MOODY'S REVISES OUTLOOK ON AIG's LONG-TERM RATINGS (Aaa SENIOR) TO NEGATIVE FROM STABLE
New York, March 15, 2005 -- Moody's Investors Service revised the outlook on the long-term
debt ratings (Aaa, senior) of American International Group,
Inc. (NYSE: AIG) to negative from stable. The outlooks
on the long-term debt ratings of the company's supported
subsidiaries and on the insurance financial strength ratings (IFSR) of
its property/casualty, life and mortgage insurance and reinsurance
subsidiaries have also been revised to negative from stable. The
short-term Prime-1 debt rating of AIG Funding, Inc.
was affirmed with a stable outlook. The rating action follows the
company's announcement today that the Board of Directors has implemented
its management succession plan with the election of Martin J. Sullivan
as President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding M. R.
Greenberg. Mr. Greenberg will serve in the capacity of non-executive
Chairman. Moody's also noted that the outlooks on the long-term
A1 and short-term P-1 debt ratings of the company's
principal commercial and consumer finance subsidiaries remain stable (See
separate press release).
Moody's said that the shift to a negative rating outlook was prompted
by heightened uncertainty regarding the ultimate outcome of the intensifying
regulatory investigations into the company's insurance/reinsurance
business, most recently involving subpoenas from the New York State
Attorney General and the SEC regarding non-traditional (finite
risk) reinsurance transactions.
Moody's added that today's announcement that M.R.
Greenberg has stepped down as the company's chief executive officer,
that the chief financial officer has taken leave, and that the company
has delayed the filing of its year-end 2004 financial statements
with the SEC on a timely basis raises additional uncertainty about the
ultimate impact of regulatory and legal developments on AIG's financial
profile.
Based on information disclosed by AIG thus far, Moody's does
not believe that the extent of potential financial restatements,
if any, together with costs associated with potential regulatory
or litigation settlements or fines will likely be material to the enterprise's
overall earnings or capital strength, or to those of the major business
units involved. However, the acceleration of regulatory investigations
has raised questions about whether AIG's internal controls and its
corporate governance are consistent with the risk tolerance within the
Aaa rating category.
Moody's said that it believes that AIG's management,
infrastructure and governance are well positioned to enable the organization
to continue to operate without disruption.
Looking forward, Moody's said that AIG's ratings would
likely be lowered in the event that material new adverse information comes
to light such as new regulatory investigations, accounting events
or litigation. The rating outlook would likely be changed to stable
in the absence of a significant increase in the scope, intensity
or cost of the ongoing regulatory investigations and/or litigation.
Moody's noted that AIG continues to distinguish itself as the leading
global insurance enterprise, in terms of business breadth,
consolidated revenues and earnings, and market capitalization.
The rating agency added that the group maintains excellent market positions
and franchise strength in each of its major business segments: US
and international general insurance, life insurance and retirement
services.
Moody's added that AIG's financial flexibility is supported by its formidable
business franchise value, strong and stable earnings capacity,
robust internal capital generation, modest holding company leverage,
very high fixed-charge coverage, and favorable liquidity
profile. The rating agency also noted that despite somewhat heightened
earnings volatility in recent years, AIG's earnings have remained
strong, in part reflecting the group's substantial diversification
of earnings as well as a strong recovery in commercial property/casualty
insurance.
Outlooks on the following long-term debt ratings have been revised
to negative from stable:
American International Group, Inc. - senior unsecured
debt at Aaa;
American General Corporation - guaranteed senior unsecured debt
at Aaa;
American General Capital II, III - guaranteed trust preferred
securities at Aa1;
American General Institutional Capital A and B - guaranteed trust
preferred stock at Aa1;
AIG Financial Products Corp. - guaranteed senior unsecured
debt at Aaa;
AIG Financial Products (Japan) Ltd - guaranteed senior unsecured
debt at Aaa;
AIG Matched Funding Corp. - guaranteed senior unsecured
debt at Aaa;
AIG-FP Matched Funding Corp. - guaranteed senior
unsecured debt at Aaa;
Banque AIG SA - guaranteed senior unsecured debt at Aaa.
SunAmerica Inc. - supported senior unsecured debt at Aaa;
supported convertible preferred at Aa2;
AIG SunAmerica Institutional Funding I, II and III (Jersey) Limited
-- funding agreement-backed senior debt at Aaa;
AIG SunAmerica Global Financing II, III, IV, V,
VI, VII, IX, XI, XIII, XIV, XV,
XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII,
XXIII, XXIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII,
XXIX-- funding agreement-backed senior debt at Aaa.
Outlooks on the following insurance financial strength ratings have been
revised to negative from stable:
Members of the Domestic Brokerage Group:
National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA.
- insurance financial strength at Aaa;
American Home Assurance Company - insurance financial strength
at Aaa;
Birmingham Fire Insurance Company of Pennsylvania - insurance financial
strength at Aaa;
Commerce & Industry Insurance Company - insurance financial
strength at Aaa;
AIU Insurance Company - insurance financial strength at Aaa;
New Hampshire Insurance Company - insurance financial strength
at Aaa;
Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania - insurance financial
strength at Aaa;
American International Specialty Lines Insurance Company - insurance
financial strength at Aaa;
Transatlantic Reinsurance Company - insurance financial strength
rating at Aa1;
Members of the United Guaranty Mortgage Insurance Group:
United Guaranty Residential Insurance Company - supported insurance
financial strength at Aaa;
United Guaranty Residential Insurance Company of North Carolina -
supported insurance financial strength at Aaa;
United Guaranty Mortgage Indemnity Company - supported insurance
financial strength at Aaa;
Members of the Domestic and International Life Group:
AIG Life Insurance Company - supported insurance financial strength
rating at Aaa;
American International Life Assurance Company of New York - supported
insurance financial strength rating at Aaa;
SunAmerica Life Insurance Company - supported insurance financial
strength rating at Aaa;
First SunAmerica Life Insurance Company - supported insurance financial
strength rating at Aaa;
AIG SunAmerica Life Assurance Company - supported insurance financial
strength rating at Aaa;
American Life Insurance Company - insurance financial strength
rating at Aaa;
American International Assurance Company (Bermuda) Ltd. -
supported insurance financial strength rating at Aaa;
AIG Edison Life Insurance Company - supported insurance financial
strength rating at Aa1;
American General Life & Accident Insurance Company - insurance
financial strength rating at Aa1;
American General Life Insurance Company - insurance financial strength
rating at Aa1;
AIG Annuity Insurance Company - insurance financial strength rating
at Aa1;
United States Life Insurance Company in The City of New York -
insurance financial strength rating at Aa1;
Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company - insurance financial strength
rating at Aa1.
Outlooks on the following ratings remain stable:
AIG Funding, Inc. - rating for backed commercial paper
at Prime-1;
AIG Liquidity Corp. - backed short-term debt rating
at Prime-1;
International Lease Finance Corporation - senior unsecured debt
at A1, rating for commercial paper at Prime-1;
American General Finance Corporation - senior unsecured debt at
A1, rating for commercial paper at Prime-1;
American General Finance, Inc. - rating for commercial
paper at Prime-1;
Commo Loco, Inc. - rating for commercial paper at
Prime-1.
American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG),
based in New York City, is the leading international insurance and
financial services organization, with operations in more than 130
countries and jurisdictions. The company is engaged through its
subsidiaries in international property and casualty insurance, life
insurance, retirement services, asset management and financial
services. AIG reported net income for the full year 2004 of $11.0
billion, and total assets and shareholders' equity of approximately
$83 billion as of December 31, 2004.
New York
Alan Murray
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
New York
Robert Riegel
Managing Director
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653