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Background and Business Description | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Background and Business Description |
1. | BACKGROUND AND BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (“Ambac” or the “Company”), headquartered in New York City, is a financial services holding company incorporated in the state of Delaware. Ambac was incorporated on April 29, 1991. On November 8, 2010, 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 value 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. The Reorganization Plan is not yet effective. Ambac’s existing common stock trades on the over-the-counter market under the symbol ABKFQ. Ambac Assurance Corporation (“Ambac Assurance”) is Ambac’s primary operating subsidiary. Ambac Assurance is a financial guarantee insurer which 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 to refer as well to 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. The deterioration of Ambac Assurance’s financial condition resulting from losses in its insured portfolio caused downgrades and ultimately rating 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, dated as of June 7, 2010, by and among Ambac Assurance, Ambac Credit Products LLC (“ACP”), Ambac and counterparties to credit default swaps with ACP that were guaranteed by Ambac Assurance. Ambac Assurance is also restricted in its ability to pay dividends pursuant to the terms of its Auction Market Preferred Shares. It is highly unlikely that Ambac Assurance will be able to make dividend payments to Ambac for the foreseeable future. Through its financial services subsidiaries, Ambac provided financial and investment products, including investment agreements, funding conduits and interest rate swaps, principally to the clients of its financial guarantee business. Ambac Assurance insured all of the obligations of its financial services subsidiaries. These businesses are in active runoff, which is being effectuated by means of transaction terminations, settlements, assignments and scheduled amortization of contracts. 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 (via its wholly-owned subsidiary Ambac Assurance) by mitigating losses on poorly performing transactions (via the pursuit of recoveries in respect of paid claims, commutations of policies, purchases of Ambac Assurance-insured obligations, transfer of servicing on transaction collateral, and repurchases of surplus notes issued by Ambac Assurance or the Segregated Account) and maximizing the return on its investment portfolio. Ambac is also exploring entering into new businesses, apart from Ambac Assurance and Everspan Financial Guarantee Corp., as it prepares to emerge from bankruptcy. The execution of Ambac’s principal 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 certain of its strategies. Ambac’s liquidity is largely dependent on its current cash and investments of $30,357 at December 31, 2012, and consummation of the Reorganization Plan. 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. As a result of uncertainties associated with the aforementioned regulatory oversight and uncertainties inherent in the bankruptcy process, 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 and for the periods ending December 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. Financial information concerning our business segments is set forth in the consolidated financial statements and the notes, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” which are in Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our Internet address is www.ambac.com. We make available free of charge, on or through the investor relations section of our web site, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as well as proxy statements, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Our Investor Relations Department can be contacted at Ambac Financial Group, Inc., One State Street Plaza, New York, New York 10004, Attn: Investor Relations, telephone: 212-208-3222. Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance Corporation Pursuant to the Plan of Operation for the Segregated Account (the “Plan of Operation”), Ambac Assurance has allocated to the Segregated Account (1) certain policies insuring or relating to credit default swaps; (2) residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”) policies; (3) certain policies insuring debt obligations backed by student loans; and (4) other policies insuring obligations with substantial projected impairments or relating to transactions which have contractual triggers based upon Ambac Assurance’s financial condition or the commencement of rehabilitation, which triggers are potentially damaging (collectively, the “Segregated Account Policies”). The policies described in (4) above include (a) certain types of securitizations, including commercial asset-backed transactions, consumer asset-backed transactions and other types of structured transactions; (b) the policies relating to Las Vegas Monorail Company; (c) policies relating to debt securities purchased by, and the debt securities issued by, Juneau Investments, LLC and Aleutian Investments, LLC, which are both finance companies owned by Ambac Assurance; (d) policies relating to leveraged lease transactions; and (e) policies relating to interest rate, basis, and/or currency swap or other swap transactions. In January 2013, Aleutian Investments, LLC repaid its remaining debt obligations. Net par exposure as of December 31, 2012 for policies allocated to the Segregated Account is $27,162,620. Ambac Assurance also allocated the following to the Segregated Account: (i) all remediation claims, defenses, offsets, and/or credits (except with respect to recoveries arising from remediation efforts or reimbursement or collection rights), if any, in respect of the Segregated Account Policies, (ii) Ambac Assurance’s disputed contingent liability under the subsequently settled long-term lease with One State Street, LLC (“OSS”), and its contingent liability (as guarantor), under the subsequently terminated Ambac Assurance UK Limited (“Ambac UK”) lease with British Land, (iii) Ambac Assurance’s limited liability interests in Ambac Credit Products, LLC (“ACP”), Ambac Conduit Funding LLC, Aleutian Investments, LLC (“Aleutian”) and Juneau and (iv) all of Ambac Assurance’s liabilities as reinsurer under reinsurance agreements (except for reinsurance assumed from Everspan). Effective November 7, 2010, the Plan of Operation for the Segregated Account was amended for the purpose of allocating to the Segregated Account (i) any and all liabilities (including contingent liabilities) it has or may have, now or in the future, to Ambac, or any successor to Ambac, in regard to, or respecting, tax refunds and/or the July 18, 1991 Tax Sharing Agreement, as amended (other than any liability to Ambac pertaining to any possible misallocation of up to $38,486 of tax refunds received by Ambac Assurance in September 2009 and February 2010), (ii) any and all liabilities (including contingent liabilities) it has or may have, now or in the future, to the IRS and/or the United States Department of the Treasury (the “U.S. Treasury”) in regard to, or in respect of, taxes imposed under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Federal Taxes”), for taxable periods ending on or prior to December 31, 2009 and, (iii) to the extent not described in clause (ii), any and all liabilities (including contingent liabilities) Ambac Assurance has or may have, now or in the future, to the IRS and/or the U.S. Treasury in regard to, or respect of, any Federal Tax refunds that were received prior to November 7, 2010 by Ambac Assurance, Ambac or their affiliates (each of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the “Allocated Disputed Contingent Liabilities”). In addition, on November 8, 2010, the Rehabilitation Court issued an order for temporary supplemental injunctive relief enjoining Ambac, any successor-in-interest, any state court receiver of Ambac, all persons purporting to be creditors of Ambac, the IRS and all other federal and state governmental entities from commencing or prosecuting any actions, claims, lawsuits or other formal legal proceedings relating to the Allocated Disputed Contingent Liabilities. Policy obligations not allocated to the Segregated Account remain in the General Account, and such policies in the General Account are not subject to and, therefore, will not be directly impacted by the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan (as defined below). Ambac Assurance is not, itself, in rehabilitation proceedings. In 2010, Ambac Assurance issued a $2,000,000 secured note due in 2050 (the “Secured Note”) to the Segregated Account. Interest on the Secured Note accrues at the rate of 4.5% per annum, and accrued interest will be added to principal quarterly. The Segregated Account has the ability to demand payment from time to time to pay claims and other liabilities. Interest on the Secured Note accrues at the rate of 4.5% per annum, and accrued interest will be added to principal quarterly. Ambac Assurance has secured its obligations under the Secured Note and the Reinsurance Agreement by granting to the Segregated Account a security interest in all of Ambac Assurance’s right, title and interest in (i) installment premiums received in respect of the Segregated Account Policies; (ii) reinsurance premiums received in respect of assumed reinsurance agreements with respect to which the liabilities of Ambac Assurance have been allocated to the Segregated Account; (iii) recoveries under third party reinsurance agreements in respect of the Segregated Account Policies; and (iv) any recoveries arising from remediation efforts or reimbursement or collection rights with respect to policies allocated to the Segregated Account. The balance of the Secured Note is $470,498 at December 31, 2012, including capitalized interest since the date of issuance. In addition, once the Secured Note has been exhausted, the Segregated Account has the ability to demand payment from time to time under an aggregate excess of loss reinsurance agreement provided by Ambac Assurance (the “Reinsurance Agreement”) to pay claims and other liabilities. The Secured Note is subject to mandatory prepayment on demand in an amount equal to (i) the cash portion of claim liabilities, loss settlements, commutations and purchases of Segregated Account Policies (or related insured obligations) due and payable by the Segregated Account (“Segregated Account Policy Cash Payments”), amounts due and payable by the Segregated Account arising out of the non-policy obligations allocated thereto, and any cash interest payment and cash principal repayment under any surplus notes issued by the Segregated Account (“Segregated Account Surplus Notes”) in connection with any of the foregoing plus (ii) amounts due and payable by the Segregated Account in respect of specified administrative expenses of the Segregated Account plus (iii) other amounts directed to be paid by the Rehabilitator in conjunction with the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Proceedings, minus (iv) the amount of the Segregated Account’s liquid assets as determined by the Segregated Account. In addition, if an event of default occurs under the Secured Note, the Segregated Account is entitled to accelerate the outstanding principal amount due under the Secured Note. Pursuant to the Reinsurance Agreement, Ambac Assurance has agreed to pay Segregated Account Policy Cash Payments, any cash interest or principal payment under any Segregated Account Surplus Notes and other amounts directed to be paid by the Rehabilitator, minus the amount of the Segregated Account’s liquid assets as determined by the Segregated Account. Ambac Assurance’s liability under the Reinsurance Agreement attaches only after all principal under the Secured Note has been paid. Ambac Assurance is not obligated to make payments on the Secured Note or under the Reinsurance Agreement if its surplus as regards to policyholders is less than $100,000 (the “Minimum Surplus Amount”). As long as the surplus as regards to policyholders is not less than the Minimum Surplus Amount, payments by Ambac Assurance to the Segregated Account under the Reinsurance Agreement are not capped. At December 31, 2012, insurance liabilities for policies allocated to the Segregated Account were $6,245,484. At December 31, 2012, Ambac Assurance’s surplus as regards to policyholders is at the Minimum Surplus Amount and therefore $163,687 of the Segregated Account’s insurance liabilities were not assumed by Ambac Assurance under the Reinsurance Agreement. In the event that Ambac Assurance does not generate future surplus in the amount of insurance liabilities not assumed under the Reinsurance Agreement because of the applicability of the Minimum Surplus Amount, the Segregated Account would ultimately experience a shortfall in funds available to pay its liabilities to the extent that such liabilities exceed amounts available under the Secured Note and Reinsurance Agreement. This shortfall will be a consideration for the Rehabilitator in the determination of whether any changes to the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan and/or the amount of partial policy claim payments are necessary or appropriate, or whether to institute general rehabilitation proceedings against Ambac Assurance. The Segregated Account is operated in accordance with the Plan of Operation and certain operative documents relating thereto (which include the Secured Note, the Reinsurance Agreement, the Management Services Agreement, dated as of March 24, 2010, by and between the Segregated Account and Ambac Assurance, the Expense Sharing and Cost Allocation Agreement among Ambac and affiliates and the Cooperation Agreement, dated as of March 24, 2010, by and between the Segregated Account and Ambac Assurance, as amended (the “Cooperation Agreement”)). Pursuant to such operative documents, Ambac Assurance has entered into certain covenants for the benefit of the Segregated Account, including covenants relating to its investment policies; payments to its security holders; transactional and operational activities; information sharing; tax positions; loan repayments; loss reserving; and allocation of expenses. 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 has not been made effective and is subject to modification. The Rehabilitator may seek to effectuate the current Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan or modify such Plan. Effective as of March 24, 2010 claims payments on policies allocated to the Segregated Account had been enjoined pursuant to an order of the Rehabilitation Court. However, on May 16, 2012, the Rehabilitator filed a motion seeking approval from the Rehabilitation Court to make partial interim policy claim payments to Segregated Account policyholders. A hearing in the Rehabilitation Court relating to such motion was held on June 4, 2012, and on that date the Rehabilitation Court approved the motion. On August 1, 2012, the Rehabilitator promulgated Rules Governing the Submission, Processing and Partial Payment of Policy Claims in Accordance with the June 4, 2012 Interim Cash Payment Order (the “Policy Claim Rules”), and filed such document with the Rehabilitation Court, to inform Segregated Account policyholders as to the process governing the submission and approval of policy claims. In accordance with the Policy Claim Rules, with effect from August 1, 2012, holders of policies allocated to the Segregated Account were, and continue to be, allowed to submit policy claims for review and partial payment equating to 25% of the permitted policy claim amount. No decision has been announced with respect to effectuating or amending the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan or whether surplus notes will be issued with respect to the remaining balance of unpaid claims. The Rehabilitator has previously announced that more specific information regarding the status of the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan, including possible modifications, will be provided as soon as appropriate. If surplus notes were eliminated from the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan (and other securities, instruments or obligations issued by the Segregated Account to satisfy claims under a revised Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan were not issued in their place), then the portion of permitted claims on policies allocated to the Segregated Account that have not been paid in cash would remain unsatisfied obligations of the Segregated Account. Such obligations may or may not accrue interest according to the terms of the modified Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan. If the portion of permitted claims on policies allocated to the Segregated Account that have not been paid in cash was left unsatisfied, then such a change with respect to the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan could result in a material change in our financial results. At December 31, 2012, the Segregated Account had outstanding Segregated Account Surplus Notes in an aggregate par amount of $53,000 and outstanding Segregated Account Junior Surplus Notes with a par value of $36,082. Refer to Note 11 for further discussion and information relating to these Surplus Notes. 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 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 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 15. The Cooperation Agreement Amendment provides for the Rehabilitator to have certain rights with respect to the tax positions taken by the Company as well as the loss reserves, investments and operating actions of Ambac Assurance. Pursuant to the Mediation Agreement, Ambac Assurance transferred $30,000 to an escrow account on March 15, 2012. The Mediation Agreement provides that such amount shall be released from escrow to the Company on the “Plan Settlement Closing Date,” which is defined in the Mediation Agreement as a date that shall occur no later than ten business days following the date on which each of the following conditions has been satisfied or waived by each of the parties to the Amended Plan Settlement: (i) entry of a final, non-appealable order by the Rehabilitation Court approving the transactions contemplated by the Mediation Agreement; (ii) entry of a final, nonappealable Confirmation Order by the Bankruptcy Court; (iii) resolution of the matters that are the subject of the adversary proceeding initiated by Ambac in the Bankruptcy Court against the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) captioned Ambac Financial Group, Inc. vs. United States of America, Case No. 10-04210 (the “IRS Dispute”) without (A) any member of the Ambac Assurance Subgroup (as defined below) having to make a payment to the IRS of more than $100,000 and (B) a reduction of the NOLs allocated to the Ambac Assurance Subgroup pursuant to the Amended TSA by more than 10%; and (iv) a determination that neither an Ownership Change (as defined below) with respect to Ambac Assurance nor a Deconsolidation Event (as defined below) occurred during the 2010 taxable year. With respect to such conditions: (i) the Rehabilitation Court entered an order approving the transactions contemplated by the Mediation Agreement on November 10, 2011; such order has been appealed and on March 1, 2013, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals entered an order dismissing this appeal for lack of standing; however, appellants may appeal that order to the Wisconsin Supreme Court so the order of the Rehabilitation Court is not yet final; (ii) the Confirmation Order entered by the Bankruptcy Court has become final and non-appealable; (iii) it is anticipated that the condition relating to the resolution of the IRS Dispute will be satisfied upon consummation of the IRS Settlement (as defined in Note 15), which itself is subject to conditions as described in Note 15; and (iv) it is anticipated that the condition relating to the absence of an Ownership Change and a Deconsolidation Event during the 2010 taxable year will be satisfied upon consummation of the IRS Settlement, which itself is subject to conditions as described in Note 15. The Mediation Agreement further provides that the Segregated Account shall issue $350,000 of junior surplus notes to the Company on the Plan Settlement Closing Date. As used herein, “Ambac Assurance Subgroup” means Ambac Assurance and any direct or indirect subsidiary of Ambac Assurance that would be treated as an includable corporation of an affiliated group of corporations under the Internal Revenue Code if Ambac Assurance were the common parent of such affiliated group, and “Deconsolidation Event” means any event that results in neither Ambac Assurance nor any entity that succeeds to the tax attributes of Ambac Assurance being characterized as an includible corporation with the affiliated group of corporations of which Ambac (or any successor thereto) is the common parent, all within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code. 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 parties. Consummation and effectiveness of the Reorganization Plan is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following outstanding conditions: (i) the Bankruptcy Court shall have approved any supplement filed with respect to the Reorganization Plan; (ii) new organizational documents of Ambac shall have been effected; (iii) Ambac shall have executed and delivered all documents necessary to effectuate the issuance of the common stock and warrants pursuant to the Reorganization Plan; (iv) all authorizations, consents and regulatory approvals required, if any, in connection with the consummation of the Reorganization Plan shall have been obtained; (v) the terms of the IRS Settlement (as defined in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K) shall have been approved by the United States, and all conditions to the effectiveness of the IRS Settlement shall have been satisfied; (vi) the IRS Settlement and all transaction documents relating thereto shall have been executed by the parties thereto; (vii) the Bankruptcy Court shall have entered an order pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 9019 approving the IRS Settlement; and (viii) 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. There can be no assurance about whether or when these outstanding conditions will be met. Furthermore, the Reorganization Plan may not be consummated unless the Rehabilitation Court has approved the transactions contemplated in the Mediation Agreement. The Rehabilitation Court entered an order approving such transactions on November 10, 2011; however, such order has been appealed and may be overturned or stayed. On March 1, 2013, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals entered an order dismissing this appeal for lack of standing; however, appellants may appeal that order to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Moreover, as discussed above, the Mediation Agreement provides that the $30,000 transferred by Ambac Assurance to an escrow account on March 15, 2012 may not be released from escrow to Ambac, and the $350,000 junior surplus note to be issued to Ambac by the Segregated Account pursuant to the Mediation Agreement may not be issued, until such order becomes final and non-appealable, unless such requirement is waived by the parties to the Mediation Agreement. There can be no assurance that the order entered by the Rehabilitation Court will remain in effect. If such order is vacated or overturned, Ambac may not receive the above-described cash grant or junior surplus note from Ambac Assurance or the Segregated Account, respectively. On September 27, 2012, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order (the “Trading Order”), amending and restating an order entered on November 30, 2010, establishing procedures for certain transfers or acquisitions of equity interests in and claims (including debt securities) against the Company to maximize the possibility that the “ownership change” as defined under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (an “Ownership Change”) that will occur upon consummation of the Reorganization Plan will qualify for the special exception to the limitations under Section 382(a) for Ownership Changes occurring as a result of a bankruptcy plan of reorganization (the “Section 382(l)(5) Plan Exception”). Ambac’s ability to use its NOLs could be substantially limited if there were an Ownership Change that does not qualify for the Section 382(l)(5) Plan Exception. In general, an Ownership Change would occur if shareholders owning 5% or more of Ambac’s stock increased their percentage ownership (by value) in Ambac by 50% or more, as measured generally over a rolling three-year period beginning with the last Ownership Change. These provisions can be triggered by new issuances of stock (including to creditors under the Reorganization Plan), merger and acquisition activity or normal market trading. The Trading Order generally restricts investors from acquiring Ambac stock if after any such acquisition a holder would beneficially own at least 13,500,000 shares of Ambac stock. The Trading Order also generally restricts investors from transferring or acquiring claims (including debt securities) if after any such transfer or acquisition a holder would beneficially own claims that could result in such holder receiving stock in reorganized Ambac pursuant to the terms of the Reorganization Plan with a value equal to or greater than 4.5% of the value of the stock of reorganized Ambac. A holder would reach that threshold with ownership of $56,930 of senior debt securities or any combination of debt securities and other claims that would result in such holder receiving stock in reorganized Ambac pursuant to the terms of the Reorganization Plan with a value equal to or greater than 4.5% of the value of the stock of reorganized Ambac (the “Threshold Amount”). On January 6, 2012, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order (the “Claims Acquisition Notice Order”) that requires any entity proposing to acquire claims in a transaction following which such entity would beneficially own claims that, pursuant to the Reorganization Plan, would entitle such entity to receive stock in reorganized Ambac in excess of the Threshold Amount, to serve notice of such proposed transaction upon Ambac and its counsel at least fifteen (15) business days prior to the consummation thereof. Following receipt of such notice Ambac may object to the proposed acquisition in the Bankruptcy Court. If such an objection is filed, the acquisition described in the notice shall not be effective unless approved by a final and nonappealable order of the Bankruptcy Court. Pursuant to the Trading Order and the Claims Acquisition Notice Order, Ambac may obtain one or more orders from the Bankruptcy Court to enforce these restrictions by requiring investors to sell their stock or claims so that their holdings comply with the limitations imposed by such orders. The Trading Order also contains equity forfeiture provisions that will limit stock distributions to be made upon effectiveness of the Reorganization Plan to any claimholder that fails to adhere to the Trading Order or the Claims Acquisition Notice Order and the restrictions prescribed therein. The Bankruptcy Court will retain jurisdiction to enforce the Trading Order after Ambac emerges from its Chapter 11 proceeding. Furthermore, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company that will take effect upon emergence contains similar provisions restricting stock transfers to mitigate the possibility of an Ownership Change. On October 25, 2012, the Company received an IRS private letter ruling confirming that, based on the procedures and limitations imposed by the Trading Order (including the equity forfeiture provisions) and on the other facts and representations set forth therein, the Ownership Change that will occur upon consummation of the Reorganization Plan qualifies for the Section 382(l)(5) Plan Exception. Reclassifications: Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods’ amounts to conform to the current period’s presentation.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the business description which 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. + References No definition available. + Details
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