UBS AG’s (“UBS”) consolidated financial statements (Financial
Statements) are prepared in accordance with International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and stated in
Swiss francs (CHF). These Financial Statements are presented
in accordance with IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting. In
preparing the interim Financial Statements, the same accounting
principles and methods of computation are applied
as in the Financial Statements on 31 December 2006 and for
the year then ended except for the changes set out below.
The interim Financial Statements are unaudited. In the
opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair
presentation of the financial position, results of operations
and cash flows for the interim periods have been made.
These interim Financial Statements should be read in conjunction
with the audited Financial Statements included in
the UBS Financial Report 2006.
Changes in accounting policies and presentation
IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures
On 1 January 2007, UBS adopted the disclosure requirements
for financial instruments under IFRS 7. The new standard
has no impact on recognition, measurement and presentation
of financial instruments. Accordingly, the first-time
adoption of IFRS 7 had no effect on Net profit and Equity.
Rather, it requires
UBS to provide disclosures in its financial
statements that enable users to evaluate: a) the significance
of financial instruments for the entity’s financial position and
performance,
and b) the nature and extent of the credit,
market and liquidity risks arising from financial instruments
during the period and at the reporting date, and how the
entity manages those risks. The disclosure principles of IFRS
7 complement
the principles for recognizing, measuring and
presenting
financial assets and financial liabilities in IAS 32
Financial
Instruments: Presentation and IAS 39 Financial Instruments:
Recognition and Measurement. The new disclosure
requirements
will mainly impact UBS’s annual 2007 Financial
Statements
rather than the quarterly Financial
Statements.
UBS has entered into transactions for which fair value is
determined using valuation models for which not all inputs
are market-observable prices or rates. Such financial instruments
are initially recognized in UBS’s Financial Statements at
the transaction price, which is generally the best indicator of
fair value, although the value obtained from the relevant valuation
model may differ. Where such differences arise, UBS is
required by IFRS 7 to disclose: a) its accounting policy for recognizing
that difference in profit or loss to reflect a change in
factors (including time) that market participants would consider
in setting a price, and b) the aggregate difference
yet to
be recognized in profit or loss at the beginning and end of
the period and a reconciliation of changes in the balance of
this difference (movement of deferred day 1 profit
or loss).
The respective accounting policy is reflected in Note 1 to the
Financial Statements 2006. For the movement of the deferred
day 1 profit or loss, refer to Note 9 of this report.
Positions related to the US sub-prime residential mortgage market
The valuations applied by UBS in its balance sheet on 30 September
2007 reflect the weakness in the US housing market
during the quarter.
Where possible, holdings are marked at the quoted market
price (also known as “level 1” inputs in accounting terminology).
For the positions related to the US sub-prime
market, this was and is still not possible in present market
conditions. UBS therefore mostly uses valuation techniques
based on “observable inputs” derived from similar assets in
similar and active markets, from recent transaction prices for
comparable items or from other observable market data
(“level 2” inputs). For positions where observable reference
data is not available UBS uses econometric models with non
market observable (“level 3”) inputs.
The inputs to these econometric models principally comprise
remittance data from mortgage service companies.
These are received towards the end of each month and relate
to the preceding month’s cash flows on the mortgages underlying
the relevant mortgage-backed securities. Our models assess
the level of risk in the underlying mortgage portfolio and
estimate the fair value of the positions we hold. Although our
models are proprietary and there is no single market standard
model, our approach is similar to that used by other market
participants. Our models are calibrated to transactions in similar
instruments and are reviewed and updated from time to
time. They do not necessarily contain sentiment or predictions
that are implicit in active, liquid, level 1 transactions. Such
models have inherent limitations, and different assumptions
and inputs would generate different views.
Adverse fair value changes of instruments related to the
US sub-prime residential mortgage market are reflected in
Net trading income. The related trading positions are recognized
on UBS’s balance sheet as Trading portfolio instruments
as well as Positive and Negative replacement values.