Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted operating income per share for Q1 2025 was $3.18, a 62% increase from $1.96 in Q1 2024 [6][19] - Adjusted operating shareholders' equity reached $117.4 and adjusted book value was $172.79 per share [6][23] - Total investment income from alternative investments was $59 million, the highest quarterly level to date [9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New business production in Q1 2025 was $39 million of PVP, with U.S. Public Finance contributing approximately 65% [6][12] - Assured Guaranty captured 64% of the primary market insured par sold in U.S. Municipal bond insurance [13] - Insured par sold increased by 23% to $4.7 billion compared to Q1 2024 [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The average underlying credit quality of municipal transactions was rated single A, indicating higher credit quality [14] - Secondary market bond insurance activity increased significantly, producing $376 million of insured par, surpassing all of 2024 [15] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to increase fee-based earnings through its 30% ownership interest in SoundPoint [9] - There is a focus on modernizing processes and technology for secondary market business to build a consistent transaction pipeline [15][18] - The company is expanding its product offerings and presence in Continental Europe, as evidenced by a transaction in France [18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The current volatile market environment is expected to drive increased demand for the company's guarantees [10] - Management expressed confidence in the strong demand for financing in the municipal market despite economic uncertainties [44] - The company anticipates that stronger credits will continue to enter the market, reflecting ongoing demand [45] Other Important Information - A pretax gain of $103 million was recognized from litigation with Lehman Brothers International [8][19] - The company repurchased 1.3 million shares for $120 million at an average price of $89.72 per share [23] Q&A Session Summary Question: What likelihood is placed on a haircut to the debt for Thames Water? - Management indicated that reserves are assessed based on various scenarios and probabilities, with a focus on being senior creditors [26][32] Question: How do tariffs potentially impact credits wrapped by the company? - Management noted that the situation is fluid and emphasized a wait-and-see approach, highlighting increased municipal issuance as a positive sign [34][35] Question: Does the higher-rated credit issuance in Q1 change the outlook for normalized PVP to par? - Management stated that the current market volatility led to higher-rated issuances, but it does not change the overall outlook for the year [41][42] Question: What is the competitive environment in the secondary market? - Management confirmed that there is one other competitor in the secondary market, but they focus on a smaller segment compared to Assured Guaranty [46] Question: What contributed to the stronger performance in the asset management segment? - Management explained that earnings in the asset management business are often back-end loaded, reflecting strong performance from SoundPoint in the previous quarter [49]