Commitments and Contingencies |
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| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies |
Commitments and Contingencies
In the normal course of business, the Corporation enters into a number of off-balance sheet commitments. These commitments expose the Corporation to varying degrees of credit and market risk and are subject to the same credit and market risk limitation reviews as those instruments recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Credit Extension Commitments
The Corporation enters into commitments to extend credit such as loan commitments, SBLCs and commercial letters of credit to meet the financing needs of its customers. The following table includes the notional amount of unfunded legally binding lending commitments net of amounts distributed (e.g., syndicated or participated) to other financial institutions. The distributed amounts were $11.0 billion and $12.1 billion at December 31, 2017 and 2016. At December 31, 2017, the carrying value of these commitments, excluding commitments accounted for under the fair value option, was $793 million, including deferred revenue of $16 million and a reserve for unfunded lending commitments of $777 million. At December 31, 2016, the comparable amounts were $779 million, $17 million and $762 million, respectively. The carrying value of these commitments is classified in accrued expenses and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
The following table also includes the notional amount of commitments of $4.8 billion and $7.0 billion at December 31, 2017 and 2016 that are accounted for under the fair value option. However, the following table excludes cumulative net fair value of $120 million and $173 million on these commitments, which is classified in accrued expenses and other liabilities. For more information regarding the Corporation’s loan commitments accounted for under the fair value option, see Note 21 – Fair Value Option.
Legally binding commitments to extend credit generally have specified rates and maturities. Certain of these commitments have adverse change clauses that help to protect the Corporation against deterioration in the borrower’s ability to pay.
Other Commitments
At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Corporation had commitments to purchase loans (e.g., residential mortgage and commercial real estate) of $344 million and $767 million, and commitments to purchase commercial loans of $994 million and $636 million, which upon settlement will be included in loans or LHFS.
At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Corporation had commitments to purchase commodities, primarily liquefied natural gas, of $1.5 billion and $1.9 billion, which upon settlement will be included in trading account assets. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Corporation had commitments to enter into resale and forward-dated resale and securities borrowing agreements of $56.8 billion and $48.9 billion, and commitments to enter into forward-dated repurchase and securities lending agreements of $34.3 billion and $24.4 billion. These commitments expire primarily within the next 12 months.
The Corporation has entered into agreements to purchase retail automobile loans from certain auto loan originators. These agreements provide for stated purchase amounts and contain cancellation provisions that allow the Corporation to terminate its commitment to purchase at any time, with a minimum notification period. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Corporation’s maximum purchase commitment was $345 million and $475 million. In addition, the Corporation has a commitment to originate or purchase auto loans and leases up to $3.0 billion from a strategic partner during 2018. This commitment extends through November 2022 and can be terminated with 12 months prior notice.
The Corporation is a party to operating leases for certain of its premises and equipment. Commitments under these leases are approximately $2.3 billion, $2.1 billion, $1.9 billion, $1.7 billion and $1.4 billion for 2018 through 2022, respectively, and $5.1 billion in the aggregate for all years thereafter.
Other Guarantees
Bank-owned Life Insurance Book Value Protection
The Corporation sells products that offer book value protection to insurance carriers who offer group life insurance policies to corporations, primarily banks. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the notional amount of these guarantees, which is recorded as derivatives totaled $10.4 billion and $13.9 billion. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Corporation’s maximum exposure related to these guarantees totaled $1.6 billion and $3.2 billion, with estimated maturity dates between 2033 and 2039. The net fair value including the fee receivable associated with these guarantees was $3 million and $4 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, and reflects the probability of surrender as well as the multiple structural protection features in the contracts.
Indemnifications
In the ordinary course of business, the Corporation enters into various agreements that contain indemnifications, such as tax indemnifications, whereupon payment may become due if certain external events occur, such as a change in tax law. The indemnification clauses are often standard contractual terms and were entered into in the normal course of business based on an assessment that the risk of loss would be remote. These agreements typically contain an early termination clause that permits the Corporation to exit the agreement upon these events. The maximum potential future payment under indemnification agreements is difficult to assess for several reasons, including the occurrence of an external event, the inability to predict future changes in tax and other laws, the difficulty in determining how such laws would apply to parties in contracts, the absence of exposure limits contained in standard contract language and the timing of any early termination clauses. Historically, any payments made under these guarantees have been de minimis. The Corporation has assessed the probability of making such payments in the future as remote.
Merchant Services
In accordance with credit and debit card association rules, the Corporation sponsors merchant processing servicers that process credit and debit card transactions on behalf of various merchants. In connection with these services, a liability may arise in the event of a billing dispute between the merchant and a cardholder that is ultimately resolved in the cardholder’s favor. If the merchant defaults on its obligation to reimburse the cardholder, the cardholder, through its issuing bank, generally has until six months after the date of the transaction to present a chargeback to the merchant processor, which is primarily liable for any losses on covered transactions. However, if the merchant processor fails to meet its obligation to reimburse the cardholder for disputed transactions, then the Corporation, as the sponsor, could be held liable for the disputed amount. In 2017 and 2016, the sponsored entities processed and settled $812.2 billion and $731.4 billion of transactions and recorded losses of $28 million and $33 million. A significant portion of this activity was processed by a joint venture in which the Corporation holds a 49 percent ownership, which is recorded in other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and in All Other. At both December 31, 2017 and 2016, the carrying value of the Corporation’s investment in the merchant services joint venture was $2.9 billion.
As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the maximum potential exposure for sponsored transactions totaled $346.4 billion and $325.7 billion. However, the Corporation believes that the maximum potential exposure is not representative of the actual potential loss exposure and does not expect to make material payments in connection with these guarantees.
Exchange and Clearing House Member Guarantees
The Corporation is a member of various securities and derivative exchanges and clearinghouses, both in the U.S. and other countries. As a member, the Corporation may be required to pay a pro-rata share of the losses incurred by some of these organizations as a result of another member default and under other loss scenarios. The Corporation’s potential obligations may be limited to its membership interests in such exchanges and clearinghouses, to the amount (or multiple) of the Corporation’s contribution to the guarantee fund or, in limited instances, to the full pro-rata share of the residual losses after applying the guarantee fund. The Corporation’s maximum potential exposure under these membership agreements is difficult to estimate; however, the potential for the Corporation to be required to make these payments is remote.
Prime Brokerage and Securities Clearing Services
In connection with its prime brokerage and clearing businesses, the Corporation performs securities clearance and settlement services with other brokerage firms and clearinghouses on behalf of its clients. Under these arrangements, the Corporation stands ready to meet the obligations of its clients with respect to securities transactions. The Corporation’s obligations in this respect are secured by the assets in the clients’ accounts and the accounts of their customers as well as by any proceeds received from the transactions cleared and settled by the firm on behalf of clients or their customers. The Corporation’s maximum potential exposure under these arrangements is difficult to estimate; however, the potential for the Corporation to incur material losses pursuant to these arrangements is remote.
Other Guarantees
The Corporation has entered into additional guarantee agreements and commitments, including sold risk participation swaps, liquidity facilities, lease-end obligation agreements, partial credit guarantees on certain leases, real estate joint venture guarantees, divested business commitments and sold put options that require gross settlement. The maximum potential future payment under these agreements was approximately $5.9 billion and $6.7 billion at December 31, 2017 and 2016. The estimated maturity dates of these obligations extend up to 2040. The Corporation has made no material payments under these guarantees.
In the normal course of business, the Corporation periodically guarantees the obligations of its affiliates in a variety of transactions including ISDA-related transactions and non-ISDA related transactions such as commodities trading, repurchase agreements, prime brokerage agreements and other transactions.
Payment Protection Insurance Claims Matter
On June 1, 2017, the Corporation sold its non-U.S. consumer credit card business. Included in the calculation of the gain on sale, the Corporation recorded an obligation to indemnify the purchaser for substantially all PPI exposure above reserves assumed by the purchaser.
Litigation and Regulatory Matters
In the ordinary course of business, the Corporation and its subsidiaries are routinely defendants in or parties to many pending and threatened legal, regulatory and governmental actions and proceedings.
In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of such matters, particularly where the claimants seek very large or indeterminate damages or where the matters present novel legal theories or involve a large number of parties, the Corporation generally cannot predict what the eventual outcome of the pending matters will be, what the timing of the ultimate resolution of these matters will be, or what the eventual loss, fines or penalties related to each pending matter may be.
In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the Corporation establishes an accrued liability when those matters present loss contingencies that are both probable and estimable. In such cases, there may be an exposure to loss in excess of any amounts accrued. As a matter develops, the Corporation, in conjunction with any outside counsel handling the matter, evaluates on an ongoing basis whether such matter presents a loss contingency that is probable and estimable. Once the loss contingency is deemed to be both probable and estimable, the Corporation will establish an accrued liability and record a corresponding amount of litigation-related expense. The Corporation continues to monitor the matter for further developments that could affect the amount of the accrued liability that has been previously established. Excluding expenses of internal and external legal service providers, litigation-related expense of $753 million was recognized for 2017 compared to $1.2 billion for 2016.
For a limited number of the matters disclosed in this Note, for which a loss, whether in excess of a related accrued liability or where there is no accrued liability, is reasonably possible in future periods, the Corporation is able to estimate a range of possible loss. In determining whether it is possible to estimate a range of possible loss, the Corporation reviews and evaluates its matters on an ongoing basis, in conjunction with any outside counsel handling the matter, in light of potentially relevant factual and legal developments. In cases in which the Corporation possesses sufficient appropriate information to estimate a range of possible loss, that estimate is aggregated and disclosed below. There may be other disclosed matters for which a loss is probable or reasonably possible but such an estimate of the range of possible loss may not be possible. For those matters where an estimate of the range of possible loss is possible, management currently estimates the aggregate range of possible loss is $0 to $1.3 billion in excess of the accrued liability (if any) related to those matters. This estimated range of possible loss is based upon currently available information and is subject to significant judgment and a variety of assumptions, and known and unknown uncertainties. The matters underlying the estimated range will change from time to time, and actual results may vary significantly from the current estimate. Therefore, this estimated range of possible loss represents what the Corporation believes to be an estimate of possible loss only for certain matters meeting these criteria. It does not represent the Corporation’s maximum loss exposure.
Information is provided below regarding the nature of all of these contingencies and, where specified, the amount of the claim associated with these loss contingencies. Based on current knowledge, management does not believe that loss contingencies arising from pending matters, including the matters described herein will have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position or liquidity of the Corporation. However, in light of the inherent uncertainties involved in these matters, some of which are beyond the Corporation’s control, and the very large or indeterminate damages sought in some of these matters, an adverse outcome in one or more of these matters could be material to the Corporation’s results of operations or liquidity for any particular reporting period.
Ambac Bond Insurance Litigation
Ambac Assurance Corporation and the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance Corporation (together, Ambac) have filed five separate lawsuits against the Corporation and its subsidiaries relating to bond insurance policies Ambac provided on certain securitized pools of HELOCs, first-lien subprime home equity loans, fixed-rate second-lien mortgage loans and negative amortization pay option adjustable-rate mortgage loans. Ambac alleges that they have paid or will pay claims as a result of defaults in the underlying loans and assert that the defendants misrepresented the characteristics of the underlying loans and/or breached certain contractual representations and warranties regarding the underwriting and servicing of the loans. In those actions where the Corporation is named as a defendant, Ambac contends the Corporation is liable on various successor and vicarious liability theories.
Ambac v. Countrywide I
The Corporation, Countrywide and other Countrywide entities are named as defendants in an action filed on September 29, 2010 in New York Supreme Court. Ambac asserts claims for fraudulent inducement as well as breach of contract and seeks damages in excess of $2.2 billion, plus unspecified punitive damages.
On May 16, 2017, the First Department issued its decision on the parties’ cross-appeals of the trial court’s October 22, 2015 summary judgment rulings. Among other things, the First Department reversed on the applicability of New York insurance law to Ambac’s common-law fraud claim, ruling that Ambac must prove all of the elements of its fraudulent inducement claim, including justifiable reliance and loss causation; reversed as to Ambac’s remedy for its breach of contract claims, finding that Ambac’s sole remedy is the repurchase protocol of cure, repurchases or substitution of any materially defective loan; affirmed the trial court’s ruling that Ambac’s compensatory damages claim was an impermissible request for rescissory damages; reversed the dismissal of Ambac’s claim for reimbursement of claims payments, but affirmed the dismissal of Ambac’s claim for reimbursements of attorneys’ fees; and reversed as to the meaning of specific representations and warranties, ruling that disputed issues of fact precluded summary judgment. On July 25, 2017, the First Department granted Ambac’s motion for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeals. That appeal is pending.
Ambac v. Countrywide II
On December 30, 2014, Ambac filed a complaint in New York Supreme Court against the same defendants, claiming fraudulent inducement against Countrywide, and successor and vicarious liability against the Corporation. Ambac claims damages in excess of $600 million plus punitive damages. On December 19, 2016, the Court granted in part and denied in part Countrywide’s motion to dismiss the complaint.
Ambac v. Countrywide III
On December 30, 2014, Ambac filed an action in Wisconsin state court against Countrywide. The complaint seeks damages in excess of $350 million plus punitive damages. Countrywide has challenged the Wisconsin courts’ jurisdiction over it. Following a ruling by the lower court that jurisdiction did not exist, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reversed. On June 30, 2017, the Wisconsin Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and held that Countrywide did not consent to the jurisdiction of the Wisconsin courts and remanded the case to the Court of Appeals for further consideration of whether specific jurisdiction exists. On December 14, 2017, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled that specific jurisdiction over Countrywide does not exist for this matter. On January 16, 2018, Ambac asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to review the decision of the Court of Appeals.
Ambac v. Countrywide IV
On July 21, 2015, Ambac filed an action in New York Supreme Court against Countrywide asserting the same claims for fraudulent inducement that Ambac asserted in Ambac v. Countrywide III. Ambac simultaneously moved to stay the action pending resolution of its appeal in Ambac v. Countrywide III. Countrywide moved to dismiss the complaint. On September 20, 2016, the Court granted Ambac’s motion to stay the action pending resolution of Ambac v. Countrywide III.
Ambac v. First Franklin
On April 16, 2012, Ambac filed an action against BANA, First Franklin and various Merrill Lynch entities, including Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S) in New York Supreme Court relating to guaranty insurance Ambac provided on a First Franklin securitization sponsored by Merrill Lynch. The complaint alleges fraudulent inducement and breach of contract, including breach of contract claims against BANA based upon its servicing of the loans in the securitization. The complaint alleges that Ambac has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in claims and has accrued and continues to accrue tens of millions of dollars in additional claims. Ambac seeks as damages the total claims it has paid and its projected future claims payment obligations, as well as specific performance of defendants’ contractual repurchase obligations.
ATM Access Fee Litigation
On January 10, 2012, a putative consumer class action was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against Visa, Inc., MasterCard, Inc. and several financial institutions, including the Corporation and BANA alleging that surcharges paid at financial institution ATMs are artificially inflated by Visa and MasterCard rules and regulations. The network rules are alleged to be the product of a conspiracy between Visa, MasterCard and financial institutions in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. Plaintiffs seek compensatory and treble damages and injunctive relief.
On February 13, 2013, the District Court granted defendants’ motion to dismiss. On August 4, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated the District Court’s decision and remanded the case to the District Court, where proceedings have resumed.
Deposit Insurance Assessment
On January 9, 2017, the FDIC filed suit against BANA in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging failure to pay a December 15, 2016 invoice for additional deposit insurance assessments and interest in the amount of $542 million for the quarters ending June 30, 2013 through December 31, 2014. On April 7, 2017, the FDIC amended its complaint to add a claim for additional deposit insurance and interest in the amount of $583 million for the quarters ending March 31, 2012 through March 31, 2013. The FDIC asserts these claims based on BANA’s alleged underreporting of counterparty exposures that resulted in underpayment of assessments for those quarters. BANA disagrees with the FDIC’s interpretation of the regulations as they existed during the relevant time period and is defending itself against the FDIC’s claims. Pending final resolution, BANA has pledged security satisfactory to the FDIC related to the disputed additional assessment amounts.
Interchange and Related Litigation
In 2005, a group of merchants filed a series of putative class actions and individual actions directed at interchange fees associated with Visa and MasterCard payment card transactions. These actions, which were consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York under the caption In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Anti-Trust Litigation (Interchange), named Visa, MasterCard and several banks and bank holding companies, including the Corporation, as defendants. Plaintiffs allege that defendants conspired to fix the level of default interchange rates and that certain rules of Visa and MasterCard were unreasonable restraints of trade. Plaintiffs sought compensatory and treble damages and injunctive relief.
On October 19, 2012, defendants reached a proposed settlement that would have provided for, among other things, (i) payments by defendants to the class and individual plaintiffs totaling approximately $6.6 billion, allocated to each defendant based upon various loss-sharing agreements; (ii) distribution to class merchants of an amount equal to 10 basis points (bps) of default interchange across all Visa and MasterCard credit card transactions; and (iii) modifications to certain Visa and MasterCard rules. Although the District Court approved the class settlement agreement, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed the decision on appeal. The Interchange class case was remanded to the District Court, where proceedings have resumed.
In addition to the class actions, a number of merchants filed individual actions against the defendants. The Corporation was named as a defendant in one such individual action. In addition, a number of individual actions were filed that do not name the Corporation as a defendant. As a result of various loss-sharing agreements, however, the Corporation remains liable for any settlement or judgment in these individual suits where it is not named as a defendant.
LIBOR, Other Reference Rates, Foreign Exchange (FX) and Bond Trading Matters
Government authorities in the U.S. and various international jurisdictions continue to conduct investigations, to make inquiries of, and to pursue proceedings against, a significant number of FX market participants, including the Corporation, regarding FX market participants’ conduct and systems and controls. Government authorities also continue to conduct investigations concerning conduct and systems and controls of panel banks in connection with the setting of other reference rates as well as the trading of government, sovereign, supranational and agency bonds. The Corporation is responding to and cooperating with these proceedings and investigations.
In addition, the Corporation, BANA and certain Merrill Lynch entities have been named as defendants along with most of the other LIBOR panel banks in a number of individual and putative class actions by persons alleging they sustained losses on U.S. dollar LIBOR-based financial instruments as a result of collusion or manipulation by defendants regarding the setting of U.S. dollar LIBOR. Plaintiffs assert a variety of claims, including antitrust, Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO), Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act), common law fraud and breach of contract claims, and seek compensatory, treble and punitive damages, and injunctive relief. All cases naming the Corporation and its affiliates relating to U.S. dollar LIBOR have been consolidated for pre-trial purposes in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
In a series of rulings beginning in March 2013, the District Court dismissed antitrust, RICO, Exchange Act and certain state law claims, dismissed all manipulation claims based on alleged trader conduct as to the Corporation and BANA, and substantially limited the scope of CEA and various other claims. On May 23, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed the District Court’s dismissal of the antitrust claims and remanded for further proceedings in the District Court, and on December 20, 2016, the District Court again dismissed certain plaintiffs’ antitrust claims in their entirety and substantially limited the scope of the remaining antitrust claims.
Certain antitrust, CEA and state law claims remain pending in the District Court against the Corporation, BANA and certain Merrill Lynch entities, and the Court is continuing to consider motions regarding them. Plaintiffs whose antitrust, Exchange Act and/or state law claims were previously dismissed by the District Court are pursuing appeals in the Second Circuit.
In addition, the Corporation, BANA and MLPF&S were named as defendants along with other FX market participants in a putative class action filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, in which plaintiffs allege that they sustained losses as a result of the defendants’ alleged conspiracy to manipulate the prices of over-the-counter FX transactions and FX transactions on an exchange. Plaintiffs assert antitrust claims and claims for violations of the CEA and seek compensatory and treble damages, as well as declaratory and injunctive relief. On October 1, 2015, the Corporation, BANA and MLPF&S executed a final settlement agreement, in which they agreed to pay $187.5 million to settle the litigation. The settlement is subject to final District Court approval.
Mortgage-backed Securities Litigation
The Corporation and its affiliates, Countrywide entities and their affiliates, and Merrill Lynch entities and their affiliates have been named as defendants in cases relating to their various roles in MBS offerings and, in certain instances, have received claims for contractual indemnification related to the MBS securities actions. Plaintiffs in these cases generally sought unspecified compensatory and/or rescissory damages, unspecified costs and legal fees and generally alleged false and misleading statements. The indemnification claims include claims from underwriters of MBS that were issued by these entities, and from underwriters and issuers of MBS backed by loans originated by these entities.
Mortgage Repurchase Litigation
U.S. Bank - Harborview Repurchase Litigation
On August 29, 2011, U.S. Bank, National Association (U.S. Bank), as trustee for the HarborView Mortgage Loan Trust 2005-10 (the Trust), a mortgage pool backed by loans originated by Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (CHL), filed a complaint in New York Supreme Court, in a case entitled U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for HarborView Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2005-10 v. Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (dba Bank of America Home Loans), Bank of America Corporation, Countrywide Financial Corporation, Bank of America, N.A. and NB Holdings Corporation, alleging breaches of representations and warranties. This litigation has been stayed since March 23, 2017, pending finalization of the settlement discussed below.
On December 5, 2016, the defendants and certain certificate-holders in the Trust agreed to settle the litigation in an amount not material to the Corporation, subject to acceptance by U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank has initiated a trust instruction proceeding in Minnesota state court relating to the proposed settlement, and that proceeding is ongoing.
U.S. Bank - SURF/OWNIT Repurchase Litigation
On August 29, 2014 and September 2, 2014, U.S. Bank, solely in its capacity as Trustee for seven securitization trusts (the Trusts), served seven summonses with notice commencing actions against First Franklin Financial Corporation, Merrill Lynch Mortgage Lending, Inc., Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors, Inc. (MLMI) and Ownit Mortgage Solutions Inc. in New York Supreme Court. The summonses advance breach of contract claims alleging that defendants breached representations and warranties related to loans securitized in the Trusts. The summonses allege that defendants failed to repurchase breaching mortgage loans from the Trusts, and seek specific performance of defendants’ alleged obligation to repurchase breaching loans, declaratory judgment, compensatory, rescissory and other damages, and indemnity.
On February 25, 2015 and March 11, 2015, U.S. Bank served complaints regarding four of the seven Trusts. On December 7, 2015, the Court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaints. The Court dismissed claims for breach of representations and warranties against MLMI, dismissed U.S. Bank’s claims for indemnity and attorneys’ fees, and deferred a ruling regarding defendants’ alleged failure to provide notice of alleged representations and warranties breaches, but upheld the complaints in all other respects. On December 28, 2016, U.S. Bank filed a complaint with respect to a fifth Trust.
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