Category: Institutions

New York State Supreme Court Upholds MBIA’s Transformation

MBIA Inc. (MBI) (the Company) today announced that the New York State Supreme Court has upheld the New York State Insurance Department’s (now the Department of Financial Services) decision to approve MBIA’s Transformation in February of 2009, which came after the Department’s thorough and careful analysis. Initially, a group of 18 banks challenged the approval in an Article 78 proceeding, although by the commencement of hearings before the Court, just two banks remained. In its 59-page, thorough and well-reasoned decision, the Court rejected each of the banks’ arguments that the Department’s approval of Transformation was either arbitrary and capricious, or contrary to law.

 

“After almost four years of court filings, discovery and hearings, we are pleased that the New York State Supreme Court has affirmed what was obvious all along – that the New York State Insurance Department’s approval of our Transformation was proper in all respects,” said Jay Brown, MBIA CEO. “With the Court’s ruling now in hand, we look forward to resolving the remainder of our litigation so that we can support the financing needs of towns and cities across America by re-establishing National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation, our U.S. muni-only insurer, as a leader in the U.S. public finance insurance market.”

Forward-Looking Statements

The information contained in this press release should be read in conjunction with our filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This release includes statements that are not historical or current facts and are “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “project,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “will likely result,” “looking forward” or “will continue,” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical earnings and those presently anticipated or projected, including, among other risks and uncertainties, whether the Company will realize, or will be delayed in realizing, insurance loss recoveries expected in disputes with sellers/servicers of RMBS transactions at the levels recorded in its financial statements, the possibility that the Company will experience severe losses or liquidity needs due to increased deterioration in its insurance portfolios and in particular, due to the performance of CDOs including multi-sector, CMBS and CRE CDOs and RMBS, the failure to obtain regulatory approval to implement our risk reduction and liquidity strategies, the possibility that loss reserve estimates are not adequate to cover potential claims, the risk that MBIA Insurance Corporation will be placed in a rehabilitation or liquidation proceeding by the NYSDFS, the Company’s ability to access capital and the Company’s exposure to significant fluctuations in liquidity and asset values within the global credit markets, in particular in the ALM business, the Company’s ability to fully implement its strategic plan, including its ability to achieve high stable ratings for National or any other insurance subsidiaries, and the Company’s ability to commute certain of its insured exposures, including as a result of limited available liquidity, the Company’s ability to favorably resolve litigation claims against the Company, and changes in general economic and competitive conditions. These and other factors that could affect financial performance or could cause actual results to differ materially from estimates contained in or underlying the Company’s forward-looking statements are discussed under the “Risk Factors” section in MBIA Inc.’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which may be updated or amended in the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only to their respective dates. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly correct or update any forward-looking statement if it later becomes aware that such result is not likely to be achieved.

MBIA Inc., headquartered in Armonk, New York is a holding company whose subsidiaries provide financial guarantee insurance, as well as related reinsurance, advisory and portfolio services, for the public and structured finance markets, and asset management advisory services. The Company services its clients around the globe with offices in New York, Denver, San Francisco, Paris, London, Madrid and Mexico City. Please visit MBIA's website at www.mbia.com.

Contact:

MBIA Inc.
Media:
Kevin Brown, +1-914-765-3648
or
Investor Relations:
Greg Diamond +1-914-765-3190