Return Amount - CSA Provision

CSA Anatomy™ Go Premium 2(b) Return Amount. Subject to Paragraphs 3 and 4, upon a demand made by the Transferor on or promptly following a Valuation Date, if the Return Amount for that Valuation Date equals or exceeds the Transferee’s Minimum Transfer Amount, then the Transferee will transfer to the Transferor Equivalent Credit Support specified by the Transferor in that demand having a Value as of the date of transfer as close as practicable to the applicable Return Amount (rounded pursuant to Paragraph 11(b)(iii)(D)) and the Credit Support Balance will, upon such transfer, be reduced accordingly. Unless otherwise specified in Paragraph 11(b), the “Return Amount” applicable to the Transferee for any Valuation Date will equal the amount by which: (i) the Value as of that Valuation Date of the Transferor’s Credit Support Balance (adjusted to include any prior Delivery Amount and to exclude any prior Return Amount, the transfer of which, in either case, has not yet been completed and for which the relevant Settlement Day falls on or after such Valuation Date) exceeds (ii) the Credit Support Amount. (View Template) 2(b) Return Amount (VM). Subject to Paragraphs 3 and 4, upon a demand made by the Transferor on or promptly following a Valuation Date, if the Return Amount (VM) for that Valuation Date equals or exceeds the Transferee’s Minimum Transfer Amount, then the Transferee will transfer to the Transferor Equivalent Credit Support (VM) specified by the Transferor in that demand having a Value as of the date of transfer as close as practicable to the applicable Return Amount (VM) (rounded pursuant to Paragraph 11(c)(vi)(B)) and the Credit Support Balance (VM) will, upon such transfer, be reduced accordingly. Unless otherwise specified in Paragraph 11(c)(i)(B), the “Return Amount (VM)” applicable to the Transferee for any Valuation Date will equal the amount by which: (i) the Value as of that Valuation Date of the Transferor’s Credit Support Balance (VM) (adjusted to include any prior Delivery Amount (VM) and to exclude any prior Return Amount (VM), the transfer of which, in either case, has not yet been completed and for which the relevant Regular Settlement Day falls on or after such Valuation Date) exceeds (ii) the Transferee’s Exposure. (View Template) Resources Full wikitext | Nutshell wikitext English Law | 1 Interpretation | 2 Credit Support Obligations | 3 Transfers, Calculations and Exchanges | 4 Dispute Resolution | 5 Transfer of Title, No Security Interest, Distributions and Interest Amount | 6 Default | 7 Representation | 8 Expenses | 9 Miscellaneous | 10 Definitions | 11 Elections and Variables · Base Currency and Eligible Currency · Credit Support Obligations · Valuation and Timing · Exchange Date · Dispute Resolution · Distributions and Interest Amount · Addresses for Transfers · Credit Support Offsets · Other CSA 2018 ISDA Credit Support Deed for Initial Margin Index: Click ᐅ to expand: CSA Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Requests? Insults? We’d love to 📧 hear from you. Sign up for our newsletter.

CSA Anatomy™ Go Premium 11(b)(i)(B) “Return Amount” has the meaning specified in Paragraph 2(b), unless otherwise specified here: (View Template) Template:ISDA English Law Credit Support Annex 2016 11(c)(I)(B) (View Template) Resources Full wikitext | Nutshell wikitext English Law | 1 Interpretation | 2 Credit Support Obligations | 3 Transfers, Calculations and Exchanges | 4 Dispute Resolution | 5 Transfer of Title, No Security Interest, Distributions and Interest Amount | 6 Default | 7 Representation | 8 Expenses | 9 Miscellaneous | 10 Definitions | 11 Elections and Variables · Base Currency and Eligible Currency · Credit Support Obligations · Valuation and Timing · Exchange Date · Dispute Resolution · Distributions and Interest Amount · Addresses for Transfers · Credit Support Offsets · Other CSA 2018 ISDA Credit Support Deed for Initial Margin Index: Click ᐅ to expand: CSA Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Requests? Insults? We’d love to 📧 hear from you. Sign up for our newsletter.

Calculating {{{{{1}}}prov|Delivery Amount}}s and {{{{{1}}}prov|Return Amount}}s

Differences between 1995 CSA and 2016 VM CSA

Note that under a 2016 VM CSA there is no Independent Amount or Threshold, so there is no need for a Credit Support Amount (which is Exposure adjusted by applicable Independent Amounts and Thresholds) — everything keys off the plain old Exposure.

Unless, that is, you have retrofitted your 2016 VM CSA to include Independent Amounts. The below assumes you have done that. Because some genius in your credit department will have decided this is really important. If you haven’t, it is a bit easier: just substitute “Credit Support Amount” for “Exposure”. For more on this stimulating topic, see Credit Support Amount (VM/IA).

{{{{{1}}}prov|Delivery Amount}}s

First: work out your {{{{{1}}}prov|Credit Support Amount}}. This is:

{{{{{1}}}prov|Transferee}}’s {{{{{1}}}prov|Exposure}} + Net {{{{{1}}}prov|Independent Amount}}s (IF ANY)

Second: calculate the {{{{{1}}}prov|Value}} of the {{{{{1}}}prov|Transferor}}’s {{{{{1}}}prov|Credit Support Balance}}. This is basically the prevailing value of the {{{{{1}}}prov|Eligible Credit Support}} (and income on it) that the {{{{{1}}}prov|Transferor}} has ponied up at that time.
Third: Deduct the {{{{{1}}}prov|Credit Support Balance}} from the {{{{{1}}}prov|Credit Support Amount}}. Fourth: If the difference from the sum you did in (3):

is less than zero, KEEP QUIET. If you are lucky, the other guy won’t ask you for a {{{{{1}}}prov|Return Amount}}.

is more than zero but less than the {{{{{1}}}prov|Minimum Transfer Amount}}, also KEEP QUIET. No {{{{{1}}}prov|Delivery Amount}} for you today, because you haven’t exceeded the {{{{{1}}}prov|Minimum Transfer Amount}}, so you are not entitled to one.

is more than the {{{{{1}}}prov|Minimum Transfer Amount}} you can demand the whole amount (I.e., not just the bit over the {{{{{1}}}prov|MTA}}).

{{{{{1}}}prov|Return Amount}}s

Basically the converse of a {{{{{1}}}prov|Delivery Amount}}. In this case you deduct the {{{{{1}}}prov|Credit Support Amount}} from the {{{{{1}}}prov|Credit Support Balance}}.

What about in-flight Credit Support deliveries?

So yesterday you met a margin call by delivering a bond the standard settlement cycle for which means it won’t arrive till the day after tomorrow. How is this “in-flight collateral” treated for today’s margin call?

It’s treated as if you have already made it. This is the significance of the parenthetical:

“(adjusted to include any prior Delivery Amount and to exclude any prior Return Amount, the transfer of which, in either case, has not yet been completed and for which the relevant Settlement Day falls on or after such Valuation Date).”

However, if your counterparty fails in the meantime (before the bond has settled, and assuming ultimately it never does), it would count as an Unpaid Amount which would factor into your close-out calculation.

At first, this seems odd, but the risk is a time value risk associated with the collateral, not a counterparty risk per se. You accepted it when you agreed to Eligible Credit Support with a long settlement cycle in the first place. If you don’t want that time-value risk, don’t agree to collateral with a long settlement cycle.

Picturesque speech

Bonus learning for free: In arithmetic, a sum being subtracted is the “subtrahend” and the sum it is being subtracted from is the “minuend”.

Commentary

CSA transfer timings

This is how the timing works for CSA transfers.

Terminology check: to make this easy, we refer to both {{{{{1}}}|Delivery Amount}}s and {{{{{1}}}|Return Amount}}s as “{{{{{1}}}|Transfer Amount}}s”. This cuts out a lot of “Delivery Amount and/or Return Amount as the case may be” nonsense. The date on which someone demands a {{{{{1}}}|Transfer Amount}} we call a “{{{{{1}}}|Demand Date}}”.

To be clear, neither Demand Date nor {{{{{1}}}|Transfer Amount}} are “ISDA canon”.

Remember the {{{{{1}}}|Valuation Agent}} is simply the person making the demand.

1. Value {{{{{1}}}|Exposure}} and {{{{{1}}}|Credit Support Balance}}: Firstly, value what you are going to call: the {{{{{1}}}|Transfer Amount}} under para {{{{{1}}}|2(a)}} or {{{{{1}}}|2(b)}}. This is roughly {{{{{1}}}|Credit Support Balance}} - {{{{{1}}}|Exposure}} (or vice versa).
   1. Under {{{{{1}}}|2(a)}}, the {{{{{1}}}|Transferor}} will transfer {{{{{1}}}|Eligible Credit Support}} having a {{{{{1}}}|Value}} as of the date of transfer of the {{{{{1}}}|Transfer Amount}}.
   2. Per the {{{{{1}}}|Calculations}} provision, all calculations happen at the {{{{{1}}}|Valuation Time}}. Fluctuations in value after that time won’t invalidate the {{{{{1}}}|Transfer Amount}}, but they may mean a party can immediately call for more {{{{{1}}}|Credit Support}} (that is, have another {{{{{1}}}|Demand Date}}).
   3. The {{{{{1}}}|Valuation Time}} keys off the {{{{{1}}}|Valuation Date}}.
2. {{{{{1}}}|Demand Date}}: On or promptly following any {{{{{1}}}|Valuation Date}} (it need not be a {{{{{1}}}|Local Business Day}}) on which the {{{{{1}}}|Exposure}} has moved in its favour, one party may demand a {{{{{1}}}|Delivery Amount}} (para 2(a)) or a {{{{{1}}}|Return Amount}} (para 2(b)).
3. {{{{{1}}}|Transfer Date}}: Under para {{{{{1}}}|3(a)}} ({{{{{1}}}|Transfers}}) if the demand is received before the {{{{{1}}}|Notification Time}} on a {{{{{1}}}|Demand Date}} that is a {{{{{1}}}|Local Business Day}} the transfer must be made by close of business on the related Regular Settlement Day. If received after the {{{{{1}}}|Notification Time}} or on a non-{{{{{1}}}|Local Business Day}}, the transfer must be made by close of business on the Regular Settlement Day relating to the day after the Demand Date.
4. Settlement Day: Here is where things differ materially between the 1995 CSA and the 2016 VM CSA.
   1. 1995 CSA: The Settlement Day for any day (whether or not it is a {{{{{1}}}|Local Business Day}}) is:
      1. Cash: for cash, the next {{{{{1}}}|Local Business Day}} and,
      2. Securities: for securities, the {{{{{1}}}|Local Business Day}} after the date on which a trade in the relevant security, if effected on the day in question, would have been settled in accordance with customary practice.
   2. 2016 VM CSA: In the new world we have the new concept of the Regular Settlement Day, and this is the same Local Business Day as the Demand Date. The run-off text at the end of Paragraph 3(a) gives you a little more flex: if the demand came after the Notification Time, then you must make the transfer by close on the Regular Settlement Day for the next day. Just how the business days interact under the ISDA and CSA is about as complicated as string theory, by the way. For a cheat’s guide, see How business days work under the CSA. You’re welcome!