Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

13. VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

The Bancorp, in the normal course of business, engages in a variety of activities that involve VIEs, which are legal entities that lack sufficient equity at risk to finance their activities without additional subordinated financial support or the equity investors of the entities as a group lack any of the characteristics of a controlling interest. The Bancorp evaluates its interest in certain entities to determine if these entities meet the definition of a VIE and whether the Bancorp is the primary beneficiary and should consolidate the entity based on

the variable interests it held both at inception and when there is a change in circumstances that requires a reconsideration. If the Bancorp is determined to be the primary beneficiary of a VIE, it must account for the VIE as a consolidated subsidiary. If the Bancorp is determined not to be the primary beneficiary of a VIE but holds a variable interest in the entity, such variable interests are accounted for under the equity method of accounting or other accounting standards as appropriate.

Consolidated VIEs

The following table provide

a summary of the classifications of consolidated VIE assets,

liabilities

and noncontrolling interests included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of:


($ in millions)	December 31, 2019			December 31, 2018
Assets:
Other short-term investments	$	74			40
Indirect secured consumer loans		1,354			668
ALLL		(7	)		(4)
Other assets		8			5
Total assets	$	1,429			709
Liabilities:
Other liabilities	$	2			1
Long-term debt		1,253			606
Total liabilities	$	1,255			607

Automobile loan securitizations

In a securitization transaction that occurred in 2019, the Bancorp transferred approximately $1.43 billion in automobile loans to a bankruptcy remote trust which was deemed to be a VIE. This trust then subsequently issued approximately $1.37 billion of asset-backed notes, of which approximately $68 million were retained by the Bancorp. Refer to Note 18 for further information. The Bancorp also has previously completed securitization transactions in which the Bancorp transferred certain consumer automobile loans to bankruptcy remote trusts which were also deemed to be VIEs. In each of these securitization transactions, the primary purposes of the VIEs were to issue asset-backed securities with varying levels of credit subordination and payment priority, as well as residual interests, and to provide the Bancorp with access to liquidity for its originated loans. The Bancorp retained residual interests in the VIEs and, therefore, has an obligation to absorb losses and a right to receive benefits from the VIEs that could potentially be significant to the VIEs.

In addition, the Bancorp retained servicing rights for the underlying loans and, therefore, holds the power to direct the activities of the VIEs that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIEs. As a result, the Bancorp concluded that it is the primary beneficiary of the VIEs and has consolidated these VIEs. The assets of the VIEs are restricted to the settlement of the asset-backed securities and other obligations of the VIEs. The third-party holders of the asset-backed notes do not have recourse to the general assets of the Bancorp.

The economic performance of the VIEs is most significantly impacted by the performance of the underlying loans. The principal risks to which the VIEs are exposed include credit risk and prepayment risk. The credit and prepayment risks are managed through credit enhancements in the form of reserve accounts, overcollateralization, excess interest on the loans and the subordination of certain classes of asset-backed securities to other classes.

Non-consolidated

VIEs

The following tables provide a summary of assets and liabilities carried on the Consolidated Balance Sheets related to

non-consolidated

VIEs for which the Bancorp holds an interest, but is not the primary beneficiary of the VIE, as well as the Bancorp’s maximum exposure to losses associated with its interests in the entities as of:



December 31, 2019 ($ in millions)	Total Assets		Total Liabilities		Maximum Exposure

CDC investments	$	1,435		428		1,435
Private equity investments		89		-		164
Loans provided to VIEs		2,715		-		4,083
Lease pool entities		74		-		74


December 31, 2018 ($ in millions)	Total Assets		Total Liabilities		Maximum Exposure

CDC investments	$	1,198		376		1,198
Private equity investments		41		-		73
Loans provided to VIEs		2,331		-		3,617

CDC investments

CDC, a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Bancorp, was created to invest in projects to create affordable housing, revitalize business and residential areas and preserve historic landmarks. CDC generally

co-invests

with other unrelated companies and/or individuals and typically makes investments in a separate legal entity that owns the property under development. The entities are usually formed as limited partnerships and LLCs and CDC typically invests as a limited partner/investor member in the form of equity contributions. The economic performance of the VIEs is driven by the performance of their underlying investment projects as well as the VIEs’ ability to operate in compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the qualification of tax credits generated by equity investments. The Bancorp has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs because it lacks the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the underlying project or the VIEs’ ability to operate in compliance with the rules and regulations necessary for the qualification of tax credits generated by equity investments. This power is held by the managing members who exercise full and exclusive control of the operations of the VIEs. For information regarding the Bancorp’s accounting for these investments, refer to Note 1.

The Bancorp’s funding requirements are limited to its invested capital and any additional unfunded commitments for future equity contributions. The Bancorp’s maximum exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the VIEs is limited to the carrying amounts of the investments, including the unfunded commitments. The carrying amounts of these investments, which are included in other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and the liabilities related to the unfunded commitments, which are included in other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, are included in the previous tables for all periods presented. The Bancorp has no other liquidity arrangements or obligations to purchase assets of the VIEs that would expose the Bancorp to a loss. In certain arrangements, the general partner/managing member of the VIE has guaranteed a level of projected tax credits to be received by the limited partners/investor members, thereby minimizing a portion of the Bancorp’s risk.

At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Bancorp’s CDC investments included $1.2 billion and $1.1 billion of investments in affordable housing tax credits recognized in other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively. The unfunded commitments related to these investments were $428 million and $374 million at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The unfunded commitments as of December 31, 2019 are expected to be funded from 2020 to 2035.

The Bancorp has accounted for all of its qualifying LIHTC investments using the proportional amortization method of accounting. The following table summarizes the impact to the Consolidated Statements of Income related to these investments:



For the years ended December 31 ($ in millions)	Consolidated Statements of Income Caption (a)		2019		2018		2017

Proportional amortization		Applicable income tax expense	$	140		154		223
Tax credits and other benefits		Applicable income tax expense		(163)		(192)		(220)

(a)

The Bancorp did not recognize impairment losses resulting from the forfeiture or ineligibility of tax credits or other circumstances during the years ended

December 31, 2019,

2018 and 2017. The Bancorp recognized $57 of impairment losses primarily due to the change in the federal statutory corporate tax rate during the year ended December 31, 2017.

Private equity investments

The Bancorp invests as a limited partner in private equity investments which provide the Bancorp an opportunity to obtain higher rates of return on invested capital, while also creating cross-selling opportunities for the Bancorp’s commercial products. Each of the limited partnerships has an unrelated third-party general partner responsible for appointing the fund manager. The Bancorp has not been appointed fund manager for any of these private equity investments. The funds finance primarily all of their activities from the partners’ capital contributions and investment returns.

The Bancorp has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of the funds because it does not have the obligation to absorb the funds’ expected losses or the right to receive the funds’ expected residual returns that could potentially be significant to the funds and lacks the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the funds. The Bancorp, as a limited partner, does not have substantive participating or substantive

kick-out

rights over the general partner. Therefore, the Bancorp accounts for its investments in these limited partnerships under the equity method of accounting.

The Bancorp is exposed to losses arising from the negative performance of the underlying investments in the private equity investments. As a limited partner, the Bancorp’s maximum exposure to loss is limited to the carrying amounts of the investments plus unfunded commitments. The carrying amounts of these investments, which are included in other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, are presented in previous tables. Also, at December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Bancorp’s unfunded commitment amounts to the private equity funds were $75 million and $32 million, respectively. As part of previous commitments, the Bancorp made capital contributions to private equity investments of $12 million and $7 million during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The Bancorp did not recognize OTTI associated with certain nonconforming investments affected by the Volcker Rule during the year ended December 31, 2019, and recognized $8 million and $1 million for the years ended 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Loans provided to VIEs

The Bancorp has provided funding to certain unconsolidated VIEs sponsored by third parties. These VIEs are generally established to finance certain consumer and small business loans originated by third parties. The entities are primarily funded through the issuance of a loan from the Bancorp or a syndication through which the Bancorp is involved. The sponsor/administrator of the entities is responsible for servicing the underlying assets in the VIEs. Because the sponsor/administrator, not the Bancorp, holds the servicing responsibilities, which include the establishment and employment of default mitigation policies and procedures, the Bancorp does not hold the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the entity and, therefore, is not the primary beneficiary.

The principal risk to which these entities are exposed is credit risk related to the underlying assets. The Bancorp’s maximum exposure to loss is equal to the carrying amounts of the loans and unfunded commitments to the VIEs. The Bancorp’s outstanding loans to these VIEs are included in commercial loans in Note 6.

As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Bancorp’s unfunded commitments to these entities were $1.4 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively. The loans and unfunded commitments to these VIEs are included in the Bancorp’s overall analysis of the ALLL and reserve for unfunded commitments, respectively. The Bancorp does not provide any implicit or explicit liquidity guarantees or principal value guarantees to these VIEs.

Lease pool entities

As a result of the acquisition of MB Financial, Inc., the Bancorp

co-invested

with other unrelated leasing companies in three LLCs designed for the purpose of purchasing pools of residual interests in leases which have been originated or purchased by the other investing member. For each LLC, the leasing company is the managing member and has full authority over the

day-to-day

operations of the entity. While the Bancorp holds more than 50% of the equity interests in each LLC, the operating agreements require both members to consent to significant corporate actions, such as liquidating the entity or removing the manager. In addition, the Bancorp has a preference with regards to distributions such that all of the Bancorp’s equity contribution for each pool must be distributed, plus a

pre-defined

rate of return, before the other member may receive distributions. The leasing company is also entitled to the return of its investment plus a

pre-defined

rate of return before any residual profits are distributed to the members.

The lease pool entities are primarily subject to risk of losses on the lease residuals purchased. The Bancorp has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs because it does not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the entities. This power is held by the leasing company, who as managing member controls the servicing of the leases and collection of the proceeds on the residual interests.