JP Morgan Chase 2014 Annual Report Download - page 216

Notes to consolidated financial statements
214 JPMorgan Chase & Co./2014 Annual Report
Credit default swaps
Credit derivatives may reference the credit of either a single
reference entity (“single-name”) or a broad-based index.
The Firm purchases and sells protection on both single-
name and index-reference obligations. Single-name CDS and
index CDS contracts are typically OTC-cleared derivative
contracts. Single-name CDS are used to manage the default
risk of a single reference entity, while index CDS contracts
are used to manage the credit risk associated with the
broader credit markets or credit market segments. Like the
S&P 500 and other market indices, a CDS index comprises a
portfolio of CDS across many reference entities. New series
of CDS indices are periodically established with a new
underlying portfolio of reference entities to reflect changes
in the credit markets. If one of the reference entities in the
index experiences a credit event, then the reference entity
that defaulted is removed from the index. CDS can also be
referenced against specific portfolios of reference names or
against customized exposure levels based on specific client
demands: for example, to provide protection against the
first $1 million of realized credit losses in a $10 million
portfolio of exposure. Such structures are commonly known
as tranche CDS.
For both single-name CDS contracts and index CDS
contracts, upon the occurrence of a credit event, under the
terms of a CDS contract neither party to the CDS contract
has recourse to the reference entity. The protection
purchaser has recourse to the protection seller for the
difference between the face value of the CDS contract and
the fair value of the reference obligation at settlement of
the credit derivative contract, also known as the recovery
value. The protection purchaser does not need to hold the
debt instrument of the underlying reference entity in order
to receive amounts due under the CDS contract when a
credit event occurs.
Credit-related notes
A credit-related note is a funded credit derivative where the
issuer of the credit-related note purchases from the note
investor credit protection on a reference entity or an index.
Under the contract, the investor pays the issuer the par
value of the note at the inception of the transaction, and in
return, the issuer pays periodic payments to the investor,
based on the credit risk of the referenced entity. The issuer
also repays the investor the par value of the note at
maturity unless the reference entity experiences a specified
credit event (or one of the entities that makes up a
reference index). If a credit event occurs, the issuer is not
obligated to repay the par value of the note, but rather, the
issuer pays the investor the difference between the par
value of the note and the fair value of the defaulted
reference obligation at the time of settlement. Neither party
to the credit-related note has recourse to the defaulting
reference entity. For a further discussion of credit-related
notes, see Note 16.
The following tables present a summary of the notional
amounts of credit derivatives and credit-related notes the
Firm sold and purchased as of December 31, 2014 and
2013. Upon a credit event, the Firm as a seller of protection
would typically pay out only a percentage of the full
notional amount of net protection sold, as the amount
actually required to be paid on the contracts takes into
account the recovery value of the reference obligation at
the time of settlement. The Firm manages the credit risk on
contracts to sell protection by purchasing protection with
identical or similar underlying reference entities. Other
purchased protection referenced in the following tables
includes credit derivatives bought on related, but not
identical, reference positions (including indices, portfolio
coverage and other reference points) as well as protection
purchased through credit-related notes.