RDN Radian Group Inc

Report Cites Enhanced Underwriting and Risk Management and Improving Results in Double-A Niche PHILADELPHIA, June 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Radian Group Inc. (NYSE:RDN), a global credit risk management company, today announced that Standard & Poor's has affirmed the AA financial strength rating, and revised upward its outlook to stable for Radian Asset Assurance Inc., Radian's financial guaranty subsidiary. Reflecting the improved outlook for Radian Asset Assurance, S&P also revised upward to stable its outlook on Radian Group, while affirming its A credit rating. In announcing its decision earlier today, S&P said the stable outlook for the financial guaranty subsidiary reflects: * Enhancements made to its underwriting and risk management areas * Improving production results in its niche financial guaranty sectors * Appropriate capitalization * A supportive parent company S.A. Ibrahim, chief executive officer of Radian, said, "We are gratified by S&P's decision and believe it reflects Radian's significant achievements of the past year - most notably our strengthened risk management culture and our ability to demonstrate the viability of the unique and growing double-A market niche." Financial guaranty represents approximately 22 percent of Radian's overall business. In 2005, gross par insured increased for all product lines, totaling $24.7 billion, up 72% from $14.3 billion in 2004, and strong production continued in the first quarter of 2006. "Importantly, the company achieved this growth while continuing to apply pricing discipline as well as focusing on higher credit quality business with a superior risk-reward profile," said Stephen Cooke, president of Radian Asset Assurance. Mr. Ibrahim added that S&P's stable outlook is an important factor for Radian Asset Assurance because it reduces market uncertainty and allows Radian to maximize the full potential of its financial guaranty business. Specifically, he said the company would continue to evaluate opportunities to develop new sectors, asset classes and geographic areas; optimize its business mix between direct insurance and reinsurance; capitalize on the rapidly growing synthetic market; and further strengthen its business position with its clients, counterparties and investors. "We are confident in the direction of our financial guaranty business," Mr. Ibrahim said, also noting the unique synergies between Radian's financial guaranty and mortgage insurance businesses, which allow the company to create innovative client solutions and better manage its own mortgage risk. "We firmly believe we have the right strategy, at the right pace, to achieve the desired results," he noted. "S&P's decision reaffirms this belief." S&P's revised rating also applies to Radian Asset Assurance Limited, an insurance subsidiary of Radian Asset Assurance authorized to conduct financial guaranty business in the U.K. S&P's financial strength ratings for Radian's mortgage insurance subsidiaries continue at AA with a stable outlook. About Radian Group Inc. Radian Group Inc. is a global credit risk management company headquartered in Philadelphia with significant operations in both New York and London. Radian develops innovative financial solutions by applying its core mortgage credit risk expertise and structured finance capabilities to the credit enhancement needs of the capital markets worldwide, primarily through credit insurance products. The company also provides credit enhancement for public finance and other corporate and consumer assets on both a direct and reinsurance basis and holds strategic interests in active credit-based consumer asset businesses. Additional information may be found at http://www.radian.biz/. All statements made in this news release that address events or developments that we expect or anticipate may occur in the future are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of management's current views and assumptions with respect to future events. The forward-looking statements, as well as Radian's prospects as a whole, are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the following: changes in general financial and political conditions such as extended national or regional economic recessions (or expansions), changes in housing values, population trends and changes in household formation patterns, changes in unemployment rates, and changes or volatility in interest rates; changes in investor perception of the strength of private mortgage insurers or financial guaranty providers, and risks faced by the businesses, municipalities or pools of assets covered by Radian's insurance; the loss of a customer with whom Radian has a concentration of its insurance in force; increased severity or frequency of losses associated with certain Radian products that are riskier than traditional mortgage insurance and municipal guaranty insurance policies; material changes in persistency rates of Radian's mortgage insurance policies; downgrades of Radian's credit ratings or the insurance financial-strength ratings assigned by the major ratings agencies to Radian's operating subsidiaries; heightened competition from other insurance providers and from alternative products to private mortgage insurance and financial guaranty insurance; changes in the charters or business practices of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; the application of federal or state consumer- lending, insurance and other applicable laws and regulations, or unfavorable changes in these laws and regulations or the way they are interpreted, including: (i) the possibility of private lawsuits or investigations by state insurance departments and state attorneys general alleging that services offered by the mortgage insurance industry, such as captive reinsurance, pool insurance and contract underwriting, are violative of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and/or similar state regulations (particularly in light of public reports that some state insurance departments are investigating captive reinsurance arrangements used in the mortgage insurance industry), or (ii) legislative and regulatory changes affecting demand for private mortgage insurance or financial guaranty insurance; the possibility that we may fail to estimate accurately the likelihood, magnitude and timing of losses in connection with establishing loss reserves for our mortgage insurance or financial guaranty businesses or to estimate accurately the fair value amounts of derivative financial guaranty contracts in determining gains and losses on these contracts; changes in accounting guidance from the SEC or the Financial Accounting Standards Board regarding income recognition and the treatment of loss reserves in the mortgage insurance or financial guaranty industries; changes in claims against mortgage insurance products resulting from the aging of Radian's mortgage insurance policies; vulnerability to the performance of Radian's strategic investments; changes in the availability of affordable or adequate reinsurance for our non-prime risk; and international expansion of our mortgage insurance and financial guaranty businesses into new markets and risks associated with our international business activities. For more information regarding these risks and uncertainties, as well as certain additional risks that we face, investors should refer to the risk factors detailed in Part I, Item 1A in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this news release. Radian does not intend to and disclaims any duty or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made in this news release to reflect new information, future events or for any other reason. DATASOURCE: Radian Group Inc. CONTACT: For investors: Mona Zeehandelaar, +1-215-231-1674, , For the media: Corporate Communications, +1-888-NEWS-520, , both of Radian Group Web site: http://www.radian.biz/

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