Assured Guaranty Reports Q2 Results
Bermuda-based Assured Guaranty Ltd. announced its financial results for the three-month period ended June 30, 2012. The Company reported operating income for second quarter 2012 of $114.0 million, or $0.61 per diluted share, bringing year-to-date operating income for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012 to $185.2 million, or $0.99 per diluted share.
This compares with operating income of $143.4 million, or $0.76 per diluted share for the three-month period ended June 30, 2011 and $390.8 million, or $2.09 per diluted share, for the six-month period ended June 30, 2011.
Second quarter 2012 net income of $376.5 million, or $2.01 per share, includes non-economic net fair value gains1 of $263.6 million. Second quarter 2011 net loss of $43.1 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, includes non-economic net fair value losses of $187.5 million.
Six months 2012 net loss of $106.5 million, or $0.58 per share, includes non-economic net fair value losses of $296.4 million. Six months 2011 net income of $96.2 million, or $0.51 per share, includes non-economic net fair value losses of $306.7 million.
A spokesperson said, “Interest rates, which were already at historically low levels, declined further in second quarter 2012, which resulted in a net increase in expected losses, that does not represent additional credit impairment, but rather a change in the risk-free rates used to discount losses.
“The low interest rate environment also encouraged higher refundings of U.S. public finance insured obligations as issuers refinanced their obligations at more attractive rates, resulting in the acceleration of premium earnings.”
“Our positive second-quarter results reflect our strategic versatility and the strength of Assured Guaranty’s business model,” said Dominic Frederico, President and CEO.
“In U.S. public finance, we continued to honor our value proposition by providing protection to holders of insured bonds, including those of distressed municipalities such as Harrisburg, Jefferson County and Stockton.”
