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Summary of Significant Accounting Principles (Policies)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Principles of Financial Statement Presentation

(a) Principles of Financial Statement Presentation

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Form 10-Q”) should be read in conjunction with the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 (the “2017 Form 10-K”) of Alleghany Corporation (“Alleghany”).

Alleghany Corporation, a Delaware corporation, owns and manages certain operating subsidiaries and investments, anchored by a core position in property and casualty reinsurance and insurance. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary TransRe, Alleghany is engaged in the property and casualty reinsurance business. TransRe has been Alleghany’s wholly-owned subsidiary since March 2012. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Alleghany Insurance Holdings LLC (“AIHL”) and its subsidiaries, Alleghany is engaged in the property and casualty insurance business. AIHL’s insurance operations are principally conducted by its subsidiaries RSUI Group, Inc. (“RSUI”), CapSpecialty, Inc. (“CapSpecialty”) and, prior to December 31, 2017, Pacific Compensation Corporation (“PacificComp”). CapSpecialty has been a subsidiary of AIHL since January 2002 and RSUI has been a subsidiary of AIHL since July 2003. AIHL Re LLC (“AIHL Re”), a captive reinsurance company which provides reinsurance to Alleghany’s current and former insurance operating subsidiaries and affiliates, has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alleghany since its formation in May 2006.

On September 12, 2017, AIHL signed a definitive agreement to sell PacificComp to CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Company (“CopperPoint”) for total cash consideration of approximately $158 million. The transaction closed on December 31, 2017, at which time: (i) approximately $442 million of PacificComp assets, consisting primarily of debt securities, and approximately $316 million of PacificComp liabilities, consisting primarily of loss and loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”) reserves, were transferred; and (ii) AIHL recorded an after-tax gain of approximately $16 million, which included a tax benefit. In connection with the transaction, AIHL Re will continue to provide adverse development reinsurance coverage on PacificComp’s pre-acquisition claims, subject to certain terms and conditions. AIHL Re’s obligations, which are guaranteed by Alleghany, are subject to: (i) an aggregate limit of $150.0 million; and (ii) a final commutation and settlement as of December 31, 2024.

Although Alleghany’s primary sources of revenues and earnings are its reinsurance and insurance operations and investments, Alleghany also sources, executes, manages and monitors certain private investments primarily through its wholly-owned subsidiary Alleghany Capital Corporation (“Alleghany Capital”). Alleghany Capital’s investments include:

 

  •   Bourn & Koch, Inc. (“Bourn & Koch”), a manufacturer/remanufacturer of specialty machine tools and supplier of replacement parts, accessories and services for a variety of cutting technologies, headquartered in Rockford, Illinois;

 

  •   R.C. Tway Company, LLC (“Kentucky Trailer”), a manufacturer of custom trailers and truck bodies for the moving and storage industry and other markets, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky;

 

  •   IPS-Integrated Project Services, LLC (“IPS”), a technical engineering-focused service provider focused on the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania;

 

  •   Jazwares, LLC (together with its affiliates, “Jazwares”), a global toy, entertainment and musical instrument company, headquartered in Sunrise, Florida;

 

  •   WWSC Holdings, LLC (“W&W|AFCO Steel”), a structural steel fabricator and erector, headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and

 

  •   a 45 percent equity interest in Wilbert Funeral Services, Inc. (“Wilbert”), a provider of products and services for the funeral and cemetery industries and precast concrete markets, headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

The results of W&W|AFCO Steel have been included in Alleghany’s consolidated results beginning with its acquisition by Alleghany Capital on April 28, 2017. On February 7, 2018, W&W|AFCO Steel acquired Hirschfeld Holdings, LP (“Hirschfeld”).

Wilbert is accounted for under the equity method of accounting and is included in other invested assets. The results of Wilbert have been included in Alleghany’s consolidated results beginning with its acquisition by Alleghany Capital on August 1, 2017.

In addition, Alleghany owns certain other holding-company investments. Stranded Oil Resources Corporation (“SORC”) is an exploration and production company focused on enhanced oil recovery, headquartered in Golden, Colorado. Alleghany also owns and manages properties in the Sacramento, California region through its wholly-owned subsidiary Alleghany Properties Holdings LLC (“Alleghany Properties”). Alleghany’s public equity investments are managed primarily through Alleghany’s wholly-owned subsidiary Roundwood Asset Management LLC.

Unless the context otherwise requires, references to “Alleghany” include Alleghany together with its subsidiaries.

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the results of Alleghany and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”). All material inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The portion of stockholders’ equity, net earnings and comprehensive income that is not attributable to Alleghany stockholders is presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and the Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Income as noncontrolling interests. Because all noncontrolling interests have the option to sell their ownership interests to Alleghany in the future (generally through 2024), the portion of stockholders’ equity that is not attributable to Alleghany stockholders is presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as redeemable noncontrolling interests for all periods presented. During the first three months of 2018, the approximate noncontrolling interests outstanding were as follows: Bourn & Koch - 11 percent; Kentucky Trailer - 21 percent; IPS - 16 percent; Jazwares - 23 percent; and W&W|AFCO Steel - 20 percent.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Alleghany relies on historical experience and on various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances to make judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ materially from those reported results to the extent that those estimates and assumptions prove to be inaccurate. Changes in estimates are reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Income in the period in which the changes are made.

(b) Other Significant Accounting Principles

Alleghany’s significant accounting principles can be found in Note 1 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of the 2017 Form 10-K.
Recent Accounting Standards

(c) Recent Accounting Standards

Recently Adopted

In February 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued guidance on certain tax effects caused by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”), which was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The Tax Act reduced the corporate federal income tax rate from 35.0 percent to 21.0 percent, effective January 1, 2018 for the 2018 tax year, among other provisions. Under such circumstances, GAAP requires that the value of deferred tax assets and liabilities be reduced through tax expense. The new guidance provides an option to reclassify any stranded tax amounts that remain in accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings, either retrospectively or at the beginning of the period in which the adoption is elected. This guidance became effective in the first quarter of 2018 for public entities, with early adoption permitted in 2017. Alleghany adopted this new guidance in the first quarter of 2018, and has elected to reclassify stranded tax amounts that remain in accumulated other comprehensive income, in the amount of approximately $135 million, to retained earnings as of January 1, 2018. See Note 7(b) of this Form 10-Q for further information on accumulated other comprehensive income, and see Note 9 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of the 2017 Form 10-K for additional information on the Tax Act and its impact on Alleghany.

In March 2017, the FASB issued guidance that reduces the amortization period for the premium on certain purchased callable debt securities to the earliest call date. The guidance applies specifically to noncontingent call features that are callable at a predetermined and fixed price and date. The accounting for purchased callable debt securities held at a discount is not affected. This guidance is effective in the first quarter of 2019 for public entities, with early adoption permitted. Alleghany adopted this guidance in the fourth quarter of 2017, and recorded a cumulative effect reduction of approximately $13 million directly to opening 2017 retained earnings and an offsetting increase in opening 2017 accumulated other comprehensive income. The implementation did not have a material impact on Alleghany’s results of operations and financial condition. See Note 7(b) of this Form 10-Q for further information on accumulated other comprehensive income.

In May 2014, the FASB, together with the International Accounting Standards Board, issued guidance on the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. Under this guidance, revenue is recognized as the transfer of goods and services to customers takes place and in amounts that reflect the payment or payments that are expected to be received from the customers for those goods and services. This guidance also requires new disclosures about revenue. Revenues related to insurance and reinsurance contracts and revenues from investments are not impacted by this guidance, whereas noninsurance revenues arising from the sale of manufactured goods and services is generally included within the scope of this guidance. This guidance became effective in the first quarter of 2018 for public entities, with early adoption permitted in 2017. Alleghany adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2018 using the modified retrospective transition approach, and the implementation did not have a material impact on its results of operations and financial condition.

In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance that changes the recognition and measurement of certain financial instruments. This guidance requires investments in equity securities (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, but including partnership investments not accounted for under the equity method) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. For equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values, measurement may be at cost, adjusted for any impairment and changes resulting from observable price changes for a similar investment of the same issuer. This guidance also changes the presentation and disclosure of financial instruments by: (i) requiring that financial instrument disclosures of fair value use the exit price notion; (ii) requiring separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form, either on the balance sheet or the accompanying notes to the financial statements; (iii) requiring separate presentation in other comprehensive income for the portion of the change in a liability’s fair value resulting from instrument-specific credit risk when an election has been made to measure the liability at fair value; and (iv) eliminating the requirement to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value for financial instruments measured at amortized cost on the balance sheet. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 for public entities, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Except for the change in presentation for instrument-specific credit risk, this guidance does not permit early adoption. Alleghany adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2018. As of January 1, 2018, approximately $736 million of net unrealized gains of equity securities, net of deferred taxes, were reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. Subsequently, all changes in unrealized gains or losses of equity securities, net of deferred taxes, were presented in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings rather than the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, under the caption “change in the fair value of equity securities.” Results arising from partnership investments, whether accounted for under the equity method or at fair value, continue to be reported as a component of net investment income. The implementation did not have a material impact on Alleghany’s financial condition. See Note 3 of this Form 10-Q for further information on Alleghany’s equity securities, and Note 7(b) of this Form 10-Q for further information on accumulated other comprehensive income.

Future Application of Accounting Standards

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance on leases. Under this guidance, a lessee is required to recognize lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets for leases with terms of more than one year, whereas under current guidance, a lessee is only required to recognize assets and liabilities for those leases qualifying as capital leases. This guidance also requires new disclosures about the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The accounting by lessors is to remain largely unchanged. This guidance is effective in the first quarter of 2019 for public entities, with early adoption permitted. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for all leases in existence as of, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. Alleghany will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of 2019 and does not currently believe that the implementation will have a material impact on its results of operations and financial condition. See Note 12(b) to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of the 2017 Form 10-K for further information on Alleghany’s leases.

In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance on credit losses. Under this guidance, a company is required to measure all expected credit losses on loans, reinsurance recoverables and other financial assets accounted for at cost or amortized cost, as applicable. Estimates of expected credit losses are to be based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Credit losses for securities accounted for on an available-for-sale (“AFS”) basis are to be measured in a manner similar to GAAP as currently applied and cannot exceed the amount by which the fair value is less than the amortized cost. Credit losses for all financial assets are to be recorded through an allowance for credit losses. Subsequent reversals in credit loss estimates are permitted and are to be recognized in earnings. This guidance also requires new disclosures about the significant estimates and judgments used in estimating credit losses, as well as the credit quality of financial assets. This guidance is effective in the first quarter of 2020 for public entities, with early adoption permitted. Alleghany will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of 2020 and does not currently believe that the implementation will have a material impact on its results of operations and financial condition.

In January 2017, the FASB issued guidance that simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill. Under this guidance, if an initial qualitative assessment indicates that the fair value of an operating subsidiary may be less than its carrying amount, an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount of the operating subsidiary exceeds its estimated fair value. Any resulting impairment loss recognized cannot exceed the total amount of goodwill associated with the operating subsidiary. This guidance is effective in the first quarter of 2020 for public entities, with early adoption permitted. Alleghany will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of 2020 and does not currently believe that the implementation will have a material impact on its results of operations and financial condition. See Note 2 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of the 2017 Form 10-K for further information on Alleghany’s goodwill.

In August 2017, the FASB issued guidance that simplifies the requirements to achieve hedge accounting, better reflects the economic results of hedging in the financial statements and better aligns hedge accounting with a company’s risk management activities. This guidance is effective in the first quarter of 2019 for public entities, with early adoption permitted. Alleghany will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of 2019 and does not currently believe that the implementation will have a material impact on its results of operations and financial condition.