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

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Accounting, Policy

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

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

Use of Estimates, Policy

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.

Investment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Investments in fixed-maturity securities not classified as held to maturity or trading securities are classified as available for sale and are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses (net of tax) reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity as accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), unless: (i) we intend to sell the impaired security; (ii) it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the impaired security prior to recovery of its amortized cost basis or (iii) the present value of cash flows we expect to collect is less than the amortized cost basis of a security. In those instances, we record an impairment loss through earnings that varies depending on specific circumstances, as described below.

If a sale is likely, the full amount of the impairment is recognized as a loss in the statement of operations. Otherwise, unrealized losses on securities are separated into: (i) the portion of loss that represents the credit loss and (ii) the portion that is due to other factors. As a result of the adoption effective January 2020, of ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (“ASU 2016-13”), described below, in evaluating whether a decline in value for other securities relates to an existing credit loss, we consider several factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

•the extent to which the amortized cost basis is greater than fair value;

•reasons for the decline in value (e.g., adverse conditions related to industry or geographic area, changes in financial condition to the issuers or underlying loan obligors);

•any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency;

•the failure of the issuer to make a scheduled payment;

•the financial position, access to capital and near-term prospects of the issuer, including the current and future impact of any specific events; and

•our best estimate of the present value of cash flows expected to be collected.

In addition, we no longer consider the duration of the decline in value in assessing whether our fixed income securities available for sale have a credit loss impairment.

On initial recognition and at each reporting date after a credit loss is identified, we recognize an allowance for remaining lifetime expected credit losses. This amount is calculated as the difference between the amortized cost and the present value of future expected cash flows, limited to the difference between the carrying amount (i.e. fair value) and amortized cost. If a credit loss is determined to exist, the credit loss impairment is included in net gains (losses) on investments and other financial instruments in the statement of operations, with an offset to an allowance for credit losses. Subsequent changes (favorable and unfavorable) in expected credit losses are recognized immediately in net income (loss) as a credit loss impairment or a reversal of credit loss impairment.

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles

Accounting Standards Adopted During 2020. We adopted ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2020 using the modified retrospective adoption approach. This ASU and the associated subsequent amendments require that financial assets measured at their amortized cost basis be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. Credit losses relating to our available-for-sale debt securities are 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 allowance method will allow reversals of credit losses if the estimate of credit losses declines. This ASU affected certain of our accounts and notes receivable, including premiums receivable, and certain of our other assets, including reinsurance recoverables; however, the update did not have a material effect on our financial statements and disclosures. See Note 5 for additional information.

We adopted ASU 2019-04, Codification Improvements related to Financial Instruments—Credit Losses, Derivatives and Hedging, and Financial Instruments on January 1, 2020. This update to the accounting standards regarding financial instruments and derivatives and hedging clarifies the accounting treatment for the measurement of credit losses and provides further

clarification on previously issued updates. The adoption of this update did not have a material effect on our financial statements and disclosures.

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted, Policy

Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-12, Financial Services—Insurance. The new standard: (i) requires that assumptions used to measure the liability for future policy benefits be reviewed at least annually; (ii) defines and simplifies the measurement of market risk benefits; (iii) simplifies the amortization of deferred acquisition costs; and (iv) enhances the required disclosures about long-duration contracts. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact on our financial statements and future disclosures as a result of this update.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes—Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. This update simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principals of ASC Topic 740 in GAAP. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact on our financial statements and future disclosures as a result of this update.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform—Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Reform on Financial Reporting. This update provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform. The amendments in this update are optional and may be elected over time, from the date of issuance, as reference rate reform activities occur. We are currently evaluating the impact of the guidance and our options related to the practical expedients.

Segment Reporting, Policy

We have two strategic business units that we manage separately—Mortgage and Real Estate. Our Mortgage segment derives its revenue from mortgage insurance and other mortgage and risk services, including contract underwriting services provided to lenders. Our Real Estate segment offers a broad array of title, valuation, asset management and other real estate services to market participants across the real estate value chain. In addition, we report as All Other activities that include income (losses) from assets held by our holding company, related general corporate operating expenses not attributable or allocated to our reportable segments and, for all periods through the first quarter of 2020, income and expenses related to Clayton prior to its sale in January 2020.

Subsequent to the sale of Clayton, our Chief Executive Officer (Radian’s chief operating decision maker) implemented certain organizational changes that caused the composition of our reportable segments to change. As revised, the Company’s Mortgage and Real Estate segments are managed by our President of Mortgage and Co-Heads of Real Estate, respectively, who are responsible for the overall profitability of their respective segments and who are directly accountable to our chief operating decision maker.

The differences in the basis of segmentation compared to our 2019 Form 10-K are as follows:

Business Activity	Current Segmentation	Prior Segmentation
Mortgage insurance and risk services	Mortgage	Mortgage Insurance
Contract underwriting services	Mortgage	Services
Title and real estate services (1)	Real Estate	Services
Clayton	All Other	Services
Income (loss) from holding company assets (and related corporate expenses)	All Other	Mortgage Insurance

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(1)Includes single family rental services.

These segment reporting changes align with the changes in personnel reporting lines, management oversight and branding following the sale of Clayton, and are consistent with the way our chief operating decision maker began assessing the performance of our reportable segments and other business activities effective in the first quarter of 2020. These changes to our reportable segments have been reflected in our segment operating results for all periods presented. See Note 1 for additional details about our Mortgage and Real Estate businesses.

We allocate corporate operating expenses to both reportable segments based on each segment’s forecasted annual percentage of total revenue, which approximates the estimated percentage of management time spent on each segment. In addition, we allocate all corporate interest expense to our Mortgage segment, due to the capital-intensive nature of our mortgage insurance business.

Income Tax, Policy

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 this 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.