In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Genworth Financial, Inc. as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2016, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Genworth Financial, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), and our report dated February 27, 2017, expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
For loans that are not individually impaired where we evaluate the loans collectively, the allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level that we determine is adequate to absorb estimated probable incurred losses in the loan portfolio. Our process to determine the adequacy of the allowance utilizes an analytical model based on historical loss experience adjusted for current events, trends and economic conditions that would result in a loss in the loan portfolio over the next 12 months. Key inputs into our evaluation include debt service coverage ratios, loan-to-value, property-type, occupancy levels, geographic region, and probability weighting of the scenarios generated by the model. The actual amounts realized could differ in the near term from the amounts assumed in arriving at the allowance for loan losses reported in the consolidated financial statements. Additions and reductions to the allowance through periodic provisions or benefits are recorded in net investment gains (losses).
We offer certain minimum guarantees associated with our variable annuity contracts. Our variable annuity contracts usually contain a basic guaranteed minimum death benefit (“GMDB”) which provides a minimum benefit to be paid upon the annuitant’s death equal to the larger of account value and the return of net deposits. Some variable annuity contracts permit contractholders to purchase through riders, at an additional charge, enhanced death benefits such as the highest contract anniversary value (“ratchets”), accumulated net deposits at a stated rate (“rollups”), or combinations thereof.
In March 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance related to transition to the equity method of accounting. The guidance eliminates the retrospective application of the equity method of accounting when obtaining significant influence over a previously held investment. The guidance requires that an entity that has an available-for-sale equity security that becomes qualified for the equity method of accounting recognize through
In March 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance related to the effect of derivative contract novations on existing hedge accounting relationships. The guidance clarifies that a change in the counterparty to a derivative instrument that has been designated as the hedging instrument does not, in and of itself, require dedesignation of that hedging relationship provided that all other hedge accounting criteria continue to be met. The guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2017. This guidance is consistent with our accounting for derivative contract novations and, accordingly, we do not expect any impact on our consolidated financial statements.
We generally intend to hold securities in unrealized loss positions until they recover. However, from time to time, our intent on an individual security may change, based upon market or other unforeseen developments. In such instances, we sell securities in the ordinary course of managing our portfolio to meet diversification, credit quality, yield, and liquidity requirements. If a loss is recognized from a sale subsequent to a balance sheet date due to these unexpected developments, the loss is recognized in the period in which we determined that we have the intent to sell the securities or it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the securities prior to recovery. The aggregate fair value of securities sold at a loss during the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $1,881 million, $1,827 million and $857 million, respectively, which was approximately 95%, 96% and 95%, respectively, of book value.
We expect that our investments in U.S. corporate securities will continue to perform in accordance with our expectations about the amount and timing of estimated cash flows. Although we do not anticipate such events, it is reasonably possible that issuers of our investments in U.S. corporate securities may perform worse than current expectations. Such events may lead us to recognize write-downs within our portfolio of U.S. corporate securities in the future.
As of December 31, 2016, $10,105 million of our investments (excluding mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities) were subject to certain call provisions.
As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, we had no commercial mortgage loans that were past due for more than 90 days and still accruing interest. We also did not have any commercial mortgage loans that were past due for less than 90 days on non-accrual status as of December 31, 2016 and 2015.
Certain derivative instruments are designated as fair value hedges. The changes in fair value of these instruments are recorded in net income (loss). In addition, changes in the fair value attributable to the hedged portion of the underlying instrument are reported in net loss. We designate and account for the following as fair value hedges when they have met the effectiveness requirements: (i) interest rate swaps to convert fixed rate liabilities into floating rate liabilities; (ii) cross currency swaps to convert non-U.S. dollar fixed rate liabilities to floating rate U.S. dollar liabilities; and (iii) other instruments to hedge various fair value exposures of investments.
(1) Amounts translated into U.S. dollars at the foreign exchange rates as of December 31, 2016.
We provide retiree health benefits to domestic employees hired prior to January 1, 2005 who meet certain service requirements. Under this plan, retirees over 65 years of age receive a subsidy towards the purchase of a Medigap policy, and retirees under 65 years of age receive medical benefits similar to our employees’ medical benefits. In December 2009, we announced that eligibility for retiree medical benefits will be limited to associates who are within 10 years of retirement eligibility as of January 1, 2010. This resulted in a negative plan amendment which will be amortized over the average future service of the participants. We also provide retiree life and long-term care insurance benefits. The plans are funded as claims are incurred. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation associated with these benefits was $87 million and $78 million, respectively, which we accrued in other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. In 2016, we recognized a decrease of $8 million in OCI. In 2015, we recognized an increase of $13 million in OCI.
Our current income tax payable was $36 million and $10 million as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
Assets and liabilities that are reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements at fair value are not included in the following disclosure of fair value. Such items include cash and cash equivalents, investment securities, separate accounts, securities held as collateral and derivative instruments. Other financial assets and liabilities-those not carried at fair value-are discussed below. Apart from certain of our borrowings and certain marketable securities, few of the instruments discussed below are actively traded and their fair values must often be determined using models. The fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time, based upon available market information and judgments about the financial instruments, including estimates of the timing and amount of expected future cash flows and the credit standing of counterparties. Such estimates do not reflect any premium or discount that could result from offering for sale at one time our entire holdings of a particular financial instrument, nor do they consider the tax impact of the realization of unrealized gains or losses. In many cases, the fair value estimates cannot be substantiated by comparison to independent markets.
We classify the GMWB valuation as Level 3 based on having significant unobservable inputs, with equity index volatility and non-performance risk being considered the more significant unobservable inputs. As equity index volatility increases, the fair value of the GMWB liabilities will increase. Any increase in non-performance risk would increase the discount rate and would decrease the fair value of the GMWB liability. Additionally, we consider lapse and utilization assumptions to be significant unobservable inputs. An increase in our lapse assumption would decrease the fair value of the GMWB liability, whereas an increase in our utilization rate would increase the fair value.
(1) The transfers into and out of Level 3 for fixed maturity securities were related to changes in the primary pricing source and changes in the observability of external information used in determining the fair value, such as external ratings or credit spreads, as well as changes in the industry sectors assigned to specific securities. Most significantly, the majority of the transfers out of Level 3 related to a reclassification of collateralized loan obligation securities previously valued using a broker priced source to now being valued using third-party pricing services.
There has been no new asset securitization activity in 2016 or 2015.
(1) The combined statutory net loss for the year ended December 31, 2015 was re-presented as if the merger of BLAIC with and into GLIC discussed above occurred on January 1, 2015 in accordance with the statutory merger method. However, we did not re-present the combined statutory net loss for the year ended December 31, 2014 in accordance with statutory accounting principles and, therefore, the amounts are not comparable.
Adjustments to reconcile net loss attributable to Genworth Financial, Inc.’s common stockholders and adjusted operating income (loss) available to Genworth Financial, Inc.’s common stockholders assume a 35% tax rate (unless otherwise indicated) and are net of the portion attributable to noncontrolling interests. Net investment gains (losses) are also adjusted for DAC and other intangible amortization and certain benefit reserves.
In December 2016, Genworth Financial, Inc., its current chief executive officer, its former chief executive officer, two former chief financial officers, and two of its insurance subsidiaries were named as defendants in a putative class action lawsuit captioned Leifer, et al v. Genworth Financial, Inc., et al, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division. Plaintiffs allege that the defendants’ financial disclosures and alleged misrepresentations concerning Genworth’s long-term care insurance reserves caused harm to current and former long-term care insurance policyholders and seek unspecified damages, declaratory and injunctive relief, attorneys’ fees, costs and pre-judgment and post-judgment interest. We intend to vigorously defend this action.
The foreign currency translation and other adjustments balance in the charts above included $(11) million, $(5) million and $(37) million, respectively, net of taxes of $5 million, $3 million and $14 million, respectively, related to a net unrecognized postretirement benefit obligation as of December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014. The balance also included taxes of $19 million, $63 million and $10 million, respectively, related to foreign currency translation adjustments as of December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014.
As of December 31, 2016, the amortized cost or cost, fair value and carrying value of our invested assets were as follows: