AMBAC FINANCIAL GROUP INC - Quarter Report: 2008 June (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the Quarterly Period Ended June 30, 2008

Commission File Number: 1-10777

Ambac Financial Group, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

(212) 668-0340

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definition of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act): (Check one):

Large accelerated filer  x    Accelerated filer  ¨     Non-accelerated filer  ¨    Smaller reporting company  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x

As of August 4, 2008, 286,957,056 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, (net of 6,668,443 treasury shares and 752,783 restricted nominee shares) of the Registrant were outstanding.

Ambac Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

INDEX

PART 1- FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1 – Financial Statements of Ambac Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Dollars in Thousands)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Unaudited Financial Statements.

3

Ambac Financial Group Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in Thousands, Except Share Data)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Unaudited Financial Statements.

4

Ambac Financial Group Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in Thousands)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Unaudited Financial Statements.

5

Ambac Financial Group Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

(Dollars in Thousands)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Unaudited Financial Statements.

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Ambac Financial Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (“Ambac”) is a holding company incorporated in the state of Delaware. Ambac, through its subsidiaries, provides financial guarantees and financial services to clients in both the public and private sectors around the world. The long-term senior unsecured debt of Ambac is rated “A” Credit Watch Negative by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”), and A3 “negative outlook” by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”). Ambac’s principal financial guarantee operating subsidiary, Ambac Assurance Corporation, a guarantor of public finance and structured finance obligations, has, as of June 30, 2008, been assigned an Aa3 financial strength rating with a negative outlook from Moody’s and a AA rating with a credit watch negative outlook from S&P. These ratings reflect downgrades in Ambac Assurance’s financial strength ratings in the second quarter of 2008. As a result of these rating agency actions, as well as widespread disruption in the capital markets and investor concern with respect to Ambac’s financial position, Ambac has been able to write only a limited amount of new financial guarantee business since November 2007.

During the first quarter of 2008, Ambac announced that it would discontinue writing new business in its Financial Services segment as part of its refocused business strategy. The interest rate swap and investment agreement businesses are being run off. In the process of doing so, we expect to execute hedging transactions to mitigate risks in the respective books of business. Such hedging transactions may include execution of new investment agreement transactions whereby the proceeds of such new transactions would be invested in assets selected to improve duration matching of the investment agreement business assets and liabilities or to improve the cash flow profile of the portfolio.

In 2008, Ambac has undertaken a review of all its businesses in its Financial Guarantee segment. In conducting this review, Ambac considered the risk exposure within each business (including management’s view of the probability of default, the potential loss given default and the relevant correlations), the risk adjusted returns over the course of an economic cycle and Ambac’s franchise value and competitive advantages. As a result of this review, Ambac has:

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Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

On March 6, 2008 Ambac announced that it would suspend underwriting all structured finance business for six months in order to accumulate capital. For these purposes, “structured finance” excludes:

Ambac has also reduced the quarterly dividend payable on our common shares to $0.01 per share from $0.07 per share.

Ambac continues to work closely with its regulators and the rating agencies to address the credit issues within its portfolio and to preserve and grow the business franchise.

Ambac Assurance expects to receive approval from the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Wisconsin (OCI) to capitalize Connie Lee Insurance Company (“Connie Lee”), a subsidiary, which would allow it to begin writing financial guarantee insurance. The $850,000 contribution of capital will increase Connie Lee’s total statutory capital to slightly more than $1,000,000. The new capital will support the claims paying resources for Connie Lee’s financial guarantee business, which will focus on U.S. public finance, global infrastructure and regulated utility transactions. Ambac has been in communication with Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s in pursuit of triple-A financial strength ratings for Connie Lee. The management team of Connie Lee will be primarily assembled from within Ambac Assurance’s Public Finance division.

Ambac’s consolidated unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared on the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. Such estimates are used in connection with certain fair value measurements and the evaluation of other than temporary impairments on investments. Moreover, estimates are significant in determining the amounts of loss reserves for non-derivative insurance business. Actual amounts or results could differ from those estimates. Current market conditions increase the risk and complexity of the judgments in estimates. The results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2008 may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2008. These consolidated financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in (i) Ambac’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 29, 2008, and (ii) Ambac’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2008, which was filed with the SEC on May 12, 2008.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Ambac and all other entities in which Ambac has a controlling financial interest. All significant intercompany balances have been eliminated. The usual condition for a controlling financial interest is ownership of a majority of the voting interests of an entity. However, a controlling financial interest may also exist in entities, such as variable interest entities (“VIEs”), through arrangements that do not involve controlling voting interests.

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Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

Gross premiums are received either upfront (typical of public finance obligations) or in installments (typical of structured finance obligations). Up-front insurance premiums written are received for an entire bond issue, which may contain several maturities, and are recorded as unearned premiums. The premium is allocated to each bond maturity proportionately based on total principal amount guaranteed and is recognized as premiums on a straight-line basis over the term of each maturity. Installment insurance premiums written are recognized as premiums earned over each installment period, typically one year or less, on a straight-line basis. Premium earnings under both the upfront and installment revenue recognition methods are in proportion to the principal amount guaranteed and result in higher premium earnings during periods where guaranteed principal is higher. When an issue insured by Ambac Assurance has been refunded or called, the remaining unrecognized premium (net of refunding credits, if any) is recognized at that time. As discussed in Note 11, the accounting for net premiums earned will change.

Premiums ceded to reinsurers reduce the amount of premiums earned by Ambac from its financial guarantee insurance policies. For both up-front and installment premiums, ceded premiums written are primarily recognized in earnings in proportion to and at the same time the related gross premium revenue is recognized. Prepaid reinsurance represents the portion of premiums ceded to reinsurers relating to unearned premiums ceded under reinsurance contracts.

Ambac’s financial guarantee insurance policies generally promise to pay scheduled interest and principal if the issuer of the insured obligation fails to meet its obligation. The loss reserve policy for financial guarantee insurance discussed in this footnote relates only to Ambac’s non-derivative insurance business. The policy for derivative contracts is discussed in Note 4 “Derivative Contracts”. Losses and loss expenses are based upon estimates of the ultimate aggregate losses inherent in the non-derivative financial guarantee portfolio as of the reporting date. The evaluation process for determining the level of reserves is subject to certain estimates and judgments. In most instances, claim payments are forecasted in advance of issuer default as a result of active surveillance of the insured book of business and observation of deterioration in the obligor’s credit standing. Based upon Ambac’s experience, claim payments become probable and estimable once the issuer’s credit profile has migrated to certain impaired credit levels. The trustee, on behalf of the insured party, named beneficiary, or custodian has the right to make a claim under Ambac’s financial guarantee insurance policy at the first scheduled debt service date of the defaulted obligation. As discussed in Note 11, the accounting for credit loss reserves will change.

The liability for losses and loss expenses consists of active credit and case basis credit reserves. Active credit reserves are for probable and estimable losses due to credit deterioration on insured credits that have not yet defaulted or have defaulted, but have not been reported as of the reporting date. The establishment of reserves for exposures that have not yet defaulted is a common practice in the financial guarantee industry. However, Ambac is aware that there are differences in the specific methodologies applied by other financial guarantors in establishing such reserves. Ambac’s active credit reserve is based on management’s on-going review of the non-derivative financial guarantee credit portfolio. Active surveillance of the insured portfolio enables Ambac’s Surveillance Group to track credit migration of insured obligations from period to period and prepare an adversely classified credit listing. The active credit reserve is established only for adversely classified credits. The criteria for an exposure to be included on the adversely classified credit listing includes the deterioration of an issuer’s financial condition,

9

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

underperformance of the underlying collateral (for collateral dependent transactions such as mortgage-backed securitizations), poor performance by the servicer of the underlying collateral and other adverse economic events or trends. The servicer of the underlying collateral of an insured securitization transaction is a consideration in assessing credit quality because the servicer’s performance can directly impact the performance of the related issue. For example, a servicer of a mortgage-backed securitization that does not remain current in its collection efforts could cause an increase in the delinquency and potential default of the underlying obligation.

The active credit reserve is established through a process that begins with estimates of probable losses inherent in the adversely classified credit portfolio. These estimates are based upon: (i) Ambac’s internal system of credit ratings, which are analogous to the risk ratings of the major rating agencies; (ii) internally developed historical default information (taking into consideration ratings and average life of an obligation); (iii) internally developed loss severities; and (iv) the net par outstanding on the adversely classified credit. The loss severities and default information are based on rating agency information and are specific to each bond type and are established and approved by Ambac’s Executive Risk Management Committee. The Executive Risk Management Committee is comprised of senior risk management professionals and other senior management of Ambac. For certain adversely-classified credit exposures, Ambac’s additional monitoring and loss remediation efforts may provide information relevant to the estimate of the active credit reserve.

Ambac may use market accepted software tools when a more precise view of expected claim payment cash flows can be derived. We have utilized this approach for residential mortgage-backed exposures. These tools, in conjunction with detailed data of the historical performance of the collateral pools, assist Ambac in the determination of certain assumptions, such as default and voluntary prepayment rates, which are needed in order to estimate expected future net claim payments. Ambac discounts these estimated net claim payments using discount rates that approximate the average taxable equivalent yield on our investment portfolio (4.5% at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007).

Additional remediation activities applied to adversely classified credits can include various actions by Ambac. The most common actions include obtaining detailed appraisal information on collateral, more frequent meetings with the issuer’s or servicer’s management to review operations, financial condition and financial forecasts and more frequent analysis of the issuer’s financial statements. In estimating the active credit reserve, Ambac uses relevant credit-specific information obtained from its remediation efforts to supplement the statistical approach discussed above. Senior management meets at least quarterly with the Surveillance Group to review the status of their work to determine the adequacy of Ambac’s loss reserves and make any necessary adjustments. Active credit reserves were $555,445 and $363,372 at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively. The active credit reserves at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007 were comprised of 48 credits with net par of $7,490,989 and 45 credits with net par outstanding of $6,512,515, respectively. Included in the calculation of active credit reserves at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007 was the consideration of $33,806 and $13,364, respectively, of reinsurance which would be due to Ambac from reinsurers, upon default of the insured obligation.

Case basis credit reserves are for losses on insured obligations that have defaulted. We believe our definition of case basis credit reserves differs from other financial guarantee industry participants. Upon the occurrence of a payment default, the related active credit reserve is transferred to case basis credit reserve. Additional provisions for losses upon further credit deterioration of a case basis exposure are initially recorded through the active credit reserve and subsequently transferred to case basis credit reserves. Our case reserves represent the present value of anticipated loss and loss expense payments expected over the estimated period of default. Loss and loss expenses consider anticipated defaulted debt service payments, estimated expenses associated with settling the claims and estimated recoveries under collateral and

10

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

subrogation rights. The estimate does not consider future installment premium receipts, as the likelihood of such receipts is remote. Consistent with the process to determine active credit reserves, Ambac discounts expected future net claim payments in determining case reserves using discount rates that approximate the average taxable equivalent yield on our investment portfolio.

Case basis credit reserves were $565,367 and $120,904 at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively. The discount rate applied to case basis credit reserves was 4.5% at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007. The case basis credit reserves at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007 were comprised of 22 and 13 credits, respectively, with net par outstanding of $3,027,844 and $1,359,415, respectively. Additionally, we have reinsurance recoverables on case basis credit reserves of $45,142 and $11,088 at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively.

Ambac provides information on the classification of its loss reserve between active credit reserve and case basis credit reserve for the purpose of disclosing the components of the total reserve that relate to exposures that have not yet defaulted and those that have defaulted. The total reserve (active credit and case basis) was $1,120,812 and $484,276 at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively. Due to the relatively small number and large size of certain insured obligations comprising the active and case basis credit reserves, improvements or further deterioration in any one credit may significantly impact our loss provision in a given period. The provision for losses and loss expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations represents the expense recorded to bring the total reserve to a level determined by management to be adequate for losses inherent in the non-derivative financial guarantee insurance portfolio. Ambac’s management believes that the reserves for losses and loss expenses are adequate to cover the ultimate net cost of claims, but the reserves are based on estimates and there can be no assurance that the ultimate liability for losses will not exceed such estimates.

Our liabilities for credit losses are based in part on the short-duration accounting guidance in SFAS 60, “Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises.” The trustee (on behalf of the insured party), named beneficiary or custodian has a right to a claim payment under the financial guarantee insurance policy at the date of the first scheduled debt service payment of a defaulted security in the amount equal to the payment shortfall. We believe a loss event occurs for financial guarantee insurance products at the time the issuers’ financial condition deteriorates to an impaired credit status rather than at the time the insured party has a right to a claim payment. Because of this belief and the ambiguities discussed below in the application of SFAS 60 to the financial guarantee industry, Ambac does not believe that SFAS 60 alone provides sufficient guidance. As a result, Ambac supplements the guidance in SFAS 60 with the guidance in SFAS 5, “Accounting for Contingencies,” which calls for a loss to be accrued if it is probable that a liability has been incurred at the date of the financial statements and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. Ambac also relies by analogy on EITF Issue 85-20, “Recognition of Fees for Guaranteeing a Loan,” which states that a guarantor should perform an ongoing assessment of the probability of loss to determine if a liability (and a loss) should be recognized under SFAS 5.

In management’s view, the accounting guidance noted above does not comprehensively address the attributes of financial guarantee insurance contracts, primarily due to the fact that SFAS 60 was developed prior to the maturity of the financial guarantee industry. Financial guarantee contracts have elements of long-duration insurance contracts in that they are generally irrevocable and extend over a period of time that may be 30 years or more but are considered and reported for regulatory purposes as property and casualty insurance, normally considered short-duration contracts. The short-duration and long-duration classifications have different methods of accounting for premium revenue, deferred acquisition costs and contract liability recognition.

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Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

Ambac is aware that there are certain differences regarding the measurement of liabilities for credit losses among participants in the financial guarantee industry. Difficulties in applying the existing insurance accounting literature, such as the classification of the insurance contracts as either short-duration or long-duration to the attributes of financial guarantee insurance, different measurement models and assumptions utilized, regulatory guidance provided to certain entities, and the existence of accounting literature providing guidance with respect to liability recognition for loan guarantees, are the reasons for differences among the industry participants.

In January and February of 2005, the SEC staff discussed with the financial guarantee industry participants differences in loss reserve recognition practices among those participants. In September 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) added a project to its agenda to consider the accounting by financial guarantee insurers for claims liability recognition, premium recognition and deferred acquisition costs. The proposed guidance was issued on April 18, 2007 and the final standard was issued on May 23, 2008. See Note 11 “Future Application of Accounting Standards” for additional information.

SFAS 133 “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities”, as amended by SFAS 138, SFAS 149 and SFAS 155, establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments. All derivatives, whether designated for hedging relationships or not, are required to be recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value. When available, quotes from independent market sources are obtained for market value. However, when quotes are not available, Ambac uses valuation models. Methodologies used to determine fair value of derivative contracts, including model inputs and assumptions where applicable, are described further in Note 10. Fair Value Measurements.

All derivative contracts are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets on a gross basis; assets and liabilities are netted by customer only when a legal right of set-off exists. Gross asset and gross liability balances for all derivatives are recorded as Derivative Assets or Derivative Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Derivative Contracts Classified as Held for Trading Purposes:

Financial Guarantee Credit Derivatives:

Ambac sold credit protection by entering into credit derivatives, primarily in the form of credit default swap contracts (“CDS contracts”), with various financial institutions. In certain cases the Company purchases credit protection on a portion of the risk written, from reinsurance companies or other financial companies. Management views these credit derivative contracts as part of its financial guarantee business, under which Ambac intends to hold its written and purchased positions for the entire term of the related contracts. These credit derivative contracts are accounted for at fair value since they do not qualify for the financial guarantee scope exception under SFAS 133, as amended. Changes in fair value are recorded in “Net change in fair value of credit derivatives” on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. The “realized gains and losses and other settlements” component of this income statement line includes (i) premiums received and accrued on written credit derivative contracts, (ii) premiums paid and accrued on purchased credit derivative contracts, (iii) losses paid on written credit derivative contracts and (iv) paid losses recovered and recoverable on purchased credit derivative contracts for the appropriate accounting period. Losses paid and losses recovered and recoverable reported in “realized gains and losses and other settlements” include those arising only after a credit event that requires a payment under the contract terms has occurred. Losses included in realized gains and losses and other settlements were $1,674 and $1,674 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2008, respectively. There

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Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

were no paid losses on these contracts in 2007. The “unrealized gains (losses)” component of this income statement line includes all other changes in fair value. Refer to Note 10 for a detailed description of the components of our credit derivative contracts’ fair value.

Financial Services Derivative Products:

Ambac, through its subsidiary Ambac Financial Services, provided interest rate and currency swaps to states, municipalities and their authorities, asset-backed issuers and other entities in connection with their financings. Ambac Capital Services entered into total return swaps with professional counterparties. Total return swaps are primarily referenced to fixed income obligations, which meet Ambac Assurance’s financial guarantee credit underwriting criteria. These contracts are recorded on trade date at fair value. Changes in fair value are recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The change in fair value of interest rate and currency swaps are reflected in “Derivative Product Revenues” and the change in fair value of total return swaps are reflected in “Net Mark-to-Market (Losses) Gains on Total Return Swap Contracts”.

Derivative Contracts used for Non-Trading and Hedging Purposes:

In order to qualify for hedge accounting, a derivative must be considered highly effective at reducing the risk associated with the exposure being hedged. Each derivative must be designated as a hedge, with documentation of the risk management objective and strategy, including identification of the hedging instrument, the hedged item, the risk exposure, and how effectiveness will be assessed prospectively and retrospectively. The extent to which a hedging instrument is effective at achieving offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows must be assessed at least quarterly. Any ineffectiveness must be reported in net income.

Interest rate and currency swaps are utilized to hedge exposure to changes in fair value of assets or liabilities resulting from changes in interest rates and foreign exchange rates, respectively. These interest rate and currency swap hedges are referred to as “fair value” hedges. If the provisions of the derivative contract meet the technical requirements for fair value hedge accounting under SFAS 133, the change in fair value of the derivative contract, excluding accrued interest, is recorded as a component of “Net mark-to-market gains (losses) on non-trading derivatives” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The change in fair value of the hedged asset or liability attributable to the hedged risk adjusts the carrying amount of the hedged item and is recorded as a component of “Net mark-to-market gains (losses) on non-trading derivatives.” The net amount representing hedge ineffectiveness, recorded in “Net mark-to-market gains (losses) on non-trading derivatives” was $477 and $314 for the three months ended June 30, 2008 and 2007, respectively, and ($213) and ($196) for the six months ended June 30, 2008 and 2007, respectively. Changes in the accrued interest component of the derivative contract are recorded as an offset to changes in the accrued interest component of the hedged item.

Interest rate swaps are also utilized to hedge the exposure to changes in cash flows caused by variable interest rates of assets or liabilities. These interest rate swap hedges are referred to as “cash flow” hedges. The effective portion of the gains and losses on interest rate swaps that meet the technical requirements for cash flow hedge accounting under SFAS 133 is reported in “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income” in Stockholders’ Equity. If the cumulative change in fair value of the derivative contract exceeds the cumulative change in fair value of the hedged item, ineffectiveness is required to be recorded. At June 30, 2008, $30 was recorded as hedge ineffectiveness in “Net mark-to-market gains (losses) on non-trading derivatives.” As of June 30, 2008, $818 of pre-tax deferred gains on derivative instruments reported in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income are expected to be reclassified to net income during the next twelve months. Transactions and events expected to occur over the next twelve months that will necessitate reclassifying these derivative gains include the repricing of variable-rate assets.

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Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

Ambac discontinues hedge accounting prospectively when it is determined that the derivative is no longer effective in offsetting changes in the fair value or cash flows of the hedged item, the derivative expires, is sold or terminated. When hedge accounting is discontinued because the derivative no longer qualifies as an effective fair value hedge, Ambac continues to carry the derivative on the balance sheet at its fair value. The adjustment of the carrying amount of the hedged asset or liability is accounted for in the same manner as other components of the carrying amount of that asset or liability. The net derivative gain or loss related to a discontinued cash flow hedge (recognized during the period of hedge effectiveness) will continue to be reported in “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income” and amortized into net income as a yield adjustment to the previously designated asset or liability. If the previously designated asset or liability is sold or matures, the net derivative gain or loss related to a discontinued cash flow hedge reported in “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income” will be reclassified into net income immediately. All subsequent changes in fair values of derivatives previously designated as cash flow hedges will be recognized in net income.

Ambac enters into non-trading derivative contracts for the purpose of economically hedging exposures to fair value or cash flow changes caused by fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency rates. The changes to the fair value of the derivative contract are recorded as a component of “Net mark-to-market gains (losses) gains on non-trading derivatives” in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. The change in fair value of such derivative contracts for the three months ended June 30, 2008 and 2007 was $1,588 and $26, respectively, and $425 and $37 for the six months ended June 30, 2008 and 2007, respectively.

On January 1, 2007, Ambac adopted the provisions of FASB Interpretation (“FIN”) No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes”, an interpretation of SFAS 109, which provides a framework to determine the appropriate level of tax reserves for uncertain tax positions. FIN 48 prescribes a more-likely-than-not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition, measurement classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition.

Ambac files a consolidated Federal income tax return with its subsidiaries. Ambac and its subsidiaries also file separate or combined income tax returns in various states, local and foreign jurisdictions.

The following are the major jurisdictions in which Ambac and its affiliates operate and the earliest tax years subject to examination:

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Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

As of June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the liability for unrecognized tax benefits is approximately $81,100 and $89,600, respectively. Included in these balances at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007 are $29,300 and $37,800 respectively, of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate. During the six months ended June 30, 2008, federal tax reserves related to the unrecognized tax benefits decreased by $10,500 for issues that no longer warrant a tax reserve after a U.S. tax settlement for the years 2001 through 2004.

Ambac accrues interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in the provision for income taxes. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2008 Ambac recognized interest of approximately $1,000 and $2,000, respectively, compared to $780 and $1,410 in the three and six months ended June 30, 2007, respectively. Ambac had approximately $6,900 and $4,900 for the payment of interest accrued at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively.

Ambac continues to believe that no valuation allowance is necessary in connection with the substantial portion of the deferred tax asset , particularly the assets attributable to ordinary losses. It is more likely than not that the amortization of the unearned premium reserve, collection of future installment premiums on contracts already written, and income from the investment portfolio will generate sufficient taxable income to realize the deferred tax asset that currently exists. However, Ambac will continue to analyze the need for a valuation allowance on a quarterly basis. Since there is a limit to the amount of projected future income, there can be no assurances with regards to whether a valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets that are attributable to ordinary losses will be needed in future quarters.

Ambac has established a valuation allowance of $62,400 in connection with the capital loss portion of its deferred tax asset. It is more likely than not that Ambac will not have sufficient capital gains in the three year carry back and five year carry forward period to fully validate the deferred tax asset related to these capital losses.

15

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

(Dollars in thousands, except share amounts)

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of investments at June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007 were as follows: