B — Credit Risk Retention
246.3 — Base risk retention requirement.
(a) Base risk retention requirement. Except as otherwise provided in this part, the
sponsor of a securitization transaction (or majority-owned affiliate of the sponsor) shall retain an economic interest in the credit risk of the securitized assets in accordance with any one of §§ 246.4 through 246.10. Credit risk in securitized assets required to be retained and held by any person for purposes of compliance with this part, whether a sponsor, an originator, an originator-seller, or a third-party purchaser, except as otherwise provided in this part, may be acquired and held by any of such person’s majority-owned affiliates (other than an issuing entity).
(b) Multiple sponsors. If there is more than one sponsor of a securitization
transaction, it shall be the responsibility of each sponsor to ensure that at least one of the sponsors of the securitization transaction (or at least one of their majority-owned or wholly-owned affiliates, as applicable) retains an economic interest in the credit risk of the securitized assets in accordance with any one of §§ 246.4, 246.5, 246.8, 246.9, or 246.10.
[79 FR 77602, Dec. 24, 2014]
246.4 — Standard risk retention.
(a) General requirement. Except as provided in §§ 246.5 through 246.10, the
sponsor of a securitization transaction must retain an eligible vertical interest or eligible horizontal residual interest, or any combination thereof, in accordance with the requirements of this section.
(1) If the sponsor retains only an eligible vertical interest as its required risk retention, the sponsor must retain an eligible vertical interest in a percentage of not less than 5 percent.
(2) If the sponsor retains only an eligible horizontal residual interest as its required risk retention, the amount of the interest must equal at least 5 percent of the fair value of all ABS interests in the issuing entity issued as a part of the securitization transaction, determined using a fair value measurement framework under GAAP.
(3) If the sponsor retains both an eligible vertical interest and an eligible horizontal residual interest as its required risk retention, the percentage of the fair value of the eligible horizontal residual interest and the percentage of the eligible vertical interest must equal at least five.
(4) The percentage of the eligible vertical interest, eligible horizontal residual interest, or combination thereof retained by the sponsor must be determined as of the closing date of the securitization transaction.
(b) Option to hold base amount in eligible horizontal cash reserve account. In lieu
of retaining all or any part of an eligible horizontal residual interest under paragraph (a) of this section, the sponsor may, at closing of the securitization transaction, cause to be established and funded, in cash, an eligible horizontal cash reserve account in the amount
equal to the fair value of such eligible horizontal residual interest or part thereof, provided that the account meets all of the following conditions:
(1) The account is held by the trustee (or person performing similar functions) in the name and for the benefit of the issuing entity;
(2) Amounts in the account are invested only in cash and cash equivalents; and
(3) Until all ABS interests in the issuing entity are paid in full, or the issuing entity is dissolved:
(i) Amounts in the account shall be released only to:
(A) Satisfy payments on ABS interests in the issuing entity on any payment date on which the issuing entity has insufficient funds from any source to satisfy an amount due on any ABS interest; or
(B) Pay critical expenses of the trust unrelated to credit risk on any payment date on which the issuing entity has insufficient funds from any source to pay such expenses and:
(1) Such expenses, in the absence of available funds in the eligible horizontal cash
reserve account, would be paid prior to any payments to holders of ABS interests; and
(2) Such payments are made to parties that are not affiliated with the sponsor; and
(ii) Interest (or other earnings) on investments made in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section may be released once received by the account.
(c) Disclosures. A sponsor relying on this section shall provide, or cause to be
provided, to potential investors, under the caption “Credit Risk Retention”, a reasonable period of time prior to the sale of the asset-backed securities in the securitization
transaction the following disclosures in written form and within the time frames set forth in this paragraph (c):
(1) Horizontal interest. With respect to any eligible horizontal residual interest
held under paragraph (a) of this section, a sponsor must disclose:
(i) A reasonable period of time prior to the sale of an asset-backed security issued in the same offering of ABS interests,
(A) The fair value (expressed as a percentage of the fair value of all of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction and dollar amount (or corresponding amount in the foreign currency in which the ABS interests are issued, as applicable)) of the eligible horizontal residual interest that the sponsor expects to retain at the closing of the securitization transaction. If the specific prices, sizes, or rates of interest of each tranche of the securitization are not available, the sponsor must disclose a range of fair values (expressed as a percentage of the fair value of all of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction and dollar amount (or corresponding amount in the foreign currency in which the ABS interests are issued, as applicable)) of the eligible horizontal residual interest that the sponsor expects to retain at the close of the securitization transaction based on a range of bona fide estimates or specified prices, sizes, or rates of interest of each tranche of the securitization. A sponsor disclosing a range of fair values based on a range of bona fide estimates or specified prices, sizes or rates of interest of each tranche of the securitization must also disclose the method by which it determined any range of prices, tranche sizes, or rates of interest.
(B) A description of the material terms of the eligible horizontal residual interest to be retained by the sponsor;
(C) A description of the valuation methodology used to calculate the fair values or range of fair values of all classes of ABS interests, including any portion of the eligible horizontal residual interest retained by the sponsor;
(D) All key inputs and assumptions or a comprehensive description of such key inputs and assumptions that were used in measuring the estimated total fair value or range of fair values of all classes of ABS interests, including the eligible horizontal residual interest to be retained by the sponsor.
(E) To the extent applicable to the valuation methodology used, the disclosure required in paragraph (c)(1)(I)(D) of this section shall include, but should not be limited to, quantitative information about each of the following:
(1) Discount rates;
(2) Loss given default (recovery);
(3) Prepayment rates;
(4) Default rates;
(5) Lag time between default and recovery; and
(6) The basis of forward interest rates used.
(F) The disclosure required in paragraphs (c)(1)(i)(C) and (c)(1)(i)(D) of this section shall include, at a minimum, descriptions of all inputs and assumptions that either could have a material impact on the fair value calculation or would be material to a prospective investor’s ability to evaluate the sponsor’s fair value calculations. To the extent the disclosure required in paragraph (c)(1) of this section includes a description of a curve or curves, the description shall include a description of the methodology that was used to derive each curve and a description of any aspects or features of each curve that
could materially impact the fair value calculation or the ability of a prospective investor to evaluate the sponsor’s fair value calculation. To the extent a sponsor uses information about the securitized assets in its calculation of fair value, such information shall not be as of a date more than 60 days prior to the date of first use with investors; provided that for a subsequent issuance of ABS interests by the same issuing entity with the same sponsor for which the securitization transaction distributes amounts to investors on a quarterly or less frequent basis, such information shall not be as of a date more than 135 days prior to the date of first use with investors; provided further, that the balance or value (in accordance with the transaction documents) of the securitized assets may be increased or decreased to reflect anticipated additions or removals of assets the sponsor makes or expects to make between the cut-off date and the closing date of the securitization.
(G) A summary description of the reference data set or other historical information used to develop the key inputs and assumptions referenced in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(D) of this section, including loss given default and default rates;
(ii) A reasonable time after the closing of the securitization transaction:
(A) The fair value (expressed as a percentage of the fair value of all of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction and dollar amount (or corresponding amount in the foreign currency in which the ABS are issued, as applicable)) of the eligible horizontal residual interest the sponsor retained at the closing of the securitization transaction, based on actual sale prices and finalized tranche sizes;
(B) The fair value (expressed as a percentage of the fair value of all of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction and dollar amount (or corresponding
amount in the foreign currency in which the ABS are issued, as applicable)) of the eligible horizontal residual interest that the sponsor is required to retain under this section; and
(C) To the extent the valuation methodology or any of the key inputs and assumptions that were used in calculating the fair value or range of fair values disclosed prior to sale and required under paragraph (i) materially differs from the methodology or key inputs and assumptions used to calculate the fair value at the time of closing, descriptions of those material differences.
(iii) If the sponsor retains risk through the funding of an eligible horizontal cash reserve account:
(A) The amount to be placed (or that is placed) by the sponsor in the eligible horizontal cash reserve account at closing, and the fair value (expressed as a percentage of the fair value of all of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction and dollar amount (or corresponding amount in the foreign currency in which the ABS interests are issued, as applicable)) of the eligible horizontal residual interest that the sponsor is required to fund through the eligible horizontal cash reserve account in order for such account, together with other retained interests, to satisfy the sponsor’s risk retention requirement;
(B) A description of the material terms of the eligible horizontal cash reserve account; and
(C) The disclosures required in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (c)(1)(ii) of this section.
(2) Vertical interest. With respect to any eligible vertical interest retained under
paragraph (a) of this section, the sponsor must disclose:
(i) A reasonable period of time prior to the sale of an asset-backed security issued in the same offering of ABS interests,
(A) The form of the eligible vertical interest;
(B) The percentage that the sponsor is required to retain as a vertical interest under this section; and
(C) A description of the material terms of the vertical interest and the amount that the sponsor expects to retain at the closing of the securitization transaction.
(ii) A reasonable time after the closing of the securitization transaction, the amount of the vertical interest the sponsor retained at closing, if that amount is materially different from the amount disclosed under paragraph (c)(2)(I) of this section.
(d) Record maintenance. A sponsor must retain the certifications and disclosures
required in paragraphs (a) and (c) of this section in its records and must provide the disclosure upon request to the Commission and its appropriate Federal banking agency, if any, until three years after all ABS interests are no longer outstanding.
[79 FR 77602, Dec. 24, 2014]
246.5 — Revolving pool securitizations.
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
Revolving pool securitization means an issuing entity that is established to issue
on multiple issuance dates more than one series, class, subclass, or tranche of asset- backed securities that are collateralized by a common pool of securitized assets that will change in composition over time, and that does not monetize excess interest and fees from its securitized assets.
Seller’s interest means an ABS interest or ABS interests:
(1) Collateralized by the securitized assets and servicing assets owned or held by the issuing entity, other than the following that are not considered a component of seller’s interest:
(i) Servicing assets that have been allocated as collateral only for a specific series in connection with administering the revolving pool securitization, such as a principal accumulation or interest reserve account; and
(ii) Assets that are not eligible under the terms of the securitization transaction to be included when determining whether the revolving pool securitization holds aggregate securitized assets in specified proportions to aggregate outstanding investor ABS interests issued; and
(2) That is pari passu with each series of investor ABS interests issued, or
partially or fully subordinated to one or more series in identical or varying amounts, with respect to the allocation of all distributions and losses with respect to the securitized assets prior to early amortization of the revolving securitization (as specified in the securitization transaction documents); and
(3) That adjusts for fluctuations in the outstanding principal balance of the securitized assets in the pool.
(b) General requirement. A sponsor satisfies the risk retention requirements of §
246.3 with respect to a securitization transaction for which the issuing entity is a revolving pool securitization if the sponsor maintains a seller’s interest of not less than 5 percent of the aggregate unpaid principal balance of all outstanding investor ABS interests in the issuing entity.
(c) Measuring the seller’s interest. In measuring the seller’s interest for purposes
of meeting the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section:
(1) The unpaid principal balance of the securitized assets for the numerator of the 5 percent ratio shall not include assets of the types excluded from the definition of seller’s interest in paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii);
(2) The aggregate unpaid principal balance of outstanding investor ABS interests in the denominator of the 5 percent ratio may be reduced by the amount of funds held in a segregated principal accumulation account for the repayment of outstanding investor ABS interests, if:
(i) The terms of the securitization transaction documents prevent funds in the principal accumulation account from being applied for any purpose other than the repayment of the unpaid principal of outstanding investor ABS interests; and
(ii) Funds in that account are invested only in the types of assets in which funds held in an eligible horizontal cash reserve account pursuant to § 246.4 are permitted to be invested;
(3) If the terms of the securitization transaction documents set minimum required seller’s interest as a proportion of the unpaid principal balance of outstanding investor ABS interests for one or more series issued, rather than as a proportion of the aggregate outstanding investor ABS interests in all outstanding series combined, the percentage of the seller’s interest for each such series must, when combined with the percentage of any minimum seller’s interest set by reference to the aggregate outstanding investor ABS interests, equal at least 5 percent;
(4) The 5 percent test must be determined and satisfied at the closing of each issuance of ABS interests to investors by the issuing entity, and
(i) At least monthly at a seller’s interest measurement date specified under the securitization transaction documents, until no ABS interest in the issuing entity is held by any person not a wholly-owned affiliate of the sponsor; or
(ii) If the revolving pool securitization fails to meet the 5 percent test as of any date described in paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section, and the securitization transaction documents specify a cure period, the 5 percent test must be determined and satisfied within the earlier of the cure period, or one month after the date described in paragraph (c)(4)(i).
(d) Measuring outstanding investor ABS interests. In measuring the amount of
outstanding investor ABS interests for purposes of this section, ABS interests held for the life of such ABS interests by the sponsor or its wholly-owned affiliates may be excluded.
(e) Holding and retention of the seller’s interest; legacy trusts.
(1) Notwithstanding § 246.12(a), the seller’s interest, and any offsetting horizontal retention interest retained pursuant to paragraph (g) of this section, must be retained by the sponsor or by one or more wholly-owned affiliates of the sponsor, including one or more depositors of the revolving pool securitization.
(2) If one revolving pool securitization issues collateral certificates representing a beneficial interest in all or a portion of the securitized assets held by that securitization to another revolving pool securitization, which in turn issues ABS interests for which the collateral certificates are all or a portion of the securitized assets, a sponsor may satisfy the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section by retaining the seller’s interest
for the assets represented by the collateral certificates through either of the revolving pool securitizations, so long as both revolving pool securitizations are retained at the direction of the same sponsor or its wholly-owned affiliates.
(3) If the sponsor retains the seller’s interest associated with the collateral certificates at the level of the revolving pool securitization that issues those collateral certificates, the proportion of the seller’s interest required by paragraph (b) of this section retained at that level must equal the proportion that the principal balance of the securitized assets represented by the collateral certificates bears to the principal balance of the securitized assets in the revolving pool securitization that issues the ABS interests, as of each measurement date required by paragraph (c) of this section.
(f) Offset for pool-level excess funding account. The 5 percent seller’s interest
required on each measurement date by paragraph (c) of this section may be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the balance, as of such date, of an excess funding account in the form of a segregated account that:
(1) Is funded in the event of a failure to meet the minimum seller’s interest requirements or other requirement to maintain a minimum balance of securitized assets under the securitization transaction documents by distributions otherwise payable to the holder of the seller’s interest;
(2) Is invested only in the types of assets in which funds held in a horizontal cash reserve account pursuant to § 246.4 are permitted to be invested; and
(3) In the event of an early amortization, makes payments of amounts held in the account to holders of investor ABS interests in the same manner as payments to holders of investor ABS interests of amounts received on securitized assets.
(g) Combined seller’s interests and horizontal interest retention. The 5 percent
seller’s interest required on each measurement date by paragraph (c) of this section may be reduced to a percentage lower than 5 percent to the extent that, for all series of investor ABS interests issued after the applicable effective date of this § 246.5, the sponsor, or notwithstanding § 246.12(a) a wholly-owned affiliate of the sponsor, retains, at a minimum, a corresponding percentage of the fair value of ABS interests issued in each series, in the form of one or more of the horizontal residual interests meeting the requirements of paragraphs (h) or (i).
(h) Residual ABS interests in excess interest and fees. The sponsor may take the
offset described in paragraph (g) of this section for a residual ABS interest in excess interest and fees, whether certificated or uncertificated, in a single or multiple classes, subclasses, or tranches, that meets, individually or in the aggregate, the requirements of this paragraph (h);
(1) Each series of the revolving pool securitization distinguishes between the series’ share of the interest and fee cash flows and the series’ share of the principal repayment cash flows from the securitized assets collateralizing the revolving pool securitization, which may according to the terms of the securitization transaction documents, include not only the series’ ratable share of such cash flows but also excess cash flows available from other series;
(2) The residual ABS interest’s claim to any part of the series’ share of the interest and fee cash flows for any interest payment period is subordinated to all accrued and payable interest due on the payment date to more senior ABS interests in the series for that period, and further reduced by the series’ share of losses, including defaults on
principal of the securitized assets collateralizing the revolving pool securitization (whether incurred in that period or carried over from prior periods) to the extent that such payments would have been included in amounts payable to more senior interests in the series;
(3) The revolving pool securitization continues to revolve, with one or more series, classes, subclasses, or tranches of asset-backed securities that are collateralized by a common pool of assets that change in composition over time; and
(4) For purposes of taking the offset described in paragraph (g) of this section, the sponsor determines the fair value of the residual ABS interest in excess interest and fees, and the fair value of the series of outstanding investor ABS interests to which it is subordinated and supports using the fair value measurement framework under GAAP, as of:
(i) The closing of the securitization transaction issuing the supported ABS interests; and
(ii) The seller’s interest measurement dates described in paragraph (c)(4) of this section, except that for these periodic determinations the sponsor must update the fair value of the residual ABS interest in excess interest and fees for the numerator of the percentage ratio, but may at the sponsor’s option continue to use the fair values determined in (g)(4)(i) for the outstanding investor ABS interests in the denominator.
(i) Offsetting eligible horizontal residual interest. The sponsor may take the
offset described in paragraph (g) of this section for ABS interests that would meet the definition of eligible horizontal residual interests in § 246.2 but for the sponsor’s
simultaneous holding of subordinated seller’s interests, residual ABS interests in excess interests and fees, or a combination of the two, if:
(1) The sponsor complies with all requirements of paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section for its holdings of subordinated seller’s interest, and paragraph (h) for its holdings of residual ABS interests in excess interests and fees, as applicable;
(2) For purposes of taking the offset described in paragraph (g) of this section, the sponsor determines the fair value of the eligible horizontal residual interest as a percentage of the fair value of the outstanding investor ABS interests in the series supported by the eligible horizontal residual interest, determined using the fair value measurement framework under GAAP:
(i) As of the closing of the securitization transaction issuing the supported ABS interests; and
(ii) Without including in the numerator of the percentage ratio any fair value based on:
(A) The subordinated seller’s interest or residual ABS interest in excess interest and fees;
(B) the interest payable to the sponsor on the eligible horizontal residual interest, if the sponsor is including the value of residual ABS interest in excess interest and fees pursuant to paragraph (h) of this section in taking the offset in paragraph (g) of this section; and,
(C) the principal payable to the sponsor on the eligible horizontal residual interest, if the sponsor is including the value of the seller’s interest pursuant to paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section and distributions on that seller’s interest are available to reduce
charge-offs that would otherwise be allocated to reduce principal payable to the offset eligible horizontal residual interest.
(j) Specified dates. A sponsor using data about the revolving pool
securitization’s collateral, or ABS interests previously issued, to determine the closing- date percentage of a seller’s interest, residual ABS interest in excess interest and fees, or eligible horizontal residual interest pursuant to this § 246.5 may use such data prepared as of specified dates if:
(1) The sponsor describes the specified dates in the disclosures required by paragraph (k) of this section; and
(2) The dates are no more than 60 days prior to the date of first use with investors of disclosures required for the interest by paragraph (k) of this section, or for revolving pool securitizations that make distributions to investors on a quarterly or less frequent basis, no more than 135 days prior to the date of first use with investors of such disclosures.
(k) Disclosure and record maintenance. (1) Disclosure. A sponsor relying on
this section shall provide, or cause to be provided, to potential investors, under the caption "Credit Risk Retention" the following disclosure in written form and within the time frames set forth in this paragraph (k):
(i) A reasonable period of time prior to the sale of an asset-backed security, a description of the material terms of the seller’s interest, and the percentage of the seller’s interest that the sponsor expects to retain at the closing of the securitization transaction, measured in accordance with the requirements of this § 246.5, as a percentage of the aggregate unpaid principal balance of all outstanding investor ABS interests issued, or as
a percentage of the aggregate unpaid principal balance of outstanding investor ABS interests for one or more series issued, as required by the terms of the securitization transaction;
(ii) A reasonable time after the closing of the securitization transaction, the amount of seller’s interest the sponsor retained at closing, if that amount is materially different from the amount disclosed under paragraph (i); and
(iii) A description of the material terms of any horizontal residual interests offsetting the seller’s interest in accordance with paragraphs (g), (h), and (i) of this section; and
(iv) Disclosure of the fair value of those horizontal residual interests retained by the sponsor for the series being offered to investors and described in the disclosures, as a percentage of the fair value of the outstanding investor ABS interests issued, described in the same manner and within the same timeframes required for disclosure of the fair values of eligible horizontal residual interests specified in § 246.4(c).
(2) Adjusted data. Disclosures required by this paragraph (k) to be made a
reasonable period of time prior to the sale of an asset-backed security of the amount of seller’s interest, residual ABS interest in excess interest and fees, or eligible horizontal residual interest may include adjustments to the amount of securitized assets for additions or removals the sponsor expects to make before the closing date and adjustments to the amount of outstanding investor ABS interests for expected increases and decreases of those interests under the control of the sponsor.
(3) Record maintenance. A sponsor must retain the disclosures required in
paragraph (k)(1) of this section in its records and must provide the disclosure upon
request to the Commission and its appropriate Federal banking agency, if any, until three years after all ABS interests are no longer outstanding.
(l) Early amortization of all outstanding series. A sponsor that organizes a
revolving pool securitization that relies on this § 246.5 to satisfy the risk retention requirements of § 246.3, does not violate the requirements of this part if its seller’s interest falls below the level required by § 246.5 after the revolving pool securitization commences early amortization, pursuant to the terms of the securitization transaction documents, of all series of outstanding investor ABS interests, if:
(1) The sponsor was in full compliance with the requirements of this section on all measurement dates specified in paragraph (c) of this section prior to the commencement of early amortization;
(2) The terms of the seller’s interest continue to make it pari passu with or
subordinate in identical or varying amounts to each series of outstanding investor ABS interests issued with respect to the allocation of all distributions and losses with respect to the securitized assets;
(3) The terms of any horizontal interest relied upon by the sponsor pursuant to paragraph (g) to offset the minimum seller’s interest amount continue to require the interests to absorb losses in accordance with the terms of paragraph (h) or (i) of this section, as applicable; and
(4) The revolving pool securitization issues no additional ABS interests after early amortization is initiated to any person not a wholly-owned affiliate of the sponsor, either at the time of issuance or during the amortization period.
[79 FR 77602, Dec. 24, 2014]
246.6 — Eligible ABCP conduits.
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following additional definitions
apply:
100 percent liquidity coverage means an amount equal to the outstanding balance
of all ABCP issued by the conduit plus any accrued and unpaid interest without regard to the performance of the ABS interests held by the ABCP conduit and without regard to any credit enhancement.
ABCP means asset-backed commercial paper that has a maturity at the time of
issuance not exceeding 397 days, exclusive of days of grace, or any renewal thereof the maturity of which is likewise limited.
ABCP conduit means an issuing entity with respect to ABCP.
Eligible ABCP conduit means an ABCP conduit, provided that:
(1) The ABCP conduit is bankruptcy remote or otherwise isolated for insolvency purposes from the sponsor of the ABCP conduit and from any intermediate SPV;
(2) The ABS interests acquired by the ABCP conduit are:
(i) ABS interests collateralized solely by assets originated by an originator-seller and by servicing assets;
(ii) Special units of beneficial interest (or similar ABS interests) in a trust or special purpose vehicle that retains legal title to leased property underlying leases originated by an originator-seller that were transferred to an intermediate SPV in connection with a securitization collateralized solely by such leases and by servicing assets;
(iii) ABS interests in a revolving pool securitization collateralized solely by assets originated by an originator-seller and by servicing assets; or
(iv) ABS interests described in paragraphs (2)(i), (2)(ii), or (2)(iii) of this definition that are collateralized, in whole or in part, by assets acquired by an originator- seller in a business combination that qualifies for business combination accounting under GAAP, and, if collateralized in part, the remainder of such assets are assets described in paragraphs (2)(i), (2)(ii), or (2)(iii) of this definition; and
(v) Acquired by the ABCP conduit in an initial issuance by or on behalf of an intermediate SPV:
(A) Directly from the intermediate SPV,
(B) From an underwriter of the ABS interests issued by the intermediate SPV, or
(C) From another person who acquired the ABS interests directly from the intermediate SPV;
(3) The ABCP conduit is collateralized solely by ABS interests acquired from intermediate SPVs as described in paragraph (2) of this definition and servicing assets; and
(4) A regulated liquidity provider has entered into a legally binding commitment to provide 100 percent liquidity coverage (in the form of a lending facility, an asset purchase agreement, a repurchase agreement, or other similar arrangement) to all the ABCP issued by the ABCP conduit by lending to, purchasing ABCP issued by, or purchasing assets from, the ABCP conduit in the event that funds are required to repay maturing ABCP issued by the ABCP conduit. With respect to the 100 percent liquidity coverage, in the event that the ABCP conduit is unable for any reason to repay maturing ABCP issued by the issuing entity, the liquidity provider shall be obligated to pay an amount equal to any shortfall, and the total amount that may be due pursuant to the 100
percent liquidity coverage shall be equal to 100 percent of the amount of the ABCP outstanding at any time plus accrued and unpaid interest (amounts due pursuant to the required liquidity coverage may not be subject to credit performance of the ABS interests held by the ABCP conduit or reduced by the amount of credit support provided to the ABCP conduit and liquidity support that only funds performing loans or receivables or performing ABS interests does not meet the requirements of this section).
Intermediate SPV means a special purpose vehicle that:
(1) (i) Is a direct or indirect wholly-owned affiliate of the originator-seller; or
(ii) Has nominal equity owned by a trust or corporate service provider that specializes in providing independent ownership of special purpose vehicles, and such trust or corporate service provider is not affiliated with any other transaction parties;
(2) Is bankruptcy remote or otherwise isolated for insolvency purposes from the eligible ABCP conduit and from each originator-seller and each majority-owned affiliate in each case that, directly or indirectly, sells or transfers assets to such intermediate SPV;
(3) Acquires assets from the originator-seller that are originated by the originator- seller or acquired by the originator-seller in the acquisition of a business that qualifies for business combination accounting under GAAP or acquires ABS interests issued by another intermediate SPV of the originator-seller that are collateralized solely by such assets; and
(4) Issues ABS interests collateralized solely by such assets, as applicable.
Originator-seller means an entity that originates assets and sells or transfers those
assets, directly or through a majority-owned affiliate, to an intermediate SPV, and includes (except for the purposes of identifying the sponsorship and affiliation of an
intermediate SPV pursuant to this § 246.6) any affiliate of the originator-seller that, directly or indirectly, majority controls, is majority controlled by or is under common majority control with, the originator-seller. For purposes of this definition, majority control means ownership of more than 50 percent of the equity of an entity, or ownership of any other controlling financial interest in the entity, as determined under GAAP.
Regulated liquidity provider means:
(1) A depository institution (as defined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813));
(2) A bank holding company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1841), or a subsidiary thereof;
(3) A savings and loan holding company (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1467a), provided all or substantially all of the holding company’s activities are permissible for a financial holding company under 12 U.S.C. 1843(k), or a subsidiary thereof; or
(4) A foreign bank whose home country supervisor (as defined in § 211.21 of the Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation K (12 CFR 211.21)) has adopted capital standards consistent with the Capital Accord of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, as amended, and that is subject to such standards, or a subsidiary thereof.
(b) In general. An ABCP conduit sponsor satisfies the risk retention requirement
of § 246.3 with respect to the issuance of ABCP by an eligible ABCP conduit in a securitization transaction if, for each ABS interest the ABCP conduit acquires from an intermediate SPV:
(1) An originator-seller of the intermediate SPV retains an economic interest in the credit risk of the assets collateralizing the ABS interest acquired by the eligible ABCP conduit in the amount and manner required under §§ 246.4 or 246.5; and
(2) The ABCP conduit sponsor:
(i) Approves each originator-seller permitted to sell or transfer assets, directly or indirectly, to an intermediate SPV from which an eligible ABCP conduit acquires ABS interests;
(ii) Approves each intermediate SPV from which an eligible ABCP conduit is permitted to acquire ABS interests;
(iii) Establishes criteria governing the ABS interests, and the securitized assets underlying the ABS interests, acquired by the ABCP conduit;
(iv) Administers the ABCP conduit by monitoring the ABS interests acquired by the ABCP conduit and the assets supporting those ABS interests, arranging for debt placement, compiling monthly reports, and ensuring compliance with the ABCP conduit documents and with the ABCP conduit’s credit and investment policy; and
(v) Maintains and adheres to policies and procedures for ensuring that the requirements in this paragraph (b) of this section have been met.
(c) Originator-seller compliance with risk retention. The use of the risk retention
option provided in this section by an ABCP conduit sponsor does not relieve the originator-seller that sponsors ABS interests acquired by an eligible ABCP conduit from such originator-seller’s obligation to comply with its own risk retention obligations under this part.
(d) Disclosures. (1) Periodic disclosures to investors. An ABCP conduit sponsor
relying upon this section shall provide, or cause to be provided, to each purchaser of ABCP, before or contemporaneously with the first sale of ABCP to such purchaser and at least monthly thereafter, to each holder of commercial paper issued by the ABCP conduit, in writing, each of the following items of information, which shall be as of a date not more than 60 days prior to date of first use with investors:
(i) The name and form of organization of the regulated liquidity provider that provides liquidity coverage to the eligible ABCP conduit, including a description of the material terms of such liquidity coverage, and notice of any failure to fund.
(ii) With respect to each ABS interest held by the ABCP conduit:
(A) The asset class or brief description of the underlying securitized assets;
(B) The standard industrial category code (SIC Code) for the originator-seller that will retain (or has retained) pursuant to this section an interest in the securitization transaction; and
(C) A description of the percentage amount of risk retention pursuant to the rule by the originator- seller, and whether it is in the form of an eligible horizontal residual interest, vertical interest, or revolving pool securitization seller’s interest, as applicable.
(2) Disclosures to regulators regarding originator-sellers. An ABCP conduit
sponsor relying upon this section shall provide, or cause to be provided, upon request, to the Commission and its appropriate Federal banking agency, if any, in writing, all of the information required to be provided to investors in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, and the name and form of organization of each originator-seller that will retain (or has retained) pursuant to this section an interest in the securitization transaction.
(e) Sale or transfer of ABS interests between eligible ABCP conduits. At any
time, an eligible ABCP conduit that acquired an ABS interest in accordance with the requirements set forth in this section may transfer, and another eligible ABCP conduit may acquire, such ABS interest, if the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) The sponsors of both eligible ABCP conduits are in compliance with this section; and
(2) The same regulated liquidity provider has entered into one or more legally binding commitments to provide 100 percent liquidity coverage to all the ABCP issued by both eligible ABCP conduits.
(f) Duty to comply. (1) The ABCP conduit sponsor shall be responsible for
compliance with this section.
(2) An ABCP conduit sponsor relying on this section:
(i) Shall maintain and adhere to policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to monitor compliance by each originator-seller which is satisfying a risk retention obligation in respect of ABS interests acquired by an eligible ABCP conduit with the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section; and
(ii) In the event that the ABCP conduit sponsor determines that an originator- seller no longer complies with the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, shall:
(A) Promptly notify the holders of the ABCP, and upon request, the Commission and its appropriate Federal banking agency, if any, in writing of:
(1) The name and form of organization of any originator-seller that fails to retain
risk in accordance with paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section and the amount of ABS
interests issued by an intermediate SPV of such originator-seller and held by the ABCP conduit;
(2) The name and form of organization of any originator-seller that hedges,
directly or indirectly through an intermediate SPV, its risk retention in violation of paragraph (b)(1) of this section and the amount of ABS interests issued by an intermediate SPV of such originator-seller and held by the ABCP conduit; and
(3) Any remedial actions taken by the ABCP conduit sponsor or other party with
respect to such ABS interests; and
(B) Take other appropriate steps pursuant to the requirements of paragraphs (b)(2)(iv) and (b)(2)(v) of this section which may include, as appropriate, curing any breach of the requirements in this section, or removing from the eligible ABCP conduit any ABS interest that does not comply with the requirements in this section.
[79 FR 77602, Dec. 24, 2014]
246.7 — Commercial mortgage-backed securities.
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definition shall apply:
Special servicer means, with respect to any securitization of commercial real
estate loans, any servicer that, upon the occurrence of one or more specified conditions in the servicing agreement, has the right to service one or more assets in the transaction.
(b) Third-Party Purchaser. A sponsor may satisfy some or all of its risk retention
requirements under § 246.3 with respect to a securitization transaction if a third party (or any majority-owned affiliate thereof) purchases and holds for its own account an eligible horizontal residual interest in the issuing entity in the same form, amount, and manner as would be held by the sponsor under § 246.4 and all of the following conditions are met:
(1) Number of third-party purchasers. At any time, there are no more than two
third-party purchasers of an eligible horizontal residual interest. If there are two third- party purchasers, each third-party purchaser’s interest must be pari passu with the other
third-party purchaser’s interest.
(2) Composition of collateral. The securitization transaction is collateralized
solely by commercial real estate loans and servicing assets.
(3) Source of funds. (i) Each third-party purchaser pays for the eligible horizontal
residual interest in cash at the closing of the securitization transaction.
(ii) No third-party purchaser obtains financing, directly or indirectly, for the purchase of such interest from any other person that is a party to, or an affiliate of a party to, the securitization transaction (including, but not limited to, the sponsor, depositor, or servicer other than a special servicer affiliated with the third-party purchaser), other than a person that is a party to the transaction solely by reason of being an investor.
(4) Third-party review. Each third-party purchaser conducts an independent
review of the credit risk of each securitized asset prior to the sale of the asset-backed securities in the securitization transaction that includes, at a minimum, a review of the underwriting standards, collateral, and expected cash flows of each commercial real estate loan that is collateral for the asset-backed securities.
(5) Affiliation and control rights. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of
this section, no third-party purchaser is affiliated with any party to the securitization transaction (including, but not limited to, the sponsor, depositor, or servicer) other than investors in the securitization transaction.
(ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(5)(i) of this section, a third-party purchaser may be affiliated with:
(A) The special servicer for the securitization transaction; or
(B) One or more originators of the securitized assets, as long as the assets originated by the affiliated originator or originators collectively comprise less than 10 percent of the unpaid principal balance of the securitized assets included in the securitization transaction at the cut-off date of the securitization transaction.
(6) Operating Advisor. The underlying securitization transaction documents shall
provide for the following:
(i) The appointment of an operating advisor (the Operating Advisor) that:
(A) Is not affiliated with other parties to the securitization transaction;
(B) Does not directly or indirectly have any financial interest in the securitization transaction other than in fees from its role as Operating Advisor; and
(C) Is required to act in the best interest of, and for the benefit of, investors as a collective whole;
(ii) Standards with respect to the Operating Advisor’s experience, expertise and financial strength to fulfill its duties and responsibilities under the applicable transaction documents over the life of the securitization transaction;
(iii) The terms of the Operating Advisor’s compensation with respect to the securitization transaction;
(iv) When the eligible horizontal residual interest has been reduced by principal payments, realized losses, and appraisal reduction amounts (which reduction amounts are determined in accordance with the applicable transaction documents) to a principal
balance of 25 percent or less of its initial principal balance, the special servicer for the securitized assets must consult with the Operating Advisor in connection with, and prior to, any material decision in connection with its servicing of the securitized assets, including, without limitation:
(A) Any material modification of, or waiver with respect to, any provision of a loan agreement (including a mortgage, deed of trust, or other security agreement);
(B) Foreclosure upon or comparable conversion of the ownership of a property; or
(C) Any acquisition of a property.
(v) The Operating Advisor shall have adequate and timely access to information and reports necessary to fulfill its duties under the transaction documents, including all reports made available to holders of ABS interests and third-party purchasers, and shall be responsible for:
(A) Reviewing the actions of the special servicer;
(B) Reviewing all reports provided by the special servicer to the issuing entity or any holder of ABS interests;
(C) Reviewing for accuracy and consistency with the transaction documents calculations made by the special servicer; and
(D) Issuing a report to investors (including any third-party purchasers) and the issuing entity on a periodic basis concerning:
(1) Whether the Operating Advisor believes, in its sole discretion exercised in
good faith, that the special servicer is operating in compliance with any standard required of the special servicer in the applicable transaction documents; and
(2) Which, if any, standards the Operating Advisor believes, in its sole discretion
exercised in good faith, the special servicer has failed to comply.
(vi) (A) The Operating Advisor shall have the authority to recommend that the special servicer be replaced by a successor special servicer if the Operating Advisor determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that:
(1) The special servicer has failed to comply with a standard required of the
special servicer in the applicable transaction documents; and
(2) Such replacement would be in the best interest of the investors as a collective
whole; and
(B) If a recommendation described in paragraph (b)(6)(vi)(A) of this section is made, the special servicer shall be replaced upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding principal balance of all ABS interests voting on the matter, with a minimum of a quorum of ABS interests voting on the matter. For purposes of such vote, the applicable transaction documents shall specify the quorum and may not specify a quorum of more than the holders of 20 percent of the outstanding principal balance of all ABS interests in the issuing entity, with such quorum including at least three ABS interest holders that are not affiliated with each other.
(7) Disclosures. The sponsor provides, or causes to be provided, to potential
investors a reasonable period of time prior to the sale of the asset-backed securities as part of the securitization transaction and, upon request, to the Commission and its appropriate Federal banking agency, if any, the following disclosure in written form under the caption "Credit Risk Retention":
(i) The name and form of organization of each initial third-party purchaser that acquired an eligible horizontal residual interest at the closing of a securitization transaction;
(ii) A description of each initial third-party purchaser’s experience in investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities;
(iii) Any other information regarding each initial third-party purchaser or each initial third-party purchaser’s retention of the eligible horizontal residual interest that is material to investors in light of the circumstances of the particular securitization transaction;
(iv) The fair value (expressed as a percentage of the fair value of all of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction and dollar amount (or corresponding amount in the foreign currency in which the ABS interests are issued, as applicable)) of the eligible horizontal residual interest that will be retained (or was retained) by each initial third-party purchaser, as well as the amount of the purchase price paid by each initial third-party purchaser for such interest;
(v) The fair value (expressed as a percentage of the fair value of all of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction and dollar amount (or corresponding amount in the foreign currency in which the ABS interests are issued, as applicable)) of the eligible horizontal residual interest in the securitization transaction that the sponsor would have retained pursuant to § 246.4 if the sponsor had relied on retaining an eligible horizontal residual interest in that section to meet the requirements of § 246.3 with respect to the transaction;
(vi) A description of the material terms of the eligible horizontal residual interest retained by each initial third-party purchaser, including the same information as is required to be disclosed by sponsors retaining horizontal interests pursuant to § 246.4;
(vii) The material terms of the applicable transaction documents with respect to the Operating Advisor, including without limitation:
(A) The name and form of organization of the Operating Advisor;
(B) A description of any material conflict of interest or material potential conflict of interest between the Operating Advisor and any other party to the transaction;
(C) The standards required by paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section and a description of how the Operating Advisor satisfies each of the standards; and
(D) The terms of the Operating Advisor’s compensation under paragraph (b)(6)(iii) of this section; and
(viii) The representations and warranties concerning the securitized assets, a schedule of any securitized assets that are determined not to comply with such representations and warranties, and what factors were used to make the determination that such securitized assets should be included in the pool notwithstanding that the securitized assets did not comply with such representations and warranties, such as compensating factors or a determination that the exceptions were not material.
(8) Hedging, transfer and pledging. (I) General rule. Except as set forth in
paragraph (b)(8)(ii) of this section, each third-party purchaser and its affiliates must comply with the hedging and other restrictions in § 246.12 as if it were the retaining sponsor with respect to the securitization transaction and had acquired the eligible horizontal residual interest pursuant to § 246.4; provided that, the hedging and other
restrictions in § 246.12 shall not apply on or after the date that each CRE loan (as defined in § 246.14) that serves as collateral for outstanding ABS interests has been defeased.
For purposes of this section, a loan is deemed to be defeased if:
(A) cash or cash equivalents of the types permitted for an eligible horizontal cash reserve account pursuant to § 246.4 whose maturity corresponds to the remaining debt service obligations, have been pledged to the issuing entity as collateral for the loan and are in such amounts and payable at such times as necessary to timely generate cash sufficient to make all remaining debt service payments due on such loan; and
(B) the issuing entity has an obligation to release its lien on the loan.
(ii) Exceptions. (A) Transfer by initial third-party purchaser or sponsor. An initial
third-party purchaser that acquired an eligible horizontal residual interest at the closing of a securitization transaction in accordance with this section, or a sponsor that acquired an eligible horizontal residual interest at the closing of a securitization transaction in accordance with this section, may, on or after the date that is five years after the date of the closing of the securitization transaction, transfer that interest to a subsequent third- party purchaser that complies with paragraph (b)(8)(ii)(C) of this section. The initial third-party purchaser shall provide the sponsor with complete identifying information for the subsequent third-party purchaser.
(B) Transfer by subsequent third-party purchaser. At any time, a subsequent third-party purchaser that acquired an eligible horizontal residual interest pursuant to this section may transfer its interest to a different third-party purchaser that complies with paragraph (b)(8)(ii)(C) of this section. The transferring third-party purchaser shall
provide the sponsor with complete identifying information for the acquiring third-party purchaser.
(C) Requirements applicable to subsequent third-party purchasers. A subsequent
third-party purchaser is subject to all of the requirements of paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(3) through (b)(5), and (b)(8) of this section applicable to third-party purchasers, provided that obligations under paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(3) through (b)(5), and (b)(8) of this section that apply to initial third-party purchasers at or before the time of closing of the securitization transaction shall apply to successor third-party purchasers at or before the time of the transfer of the eligible horizontal residual interest to the successor third-party purchaser.
(c) Duty to comply. (1) The retaining sponsor shall be responsible for compliance
with this section by itself and for compliance by each initial or subsequent third-party purchaser that acquired an eligible horizontal residual interest in the securitization transaction.
(2) A sponsor relying on this section:
(A) Shall maintain and adhere to policies and procedures to monitor each third- party purchaser’s compliance with the requirements of paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(3) through (b)(5), and (b)(8) of this section; and
(B) In the event that the sponsor determines that a third-party purchaser no longer complies with one or more of the requirements of paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(3) through (b)(5), or (b)(8) of this section, shall promptly notify, or cause to be notified, the holders of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction of such noncompliance by such third-party purchaser.
[79 FR 77602, Dec. 24, 2014]
246.8 — Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ABS.
(a) In general. A sponsor satisfies its risk retention requirement under this part if
the sponsor fully guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on all ABS interests issued by the issuing entity in the securitization transaction and is:
(1) The Federal National Mortgage Association or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation operating under the conservatorship or receivership of the Federal Housing Finance Agency pursuant to section 1367 of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4617) with capital support from the United States; or
(2) Any limited-life regulated entity succeeding to the charter of either the Federal National Mortgage Association or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation pursuant to section 1367(i) of the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (12 U.S.C. 4617(i)), provided that the entity is operating with capital support from the United States.
(b) Certain provisions not applicable. The provisions of § 246.12(b), (c), and (d)
shall not apply to a sponsor described in paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section, its affiliates, or the issuing entity with respect to a securitization transaction for which the sponsor has retained credit risk in accordance with the requirements of this section.
(c) Disclosure. A sponsor relying on this section shall provide to investors, in
written form under the caption “Credit Risk Retention” and, upon request, to the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the Commission, a description of the manner in which it has met the credit risk retention requirements of this part.
[79 FR 77602, Dec. 24, 2014]
246.9 — Open market CLOs.
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
CLO means a special purpose entity that:
(1) Issues debt and equity interests, and
(2) Whose assets consist primarily of loans that are securitized assets and servicing assets.
CLO-eligible loan tranche means a term loan of a syndicated facility that meets
the criteria set forth in paragraph (c) of this section.
CLO manager means an entity that manages a CLO, which entity is registered as
an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.), or is an affiliate of such a registered investment adviser and itself is
managed by such registered investment adviser.
Commercial borrower means an obligor under a corporate credit obligation
(including a loan).
Initial loan syndication transaction means a transaction in which a loan is
syndicated to a group of lenders.
Lead arranger means, with respect to a CLO-eligible loan tranche, an institution
that:
(1) Is active in the origination, structuring and syndication of commercial loan transactions (as defined in § 246.14) and has played a primary role in the structuring, underwriting and distribution on the primary market of the CLO-eligible loan tranche.
(2) Has taken an allocation of the funded portion of the syndicated credit facility under the terms of the transaction that includes the CLO-eligible loan tranche of at least
20 percent of the aggregate principal balance at origination, and no other member (or members affiliated with each other) of the syndication group that funded at origination has taken a greater allocation; and
(3) Is identified in the applicable agreement governing the CLO-eligible loan tranche; represents therein to the holders of the CLO-eligible loan tranche and to any holders of participation interests in such CLO-eligible loan tranche that such lead arranger satisfies the requirements of paragraph (1) of this definition and, at the time of initial funding of the CLO-eligible tranche, will satisfy the requirements of paragraph (2) of this definition; further represents therein (solely for the purpose of assisting such holders to determine the eligibility of such CLO-eligible loan tranche to be held by an open market CLO) that in the reasonable judgment of such lead arranger, the terms of such CLO-eligible loan tranche are consistent with the requirements of paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section; and covenants therein to such holders that such lead arranger will fulfill the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section.
Open market CLO means a CLO:
(1) Whose assets consist of senior, secured syndicated loans acquired by such CLO directly from the sellers thereof in open market transactions and of servicing assets,
(2) That is managed by a CLO manager, and
(3) That holds less than 50 percent of its assets, by aggregate outstanding principal amount, in loans syndicated by lead arrangers that are affiliates of the CLO or the CLO manager or originated by originators that are affiliates of the CLO or the CLO manager.
Open market transaction means:
(1) Either an initial loan syndication transaction or a secondary market transaction in which a seller offers senior, secured syndicated loans to prospective purchasers in the loan market on market terms on an arm’s length basis, which prospective purchasers include, but are not limited to, entities that are not affiliated with the seller, or
(2) A reverse inquiry from a prospective purchaser of a senior, secured syndicated loan through a dealer in the loan market to purchase a senior, secured syndicated loan to be sourced by the dealer in the loan market.
Secondary market transaction means a purchase of a senior, secured syndicated
loan not in connection with an initial loan syndication transaction but in the secondary market.
Senior, secured syndicated loan means a loan made to a commercial borrower
that:
(1) Is not subordinate in right of payment to any other obligation for borrowed money of the commercial borrower,
(2) Is secured by a valid first priority security interest or lien in or on specified collateral securing the commercial borrower’s obligations under the loan, and
(3) The value of the collateral subject to such first priority security interest or lien, together with other attributes of the obligor (including, without limitation, its general financial condition, ability to generate cash flow available for debt service and other demands for that cash flow), is adequate (in the commercially reasonable judgment of the CLO manager exercised at the time of investment) to repay the loan and to repay all other indebtedness of equal seniority secured by such first priority security interest or lien in or on the same collateral, and the CLO manager certifies, on or prior to each date that it
acquires a loan constituting part of a new CLO-eligible tranche, that it has policies and procedures to evaluate the likelihood of repayment of loans acquired by the CLO and it has followed such policies and procedures in evaluating each CLO-eligible loan tranche.
(b) In general. A sponsor satisfies the risk retention requirements of § 246.3 with
respect to an open market CLO transaction if:
(1) The open market CLO does not acquire or hold any assets other than CLO- eligible loan tranches that meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section and servicing assets;
(2) The governing documents of such open market CLO require that, at all times, the assets of the open market CLO consist of senior, secured syndicated loans that are CLO-eligible loan tranches and servicing assets;
(3) The open market CLO does not invest in ABS interests or in credit derivatives other than hedging transactions that are servicing assets to hedge risks of the open market CLO;
(4) All purchases of CLO-eligible loan tranches and other assets by the open market CLO issuing entity or through a warehouse facility used to accumulate the loans prior to the issuance of the CLO’s ABS interests are made in open market transactions on an arms-length basis;
(5) The CLO manager of the open market CLO is not entitled to receive any management fee or gain on sale at the time the open market CLO issues its ABS interests.
(c) CLO-eligible loan tranche. To qualify as a CLO-eligible loan tranche, a term
loan of a syndicated credit facility to a commercial borrower must have the following features:
(1) A minimum of 5 percent of the face amount of the CLO-eligible loan tranche is retained by the lead arranger thereof until the earliest of the repayment, maturity, involuntary and unscheduled acceleration, payment default, or bankruptcy default of such CLO-eligible loan tranche, provided that such lead arranger complies with limitations on hedging, transferring and pledging in § 246.12 with respect to the interest retained by the lead arranger.
(2) Lender voting rights within the credit agreement and any intercreditor or other applicable agreements governing such CLO-eligible loan tranche are defined so as to give holders of the CLO-eligible loan tranche consent rights with respect to, at minimum, any material waivers and amendments of such applicable documents, including but not limited to, adverse changes to the calculation or payments of amounts due to the holders of the CLO-eligible tranche, alterations to pro rata provisions, changes to voting
provisions, and waivers of conditions precedent; and
(3) The pro rata provisions, voting provisions, and similar provisions applicable to the security associated with such CLO-eligible loan tranches under the CLO credit agreement and any intercreditor or other applicable agreements governing such CLO- eligible loan tranches are not materially less advantageous to the holder(s) of such CLO- eligible tranche than the terms of other tranches of comparable seniority in the broader syndicated credit facility.
(d) Disclosures. A sponsor relying on this section shall provide, or cause to be
provided, to potential investors a reasonable period of time prior to the sale of the asset- backed securities in the securitization transaction and at least annually with respect to the information required by paragraph (d)(1) of this section and, upon request, to the
Commission and its appropriate Federal banking agency, if any, the following disclosure in written form under the caption "Credit Risk Retention":
(1) Open market CLOs. A complete list of every asset held by an open market
CLO (or before the CLO’s closing, in a warehouse facility in anticipation of transfer into the CLO at closing), including the following information:
(i) The full legal name, Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) category code, and legal entity identifier (LEI) issued by a utility endorsed or otherwise governed by the Global LEI Regulatory Oversight Committee or the Global LEI Foundation (if an LEI has been obtained by the obligor) of the obligor of the loan or asset;
(ii) The full name of the specific loan tranche held by the CLO;
(iii) The face amount of the entire loan tranche held by the CLO, and the face amount of the portion thereof held by the CLO;
(iv) The price at which the loan tranche was acquired by the CLO; and
(v) For each loan tranche, the full legal name of the lead arranger subject to the sales and hedging restrictions of § 246.12 and the; and
(2) CLO manager. The full legal name and form of organization of the CLO
manager.
[79 FR 77602, Dec. 24, 2014]
246.10 — Qualified tender option bonds.
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
Municipal security or municipal securities shall have the same meaning as the
term "municipal securities" in Section 3(a)(29) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(29)) and any rules promulgated pursuant to such section.
Qualified tender option bond entity means an issuing entity with respect to tender
option bonds for which each of the following applies:
(1) Such entity is collateralized solely by servicing assets and by municipal securities that have the same municipal issuer and the same underlying obligor or source of payment (determined without regard to any third-party credit enhancement), and such municipal securities are not subject to substitution.
(2) Such entity issues no securities other than:
(i) A single class of tender option bonds with a preferred variable return payable out of capital that meets the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, and
(ii) One or more residual equity interests that, in the aggregate, are entitled to all remaining income of the issuing entity.
(iii) The types of securities referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) must constitute asset-backed securities.
(3) The municipal securities held as assets by such entity are issued in compliance with Section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRS Code", 26 U.S.C. 103), such that the interest payments made on those securities are excludable from the gross income of the owners under Section 103 of the IRS Code.
(4) The terms of all of the securities issued by the entity are structured so that all holders of such securities who are eligible to exclude interest received on such securities will be able to exclude that interest from gross income pursuant to Section 103 of the IRS Code or as "exempt-interest dividends" pursuant to Section 852(b)(5) of the IRS Code (26 U.S.C. 852(b)(5)) in the case of regulated investment companies under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(5) Such entity has a legally binding commitment from a regulated liquidity provider as defined in § 246.6(a), to provide a 100 percent guarantee or liquidity coverage with respect to all of the issuing entity’s outstanding tender option bonds.
(6) Such entity qualifies for monthly closing elections pursuant to IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-84, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
Tender option bond means a security which has features which entitle the holders
to tender such bonds to the issuing entity for purchase at any time upon no more than 397 days’ notice, for a purchase price equal to the approximate amortized cost of the security, plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of tender.
(b) Risk retention options. Notwithstanding anything in this section, the sponsor
with respect to an issuance of tender option bonds may retain an eligible vertical interest or eligible horizontal residual interest, or any combination thereof, in accordance with the requirements of § 246.4. In order to satisfy its risk retention requirements under this section, the sponsor with respect to an issuance of tender option bonds by a qualified tender option bond entity may retain:
(1) An eligible vertical interest or an eligible horizontal residual interest, or any combination thereof, in accordance with the requirements of § 246.4; or
(2) An interest that meets the requirements set forth in paragraph (c) of this section; or
(3) A municipal security that meets the requirements set forth in paragraph (d) of this section; or
(4) Any combination of interests and securities described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(3) of this section such that the sum of the percentages held in each form equals at least five.
(c) Tender option termination event. The sponsor with respect to an issuance of
tender option bonds by a qualified tender option bond entity may retain an interest that upon issuance meets the requirements of an eligible horizontal residual interest but that upon the occurrence of a "tender option termination event" as defined in Section 4.01(5) of IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-84, as amended or supplemented from time to time will meet the requirements of an eligible vertical interest.
(d) Retention of a municipal security outside of the qualified tender option bond
entity. The sponsor with respect to an issuance of tender option bonds by a qualified
tender option bond entity may satisfy its risk retention requirements under this Section by holding municipal securities from the same issuance of municipal securities deposited in the qualified tender option bond entity, the face value of which retained municipal securities is equal to 5 percent of the face value of the municipal securities deposited in the qualified tender option bond entity.
(e) Disclosures. The sponsor shall provide, or cause to be provided, to potential
investors a reasonable period of time prior to the sale of the asset-backed securities as part of the securitization transaction and, upon request, to the Commission and its appropriate Federal banking agency, if any, the following disclosure in written form under the caption "Credit Risk Retention":
(1) The name and form of organization of the qualified tender option bond entity;
(2) A description of the form and subordination features of such retained interest in accordance with the disclosure obligations in § 246.4(c);
(3) To the extent any portion of the retained interest is claimed by the sponsor as an eligible horizontal residual interest (including any interest held in compliance with §
246.10(c)), the fair value of that interest (expressed as a percentage of the fair value of all of the ABS interests issued in the securitization transaction and as a dollar amount);
(4) To the extent any portion of the retained interest is claimed by the sponsor as an eligible vertical interest (including any interest held in compliance with § 246.10(c)), the percentage of ABS interests issued represented by the eligible vertical interest; and
(5) To the extent any portion of the retained interest claimed by the sponsor is a municipal security held outside of the qualified tender option bond entity, the name and form of organization of the qualified tender option bond entity, the identity of the issuer of the municipal securities, the face value of the municipal securities deposited into the qualified tender option bond entity, and the face value of the municipal securities retained by the sponsor or its majority-owned affiliates and subject to the transfer and hedging prohibition.
(f) Prohibitions on Hedging and Transfer. The prohibitions on transfer and
hedging set forth in § 246.12, apply to any interests or municipal securities retained by the sponsor with respect to an issuance of tender option bonds by a qualified tender option bond entity pursuant to of this section.
[79 FR 77602, Dec. 24, 2014]