Note 1 - Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements - Business Overview and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Our condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP and include the accounts of Radian Group Inc. and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions, and intercompany profits and losses, have been eliminated. We have condensed or omitted certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP pursuant to the instructions set forth in Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the SEC.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of our contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. While the amounts included in our condensed consolidated financial statements include our best estimates and assumptions, actual results may vary materially.

Securities Borrowed and Loaned Policy [Policy Text Block]

During the third quarter of 2017, we commenced participation in a securities lending program whereby we loan certain securities in our investment portfolio to Borrowers for short periods of time. These securities lending agreements are collateralized financing arrangements whereby we transfer securities to third parties through an intermediary in exchange for cash or other securities. In all of our securities lending agreements, the securities we transfer to Borrowers (loaned securities) may be transferred or loaned by the Borrowers; however, we maintain effective control over all loaned securities, including: (i) retaining ownership of the securities; (ii) receiving the related investment or other income; and (iii) having the right to request the return of the loaned securities at any time. Although we report such securities at fair value within other assets in our condensed consolidated balance sheets, the detailed information regarding investments provided in this Note includes these securities.

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Text Block]

Accounting Standards Adopted During 2018. In May 2014, the FASB issued an update to the accounting standard regarding revenue recognition. In July 2015, the FASB delayed the effective date for this updated standard for public companies to interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and subsequently issued various clarifying updates. Our adoption of this standard, effective January 1, 2018, had no material impact on our financial statements. The disclosures required by this update are included above in “—Revenue Recognition—Services.”

In January 2016, the FASB issued an update that makes certain changes to the standard for the accounting of financial instruments. Among other things, the update requires: (i) equity investments to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income; (ii) the use of the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes; (iii) separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset; and (iv) separate presentation in other comprehensive income of the portion of the total change in the fair value of a liability resulting from a change in the instrument-specific credit risk (also referred to as “own credit”) when the organization has elected to measure the liability at fair value in accordance with the fair value option for financial instruments. The update also eliminates the requirement to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value that is required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost on the balance sheet. This update is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. In February 2018, the FASB issued technical corrections related to this update, which addresses common questions regarding the application and adoption of the new guidance and the subsequent amendments. As a result of adopting these updates, equity securities are no longer classified as available for sale securities and changes in fair value are recognized through earnings. Consequently, we recorded a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings from accumulated other comprehensive income representing unrealized losses related to equity securities in the amount of $0.2 million, net of tax. In addition, we elected to utilize net asset value as a practical expedient to measure certain other investments, which resulted in an increase to other invested assets with an offset to retained earnings in the amount of $2.3 million, net of tax. Our adoption of both these updates effective January 1, 2018 resulted in a net adjustment to retained earnings of $2.1 million. See Notes 4 and 5 for additional information.

In February 2018, the FASB issued an update to the accounting standard regarding income statement reporting of comprehensive income and reclassification of certain tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive income. The amendments in this update allow a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the TCJA. The provisions of this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period, for reporting periods for which financial statements have not been available for issuance. We elected to early adopt this update effective January 1, 2018. As a result we recorded a reclassification adjustment from other comprehensive income to retained earnings in the amount of $2.7 million. See Note 9 for additional information regarding the TCJA.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted.

In February 2016, the FASB issued an update that replaces the existing accounting and disclosure requirements for leases of property, plant and equipment. The update requires lessees to recognize, as of the lease commencement date, assets and liabilities for all leases with lease terms of more than 12 months, which is a change from the current GAAP requirement to recognize only capital leases on the balance sheet. Pursuant to the new standard, the liability initially recognized for the lease obligation is equal to the present value of the lease payments not yet made, discounted over the lease term at the implicit interest rate of the lease, if available, or otherwise at the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate. The lessee is also required to recognize an asset for its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, based on the liability subject to certain adjustments, such as for initial direct costs. Leases are required to be classified as either operating or finance, with expense on operating leases recorded as a single lease cost on a straight-line basis. For finance leases, interest expense on the lease liability is required to be recognized separately from the straight-line amortization of the right-of-use asset. Quantitative disclosures are required for certain items, including the cost of leases, the weighted-average remaining lease term, the weighted-average discount rate and a maturity analysis of lease liabilities. Additional qualitative disclosures are also required regarding the nature of the leases, such as basis, terms and conditions of: (i) variable interest payments; (ii) extension and termination options; and (iii) residual value guarantees. This update is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The new standard must be adopted by applying the new guidance as of the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented, using a modified retrospective transition approach with certain optional practical expedients. We are currently evaluating the impact to our financial statements and future disclosures as a result of this update. See Note 13 of our 2017 Form 10-K for additional information about our leases.

In June 2016, the FASB issued an update to the accounting standard regarding the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments. This update requires that financial assets measured at their amortized cost basis be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities are to be recorded through an allowance for credit losses, rather than a write-down of the asset, with the amount of the allowance limited to the amount by which fair value is less than amortized cost. This update is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. This update is not applicable to credit losses associated with our mortgage insurance policies. We are currently evaluating the impact to our financial statements and future disclosures as a result of this update.

In March 2017, the FASB issued an update to the accounting standard regarding receivables. The new standard requires certain premiums on purchased callable debt securities to be amortized to the earliest call date. The amortization period for callable debt securities purchased at a discount will not be impacted. The provisions of this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. We are currently evaluating the impact to our financial statements and future disclosures as a result of this update.

Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

We have two strategic business units that we manage separately—Mortgage Insurance and Services. Adjusted pretax operating income (loss) for each segment represents segment results on a standalone basis; therefore, inter-segment eliminations and reclassifications required for consolidated GAAP presentation have not been reflected.

We allocate to our Mortgage Insurance segment: (i) corporate expenses based on its forecasted annual percentage of total revenue, which approximates the estimated percentage of time spent on the Mortgage Insurance segment; (ii) all interest expense except for interest expense related to an intercompany note with terms consistent with the original issued amount of $300 million from the Senior Notes due 2019 that were used to fund our purchase of Clayton; and (iii) all corporate cash and investments.

We allocate to our Services segment: (i) corporate expenses based on its forecasted annual percentage of total revenue, which approximates the estimated percentage of time spent on the Services segment and (ii) as noted above, allocated interest expense. No material corporate cash or investments are allocated to the Services segment. Inter-segment activities are recorded at market rates for segment reporting and eliminated in consolidation.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

In accordance with GAAP, we established a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements based on the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level I measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level III measurements). The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are defined below:


Level I	— Unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;


Level II	— Prices or valuations based on observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities; and


Level III	— Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable. Level III inputs are used to measure fair value only to the extent that observable inputs are not available.

The level of market activity used to determine the fair value hierarchy is based on the availability of observable inputs market participants would use to price an asset or a liability, including market value price observations.

As a result of our implementation of the update to the standard for the accounting of financial instruments, we elected to measure certain other investments using the net asset value as a practical expedient.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

We are required to establish a valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that all or some portion of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. At each balance sheet date, we assess our need for a valuation allowance and our assessment is based on all available evidence, both positive and negative. This requires management to exercise judgment and make assumptions regarding whether our deferred tax assets will be realized in future periods.

Revenue Recognition, Deferred Revenue [Policy Text Block]

Our Services segment revenues are recognized over time and measured each period based on the progress to date as services are performed and made available to customers. Our contracts with customers, including payment terms, are generally short-term in nature; therefore, any impact related to timing is immaterial. Revenue recognized related to services made available to customers and billed is reflected in accounts receivables. Revenue recognized related to services performed and not yet billed is recorded in unbilled receivables and reflected in other assets. We have no material bad-debt expense. The following represents balances related to Services contracts as of the dates indicated:



(In thousands)	March 31, 2018		December 31, 2017
Accounts Receivable - Services Contracts	$	13,236	$	17,391
Unbilled Receivables - Services Contracts	20,949		22,257
Deferred Revenues - Services Contracts	3,481		3,235

Revenue expected to be recognized in any future period related to remaining performance obligations, such as contracts where revenue is recognized as invoiced and contracts with variable consideration related to undelivered performance obligations, is not material.

Fee-for-Service Contracts

Generally, our contracts with our clients do not include minimum volume commitments and can be terminated at any time by our clients. Although some of our contracts and assignments are recurring in nature, and include repetitive monthly assignments, a significant portion of our engagements are transactional in nature and may be performed in connection with securitizations, loan sales, loan purchases or other transactions. Due to the transactional nature of our business, our Services segment revenues may fluctuate from period to period as transactions are commenced or completed. We do not recognize revenue or expense related to amounts advanced by us and subsequently reimbursed by clients for maintenance or repairs because we do not take control of the service prior to the client taking control. We record an expense if an advance is made that is not in accordance with a client contract and the client is not obligated to reimburse us.

Due to the nature of the services provided, our Services arrangements with customers may include any of the following three basic types of contracts:

Fixed-Price Contracts. We use fixed-price contracts in our real estate valuation and component services, our loan review, underwriting and due diligence services as well as our title and closing services. We also use fixed-price contracts in our surveillance business for our servicer oversight services and RMBS surveillance services, and in our asset management business activities. Under fixed-price contracts we agree to perform the specified services and deliverables for a pre-determined per-unit or per-file price or day rate. Each service qualifies as a separate performance obligation and revenue is recognized as the service performed is made available to the client.

Time-and-Expense Contracts. The Services segment also derives a portion of its revenue from professional service activities under time-and-expense contracts. In these types of contracts, we are paid a fixed hourly rate, and we are reimbursed for billable out-of-pocket expenses as work is performed. These contracts are used in our loan review, underwriting and due diligence services. Services revenue consisting of billed time fees and pass-through expenses is recorded over time and based on the progress to date as services are performed and made available to customers. Services revenue may also include expenses billed to clients, which includes travel and other out-of-pocket expenses, and other reimbursable expenses.

Percentage-of-Sale Contracts. Under percentage-of-sale contracts, we are paid a contractual percentage of the sale proceeds upon the sale of each property. These contracts are only used for a portion of our REO management services and our real estate brokerage services. In addition, through the use of our proprietary technology, property leads are sent to select clients. Revenue attributable to services provided under a percentage-of-sale contract is recognized over time and measured based on the progress to date and typically coincides with the client’s successful closing on the property. The revenue recognized for these transactions is based on a percentage of the sale.

In certain instances, fees are received at the time that an asset is assigned to Radian for management. These fees are recorded as deferred revenue and are recognized over time based on progress to date and the availability to customers.