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Background And Basis Of Presentation | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2012
Background And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract] |
Background And Basis Of Presentation | 1. Background and Basis of Presentation These unaudited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Ambac Financial Group, Inc. ("Ambac" or the "Company"), headquartered in New York City, is a holding company incorporated in the state of Delaware. Ambac was incorporated on April 29, 1991. On November 8, 2010 (the "Petition Date"), Ambac filed a voluntary petition for relief (the "Bankruptcy Filing") under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ("Bankruptcy Code") in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York ("Bankruptcy Court"). Ambac has continued to operate in the ordinary course of business as "debtor-in-possession" under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and the orders of the Bankruptcy Court. The Company, as debtor and debtor-in-possession, filed a Fifth Amended Plan of Reorganization on March 12, 2012 (such Fifth Amended Plan of Reorganization, as it may be amended, the "Reorganization Plan"). The Bankruptcy Court entered an order confirming the Reorganization Plan on March 14, 2012. Under the Reorganization Plan, Ambac's debt holders and other creditors will receive all of the equity in the reorganized company. Therefore, if the Reorganization Plan is consummated, our existing common stock will be cancelled and extinguished and the holders thereof would not be entitled to receive, and would not receive or retain any property or interest in property on account of such equity interests. Additionally, the Reorganization Plan sets forth the revised capital structure of a newly reorganized Ambac and provides for corporate governance subsequent to emergence from bankruptcy. Ambac Assurance Corporation ("Ambac Assurance") is Ambac's principal operating subsidiary. Ambac Assurance is a financial guarantee insurer that provided financial guarantees and financial services to clients in both the public and private sectors around the world. In March 2010, Ambac Assurance established a segregated account pursuant to Wisc. Stat. §611.24(2) (the "Segregated Account") to segregate certain segments of Ambac Assurance's liabilities. The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Wisconsin ("OCI" (which term shall be understood to refer to such office as regulator of Ambac Assurance and the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Wisconsin as rehabilitator of the Segregated Account (the "Rehabilitator"), as the context requires)) commenced rehabilitation proceedings with respect to the Segregated Account (the "Segregated Account Rehabilitation Proceedings") in order to permit the OCI to facilitate an orderly run-off and/or settlement of the liabilities allocated to the Segregated Account pursuant to the provisions of the Wisconsin Insurers Rehabilitation and Liquidation Act. The Rehabilitator is Theodore Nickel, the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin. Ambac Assurance is not, itself, in rehabilitation proceedings. On October 8, 2010, the Rehabilitator filed a plan of rehabilitation for the Segregated Account (the "Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan") in the Circuit Court of Dane County, Wisconsin in which the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Proceedings are pending (the "Rehabilitation Court"). The Rehabilitation Court confirmed the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan on January 24, 2011. The confirmed Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan also makes permanent the injunctions issued by the Rehabilitation Court on March 24, 2010. The Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan is not effective and is subject to modification. Pursuant to the injunctions issued by the Rehabilitation Court, claims on policies allocated to the Segregated Account have not been paid since the commencement of the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Proceedings. Net par exposure as of March 31, 2012 for policies allocated to the Segregated Account is $33,593,393. The Rehabilitator may seek to effectuate the current Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan, modify such Plan or modify the injunctions issued by the Rehabilitation Court to allow for the payment of policy claims in such manner and at such times as the Rehabilitator determines to be in the best interest of policyholders. The deterioration of Ambac Assurance's financial condition resulting from losses in its insured portfolio caused downgrades, and ultimately withdrawals of Ambac Assurance's financial strength ratings from the independent rating agencies. These losses have prevented Ambac Assurance from being able to write new business. An inability to write new business has and will continue to negatively impact Ambac's future operations and financial results. Ambac Assurance's ability to pay dividends, and as a result Ambac's liquidity, have been significantly restricted by the deterioration of Ambac Assurance's financial condition, by the rehabilitation of the Segregated Account and by the terms of the Settlement Agreement entered into on June 7, 2010 by Ambac, Ambac Assurance, Ambac Credit Products, LLC ("ACP") and counterparties to outstanding credit default swaps with ACP (the "Settlement Agreement"). Ambac Assurance is also restricted in its ability to pay dividends pursuant to the terms of its Auction Market Preferred Shares ("AMPS"), which state that dividends may not be paid on the common stock of Ambac Assurance unless all accrued and unpaid dividends on the AMPS for the then current dividend period have been paid, provided that dividends on the common stock may be made at all times for the purpose of, and only in such amounts as are necessary for enabling Ambac (i) to service its indebtedness for borrowed money as such payments become due or (ii) to pay its operating expenses. If dividends are paid on the common stock as provided in the prior sentence, dividends on the AMPS become cumulative until the date that all accumulated and unpaid dividends have been paid on the AMPS. Ambac Assurance has not paid dividends on AMPS since 2010. Based on the above described restrictions and circumstances, it is highly unlikely that Ambac Assurance will be able to make dividend payments to Ambac for the foreseeable future. Chapter 11 Reorganization The Reorganization Plan reflects a resolution of certain issues (the "Amended Plan Settlement") among the Company, the statutory committee of creditors appointed by the United States Trustee on November 17, 2010 (the "Creditors' Committee"), Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account and OCI related to (i) the net operating loss carryforwards ("NOLs") of the consolidated tax group of which the Company is the parent and Ambac Assurance is a member (the "Ambac Consolidated Group"), (ii) certain tax refunds received in respect thereof (the "Tax Refunds") and (iii) the sharing of expenses between the Company and Ambac Assurance. The terms of the Amended Plan Settlement are memorialized in that certain Mediation Agreement dated September 21, 2011 (the "Mediation Agreement") among such parties. In accordance with the Amended Plan Settlement, the Company shall retain ownership of Ambac Assurance, and except as otherwise approved by OCI, the Company shall use its best efforts to preserve the use of NOLs as contemplated by the Amended Plan Settlement. Pursuant to the Amended Plan Settlement, (i) the Company, Ambac Assurance and certain affiliates entered into an amended and restated tax sharing agreement (the "Amended TSA"), (ii) the Company, Ambac Assurance and certain affiliates entered into an expense sharing and cost allocation agreement (the "Cost Allocation Agreement") and (iii) the Company, Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account and OCI entered into an amendment (the "Cooperation Agreement Amendment"), of that certain Cooperation Agreement, dated as of March 24, 2010, by and between the Segregated Account and Ambac Assurance (the "Cooperation Agreement"). The Amended TSA replaces, supersedes and nullifies in its entirety the existing tax sharing agreement among the Company and its affiliates. The Amended TSA addresses certain issues including, but not limited to, the allocation and use of NOLs by the Company, Ambac Assurance and their respective subsidiaries. The Cost Allocation Agreement provides for the allocation of costs and expenses among the Company, Ambac Assurance and certain affiliates. The Mediation Agreement also provides for sharing by the Company and Ambac Assurance of the expenses incurred since November 1, 2010 in connection with the litigation with the United States Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") described in Note 11. The Cooperation Agreement Amendment provides for the Rehabilitator to have certain rights with respect to (a) the tax positions taken by the Company in its consolidated tax return; (b) the acceptance by Ambac Assurance of the repayment of intercompany loans or the modification of the terms thereof; (c) changes by Ambac Assurance in the assumptions or vendors utilized in determining loss reserves determined in accordance with Statutory Accounting Principles; and (d) changes to Ambac Assurance's investment policy and transfer of the investment management function for Ambac Assurance's investment portfolio. The Amended Plan Settlement, Mediation Agreement, Amended TSA, Cost Allocation Agreement and Cooperation Agreement Amendment collectively memorialize the settlement of certain claims among the Company and Ambac Assurance, OCI and the Segregated Account, and contain broad releases of the Company, Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account, OCI, the board of directors and board committees of the Company and Ambac Assurance, all current and former individual directors, officers, or employees of the Company and Ambac Assurance, the Creditors' Committee and the individual members thereof, and certain other released parties. Consummation of the Reorganization Plan is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions: (i) the Bankruptcy Court shall have entered an order confirming the Reorganization Plan and such order shall have become final in accordance with the Reorganization Plan; (ii) the Bankruptcy Court shall have approved any supplement filed with respect to the Reorganization Plan; (iii) new organizational documents of the Company shall have been effected; (iv) the Company shall have executed and delivered all documents necessary to effectuate the issuance of the common stock and warrants (if applicable) pursuant to the Reorganization Plan; (v) all authorizations, consents and regulatory approvals required, if any, in connection with the consummation of the Reorganization Plan shall have been obtained; (vi) the Stipulation (as defined in Note 11) shall have become effective; (vii) the terms of the IRS Settlement (as defined in Note 11) shall have been approved by OCI, the United States, the Rehabilitation Court, and the Creditors' Committee, and all conditions to the effectiveness of the IRS Settlement shall have been satisfied; (viii) the IRS Settlement and all transaction documents relating thereto shall have been executed by the parties thereto; (ix) the Bankruptcy Court shall have entered an order pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 9019 approving the IRS Settlement; (x) the aggregate face amount of allowed and disputed general unsecured claims shall be less than $50,000; (xi) the Rehabilitation Court shall have approved the transactions contemplated by the Mediation Agreement, the Amended TSA, the Cost Allocation Agreement, and the Cooperation Agreement Amendment; (xii) $30,000 shall have been paid or paid into escrow by Ambac Assurance as provided in the Mediation Agreement; (xiii) the Amended TSA, the Cooperation Agreement Amendment and the Cost Allocation Agreement shall have been executed; and (xiv) all other actions, documents, certificates and agreements necessary to implement the Reorganization Plan shall have been effected or executed and delivered to the required parties and, to the extent required, filed with applicable governmental units in accordance with applicable laws. Of the conditions enumerated above, the following have been satisfied: (i); (x); (xi); (xii) and (xiii). There can be no assurance about whether or when the remaining conditions will be met. Ambac's principal business strategy is to reorganize its capital structure and financial obligations through the bankruptcy process and to increase the residual value of its financial guarantee business by mitigating losses on poorly performing transactions (via the pursuit of recoveries in respect of paid claims, commutations of policies, purchases of Ambac-insured obligations, and repurchases of surplus notes issued by Ambac Assurance or the Segregated Account) and maximizing the return on its investment portfolio. The execution of such strategy with respect to liabilities allocated to the Segregated Account is subject to the authority of the Rehabilitator to control the management of the Segregated Account. In exercising such authority, the Rehabilitator will act for the benefit of policyholders, and will not take into account the interests of Ambac. Similarly, by operation of the contracts executed in connection with the establishment, and subsequent rehabilitation, of the Segregated Account, the Rehabilitator retains rights to oversee and approve certain actions taken in respect of Ambac Assurance. This oversight by the Rehabilitator could impair Ambac's ability to execute the foregoing strategy. As a result of uncertainties associated with the aforementioned factors, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern. The Company's financial statements as of March 31, 2012 and 2011 and for the periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 are prepared assuming the Company continues as a going concern and do not include any adjustment that might result from its inability to continue as a going concern. Ambac's liquidity and solvency are largely dependent on its current cash and investments of $33,994 at March 31, 2012 (excluding $2,500 of restricted cash), consummation of the Reorganization Plan, and on the residual value of Ambac Assurance. The principal uses of liquidity are the payment of operating expenses, professional advisory fees incurred in connection with the bankruptcy and expenses related to pending litigation. Management believes that Ambac will have sufficient liquidity to satisfy its needs until it emerges from the bankruptcy proceeding; however, no assurance can be given regarding the timing or certainty of such emergence. If its cash and investments run out prior to emergence from bankruptcy, a liquidation of Ambac pursuant to Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code will occur.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the business description and basis of presentation concepts. Business description describes the nature and type of organization including but not limited to organizational structure as may be applicable to holding companies, parent and subsidiary relationships, business divisions, business units, business segments, affiliates and information about significant ownership of the reporting entity. Basis of presentation describes the underlying basis used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS). + References No definition available. + Details
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