Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]

Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AFG and all other entities in which AFG (directly or through its subsidiaries) has a controlling financial interest, including variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which AFG or an AFG subsidiary is deemed the primary beneficiary in accordance with the Consolidation Topic of the Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC"). All significant intercompany balances have been eliminated. See Note 9. Variable Interest Entities, for a detailed discussion of Ambac’s involvement in VIEs, Ambac’s methodology for determining whether Ambac is required to consolidate a VIE and the effects of VIEs being consolidated and deconsolidated.

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

Basis of Presentation:

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial reporting and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and disclosures required by GAAP for annual periods. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have not been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (U.S.), but in the opinion of management such financial statements include all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations. The results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2022. The December 31, 2021, consolidated balance sheet was derived from audited financial statements.

The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. As additional information becomes available or actual amounts become determinable, the recorded estimates are revised and reflected in operating results.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Foreign Currency:The impact of non-functional currency transactions and the remeasurement of non-functional currency assets and liabilities into the respective subsidiaries' functional currency (collectively "foreign currency transactions gains/(losses)") are $7 and $(7) for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Foreign currency transactions gains/(losses) are primarily the result of remeasuring Ambac UK's assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than its functional currency, primarily the U.S. dollar and the Euro.

Noncontrolling Interest Disclosure

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest:

The acquisition by AFG of 80% of the ownership interests of Xchange is further described in Note 3. Business Combinations in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Ambac received a call option to purchase the remaining 20% of Xchange from the minority owners (i.e., noncontrolling interests) and the minority owners received a put option to sell the remaining 20% to Ambac. The call and put options are exercisable after different time periods elapse. Because the exercise of the put option is outside the control of Ambac, in accordance with the Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity Topic of the ASC, Ambac reports redeemable noncontrolling interests in the mezzanine section of its consolidated balance sheet.

The redeemable noncontrolling interest is remeasured each period as the greater of:

i.the carrying value under ASC 810, which attributes a portion of consolidated net income (loss) to the redeemable noncontrolling interest; and

ii.the redemption value of the put option under ASC 480 as if it were exercisable at the end of the reporting period.

Any increase (decrease) in the carrying amount of the redeemable noncontrolling interest as a result of adjusting to the redemption value of the put option is recorded as an offset to retained earnings. The impact of such differences on earnings per share are presented in Note 12. Net Income Per Share.

Following is a rollforward of redeemable noncontrolling interest.


Six Months Ended June 30,	2022		2021
Beginning balance	$	18	$	7
Net income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest (ASC 810)	—		—
Adjustment to redemption value (ASC 480)	—		14
Ending balance	$	18	$	20

Reclassifications

Reclassifications and Rounding

Reclassifications may have been made to prior years' amounts to conform to the current year's presentation. Certain amounts and tables in the consolidated financial statements and associated notes may not add due to rounding.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Adopted Accounting Standards:

Effective January 1, 2022, the Company adopted the following accounting standard:

Equity-classified Written Call Options

In May 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-04, Issuer's Accounting for Certain Modifications or Exchanges of Freestanding Equity-Classified Written Call Options. The ASU clarifies and reduces diversity in practice for an issuer's accounting for modifications or exchanges of equity-classified written call options (e.g. warrants) that remain equity-classified after the modification or exchange. The ASU requires an issuer to account for the modification or exchange based on the economic substance of the transaction. For example, if the modification or exchange is related to the issuance of debt or equity, any change in the fair value of the written call option would be accounted for as part of the debt issuance cost in accordance with the debt guidance or equity issuance cost in accordance with the equity guidance, respectively. The ASU did not have a consequential impact on Ambac's financial statements.

Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity. The ASU i) simplifies the accounting for convertible debt and convertible preferred stock by reducing the number of accounting

models, and amends certain disclosures, ii) amends and simplifies the derivative scope exception guidance for contracts in an entity's own equity, including share-based compensation, and iii) amends the diluted earnings per share calculations for convertible instruments and contracts in an entity's own equity. The ASU did not have a consequential impact on Ambac's financial statements.

Future Application of Accounting Standards:

Reference Rate Reform

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) - Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The ASU provides companies with optional guidance to ease the potential accounting burden related to transitioning away from reference rates, such as LIBOR, that are expected to be discontinued as a result of initiatives undertaken by various jurisdictions around the world. For example, under current GAAP, contract modifications which change a reference rate are required to be evaluated in determining whether the modifications result in the establishment of new contracts or the continuation of existing contracts. The amendments in this ASU provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The ASU can be applied prospectively as of the beginning of the interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or any date thereafter, but does not apply to contract modifications and other transactions entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022. On April 20, 2022, the FASB issued a proposed ASU that would extend the sunset date to December 31, 2024 and make certain definitional changes, with feedback required by June 6, 2022. Management has not determined when it will adopt this ASU, and the impact on Ambac's financial statements is being evaluated.