v2.4.0.6
Collateralized Transactions
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements  
Collateralized Transactions
7. Collateralized Transactions
 
The Company enters into securities borrowing and lending transactions and agreements to repurchase and resell securities to finance trading inventory, to obtain securities for settlement and to earn residual interest rate spreads. In addition, the Company’s customers pledge their securities owned to collateralize margin loans. Under these transactions, the Company either receives or provides collateral, including equity, corporate debt and U.S. government securities. Under many agreements, the Company is permitted to sell or repledge securities received as collateral and use these securities to secure repurchase agreements, enter into securities lending transactions or deliver these securities to counterparties to cover short positions.
 
The Company also engages in securities financing transactions with and for customers through margin lending. Under these agreements and transactions, the Company either receives or provides collateral, including U.S. government securities, corporate debt and equity securities. Customer receivables generated from margin lending activity are collateralized by customer-owned securities held by the Company. Customers’ required margin levels and established credit limits are monitored continuously by risk management staff using automated systems. Pursuant to Company policy and as enforced by such systems, customers are required to deposit additional collateral or reduce positions, when necessary to avoid automatic liquidation of positions.
 
Margin loans are extended on a demand basis and are not committed facilities. Factors considered in the acceptance or rejection of margin loans are the amount of the loan, the degree of leverage being employed in the account and an overall evaluation of the portfolio to ensure proper diversification or, in the case of concentrated positions, appropriate liquidity of the underlying collateral. Additionally, transactions relating to concentrated or restricted positions are limited or prohibited by raising the level of required margin collateral (to 100% in the extreme case). Underlying collateral for margin loans is evaluated with respect to the liquidity of the collateral positions, valuation of securities, volatility analysis and an evaluation of industry concentrations. Adherence to the Company’s collateral policies significantly limits the Company’s credit exposure to margin loans in the event of a customer’s default. Under margin lending agreements, the Company may request additional margin collateral from customers and may sell securities that have not been paid for or purchase securities sold but not delivered from customers, if necessary. At March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, approximately $11.18 billion and $9.85 billion of customer margin loans were outstanding.
 
Amounts relating to collateralized transactions at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 are summarized as follows (millions):

       
March 31, 2013
  
December 31, 2012 (2)
                    
       
Permitted
  
Sold or
  
Permitted
  
Sold or
       
to Repledge
  
Repledged
  
to Repledge
  
Repledged
                    
Securities lending transactions
$
 6,971.5
 $
 3,461.3
 $
 5,323.7
 $
 2,699.2
Agreements to resell (1)
   
               6,898.8
  
               6,898.8
  
               6,778.8
  
               6,778.8
Customer margin securities
   
             15,559.0
  
               3,414.3
  
             13,603.7
  
               3,016.3
      $
29,429.3
 $
13,774.4
 $
 25,706.2
 $
 12,494.3
                    
(1)
At March 31, 2013, $6.5 billion or 94% (at December 31, 2012, $6.4 billion, or 94%), of securities acquired through agreements to resell that are shown as repledged have been deposited in a separate bank account for the exclusive benefit of customers in accordance with SEC Rule 15c3-3.
(2)
The Company has revised its reporting of collateral permitted to be repledged and collateral sold or repledged, primarily with respect to securities available for repledging under securities lending transactions in connection with the Company's Stock Yield Enhancement Program.  Disclosures for December 31, 2012 have been conformed to the new presentation for comparability purposes.
 
 
In the normal course of business, the Company pledges qualified securities with clearing organizations to satisfy daily margin and clearing fund requirements. At March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the majority of the Company’s government obligations owned were pledged to clearing organizations.
 
Financial instruments owned and pledged, including amounts pledged to affiliates, where the counterparty has the right to repledge, at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 consisted of the following (millions):
   
March 31,
  
December 31,
   
2013
  
2012
Stocks
$
   694.3
 $
775.2
Warrants
 
                      0.6
  
                      0.4
U.S. and foreign government obligations
 
143.0
  
                  147.0
Corporate and municipal bonds
 
2.1
  
                      4.3
  $
   840.0
 $
926.9