loans Payable
On October 1, 2019, the U.S. Insurance Subsidiaries made 10-year, 3.5% interest rate intercompany loans to AGUS, aggregating $250 million, to fund the acquisition of BlueMountain Capital Management LLC (AssuredIM LLC, now known as Sound Point Luna LLC) and its associated entities, and the related capital contributions. Interest is payable annually in arrears on each anniversary of the note, and commenced on October 1, 2020. Interest accrues daily and is computed on a basis of a 360-day year from October 1, 2019 until the date on which the principal amount is paid in full. AGUS will pay 20% of the original principal amount of each note on the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth anniversaries. The remaining 20% of the original principal amount and all accrued and unpaid interest will be paid on the maturity date. AGUS has the right to prepay the principal amount of the notes in whole or in part at any time, or from time to time, without payment of any premium or penalty.
In addition, in 2012 AGUS borrowed $90 million from its affiliate AGRO to fund the acquisition of Municipal Assurance Corp. In 2023, the maturity date was extended to December 2028. AGUS repaid $10 million in 2021 in outstanding principal as well as accrued and unpaid interest. There were no repayments in 2023 and 2022. As of December 31, 2023, $20 million remained outstanding.
Guarantor and U.S. Holding Companies’ Summarized Financial Information
AGL fully and unconditionally guarantees the payment of the principal of, and interest on, the $1,450 million aggregate principal amount of notes issued by the U.S. Holding Companies, and the $450 million aggregate principal amount of junior subordinated debentures issued by the U.S. Holding Companies, and the intercompany loans. The following tables include summarized financial information for AGL and the U.S. Holding Companies, excluding their investments in subsidiaries.
| As of December 31, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| AGL | U.S. Holding Companies | |
| (in millions) | ||
| Assets | ||
| Fixed-maturity securities (1) | $17 | $4 |
| Investment in Sound Point | — | 429 |
| Short-term investments, other invested assets and cash | 23 | 325 |
| Receivables from affiliates (2) | 61 | 3 |
| Receivable from U.S. Holding Companies | 80 | — |
| Other assets | 3 | 43 |
| Liabilities | ||
| Long-term debt | — | 1,694 |
| Loans payable to affiliates | — | 270 |
| Payable to affiliates (2) | 16 | 17 |
| Payable to AGL | — | 80 |
| Other liabilities | 8 | 100 |
(1) As of December 31, 2023, weighted average durations of AGL’s and the U.S. Holding Companies’ fixed-maturity securities (excluding AGUS’s investment in AGMH’s debt) were 9.7 years and 4.2 years, respectively.
(2) Represents receivable and payables with non-guarantor subsidiaries.
| Year Ended December 31, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| AGL | U.S. Holding Companies | |
| (in millions) | ||
| Revenues | ||
| Gain on sale of asset management subsidiaries | $— | $265 |
| Other income | — | 7 |
| Expenses | ||
| Interest expense | — | 99 |
| Other expenses | 45 | 58 |
| Income (loss) before provision for income taxes and equity in earnings (losses) of investees | (45) | 115 |
| Net income (loss) | (45) | 105 |
The following table presents significant cash flow items for AGL and the U.S. Holding Companies (other than investment income, operating expenses and taxes) related to distributions from subsidiaries and outflows for debt service, dividends and other capital management activities.
AGL and U.S. Holding Companies
Selected Cash Flow Items
| Year Ended December 31, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| AGL | U.S. Holding Companies | |
| (in millions) | ||
| Dividends received from subsidiaries (1) | $306 | $370 |
| Interest on intercompany loans | — | (10) |
| Interest paid | — | (87) |
| Investments in subsidiaries | — | (17) |
| Return of capital from subsidiaries | — | 2 |
| Redemption of stock by AGC | — | 200 |
| Dividends paid to AGL | — | (253) |
| Dividends paid by AGL | (67) | — |
| Repurchases of common shares (2) | (199) | — |
| Issuance of long-term debt, net of issuance costs | — | 345 |
| Redemption of debt | — | (330) |
(1) AGL’s dividends include dividends from AGUS.
(2) See Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 19, Shareholders’ Equity, for additional information about share repurchases and authorizations.
Generally, dividends paid by a U.S. company to a Bermuda holding company are subject to a 30% withholding tax. After AGL became tax resident in the U.K., it became subject to the tax rules applicable to companies resident in the U.K., including the benefits afforded by the U.K.’s tax treaties. The income tax treaty between the U.K. and the U.S. reduces or eliminates the U.S. withholding tax on certain U.S. sourced investment income (to 5% or 0%), including dividends from U.S. subsidiaries to U.K. resident persons entitled to the benefits of the treaty.
External Financing
From time to time, AGL and its subsidiaries have sought external debt or equity financing in order to meet their obligations. External sources of financing may or may not be available to the Company and, if available, the cost of such financing may not be acceptable to the Company.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.