6. Collateralized Transactions

The Firm enters into securities purchased under agreements to resell, securities sold under agreements to repurchase, securities borrowed and securities loaned transactions to, among other things, acquire securities to cover short positions and settle other securities obligations, to accommodate customers’ needs and to finance its inventory positions.

The Firm manages credit exposure arising from such transactions by, in appropriate circumstances, entering into master netting agreements and collateral agreements with counterparties that provide the Firm, in the event of a counterparty default (such as bankruptcy or a counterparty’s failure to pay or perform), with the right to net a counterparty’s rights and obligations under such agreement and liquidate and set off collateral held by the Firm against the net amount owed by the counterparty.

The Firm’s policy is generally to take possession of securities purchased or borrowed in connection with securities purchased under agreements to resell and securities borrowed transactions, respectively, and to receive cash and securities delivered under securities sold under agreements to repurchase or securities loaned transactions (with rights of rehypothecation). In certain cases, the Firm may be permitted to post collateral to a third-party custodian under a tri-party arrangement that enables the Firm to take control of such collateral in the event of a counterparty default.

The Firm also monitors the fair value of the underlying securities as compared with the related receivable or payable, including accrued interest, and, as necessary, requests additional collateral, as provided under the applicable agreement to ensure such transactions are adequately collateralized, or the return of excess collateral.

The risk related to a decline in the market value of collateral pledged or received is managed by setting appropriate market-based haircuts. Increases in collateral margin calls on secured financing due to market value declines may be mitigated by increases in collateral margin calls on securities purchased under agreements to resell and securities borrowed transactions with similar quality collateral. Additionally, the Firm may request lower quality collateral pledged be replaced with higher quality collateral through collateral substitution rights in the underlying agreements.

The Firm actively manages its secured financings in a manner that reduces the potential refinancing risk of secured financings of less liquid assets. The Firm considers the quality of collateral when negotiating collateral eligibility with counterparties, as defined by its fundability criteria. The Firm utilizes shorter term secured financing for highly liquid assets and has established longer tenor limits for less liquid assets, for which funding may be at risk in the event of a market disruption.

1. Amounts relate to master netting agreements that have been determined by the Firm to be legally enforceable in the event of default but where certain other criteria are not met in accordance with applicable offsetting accounting guidance.

For information related to offsetting of derivatives, see Note 4.

The Firm pledges its trading assets and loans to collateralize securities sold under agreements to repurchase, securities loaned, other secured financings and derivatives and to cover customer short sales. Counterparties may or may not have the right to sell or repledge the collateral.

Pledged financial instruments that can be sold or repledged by the secured party are identified as Trading assets (pledged to various parties) in the balance sheets.

1. Does not include securities used to meet federal regulations for the Firm’s broker-dealers.

1. Securities segregated under federal regulations for the Firm’s U.S. broker-dealers are sourced from Securities purchased under agreements to resell and Trading assets in the balance sheets.

The Firm receives collateral in the form of securities in connection with securities purchased under agreements to resell, securities borrowed, securities-for-securities transactions, derivative transactions, customer margin loans and securities-based lending. In many cases, the Firm is permitted to sell or repledge these securities held as collateral and use the securities to secure securities sold under agreements to repurchase, to enter into securities lending and derivative transactions or for delivery to counterparties to cover short positions

• Other sovereign government obligations included in Trading assets primarily consist of the U.K., Japan and Brazil.
• Collateral received is primarily related to Securities purchased under agreements to resell and Securities borrowed.

The Firm is subject to concentration risk by holding large positions in certain types of securities, loans or commitments to purchase securities of a single issuer, including sovereign governments and other entities, issuers located in a particular country or geographic area, public and private issuers involving developing countries or issuers engaged in a particular industry.

Positions taken and underwriting and financing commitments, including those made in connection with the Firm’s private equity, principal investment and lending activities, often involve substantial amounts and significant exposure to individual issuers and businesses, including investment grade and non-investment grade issuers.

Customer Margin Lending

The Firm provides margin lending arrangements which allow customers to borrow against the value of qualifying securities. Receivables under margin lending arrangements are included within Customer and other receivables in the balance sheets. Under these agreements and transactions, the Firm receives collateral, including U.S. government and agency securities, other sovereign government obligations, corporate and other debt, and corporate equities. Customer receivables generated from margin lending activities are collateralized by customer-owned securities held by the Firm. The Firm monitors required margin levels and established credit terms daily and, pursuant to such guidelines, requires customers to deposit additional collateral, or reduce positions, when necessary.

Margin loans are extended on a demand basis and generally are not committed facilities. Factors considered in the review of margin loans are the amount of the loan, the intended purpose, the degree of leverage being employed in the account, and an overall evaluation of the portfolio to ensure proper diversification or, in the case of concentrated positions, appropriate liquidity of the underlying collateral or potential hedging strategies to reduce risk. Underlying collateral for margin loans is reviewed with respect to the liquidity of the proposed collateral positions, valuation of securities, historic trading range, volatility analysis and an evaluation of industry concentrations. For these transactions, adherence to the Firm’s collateral policies significantly limits its credit exposure in the event of a customer default. The Firm may request additional margin collateral from customers, if appropriate, and, if necessary, may sell securities that have not been paid for or purchase securities sold but not delivered from customers.

Other Secured Financings

Other secured financings include the liabilities related to transfers of financial assets that are accounted for as financings rather than sales, consolidated VIEs where the Firm is deemed to be the primary beneficiary, and certain ELNs and other secured borrowings. These liabilities are generally payable from the cash flows of the related assets, which are accounted for as Trading assets (see Notes 11 and 13).