In 2004, the Company relocated certain operations from Lincoln, Rhode Island, to Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. The Company also leases property in Boston, Massachusetts. The Company is in the process of subleasing these properties.
Omitted pursuant to Instruction I(2)(a) to Form 10-K. Please refer to
DAC is also adjusted for amounts relating to unrealized investment gains and losses. This adjustment, net of tax, is included with unrealized investment gains or losses that are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). DAC was increased (decreased) by $6.9 million and $(12.8) million for the unrealized losses (gains) as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, relating to this adjustment.
The value of business acquired ("VOBA") represents the actuarially determined present value of projected future gross profits from the Keyport Life Insurance Company ("Keyport") policies in force at the date of the Company’s acquisition of Keyport (November 1, 2001). This amount is amortized in proportion to the projected emergence of profits over the estimated life of the purchased block of business.
The Company uses derivative financial instruments for risk management purposes to hedge against specific interest rate risk, to alter investment rate exposures arising from mismatches between assets and liabilities, and to minimize the Company’s exposure to fluctuations in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and equity market conditions. The derivative instruments used by the Company include swaps, options and futures. The Company does not employ hedge accounting treatment. The Company believes that these derivatives provide economic hedges against the risks noted and the cost of formally documenting the effectiveness of the fair value of the hedged assets in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities," is not justified. As a result, the unrealized gains and losses are recognized immediately in net derivative income. Changes in the level of interest rates or equity markets will cause the value of these derivatives to change and can cause quarterly fluctuations in earnings. Since the majority of the liabilities that are being hedged are not carried at fair value, the changes in the fair value of the derivatives will cause fluctuation in the reported earnings from period to period as foreign currency exchange rates, equity markets and interest rate change.
Certain of the Company’s fixed maturities are classified as trading and others as available-for-sale. The changes in fair value of trading securities are recorded as a component of net investment income. The changes in fair value of available-for-sale securities are recorded in other comprehensive income. The fair value of swaps are based on current settlement values. The current settlement values are based on dealer quotes and market prices. Fair values for options and futures are based on dealer quotes and market prices.
The Company incurred realized losses totaling $6.3 million and $29.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, for other-than-temporary impairments. The Company has discontinued the accrual of income on all of its holdings for issuers that are in default. Investment income would have increased by $0.6 million and $1.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, if these holdings were performing.
Twelve-month period ended December 31, 2006 compared to the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2005:
The Company’s net income was $78.3 million and $133.2 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Income before income taxes, minority interest share of income (loss) and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle was $76.7 million and $172.0 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The significant changes are described below.
Net derivative income for the years ended December 31 consisted of the following (in 000’s):
Net realized investment (losses) gains - were $(44.5) million and $16.9 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Sales of investments generally are made to maximize total return and take advantage of prevailing market conditions. The Company incurred write-downs of fixed maturities for other-than-temporary impairments of $6.3 million and $29.7 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Surrender charges represent revenues earned on the early withdrawal of fixed, fixed index and variable annuity policyholder balances. Surrender charges on fixed, fixed index and variable annuity surrenders generally are assessed at declining rates applied to policyholder surrenders during the first four to ten years of the contract. Total surrender charges were $25.8 million and $25.9 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Other income primarily represents fees charged for administrative service fees, cost of insurance, investment advisory services and revenue sharing. Other income was $116.1 million and $93.7 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Interest credited - to policyholders was $633.4 million and $637.5 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The decrease of $4.1 million was the result of a decrease in average policyholder balances of $9.2 million offset by a higher average interest credited rate of $5.1 million.
Interest expense - was $130.8 million and $123.3 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The $7.5 million increase was primarily due to the interest expense related to three $100.0 million floating demand notes issued on September 19, 2006, May 24, 2006 and June 10, 2005, respectively.
Amortization of VOBA - relates to the actuarially-determined value of in-force business at the date that the Company acquired Keyport (November 1, 2001). This amount is amortized in proportion to the projected emergence of profits over the estimated lives of the contracts. Amortization was $7.6 million and $17.5 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The amortization expense was (decreased) increased by an unlocking adjustment of $(8.3) million and $6.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
The Wealth Management Segment sells a full range of retirement-oriented insurance products that provide fixed, indexed or variable returns to policyholders. Annuities are insurance products designed to offer individuals protection against the risk of outliving their financial assets during retirement. Annuities offer a tax-deferred means of accumulating savings for retirement needs and provide a source of income in the payout period. The Company earns spread income from fixed and indexed annuities; variable annuities primarily produce fee income. This segment also markets funding agreements to both related and unrelated third parties.
The segment’s principal products are described below for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005:
Variable Annuities - Variable annuities offer a selection of underlying investment alternatives that may satisfy a variety of policyholder risk/return objectives. Under a variable annuity, the policyholder has the opportunity to select separate account investment options (consisting of underlying mutual funds), which pass the investment risk directly to the policyholder in return for the potential of higher returns. Variable annuities also include guaranteed fixed interest options and benefits. The Company has several different variable annuity products that offer various separate account investment choices, depending on the product, and guaranteed fixed interest options.
On September 12, 2006, the Company entered into a Terms Agreement (the "2006-B Terms Agreement") with its affiliates Sun Life Financial Global Funding III, L.P. (the "Issuer III"), Sun Life Financial Global Funding III, U.L.C. (the "ULC III") and Sun Life Financial Global Funding III, L.L.C. (the "LLC III"), and with Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Banc of America Securities LLC, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated,, RBC Capital Markets Corporation and Wachovia Capital Markets (each, an "Initial Purchaser" and collectively, the "2006-B Initial Purchasers"), in connection with the offer and sale by the Issuer III of $750 million of Series 2006-1 Floating Rate Notes due 2013 ("2006-B Notes"). On September 21, 2006, the Company entered into another Terms Agreement (together with the original 2006-B Terms Agreement, the "2006-B Terms Agreements") with the same parties as the original 2006-B Terms Agreement in connection with the offer and sale by the Issuer III of a second tranche of $150 million of 2006-B Notes. The payment obligations of the Issuer III for the full $900 million of 2006-B Notes are unconditionally guaranteed by the LLC III pursuant to a guarantee (the "2006-B Secured Guarantee") dated as of September 19, 2006, and the obligations of the LLC III under the 2006-B Secured Guarantee are secured by two floating rate funding agreements issued by the Company to the LLC III, one for $750 million issued on September 19, 2006 and another for $150 million issued on September 29, 2006. Total interest credited for the funding agreements was $14.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006.
The 2006-B Terms Agreements incorporate by reference the provisions of a Purchase Agreement dated as of September 5, 2006 by and among the Issuer III, the ULC III, the LLC III, the Company and all of the 2006-B Initial Purchasers. Pursuant to these incorporated provisions, the Company has agreed, among other things, to indemnify each 2006 Initial Purchaser against certain securities law liabilities related to the offering of the 2006-B Notes.
The Company has entered into an interest rate swap agreement with the LLC II with an aggregate notional amount of $900 million that effectively converts the floating rate payment obligations under the funding agreement to fixed rate obligations.
On June 3, 2005, the Company entered into a Terms Agreement (the "2005 Terms Agreement") with its affiliates, Sun Life Financial Global Funding, L.P. (the "Issuer"), Sun Life Financial Global Funding, U.L.C. (the "ULC") and Sun Life Financial Global Funding, L.L.C. (the "LLC"), and with Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Banc of America Securities LLC, Credit Suisse First Boston LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and RBC Capital Markets Corporation (collectively, the "2005 Initial Purchasers"), in connection with the offer and sale by the Issuer of $600 million of Series 2005-1 Floating Rate Notes due 2010 (the "First Tranche Notes").
The payment obligations of the Issuer under the First Tranche Notes and the Second Tranche Notes are unconditionally guaranteed by the LLC pursuant to a guarantee (the "2005 Secured Guarantee") dated as of June 10, 2005, and the obligations of the LLC under the 2005 Secured Guarantee are secured by two floating rate funding agreements issued by the Company to the LLC, one for $600 million issued June 10, 2005 and one for $300 million issued July 5, 2005. The Company issued a total of $900 million funding agreements to the LLC in connection with the First Tranche Notes and Second Tranche Notes. The Terms Agreement and the Second Terms Agreement incorporate by reference the provisions of a Purchase Agreement dated as of November 11, 2004 by and among the Issuer, the ULC, the LLC, the Company, and the 2005 Initial Purchasers. Pursuant to these incorporated provisions, the Company has agreed, among other things, to indemnify each 2005 Initial Purchaser against certain securities law liabilities related to the offering of the First Tranche Notes and the Second Tranche Notes. Total interest credited for the funding agreements associated with the First Tranche Notes and Second Tranche Notes was $49.5 million and $20.7 million for the years ended December 31, and 2005, respectively.
The Company sells its annuity products via two affiliated distribution organizations, Sun Life Financial Distributors, Inc. and Independent Financial Marketing Group, Inc. The annuity products are also distributed through a variety of unaffiliated retail organizations including securities brokers, financial institutions, insurance agents and financial advisers. Investment options available under these products are managed by several investment managers, including Massachusetts Financial Services Company and SCA, affiliates of the Company.
On September 6, 2006, the Company entered into an agreement with Credit and Repackaged Securities Limited Series 2006-10 Trust (the "Trust") whereby the Company is the sole beneficiary of the Trust. As of December 31, 2006, total assets of the Trust were $56.6 million. As the sole beneficiary of the Trust, the Company is required to consolidate the Trust under the requirements of FASB Interpretation No. 46 (revised December 2003), "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an interpretation of ARB No. 51." Accordingly, the assets and liabilities of the Trust are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. As of December 31, 2006, the Company recorded in its consolidated balance sheets $55.3 million of trading fixed maturities, $1.2 million of accrued investment income and $56.8 million of liabilities.
The pre-tax income was $32.1 million and $122.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The significant changes are described below.
Total Revenues were $1,386.6 million and $1,342.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The increase of $44.1 million was primarily due to the following:
Net investment income - was $1,069.2 million and $981.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Investment income, excluding the mark to market of the trading portfolio and partnership investments, was $1,053.6 million and $1,056.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The decrease of $3.2 million during 2006, as compared to 2005, was the result of lower average investment yield of $5.9 million offset by an increase in average invested assets of $2.7 million. Investment income (loss) related to changes in the market value of securities in the trading portfolio and changes in the value of partnership investments was $15.6 million and $(75.7) million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The change in the market value of the trading portfolio is primarily related to changes in the interest rate environment.
Surrender charges represent revenues earned on the early withdrawal of fixed, fixed index and variable annuity policyholder balances. Surrender charges on fixed, fixed index and variable annuity surrenders generally are assessed at declining rates applied to policyholder surrenders during the first four to ten years of the contract. Total surrender charges were $25.7 million and $25.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Other income primarily represents fees charged for administrative service fees, investment advisory services and revenue sharing. Other income was $66.5 million and $58.8 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Total benefits and expenditures were $1,354.6 million and $1,220.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The increase of $134.4 million was primarily due to the following:
Interest credited - to policyholders was $612.0 million and $620.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The decrease of $8.2 million was the result of a decrease in average policyholder balances of $12.6 million offset by a higher average interest credited rate of $4.4 million.
Interest expense - was $64.4 million and $68.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005 respectively. The $4.5 million decrease was due to lower allocated capital charges from the Corporate Segment in the amount of $12.8 million offset by $8.3 million increase in interest expense related to the three $100.0 million demand notes issued to the LLC, LLC II and LLC III, respectively.
Policyholder benefits - were $126.1 million and $160.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The $34.4 million decrease in 2006 compared to 2005 was primarily due to a $35.0 million adjustment related to loss recognition to life contingent payout annuity reserves increasing reserves for the year ended December 31, 2005.
Amortization of DAC - relates to the costs of acquiring new business, which vary with and are primarily related to the production of new business. Such acquisition costs include commissions, costs of policy issuance, and underwriting and selling expenses. Amortization expense was $386.5 million and $215.1 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The amortization expense included the effect of revisions in estimated future gross profits which aggregated $150.1 million and $19.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The most significant assumption changes for the year ended December 31, 2006 related to assumptions regarding lapses, future growth rates of capital markets assumptions, and expense assumptions. Increased actual gross profits also contributed to the additional amortization of DAC for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Total revenues were $101.4 million and $74.5 million for the twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The $26.9 million increase in revenues in 2006 as compared to 2005, was primarily due to a $17.0 million increase in fee income and a $12.9 million increase in net investment income, offset by a decrease in net realized investment gain of $3.1 million. The increase in fee income was primarily attributed to increase in loads from sales, cost of insurance and mortality and expense charges which were primarily due to growth in the in-force business for the BOLI product. The increase in net investment income was primarily due to increase in interest income on bonds and higher investment income allocation from the Corporate Segment.
The Group Protection Segment markets and administers group life insurance, group stop loss insurance, and group short-term and group long-term disability insurance products to small and mid-size employers. This segment operates only in the State of New York through the Company’s subsidiary, SLNY.
The following provides a summary of operations for the Corporate Segment for the years ended December 31 (in 000’s):
Common stock, $1,000 par value - 10,000 shares authorized; 6,437 shares
Net of tax (benefit) expense of $(25.5) million, $(43.0) million and $12.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Net of tax benefit (expense) of $ 21.9 million, $(42.9) million and $(37.8) million for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
On April 19, 2005, the Company sold its interest in a consolidated variable interest entity ("VIE"). As a result of the sale, bonds decreased by $42.5 million, short-term investments decreased by $28.5 million, investment income due and accrued decreased by $0.3 million, other invested assets decreased by $3.2 million, other liabilities decreased by $26.1 million, deferred tax liability decreased by $3.9 million, and notes payable decreased by $33.5 million.
On December 31, 2004, the Company distributed through a dividend to the Parent its interest in Sun Capital Advisers LLC. As a result of the dividend, other assets decreased by $5.2 million, other liabilities decreased by $0.9 million, and accrued expenses and taxes decreased by $0.6 million in a non-cash transaction.
As of December 31, 2004, SLC - U.S. Ops Holdings was a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada ("SLOC"). SLOC is a life insurance company incorporated in 1865 and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of SLF. On January 4, 2005, a reorganization was completed under which most of SLOC’s asset management businesses in Canada and the United States were transferred to Sun Life Financial Corp., a newly incorporated wholly-owned direct subsidiary of SLF. The Company is now an indirect subsidiary of Sun Life Financial Corp., and continues to be an indirect subsidiary of SLF.
On December 31, 2004, Sun Capital Advisers LLC ("SCA"), a registered investment adviser, was distributed in the form of a dividend to the Parent and became a consolidated subsidiary of the SLC - U.S. Ops Holdings. As a result of this transaction, SCA is no longer the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary. As of December 31, 2004, SCA’s total assets were $8.1 million. SCA’s net income was $1.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2004.
On June 30, 2004, the Company sold its interest in another consolidated VIE and recognized a gain of $9.7 million. The Company received net cash proceeds of $39.7 million and reduced consolidated assets and liabilities by $51.6 million and $21.9 million, respectively. The Company’s net income related to this VIE for the year ended December 31, 2004, excluding the gain on the sale, was $7.1 million.
The Company accounts for its investments in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 115, "Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities." At the time of purchase, fixed maturity securities are classified based on the Company’s intent as either held-to-maturity, trading or available-for-sale. In order for the security to be classified as held-to-maturity, the Company must have positive intent and ability to hold the securities to maturity. Securities held-to-maturity are stated at cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts. Securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term are classified as trading. Trading securities are carried at aggregate fair value with changes in unrealized gains or losses reported as a component of net investment income. Securities that do not meet the held-to-maturity or trading criterion are classified as available-for-sale. Included with available-for-sale fixed maturities are mortgage-backed securities in the To Be Announced form ("TBA"). The Company records TBA purchases on the trade date and the corresponding payable is recorded as an outstanding liability in the payable for investments purchased until the settlement date of the transaction. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value with the unrealized gains or losses reported in other comprehensive income.
Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Investments are placed in a non-accrual status when management believes that the borrower's financial condition, after giving consideration to economic and business conditions and collection efforts, is such that collection of principal and interest is doubtful. When an investment is placed in non-accrual status, all interest previously accrued is reversed against current period interest income. Interest accruals are resumed on such investments only when the investments have performed on a sustained basis for a reasonable period of time and when, in the judgment of management, the investments are estimated to be fully collectible as to both principal and interest.
Acquisition costs consist of commissions, underwriting and other costs, which vary with and are primarily related to the production of new business. Acquisition costs related to investment-type contracts, primarily deferred annuity and guaranteed investment contracts ("GICs"), and universal and variable life products are deferred and amortized with interest in proportion to the present value of estimated gross profits to be realized over the estimated lives of the contracts. Estimated gross profits are composed of net investment income, net realized investment gains and losses, life and variable annuity fees, surrender charges, interest credited, policyholder benefits and direct variable administrative expenses. This amortization is reviewed regularly and adjusted, as appropriate, retrospectively when the Company records actual profits and revises its estimate of future gross profits to be realized from this group of products, including realized gains and losses from investments.
DAC is also adjusted for amounts relating to unrealized investment gains and losses. This adjustment, net of tax, is included with unrealized investment gains or losses that are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). DAC was increased (decreased) by $6.9 million and $(12.8) million at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, to reflect unrealized losses and (gains).
VOBA is also adjusted for amounts relating to unrealized investment gains and losses. This adjustment, net of tax, is included with unrealized investment gains or losses that are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). VOBA was increased (decreased) by $0.5 million and $(1.2) million at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, to account for unrealized investment losses and (gains).
Goodwill represents the difference between the purchase price paid and the fair value of the net assets acquired in connection with the acquisition of Keyport Life Insurance Company ("Keyport") on November 1, 2001. In accordance with SFAS No. 142, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets," goodwill is tested for impairment on an annual basis. The Company completed the required impairment tests of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets during the second quarter of 2006 and concluded that these assets were not impaired.
Intangible assets acquired primarily consist of state insurance licenses that are not subject to amortization and of intangible assets related to product rights that have a weighted-average useful life of 7 years.
Policy reserves for annuity contracts include liabilities held for group pension and payout annuity payments and liabilities held for product guarantees on variable annuity products, such as guaranteed minimum death benefits. Reserves for pension and payout annuity contracts are calculated using the best-estimate interest and decrement assumptions that were set at the time that loss recognition testing resulted in additional reserves. Loss recognition testing is done periodically to make sure that these assumptions remain adequate. Reserves for guaranteed minimum death benefits and guaranteed minimum income benefits are calculated according to the methodology of AICPA Statement of Position 03-1, "Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises for Certain Nontraditional Long-Duration Contracts and for Separate Accounts" ("SOP 03-1"), whereby the expected benefits provided by the guarantees are spread over the duration of the contract in proportion to the benefit assessments.
Premiums for traditional individual life products are considered earned revenue when due. Premiums related to group life, group stop loss and group disability insurance are recognized as earned revenue pro-rata over the contract period. The unexpired portion of these premiums is recorded as unearned premiums. Revenue from universal life-type products and investment-related products includes charges for the cost of insurance (mortality), initiation and administration of the policy and surrender charges. Revenue is recognized when the charges are assessed except that any portion of an assessment that relates to services to be provided in future years is deferred and recognized over the period during which the services are provided.
Deferred income taxes are generally recognized when assets and liabilities have different values for financial statement and tax reporting purposes, and for other temporary taxable and deductible differences as defined by SFAS No. 109, "Accounting for Income Taxes." These differences primarily relate from policy reserves, policy acquisition expenses and unrealized gains or losses on investments.
The Company has established separate accounts applicable to various classes of contracts providing for variable benefits. Separate account assets are subject to general account claims only to the extent the value of such assets exceeds the separate account liabilities. Contracts for which funds are invested in separate accounts include variable life insurance and individual and group qualified and non-qualified variable annuity contracts. Investment income and changes in mutual fund asset values are allocated to policyholders and therefore do not affect the operating results of the Company. Assets held in the separate accounts are carried at fair value and the investment risk of such securities is retained by the contractholder. The Company earns separate account fees for providing administrative services and bearing the mortality risks related to these contracts. The activity of the separate accounts is not reflected in the consolidated financial statements except for: (1) the fees the Company receives, which are assessed periodically and recognized as revenue when assessed; and (2) the activity related to the guaranteed minimum death benefit ("GMDB"), guaranteed minimum income benefit (‘GMIB’), guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit ("GMAB") and guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (‘GMWB’) which is reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.
In September 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin ("SAB") No. 108, "Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements" ("SAB No. 108"), which addresses how the effects of prior year uncorrected financial statement misstatements should be considered in current year financial statements. SAB No. 108 requires registrants to quantify misstatements using both balance sheet and income statement approaches and to evaluate whether either approach results in quantifying an error that is material in light of relative quantitative and qualitative factors. The requirements of SAB No. 108 are effective for annual financial statements covering the first fiscal year ending after November 15, 2006. The Company’s adoption of SAB No. 108 during the year ended December 31, 2006 had no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In May of 2005, the FASB issued SFAS No. 154, "Accounting Changes and Error Corrections - a replacement of APB Opinion No. 20 and FASB Statement No. 3" ("SFAS No. 154"). This statement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2005. SFAS No. 154 changes the requirements for the accounting and reporting of a change in accounting principle and applies to all voluntary changes in accounting principle. The statement eliminates the requirement in APB 20 to include the cumulative effect of a change in accounting in the income statement in the period of change and requires retrospective applications to prior periods’ financial statements of changes in accounting principle, unless it is impracticable to determine either the specific period effects or the cumulative effect of the change. SFAS No. 154 applies to changes required by new accounting pronouncements only when the pronouncement does not include specific transition guidance. The adoption of SFAS No. 154 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
See Footnote 12 for additional information regarding the impact of adoption of SOP 03-1.
In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, "The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities" ("SFAS No. 159"), which permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. The objective is to improve financial reporting by providing entities with the opportunity to mitigate volatility in reporting earnings caused by measuring related assets and liabilities differently without having to apply complex hedge accounting provisions. SFAS No. 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007 and all interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of a fiscal year that begins on or before November 15, 2007, provided the entity also elects to apply the provisions of SFAS No. 157, "Fair Value Measurements." The Company is currently evaluating the impact, if any, that SFAS No. 159 may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In February 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 155, "Accounting for Certain Hybrid Instruments" ("SFAS No. 155"), an amendment to SFAS No. 133 and SFAS No. 140. Among other things, SFAS No. 155: (i) permits fair value remeasurement for any hybrid financial instrument that contains an embedded derivative that otherwise would require bifurcation; (ii) clarifies which interest-only strips and principal-only strips are not subject to the requirements of SFAS No. 133; (iii) establishes a requirement to evaluate interests in securitized financial assets to identify interests that are freestanding derivatives or that are hybrid financial instruments that contain an embedded derivative requiring bifurcation; (iv) clarifies that concentrations of credit risk in the form of subordination are not embedded derivatives; and (v) amends SFAS No. 140 to eliminate the prohibition on a qualifying special-purpose entity from holding a derivative financial instrument that pertains to a beneficial interest other than another derivative financial instrument. SFAS No. 155 is effective for all financial instruments acquired, issued, or subject to a remeasurement (new basis) event occurring after the beginning of an entity’s first fiscal year beginning after September 15, 2006. At initial application of SFAS No. 155, the fair value election provided for in paragraph 4(c) may be applied for hybrid financial instruments that were bifurcated under paragraph 12 of SFAS No. 133 prior to the initial application of SFAS No. 155.
In September of 2005, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (the "AICPA") issued Statement of Position 05-1, "Accounting by Insurance Enterprises for Deferred Acquisition Costs in Connection with Modifications or Exchanges of Insurance Contracts" ("SOP 05-1"). SOP 05-1 provides guidance on accounting by insurance companies for DAC on internal replacements other than those specifically described in SFAS No. 97, "Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises for Certain Long-Duration Contracts and for Realized Gains and Losses from the Sale of Investments." SOP 05-1 is effective for internal replacements occurring in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006. The adoption of SOP 05-1 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
On September 6, 2006, the Company entered into an agreement with the Trust, whereby the Company is the sole beneficiary of the Trust. As of December 31, 2006, total assets of the Trust were $56.6 million. As the sole beneficiary of the Trust, the Company is required to consolidate this Trust under the requirements of FASB Interpretation No. 46 (revised December 2003), "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an interpretation of ARB No. 51." Accordingly, the assets and liabilities of the Trust are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. As of December 31, 2006, the Company recorded in its consolidated balance sheets $55.3 million of trading fixed maturities, $1.2 million of accrued investment income and $56.8 million of liabilities.
On June 30, 2004, the Company sold its interest in another consolidated VIE and recognized a gain of $9.7 million. The Company received net cash proceeds of $39.7 and reduced consolidated assets and liabilities by $51.6 million and $21.9 million, respectively. The Company’s net income for the year ended December 31, 2004 includes net income of $7.1 million related to this VIE.
Below is a summary of affiliated transactions for those affiliates that are not consolidated within the Company.
The Company and its subsidiaries have administrative services agreements with SLOC which provides that SLOC will furnish, as requested, certain services and facilities on a cost-reimbursement basis. Expenses under these agreements amounted to approximately $9.4 million, $11.3 million and $24.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
In accordance with an administrative service agreement between the Company and SLOC, the Company provides personnel and certain services to SLOC, as requested. Reimbursements under this agreement, which are recorded as a reduction of other operating expenses, were approximately $212.4 million, $170.4 million and $136.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
The Company has a service agreement with Sun Life Information Services Ireland Limited ("SLISIL") under which SLISIL provides various insurance related and information systems services to the Company. Expenses under this agreement amounted to approximately $19.6 million, $13.9 million and $10.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
The Company leases office space to SLOC under lease agreements with terms expiring in December 31, 2009 and options to extend the terms for each of twelve successive five-year terms at fair market value of the fixed rent for the term which is then ending. Rent received by the Company under the leases amounted to approximately $10.6 million, $10.6 million, and $11.8 million in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. Rental income is reported as a component of net investment income.
At December 31, 2006 and 2005, the Company, through the Partnership, had $600 million of 8.526% partnership capital securities issued to the Capital Trust. The Company expensed $51.2 million for interest on these partnership capital securities for each of the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
The Company purchased a total of $140.0 million in promissory notes from MFS in and 2003. Interest earned for the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004 was $4.2 million and $4.0 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2005, the Company sold and transferred these notes to affiliates. On December 31, 2005, the Company sold notes with a par value of $90.0 million to an affiliate, Sun Life (Hungary) LLC, and recognized a loss of $3.3 million. On September 23, 2005, the Company transferred notes with a par value of $50.0 million to the Parent as a dividend. The Company recognized a loss of $0.6 million on the transfer of these notes to the Parent.
During the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, the Company paid $24.3 million, $23.2 million and $35.0 million, respectively, in commission fees to an affiliate, Sun Life Financial Distributors, Inc., ("SLFD"). The Company also has an agreement with SLFD and the Parent whereby the Parent provides expense reimbursements to the Company for administrative services provided by the Company to SLFD. The Company received reimbursement of $3.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 related to this agreement. In addition, the Company received fee income for administrative services provided to SLFD of $7.1 million and $5.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
The Company has entered into an interest rate swap agreement with the LLC III with an aggregate notional amount of $900 million that effectively converts the floating rate payment obligations under the funding agreements to fixed rate obligations.
On May 24, 2006, the Company also issued a $100 million floating rate demand note payable to the LLC II. The Company expensed $3.4 million for interest on this demand note for the year ended December 31, 2006.
The payment obligations of the Issuer under the First Tranche Notes and the Second Tranche Notes are unconditionally guaranteed by the LLC pursuant to a guarantee (the "2005 Secured Guarantee") dated as of June 10, 2005, and the obligations of the LLC under the 2005 Secured Guarantee are secured by two floating rate funding agreements issued by the Company to the LLC, one for $600 million issued on June 10, 2005 and one for $300 million issued on July 5, 2005. The Company issued a total of $900 million funding agreements to the LLC in connection with the First Tranche Notes and Second Tranche Notes. The Terms Agreement and the Second Terms Agreement incorporate by reference the provisions of a Purchase Agreement dated as of November 11, 2004 by and among the Issuer, the ULC, the LLC, the Company, and the 2005 Initial Purchasers. Pursuant to these incorporated provisions, the Company has agreed, among other things, to indemnify each 2005 Initial Purchaser against certain securities law liabilities related to the offering of the First Tranche Notes and the Second Tranche Notes.
Total interest credited for the funding agreements associated with the First Tranche Notes and Second Tranche Notes was $49.5 million and $20.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
On June 10, 2005, the Company issued a $100 million floating rate demand note payable to the LLC. The Company expensed $5.5 million and $2.3 million for interest on the demand note for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
The Company has entered into two interest rate swap agreements with the LLC with an aggregate notional amount of $900 million that effectively convert the floating rate payment obligations under the funding agreements to fixed rate obligations. The net interest (payable) receivable under these swap agreements was $(0.5) million and $0.1 million at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Management believes inter-company revenues and expenses are calculated on a reasonable basis; however, these amounts may not necessarily be indicative of the costs that would be incurred if the Company operated on a stand-alone basis.
Gross gains of $39.2 million, $61.0 million and $152.5 million and gross losses of $92.3 million, $38.9 million and $45.4 million were realized on the sale of fixed maturities for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
Fixed maturities with an amortized cost of approximately $12.0 million and $10.9 million at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, were on deposit with federal and state governmental authorities as required by law.
The Company has discontinued accruing income on all of its holdings for issuers that are in default. The termination of accrual accounting on these holdings reduced previously accrued income by $0.6 million, $1.7 million and $7.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. The fair market value of these investments was $24.4 million and $29.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. As of December 31, 2006, the Company did not have any holding for issuers that were in default.
The following table provides the fair value and gross unrealized losses of the Company’s available-for-sale fixed maturities investments, which were deemed to be temporarily impaired, aggregated by investment category, industry sector and length of time that individual securities have been in an unrealized loss position, at December 31, 2006:
The following table provides the fair value and gross unrealized losses of the Company’s available-for-sale fixed maturities investments, which were deemed to be temporarily impaired, aggregated by investment category, industry sector and length of time that individual securities have been in an unrealized loss position, at December 31, 2005:
The Company has a comprehensive process in place to identify potential problem securities that could have an impairment that is other-than-temporary. At the end of each quarter, all securities with an unrealized loss are reviewed. An analysis is undertaken to determine whether this decline in market value is other-than-temporary. The Company’s process focuses on issuer operating performance and overall industry and market conditions. Any deterioration in operating performance is assessed relative to the impact on financial ratios including leverage and coverage measures specific to an industry and relative to any investment covenants.
The Company’s analysis also assesses each issuer's ability to service its debts in a timely fashion, the length of time the security has been in an unrealized loss position, rating agency actions, and any other key developments as well as the Company’s ability and intention, if any, to dispose of its position prior to the fair value increasing so as to allow recovery of the Company’s cost. The Company has a Credit Committee that includes members from its investment, finance and actuarial functions. The committee meets and reviews the results of the Company’s impairment analysis on a quarterly basis.
The Company has made funding commitments of private placement bonds into the future. The outstanding funding commitments for these private placement bonds amounted to $4.1 million at December 31, 2006. There were no outstanding funding commitments for private placement bonds at December 31, 2005.
The Company had unfunded commitments with respect to funding of limited partnerships of approximately $53.3 million and $71.3 million at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
The Company monitors the condition of the mortgage loans in its portfolio. In those cases where mortgages have been restructured, values are impaired or values are impaired but mortgages are performing, appropriate allowances for losses have been made. The Company has impaired mortgage loans and impaired-but-performing mortgage loans totaling $3.9 million and $6.3 million at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
The Company has made funding commitments of mortgage loans on real estate and other loans into the future. The outstanding funding commitments for these mortgages amount to $99.0 million and $115.8 million at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
The tranches retained through the 2004 securitization were considered interest only strips ("I/O"). Key economic assumptions used in measuring the retained interests at the date of securitization resulting from securitizations completed during the year ended December 31, 2004 were as follows:
Key economic assumptions and the sensitivity of the current fair value of cash flows in those assumptions at December 31, 2006 were as follows:
The outstanding principal amount of the securitized commercial mortgage loans was $849.6 million at December 31, 2006, none of which were 60 days or more past due. There were no net credit losses incurred relating to the securitized commercial mortgage loans at the dates of securitization through December 31, 2006.
Key economic assumptions and the sensitivity of the current fair value of cash flows in those assumptions at December 31, 2006 were as follows in regards to tranches retained for securitizations completed between the years 2000 and 2003:
The outstanding principal amount of the securitized commercial mortgage loans was $872.8 million at December 31, 2006, none of which were 60 days or more past due. There were no net credit losses incurred relating to the securitized commercial mortgage loans at the date of securitization through December 31, 2006.
The Company is engaged in certain securities lending transactions, which require the borrower to provide collateral on a daily basis, in amounts in excess of 102% of the fair value of the applicable securities loaned. The Company maintains effective control over all loaned securities and, therefore, continues to report such loaned securities as fixed maturities in its consolidated balance sheet.
From 2000 through 2002, the Company marketed GICs to unrelated third parties. Each transaction is highly-individualized but typically involves the issuance of foreign currency denominated contracts backed by cross currency swaps or equity-linked cross currency swaps. The combination of the currency swaps with interest rate swaps allows the Company to lock in U.S. dollar fixed rate payments for the life of the contract.
The Company is required to pledge and receive collateral for open derivative contracts. The amount of collateral required is determined by agreed upon thresholds with the counter-parties. The Company currently pledges cash and U.S. Treasury bonds to satisfy this collateral requirement. At December 31, 2006 and 2005, $43.0 million and $35.6 million, respectively, of fixed maturities were pledged as collateral and are included with fixed maturities.
Fixed maturities, short term investments and equity securities: The fair values of short-term bonds are estimated to be amortized cost. The fair values of publicly-traded fixed maturities are based upon market prices or dealer quotes. For privately-placed fixed maturities, fair values are estimated by taking into account prices for publicly-traded securities of similar credit risk, maturity, repayment and liquidity characteristics. The fair value of equity securities are based on quoted market prices. Equity securities are included as a component of other invested assets.
Effective October 1, 2004, the Company no longer acts as the reinsurer of risk under the lapse protection benefit for certain universal life contracts issued by SLOC.
The Company, through its affiliate SLNY, has an agreement with an unrelated company whereby the unrelated company reinsures the morbidity risks of SLNY’s group long-term disability contracts. Under this agreement, certain long-term disability benefits are reinsured on a yearly-renewable term basis. The agreement provides that the unrelated company will reinsure amounts in excess of $4,000 per claim per month for long-term disability contracts ceded by SLNY. The retention limit was raised to $9,000 per claim per month for claims incurred or after January 1, 2006.
The Company, through its affiliate SLNY, has an agreement with an unrelated company whereby the unrelated company reinsures 100% of the risks on a quota share basis for certain specific group life and disability policies.
The Company sponsors three non-contributory defined benefit pension plans for its employees and certain affiliated employees. These plans are the staff qualified pension plan ("retirement plan"), the agent qualified pension plan ("agent pension plan") and the staff nonqualified pension plan ("UBF plan"). Expenses are allocated to participating companies based in a manner consistent with the allocation of employee compensation expenses. The Company's funding policies for the two qualified pension plans are to contribute amounts which at least satisfy the minimum amount required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Most qualified pension plan assets consist of separate accounts of SLOC or other insurance company contracts.
Prior to 2006, the Company participated in the UBF plan which was sponsored by SLOC and expensed the portion of the plan cost that was allocated to the Company. Effective January 1, 2006, the plan was divided, with the Company taking over the pension benefit obligation ("PBO") and the associated unrecognized gain/loss and prior service cost/credit. The Company has included the allocated PBO in a separate line in the PBO reconciliation, and accounted for the plan as the Company’s own from that point forward.
A grandfathered employee shall mean an active employee (i) who retires on or after January 1,2006 and (ii) who as of January 1, 2006 is at least age 55 with 15 or more years of service and whose age plus service is at least 75.
A Rule 75 employee shall mean an active employee (i) who is not a grandfathered employee, ii) who retires on or after January 1, 2006, and (iii) who when they retire are at least age 55 with 15 or more years of service and whose age plus service is at least 75.
The following table sets forth the change in the retirement plan, agent pension plan and UBF plan projected benefit obligations and assets, as well as such plans’ funded status at December 31:
Amounts recognized in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets consist of the following as of December 31:
The agent pension plan was overfunded at December 31, 2005. The funded status of the retirement plan as of December 31, 2005 was as follows:
Prior to becoming the plan sponsor of the UBF plan, the cost recognized for the Company’s participation in the UBF plan was $2.9 million and $1.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
The asset allocation for the Company’s retirement plan and agent pension plan assets for 2006 and 2005 measurement, and the target allocation for 2007, by asset category, are as follows:
The Company sponsors and participates in a savings account that qualifies under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "401(k) Plan") for which substantially all employees of at least age 21 are eligible to participate at date of hire. Under the 401(k) Plan, the Company matches, up to specified amounts, employee contributions to the plan.
On September 21, 2005, the Board of Directors of the Company approved amendments to the 401(k) Plan, including the following.
Effective January 1, 2006, the 401(k) Plan also includes a retirement investment account that qualifies under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "RIA"). The Company contributes a percentage of participant’s eligible compensation as determined per the following chart based on the sum of the participant’s age and service on January 1 of the applicable plan year-
For RIA participants who are at least age 40 on January 1, 2006 and whose age plus service on January 1, 2006 equals or exceeds 45, the Company also contributes to the RIA from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2015, a percentage of the participant’s eligible compensation as determined per the following chart based on the participant’s age and service on January 1, 2006 -
The amount of the 2006 employer contributions under the 401(k) Plan by the Company and its affiliates was $16.3 million. Amounts are allocated to affiliates based on their respective employees’ contributions. The Company’s portion of the expense was $10.8 million, $4.6 million and $2.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. The Company’s 2005 contribution includes a $1.6 million accrued retroactive adjustment related to the board approved amendments to the 401(k) Plan. This retroactive adjustment was funded in 2006.
Amounts recognized in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets Consist of the following:
The estimated amounts that will be amortized from AOCI into net periodic benefit costs in 2007 are as follows:
Weighted average assumptions used to determine net cost for the years ended December were as follows:
The Company has estimated the following future benefit payments for the years 2007 through 2016:
The Company will file a consolidated return with SLC -U.S. Ops Holdings for the year ended December 31, 2006, as the Company did for the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004. The Company’s subsidiary, SLNY, will file a stand-alone federal income tax return for the year ended December 31, 2006 as it did for the years 2005 and 2004. A summary of the components of federal income tax expense (benefit) in the Company’s consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31 is as follows:
The Company’s federal income tax returns are routinely audited by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), and provisions are made in the consolidated financial statements in anticipation of the results of these audits. In August of 2006 the Company was issued a Revenue Agent’s Report for the tax years 2001 and 2002. The IRS is currently conducting a federal income tax audit of the Company for the tax years 2003 and 2004. In the Company’s opinion, adequate tax liabilities have been established for all years and any adjustments that might be required for the years under audit will not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. However, the amounts of these tax liabilities are estimates and could be revised in the future.
Activity in the liability for unpaid claims and claims adjustment expenses, included within future contract and policy benefits, related to the Company’s group life, group disability insurance and stop loss products is summarized below:
The cumulative effect, reported after tax and net of related effects on DAC, upon adoption of SOP 03-1 at January 1, 2004, decreased net income and stockholder’s equity by $8.9 million and reduced accumulated other comprehensive income by $2.1 million. The decrease in net income was comprised of an increase in future contract and policy benefits (primarily for variable annuity contracts) of $46.7 million, pretax, an increase in DAC of $29.5 million, pretax, and the recognition of the unrealized gain on investments in separate accounts of $3.5 million, pretax.
The table below represents information regarding the Company’s variable annuity contracts with guarantees at December 31, 2005:
The following roll-forward summarizes the reserve for the GMDB’s and GMIB’s at December 31, 2005:
GMAB’s or GMWB’s are considered to be derivatives under SFAS No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities," and are recorded at fair value through earnings. The fair value of the embedded derivatives is calculated stochastically using risk neutral scenarios over a fifty-year projection. Policyholder assumptions are based on experience studies and industry standards. The GMAB’s or GMWB’s constituted an asset in the amount of $8.4 million and $0.2 million at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
The changes in VOBA for the years ended December 31 were as follows:
As described below, the Company conducts business principally in three operating segments and maintains a Corporate Segment to provide for the capital needs of the three operating segments and to engage in other financing related activities. Each segment is defined consistently with the way results are evaluated by the chief operating decision-maker.
The Wealth Management Segment markets, sells and administers individual and group variable annuity products, individual and group fixed annuity products and other retirement benefit products, and funding agreements. These contracts may contain any of a number of features including variable or fixed interest rates and equity index options and may be denominated in foreign currencies. The Company uses derivative instruments to manage the risks inherent in the contract options. Additionally, the Company consolidates the Trust as a component of the Wealth Management Segment.
The Company and its insurance subsidiaries are required to file annual statements with state regulatory authorities prepared on a statutory accounting basis prescribed or permitted by such authorities. Statutory surplus differs from stockholder's equity reported in accordance with GAAP primarily because policy acquisition costs are expensed when incurred, policy liabilities are based on different assumptions, investments are valued differently, post-retirement benefit costs are based on different assumptions, and deferred income taxes are calculated differently. The Company’s statutory financials are not prepared on a consolidated basis.
The Company’s and its insurance company subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends is subject to certain statutory restrictions. Delaware, New York, and Rhode Island have enacted laws governing the payment of dividends to stockholders by domestic insurers.
New York law permits a domestic stock life insurance company to distribute a dividend to its shareholders without prior notice to the New York Superintendent of Insurance, where the aggregate amount of such dividends in any calendar year does not exceed the lesser of: (i) ten percent of its surplus to policyholders as of the immediately preceding calendar year; or (ii) its net gain from operations for the immediately preceding calendar year, not including realized capital gains. No dividends were paid by SLNY during 2006, 2005 or 2004.
In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (U.S.) and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, such financial statement schedules, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, present fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.