Ameriprise 2012 Annual Report Download - page 40

Securities Exchange Act Reports and Additional Information
We maintain an Investor Relations website at ir.ameriprise.com, and we make available our annual, quarterly and current
reports free of charge and post any amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable following the time
they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. To access these and other documents, click on the ‘‘SEC filings’’
link found on our Investor Relations homepage.
Investors can also access our Investor Relations website through our main website at ameriprise.com by clicking on the
‘‘Investor Relations’’ link located at the bottom of our homepage. Information contained on our website is not incorporated
by reference into this report or any other report filed with the SEC.
Segment Information and Classes of Similar Services
You can find financial information about our operating segments and classes of similar services in Note 25 to our
Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Our operations and financial results are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those described below, that
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations and could cause the
trading price of our common stock to decline. We believe that the following information identifies the material factors
affecting our company based on the information we currently know. However, the risks and uncertainties our company
faces are not limited to those described below. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we
currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely affect our business.
Risks Relating to Our Business and Operations
Our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by market fluctuations and by
economic, political and other factors.
Our financial condition and results of operations may be materially affected by market fluctuations and by economic and
other factors. Many such factors of a global or localized nature include: political, social, economic and market conditions;
the availability and cost of capital; the level and volatility of equity prices, commodity prices and interest rates, currency
values and other market indices; technological changes and events; U.S. and foreign government fiscal and tax policies;
the availability and cost of credit; inflation; investor sentiment and confidence in the financial markets; terrorism and
armed conflicts; and natural disasters such as weather catastrophes and widespread health emergencies. Furthermore,
changes in consumer economic variables, such as the number and size of personal bankruptcy filings, the rate of
unemployment, decreases in property values, and the level of consumer confidence and consumer debt, may substantially
affect consumer loan levels and credit quality, which, in turn, could impact client activity in all of our businesses. These
factors also may have an impact on our ability to achieve our strategic objectives.
Declines and volatility in U.S. and global market conditions have impacted our businesses in the past and may continue to
do so. Our businesses have been, and in the future may be, adversely affected by U.S. and global capital market and
credit crises, the repricing of credit risk, equity market volatility and decline and stress or recession in the U.S. and global
economies generally. Each of our segments operates in these markets with exposure for us and our clients in securities,
loans, derivatives, alternative investments, seed capital and other commitments. It is difficult to predict when, how long
and to what extent the aforementioned adverse conditions may exist, which of our markets, products and businesses will
be directly affected in terms of revenues, management fees and investment valuations and earnings, and to what extent
our clients may seek to bring claims arising out of investment performance that is affected by these conditions. As a
result, these factors could materially adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.
Our revenues are largely dependent upon the level and mix of assets under management and administration, which are
subject to fluctuation based on market conditions and client activity. Downturns and volatility in equity markets can have,
and have had, an adverse effect on the revenues and returns from our asset management services, wrap accounts and
variable annuity contracts. Because the profitability of these products and services depends on fees related primarily to the
value of assets under management, declines in the equity markets will reduce our revenues because the value of the
investment assets we manage will be reduced. In addition, market downturns and volatility may cause, and have caused,
potential new purchasers of our products to limit purchases of or to refrain from purchasing products, such as mutual
funds, OEICs, variable annuities and variable universal life insurance. Downturns may also cause current shareholders in
our mutual funds, OEICs, SICAV, unit trusts and investment trusts, contractholders in our annuity products and
policyholders in our protection products to withdraw cash values from those products.
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