Asset Securitizations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

ASSET SECURITIZATIONS

We periodically securitize Card Member loans and receivables arising from our card businesses through the transfer of those assets to securitization trusts, American Express Credit Account Master Trust (the Lending Trust) and American Express Issuance Trust II (the Charge Trust and together with the Lending Trust, the Trusts). The Trusts then issue debt securities collateralized by the transferred assets to third-party investors.

The Trusts are considered VIEs as they have insufficient equity at risk to finance their activities, which are to issue debt securities that are collateralized by the underlying Card Member loans and receivables. Refer to Note 1 for further details on the principles of consolidation. We perform the servicing and key decision making for the Trusts, and therefore have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the Trusts’ economic performance, which are the collection of the underlying Card Member loans and receivables. In addition, we hold all of the variable interests in both Trusts, with the exception of the debt securities issued to third-party investors. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, our ownership of variable interests was $12.9 billion and $15.5 billion, respectively, for the Lending Trust and $8.3 billion and $7.0 billion, respectively, for the Charge Trust. These variable interests held by us provide us with the right to receive benefits and the obligation to absorb losses, which could be significant to both the Lending Trust and the Charge Trust. Based on these considerations, we are the primary beneficiary of the Trusts and therefore consolidate the Trusts.

The debt securities issued by the Trusts are non-recourse to us. The securitized Card Member loans and receivables held by the Lending Trust and the Charge Trust, respectively, are available only for payment of the debt securities or other obligations issued or arising in the securitization transactions (refer to Note 2). The long-term debt of each Trust is payable only out of collections on their respective underlying securitized assets (refer to Note 8).

The following table provides information on the restricted cash held by the Trusts as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets:


(Millions)	2019		2018
Lending Trust	$	85	$	67
Charge Trust	—		3
Total	$	85	$	70

These amounts relate to collections of Card Member loans and receivables to be used by the Trusts to fund future expenses and obligations, including interest on debt securities, credit losses and upcoming debt maturities.

Under the respective terms of the Lending Trust and the Charge Trust agreements, the occurrence of certain triggering events associated with the performance of the assets of each Trust could result in payment of trust expenses, establishment of reserve funds, or, in a worst-case scenario, early amortization of debt securities. During the year ended December 31, 2019, no such triggering events occurred.