Prospectus Supplement
Table of Contents

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)

File No. 333-105980

Prospectus Supplement dated November 17, 2004

(to Prospectus dated January 20, 2004)

 

   

LOGO

   
    MBIA Inc.    
$350,000,000
5.70% Senior Notes due 2034

 

Interest on the notes is payable semiannually on June 1 and December 1 of each year beginning June 1, 2005. The notes will be issued only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.

 

The notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, at any time at the redemption prices set forth in this prospectus supplement, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.

 

The notes will be our direct, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equal in priority with all of our existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the attached prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

     Public Offering
Price


    Underwriting
Discount


    Proceeds to MBIA
(before expenses)


 

Per Note

     99.585 %     0.875 %     98.710 %

Total

   $ 348,547,500     $ 3,062,500     $ 345,485,000  

 

The public offering price set forth above does not include accrued interest. Interest will accrue from November 24, 2004.

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the notes to purchasers in book-entry form only through The Depository Trust Company, on or about November 24, 2004.

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

JPMorgan   Lehman Brothers

 

Co-Managers

 

Banc of America Securities   Barclays Capital
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.   Citigroup
Deutsche Bank Securities   Goldman, Sachs & Co.
KeyBanc Capital Markets   Morgan Stanley

 

Prospectus Supplement dated November 17, 2004


Table of Contents

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this notes offering. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, gives more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering.

 

If the description of the offering varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.

 

Unless we have indicated otherwise, or the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to “MBIA,” “we,” “us” and “our” or similar terms are to MBIA Inc. and its subsidiaries.

 

It is expected that delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about the date specified on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, which is the fifth business day following the date hereof (such settlement cycle being referred to as “T+5”). You should be advised that trading of the notes may be affected by T+5 settlement. See “Underwriting.”

 

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus contain or incorporate by reference statements that do not directly or exclusively relate to historical facts. Such statements are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can typically identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking words, such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “project,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “continue,” “potential,” “plan,” “forecast” and the like. Those statements represent our intentions, plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors. Many of those factors are outside our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements. Those factors include:

 

  Ÿ fluctuations in the economic, credit, interest rate or foreign currency environment in the United States and abroad;

 

  Ÿ level of activity within the national and international credit markets;

 

  Ÿ competitive conditions and pricing levels;

 

  Ÿ legislative and regulatory developments;

 

  Ÿ technical developments;

 

  Ÿ changes in tax laws;

 

  Ÿ the effects of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; and

 

  Ÿ uncertainties that have not been identified at this time.

 

In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events referred to in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus might not occur. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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SUMMARY OF THE OFFERING

 

Issuer

MBIA Inc.

 

Securities Offered

$350,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.70% senior notes due 2034.

 

Maturity

December 1, 2034, unless redeemed or otherwise repaid prior to that date.

 

Interest Payment Dates

Semiannually in arrears on June 1 and December 1 of each year, beginning on June 1, 2005. The notes will bear interest at the rate of 5.70% per year.

 

Record Dates

We will make regularly scheduled payments of interest on the notes on each interest payment date to the holders of record on the fifteenth calendar day immediately preceding such interest payment date. We will make interest payments on the notes upon redemption or at maturity to the holders of notes entitled to the payment of principal on the notes at redemption or at maturity.

 

Redemption

We may redeem the notes at our option, in whole or in part, at any time at the redemption prices set forth in this prospectus supplement, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. The notes do not have the benefit of a sinking fund.

 

Ranking

The notes will be our direct, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will rank equal in priority with all of our existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and senior in right of payment to all of our existing and future subordinated indebtedness. The notes are not insured by MBIA or any other insurer.

 

Use of Proceeds

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes to redeem the outstanding $50.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 6.95% notes due 2038. We expect to use the remainder to redeem the outstanding $100 million aggregate principal amount of our 8.00% notes due 2040 in December 2005 and for general corporate purposes.

 

Ratings

Our senior unsecured debt ratings are as follows:

 

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.: Aa2

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service: AA

 

 

The ratings set forth above are not a recommendation to purchase, hold or sell the notes and are subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agencies.

 

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MBIA INC.

 

We are engaged in providing financial guarantee insurance, investment management services and municipal and other services to public finance and structured finance clients on a global basis. Financial guarantee insurance provides an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee of the payment of the principal of, and interest or other amounts owing on, insured obligations when due. We conduct our financial guarantee business through our wholly-owned subsidiary, MBIA Insurance Corporation (“MBIA Corp.”). MBIA Corp. is the successor to the business of the Municipal Bond Insurance Association (the “Association”) which began writing financial guarantees for municipal bonds in 1974. MBIA Corp. is the parent of MBIA Insurance Corp. of Illinois (“MBIA Illinois”) and Capital Markets Assurance Corporation (“CapMAC”), both financial guarantee companies that were acquired by MBIA Corp. MBIA Corp. also owns MBIA Assurance S.A. (“MBIA Assurance”), a French insurance company, which writes financial guarantee insurance in the member countries of the European Union. Generally, throughout the text, references to MBIA Corp. include the activities of its subsidiaries, MBIA Illinois, MBIA Assurance and CapMAC.

 

MBIA Corp. primarily insures financial obligations which are sold in the new issue and secondary markets. It also provides financial guarantees for debt service reserve funds. As a result of the Triple-A ratings assigned to insured obligations, the principal economic value of financial guarantee insurance is the lower interest cost of an insured obligation relative to the same obligation on an uninsured basis. In addition, for complex financings and for obligations of issuers that are not well-known by investors, insured obligations receive greater market acceptance than uninsured obligations.

 

MBIA Corp. issues financial guarantees for municipal bonds, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, investor-owned utility bonds, bonds backed by publicly or privately funded public purpose projects, bonds issued by sovereign and sub-sovereign entities and obligations collateralized by diverse pools of corporate loans and credit default swaps, and also pools of corporate and asset-backed bonds, both in the new issue and secondary markets. The municipal obligations that MBIA Corp. insures include tax-exempt and taxable indebtedness of states, counties, cities, utility districts and other political subdivisions, as well as airports, higher education and health care facilities and similar authorities and obligations issued by private entities that finance projects that serve a substantial public purpose. The asset-backed and structured finance obligations insured by MBIA Corp. typically consist of securities that are payable from or which are tied to the performance of a specified pool of assets that in most cases have a defined cash flow, such as residential and commercial mortgages, a variety of consumer loans, corporate loans and bonds, trade and export receivables, equipment and real property leases, and infrastructure projects.

 

MBIA Corp. also insures privately issued bonds used for the financing of public purpose projects which are primarily located overseas and include toll roads, bridges, airports, public transportation facilities and other types of infrastructure projects that serve a substantial public purpose. While in the United States projects of this nature are financed through the issuance of tax-exempt bonds by special purpose, government sponsored tax-exempt entities, the general absence of tax-advantaged financing, among other reasons, has led to the transfer of the operation of many such public purpose projects to the private sector. Generally, the private entities operate under a concession agreement with the sponsoring government agency, which maintains a level of regulatory oversight and control over the project.

 

MBIA Corp. has Triple-A financial strength ratings from Standard and Poor’s Corporation (“S&P”), which the Association received in 1974; from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), which the Association received in 1984; from Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), which MBIA Corp. received in 1995; and from Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (“RII”), which it received in 1998. Obligations which are guaranteed by MBIA Corp. are rated Triple-A primarily based on these financial strength ratings of

 

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MBIA Corp. Both S&P and Moody’s have also continued the Triple-A rating on MBIA Assurance, MBIA Illinois and CapMAC guaranteed bond issues. The Triple-A ratings are important to the operation of our business and any reduction in these ratings could have a material adverse effect on MBIA Corp.’s ability to compete and could also have a material adverse effect on our business, operations and financial results.

 

We also provide investment management products and financial services through our wholly-owned subsidiary MBIA Asset Management LLC (“MBIA Asset Management”). MBIA Asset Management offers cash management, customized asset management and investment consulting services to local governments, school districts and other institutional clients. It offers fixed-income asset management services for our investment portfolios, MBIA Corp. and other affiliates and also for third-party clients. MBIA Asset Management raises funds for investment management through the issuance of investment agreements, which are issued by us and guaranteed by MBIA Corp., to states and municipalities and as part of asset-backed or structured securities for the investment of bond proceeds and other funds. It also raises funds through the issuance of medium-term notes (“MTNs”) which are issued by its affiliate MBIA Global Funding, LLC (“GFL”) and guaranteed by MBIA Corp. MBIA Asset Management invests the proceeds of the investment agreements and MTNs in high quality eligible investments both in the United States and abroad. MBIA Asset Management offers these services and products through MBIA Municipal Investors Service Corporation (“MBIA-MISC”), MBIA Investment Management Corp. (“IMC”), MBIA Capital Management Corp. (“CMC”), GFL and Euro Asset Acquisition Limited (“EAAL”).

 

Through its subsidiaries, MBIA Asset Management also administers three multi-seller conduit financing vehicles, Triple-A One Funding Corp., Meridian Funding Company, LLC and Polaris Funding Company, LLC (together, the “Conduits”) through MBIA Asset Finance, LLC. The Conduits provide funding for multiple customers through special purpose vehicles that issue primarily commercial paper and medium-term notes.

 

MBIA MuniServices Company (“MuniServices”) provides revenue enhancement services and products, such as discovery, audit, collections/recovery, enforcement and information services, to state and local governments. We also own Capital Asset Holdings GP, Inc. and certain affiliated entities (collectively, “Capital Asset”). Capital Asset was in the business of acquiring and servicing tax liens. We have subsequently exited the tax lien business and Capital Asset’s primary activity is servicing three tax lien securitizations.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 113 King Street, Armonk, New York 10504. The telephone number is (914) 273-4545.

 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

 

MBIA Insurance Corporation, our wholly-owned subsidiary, is requesting approval from the New York Insurance Department in connection with an offering involving its preferred equity securities and anticipates, subject to the receipt of such approval and market conditions, to pursue such an offering in an amount of up to $300.0 million in the near future.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

The proceeds to us from the sale of the notes, net of underwriting discounts and expenses, are estimated to be approximately $345.3 million. We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes to redeem the outstanding $50.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 6.95% notes due 2038. We expect to use the remainder to redeem the outstanding $100 million aggregate principal amount of our 8.00% notes due 2040 in December 2005 and for general corporate purposes. This disclosure does not constitute a call for redemption or repurchase of the 6.95% notes, which we may make on the date of this prospectus supplement or at a later date upon the terms and conditions set forth in the applicable indenture.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated. Earnings represent consolidated earnings before income taxes and fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest and that portion of rental expense deemed representative of the interest factor for such rental expense and amortization of debt discount and expense. We had no capitalized interest for the periods presented.

 

     Year ended December 31,

  

Nine months

ended
September 30,


     1999

   2000

   2001

   2002

   2003

    2003 

    2004 

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1):

   7.9    14.0    14.8    14.3    17.5    18.2    16.5

(1) Fixed charges do not include the amount of fixed charges associated with obligations insured by MBIA Corp.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth the total capitalization of MBIA at September 30, 2004, and the capitalization as adjusted to give effect to the issuance and sale of $350,000,000 aggregate principal amount of notes and before the use of proceeds of the offering as described in this prospectus supplement.

 

     At September 30, 2004

 
     Actual

   

As

Adjusted


 
    

(unaudited)

(dollars in thousands)

 

Long-term debt

   $ 1,018,959     $ 1,368,959  

Shareholders’ equity:

                

Preferred Stock, par value $1.00 per share; authorized shares—10,000,000; issued and outstanding shares—none

     —         —    

Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share; authorized shares—400,000,000; issued shares—157,137,406

     155,137       155,137  

Additional paid-in capital

     1,388,095       1,388,095  

Retained earnings

     5,101,003       5,101,003  

Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of deferred income tax provision of $300,436

     562,552       562,552  

Unearned compensation—restricted stock

     (38,457 )     (38,457 )

Treasury stock, at cost—13,771,872

     (637,015 )     (637,015 )
    


 


Total shareholders’ equity

   $ 6,531,315     $ 6,531,315  
    


 


Total capitalization

   $ 7,550,274     $ 7,900,274  
    


 


 

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SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA

 

The information set forth below for the years ended December 31 is derived from and should be read in conjunction with the audited restated Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto of MBIA, which are incorporated herein by reference. All other income statement and balance sheet data presented are derived from the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements of MBIA and in the opinion of the management of MBIA include all adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments, which are necessary for a fair statement of the results of operations and financial position of MBIA for each period presented. Financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or for any interim period.

 

     Years Ended December 31,

  

Nine Months
Ended

September 30,


     2001

    2002

    2003

   2003

   2004

                      (unaudited)
     (dollars in millions)

Income Statement Data:

                                    

Insurance:

                                    

Gross premiums written

   $ 865.2     $ 951.9     $ 1,268.8    $ 961.3    $ 833.2

Premiums earned (net of ceded premiums)

     523.9       588.5       733.0      541.2      609.9

Net investment income

     412.8       432.9       437.7      320.5      354.1

Total insurance expenses

     179.6       196.8       238.9      174.2      190.4

Insurance income

     796.3       875.4       991.5      730.4      802.8

Investment management services income

     63.0       49.5       50.1      34.5      43.2

Income before income taxes

     791.0       792.6       1,148.6      885.1      845.3

Cumulative effect of accounting Change

     (13.1 )     (7.7 )     —        —        —  

Net income

     570.1       579.1       813.6      631.6      610.8

Net income per common share – diluted

     3.82       3.92       5.61      4.36      4.19

 

     At December 31,

   At September 30,

     2002

   2003

   2003

   2004

               (unaudited)
     (dollars in millions)

Balance Sheet Data:

                           

Total investments

   $ 17,095.0    $ 27,706.8    $ 27,969.3    $ 27,985.5

Total assets

     18,852.1      30,267.7      30,136.1      30,800.4

Deferred premium revenue

     2,775.0      3,079.9      3,014.8      3,163.8

Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves

     573.3      559.5      561.1      567.8

Long-term debt

     1,033.1      1,021.8      1,013.3      1,019.0

Shareholders’ equity

     5,493.4      6,259.0      6,086.2      6,531.3

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

 

General

 

The following description of the terms of the notes summarizes certain general terms that will apply to the notes. The notes will be issued under a Senior Indenture between us and The Bank of New York, as trustee, to be dated as of November 24, 2004, as supplemented from time to time (the “Senior Indenture”). This description is not complete, and we refer you to the accompanying prospectus and the Senior Indenture for additional information regarding the Senior Indenture and the debt securities that may be issued under it.

 

The notes will be issued in an aggregate principal amount of $350,000,000, and each note will mature on December 1, 2034, unless redeemed or otherwise repaid prior to that date. We will issue the notes in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

We may from time to time, without the consent of existing holders of notes, create and issue additional notes having the same terms and conditions as the notes being offered hereby in all respects, except for issue date, issue price and, if applicable, the first payment of interest thereon. Additional notes issued in this manner will be consolidated with and will form a single series with the previously outstanding notes.

 

As used in this prospectus supplement, business day means, with respect to any debt security, any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law or regulation to close in The City of New York.

 

Ranking

 

The notes will be our direct, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations. The notes will rank equal in priority of payment with all of our existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and senior in right of payment to all of our existing and future subordinated debt. At September 30, 2004, we had outstanding approximately $1.02 billion of unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and no secured indebtedness. Our Senior Indenture contains no restrictions on the amount of additional indebtedness that we may issue under it or otherwise.

 

Interest

 

The notes will bear interest at a rate of 5.70% per annum. Interest will be payable semiannually in arrears on June 1 and December 1 of each year, commencing June 1, 2005 (each an “interest payment date”). If an interest payment date falls on a day that is not a business day, interest will be payable on the next succeeding business day with the same force and effect as if made on such interest payment date. Interest accrued on the notes will be payable at maturity or earlier redemption to the persons entitled to payment of principal as a result of maturity or redemption, as the case may be. Interest (other than interest paid at maturity or earlier redemption) will be paid to the person in whose name each debt security is registered at the close of business on the fifteenth calendar day preceding each interest payment date. Interest will be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year, consisting of twelve 30-day months, and will accrue from November 24, 2004 or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for.

 

Optional Redemption

 

The notes will be redeemable prior to maturity, at our option, in whole or in part, at any time (a “Redemption Date”), at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

 

  Ÿ 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes to be redeemed; and

 

  Ÿ

an amount equal to the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments for principal and interest on such notes, not including any portion of the payments of interest

 

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accrued as of such Redemption Date, discounted to such Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate, plus 15 basis points;

 

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on such notes to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.

 

“Treasury Rate” means (1) the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the remaining life, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue will be determined and the Treasury Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month) or (2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per year equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date. The Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third business day preceding the Redemption Date.

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the notes to be redeemed.

 

“Independent Investment Banker” means either J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and its successors or Lehman Brothers Inc. and its successors or, if either of such firms is unwilling or unable to select the Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the trustee after consultation with us.

 

“Comparable Treasury Price” means (1) the average of five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the trustee obtains fewer than five such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Lehman Brothers Inc. and their respective successors and three other primary U.S. government securities dealers (each a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), as specified by us; provided, that (1) if any of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Lehman Brothers Inc. and their respective successors or any Primary Treasury Dealer as specified by us shall cease to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, we will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer and (2) if we fail to select a substitute within a reasonable period of time, then the substitute will be a Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Independent Investment Banker after consultation with us.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” mean, with respect to the Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed, in each case, as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

If less than all of the notes are to be redeemed, the trustee shall determine, in such manner as it deems appropriate and fair, the principal amount of such notes held by each beneficial owner of such notes to be redeemed. The trustee may select notes and portions of notes in amounts of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.

 

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Notice of any redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date. We will not be responsible for giving notice to anyone other than the depositary. Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on or after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the notes called for redemption.

 

Sinking Fund

 

There is no provision for a sinking fund applicable to the notes.

 

BOOK ENTRY SYSTEM

 

We have obtained the information in this section concerning The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and its book-entry system and procedures from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.

 

The notes initially will be represented by one or more fully registered global notes. Each global note will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC or any successor thereto and registered in the name of Cede & Co. (DTC’s nominee).

 

You may hold your interests in the global notes in the United States through DTC, either as a participant in such system or indirectly through organizations which are participants in such system. So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of the global securities representing the notes, DTC or such nominee will be considered the sole owner and holder of the notes for all purposes of the notes and the Senior Indenture. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in the notes will not be entitled to have the notes registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the notes in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the notes under the Senior Indenture, including for purposes of receiving any reports that we or the trustee deliver pursuant to the Senior Indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a note must rely on the procedures of DTC or its nominee and, if such person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which such person owns its interest, in order to exercise any rights of a holder of notes.

 

Unless and until we issue the notes in fully certificated form under the limited circumstances described below under the heading “—Certificated Notes”:

 

  Ÿ you will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of a certificate representing your interest in the notes;

 

  Ÿ all references in this prospectus supplement or in the accompanying prospectus to actions by holders will refer to actions taken by DTC upon instructions from its direct participants; and

 

  Ÿ all references in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus to payments and notices to holders will refer to payments and notices to DTC or Cede & Co., as the registered holder of the notes, for distribution to you in accordance with DTC procedures.

 

The Depository Trust Company

 

DTC will act as securities depositary for the notes. The notes will be issued as fully registered notes registered in the name of Cede & Co. DTC is:

 

  Ÿ a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law;

 

  Ÿ a “banking organization” under the New York Banking Law;

 

  Ÿ a member of the Federal Reserve System;

 

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  Ÿ a “clearing corporation” under the New York Uniform Commercial Code; and

 

  Ÿ a “clearing agency” registered under the provision of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

DTC holds securities that its direct participants deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the settlement among direct participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in direct participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates.

 

Direct participants of DTC include securities brokers and dealers (including underwriters), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is owned by a number of its direct participants and by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange, Inc. and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Indirect participants of DTC, such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies, can also access the DTC system if they maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant.

 

If you are not a direct participant or an indirect participant and you wish to purchase, sell or otherwise transfer ownership of, or other interests in, the notes, you must do so through a direct participant or an indirect participant. DTC agrees with and represents to DTC participants that it will administer its book-entry system in accordance with its rules and by-laws and requirements of law. The Securities and Exchange Commission has on file a set of the rules applicable to DTC and its direct participants.

 

Purchases of the notes under DTC’s system must be made by or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for the notes on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each beneficial owner is in turn to be recorded on the records of direct participants and indirect participants. Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase, but beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the participants or indirect participants through which such beneficial owners entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive physical delivery of certificates representing their ownership interests in the notes, except as provided below in “—Certificated Notes.”

 

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all notes deposited with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit of notes with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. has no effect on beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the notes. DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts such notes are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

 

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct participants to indirect participants and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

 

Book-Entry Format

 

Under the book-entry format, the trustee will pay interest or principal payments to Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. DTC will forward the payment to the direct participants, who will then forward the payment to the indirect participants or to you as the beneficial owner. You may experience some delay in receiving your payments under this system.

 

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DTC is required to make book-entry transfers on behalf of its direct participants and is required to receive and transmit payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the notes. Any direct participant or indirect participant with which you have an account is similarly required to make book-entry transfers and to receive and transmit payments with respect to the notes on your behalf. We and the trustee have no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

 

The trustee will not recognize you as a holder under the Senior Indenture, and you can only exercise the rights of a holder indirectly through DTC and its direct participants. DTC has advised us that it will only take action regarding a note if one or more of the direct participants to whom the note is credited direct DTC to take such action. DTC can only act on behalf of its direct participants. Your ability to pledge notes to nondirect participants, and to take other actions, may be limited because you will not possess a physical certificate that represents your notes.

 

Certificated Notes

 

Unless and until they are exchanged, in whole or in part, for notes in definitive form in accordance with the terms of the notes, the notes may not be transferred except as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC; as a whole by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC; or as a whole by DTC or nominee of DTC to a successor of DTC or a nominee of such successor.

 

If the depositary is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depositary and a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue notes in definitive form in exchange for the entire global note representing such notes. In addition, we may at any time and in our sole discretion, determine not to have the notes represented by a global note and, in such event, will issue notes in definitive form in exchange for the global note representing the notes. In any such instance, an owner of a beneficial interest in the global note will be entitled to physical delivery in definitive form of notes represented by the global note equal in principal amount to its beneficial interest and to have such notes registered in its name. Notes so issued in definitive form will be issued as registered notes in denominations that are integral multiples of $1,000.

 

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CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL

INCOME AND ESTATE TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS

 

The following is a summary of the material United States federal income and estate tax consequences to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes as of the date hereof. Except where noted, this summary deals only with notes that are held as capital assets by a non-U.S. holder who acquired our notes upon original issuance at their initial offering price.

 

A “non-U.S. holder” means a person (other than a partnership) that is not for United States federal income tax purposes any of the following:

 

  Ÿ an individual citizen or resident of the United States;

 

  Ÿ a corporation (or any other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

  Ÿ an estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

  Ÿ a trust if it (1) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.

 

This summary is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and regulations, rulings and judicial decisions as of the date hereof. Those authorities may be changed, perhaps retroactively, so as to result in United States federal income and estate tax consequences different from those summarized below. This summary does not address all aspects of United States federal income and estate taxes and does not deal with foreign, state, local or other tax considerations that may be relevant to non-U.S. holders in light of their particular circumstances. In addition, it does not represent a detailed description of the United States federal income and estate tax consequences applicable to you if you are subject to special treatment under the United States federal income tax laws (including if you are a United States expatriate, “controlled foreign corporation,” “passive foreign investment company,” corporation that accumulates earnings to avoid United States federal income tax or an investor in a pass-through entity or a bank, tax-exempt organization, dealer in securities or currencies or a person that holds the notes as part of a hedging transaction, straddle or conversion transaction). We cannot assure you that a change in law will not alter significantly the tax considerations that we describe in this summary.

 

If a partnership holds our notes, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership holding our notes, you should consult your tax advisors.

 

If you are considering the purchase of notes, you should consult your own tax advisors concerning the particular United States federal income and estate tax consequences to you of the ownership of the notes, as well as the consequences to you arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.

 

United States Federal Withholding Tax

 

If interest paid on the notes is not effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (as described below under “United States Federal Income Tax”), under the

 

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“portfolio interest rule” the 30% United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any payments to you of interest on the notes, provided that:

 

  Ÿ you do not actually (or constructively) own 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our voting stock within the meaning of the Code and applicable United States Treasury regulations;

 

  Ÿ you are not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to us through stock ownership;

 

  Ÿ you are not a bank whose receipt of interest on the notes is described in Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code; and

 

  Ÿ either (a) you provide your name and address on an Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form W-8BEN (or other applicable form), and certify, under penalties of perjury, that you are not a United States person as defined under the Code or (b) you hold your notes through certain foreign intermediaries and satisfy the certification requirements of applicable United States Treasury regulations.

 

Special rules apply to non-U.S. holders that are pass-through entities rather than corporations or individuals.

 

If you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, payments of interest made to you will be subject to the 30% United States federal withholding tax, unless you provide us with a properly executed:

 

  Ÿ IRS Form W-8BEN (or other applicable form) claiming an exemption from or reduction in withholding under the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty; or

 

  Ÿ IRS Form W-8ECI (or other applicable form) stating that interest paid on the notes is not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (as discussed below under “United States Federal Income Tax”).

 

The 30% United States federal withholding tax generally will not apply to any gain that you realize on the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of a note.

 

United States Federal Income Tax

 

If you are engaged in a trade or business in the United States and interest on the notes is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment), then you will be subject to United States federal income tax on that interest on a net income basis (although you will be exempt from the 30% United States federal withholding tax, provided the certification requirements discussed above in “United States Federal Withholding Tax” are satisfied) in the same manner as if you were a United States person as defined under the Code. In addition, if you are a foreign corporation, you may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or lower applicable income tax treaty rate) of such interest, subject to adjustments.

 

Any gain realized on the disposition of a note generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax unless:

 

  Ÿ the gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment); or

 

  Ÿ you are an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of that disposition, and certain other conditions are met.

 

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United States Federal Estate Tax

 

Your estate will not be subject to United States federal estate tax on notes beneficially owned by you at the time of your death, provided that any payment to you on the notes would be eligible for exemption from the 30% United States federal withholding tax under the “portfolio interest rule” described above under “United States Federal Withholding Tax” without regard to the statement requirement described in the fourth bullet point of that section.

 

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

 

Generally, unless you are an exempt recipient, we must report to the IRS and to you the amount of interest paid to you and the amount of tax, if any, withheld with respect to those payments. Copies of the information returns reporting such interest payments and any withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which you reside under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty.

 

In general, you will not be subject to backup withholding with respect to payments on the notes that we make to you provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person as defined under the Code, and we have received from you an IRS Form W-8BEN, or other applicable form establishing your exemption from backup withholding.

 

Information reporting and, depending on the circumstances, backup withholding will apply to the proceeds of a sale of our notes within the United States or conducted through certain United States-related financial intermediaries, unless you certify under penalty of perjury that you are a non-U.S. holder (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a United States person as defined under the Code) or you otherwise establish an exemption.

 

Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against your United States federal income tax liability provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.

 

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CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS

 

The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the purchase of the notes by employee benefit plans that are subject to Title I of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), plans, individual retirement accounts and other arrangements that are subject to Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) or provisions under any federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of the Code or ERISA (collectively, “Similar Laws”), and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of such plans, accounts and arrangements (each, a “Plan”).

 

Prohibited Transaction Issues

 

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Plans subject to ERISA or the Code from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of ERISA, or “disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engaged in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the Plan subject to ERISA or the Code that engaged in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. The acquisition and/or holding of notes by a Plan subject to ERISA or the Code with respect to which MBIA Inc. or any of its affiliates is considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the investment is acquired and is held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption. In this regard, the U.S. Department of Labor (the “DOL”) has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions, or “PTCEs,” that may apply to the acquisition and holding of the notes. These class exemptions include, without limitation, PTCE 84-14 respecting transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers, PTCE 90-1 respecting insurance company pooled separate accounts, PTCE 91-38 respecting bank collective investment funds, PTCE 95-60 respecting life insurance company general accounts and PTCE 96-23 respecting transactions determined by in-house asset managers, although there can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied.

 

Because of the foregoing, the notes should not be purchased or held by any person investing “plan assets” of any Plan, if such purchase and holding will constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code or violation of any applicable Similar Laws.

 

Representation

 

Accordingly, by acceptance of a note, each purchaser and subsequent transferee of a note will be deemed to have represented and warranted on each day from and including the date of its purchase of a note through and including the date of its disposition of such note that either (i) no portion of the assets used by such purchaser or transferee to acquire the notes constitutes assets of any Plan or (ii) the purchase and holding of the notes by such purchaser or transferee will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.

 

The foregoing discussion is general in nature and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is particularly important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing the notes on behalf of, or with the assets of, any Plan, consult with their counsel regarding the potential applicability of ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code and any Similar Laws to such investment and whether an exemption would be applicable to the purchase and holding of the notes.

 

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UNDERWRITING

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus supplement, each of the underwriters named below, for whom J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. (“JPMorgan”) and Lehman Brothers Inc. (“Lehman Brothers”) are acting as representatives, has severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to each underwriter, the principal amount of notes set forth opposite the name of each underwriter below.

 

Underwriters


   Principal Amount
of Notes


J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

   $ 148,750,000

Lehman Brothers Inc.

     148,750,000

Banc of America Securities

     6,562,500

Barclays Capital Inc.

     6,562,500

Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.

     6,562,500

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

     6,562,500

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

     6,562,500

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

     6,562,500

KeyBanc Capital Markets, a division of McDonald Investments Inc.

     6,562,500

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

     6,562,500
    

Total

   $ 350,000,000
    

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the notes included in this offering are subject to approval of certain legal matters by counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase all the notes if they purchase any of the notes.

 

We have been advised by the underwriters that the underwriters propose initially to offer the notes to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and may offer some of the notes to certain dealers at the public offering price less concessions not in excess of 0.5% of the principal amount per note. The underwriters may allow, and these dealers may reallow, concessions not in excess of 0.3% of the principal amount per note on sales of the notes to certain other dealers. After the initial offering of the notes to the public, the representatives may change the public offering price and concessions.

 

The following table shows the underwriting discount that we are to pay to the underwriters in connection with this offering.

 

     Paid by MBIA

 

Per Note

     0.875 %

Total

   $ 3,062,500  

 

In connection with the offering of the notes, JPMorgan and Lehman Brothers or their respective affiliates may purchase and sell the notes in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the stabilizing underwriter of a greater number of notes than it is required to purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the notes while the offering is in progress.

 

Any of these activities may cause the price of the notes to be higher than the price that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of such transactions. These transactions may be

 

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effected in the over-the-counter market or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time. Neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the notes. In addition, neither we nor any of the underwriters make any representation that any of the underwriters will engage in such transactions, or that such transactions, once begun, will not be discontinued without notice.

 

We estimate that our total expenses of this offering, excluding the underwriting discount, will be approximately $370,000. The underwriters have agreed to pay certain expenses in connection with the offering.

 

It is expected that delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about November 24, 2004, which is the fifth business day following the date hereof (such settlement cycle being referred to as “T+5”). Under Rule 15(c)6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes on the date of pricing or the next succeeding business day will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+5, to specify an alternative settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent failed settlement. Purchasers of the notes who wish to trade the notes on the date of pricing or the next succeeding business day should consult their own advisors.

 

Certain of the underwriters will make the notes available for distribution on the Internet through a proprietary web site and/or a third party system operated by Market Axess Inc., an Internet-based communications technology provider. Market Axess Inc. is providing the system as a conduit for communications between such underwriters and their respective customers and is not a party to any transactions. Market Axess Inc., a registered broker-dealer, will receive compensation from such underwriters based on transactions such underwriters conducts through the system. Such underwriters will make the notes available to their respective customers through Internet distributions, whether made through a proprietary or third-party system, on the same terms as distributions made through other channels.

 

The underwriters and their affiliates have performed certain investment banking, advisory or general financing and banking services for us and our affiliates from time to time for which they have received customary fees and expenses. The underwriters and their affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of their business. Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have in the past and may in the future act as lenders in connection with our credit facilities. These companies receive standard fees for their services.

 

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

The notes are new issues of securities with no established trading market. We have been advised by the underwriters that they intend to make a market in the notes, but they are not obligated to do so and may discontinue such market-making at any time without notice. We can give no assurances as to the liquidity of a trading market for the notes.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the Notes and certain other related legal matters will be passed upon for us by Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, 919 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022. Certain legal matters in connection with the Notes will be passed upon for the underwriters by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017. Such counsel will rely, as to matters of Connecticut law, upon the opinion of Day, Berry & Howard LLP, City Place, Hartford, Connecticut 06103, Connecticut counsel for MBIA.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2003 and 2002 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, included in MBIA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report dated February 13, 2004 included in MBIA’s Annual Report and incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

The rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission allow us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together the “prospectus”. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the Securities and Exchange Commission will automatically update and supersede this information. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below:

 

  Ÿ Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003.

 

  Ÿ Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004, June 30, 2004 and September 30, 2004.

 

  Ÿ All documents filed by us pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus.

 

We will provide without charge to each person to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the documents referred to above that have been or may be incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than certain exhibits to those documents. You should direct requests to MBIA Inc., 113 King Street, Armonk, New York 10504, Attention: Ram D. Werthiem, Esq. (Telephone: (914) 273-4545).

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

US $500,000,000

 

MBIA Inc.

 

Debt Securities

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Depositary Shares

Warrants

Stock Purchase Contracts

Stock Purchase Units

 


 

Ÿ By this prospectus, we may offer from time to time up to $500,000,000 of any combination of the securities described in this prospectus.

 

Ÿ We will provide you with the specific terms of the securities we are offering in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest. A supplement may also change or update information contained in this prospectus.

 

Ÿ We will not use this prospectus to confirm sales of any of our securities unless it is attached to a prospectus supplement.

 

Ÿ Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has determined whether this prospectus is truthful or complete. They have not made, nor will they make, any determination as to whether anyone should buy these securities. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

The date of this prospectus is January 20, 2004.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

About This Prospectus

   ii

MBIA Inc.

   1

Use Of Proceeds

   2

Ratio Of Earnings To Fixed Charges

   2

Description Of Debt Securities

   3

Description Of Capital Stock

   14

Description Of Depositary Shares

   16

Description Of Warrants

   19

Description Of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units

   21

Plan Of Distribution

   22

Legal Matters

   23

Experts

   23

Where You Can Find More Information

   24

Incorporation By Reference

   24

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this process, we may sell the securities described in this prospectus from time to time. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. We may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus through one or more supplements to this prospectus. Any statement that we make in this prospectus will be modified or superseded by any inconsistent statement made by us in a prospectus supplement.

 

You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations, other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized by MBIA Inc., or any underwriter, agent or dealer or remarketing firm. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall under any circumstances create any implication that there has been no change in the affairs of MBIA Inc. since the date hereof or that the information contained or incorporated by reference herein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date of such information. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.

 

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MBIA INC.

 

We are engaged in providing financial guarantee insurance and investment management and financial services to public finance clients and financial institutions on a global basis. Financial guarantee insurance provides an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee of the payment of the principal of, and interest or other amounts owing on, insured obligations when due. We conduct our financial guarantee business through our wholly-owned subsidiary, MBIA Insurance Corporation, which we also refer to as “MBIA Corp.” MBIA Corp. is the successor to the business of the Municipal Bond Insurance Association, which began writing financial guarantees for municipal bonds in 1974. MBIA Corp. is the parent of MBIA Insurance Corp. of Illinois, which we also refer to as “MBIA Illinois”, and Capital Markets Insurance Corporation, which we also refer to as “CapMAC”, both financial guarantee companies that we acquired. MBIA Corp. also owns MBIA Assurance S.A., a French insurance company, which writes financial guarantee insurance in the countries of the European Community. Generally, throughout the text, references to MBIA Corp. include the activities of its subsidiaries, MBIA Illinois, MBIA Assurance S.A. and CapMAC.

 

MBIA Corp. has a Triple-A claims-paying rating from Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services, which it received in 1974; from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., which it received in 1984; from Fitch Ratings, which it received in 1995; and from Rating and Investment Information, Inc., which it received in 1999. Obligations which are guaranteed by MBIA Corp. are rated Triple-A primarily based on these claims-paying ratings of MBIA Corp. Both Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s have also continued the Triple-A rating on guaranteed bond issues of MBIA Illinois and CapMAC. The Triple-A ratings are important to the operation of our business and any reduction in these ratings could have a material adverse effect on MBIA Corp.’s ability to compete and could have a material adverse effect on our business, operations and financial results.

 

MBIA Corp. primarily insures obligations which are sold in the new issue and secondary markets, or which are held in unit investment trusts and by mutual funds. It also provides financial guarantees for debt service reserve funds. As a result of triple-A ratings assigned to insured obligations, the principal economic value of financial guarantee insurance to the entity issuing the obligations is the savings in interest costs between an insured obligation and the same obligation on an uninsured basis. In addition, for complex financings and for obligations of issuers that are not well-known by investors, insured obligations receive greater market acceptance than uninsured obligations.

 

MBIA Corp. issues financial guarantees for municipal bonds, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, investor-owned utilities bonds, bonds issued by highly rated sovereign and sub-sovereign entities and collateralized obligations of corporations and financial institutions, both in the new issue and secondary markets. The municipal obligations that MBIA Corp. insures include tax-exempt and taxable indebtedness of states, counties, cities, utility districts and other political subdivisions, as well as airports, higher education and health care facilities and similar authorities. The asset-backed or structured finance obligations insured by MBIA Corp. typically consist of securities that are payable from or which are tied to the performance of a specified pool of assets that have a defined cash flow. These include residential and commercial mortgages, a variety of consumer loans, corporate loans and bonds and equipment and real property leases.

 

We also provide investment management products and financial services through a group of subsidiary companies. These services include cash management, the issuance of municipal investment agreements, the issuance of medium term notes, discretionary asset management, purchase and administrative services, and municipal revenue enhancement services. MBIA Municipal Investors Service Corporation, which we also refer to as “MBIA-MISC,” provides cash management services and investment placement services to local governments and school districts, and other institutional clients, providing those clients with fund administration services. MBIA Investment

 

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Management Corp., which we also refer to as “IMC,” offers guaranteed investment agreements primarily for bond proceeds to states and municipalities. MBIA Capital Management Corp. performs fixed-income investment management services for our and MBIA Corp.’s portfolios, for MBIA-MISC, IMC and selected external clients. In 1998, we acquired 1838 Investment Advisors, LLC, which we also refer to as “1838”, an investment advisor to equity mutual funds and third party clients. MBIA Global Funding, LLC, which was formed in 2002 and which we also refer to as “GFL”, raises funds through the issuance of medium term notes, with the proceeds invested in high quality eligible investments.

 

MBIA MuniServices Company provides revenue enhancement services and products, including discovery, audit, collections/recovery, enforcement and information services, to state and local governments. We continue to own a majority interest in Capital Asset Holdings GP, Inc. and some of its affiliated entities, which we collectively refer to as “Capital Asset.” Capital Asset was in the business of acquiring and servicing tax liens. We became a majority owner of Capital Asset in December, 1998 when we acquired the interest of Capital Asset’s founder. In 1999, we announced that we were exiting the tax lien business. Capital Asset’s primary activity today is servicing the three securitizations of tax liens that are insured by MBIA Corp.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 113 King Street, Armonk, New York 10504. The telephone number is (914) 273-4545.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless we state otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities we offer by this prospectus to provide additional capital for our future needs and for general corporate purposes. We will include a more detailed description of the use of proceeds of any specific offering of securities in the prospectus supplement relating to that offering.

 

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated. Earnings represent consolidated earnings before income taxes and fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest and that portion of rental expense deemed representative of the interest factor for such rental expense, and amortization of debt discount and expense. We had no capitalized interest for the periods presented.

 

     Year Ended December 31

   Nine Months Ended
September 30


     1998

   1999

   2000

   2001

   2002

       2002    

       2003    

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1)

   13.1    7.9    14.0    14.8    14.3    16.1    18.2

(1) Fixed charges do not include the amount of fixed charges associated with obligations insured by MBIA Corp. All data is adjusted to reflect the mergers with CapMAC Holdings, Inc., effective February 17, 1998 and 1838, effective July 31, 1998, which were accounted for as poolings of interest.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

 

General

 

We may offer unsecured senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. We refer to the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities together in this prospectus as the debt securities. The senior debt securities will rank equally with all of our other unsecured, unsubordinated obligations. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our senior debt.

 

We will issue the senior debt securities in one or more series under an indenture, which we refer to as the senior indenture, to be entered into between us and The Bank of New York, as trustee. We will issue the subordinated debt securities in one or more series under an indenture, which we refer to as the subordinated indenture, to be entered into between us and a trustee to be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We refer to the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture together as the indentures.

 

The following description of the terms of the indentures is a summary. It summarizes only those portions of the indentures that we believe will be most important to your decision to invest in our debt securities. You should keep in mind, however, that it is the indentures, and not this summary, which define your rights as a debtholder. There may be other provisions in the indentures that are also important to you. You should read the indentures for a full description of the terms of the debt. The senior indenture and the form of subordinated indenture are filed as exhibits to the registration statement that includes this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain copies of the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture.

 

Ranking

 

Our debt securities will be unsecured obligations. Our senior debt securities will be unsecured and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated obligations. Since we are a non-operating holding company, most of our operating assets are owned by our subsidiaries. We rely primarily on dividends from these subsidiaries to meet our obligations for payment of principal and interest on our outstanding debt obligations and corporate expenses. Accordingly, the debt securities will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries, and you should rely only on our assets for payments on the debt securities. In addition, the payment of dividends by our insurance company subsidiary, MBIA Corp., is limited under the applicable insurance laws and regulations of the State of New York. See “MBIA Inc.”

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indentures would not limit us from incurring or issuing other secured or unsecured debt under either of the indentures or any other indenture that we may have entered into or enter into in the future. See “—Subordination under the Subordinated Indenture” and the prospectus supplement relating to any offering of subordinated debt securities.

 

Terms of the Debt Securities

 

We may issue the debt securities in one or more series through an indenture that supplements the senior indenture or the subordinated indenture or through a resolution of our board of directors or an authorized committee of our board of directors.

 

You should refer to the applicable prospectus supplement for the specific terms of the debt securities. These terms may include the following:

 

  Ÿ title of the debt securities;

 

  Ÿ any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the series;

 

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  Ÿ maturity date(s) or the method of determining the maturity date(s);

 

  Ÿ interest rate(s) or the method of determining the interest rates(s);

 

  Ÿ dates on which interest will be payable and circumstances, if any, in which interest may be deferred;

 

  Ÿ dates from which interest will accrue and the method of determining those dates;

 

  Ÿ place or places where we may pay principal, premium, if any, and interest and where you may present the debt securities for registration of transfer or exchange;

 

  Ÿ place or places where notices and demands relating to the debt securities and the indentures may be made;

 

  Ÿ redemption or early payment provisions;

 

  Ÿ sinking fund or similar provisions;

 

  Ÿ authorized denominations if other than denominations of $1,000;

 

  Ÿ currency, currencies or currency units, if other than U.S. dollars, in which the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities is payable, or in which the debt securities are denominated;

 

  Ÿ any additions, modifications or deletions in the events of default or covenants of MBIA Inc. specified in the indenture relating to the debt securities;

 

  Ÿ if other than the principal amount of the debt securities, the portion of the principal amount of the debt securities that is payable upon declaration of acceleration of maturity;

 

  Ÿ any additions or changes to the indentures necessary to permit or facilitate issuing the series in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons;

 

  Ÿ any index or indices used to determine the amount of payments of principal of and premium, if any, on the debt securities or the method of determining these amounts;

 

  Ÿ whether the debt securities will be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities;

 

  Ÿ whether a temporary global security will be issued and the terms upon which temporary debt securities may be exchanged for definitive debt securities;

 

  Ÿ identity of the depositary for global securities;

 

  Ÿ appointment of any paying agent(s);

 

  Ÿ the terms and conditions of any obligation or right we would have or any option you would have to convert or exchange the debt securities into other securities or cash;

 

  Ÿ in the case of the subordinated indenture, any provisions regarding subordination; and

 

  Ÿ additional terms not inconsistent with the provisions of the indentures.

 

(Section 301 of each indenture)

 

Debt securities may also be issued under the indentures upon the exercise of warrants. See “Description of Warrants.”

 

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Special Payment Terms of the Debt Securities

 

We may issue one or more series of debt securities at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. These may bear no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates. We will describe U.S. federal tax consequences and special considerations relating to any series in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

The purchase price of any of the debt securities may be payable in one or more foreign currencies or currency units. The debt securities may be denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units, or the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any debt securities may be payable in one or more foreign currencies or currency units. We will describe the restrictions, elections, U.S. federal income tax considerations, specific terms and other information relating to the debt securities and any foreign currencies or foreign currency units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

If we use any index to determine the amount of payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any series of debt securities, we will also describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the special U.S. federal income tax, accounting and other considerations applicable to the debt securities.

 

Denominations, Registration and Transfer

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue the debt securities in fully registered form without coupons and in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. (Section 302 of each indenture)

 

Except as we may describe in the applicable prospectus supplement, debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same issue and series, in any authorized denominations, of a like aggregate principal amount and bearing the same interest rate. You may present debt securities for exchange as described above, or for registration of transfer, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent we designate for that purpose. You will not incur a service charge but you will be required to pay any taxes and other governmental charges as described in the indentures. We will appoint the trustees as security registrars under the indentures. We may at any time rescind the designation of any transfer agent that we initially designate or approve a change in the location through which the transfer agent acts. We will specify the transfer agent in the applicable prospectus supplement. (Section 305 of each indenture)

 

Redemption

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, debt securities will not be subject to any sinking fund.

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may, at our option and at any time, redeem any series of debt securities, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest up to but not including the redemption date. (Section 1101 of each indenture) We may redeem debt securities in part only in the amount of $1,000 or integral multiples of $1,000. (Section 1102 of each indenture)

 

We will mail notice of any redemption of your debt securities at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to you at your registered address. Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date interest will cease to accrue on the debt securities or the portions called for redemption. (Section 1105 of each indenture)

 

Limitation Upon Liens

 

Because we are a holding company, our assets consist primarily of the securities of our subsidiaries. The negative pledge provisions of the indentures limit our ability to pledge some of these

 

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securities. The indentures provide that, except for liens specifically permitted by the indentures, so long as debt securities are outstanding we will not, and will not permit any subsidiary to, create, assume, incur or permit to exist any indebtedness for borrowed money (including any guarantee of indebtedness for borrowed money) that is secured by a pledge, lien or other encumbrance on:

 

  Ÿ the voting securities of MBIA Corp., or any subsidiary succeeding to any substantial part of the business now conducted by that corporation, which we refer to collectively as the “principal subsidiaries,” or

 

  Ÿ the voting securities of a subsidiary that owns, directly or indirectly, the voting securities of any of such principal subsidiaries,

 

without making effective provision so that the debt securities issued and outstanding under the indentures will be secured equally and ratably with indebtedness so secured so long as such other indebtedness shall be so secured. (Section 1006 of each indenture)

 

Under the indentures, “subsidiary” means any corporation, partnership or other entity of which, at the time of determination, we or one or more other subsidiaries own directly or indirectly more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock or equivalent interest, and “voting stock” means stock which ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency. (Section 101 of each indenture)

 

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

 

The indentures provide that, so long as debt securities are outstanding, we may not consolidate with, or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease our assets substantially as an entirety to any other corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company unless:

 

  Ÿ the successor entity is an entity organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States of America or the District of Columbia that expressly assumes by a supplemental indenture the due and punctual payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on the debt securities and all of our covenants under the indenture; and

 

  Ÿ immediately after the merger, consolidation, conveyance, transfer or lease we, or the successor entity, will not be in default in the performance of the covenants and conditions of the indenture applicable to us; and

 

  Ÿ other conditions specified in the indenture are met.

 

This covenant would not apply to the direct or indirect conveyance, transfer or lease of all or any portion of the stock, assets or liabilities of any of our wholly-owned subsidiaries to us or to our other wholly-owned subsidiaries. Nor would this covenant apply to any recapitalization transaction, a change of control of MBIA Inc. or a highly leveraged transaction unless such transaction or change of control were structured to include a merger or consolidation by us or the conveyance, transfer or lease of our assets substantially as an entirety. (Sections 801 of each indenture)

 

Events of Default

 

Under the terms of each indenture, each of the following constitutes an event of default for a series of debt securities:

 

  Ÿ default in the payment of any interest payable on the debt securities when due that continues for 30 days;

 

  Ÿ default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on the debt securities when due, either at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise;

 

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  Ÿ default in the performance, or breach, of any of the other covenants or agreements we made in respect of that series of debt securities that continues for 60 days after written notice has been provided in accordance with the procedures in the indenture;

 

  Ÿ certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; or

 

  Ÿ any other event of default described in the applicable supplemental indenture under which the series of debt securities is issued. (Section 501 of each indenture)

 

In the case of an event of default arising from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, all outstanding debt securities will become due and payable immediately, without further action or notice on the part of the holders of the debt securities or the trustee. If any other event of default under the indenture with respect to the outstanding debt securities occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities may declare the principal amount of all of the debt securities to be due and payable immediately by written notice thereof to us, and to the trustee if given by the holders. However, at any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the debt securities has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if we pay or deposit with the trustee all required payments of the principal of and interest on the debt securities, plus certain fees, expenses, disbursements and advances of the trustee and all events of default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal (or a specified portion of the principal) and interest, with respect to the debt securities have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture. The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities may waive any past default and its consequences, except a default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities or in respect of a covenant or provision contained in the indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holders of each affected debt security. (Sections 502 and 513 of each indenture)

 

The trustee is required to give notice to the holders of the debt securities within 90 days of a default under the indenture unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of the debt securities of any default with respect to the debt securities (except a default in the payment of the principal of or interest on the debt securities) if certain specified officers of the trustee consider that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of the debt securities. (Section 602 of each indenture)

 

Each indenture provides that no holder of debt securities may institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for any remedy under the indenture, except in the case of failure of the trustee, for 60 days, to act after it has received a written request to institute proceedings in respect of an event of default from the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities, as well as an offer of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee. This provision will not prevent any holder of debt securities from instituting suit for the enforcement of payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest payable with respect to the debt securities at their respective due dates. (Sections 507 and 508 of each indenture)

 

Subject to provisions in each indenture relating to the trustee’s duties in case of default, the trustee is not under an obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture (other than the payment of any amounts on the debt securities furnished to it pursuant to the indenture) at the request or direction of any holders of debt securities unless the trustee is offered reasonable security or indemnity by the holders of the debt securities making the request. Assuming this indemnification provision is met, the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or of exercising any trust or power conferred upon the trustee. (Sections 512 and 603 of each indenture)

 

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On or before May 1 of each year, we must deliver to the trustee under each indenture a certificate, signed by two of several specified officers, stating whether or not, to the best knowledge of the signers thereof, we are in default of any of the conditions and covenants under the indenture and, in the event of any default, specifying the nature and status of the default. (Section 1004 of each indenture)

 

Modification of the Indentures

 

We and the trustee under each indenture may, without the consent of the holders of debt securities, amend, waive or supplement the indenture for specified purposes, including, among other things, curing ambiguities, defects or inconsistencies. However, no action may materially adversely affect the interests of holders of any series of debt securities. We may also amend each indenture to maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. (Section 901 of each indenture)

 

We and the trustee under each indenture may modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the series of debt securities affected. However, no modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security affected:

 

  Ÿ change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of interest payable on, any outstanding debt security;

 

  Ÿ reduce the principal amount of, or the rate of interest on any outstanding debt securities or the premium, if any, payable upon the redemption thereof, or the amount of principal of an original issue discount security, that would be due and payable upon redemption of such security or would be provable in bankruptcy, or adversely affect any right of repayment of the holder of any outstanding debt security;

 

  Ÿ change the place of payment or the currency in which the principal of or the interest on any outstanding debt security is payable;

 

  Ÿ impair your right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to any outstanding debt security on or after its stated maturity date or redemption date;

 

  Ÿ reduce the percentage of the holders of outstanding debt securities necessary to modify or amend the indenture, to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or certain defaults and consequences of the defaults or to reduce the quorum or voting requirements set forth in the indenture; or

 

  Ÿ modify any of these provisions or any of the provisions relating to the waiver of certain past defaults or certain covenants, except to increase the required percentage to effect such action or to provide that certain other provisions may not be modified or waived without the consent of all of the holders of the debt securities affected; or

 

  Ÿ modify the subordination of the subordinated debt securities in a manner adverse to the holders.

 

(Section 902 of each indenture)

 

The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive compliance or past defaults by us under certain covenants of the indenture which relate to that series. However, a default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any debt security of that series or relating to a provision which under the indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of that series affected cannot be so waived. (Section 513 of each indenture)

 

In addition, we and the debenture trustee may execute, without your consent, any supplemental indenture for the purpose of creating any new series of debt securities.

 

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Satisfaction and Discharge

 

Each indenture provides that when, among other things, all debt securities not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation:

 

  Ÿ have become due and payable; or

 

  Ÿ will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year; or

 

  Ÿ are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in our name and at our expense, and we deposit or cause to be deposited with the trustee, in trust, an amount in the currency or currencies in which the debt securities are payable sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the debt securities not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation, for the principal, and premium, if any, and interest to the date of the deposit or to the stated maturity, as the case may be, then the indenture will cease to be of further effect, and we will be deemed to have satisfied and discharged the indenture. However, we will continue to be obligated to pay all other sums due under the indenture and to provide the officers’ certificates and opinions of counsel described in the indenture. (Section 401 of each indenture)

 

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, each indenture provides that we may discharge all of our obligations, other than as to transfers and exchanges, under the debt securities at any time, and that we may also be released from our obligations described above under “Limitation Upon Liens” and “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets” and from certain other obligations including obligations imposed by supplemental indenture, if any, and elect not to comply with those Sections and obligations without creating an event of default. Discharge under the first procedure is called “defeasance” and under the second procedure is called “covenant defeasance.”

 

Defeasance or covenant defeasance may be effected with respect to any debt securities only if, among other things:

 

  Ÿ we irrevocably deposit with the trustee cash or U.S. government obligations or a combination thereof, as trust funds in an amount certified to be sufficient to pay on each date that they become due and payable, the principal of and interest on, all outstanding debt securities;

 

  Ÿ we deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that:

 

  Ÿ the holders of the debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance or covenant defeasance; and

 

  Ÿ the defeasance or covenant defeasance will not otherwise alter those holders’ United States federal income tax treatment of principal and interest payments on the debt securities;

 

in the case of a defeasance, this opinion must be based on a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in United States federal income tax law occurring after the date of this prospectus, since that result would not occur under current tax law; and

 

  Ÿ no event of default with respect to such securities has occurred and is continuing.

 

(Article XII of the senior indenture and Article XIII of the subordinated indenture)

 

The subordinated indenture will not be discharged as described above if we have defaulted in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any senior debt, as defined below under “Subordination under the Subordinated Indenture,” and that default is continuing or another event of default on the senior debt then exists and has resulted in the senior debt becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date it otherwise would have become due and payable.

 

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Global Debt Securities

 

We may issue all or any part of a series of debt securities in the form of one or more global debt securities. We will appoint the depositary holding the global debt securities. Unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, the depositary will be the Depository Trust Company, or DTC. We will issue global debt securities in registered form and in either temporary or definitive form. Unless it is exchanged for definitive debt securities, a global debt security may not be transferred except:

 

  Ÿ by the depositary to its nominee;

 

  Ÿ by a nominee of the depositary to the depositary or another nominee; or

 

  Ÿ by the depositary or any nominee to a successor of the depositary, or a nominee of the successor. (Section 305 of each indenture)

 

We will describe the specific terms of the depositary arrangement in the applicable prospectus supplement. We expect that the following provisions will generally apply to these depositary arrangements.

 

Beneficial Interests in a Global Debt Security

 

If we issue a global debt security, the depositary for the global debt security or its nominee will credit on its book-entry registration and transfer system the principal amounts of the debt securities represented by the global debt security to the accounts of persons that have accounts with it. We refer to those persons as participants. The accounts will be designated by the dealers, underwriters or agents for the debt securities, or by us if the debt securities are offered and sold directly by us. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global debt security will be limited to participants or persons who may hold interests through participants. Ownership and transfers of beneficial interests in the global debt security will be shown on, and transactions can be effected only through, records maintained by the applicable depositary or its nominee, for interests of participants, and the records of participants, for interests of persons who hold through participants. The laws of some states may require that you take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These limits and laws may impair your ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global debt security.

 

So long as the depositary or its nominee is the registered owner of a global debt security, the depositary or nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the debt securities represented by the global debt security for all purposes under the indenture. Except as provided below, you

 

  Ÿ will not be entitled to have any of the debt securities represented by the global debt security registered in your name;

 

  Ÿ will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of any debt securities in definitive form; and

 

  Ÿ will not be considered the owner or holder of the debt securities under the indenture.

 

Payments of Principal, Premium and Interest

 

We will make principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on global debt securities to the depositary that is the registered holder of the global debt security or its nominee. The depositary for the global debt securities will be solely responsible and liable for all payments made on account of your beneficial ownership interests in the global debt security and for maintaining, supervising and reviewing any records relating to your beneficial ownership interests.

 

We expect that the depositary or its nominee, upon receipt of any principal, premium or interest payment, immediately will credit participants’ accounts with amounts in proportion to their respective

 

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beneficial interests in the principal amount of the global debt security as shown on the records of the depositary or its nominee. We also expect that payments by participants to you, as an owner of a beneficial interest in the global debt security held through those participants, will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name.” These payments will be the responsibility of those participants.

 

Issuance of Definitive Debt Securities

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, if a depositary for a series of debt securities is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depositary and we do not appoint a successor depositary within 90 days, we will issue definitive debt securities in exchange for the global debt security. In addition, we may at any time and in our sole discretion, subject to any limitations described in the prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities, determine not to have any debt securities represented by one or more global debt securities. If that occurs, we will issue definitive debt securities in exchange for the global debt security.

 

Further, we may specify that you may, on terms acceptable to us, the trustee and the depositary, receive definitive debt securities in exchange for your beneficial interest in a global debt security, subject to any limitations described in the prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities. In that instance, you will be entitled to physical delivery of definitive debt securities equal in principal amount to that beneficial interest and to have the debt securities registered in your name. Unless we otherwise specify, we will issue those definitive debt securities in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. (Section 305 of each indenture)

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

Unless we state otherwise in an applicable prospectus supplement, we will pay principal of, premium, if any, and interest on your debt securities at the office of the trustee for your debt securities in the City of New York or at the office of any paying agent that we may designate. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent. So long as any debt securities remain outstanding, we must maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for such debt securities. (Section 1002 of each indenture)

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will pay any interest on debt securities to the registered owner of the debt security at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest, except in the case of defaulted interest. (Section 307 of each indenture)

 

Any moneys deposited with the trustee or any paying agent, or then held by us in trust, for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on any debt security that remain unclaimed for two years after the principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will, at our request, be repaid to us. After repayment to us, you are entitled to seek payment only from us as a general unsecured creditor. (Section 1003 of each indenture)

 

Conversion or Exchange

 

Each indenture permits us to issue debt securities that we may convert or exchange into common stock or other securities. We will describe the specific terms on which the debt securities may be converted or exchanged in the applicable prospectus supplement. The conversion or exchange may be mandatory, at your option, or at our option, as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the manner in which the shares of common stock or other securities you would receive would be converted or exchanged.

 

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Subordination under the Subordinated Indenture

 

Unless we state otherwise in an applicable prospectus supplement, in the subordinated indenture, we have agreed, and holders of subordinated debt will be deemed to have agreed, that any subordinated debt securities are subordinate and junior in right of payment to all senior debt, as defined below, to the extent provided in the subordinated indenture. (Section 1201 of the subordinated indenture)

 

Upon any payment or distribution of assets to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors, marshaling of assets or any bankruptcy, insolvency, debt restructuring or similar proceedings in connection with our insolvency or bankruptcy, the holders of senior debt will first be entitled to receive payment in full of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the senior debt before the holders of subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive or retain any payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities. (Section 1202 of the subordinated indenture)

 

If the maturity of any subordinated debt securities is accelerated, the holders of all senior debt outstanding at the time of the acceleration will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due, including any amounts due upon acceleration, before the holders of subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities. (Section 1203 of the subordinated indenture)

 

We will not make any payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities if:

 

  Ÿ a default in any payment on senior debt then exists;

 

  Ÿ an event of default on any senior debt resulting in the acceleration of its maturity then exists; or

 

  Ÿ any judicial proceeding is pending in connection with default.

 

(Section 1204 of the subordinated indenture)

 

When we use the term “debt” we mean, with respect to any person, whether recourse is to all or a portion of the assets of that person and whether or not contingent:

 

  Ÿ every obligation or any obligation guaranteed by that person for money borrowed;

 

  Ÿ every obligation or any obligation guaranteed by that person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, including obligations assumed or incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses but excluding the obligation to pay the deferred purchase price of any such property, assets or businesses if payable in full within 90 days from the date such debt was created;

 

  Ÿ every capital lease obligation of that person;

 

  Ÿ leases of property or assets made as part of any sale and lease-back transaction to which that person is a party; and

 

  Ÿ any amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such debt.

 

When we use the term “senior debt”, we mean the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on debt, whether incurred on, prior to, or after the date of the subordinated indenture, unless the instrument creating or evidencing that debt or pursuant to which that debt is outstanding states that those obligations are not superior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities or to other debt which ranks equally with, or junior to, the subordinated debt securities. Interest on this senior debt includes interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to MBIA Inc., whether or not the claim for post-petition interest is allowed in that proceeding.

 

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However, senior debt will not include:

 

  Ÿ any debt of MBIA Inc. which when incurred and without regard to any election under Section 1111(b) of the Bankruptcy Code was without recourse to MBIA Inc.;

 

  Ÿ any debt of MBIA Inc. to any of its subsidiaries;

 

  Ÿ any debt to any employee of MBIA Inc. or any of its subsidiaries;

 

  Ÿ any liability for taxes; or

 

  Ÿ any indebtedness or monetary obligations to trade creditors or assumed by MBIA Inc. or any of its subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of goods, materials or services.

 

We are a non-operating holding company, and most of our assets are owned by our subsidiaries. Accordingly, the debt securities will be effectively subordinated to all our existing and future liabilities. You should rely only on our assets for payments of interest and principal and premium, if any. In addition, the payment of dividends by our insurance company subsidiary, MBIA Corp., is limited under the applicable insurance laws and regulations of the State of New York. See “MBIA Inc.”

 

The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of additional senior debt that we may incur. We expect from time to time to incur additional senior debt.

 

The subordinated indenture provides that we may change the subordination provisions relating to any particular issue of subordinated debt securities prior to issuance. We will describe any such change in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Governing Law

 

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. (Section 112 of each indenture)

 

Information Concerning the Trustee

 

The trustee under each indenture will have all the duties and responsibilities of an indenture trustee specified in the Trust Indenture Act. Neither trustee is required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in performing its duties or exercising its rights and powers if it reasonably believes that it is not reasonably assured of repayment or adequate indemnity. (Section 601 of each indenture)

 

The trustee under each indenture acts as depositary for funds of, makes loans to, and/or performs other services for, us and our subsidiaries in the normal course of business.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

The following is a summary of the material features of our capital stock. The summary is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by all of the provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation and our by-laws. Those documents are incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement that includes this prospectus, and we encourage you to read them.

 

Our authorized capital stock consists of 400,000,000 shares of common stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share. At the date of this prospectus no shares of preferred stock are outstanding. We do not currently have outstanding, and our restated certificate of incorporation does not authorize, any other classes of capital stock.

 

Common Stock

 

The holders of shares of our common stock have no preemptive, redemption or conversion rights. Subject to the preferential rights of any holders of any outstanding series of our preferred stock, each holder of common stock is entitled to receive dividends, if declared by our board of directors, out of funds that we can legally use to pay dividends. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share proportionately in the distribution of all of our assets remaining after payment of all of our debts and liabilities and of all sums to which holders of any preferred stock may be entitled. Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote per share registered in that holder’s name on our books on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders.

 

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “MBI.” The transfer agent for our common stock is Wells Fargo Shareholder Services.

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to an offering of common stock, terms relevant to the offering, including the number of shares offered, the initial offering price, market price and dividend information.

 

Preferred Stock

 

We will describe the particular terms of any series of preferred stock in the prospectus supplement relating to that series. Our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of our board of directors will adopt a certificate of amendment fixing the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions, including dividend rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, retirement and sinking fund provisions and liquidation preferences, if any, of the preferred stock of each series. We will also describe the terms, if any, on which shares of any series of preferred stock are convertible or exchangeable into common stock, in the prospectus supplement relating to that series of preferred stock. The terms may include provisions for conversion or exchange, either mandatory, at the option of the holder, or at our option, in which case the number of shares of common stock to be received by the holders of preferred stock would be calculated as of a time and in the manner stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. The description of the terms of a particular series of preferred stock that we will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement will not be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the certificate of amendment relating to that series.

 

Provisions of Our Restated Certificate of Incorporation

 

Our restated certificate of incorporation requires the approval of at least 80% of the outstanding shares of common stock for the amendment of the provisions which describe the factors our board of directors may consider in evaluating proposed mergers, sales and other corporate transactions. Further, as an insurance holding company, we are subject to state insurance regulations that require

 

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prior approval of a change of control. For more information on these regulations, see “Business—Regulation” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the registration statement that contains this prospectus. These provisions and regulations may discourage attempts to obtain our control.

 

In our restated certificate of incorporation we have elected not to be subject to the provisions of Sections 33-374a through 33-374c of the Connecticut Stock Corporation Act (now Sections 33-840 through 33-842 of the Connecticut Business Corporation Act), which would have imposed stricter requirements for approval of some mergers, liquidations and other business transactions in which we may be involved.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

 

General Terms

 

We may elect to offer depositary shares representing receipts for fractional interests in debt securities or preferred stock. In this case, we will issue receipts for depositary shares, each of which will represent a fraction of a debt security or share of a particular series of preferred stock, as the case may be.

 

We will deposit the debt securities or shares of any series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares under a deposit agreement between us and a depositary which we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, as an owner of a depositary share you will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a debt security or share of preferred stock represented by the depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of the debt security or preferred stock, as the case may be, represented by the depositary share, including, as the case may be, interest, dividend, voting, redemption, sinking fund, repayment at maturity, subscription and liquidation rights.

 

The following description of the terms of the deposit agreement is a summary. It summarizes only those terms of the deposit agreement which we believe will be most important to your decision to invest in our depositary shares. You should keep in mind, however, that it is the deposit agreement, and not this summary, which defines your rights as a holder of depositary shares. There may be other provisions in the deposit agreement which are also important to you. You should read the deposit agreement for a full description of the terms of the depositary shares. The form of the deposit agreement is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain a copy of the deposit agreement.

 

Interest, Dividends and Other Distributions

 

The depositary will distribute all payments of interest, cash dividends or other cash distributions received on the debt securities or preferred stock, as the case may be, to you in proportion to the number of depositary shares that you own.

 

In the event of a payment of interest or distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property received by it to you in an equitable manner, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make a distribution. In that case the depositary may sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to you.

 

Redemption of Depositary Shares

 

If we redeem a series of debt securities or preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the depositary will redeem your depositary shares from the proceeds received by the depositary resulting from the redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the applicable fraction of the redemption price per debt security or share of preferred stock, as the case may be, payable in relation to the redeemed series of debt securities or preferred stock. Whenever we redeem debt securities or shares of preferred stock held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date the number of depositary shares representing, as the case may be, the debt securities or shares of preferred stock redeemed. If fewer than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot, proportionately or by any other equitable method as the depositary may determine.

 

Voting the Preferred Stock or Exercise of Rights under the Indentures

 

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which you are entitled to vote, or of any request for instructions or directions from you as holder of debt securities, the depositary will mail to you the

 

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information contained in that notice. Each record holder of the depositary shares on the record date will be entitled to instruct the depositary how to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by that holder’s depositary shares or how to give instructions or directions with respect to the debt securities represented by that holder’s depository shares. The record date for the depositary shares will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock or debentures, as the case may be. The depositary will endeavor, to the extent practicable, to vote the amount of the preferred stock, or to give instructions or directions with respect to the debt securities, as the case may be, represented by the depositary shares in accordance with those instructions. We will agree to take all reasonable action which the depositary may deem necessary to enable the depositary to do so. The depositary will abstain from voting shares of the preferred stock or giving instructions or directions with respect to the debentures, as the case may be, if it does not receive specific instructions from you.

 

Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement

 

We and the depositary may amend the form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement at any time. However, any amendment which materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of the depositary shares will not be effective unless the amendment has been approved by the holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding.

 

The deposit agreement will terminate if:

 

  Ÿ all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed; or

 

  Ÿ there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock, including in connection with our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, or a complete repayment or redemption of the debt securities and the distribution, repayment or redemption proceeds, as the case may be, have been distributed to you.

 

Resignation and Removal of Depositary

 

The depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so. We also may, at any time, remove the depositary. Any resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. We must appoint the successor depositary within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal. The successor depositary must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.

 

Charges of Depositary

 

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock or debentures, as the case may be, and issuance of depositary receipts, all withdrawals of shares of preferred stock or debentures, as the case may be, by you and any repayment or redemption of the preferred stock or debentures, as the case may be. You will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges, as well as the other charges that are expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be for your account.

 

Miscellaneous

 

The depositary will forward all reports and communications from us which are delivered to the depositary and which we are required or otherwise determine to furnish to holders of debentures or preferred stock, as the case may be.

 

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Neither we nor the depositary will be liable under the deposit agreement to you other than for the depositary’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. Neither we nor the depositary will be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceedings relating to any depositary shares, debentures or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We and the depositary may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting debentures or shares of preferred stock for deposit, you or other persons believed to be competent and on documents which we and the depositary believe to be genuine.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

 

We may issue warrants, including warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock. We may issue warrants independently or together with any other securities, and they may be attached to or separate from those securities. We will issue the warrants under warrant agreements between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, that we will describe in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants that we offer.

 

The following description of the terms of the warrants is a summary. It summarizes only those terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement which we believe will be most important to your decision to invest in our warrants. You should keep in mind, however, that it is the warrant agreement and the warrant certificate relating to the warrants, and not this summary, which defines your rights as a warrant holder. There may be other provisions in the warrant agreement and the warrant certificate relating to the warrants which are also important to you. You should read these documents for a full description of the terms of the warrants. Forms of these documents are filed as exhibits to the registration statement that includes this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain copies of these documents.

 

Debt Warrants

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of warrants to purchase debt securities that we may offer, the warrant agreement relating to the debt warrants and the warrant certificates representing the debt warrants. These terms will include the following:

 

  Ÿ the title of the debt warrants;

 

  Ÿ the debt securities for which the debt warrants are exercisable;

 

  Ÿ the aggregate number of the debt warrants;

 

  Ÿ the principal amount of debt securities that you may purchase upon exercise of each debt warrant, and the price or prices at which we will issue the debt warrants;

 

  Ÿ the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of the debt warrants;

 

  Ÿ the designation and terms of any related debt securities issued with the debt warrants, and the number of debt warrants issued with each debt security;

 

  Ÿ the date, if any, from which you may separately transfer the debt warrants and the related securities;

 

  Ÿ the date on which your right to exercise the debt warrants commences, and the date on which your right expires;

 

  Ÿ the maximum or minimum number of the debt warrants which you may exercise at any time;

 

  Ÿ if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations;

 

  Ÿ any other terms of the debt warrants and terms, procedures and limitations relating to your exercise of the debt warrants; and

 

  Ÿ the terms of the securities you may purchase upon exercise of the debt warrants.

 

We will also describe in the applicable prospectus supplement any provisions for a change in the exercise price or expiration date of the debt warrants and the kind, frequency and timing of any notice to be given. You may exchange debt warrant certificates for new debt warrant certificates of different denominations and may exercise debt warrants at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office that we indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement. Prior to exercise, you will not

 

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have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities purchasable upon that exercise and will not be entitled to payments of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities purchasable upon the exercise.

 

Other Warrants

 

We may issue other warrants. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the following terms of those warrants:

 

  Ÿ the title of the warrants;

 

  Ÿ the securities, which may include preferred stock or common stock, for which you may exercise the warrants;

 

  Ÿ the aggregate number of the warrants;

 

  Ÿ the number of securities that you may purchase upon exercise of each warrant, and the price or prices at which we will issue the warrants;

 

  Ÿ the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of the warrants;

 

  Ÿ the designation and terms of any related securities issued with the warrants, and the number of warrants issued with each security;

 

  Ÿ the date, if any, from which you may separately transfer the warrants and the related securities;

 

  Ÿ the date on which your right to exercise the warrants commences, and the date on which your right expires;

 

  Ÿ the maximum or minimum number of the warrants which you may exercise at any time;

 

  Ÿ if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations;

 

  Ÿ any other terms of the warrants and terms, procedures and limitations relating to your exercise of the warrants; and

 

  Ÿ the designation and terms of the common stock, preferred stock or other securities you may purchase upon exercise of the warrants.

 

We will also describe in the applicable prospectus supplement any provisions for a change in the exercise price or expiration date of the warrants and the kind, frequency and timing of any notice to be given. You may exchange warrant certificates for new warrant certificates of different denominations and may exercise warrants at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office that we indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement. Prior to the exercise of your warrants, you will not have any of the rights of holders of the preferred stock, common stock or other securities purchasable upon that exercise and will not be entitled to dividend payments, if any, or voting rights of the preferred stock, common stock or other securities purchasable upon the exercise.

 

Exercise of Warrants

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the principal amount or the number of our securities that you may purchase for cash upon exercise of a warrant, and the exercise price. You may exercise a warrant as described in the applicable prospectus supplement at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date stated in the prospectus supplement. Unexercised warrants will become void after the close of business on the expiration date, or any later expiration date that we determine.

 

We will forward the securities purchasable upon the exercise as soon as practicable after receipt of payment and the properly completed and executed warrant certificate at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or other office stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. If you exercise less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate, we will issue you a new warrant certificate for the remaining unexercised warrants.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE UNITS

 

We may issue stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating you to purchase from us, and us to sell to you, a specific number of shares of common stock or preferred stock, or other property, at a future date or dates. The price per share of preferred stock or common stock may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula described in the stock purchase contracts. We may issue stock purchase contracts separately or as a part of units each consisting of a stock purchase contract and debt securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities, securing your obligations to purchase the preferred stock or the common stock under the stock purchase contract. The stock purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to you or vice versa and the payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis. The stock purchase contracts may require you to secure your obligations in a specified manner. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of any stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the securities described in this prospectus:

 

  Ÿ to one or more underwriters for public offering and sale by them,

 

  Ÿ through agents or dealers, or

 

  Ÿ to investors directly.

 

We will name any agent or dealer involved in an offer and sale of the securities in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we sell the securities through an underwritten offering, we will execute an underwriting agreement with an underwriter or underwriters at the time we reach an agreement for such sale, and the applicable prospectus supplement used by the underwriters to make resales of the securities will set forth:

 

  Ÿ the names of the managing underwriter or underwriters and of any other underwriters,

 

  Ÿ the respective amounts underwritten, and

 

  Ÿ the terms of the transaction, including commissions, discounts and any other compensation of the underwriters and dealers, if any.

 

Moreover, unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the underwriting agreement will provide that the obligations of the underwriters are subject to conditions precedent and that the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities being offered if any are purchased.

 

We may offer and sell the securities described in this prospectus:

 

  Ÿ at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed,

 

  Ÿ at market prices prevailing at the time of sale,

 

  Ÿ at prices related to market prices prevailing at the time of sale, or

 

  Ÿ at negotiated prices.

 

We also may, from time to time, authorize underwriters acting as our agents to offer and sell the securities upon the terms and conditions described in any prospectus supplement.

 

In connection with sales of the securities described in this prospectus, underwriters may be deemed to have received compensation from us in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions, which may be changed from time to time, from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents.

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement, any underwriting compensation we may pay to underwriters or agents in connection with the offering of the securities described in this prospectus, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in distributions of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions they may receive and any profit they may realize on resales of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act.

 

If a dealer participates in the sale of the securities described in this prospectus, we will sell the securities to such dealer as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale. We will state the name of the dealer and the terms of the transaction in the prospectus supplement relating to that particular offering.

 

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We may solicit directly offers to purchase the securities and we may make sales of the securities directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities. We will state the terms of any direct offers and sales in the applicable prospectus supplements.

 

We may also offer and sell securities, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more firms referred to as remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as our agents. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us, and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act in connection with the securities they remarket.

 

We may indemnify agents, underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Our agents, underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms, or their affiliates, may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business.

 

We may authorize our agents and underwriters to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase the securities at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts.

 

  Ÿ If we use delayed delivery contracts, we will disclose that we are using them in the applicable prospectus supplement and will tell you when we will demand payment and delivery of the securities under the delayed delivery contracts.

 

  Ÿ These delayed delivery contracts will be subject only to the conditions that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

  Ÿ We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the commission that underwriters and agents soliciting purchases of the securities under delayed delivery contracts will be entitled to receive.

 

We may or may not list the securities described in this prospectus on a national securities exchange or a foreign securities exchange. Some series of the securities will be new issues and will not have established trading markets. We cannot give any assurances that there will be a market for any of the securities.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, legality of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, New York, New York, and for any underwriters or agents by counsel to be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Such counsel may rely, as to matters of Connecticut law, upon the opinion of Day, Berry & Howard LLP, One Canterbury Green, Stamford, Connecticut 06901, Connecticut counsel for MBIA Inc.

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

This prospectus is part of a Registration Statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Registration Statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. The rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission allow us to omit some of the information about MBIA Inc. In addition, we file reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You may read and copy the registration statement, the related exhibits and the reports, proxy statements and other information we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. and at the Commission’s regional office in Chicago, Illinois. You can also request copies of those documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Please call the Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference rooms. The Securities and Exchange Commission also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The site’s address is www.sec.gov. (This URL is intended to be an inactive textual reference only. It is not intended to be an active hyperlink to the SEC’s website. The information on the SEC’s website, which might be accessible through hyperlink resulting from this URL, is not and is not intended to be part of this prospectus and is not incorporated into this prospectus by reference.)

 

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

The rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission allow us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the Securities and Exchange Commission will automatically update and supersede this information. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below:

 

  Ÿ Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002.

 

  Ÿ Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2003, June 30, 2003 and September 30, 2003.

 

  Ÿ The description of MBIA’s capital stock set forth in MBIA’s registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating any such description.

 

  Ÿ All documents filed by us pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus.

 

We will provide without charge to each person to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the documents referred to above which have been or may be incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than certain exhibits to those documents. You should direct requests to MBIA Inc., 113 King Street, Armonk, New York 10504, Attention: Ram D. Wertheim, Esq. (Telephone: (914) 765-3945).

 

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No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representations. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the notes offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of its date.

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

 

     Page

About This Prospectus Supplement

   S-1

Forward-Looking Statements

   S-1

Summary of the Offering

   S-2

MBIA Inc. 

   S-3

Recent Developments

   S-4

Use of Proceeds

   S-4

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

   S-5

Capitalization

   S-6

Selected Financial and Operating Data

   S-7

Description of the Notes

   S-8

Book-Entry System

   S-10

Certain United States Federal Income and Estate Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders

   S-13

Certain ERISA Considerations

   S-16

Underwriting

   S-17

Legal Matters

   S-19

Experts

   S-19

Incorporation by Reference

   S-19

Prospectus

 

     Page

About This Prospectus

   ii

MBIA Inc.

   1

Use of Proceeds

   2

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

   2

Description of Debt Securities

   3

Description of Capital Stock

   14

Description of Depositary Shares

   16

Description of Warrants

   19

Description of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units

   21

Plan of Distribution

   22

Legal Matters

   23

Experts

   23

Where You Can Find More Information

   24

Incorporation by Reference

   24

 



 

$350,000,000

 

MBIA Inc.

 

5.70% Senior Notes

due 2034

 


 

 

LOGO

 

 


 

JPMorgan    Lehman Brothers
Banc of America Securities    Barclays Capital
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.    Citigroup
Deutsche Bank Securities    Goldman, Sachs & Co.
KeyBanc Capital Markets    Morgan Stanley