STRATS(SM) Trust for Goldman Sachs Group Securities, Series 2006-2 10-K, filed Mar 29, 2024
STRATS(SM) Trust for Goldman Sachs Group Securities, Series 2006-2 (GJS)
About this 10-K
STRATS(SM) Trust for Goldman Sachs Group Securities, Series 2006-2 filed this 10-K on March 29, 2024, covering the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
| ☒ | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 |
| OR | |
| ☐ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM TO |
Commission
File Number of issuing entity: 001-32848
Central Index Key Number of issuing entity: 0001356284
STRATS TRUST FOR GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP SECURITIES,
SERIES 2006-2
(Exact name of issuing entity as specified in its charter)
Commission
File Number of depositor and sponsor: 001-31818
Central Index Key number of depositor and sponsor:
0001140396
SYNTHETIC FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES, INC.
(Exact name of depositor and sponsor as specified in its charter)
| New
York (State of incorporation or organization of the issuing entity) |
26-6115259 (IRS Employer Identification No.) | ||
| 30
Hudson Yards, 14th Floor New York, New York (Address of principal executive offices) |
10001-2170 (Zip Code) |
(212)
214-6289 (Telephone Number) | |
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
| Title of Each Class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of Each Exchange on which Registered |
| STRATS Certificates, Series 2006-2 | GJS | New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) |
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: NONE
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
☐ Yes ☒ No
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
☐ Yes ☒ No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
☒ Yes ☐ No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
☒ Yes ☐ No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ |
| Non-accelerated filer ☒ | Smaller Reporting Company ☐ |
| Emerging growth Company ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).
☐ Yes ☒ No
State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter.
Not applicable.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
List hereunder the following documents if incorporated by reference and the part of the Form 10-K (e.g., Part I, Part II, etc.) into which the document is incorporated: (1) Any annual report to security holders; (2) Any proxy information statement; and, (3) Any prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (c) under the Securities Act of 1933. The listed documents should be clearly described for identification purposes (e.g., annual report to security holders for fiscal year ended December 24, 1980).
None.
PART I
The following Items have been omitted in accordance with General Instruction J to Form 10-K:
Item 1. Business.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity.
Item 2. Properties.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not Applicable.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not Applicable.
PART II
The following Items have been omitted in accordance with General Instruction J to Form 10-K:
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Item 6. [Reserved]
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreement with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Item 9B. Other Information.
None.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections.
Not Applicable.
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PART III
The following Items have been omitted in accordance with General Instruction J to Form 10-K:
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Item 11. Executive Compensation.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
Substitute information provided in accordance with General Instruction J to Form 10-K:
Item 1112(b) of Regulation AB. Significant Obligors of Pool Assets (Financial Information).
The Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the issuer of the underlying securities, is subject to the information reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). For information on The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. please see its periodic and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under its Exchange Act file number, 001-14965. The Commission maintains a site on the World Wide Web at “http://www.sec.gov” at which users can view and download copies of reports, proxy and information statements and other information filed electronically through the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system, or “EDGAR.” Periodic and current reports and other information required to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. may be accessed on this site. Neither Synthetic Fixed-Income Securities, Inc. nor the Trustee has participated in the preparation of such reporting documents, or made any due diligence investigation with respect to the information provided therein. Neither Synthetic Fixed-Income Securities, Inc. nor the Trustee has verified the accuracy or completeness of such documents or reports. There can be no assurance that events affecting the issuer of the underlying securities or the underlying securities themselves have not occurred or have not yet been publicly disclosed which would affect the accuracy or completeness of the publicly available documents described above.
Item 1114(b)(2) of Regulation AB. Credit Enhancement and Other Support, Except for Certain Derivatives Instruments (Financial Information).
None.
Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB. Certain Derivatives Instruments (Financial Information).
None.
Item 1117 of Regulation AB. Legal Proceedings.
There are no legal proceedings pending, or any proceedings known to be contemplated, by governmental authorities against the depositor, the Trustee or the issuing entity, or any property thereof, that is material to the holders of the Certificates.
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Item 1119 of Regulation AB. Affiliations and Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.
In accordance with the Instruction to Item 1119, affiliations and certain relationships and related transactions are described below in response to this item.
Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (“Wells Fargo Bank”), as successor to Wachovia Bank, National Association, is the “Swap Counterparty” with respect to its obligations under the ISDA Master Agreement including the Schedule thereto and a confirmation thereunder, by and among the Swap Counterparty and the issuing entity, dated as of March 31, 2006. Wells Fargo Bank is an affiliate of Synthetic Fixed-Income Securities, Inc., the sponsor of the issuing entity and the depositor of the issuing entity and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (formerly known as Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC), who acted as an underwriter of the Certificates issued by the issuing entity.
The Trustee is unaffiliated with, but may have normal banking relationships with, the sponsor, the depositor and their respective affiliates.
Item 1122 of Regulation AB. Compliance with Applicable Servicing Criteria.
The Trustee has been identified as a party participating in the servicing function during the reporting period with respect to the pool assets held by the issuing entity. The Trustee’s report on an assessment of compliance with the servicing criteria applicable to it during the Issuing Entity’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 and an attestation report by a registered independent public accounting firm regarding the Trustee’s related report on assessment are attached as exhibits to this Form 10-K.
Item 1123 of Regulation AB. Servicer Compliance Statement.
The Trustee has provided a compliance statement, signed by an authorized officer, attached as an exhibit to this Form 10-K.
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibit and Financial Statement Schedules.
| (a) | List the following documents filed as a part of the report: |
| (1) | Not Applicable. |
| (2) | Not Applicable. |
| (3) | See Item 15 (b), below. |
| (b) | Exhibits Required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K. |
| 31.1 | Rule 13a-14/15d-14 Certification (Section 302 Certification). |
| 33.1 | Report on Assessment of Compliance with Applicable Servicing Criteria of The Bank of New York Mellon for the year ended December 31, 2023. |
| 34.1 | Independent Accountants’ Attestation Report concerning servicing activities of The Bank of New York Mellon for the year ended December 31, 2023. |
| 35.1 | Compliance Statement of The Bank of New York Mellon for the year ended December 31, 2023. |
| (c) | Omitted. |
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Item 16. Form 10-K Summary.
Not Applicable.
5
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Synthetic Fixed-Income Securities, Inc. | ||
| (Depositor) | ||
| Dated: March 29, 2024 | By: | /s/ Barbara Garafalo |
| Barbara Garafalo | ||
| President | ||
| (senior officer of depositor in charge of securitization) | ||
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EXHIBIT INDEX
7
STRATS TRUST FOR GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP SECURITIES, SERIES 2006-2 10-K
Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION
I, Barbara Garafalo, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form 10-K and all reports on Form 10-D required to be filed in respect of the period covered by this report on Form 10-K of STRATS Trust For Goldman Sachs Group Securities, Series 2006-2 (the “Exchange Act periodic reports”);
2. Based on my knowledge, the Exchange Act periodic reports, taken as a whole, do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, all of the distribution, servicing and other information required to be provided under Form 10-D for the period covered by this report is included in the Exchange Act periodic reports;
4. Based on my knowledge and the servicer compliance statement required in this report under Item 1123 of Regulation AB, and except as disclosed in the Exchange Act periodic reports, the servicer has fulfilled its obligations under the servicing agreement in all material respects; and
5. All of the reports on assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities and their related attestation reports on assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities required to be included in this report in accordance with Item 1122 of Regulation AB and Exchange Act Rules 13a-18 and 15d-18 have been included as an exhibit to this report, except as otherwise disclosed in this report. Any material instances of noncompliance described in such reports have been disclosed in this report on Form 10-K.
In giving the certifications above, I have reasonably relied on information provided to me by the following unaffiliated party: The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee.
| Dated: March 29, 2024 | By: | /s/ Barbara Garafalo |
| Barbara Garafalo | ||
| President | ||
| (senior officer of depositor in charge of securitization) |
STRATS TRUST FOR GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP SECURITIES, SERIES 2006-2 10-K
Exhibit 33.1
ASSESSMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH
APPLICABLE SERVICING CRITERIA
Management of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly The Bank of New York), BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware (formerly BNYM (Delaware)) and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (formerly The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.), (collectively, the “Company”) is responsible for assessing the Company’s compliance with the servicing criteria set forth in Item 1122(d) of Regulation AB promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company’s management has determined that the servicing criteria are applicable in regard to the servicing platform as of and for the period as follows:
Platform: Publicly-issued (i.e., transaction-level reporting initially required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) asset-backed securities issued on or after January 1, 2006 that are subject to Regulation AB (including transactions subject to Regulation AB by contractual obligation) for which the Company provides trustee, securities administration, paying agent or custodial services, as defined and to the extent applicable in the transaction agreements, other than residential mortgage-backed securities and other mortgage-related asset-backed securities (the “Platform”).
Period: The twelve months ended December 31, 2023 (the “Period”).
Applicable Servicing Criteria: All servicing criteria set forth in Item 1122(d), to the extent required by the related transaction agreements as to any transaction, except as set forth in the column titled “Not Applicable to Platform” in Appendix 1 attached hereto.
With respect to servicing criterion 1122(d)(2)(vi), the Company’s management has engaged a vendor to perform the activities required by the servicing criterion. The Company’s management has determined that this vendor is not considered a “servicer” as defined in Item 1101(j) of Regulation AB, and the Company’s management has elected to take responsibility for assessing compliance with the servicing criterion applicable to this vendor as permitted by the SEC’s Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation 200.06, Vendors Engaged by Servicers (“C&DI 200.06”). The Company’s management has policies and procedures in place designed to provide reasonable assurance that the vendor’s activities comply in all material respects with the servicing criterion applicable to the vendor. The Company’s management is solely responsible for determining that it meets the SEC requirements to apply C&DI 200.06 for the vendor and related servicing criterion.
With respect to the Platform as of and for the Period, the Company provides the following assessment of compliance in respect of the Applicable Servicing Criteria:
1. The Company’s management is responsible for assessing the Company’s compliance with the Applicable Servicing Criteria.
2. The Company’s management has assessed compliance with the Applicable Servicing Criteria, including the servicing criterion for which compliance is determined based on C&DI 200.06 as described above as of and for the Period. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Securities and Exchange Commission in paragraph (d) of Item 1122 of Regulation AB.
3. With respect to servicing criterion 1122(d)(4)(i), for certain transactions in the Platform the Trustor (as such term is defined in the related transaction agreements) may direct the Trustee (as such term is defined in the related transaction agreements) to file, or cause to be filed, all filings identified by the Trustor to be necessary to maintain the effectiveness of any original filings identified by the Trustor to be necessary under the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in any jurisdiction to perfect the Trustee’s security interest in or lien on the Underlying Securities (as such term is defined in the related transaction agreements). As of and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company was not instructed by any Trustors to perform such activities. Absent the receipt of instruction from a Trustor to perform such activities, the Company’s responsibility for criterion 1122(d)(4)(i) for the Platform is solely with regard to the manner of holding trust assets and investment of trust assets in eligible investments and the Company does not have any duties as to the original UCC filing and any continuations to perfect the security interest unless instructed to do so by other parties in the transaction agreement.
4. Based on such assessment, as of and for the Period, the Company has complied, in all material respects, with the Applicable Servicing Criteria.
KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, has issued an attestation report with respect to management’s assessment of the Company’s compliance with the Applicable Servicing Criteria as of and for the Period.
2
| The Bank of New York Mellon | BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware | |
| /s/ David Keys | /s/ Melissa Adelson | |
| David Keys | Melissa Adelson | |
| Authorized Signatory | Authorized Signatory | |
| The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. | ||
| /s/ Antonio I. Portuondo | ||
| Antonio I. Portuondo | ||
| Authorized Signatory | ||
| Dated: February 29, 2024 |
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APPENDIX 1
| Applicable to Platform | ||||
| REG
AB REFERENCE |
SERVICING CRITERIA | Performed
Directly by the Company |
Performed
by Vendor(s) for which the Company is the Responsible Party |
Not
Applicable to Platform |
| General servicing considerations | ||||
| 1122(d)(1)(i) | Policies and procedures are instituted to monitor any performance or other triggers and events of default in accordance with the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(1)(ii) | If any material servicing activities are outsourced to third parties, policies and procedures are instituted to monitor the third party’s performance and compliance with such servicing activities. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(1)(iii) | Any requirements in the transaction agreements to maintain a back-up servicer for the pool assets are maintained. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(1)(iv) | A fidelity bond and errors and omissions policy is in effect on the party participating in the servicing function throughout the reporting period in the amount of coverage required by and otherwise in accordance with the terms of the transaction agreements. | X | ||
1122(d)(1)(v)
|
Aggregation of information, as applicable, is mathematically accurate and the information conveyed accurately reflects the information. | X
| ||
| Cash collection and administration | ||||
| 1122(d)(2)(i) | Payments on pool assets are deposited into the appropriate custodial bank accounts and related bank clearing accounts no more than two business days of receipt, or such other number of days specified in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(2)(ii) | Disbursements made via wire transfer on behalf of an obligor or to an investor are made only by authorized personnel. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(2)(iii) | Advances of funds or guarantees regarding collections, cash flows or distributions, and any interest or other fees charged for such advances, are made, reviewed and approved as specified in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(2)(iv) | The related accounts for the transaction, such as cash reserve accounts or accounts established as a form of over collateralization, are separately maintained (e.g., with respect to commingling of cash) as set forth in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
4
| Applicable to Platform | ||||
| REG
AB REFERENCE |
SERVICING CRITERIA | Performed
Directly by the Company |
Performed
by Vendor(s) for which the Company is the Responsible Party |
Not
Applicable to Platform |
| 1122(d)(2)(v) | Each custodial account is maintained at a federally insured depository institution as set forth in the transaction agreements. For purposes of this criterion, “federally insured depository institution” with respect to a foreign financial institution means a foreign financial institution that meets the requirements of Rule 240.13k-1(b)(1) of this chapter. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(2)(vi) | Unissued checks are safeguarded so as to prevent unauthorized access. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(2)(vii) | Reconciliations are prepared on a monthly basis for all asset-backed securities related bank accounts, including custodial accounts and related bank clearing accounts. These reconciliations (A) Are mathematically accurate; (B) Are prepared within 30 calendar days after the bank statement cutoff date, or such other number of days specified in the transaction agreements; (C) Are reviewed and approved by someone other than the person who prepared the reconciliation; and (D) Contain explanations for reconciling items. These reconciling items are resolved within 90 calendar days of their original identification, or such other number of days specified in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| Investor remittances and reporting | ||||
| 1122(d)(3)(i) | Reports to investors, including those to be filed with the Commission, are maintained in accordance with the transaction agreements and applicable Commission requirements. Specifically, such reports (A) Are prepared in accordance with timeframes and other terms set forth in the transaction agreements; (B) Provide information calculated in accordance with the terms specified in the transaction agreements; (C) Are filed with the Commission as required by its rules and regulations; and (D) Agree with investors’ or the trustee’s records as to the total unpaid principal balance and number of pool assets serviced by the servicer. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(3)(ii) | Amounts due to investors are allocated and remitted in accordance with timeframes, distribution priority and other terms set forth in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(3)(iii) | Disbursements made to an investor are posted within two business days to the servicer’s investor records, or such other number of days specified in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(3)(iv) | Amounts remitted to investors per the investor reports agree with cancelled checks, or other form of payment, or custodial bank statements. | X | ||
5
| Applicable to Platform | ||||
| REG
AB REFERENCE |
SERVICING CRITERIA | Performed
Directly by the Company |
Performed
by Vendor(s) for which the Company is the Responsible Party |
Not
Applicable to Platform |
| Pool asset administration | ||||
| 1122(d)(4)(i) | Collateral or security on pool assets is maintained as required by the transaction agreements or related pool asset documents. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(ii) | Pool asset and related documents are safeguarded as required by the transaction agreements | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(iii) | Any additions, removals or substitutions to the asset pool are made, reviewed and approved in accordance with any conditions or requirements in the transaction agreements. | X 1 | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(iv) | Payments on pool assets, including any payoffs, made in accordance with the related pool asset documents are posted to the applicable servicer’s obligor records maintained no more than two business days after receipt, or such other number of days specified in the transaction agreements, and allocated to principal, interest or other items (e.g., escrow) in accordance with the related pool asset documents. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(v) | The servicer’s records regarding the pool assets agree with the servicer’s records with respect to an obligor’s unpaid principal balance. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(vi) | Changes with respect to the terms or status of an obligor's pool assets (e.g., loan modifications or re-agings) are made, reviewed and approved by authorized personnel in accordance with the transaction agreements and related pool asset documents. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(vii) | Loss mitigation or recovery actions (e.g., forbearance plans, modifications and deeds in lieu of foreclosure, foreclosures and repossessions, as applicable) are initiated, conducted and concluded in accordance with the timeframes or other requirements established by the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(viii) | Records documenting collection efforts are maintained during the period a pool asset is delinquent in accordance with the transaction agreements. Such records are maintained on at least a monthly basis, or such other period specified in the transaction agreements, and describe the entity’s activities in monitoring delinquent pool assets including, for example, phone calls, letters and payment rescheduling plans in cases where delinquency is deemed temporary (e.g., illness or unemployment). | X | ||
1 With respect to applicable servicing criterion 1122(d)(4)(iii) the Company has determined that there were no activities performed during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 with respect to the Platform, because there were no occurrences of events that would require the Company to perform such activities.
6
| Applicable to Platform | ||||
| REG
AB REFERENCE |
SERVICING CRITERIA | Performed
Directly by the Company |
Performed
by Vendor(s) for which the Company is the Responsible Party |
Not
Applicable to Platform |
| 1122(d)(4)(ix) | Adjustments to interest rates or rates of return for pool assets with variable rates are computed based on the related pool asset documents. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(x) | Regarding any funds held in trust for an obligor (such as escrow accounts): (A) Such funds are analyzed, in accordance with the obligor’s pool asset documents, on at least an annual basis, or such other period specified in the transaction agreements; (B) Interest on such funds is paid, or credited, to obligors in accordance with applicable pool asset documents and state laws; and (C) Such funds are returned to the obligor within 30 calendar days of full repayment of the related pool asset, or such other number of days specified in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(xi) | Payments made on behalf of an obligor (such as tax or insurance payments) are made on or before the related penalty or expiration dates, as indicated on the appropriate bills or notices for such payments, provided that such support has been received by the servicer at least 30 calendar days prior to these dates, or such other number of days specified in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(xii) | Any late payment penalties in connection with any payment to be made on behalf of an obligor are paid from the servicer’s funds and not charged to the obligor, unless the late payment was due to the obligor’s error or omission. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(xiii) | Disbursements made on behalf of an obligor are posted within two business days to the obligor’s records maintained by the servicer, or such other number of days specified in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(xiv) | Delinquencies, charge-offs and uncollectible accounts are recognized and recorded in accordance with the transaction agreements. | X | ||
| 1122(d)(4)(xv) | Any external enhancement or other support, identified in Item 1114(a)(1) through (3) or Item 1115 of this Regulation AB, is maintained as set forth in the transaction agreements. | X | ||
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STRATS TRUST FOR GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP SECURITIES, SERIES 2006-2 10-K
Exhibit 34.1
| KPMG LLP Aon Center Suite 5500 200 E. Randolph Street Chicago, IL 60601-6436 |
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The
Board of Directors
The Bank of New York Mellon
BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware
The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.:
We have examined management’s assertion, included in the accompanying Management’s Assessment of Compliance with Applicable Servicing Criteria that The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly The Bank of New York), BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware (formerly BNYM (Delaware)) and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (formerly The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.), (collectively, the “Company”) complied with the servicing criteria set forth in Item 1122(d) of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulation AB (the Servicing Criteria) for the publicly-issued (i.e., transaction-level reporting initially required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) asset-backed securities issued on or after January 1, 2006 that are subject to Regulation AB (including transactions subject to Regulation AB by contractual obligation) for which the Company provides trustee, securities administration, paying agent, or custodial services, as defined and to the extent applicable in the transaction agreements, other than residential mortgage-backed securities and other mortgage-related asset-backed securities (the “Platform”), except for servicing criteria 1122(d)(1)(iii), 1122(d)(1)(iv), 1122(d)(1)(v), 1122(d)(2)(iii), 1122(d)(4)(iv), 1122(d)(4)(v), 1122(d)(4)(vi), 1122(d)(4)(vii), 1122(d)(4)(viii), 1122(d)(4)(ix), 1122(d)(4)(x), 1122(d)(4)(xi), 1122(d)(4)(xii), 1122(d)(4)(xiii), 1122(d)(4)(xiv) and 1122(d)(4)(xv), which the Company has determined are not applicable to the activities it performs with respect to the Platform (the Servicing Criteria), as of and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. With respect to Servicing Criterion 1122(d)(4)(i), the Company has determined that for certain transactions in the Platform the Trustor (as such term is defined in the related transaction agreements) may direct the Trustee (as such term is defined in the related transaction agreements) to file, or cause to be filed, all filings identified by the Trustor to be necessary to maintain the effectiveness of any original filings identified by the Trustor to be necessary under the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in any jurisdiction to perfect the Trustee’s security interest in or lien on the Underlying Securities (as such term is defined in the related transaction agreements). Management’s Assessment of Compliance with Applicable Servicing Criteria indicates that as of and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company was not instructed by any Trustors to perform such activities. Absent the receipt of instruction from a Trustor to perform such activities, the Company’s responsibility for Servicing Criterion 1122(d)(4)(i) for the Platform is solely with regard to the manner of holding trust assets and investment of trust assets in eligible investments and the Company does not have any duties as to the original UCC filing and any continuations to perfect the security interest unless instructed to do so by other parties in the transaction agreement. With respect to servicing criterion 1122(d)(4)(iii), the Company has determined that there were no activities performed during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 with respect to the Platform, because there were no occurrences of events that would require the Company to perform such activities. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on management’s assertion about the Company’s compliance with the Servicing Criteria based on our examination.
KPMG
LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of |
Our examination was conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and in accordance with attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants to obtain reasonable assurance and, accordingly, included examining, on a test basis, evidence about the Company’s compliance with the Servicing Criteria and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. Our examination included testing selected asset-backed transactions and securities that comprise the Platform, testing selected servicing activities related to the Platform, and determining whether the Company processed those selected transactions and performed those selected activities in compliance with the Servicing Criteria. Furthermore, our procedures were limited to the selected transactions and servicing activities performed by the Company during the period covered by this report. Our procedures were not designed to determine whether errors may have occurred either prior to or subsequent to our tests that may have affected the balances or amounts calculated or reported by the Company during the period covered by this report for the selected transactions or any other transactions. We believe that our examination provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Our examination does not provide a legal determination on the Company’s compliance with the Servicing Criteria.
We are required to be independent and to meet our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with relevant ethical requirements relating to the examination engagement.
As described in the accompanying Management’s Assessment of Compliance with Applicable Servicing Criteria, for Servicing Criterion 1122(d)(2)(vi), the Company has engaged a vendor to perform the activities required by this Servicing Criterion. The Company has determined that this vendor is not considered a “servicer” as defined in Item 1101(j) of Regulation AB, and the Company has elected to take responsibility for assessing compliance with the Servicing Criterion applicable to this vendor as permitted by the SEC’s Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation (C&DI) 200.06, Vendors Engaged by Servicers (C&DI 200.06). As permitted by C&DI 200.06, the Company has asserted that it has policies and procedures in place designed to provide reasonable assurance that the vendor’s activities comply in all material respects with the Servicing Criterion applicable to the vendor. The Company is solely responsible for determining that it meets the SEC requirements to apply C&DI 200.06 for the vendor and related Servicing Criterion as described in its assertion, and we performed no procedures with respect to the Company’s eligibility to apply C&DI 200.06.
In our opinion, management’s assertion that the Company complied with the aforementioned Servicing Criteria, including servicing criterion 1122(d)(2)(vi) for which compliance is determined based on C&DI 200.06 as described above, as of and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 is fairly stated, in all material respects.
/s/ KPMG LLP
Chicago,
Illinois
February 29, 2024
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STRATS TRUST FOR GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP SECURITIES, SERIES 2006-2 10-K
Exhibit 35.1
Statement of Compliance of The Bank of New York Mellon.
I, Terrence White, a Vice President of The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly The Bank of New York), a New York corporation (the “Trustee”), state:
(a) A review of the Trustee’s activities for the period from January 01, 2023 through December 31, 2023 (the “Reporting Period”) and of the Trustee’s performance under each Trust Agreement, delivered with respect to the trusts listed on the attached Schedule A, has been made under my supervision.
(b) To the best of my knowledge and based on such review, the Trustee has fulfilled all of its obligations under each Trust Agreement in all material respects throughout the Reporting Period for each of the trusts listed on the attached Schedule A.
| The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly The Bank of New York), as Trustee | |||
| Date: January 29, 2024 | By: | /s/ Terrence White | |
| Name: | Terrence White | ||
| Title: | Vice President | ||
Schedule A
| Trust | Trust Agreement |
| STRATS Trust for Proctor & Gamble Securities, Series 2006-1 | STRATS Series Supplement 2006-1, dated as of February 28, 2006, between Synthetic Fixed-Income Securities, Inc., as Trustor and Depositor, and The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly The Bank of New York), as trustee and Securities Intermediary, supplementing the Trust Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2006, between such parties. |
| STRATS Trust for Goldman Sachs Securities, Series 2006-2 | STRATS Series Supplement 2006-2, dated as of March 31, 2006, between Synthetic Fixed-Income Securities, Inc., as Trustor and Depositor, and The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly The Bank of New York), as trustee and Securities Intermediary, supplementing the Trust Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2006, between such parties. |
| STRATS Trust for Allstate Corporation Securities, Series 2006-3 | STRATS Series Supplement 2006-3, dated as of April 28, 2006, between Synthetic Fixed-Income Securities, Inc., as Trustor and Depositor, and The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly The Bank of New York), as trustee and Securities Intermediary, supplementing the Trust Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2006, between such parties. |
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