Goldman Sachs 2013 Annual Report Download - page 167

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 10.
Securitization Activities
The firm securitizes residential and commercial mortgages,
corporate bonds, loans and other types of financial assets
by selling these assets to securitization vehicles (e.g., trusts,
corporate entities and limited liability companies) or
through a resecuritization. The firm acts as underwriter of
the beneficial interests that are sold to investors. The firm’s
residential mortgage securitizations are substantially all in
connection with government agency securitizations.
Beneficial interests issued by securitization entities are debt
or equity securities that give the investors rights to receive
all or portions of specified cash inflows to a securitization
vehicle and include senior and subordinated interests in
principal, interest and/or other cash inflows. The proceeds
from the sale of beneficial interests are used to pay the
transferor for the financial assets sold to the securitization
vehicle or to purchase securities which serve as collateral.
The firm accounts for a securitization as a sale when it has
relinquished control over the transferred assets. Prior to
securitization, the firm accounts for assets pending transfer
at fair value and therefore does not typically recognize
significant gains or losses upon the transfer of assets. Net
revenues from underwriting activities are recognized in
connection with the sales of the underlying beneficial
interests to investors.
For transfers of assets that are not accounted for as sales,
the assets remain in “Financial instruments owned, at fair
value” and the transfer is accounted for as a collateralized
financing, with the related interest expense recognized over
the life of the transaction. See Notes 9 and 23 for further
information about collateralized financings and interest
expense, respectively.
The firm generally receives cash in exchange for the
transferred assets but may also have continuing
involvement with transferred assets, including ownership of
beneficial interests in securitized financial assets, primarily
in the form of senior or subordinated securities. The firm
may also purchase senior or subordinated securities issued
by securitization vehicles (which are typically VIEs) in
connection with secondary market-making activities.
The primary risks included in beneficial interests and other
interests from the firm’s continuing involvement with
securitization vehicles are the performance of the
underlying collateral, the position of the firm’s investment
in the capital structure of the securitization vehicle and the
market yield for the security. These interests are accounted
for at fair value and are included in “Financial instruments
owned, at fair value” and are generally classified in level 2
of the fair value hierarchy. See Notes 5 through 8 for
further information about fair value measurements.
The table below presents the amount of financial assets
securitized and the cash flows received on retained interests
in securitization entities in which the firm had
continuing involvement.
Year Ended December
in millions 2013 2012 2011
Residential mortgages $29,772 $33,755 $40,131
Commercial mortgages 6,086 300 —
Other financial assets —— 269
Total $35,858 $34,055 $40,400
Cash flows on retained interests $ 249 $ 389 $ 569
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