State of Connecticut Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1999 - Notes to the Financial Statements - Note 4

State of Connecticut

June 30,1999

Note 4 Cash Deposits and Investments

In this note, the State's deposits and investments are classified in categories of "custodial credit risk." This is the risk that the State will not be able to (a) recover deposits if the depository bank fails or (b) recover the value of investments or collateral securities that are in the custody of an outside party if the counterparty to the investment or deposit transaction fails. Classification in category 1 means that the exposure of deposits or investments to potential custodial credit risk is low. The level of potential custodial credit risk is higher for those deposits or investments classified in category 2 and highest for those in category 3.

Cash Deposits (amounts in million)
At June 30, 1999, the reported amount of the State's deposits was $(0.9) for the Primary Government and $11.3 for the Component Units. The corresponding bank balance for such deposits was $186.4 for the Primary Government and $15.2 for the Component Units. Of the bank balance for the Primary Government $32.7 was insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or held by the State's agent in the State's name (Category 1), $15.1 was collateralized (Category 3), and $138.6 was uninsured and uncollateralized (Category 3). Of the bank balance for the Component Units, $4.0 was insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (Category 1), $0.8 was collateralized (Category 3), and $10.4 was uninsured and uncollateralized (Category 3).

Collateralized deposits are deposits that are protected by State statute. Under the statute, any bank holding public deposits must at all times maintain eligible collateral in an amount equal to 10 percent, 25 percent, 100 percent, or 120 percent of its public deposits. The applicable percentage is determined based on the bank's risk-based capital ratio - a measure of the bank's financial condition. The collateral is kept in the custody of the trust department of either the pledging bank or another bank in the name of the pledging bank.

Investments
The State Treasurer is the chief fiscal officer of State government and is responsible for the prudent management and investment of monies of State funds and agencies as well as monies of pension and other trust funds. The State Treasurer with the advice of the Investment Advisory Council, whose members include outside investment professionals and pension beneficiaries, establishes investment policies and guidelines. Currently, the State Treasurer manages one Short-Term Investment Fund ("STIF") and seven Combined Investment Funds (the "CIFS"), including one international investment fund.

STIF is a money market investment pool in which the State, municipal entities, and political subdivisions of the State are eligible to invest. The State Treasurer is authorized to invest monies of STIF in United States government and agency obligations, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, corporate bonds, savings accounts, bankers' acceptances, repurchase agreements, asset-backed securities, and student loans. STIF's investments are reported at amortized cost (which approximates fair value) and are disclosed in the investments schedules.

During the year, STIF used reverse repurchase agreements as permitted under State statutes.

For financial reporting purposes, STIF is considered to be a mixed investment pool - a pool having external and internal portions. The external portion of STIF (i.e., the portion that belongs to participants which are not part of the State's financial reporting entity) is reported as an investment trust fund in the combined financial statements. The internal portion of STIF (i.e., the portion that belongs to participants that are part of the State's financial reporting entity) is not reported in the combined financial statements. Instead, each fund type's investment in the internal portion of STIF is reported as "cash equivalents" in the combined balance sheet.

The CIFS are open-ended, unitized portfolios in which the State pension and other trust funds are eligible to invest. The State pension and other trust funds own the units of the CIFS. The State Treasurer is also authorized to invest monies of the CIFS in common stock, commercial equity real estate, foreign companies stocks and bonds, commercial and residential mortgages, foreign governments' obligations, mortgage-backed securities, and venture capital partnerships. CIFS' investments are reported at fair value and are disclosed in the investments schedules.

For financial reporting purposes, the CIFS are considered to be internal investment pools and are not reported in the combined financial statements. Instead, each fund type's investment in the CIFS is reported as "equity in combined investment funds" in the combined balance sheet.

Complete financial information about STIF and the CIFS can be obtained from financial statements issued by the State Treasurer.

The following investments schedules disclose the reported amount and fair value of the State's investment in total and by investment type as of June 30, 1999. Further, the reported amounts of these investments are classified ac-cording to the following categories of custodial credit risk. Category 1 includes investments that are insured or registered or for which the securities are held by the State or its agent in the State's name. Category 2 includes uninsured and unregistered investments for which the securities are held by the counterparty's trust department or agent in the State's name. Category 3 includes uninsured and unregistered investments for which the securities are held by the counterparty, or by its trust department or agent but not in the State's name.

The CIFS account for the purchase and sale of investments using "trade date" accounting - investments are increased or decreased on the date the purchase or sales order is made although the investments are not received or delivered until a later date (settlement date). Thus, CIFS' investments schedule was prepared taking into account unsettled sales and purchases of investments. This means that investments under unsettled sales are included in the schedule, because the investments are still subject to custodial credit risk that could result in losses prior to settlement. Conversely, investments under unsettled purchases are excluded from the schedule, because the investments are still in the hands of the dealers.

 

Investments-Primary Government
Short-Term Investment Fund
(amounts in thousands)
Investment Type Reported Amount
Category 1
Fair
Value
Repurchase Agreements $ 50,000 $ 50,000
Certificates of Deposit-Negotiable 828,936 828,343
Commercial Paper 1,787,075 1,787,005
Corporate Notes 34,330 34,221
Bankers' Acceptances 33,868 33,834
Bank Notes 544,267 544,328
Federal Agency Securities 302,787 302,600
Student Loan-Backed Revolving Loans 42,479 42,478
State of Israel Bonds 1,500 1,500
Total Investments $ 3,625,242 $ 3,624,309

 

Investments-Primary Government
Combined Investment Funds
(amounts in thousands)
Reported Amount (Fair Value)
Investment Type Category 1 Category 3 Total
Certificates of Deposit-Negotiable $ - $ 164,946 $ 164,946
Asset Backed Securities 390,474 - 390,474
U.S. Government and Agency Securities: -
Not on Securities Loan 1,331,420 - 1,331,420
On Securities Loan for Securities or LOC Collateral - 36,108 36,108
Mortgage Backed Securities 514,066 - 514,066
Corporate Debt 3,069,235 1,325,672 4,394,907
Convertible Securities 207,421 - 207,421
U. S. Corporate Stock: -
Not on Securities Loan 8,815,967 - 8,815,967
On Securities Loan for Securities or LOC Collateral - 241 241
International Equity Securities:
Not on Securities Loan 1,675,681 - 1,675,681
On Securities Loan for Securities or LOC Collateral - 1,627 1,627
Short-term Investments 3,773 307,843 311,616
Preferred Stock 138,383 - 138,383
$ 16,146,420 $ 1,836,437 $ 17,982,857
Investments not categorized because they are evidenced
by securities that exist in physical or book entry form:
Real Estate Investment Trusts 25,799
Mutual Funds 82,942
Limited Liability Corporations 45,009
Trusts 102,112
Limited Partnerships 1,464,400
Partnerships 47,535
Annuities 15,293
Securities Held by Brokers-Dealers under Sec. Loans for Cash Collateral:
U.S. Government and Agency Securities 527,069
U. S. Corporate Stock 545,960
International Equity Securities 555,297
Domestic Fixed Securities 112,495
International Fixed Securities 4,079
$ 21,510,847
The pension trust funds own approximately 100 percent of the investments that are in categories 1 and 3.

 

Investments-Primary Government
Other
(amounts in thousands)
Reported Amount
Investment Type Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Total Fair
Value
Collateralized Investment Agreements $ 537,424 $ 55,849 $ - $ 593,273 $ 593,273
State/Municipal Bonds 236,400 - - 236,400 236,400
U.S. Government & Agency Securities 258,846 - - 258,846 258,846
Repurchase Agreements 3,647 46,019 - 49,666 49,666
Common Stock 45,877 1,079 1,792 48,748 48,748
Corporate Bonds 2,372 4,750 - 7,122 7,122
Other 6,333 - 898 7,231 7,231
$ 1,090,899 $ 107,697 $ 2,690 $ 1,201,286 $ 1,201,286
Investments not categorized because they are not evidenced
by securities that exist in physical or book entry form:
Annuity Contracts 571,565 571,565
Mutual Funds 116,265 116,265
Tax Exempt Proceeds Fund 92,469 92,469
Other 7,877 7,877
Total Investments $ 1,989,462 $ 1,989,462
The Special Assessment fund owns approximately 95 percent of the investments that are in Category No. 2.

 

Investments-Component Units
(amounts in thousands)
Reported Amount
Investment Type Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Total Fair
Value
U.S. Government & Agency Securities $ 275,819 $ 11,834 $ 17,670 $ 305,323 $ 305,381
Common Stock 45,992 - - 45,992 45,992
Repurchase Agreements 473,320 - - 473,320 473,320
Collateralized Investment Agreements 2,721 - 22,964 25,685 25,685
Mortgage Backed Securities 16,622 - - 16,622 16,622
Corporate Bonds 28,957 - - 28,957 28,957
Other 25,925 - 2,683 28,608 28,608
$ 869,356 $ 11,834 $ 43,317 924,507 924,565
Investments not categorized because they are not evidenced
by securities that exist in physical or book entry form:
Guaranteed Investment Contracts 362,466 362,466
Fidelity Funds 160,638 160,638
Limited Partnerships 1,956 1,956
Other 6,259 6,259
Total Investments $ 1,455,826 $ 1,455,884
CHFA owns approximately 94 percent and CHESLA owns approximately 52 percent of the investments that are in categories 1 and 3, respectively.

Derivatives
GASB Technical Bulletin Number 94-1 defines derivatives as contracts whose value depends on, or derives from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate, or index. According to this definition, the following State's investments or contracts are considered to be derivatives:

The State invests in derivatives to enhance investment returns or as in the case of foreign exchange contracts to facilitate trade settlements and to serve as foreign currency hedges.

The Mutual Fixed Income Fund (a Combined Investment Fund) invests in mortgage backed securities (MBSs) and asset backed securities (ABSs). These are bonds issued by a special purpose trust that collects payments on an underlying collateral pool of mortgages or other loans and remits payments to bondholders. The bonds are structured in a series of classes or tranches, each with a different coupon rate and stated maturity date. Interest payments to the bondholders are made in accordance with the trust indentures and amounts received from borrowers in excess of interest payments and expenses are used to amortize the principal on the bonds. Such principal payments are made to retire the tranches of bonds in order of their state maturity. Because mortgage prepayments are largely dependent on market interest rates, the ultimate maturity date of the bonds is unpredictable and is sensitive to changes in market interest rates, but is generally prior to the stated maturity date. At June 30, 1999, the fund held MBSs of $476.0 million and ABSs of $94.0 million.

The Commercial Mortgage Fund (a Combined Investment Fund) investments in common stock include a subordinated residual interest in a securitized portfolio of commercial mortgage loans (the CMO residual). The single class of related senior bonds has been paid in full. As of June 30, 1999, the CMO residual had an estimated fair value of $66 million.

Interest-only strips (IOs) are a specialized type of mortgage backed securities. The cash flow on these investments is derived from the interest payments on the underlying mortgage loans. Prepayments on underlying loans curtail these interest payments, reducing the value of the IOs and, as such, these instruments are extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates, which encourage or discourage such prepayments. As of June 30, 1999, the IOs had a value of $18.2 million.

Foreign exchange contracts are used to facilitate trans-actions in foreign securities and to manage the funds currency exposure. Contracts to buy are used to acquire exposure to foreign currencies, while contracts to sell are used to hedge the funds' investments against currency fluctuations. Losses may arise from changes in the value of foreign currencies or failure of the counterparties to perform under the contracts' terms.

Security Lending Transactions
Certain of the Combined Investment Funds are permitted by State statute to lend its securities through a lending agent to authorized broker-dealers and banks for collateral with a simultaneous agreement to return the collateral for the same securities in the future.

During the year, the funds' lending agent lent securities similar to the types on loan at year-end and received cash (United States and foreign currency), U.S. Government securities, sovereign debt rated A or better, convertible bonds, and irrevocable bank letters of credit as collateral. The funds' lending agent did not have the ability to pledge or sell collateral securities delivered absent borrower default. Borrowers were required to deliver collateral for each loan equal to: (1) in the case of loaned securities denominated in United States dollars or whose primary trading market was located in the United States or sovereign debt issued by foreign governments, 102 percent of the market value of the loaned securities; and (2) in the case of loaned securities not denominated in United States dollars or whose primary trading market was not located in the United States, 105 percent of the market value of the loaned securities. In the event any borrower fails to return the loaned securities or pay distributions thereon, the funds' lending agent is contractually obligated to purchase replacement securities, or return the cash collateral. At year end, the funds had no credit exposure to the borrowers, because the amounts the funds owed the borrowers exceeded the amounts the borrowers owed the funds.

All securities loans can be terminated on demand by either the funds or the borrowers. Cash collateral is invested by the funds' lending agent, and the average duration of the investments can not exceed (a) 120 days or (b) the average duration of the loans by more than 45 days. At year-end, the average duration of the collateral investments was 31 days; the average duration of the loans was unknown, although it is assumed to remain at one day.


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