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Regulatory Capital and Other Regulatory Matters
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Broker-Dealer, Net Capital Requirement, SEC Regulation [Abstract]  
Regulatory Capital and Other Regulatory Matters Regulatory Capital and Other Regulatory Matters
Ally is currently subject to enhanced prudential standards that were established by the FRB under the Dodd-Frank Act. Targeted amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act and other financial-services laws were enacted through the EGRRCP Act, including amendments that affect whether and, if so, how the FRB applies enhanced prudential standards to BHCs like us with $100 billion or more but less than $250 billion in total consolidated assets. Through final rules implementing these amendments—which are commonly known as the tailoring framework—the FRB and other U.S. banking agencies established four risk-based categories of prudential standards and capital and liquidity requirements for banking organizations with $100 billion or more in total consolidated assets. The most stringent standards and requirements apply to U.S. global systemically important BHCs, which are assigned to Category I. The assignment of other banking organizations to the remaining three categories is based on measures of size and four other risk-based indicators: cross-jurisdictional activity, wSTWF, nonbank assets, and off-balance-sheet exposure.
Under the tailoring framework, Ally is a Category IV firm and, as such, is (1) subject to supervisory stress testing on a two-year cycle, (2) required to submit an annual capital plan to the FRB, (3) required to maintain a buffer of unencumbered highly liquid assets to meet projected net stressed cash outflows over a 30-day planning horizon, (4) exempted from company-run capital stress testing requirements, (5) exempted from the requirements of the LCR and the net stable funding ratio provided that our average wSTWF continues to remain under $50 billion, and (6) exempted from the requirements of the supplementary leverage ratio, the countercyclical capital buffer, and single-counterparty credit limits. Refer to Note 20 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details on the tailoring framework and other applicable capital and liquidity requirements.
We continue to be subject to rules enabling the FRB to conduct supervisory stress testing on a more or less frequent basis based on our financial condition, size, complexity, risk profile, scope of operations, or activities, or risks to the U.S. economy. Further, we remain subject to rules requiring the resubmission of our capital plan if we determine that there has been or will be a material change in our risk profile, financial condition, or corporate structure since we last submitted the capital plan or if the FRB determines that (a) our capital plan is incomplete or our capital plan or internal capital adequacy process contains material weaknesses, (b) there has been, or will likely be, a material change in our risk profile (including a material change in our business strategy or any risk exposure), financial condition, or corporate structure, or (c) the BHC stress scenario(s) are not appropriate for our business model and portfolios, or changes in the financial markets or the macroeconomic outlook that could have a material impact on our risk profile and financial condition require the use of updated scenarios.
Basel Capital Framework
The FRB and other U.S. banking agencies have adopted risk-based and leverage capital standards that establish minimum capital-to-asset ratios for BHCs, like Ally, and depository institutions, like Ally Bank. The risk-based capital ratios are based on a banking organization’s RWAs, which are generally determined under the standardized approach applicable to Ally and Ally Bank by (1) assigning on-balance-sheet exposures to broad risk-weight categories according to the counterparty or, if relevant, the guarantor or collateral (with higher risk weights
assigned to categories of exposures perceived as representing greater risk), and (2) multiplying off-balance-sheet exposures by specified credit conversion factors to calculate credit equivalent amounts and assigning those credit equivalent amounts to the relevant risk-weight categories. The leverage ratio, in contrast, is based on an institution’s average unweighted on-balance-sheet exposures.
Under U.S. Basel III, Ally and Ally Bank must maintain a minimum Common Equity Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 4.5%, a minimum Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6%, and a minimum total risk-based capital ratio of 8%. In addition to these minimum risk-based capital ratios, Ally and Ally Bank are subject to a capital conservation buffer requirement, which for Ally was 3.5% and for Ally Bank was 2.5% as of June 30, 2022, as further described in the next paragraph. Failure to maintain more than the full amount of the capital conservation buffer requirement would result in automatic restrictions on the ability of Ally and Ally Bank to make capital distributions, including dividend payments and stock repurchases and redemptions, and to pay discretionary bonuses to executive officers. U.S. Basel III also subjects Ally and Ally Bank to a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio of 4%.
Prompted by the enactment of the EGRRCP Act, the FRB and other U.S. banking agencies tailored the capital and liquidity requirements that apply to large U.S. banking organizations. In March 2020, the FRB issued a final rule to more closely align forward-looking stress testing results with the FRB’s non-stress regulatory capital requirements for BHCs with $100 billion or more in total consolidated assets and other specified companies. The final rule introduced a stress capital buffer requirement based on firm-specific stress test performance and planned dividends, which for Ally replaced the fixed 2.5% component of the capital conservation buffer requirement. The final rule also made several changes to the CCAR process effective May 2020, such as eliminating the CCAR quantitative objection, narrowing the set of planned capital actions assumed to occur in the stress scenario, assuming that a firm maintains a constant level of assets over the planning horizon, eliminating the 30% dividend payout ratio as a criterion for heightened scrutiny of a firm’s capital plan, and allowing a firm to make capital distributions in excess of those included in its capital plan if the firm is otherwise in compliance with the automatic distribution limits of the capital framework. Under the final rule, Ally’s stress capital buffer requirement is the greater of 2.5% and the result of the following calculation: (1) the difference between Ally’s starting and minimum projected Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratios under the severely adverse scenario in the supervisory stress test, plus (2) the sum of the dollar amount of Ally’s planned common stock dividends for each of the fourth through seventh quarters of its nine-quarter capital planning horizon, as a percentage of RWAs. For a Category IV firm like Ally, the capital conservation buffer requirement comprises the stress capital buffer requirement. The capital conservation buffer requirement applicable to Ally’s depository-institution subsidiary, Ally Bank, continues to be a fixed 2.5%. Ally received its first preliminary stress capital buffer requirement from the FRB in June 2020, which was determined under this new methodology to be 3.5%, was finalized in August 2020, and became effective in October 2020. Ally received an updated preliminary stress capital buffer requirement from the FRB in June 2022, which was determined to be 2.5% and is scheduled to become effective on October 1, 2022.
Under applicable capital rules, the maximum amount of capital distributions and discretionary bonus payments that can be made by a banking organization, such as Ally or Ally Bank, is a function of its eligible retained income. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FRB and other U.S. banking agencies expressed a concern that the definition of eligible retained income would not limit distributions in the gradual manner intended but instead could do so in a sudden and severe manner even if a banking organization were to experience only a modest reduction in its capital ratios. As a result, to better allow a banking organization to use its capital buffer as intended and continue lending in adverse conditions, the U.S. banking agencies issued an interim final rule that became effective in March 2020, and revised the definition of eligible retained income to the greater of (1) a banking organization’s net income for the four preceding calendar quarters, net of any distributions and associated tax effects not already reflected in net income, and (2) the average of a banking organization’s net income over the preceding four quarters. This interim final rule was adopted as final with no changes effective January 1, 2021.
Ally and Ally Bank are subject to the U.S. Basel III standardized approach for counterparty credit risk but not to the U.S. Basel III advanced approaches for credit risk or operational risk. Ally is also not subject to the U.S. market-risk capital rule, which applies only to banking organizations with significant trading assets and liabilities.
The risk-based capital ratios and the Tier 1 leverage ratio play a central role in PCA, which is an enforcement framework used by the U.S. banking agencies to constrain the activities of depository institutions based on their levels of regulatory capital. Five categories have been established using thresholds for the Common Equity Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, the Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, the total risk-based capital ratio, and the Tier 1 leverage ratio: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized. FDICIA generally prohibits a depository institution from making any capital distribution, including any payment of a cash dividend or a management fee to its BHC, if the depository institution would become undercapitalized after the distribution. An undercapitalized institution is also subject to growth limitations and must submit and fulfill a capital restoration plan. While BHCs are not subject to the PCA framework, the FRB is empowered to compel a BHC to take measures—such as the execution of financial or performance guarantees—when PCA is required in connection with one of its depository-institution subsidiaries. At both June 30, 2022, and December 31, 2021, Ally Bank was well capitalized under the PCA framework.
Under FDICIA and the PCA framework, insured depository institutions such as Ally Bank must be well capitalized or, with a waiver from the FDIC, adequately capitalized in order to accept brokered deposits, and even adequately capitalized institutions are subject to some restrictions on the rates they may offer for brokered deposits. Brokered deposits totaled $7.0 billion at June 30, 2022, which represented 5.0% of Ally Bank’s total deposits.
The following table summarizes our capital ratios under U.S. Basel III.
June 30, 2022December 31, 2021Required minimum (a)Well-capitalized minimum
($ in millions)AmountRatioAmountRatio
Capital ratios
Common Equity Tier 1 (to risk-weighted assets)
Ally Financial Inc.$14,650 9.62 %$15,143 10.34 %4.50 %(b)
Ally Bank17,349 11.98 17,253 12.39 4.50 6.50 %
Tier 1 (to risk-weighted assets)
Ally Financial Inc.$16,925 11.11 %$17,403 11.89 %6.00 %6.00 %
Ally Bank17,349 11.98 17,253 12.39 6.00 8.00 
Total (to risk-weighted assets)
Ally Financial Inc.$19,409 12.75 %$19,724 13.47 %8.00 %10.00 %
Ally Bank19,166 13.24 18,995 13.64 8.00 10.00 
Tier 1 leverage (to adjusted quarterly average assets) (c)
Ally Financial Inc.$16,925 9.10 %$17,403 9.67 %4.00 %(b)
Ally Bank17,349 9.83 17,253 10.12 4.00 5.00 %
(a)In addition to the minimum risk-based capital requirements for the Common Equity Tier 1 capital, Tier 1 capital, and total capital ratios, Ally was required to maintain a minimum capital conservation buffer of 3.5% at both June 30, 2022, and December 31, 2021, and Ally Bank was required to maintain a minimum capital conservation buffer of 2.5% at both June 30, 2022, and December 31, 2021. Beginning October 1, 2022, Ally’s updated preliminary stress capital buffer requirement of 2.5% is scheduled to compose its capital conservation buffer requirement.
(b)Currently, there is no ratio component for determining whether a BHC is “well-capitalized.”
(c)Federal regulatory reporting guidelines require the calculation of adjusted quarterly average assets using a daily average methodology.
On January 1, 2020, we adopted CECL, which is further described in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K. In December 2018, the FRB and other U.S. banking agencies approved a final rule to address the impact of CECL on regulatory capital by allowing BHCs and banks, including Ally, the option to phase in the day-one impact of CECL over a three-year period. In March 2020, the FRB and other U.S. banking agencies issued an interim final rule that became effective for the first quarter of 2020 and that provided BHCs and banks with an alternative option to temporarily delay an estimate of the impact of CECL, relative to the incurred loss methodology for estimating the allowance for loan losses, on regulatory capital. The interim final rule was clarified and adjusted in a final rule that became effective in September 2020. We elected this alternative option instead of the one described in the December 2018 rule. As a result, under the final rule, we delayed recognizing the estimated impact of CECL on regulatory capital until after a two-year deferral period, which for us extended through December 31, 2021. Beginning on January 1, 2022, we were required to phase in 25% of the previously deferred estimated capital impact of CECL, with an additional 25% to be phased in at the beginning of each subsequent year until fully phased in by the first quarter of 2025. The estimated impact of CECL on regulatory capital that we deferred and began phasing in on January 1, 2022, is generally calculated as the entire day-one impact at adoption plus 25% of the subsequent change in allowance during the two-year deferral period. As of June 30, 2022, the total deferred impact on Common Equity Tier 1 capital related to our adoption of CECL was $887 million.
Capital Planning and Stress Tests
Under the tailoring framework described earlier in the section titled Basel Capital Framework, we are generally subject to supervisory stress testing on a two-year cycle and exempted from mandated company-run capital stress testing requirements. We are also required to submit an annual capital plan to the FRB. Our annual capital plan must include an assessment of our expected uses and sources of capital and a description of all planned capital actions over a nine-quarter planning horizon, including any issuance of a debt or equity capital instrument, any dividend or other capital distribution, and any similar action that the FRB determines could have an impact on our capital. The plan must also include a detailed description of our process for assessing capital adequacy, including a discussion of how we, under expected and stressful conditions, will maintain capital commensurate with our risks and above the minimum regulatory capital ratios, will serve as a source of strength to Ally Bank, and will maintain sufficient capital to continue our operations by maintaining ready access to funding, meeting our obligations to creditors and other counterparties, and continuing to serve as a credit intermediary.
In January 2021, the FRB issued a final rule effective April 5, 2021, to align its capital planning and stress capital buffer requirements with the tailoring framework. Under the final rule, unless otherwise directed by the FRB in specified circumstances, Ally and other Category IV firms are generally no longer required to calculate forward-looking projections of revenues, losses, reserves, and pro forma capital levels under scenarios provided by the FRB. Each firm continues to be required, however, to provide a forward-looking analysis of income and capital levels under expected and stressful conditions that are designed by the firm. In addition, for Category IV firms, the final rule updated the frequency of calculating the portion of the stress capital buffer derived from the supervisory stress test to every other year. These firms have the ability to elect to participate in the supervisory stress test—and receive a correspondingly updated stress capital buffer requirement—in a year in which they would not generally be subject to the supervisory stress test. During a year in which a Category IV firm does not undergo a supervisory stress test, the firm would receive an updated stress capital buffer requirement that reflects its updated planned common-stock dividends. The final rule also includes reporting and other changes consistent with the tailoring framework. Ally did not opt into the 2021 supervisory stress test but was subject to the 2022 supervisory stress test.
We submitted our 2021 capital plan on April 5, 2021, which included planned capital distributions to common stockholders through share repurchases and cash dividends and other capital actions over the nine-quarter planning horizon. On January 11, 2021, our Board authorized a stock-repurchase program, permitting us to repurchase up to $1.6 billion of our common stock from time to time from the first quarter of 2021 through the fourth quarter of 2021 subject to restrictions imposed by the FRB. On July 12, 2021, our Board authorized an increase in the maximum amount of this stock-repurchase program, from $1.6 billion to $2.0 billion. During the second quarter of 2021, we issued $1.35 billion of Series B Preferred Stock and $1.0 billion of Series C Preferred Stock, both of which qualify as additional Tier 1 capital under U.S. Basel III. The proceeds from these issuances were used to redeem a portion of the Series 2 TRUPS then outstanding. Refer to Note 15 for additional details about these instruments and capital actions. In June 2021, we submitted an updated capital plan to the FRB reflecting these capital actions and increases in our stock-repurchase program and common-stock dividend. This updated capital plan was used by the FRB to recalculate Ally’s final stress capital buffer requirement, which was announced in August 2021 and remained unchanged at 3.5%. We submitted our 2022 capital plan to the FRB on April 5, 2022. Ally received an updated preliminary stress capital buffer requirement from the FRB in June 2022, which was determined to be 2.5% and is scheduled to become effective on October 1, 2022.
On January 10, 2022, our Board authorized a stock-repurchase program, permitting us to repurchase up to $2.0 billion of our common stock from time to time from the first quarter of 2022 through the fourth quarter of 2022 subject to restrictions imposed by the FRB, and an increase in our cash dividend on common stock from $0.25 per share for the fourth quarter of 2021 to $0.30 per share for the first quarter of 2022. Our ability to make capital distributions, including our ability to pay dividends or repurchase shares of our common stock, will continue to be subject to the FRB’s review and our internal governance requirements, including approval by our Board. The amount and size of any future dividends and share repurchases also will be subject to various factors, including Ally’s capital and liquidity positions, accounting and regulatory considerations (including any restrictions that may be imposed by the FRB), impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, financial and operational performance, alternative uses of capital, common-stock price, and general market conditions, and may be extended, modified, or discontinued at any time.
The following table presents information related to our common stock and distributions to our common stockholders.
Common stock repurchased during period (a) (b)Number of common shares outstandingCash dividends declared per common share (c)
($ in millions, except per share data; shares in thousands)Approximate dollar valueNumber of sharesBeginning of periodEnd of period
2021
First quarter$219 5,276 374,674 371,805 $0.19 
Second quarter502 9,641 371,805 362,639 0.19 
Third quarter679 13,055 362,639 349,599 0.25 
Fourth quarter594 12,046 349,599 337,941 0.25 
2022
First quarter$584 12,548 337,941 327,306 $0.30 
Second quarter600 15,031 327,306 312,781 0.30 
(a)Includes shares of common stock withheld to cover income taxes owed by participants in our share-based incentive plans.
(b)Our aggregate common-stock dividends and share repurchases in the first and second quarters of 2021 were limited by actions taken by the FRB to address the economic uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic. Refer to Note 20 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details about these actions.
(c)On July 14, 2022, our Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share on all common stock, payable on August 15, 2022, to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 1, 2022. Refer to Note 25 for further information regarding this common-stock dividend.