Dodd-Frank

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On January 20th, the SEC finalized its first batch of many rules to come under Dodd-Frank, requiring issuers to perform reviews of the assets underlying their ABS securities and requiring them to disclose fulfilled and unfulfilled repurchase requests for alleged breaches of representations and warranties.  These have effective dates beginning with 2012 issuance so, to a certain extent, we can kick the anxiety can down the road for a while.  Nonetheless, this is a pretty clear window into what may be a bleak regulatory future.  And that’s important now.  More on this later.

Rule 193 (release here (pdf)) requires an issuer to know something about the assets it’s securitizing.  The issuer is supposed to do diligence to understand the assets it securitizes and tell the investor about the nature of its inquiry.  Curiously, and I’m not complaining here, Rule 193 does not purport to define what disclosures need be made, just that there ought to be “robust" and "transparent” diligence behind them. Its inquiry must be “designed and effected to provide reasonable assurances” that the disclosures about the assets are correct.

Hardly shocking.  Call me silly, but that seems to be what we do in structured finance.  I guess more information about exactly what the issuer did to understand the assets it securitizes could be useful, particularly in asset classes in which the asset level data is sketchy and aggregate.  It’s just silly in CMBS when we already deliver vast quantities of granular data in every deal.Continue Reading The FinReg Sheriff Arrives in Town: Do You Feel Safer?

I’m sitting in the Grand Ballroom at the JW Marriot (filled to capacity) and listening to Tucker Carlson give his thoughts on likely GOP challengers to the President. I’ve seen him before – he did a great bit with Paul Begala a few years ago at the MBA in San Diego; very likable and very, very funny (told a great story about receiving a call from Donald Trump that I don’t think I can reprint here). His early pick for the Republican nominee is New Jersey’s Chris Christie.Continue Reading CREFC Day 2: Tucker Carlson, Chuck Schumer and Dodd-Frank

The industry descended on our Nation’s Capital this morning for the 2011 CREFC conference: "Commercial Lending: The New World Order". It was -2 at Logan when my shuttle took to the air – needless to say I’m more than happy for the opportunity to spend a few days with friends, clients and colleagues in a warmer climate. (Current DC temperature is 24 degrees – not quite Stone Crabs at Joe’s, but I’ll take what I can get.) Continue Reading CREFC Day 1: Penn Avenue Freeze Out

I have a Leapster Explorer™ on order for my son’s 5th birthday that I seriously hope arrives in the next two days, but in addition to that delivery, there’s a lot of securitization-related rulemaking required or permitted to be delivered under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that was enacted on July 21, 2010 (“Dodd-Frank”).

Fewer than half of the rulemaking provisions in Dodd-Frank specify when the required or permitted rule should be issued or go into effect. Some of the Dodd-Frank rulemaking provisions require multiple agencies to issue rules jointly, some provisions require multiple agencies to issue rules separately, several provisions require that rules be issued by one agency in consultation with another agency… Some rulemaking deadlines are based on date of enactment of Dodd-Frank (July 21, 2010), others on the effective date (July 22, 2010, except as otherwise specifically provided in Dodd-Frank).

Below is a discussion about where we are in connection with some of the Dodd-Frank provisions that are of particular interest to the securitization industry.
 Continue Reading What Are We Still Waiting For and When Should it Arrive?

While perhaps akin to stories of sixteen foot gators in the New York sewer system, I have heard that there is a physiological basis for suppressing the more painful memories of childbirth which is the species’ way of ensuring that couples have more than one child. Perhaps a similar thing is affecting investors and market participants to allow animal spirits to be rekindled this January.

Oh, I think it’s fair to say that there were precious few animal spirits in January ’08 and ’09 and we were all a bit fluttery at the beginning of 2010, but I think we’ve put the worst memories of the last 3 years’ unpleasantness behind us and appear intent on enjoying the delightful frisson of booming times once again.
 Continue Reading Animal Spirits and Limits of Memory

Another item to add to the growing list of possible unintended consequences of financial reform in connection with ABS: Section 210(a)(11) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Reform Act”)—Avoidable Transfers.

Here’s the who, what, where, when, why and how ABS are affected.

WHO? A “covered financial company” of which the FDIC becomes the liquidating receiver. Under the Reform Act, a “covered financial company” is a “financial company” as to which a “systemic risk determination” (such financial company is deemed to pose a significant risk to the financial stability of the U.S. upon its failure) has been made by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury in consultation with the President. Entities most likely to be affected are non-bank “financial companies,” bank holding companies, and non-bank U.S. subsidiaries of either– if such subsidiary is in a financial business. An insured depository institution cannot be a “covered financial company.”
 Continue Reading Fa la la la la, la la, OLA

The general theme of the American Securitization Forum Sunset Seminar held on Wednesday at Dechert’s NY office was the unintended consequences of the Dodd-Frank Act. Our largest conference room was packed with over a hundred securitization industry players all searching for the best predictions on the shape of the massive amount of regulations coming our way over the next few months. First on the agenda was a discussion of the repeal of Rule 436(g) and the resulting Securities Act liability for rating agencies. Dodd-Frank’s intent was to improve the value of ratings by making rating agencies more accountable to investors. Unfortunately, the rating agencies would not consent to their ratings being disclosed and the entire public securitization market was stopped cold. Not helpful for a market struggling to return to "normal.” We have the temporary fix issued July 22 of this year in the form of an SEC No-action letter green lighting the omission of ratings in registration statements, but what happens next? Most likely– the SEC will amend Reg AB Items 1103 and 1120 to not require ratings in registration statements. However, the SEC is considering requiring ratings in non-ABS registration statements, so how likely is this most likely solution really? Other ideas—in no particular order of likelihood: Congress will reinstate 436(g). Doubtful. The SEC will extend the No-action letter indefinitely. Perhaps. Ratings agencies assume the liability or are indemnified by issuers. Maybe. One panelist predicted that in the short run, we’ll have uncertainty; and in the long run, more uncertainty. Consensus is that there’s a long road ahead and harmonization amongst the regulators and applicable agencies is key. Also keep in mind as this unfolds that rating agency accountability is also to be achieved under Dodd-Frank by new private rights of action against ratings agencies (and other parties) leading perhaps to nationally certified class actions. As a result, the rating agencies will be seeking comfort and indemnity from issuers on the accuracy of data given to them in the course of their diligence.

The discussion turned to conflicts of interest and the prohibition against engaging in any transaction that would result in a material conflict of interest with respect to any investor for one year following closing (other than hedging activity or market-making/sales to provide liquidity for the ABS). An example of this conflict would be underwriting ABS then shorting the synthetic ABS that references the first ABS. One issue raised with respect to compliance is the problem of information barriers between departments at investment banking institutions.
 Continue Reading ASF Sunset Seminar: What to Expect from the Dodd-Frank Rulemakings