MFA-12.31.14-10K
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014
OR
o 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: 1-13991
MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Maryland (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | 13-3974868 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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350 Park Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, New York (Address of principal executive offices) | | 10022 (Zip Code) |
(212) 207-6400
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: |
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Title of Each Class | | Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered |
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share | | New York Stock Exchange |
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7.50% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share | | New York Stock Exchange |
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8.00% Senior Notes due 2042 | | New York Stock Exchange |
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 x No o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes o No x
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. |
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Large accelerated filer x | | Accelerated filer o |
Non-accelerated filer o | | Smaller reporting company o |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o No x
On June 30, 2014, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $3.01 billion based on the closing sales price of our common stock on such date as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.
On February 6, 2015, the registrant had a total of 370,361,928 shares of Common Stock outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the registrant’s proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held on or about May 21, 2015, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT — This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes “forward-looking” statements within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results with respect to the Company’s business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. You can identify forward-looking statements by such words as “will,” “believe,” expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “continue,” “intend,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “may” or similar expressions. We caution that any such forward-looking statements made by us are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. We discuss certain factors that affect our business and that may cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, references to “we,” “us,” “our” or “the Company” refer to MFA Financial, Inc. and its subsidiaries unless specifically stated otherwise or the context otherwise indicates. The following defines certain of the commonly used terms in this Annual Report on Form 10-K: MBS refers to mortgage-backed securities secured by pools of residential mortgage loans; Agency MBS refers to MBS that are issued or guaranteed by a federally chartered corporation, such as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, or an agency of the U.S. Government, such as Ginnie Mae; Non-Agency MBS refers to residential MBS that are not guaranteed by any agency of the U.S. Government or any federally chartered corporation; Legacy Non-Agency MBS refers to MBS issued prior to 2008; RPL/NPL MBS refers to MBS collateralized by re-performing/non-performing loans; Hybrids refer to hybrid mortgage loans that have interest rates that are fixed for a specified period of time and, thereafter, generally adjust annually to an increment over a specified interest rate index; ARMs refer to adjustable-rate mortgage loans and to Hybrids that are past their fixed-rate period, both of which typically have interest rates that adjust annually to an increment over a specified interest rate index; Linked Transactions refer to Non-Agency MBS purchases which were financed with the same counterparty and are therefore considered linked for financial statement reporting purposes and are reported at fair value on a combined basis; and CRT securities refers to credit risk transfer securities which are general obligations of government-sponsored entities (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac).
PART I
Item 1. Business.
GENERAL
We are primarily engaged in the real estate finance business. We engage in our business through subsidiaries that invest, on a leveraged basis, in residential mortgage assets, including Agency MBS, Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans. Our principal business objective is to deliver shareholder value through the generation of distributable income and through asset performance linked to residential mortgage credit fundamentals. We selectively invest in residential mortgage assets with a focus on credit analysis, projected prepayment rates, interest rate sensitivity and expected return.
We were incorporated in Maryland on July 24, 1997, and began operations on April 10, 1998. We have elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (or REIT) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In order to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we must comply with a number of requirements under federal tax law, including that we must distribute at least 90% of our annual REIT taxable income to our stockholders.
Commencing in the second quarter of 2014, we organized ourselves as a holding company and began to conduct our real estate finance businesses primarily through wholly-owned subsidiaries. We undertook this revised operating structure to facilitate our ability to invest in residential whole loans and grow our portfolio of investments in other types of residential mortgage assets. We conduct our real estate business so as to maintain an exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (or the Investment Company Act) by ensuring that less than 40% of the value of our total assets, exclusive of U.S. Government securities and cash items (which we refer to as our adjusted total assets for Investment Company Act purposes), on an unconsolidated basis consist of “investment securities” as defined by the Investment Company Act. We refer to this test as the “40% Test.”
INVESTMENT STRATEGY
As stated above, we primarily invest through subsidiaries in Agency MBS, Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans.
The mortgages collateralizing our Agency MBS portfolio are predominantly Hybrids, 15-year fixed-rate mortgages and ARMs. Our selection of Agency MBS is largely designed to generate attractive returns relative to interest rate and prepayment risks. The Hybrid loans collateralizing our MBS typically have initial fixed-rate periods at origination of three, five, seven or ten years. At the end of this fixed-rate period, these mortgages become adjustable and their interest rates adjust based on the London Interbank Offered Rate (or LIBOR) or in some cases the one-year constant maturity treasury rate (or CMT). These interest rate adjustments are typically limited by periodic caps (which limit the amount of the interest rate change from the prior rate) and lifetime caps (which are maximum interest rates permitted for the life of the mortgage). As coupons earned on Agency Hybrids and ARMs adjust over time as interest rates change, these assets are generally less sensitive to changes in interest rates than are fixed rate MBS. In general, Hybrid loans and ARMs have 30-year final maturities and they amortize over this 30-year period. While the coupons on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages do not adjust, they amortize according to a 15-year amortization schedule and have a 15-year final maturity. Due to their accelerated amortization and shorter final maturity, these assets are generally less sensitive to changes in long-term interest rates as compared to fixed-rate mortgages with a longer final maturity, such as 30-year mortgages.
Our Non-Agency MBS portfolio primarily consists of (i) Legacy Non-Agency MBS and (ii) MBS collateralized by re-performing and non-performing loans (or RPL/NPL MBS). In addition to Non-Agency MBS investments, during 2014 we began investing in re-performing and non-performing residential whole loans through our interests in certain consolidated trusts. Our strategy of combining investments in Agency MBS, Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans is designed to generate attractive returns with less overall sensitivity to changes in the yield curve, the general level of interest rates and prepayments.
Our Legacy Non-Agency MBS have been acquired primarily at discounts to face/par value, which we believe serves to mitigate our exposure to credit risk. A portion of the purchase discount on substantially all of our Legacy Non-Agency MBS is designated as a non-accretable discount (also referred to hereafter as Credit Reserve), which serves to reduce our risk of loss on the mortgages collateralizing such MBS and is not expected to be accreted into interest income. The portion of the purchase discount that is designated as accretable discount is accreted into interest income over the life of the security. The mortgages collateralizing our Legacy Non-Agency MBS consist primarily of ARMs, 30-year fixed rate mortgages and Hybrids. Legacy Non-Agency ARMs and Hybrids typically exhibit reduced interest rate sensitivity (as compared to fixed-rate Legacy Non-Agency MBS) due to their interest rate adjustments (similar to Agency ARMs and Hybrids). However, yields on Legacy Non-Agency MBS, unlike Agency MBS, also exhibit sensitivity to changes in credit performance. If credit performance improves, the Credit Reserve may be decreased (and accretable discount increased), resulting in a higher yield over the remaining life of the security. Similarly, deteriorating credit performance could increase the Credit Reserve and decrease the yield over the remaining life of the security or other-than-temporary impairment could result. To the extent that higher interest rates in the future are indicative of an improving economy, better employment data and/or higher home prices, it is possible that these factors will improve the credit performance of Legacy Non-Agency MBS and therefore mitigate the interest rate sensitivity of these securities.
During 2013 and 2014 we expanded our universe of investments through our purchases of RPL/NPL MBS. Our RPL/NPL MBS were purchased primarily in offerings of new issues of such securities at prices at or around par and represent the senior tranches in the securitizations of the loan portfolios collateralizing such securities. These RPL/NPL MBS are structured with significant credit enhancement (typically approximately 50%) to mitigate our exposure to credit risk on these securities. The subordinate tranche(s) absorb(s) all credit losses (until extinguished) and typically receives no cash flow (interest or principal) until the senior tranche is paid off. In addition, these deal structures contain an interest rate step-up feature, whereby the coupon on the senior tranche increases by 300 basis points if the security that we hold has not been redeemed by the issuer after 36 months. We expect that the combination of the priority cash flow of the senior tranche and the 36-month step-up will result in these securities’ exhibiting short average lives and, accordingly, reduced interest rate sensitivity. Consequently, we believe that RPL/NPL MBS provide attractive returns given our assessment of the interest rate and credit risk associated with these securities.
In addition, in the second quarter of 2014, we began acquiring residential whole loans through our investments in certain trusts that are consolidated on our balance sheet for financial reporting purposes. To date, we have focused on purchasing packages of both re-performing and non-performing whole loans. Re-performing loans are typically characterized by borrowers who have experienced payment delinquencies in the past and the amount owed on the mortgage may exceed the value of the property pledged as collateral. These loans are purchased at purchase prices that are discounted (often substantially so) to the contractual loan balance to reflect the credit history of the borrower, the loan-to-value (or LTV) of the loan and the coupon. Non-performing loans are typically characterized by borrowers who have defaulted on their obligations and/or have payment delinquencies of 60 days or more at the time we acquire the loan. These loans are also purchased at purchase prices that are discounted (often substantially so) to the contractual loan balance that reflects primarily the value of the collateral securing the loan. Typically, this purchase price is a discount to the expected value of the collateral securing the loan. All of the residential whole loans were purchased by the trusts on a servicing-released basis, i.e., the sellers of such loans transferred the right to service the loans as part of the sale. Because we do not directly service any loans, we have contracted with loan servicing companies with specific expertise in working with delinquent borrowers in an effort to cure delinquencies through, among other things, loan modification and third-party refinancing. To the extent these efforts are successful, we believe our investments in residential whole loans will yield attractive returns. In addition, to the extent that it is not possible to achieve a successful outcome for a particular borrower and the real property collateral must be foreclosed on and liquidated, we believe that the discounted purchase price at which the asset was acquired, provides us with a level of protection against financial loss.
FINANCING STRATEGY
Our financing strategy is designed to increase the size of our investment portfolio by borrowing against a substantial portion of the market value of the assets in our portfolio. We primarily use repurchase agreements to finance our holdings of Agency MBS, and repurchase agreements and securitized debt to finance our holdings of Non-Agency MBS, including RPL/NPL MBS. We enter into interest rate derivatives to hedge the interest rate risk associated with a portion of our repurchase agreement borrowings and securitized debt. Going forward, in connection with our current and any future investment in residential whole loans, our financing strategy may expand to the use of whole loan repurchase agreements, securitization or other forms of structured financing.
Repurchase agreements, although legally structured as sale and repurchase transactions, are financing contracts (i.e., borrowings) under which we pledge our MBS as collateral to secure loans with repurchase agreement counterparties (i.e., lenders). Repurchase agreements involve the transfer of the pledged collateral to a lender at an agreed upon price in exchange for such lender’s simultaneous agreement to return the same security back to the borrower at a future date (i.e., the maturity of the borrowing) at a higher price. The difference between the original transfer price and return price is the cost, or interest expense, of borrowing under a repurchase agreement. Our cost of borrowings under repurchase agreements is generally LIBOR based. Under our repurchase agreements, we pledge our securities as collateral to secure the borrowing, with the amount borrowed equal to a specified percentage (known as the haircut) less than the fair value of the pledged collateral, while we retain beneficial ownership of the pledged collateral. At the maturity of a repurchase financing, unless the repurchase financing is renewed with the same counterparty, we are required to repay the loan including any accrued interest and concurrently receive back our pledged collateral from the lender. With the consent of the lender, we may renew a repurchase financing at the then prevailing financing terms. Margin calls, whereby, a lender may require that we pledge additional securities or cash as collateral to secure borrowings under our repurchase financing with such lender, are routinely experienced by us when the value of the MBS pledged as collateral declines as a result of principal amortization and prepayments or due to changes in market interest rates, spreads or other market conditions. We also may make margin calls on counterparties when collateral values increase.
In order to reduce our exposure to counterparty-related risk, we generally seek to enter into repurchase agreements and other financing arrangements, including but not limited to, resecuritizations, collateralized financing arrangements and other structured financings and derivatives, with a diversified group of financial institutions. At December 31, 2014, we had outstanding balances under repurchase agreements with 25 separate lenders.
We have engaged in and may engage in future resecuritization transactions. The objective of such a transaction may include obtaining permanent non-recourse financing, obtaining liquidity or financing the underlying securitized financial assets on improved terms. For financial statement reporting purposes, we will generally account for such transactions as a financing of the underlying MBS. (See Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements included under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.)
In addition to repurchase agreements, securitized debt and 8% Senior Notes due 2042 (or Senior Notes), we may also use other sources of funding in the future to finance our MBS portfolio, including, but not limited to, other types of collateralized borrowings, loan agreements, lines of credit, commercial paper or the issuance of debt securities.
COMPETITION
We operate in the mortgage REIT industry. We believe that our principal competitors in the business of acquiring and holding residential mortgage assets of the types in which we invest are financial institutions, such as banks, savings and loan institutions, life insurance companies, institutional investors, including mutual funds and pension funds, hedge funds, other mortgage-REITs as well as the U.S. Federal Reserve as part of its monetary policy activities. Some of these entities may not be subject to the same regulatory constraints (i.e., REIT compliance or maintaining an exemption under the Investment Company Act) as us. In addition, many of these entities have greater financial resources and access to capital than us. The existence of these entities, as well as the possibility of additional entities forming in the future, may increase the competition for the acquisition of residential mortgage assets, resulting in higher prices and lower yields on such assets.
EMPLOYEES
At December 31, 2014, we had 43 employees, all of whom were full-time. We believe that our relationship with our employees is good. None of our employees are unionized or represented under a collective bargaining agreement.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
We maintain a Web site at www.mfafinancial.com. We make available, free of charge, on our Web site our (a) Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K (including any amendments thereto), proxy statements and other information (or, collectively, the Company Documents) filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (or SEC), as soon as reasonably practicable after such documents are so filed or furnished, (b) Corporate Governance Guidelines, (c) Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and (d) written charters of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors (or our Board). Our Company Documents filed with, or furnished to, the SEC are also available at the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov. We also provide copies of the foregoing materials, free of charge, to stockholders who request them. Requests should be directed to the attention of our General Counsel at MFA Financial, Inc., 350 Park Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10022.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
This section highlights specific risks that could affect our Company and its business. Readers should carefully consider each of the following risks and all of the other information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based on the information currently known to us, we believe the following information identifies the most significant risk factors affecting our Company. However, the risks and uncertainties we face are not limited to those described below. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely affect our business.
If any of the following risks and uncertainties develops into actual events or if the circumstances described in the risks and uncertainties occur or continue to occur, these events or circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or liquidity. These events could also have a negative effect on the trading price of our securities.
General
Our business and operations are affected by a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, and primarily depend on, among other things, the level of our net interest income, the market value of our assets, the supply and demand for MBS and residential whole loans in the marketplace, the availability, sufficiency and terms of adequate financing, the credit performance of our Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans, general economic and real estate conditions (both on national and local level) and the impact of government actions in the real estate and mortgage sectors. Our net interest income varies primarily as a result of changes in interest rates, the slope of the yield curve (i.e., the differential between long-term and short-term interest rates), borrowing costs (i.e., our interest expense) and prepayment speeds on our MBS and residential whole loans, the behavior of which involves various risks and uncertainties. Interest rates and conditional prepayment rates (or CPRs), which measure the amount of unscheduled principal payment on a bond or loan as a percentage of its balance, vary according to the type of investment, conditions in the financial markets, competition and other factors, none of which can be predicted with any certainty. Our operating results also depend upon our ability to effectively manage the risks associated with our business operations, including interest rate, prepayment, financing and credit risks, while maintaining our qualification as a REIT.
We may change our investment strategy, operating policies and/or asset allocations without stockholder consent, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
We may change our investment strategy, operating policies and/or asset allocation with respect to investments, acquisitions, leverage, growth, operations, indebtedness, capitalization and distributions at any time without the consent of our stockholders. A change in our investment strategy may increase our exposure to interest rate risk, credit risk, default risk and/or real estate market fluctuations. Furthermore, a change in our asset allocation could result in our making investments in asset categories different from our historical investments. For example, during 2013 and 2014 we began investing in RPL/NPL MBS and credit sensitive residential whole loans. The mortgages underlying these assets generally have different characteristics from the mortgages underlying the other Non-Agency investments we have made in previous years, including, for example, lower average loan balances and lower borrower Fair Issac Corporation (or FICO) scores. These changes could materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, the market price of our common stock or our ability to pay dividends or make distributions.
Credit Risks
Our investments in Non-Agency MBS (including RPL/NPL MBS, which we have acquired in recent years)) or other investment assets of lower credit quality, including our investments in seasoned re-performing and non-performing residential whole loans, involve credit risk, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
The holder of a mortgage or MBS assumes the risk that the related borrowers may default on their obligations to make full and timely payments of principal and interest. Under our investment policy, we have the ability to acquire Non-Agency MBS, residential whole loans and other investment assets of lower credit quality. In general, Non-Agency MBS carry greater investment risk than Agency MBS because they are not guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, any federal agency or any federally chartered corporation. Higher-than-expected rates of default and/or higher-than-expected loss severities on the mortgages underlying our Non-Agency MBS or on our residential whole loan investments may adversely affect the value of those assets. Accordingly, defaults in the payment of principal and/or interest on our Non-Agency MBS, residential whole loan investments and other investment assets of less-than-high credit quality would likely result in our incurring losses of income from, and/or losses in market value relating to, these assets.
A significant portion of our Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans are secured by properties in a small number of geographic areas and may be disproportionately affected by economic or housing downturns, natural disasters, terrorist events, adverse climate changes or other adverse events specific to those markets.
A significant number of the mortgages underlying our Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loan investments are concentrated in certain geographic areas. For example, we have significantly higher exposure in California, Florida, New York, Virginia and Maryland. (See “Credit Risk” included under Part II, Item 7A “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.) Certain markets within these states (particularly California and Florida) experienced significant decreases in residential home values during the financial crisis of 2007-2008 and the years thereafter. Any event that adversely affects the economy or real estate market in any of these states could have a disproportionately adverse effect on our Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loan investments. In general, any material decline in the economy or significant problems in a particular real estate market would likely cause a decline in the value of residential properties securing the mortgages in that market, thereby increasing the risk of delinquency, default and foreclosure of re-performing loans and the loans underlying our Non-Agency MBS. This could, in turn, have a material adverse effect on our credit loss experience on our Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loan investments in the affected market if higher-than-expected rates of default and/or higher-than-expected loss severities on our re-performing loan investments or the mortgages underlying our Non-Agency MBS were to occur.
The occurrence of a natural disaster (such as an earthquake, tornado, hurricane or a flood), terrorist attack or a significant adverse climate change may cause a sudden decrease in the value of real estate in the area or areas affected and would likely reduce the value of the properties securing the mortgages collateralizing our Non-Agency MBS or residential whole loans. Because certain natural disasters are not typically covered by the standard hazard insurance policies maintained by borrowers, the affected borrowers may have to pay for any repairs themselves. Borrowers may decide not to repair their property or may stop paying their mortgages under those circumstances. This would likely cause defaults and credit loss severities to increase.
Changes in governmental laws and regulations, fiscal policies, property taxes and zoning ordinances can also have a negative impact on property values, which could result in borrowers’ deciding to stop paying their mortgages. This circumstance could cause credit loss severities to increase, thereby adversely impacting our results of operations.
We have investments in Non-Agency MBS collateralized by Alt A loans and may also have investments collateralized by subprime mortgage loans, which, due to lower underwriting standards, are subject to increased risk of losses.
We have certain investments in Non-Agency MBS backed by collateral pools containing mortgage loans that were originated under underwriting standards that were less strict than those used in underwriting “prime mortgage loans.” These lower standards permitted mortgage loans, often with LTV ratios in excess 80%, to be made to borrowers having impaired credit histories, lower credit scores, higher debt-to-income ratios and/or unverified income. Difficult economic conditions, including increased interest rates and lower home prices, can result in Alt A and subprime mortgage loans having increased rates of delinquency, foreclosure, bankruptcy and loss (including such as during the credit crisis of 2007-2008 and the housing crisis of the last few years), and are likely to otherwise experience delinquency, foreclosure, bankruptcy and loss rates that are higher, and that may be substantially higher, than those experienced by mortgage loans underwritten in a more traditional manner. Thus, because of higher delinquency rates and losses associated with Alt A and subprime mortgage loans, the performance of our Non-Agency MBS that are backed by these types of loans could be correspondingly adversely affected, which could materially adversely impact our results of operations, financial condition and business.
To the extent that due diligence is conducted on potential assets, such due diligence may not reveal all of the risks associated with such assets and may not reveal other weaknesses in such assets, which could lead to losses.
Before making an investment, we typically conduct (either directly or using third parties) certain due diligence. There can be no assurance that we will conduct any specific level of due diligence, or that, among other things, our due diligence processes will uncover all relevant facts, which could result in losses on these assets to the extent we ultimately acquire them, which, in turn, could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and business.
We are subject to counterparty risk and may be unable to seek indemnity or require counterparties to repurchase residential whole loans if they breach representations and warranties, which could cause us to suffer losses.
When selling mortgage loans, sellers typically make customary representations and warranties about such loans. Residential mortgage loan purchase agreements may entitle the purchaser of the loans to seek indemnity or demand repurchase or substitution of the loans in the event the seller of the loans breaches a representation or warranty given to the purchaser. There can be no assurance that a mortgage loan purchase agreement will contain appropriate representations and warranties, that we or the trust
that purchases the mortgage loans would be able to enforce a contractual right to repurchase or substitution, or that the seller of the loans will remain solvent or otherwise be able to honor its obligations under its mortgage loan purchase agreements. The inability to obtain or enforce an indemnity or require repurchase of a significant number of loans could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and business.
We have experienced, and may in the future experience, declines in the market value of certain of our investment securities resulting in our recording impairments, which have had, and may in the future have, an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
A decline in the market value of our MBS or other investment securities may require us to recognize an “other-than-temporary impairment” (or OTTI) against such assets under GAAP. When the fair value of an investment security is less than its amortized cost at the balance sheet date, the security is considered impaired. We assess our impaired securities on, at minimum, a quarterly basis and designate such impairments as either “temporary” or “other-than-temporary.” If we intend to sell an impaired security, or it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the impaired security before any anticipated recovery, then we must recognize an OTTI through charges to earnings equal to the entire difference between the security’s amortized cost and its fair value at the balance sheet date. If we do not expect to sell an other-than-temporarily impaired security, only the portion of the OTTI that is related to credit losses is required to be recognized through charges to earnings with the remainder recognized through other accumulated comprehensive income/(loss) (or AOCI) on our consolidated balance sheets. Impairments recognized through other comprehensive income/(loss) (or OCI) do not affect earnings. When an OTTI is recognized through earnings, a new cost basis is established for the security and the new cost basis may not be adjusted for subsequent recoveries in fair value through earnings. However, OTTIs recognized through charges to earnings may be accreted back to the amortized cost basis of the security on a prospective basis through interest income. The determination as to whether an OTTI exists and, if so, the amount of credit impairment to be recognized in earnings is subjective, as such determinations are based on facts available at the time the determination is made, as well as on our estimates of the future performance and cash flow projections. As a result, the timing and amount of OTTIs constitute material estimates that are susceptible to significant change.
Our use of models in connection with the valuation of our assets subjects us to potential risks in the event that such models are incorrect, misleading or based on incomplete information.
As part of our risk management process, we may use models to evaluate, depending on the asset class, house price appreciation and depreciation by county, region, prepayment speeds and foreclosure frequency, cost and timing. Certain assumptions used as inputs to the models may be based on historical trends. These trends may not be indicative of future results. Furthermore, the assumptions underlying the models may prove to be inaccurate, causing the model output also to be incorrect. In the event models and data prove to be incorrect, misleading or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon expose us to potential risks. For example, by relying on incorrect models and data, we may be induced to buy certain assets at prices that are too high, to sell certain other assets at prices that are too low or to miss favorable opportunities altogether.
Valuations of some of our assets are subject to inherent uncertainty, may be based on estimates, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may differ from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these assets existed.
While the determination of the fair value of our investment assets takes into consideration valuations provided by third-party dealers and pricing services, the final determination of exit price fair values for our investment assets is based on our judgment, and such valuations may differ from those provided by third-party dealers and pricing services. Valuations of certain assets may be difficult to obtain or may not be reliable. In general, dealers and pricing services heavily disclaim their valuations as such valuations are not intended to be binding bid prices. Additionally, dealers may claim to furnish valuations only as an accommodation and without special compensation, and so they may disclaim any and all liability arising out of any inaccuracy or incompleteness in valuations. Depending on the complexity and illiquidity of an asset, valuations of the same asset can vary substantially from one dealer or pricing service to another.
Our results of operations, financial condition and business could be materially adversely affected if our fair value determinations of these assets were materially higher than the values that would exist if a ready market existed for these assets.
Mortgage loan modification and refinancing programs and future legislative action may materially adversely affect the value of, and the returns on, our MBS and residential whole loan investments.
The U.S. Government, through the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department, the Federal Housing Administration (or the FHA) and other agencies implemented a number of federal programs designed to assist homeowners, including the Home Affordable Modification Program (or HAMP), which provides homeowners with assistance in avoiding residential mortgage loan foreclosures, the Hope for Homeowners Program (or H4H Program), which allows certain distressed borrowers to refinance their mortgages into FHA-insured loans in order to avoid foreclosure, and the Home Affordable Refinance Program (or HARP), which allows borrowers who are current on their mortgage payments to refinance and reduce their monthly mortgage payments without new mortgage insurance, up to an unlimited loan-to-value ratio for fixed-rate mortgages. HAMP, the H4H Program and other loss mitigation programs may involve, among other things, the modification of mortgage loans to reduce the principal amount of the loans (through forbearance and/or forgiveness) and/or the rate of interest payable on the loans, or to extend the payment terms of the loans. Especially with our Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loan investments, a continuing number of loan modifications with respect to a given underlying loan, including, but not limited to, those related to principal forgiveness and coupon reduction, could negatively impact the realized yields and cash flows on such investments. These loan modification programs, future legislative or regulatory actions, including possible amendments to the bankruptcy laws, that result in the modification of outstanding residential mortgage loans, as well as changes in the requirements necessary to qualify for refinancing mortgage loans with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, may materially adversely affect the value of, and the returns on, these assets.
Our investments in residential whole loans subject us to servicing-related risks, including those associated with foreclosure.
Beginning in the second quarter of 2014, we began to invest in residential whole loans through our investments in certain trusts that are consolidated on our balance sheet for financial reporting purposes. We expect that our investment portfolio in residential whole loans will increase over time.
The residential whole loans that have been acquired to date were purchased together with the related mortgage servicing rights. We rely on unaffiliated servicing companies to service and manage the mortgages underlying our MBS and our residential whole loans. If a servicer is not vigilant in seeing that borrowers make their required monthly payments, borrowers may be less likely to make these payments, resulting in a higher frequency of default. If a servicer takes longer to liquidate non-performing mortgages, our losses related to those loans may be higher than originally anticipated. Any failure by servicers to service these mortgages and related real estate owned (or REO) properties could negatively impact the value of these investments and our financial performance. In addition, while we have contracted with unaffiliated servicing companies to carry out the actual servicing of the loans (including all direct interface with the borrowers), we are nevertheless ultimately responsible, vis-à-vis the borrowers and state and federal regulators, for ensuring that the loans are serviced in accordance with the terms of the related notes and mortgages and applicable law and regulation. (See “Regulatory Risk and Risks Related to the Investment Company Act of 1940 -- Our business is subject to extensive regulation.) In light of the current regulatory environment, such exposure could be significant even though we might have contractual claims against our servicers for any failure to service the loans to the required standard.
When one of our residential whole loans is foreclosed upon, title to the underlying property is taken by a Company subsidiary. The foreclosure process, especially in judicial foreclosure states such as New York, Florida and New Jersey can be lengthy and expensive, and the delays and costs involved in completing a foreclosure, and then liquidating the property through sale, may materially increase any related loss. Finally, at such time as title is taken to a foreclosed property, it may require more extensive rehabilitation than we estimated at acquisition or a previously unknown environmental liability may be discovered that would require expensive and time-consuming remediation.
Government use of eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages could materially adversely affect the value of, and the returns on, our MBS.
The mortgages securing our investments are located in many geographic regions across the United States, with significantly higher exposure in California, Florida, New York, Virginia and Maryland. Several county and municipal governments have discussed using eminent domain to seize from mortgage holders the mortgages of borrowers who are underwater, but not in default. In August 2013, the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (or FHFA) released a statement expressing serious concerns on the use of eminent domain to restructure mortgages, based on a review it conducted since requesting public input on the proposal in August 2012, and indicated that it may take action in response to the use of eminent domain to restructure mortgage loans. However, if definitive action is taken by any local governments and such actions withstand Constitutional and other legal challenges, resulting in mortgages securing certain of our investments being seized using eminent domain, the consideration received from the seizing authorities for such mortgages may be substantially less than the outstanding principal balance, which would result in a realized loss and a corresponding write-down of the principal balance of those mortgages. The result of these seizures would be that the amounts we receive on our investments would be less than we would otherwise have received if the mortgage loans had not been
seized, which may result in a lower return on such assets or require charges for OTTI or loan loss reserves. If governments ultimately adopt such plans and mortgages securing certain of our investments are seized on a widespread scale, it could have a material adverse effect on the value of and/or returns on our assets and our results of operations more generally.
The federal conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and related efforts, along with any changes in laws and regulations affecting the relationship between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the U.S. Government, may materially adversely affect our business.
The payments of principal and interest we receive on our Agency MBS, which depend directly upon payments on the mortgages underlying such securities, are guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are GSEs, but their guarantees are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Ginnie Mae is part of a U.S. Government agency and its guarantees are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
In response to general market instability and, more specifically, the financial conditions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in July 2008 Congress enacted the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which established the FHFA as a new regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the FHFA. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury, the FHFA, and the U.S. Federal Reserve announced a comprehensive action plan to help stabilize the financial markets, support the availability of mortgage finance and protect taxpayers. Under this plan, among other things, the FHFA was appointed as conservator of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, allowing the FHFA to control the actions of the two GSEs without forcing them to liquidate (which would have been the case under receivership). The primary focus of the plan was to increase the availability of mortgage financing by allowing these GSEs to continue to grow their guarantee business without limit, while limiting the size of their retained mortgage and Agency MBS portfolios and requiring that these portfolios be reduced over time.
In an effort to further stabilize the U.S. mortgage market, the U.S. Treasury pursued three additional initiatives beginning in 2008. First, it entered into preferred stock purchase agreements, which have been subsequently amended, with each of the GSEs to ensure that they maintain a positive net worth. Second, it established a new secured short-term credit facility, which is available to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (as well as Federal Home Loan Banks) when other funding sources are unavailable. Third, it established an Agency MBS purchase program under which the U.S. Treasury purchased Agency MBS in the open market. The U.S. Federal Reserve also established a program of purchasing Agency MBS.
Those efforts resulted in significant U.S. Government financial support and increased control of the GSEs. The FHFA reported that, from the time of execution of the preferred stock purchase agreements through the third quarter of 2014, funding provided to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the preferred stock purchase agreements totaled approximately $187.5 billion (although neither has required funding from the Treasury in the past ten quarters). Those preferred stock purchase agreements, as amended, also require the reduction of Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s mortgage and Agency MBS portfolios (such portfolios were limited to $900 billion as of December 31, 2009, and to $810 billion as of December 31, 2010, and must be reduced each year until their respective mortgage assets reach $250 billion). In August 2012, the Treasury Department amended its stock purchase agreements to provide that the GSEs’ portfolios will be wound down at an annual rate of 15 percent (an increase of five percent over the previously agreed annual rate of ten percent). In May 2014, the FHFA directed the GSEs to submit plans for reducing their retained portfolio assets to $250 billion by December 31, 2018. (As of March 2014, Freddie Mac’s portfolio stood at $434 billion and Fannie Mae’s was $468 billion.)
Although the U.S. Government has committed to support the positive net worth of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, there is no guarantee of continuing capital support if such support were to become necessary. These uncertainties lead to questions about the availability of, and trading market for, Agency MBS. Despite the steps taken by the U.S. Government, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could default on their guarantee obligations which would materially and adversely affect the value of our Agency MBS. Accordingly, if these government actions are inadequate in the future and the GSEs were to suffer losses, be significantly reformed, or cease to exist (as discussed below), our business, operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.
In addition, the problems faced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac resulting in their being placed into federal conservatorship and receiving significant U.S. Government support have sparked serious debate among federal policy makers regarding the continued role of the U.S. Government in providing liquidity for mortgage loans. In 2011, the Obama administration proposed a plan to wind down the GSEs, and both houses of Congress have considered legislation to reform the GSEs, their functions and their missions. The future roles of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may be reduced (perhaps significantly) and the nature of their guarantee obligations could be limited relative to historical measurements. Alternatively, it is still possible that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be dissolved entirely or privatized, and, as mentioned above, the U.S. Government could determine to stop providing liquidity support of any kind to the mortgage market. Any changes to the nature of the GSEs or their guarantee obligations could redefine what constitutes an Agency MBS and could have broad adverse implications for the market and our business, operations and financial condition. If Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac were to be eliminated, or their structures were to change radically
(in particular a limitation or removal of the guarantee obligation), we could be unable to acquire additional Agency MBS and our existing Agency MBS could be materially and adversely impacted.
We could be negatively affected in a number of ways depending on the manner in which events unfold for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. We rely on our Agency MBS as collateral for a significant portion of our financings under our repurchase agreements. Any decline in their value, or perceived market uncertainty about their value, would make it more difficult for us to obtain financing on our Agency MBS on acceptable terms or at all, or to maintain our compliance with the terms of any financing transactions.
As indicated above, future legislation could, among other things, reform the GSEs and their functions, or nationalize, privatize, or eliminate them entirely. Any law affecting the GSEs may create market uncertainty and have the effect of reducing the actual or perceived credit quality of securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. As a result, such laws could increase the risk of loss on our investments in Agency MBS guaranteed by Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac. It also is possible that such laws could adversely impact the market for such securities and the spreads at which they trade. All of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect our business, operations and financial condition.
Prepayment and Reinvestment Risk
Prepayment rates on the mortgage loans underlying our MBS may materially adversely affect our profitability or result in liquidity shortfalls that could require us to sell assets in unfavorable market conditions.
The MBS that we acquire are secured by pools of mortgages on residential properties. In general, the mortgages collateralizing our MBS may be prepaid at any time without penalty. Prepayments on our MBS result when borrowers satisfy (i.e., pay off) the mortgage upon selling or refinancing their mortgaged property. When we acquire a particular MBS, we anticipate that the underlying mortgage loans will prepay at a projected rate which, together with expected coupon income, provides us with an expected yield on that MBS. If we purchase MBS at a premium to par value, and borrowers then prepay the underlying mortgage loans at a faster rate than we expected, the increased prepayments on the MBS would reduce our expected yield on such securities because we would be required to amortize the related premium on an accelerated basis. Conversely, if we purchase MBS at a discount to par value, and borrowers then prepay the underlying mortgage loans at a slower rate than we expected, the decreased prepayments on the MBS would reduce our expected yield on such securities because we would not be able to accrete the related discount as quickly as originally anticipated.
Prepayment rates on mortgage loans are influenced by changes in mortgage and market interest rates and a variety of economic, geographic, governmental and other factors beyond our control. Consequently, prepayment rates cannot be predicted with certainty and no strategy can completely insulate us from prepayment risks. In periods of declining interest rates, prepayment rates on mortgage loans generally increase. Because of prepayment risk, the market value of our MBS (and in particular our Agency MBS) may benefit less than other fixed income securities from a decline in interest rates. If general interest rates decline at the same time, we would likely not be able to reinvest the proceeds of the prepayments that we receive in assets yielding as much as those yields on the assets that were prepaid.
With respect to Agency MBS, we have, at times, purchased securities that have a higher coupon rate than the prevailing market interest rates. In exchange for a higher coupon rate, we typically pay a premium over par value to acquire such securities. In accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (or GAAP), we amortize premiums on our MBS over the life of the related MBS. If the underlying mortgage loans securing these securities prepay at a more rapid rate than anticipated, we will be required to amortize the related premiums on an accelerated basis, which could adversely affect our profitability. Defaults on the mortgages underlying Agency MBS typically have the same effect as loan prepayments because of the underlying Agency guarantee. As of December 31, 2014, we had net purchase premiums on our Agency MBS of $213.3 million (or 3.8% of current par value) and net purchase discounts on our Non-Agency MBS of $1.300 billion (or 24.4% of current par value).
Prepayments, which are the primary feature of MBS that distinguishes them from other types of bonds, are difficult to predict and can vary significantly over time. As the holder of MBS, we receive a monthly payment equal to a portion of our investment principal in a particular MBS as the underlying mortgages are prepaid. With respect to Agency MBS, we typically receive notice of monthly principal prepayments on the fifth business day of each month (such day is commonly referred to as “factor day”) and receive the related scheduled payment on a specified later date, which for (a) our Agency ARM-MBS and fixed-rate Agency MBS guaranteed by Fannie Mae is the 25th day of the month (or next business day thereafter), (b) our Agency ARM-MBS guaranteed by Freddie Mac is the 15th day of the following month (or next business day thereafter), (c) our fixed-rate Agency MBS guaranteed by Freddie Mac is the 15th day of the month (or next business day thereafter), and (d) our Agency ARM-MBS guaranteed by Ginnie Mae is the 20th day of that month (or next business day thereafter). With respect to our Non-Agency MBS, we typically receive notice of monthly principal prepayments and the related scheduled payment on the 25th day of each month (or next business day thereafter). In general, on the date each month that principal prepayments are announced (i.e., factor day for Agency MBS),
the value of our MBS pledged as collateral under our repurchase agreements is reduced by the amount of the prepaid principal and, as a result, our lenders will typically initiate a margin call that requires us to pledge additional collateral in the form of cash or additional MBS, in an amount equal to the prepaying principal, in order to re-establish the required ratio of borrowing to collateral value under such repurchase agreements. Accordingly, in the case of Agency MBS, the announcement on factor day of principal prepayments occurs prior to our receipt of the related scheduled payment. This timing differential creates a short-term receivable for us in the amount of any such principal prepayments; however, under our repurchase agreements, we may receive a margin call in the amount of the related reduction in value of the Agency MBS and be required to post on or about factor day additional cash or other collateral in the amount of the prepaying principal to be received, which thereby would reduce our liquidity during the period in which the short-term receivable is outstanding. As a result, in order to meet any such margin calls, we might be forced to sell assets in order to maintain adequate liquidity. Forced sales, particularly under adverse market conditions, may result in lower sales prices than sales made under ordinary market conditions in the normal course of business. If our MBS were to be liquidated at prices below our amortized cost (i.e., our cost basis) of such assets, we would incur losses, which could materially adversely affect our earnings. In addition, in order to continue to earn a return on this prepaid principal, we must reinvest it in additional MBS or other assets; however, in a declining interest rate environment, we might earn a lower return on our reinvested funds as compared to the return earned on the MBS that had prepaid.
Prepayments may have a materially negative impact on our financial results, the effects of which depend on, among other things, the timing and amount of the prepayment delay on Agency MBS, the amount of unamortized premium on MBS prepayments, the rate at which prepayments are made on our Non-Agency MBS, the reinvestment lag and the availability of suitable reinvestment opportunities.
Risks Related to Our Use of Leverage
Our business strategy involves the use of leverage, and we may not achieve what we believe to be optimal levels of leverage or we may become overleveraged, which may materially adversely affect our liquidity, results of operations or financial condition.
Our business strategy involves the use of borrowing or “leverage.” Pursuant to our leverage strategy, we borrow against a substantial portion of the market value of our MBS and our residential whole loans and use the borrowed funds to finance our investment portfolio and the acquisition of additional investment assets. We are not required to maintain any particular debt-to-equity ratio. Future increases in the amount by which the collateral value is required to contractually exceed the repurchase transaction loan amount, decreases in the market value of our MBS, increases in interest rate volatility and changes in the availability of acceptable financing could cause us to be unable to achieve the amount of leverage we believe to be optimal. The return on our assets and cash available for distribution to our stockholders may be reduced to the extent that changes in market conditions prevent us from achieving the desired amount of leverage on our investments or cause the cost of our financing to increase relative to the income earned on our leveraged assets. If the interest income on our MBS purchased with borrowed funds fails to cover the interest expense of the related borrowings, we will experience net interest losses and may experience net losses from operations. Such losses could be significant as a result of our leveraged structure. The use of leverage to finance our MBS and other assets involves a number of other risks, including, among other things, the following:
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• | Adverse developments involving major financial institutions or involving one of our lenders could result in a rapid reduction in our ability to borrow and materially adversely affect our business, profitability and liquidity. As of December 31, 2014, we had amounts outstanding under repurchase agreements with 25 separate lenders. A material adverse development involving one or more major financial institutions or the financial markets in general could result in our lenders reducing our access to funds available under our repurchase agreements or terminating such repurchase agreements altogether. Because all of our repurchase agreements are uncommitted and renewable at the discretion of our lenders, our lenders could determine to reduce or terminate our access to future borrowings at virtually any time, which could materially adversely affect our business and profitability. Furthermore, if a number of our lenders became unwilling or unable to continue to provide us with financing, we could be forced to sell assets, including MBS in an unrealized loss position, in order to maintain liquidity. Forced sales, particularly under adverse market conditions may result in lower sales prices than ordinary market sales made in the normal course of business. If our MBS were liquidated at prices below our amortized cost (i.e., the cost basis) of such assets, we would incur losses, which could adversely affect our earnings. |
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• | Our profitability may be materially adversely affected by a reduction in our leverage. As long as we earn a positive spread between interest and other income we earn on our leveraged assets and our borrowing costs, we believe that we can generally increase our profitability by using greater amounts of leverage. There can be no assurance, however, that repurchase financing will remain an efficient source of long-term financing for our assets. The amount of leverage that we use may be limited because our lenders might not make funding available to us at acceptable rates or they may require |
that we provide additional collateral to secure our borrowings. If our financing strategy is not viable, we will have to find alternative forms of financing for our assets which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at acceptable rates. In addition, in response to certain interest rate and investment environments or to changes in market liquidity, we could adopt a strategy of reducing our leverage by selling assets or not reinvesting principal payments as MBS amortize and/or prepay, thereby decreasing the outstanding amount of our related borrowings. Such an action could reduce interest income, interest expense and net income, the extent of which would be dependent on the level of reduction in assets and liabilities as well as the sale prices for which the assets were sold.
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• | If we are unable to renew our borrowings at acceptable interest rates, it may force us to sell assets under adverse market conditions, which may materially adversely affect our liquidity and profitability. Since we rely primarily on borrowings under repurchase agreements to finance our MBS, our ability to achieve our investment objectives depends on our ability to borrow funds in sufficient amounts and on acceptable terms, and on our ability to renew or replace maturing borrowings on a continuous basis. Our repurchase agreement credit lines are renewable at the discretion of our lenders and, as such, do not contain guaranteed roll-over terms. Our ability to enter into repurchase transactions in the future will depend on the market value of our MBS pledged to secure the specific borrowings, the availability of acceptable financing and market liquidity and other conditions existing in the lending market at that time. If we are not able to renew or replace maturing borrowings, we could be forced to sell assets, including MBS in an unrealized loss position, in order to maintain liquidity. Forced sales, particularly under adverse market conditions could result in lower sales prices than ordinary market sales made in the normal course of business. If our MBS were liquidated at prices below our amortized cost (i.e., the cost basis) of such assets, we would incur losses, which could materially adversely affect our earnings. |
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• | A decline in the market value of our assets may result in margin calls that may force us to sell assets under adverse market conditions, which may materially adversely affect our liquidity and profitability. In general, the market value of our MBS is impacted by changes in interest rates, prevailing market yields and other market conditions. A decline in the market value of our MBS may limit our ability to borrow against such assets or result in lenders initiating margin calls, which require a pledge of additional collateral or cash to re-establish the required ratio of borrowing to collateral value, under our repurchase agreements. Posting additional collateral or cash to support our credit will reduce our liquidity and limit our ability to leverage our assets, which could materially adversely affect our business. As a result, we could be forced to sell a portion of our assets, including MBS in an unrealized loss position, in order to maintain liquidity. |
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• | If a counterparty to our repurchase transactions defaults on its obligation to resell the underlying security back to us at the end of the transaction term or if we default on our obligations under the repurchase agreement, we could incur losses. When we engage in repurchase transactions, we generally transfer securities to lenders (i.e., repurchase agreement counterparties) and receive cash from such lenders. Because the cash we receive from the lender when we initially transfer the securities to the lender is less than the value of those securities (this difference is referred to as the “haircut”), if the lender defaults on its obligation to transfer the same securities back to us, we would incur a loss on the transaction equal to the amount of the haircut (assuming there was no change in the value of the securities). See Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for further discussion regarding risks related to exposure to financial institution counterparties in light of recent market conditions. Our exposure to defaults by counterparties may be more pronounced during periods of significant volatility in the market conditions for mortgages and mortgage-related assets as well as the broader financial markets. At December 31, 2014, we had greater than 5% stockholders’ equity at risk to the following repurchase agreement counterparties: Credit Suisse (approximately 18.3%), Wells Fargo (approximately 10.8%), UBS (approximately 6.7%), RBC (approximately 6.0%) and RBS (approximately 5.2%). |
In addition, generally, if we default on one of our obligations under a repurchase transaction with a particular lender, that lender can elect to terminate the transaction and cease entering into additional repurchase transactions with us. In addition, some of our repurchase agreements contain cross-default provisions, so that if a default occurs under any one agreement, the lenders under our other repurchase agreements could also declare a default. Any losses we incur on our repurchase transactions could materially adversely affect our earnings and thus our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
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• | Our use of repurchase agreements to borrow money may give our lenders greater rights in the event of bankruptcy. Borrowings made under repurchase agreements may qualify for special treatment under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. If a lender under one of our repurchase agreements defaults on its obligations, it may be difficult for us to recover our assets pledged as collateral to such lender. In the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of a lender during the term of a repurchase agreement, the lender may be permitted, under applicable insolvency laws, to repudiate the contract, and our claim against the lender for damages may be treated simply as an unsecured creditor. In addition, if the lender is a broker or dealer subject to the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, or an insured depository institution subject to the Federal Deposit |
Insurance Act, our ability to exercise our rights to recover our securities under a repurchase agreement or to be compensated for any damages resulting from the lender’s insolvency may be further limited by those statutes. These claims would be subject to significant delay and, if and when received, may be substantially less than the damages we actually incur. In addition, in the event of our insolvency or bankruptcy, certain repurchase agreements may qualify for special treatment under the Bankruptcy Code, the effect of which, among other things, would be to allow the creditor under the agreement to avoid the automatic stay provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and take possession of, and liquidate, our collateral under our repurchase agreements without delay. Our risks associated with the insolvency or bankruptcy of a lender maybe more pronounced during periods of significant volatility in the market conditions for mortgages and mortgage-related assets as well as the broader financial markets.
An increase in our borrowing costs relative to the interest we receive on our MBS may materially adversely affect our profitability.
Our earnings are primarily generated from the difference between the interest income we earn on our investment portfolio, less net amortization of purchase premiums and discounts, and the interest expense we pay on our borrowings. We rely primarily on borrowings under repurchase agreements to finance the acquisition of MBS which have longer-term contractual maturities. Even though the majority of our investments have interest rates that adjust over time based on changes in corresponding interest rate indexes, the interest we pay on our borrowings may increase at a faster pace than the interest we earn on our investments. In general, if the interest expense on our borrowings increases relative to the interest income we earn on our investments, our profitability may be materially adversely affected, including due to the following reasons:
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• | Changes in interest rates, cyclical or otherwise, may materially adversely affect our profitability. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including fiscal and monetary policies and domestic and international economic and political conditions, as well as other factors beyond our control. In general, we finance the acquisition of our investments through borrowings in the form of repurchase transactions, which exposes us to interest rate risk on the financed assets. The cost of our borrowings is based on prevailing market interest rates. Because the terms of our repurchase transactions typically range from one to six months at inception, the interest rates on our borrowings generally adjust more frequently (as new repurchase transactions are entered into upon the maturity of existing repurchase transactions) than the interest rates on our investments. During a period of rising interest rates, our borrowing costs generally will increase at a faster pace than our interest earnings on the leveraged portion of our investment portfolio, which could result in a decline in our net interest spread and net interest margin. The severity of any such decline would depend on our asset/liability composition, including the impact of hedging transactions, at the time as well as the magnitude and period over which interest rates increase. Further, an increase in short-term interest rates could also have a negative impact on the market value of our MBS portfolio. If any of these events happen, we could experience a decrease in net income or incur a net loss during these periods, which may negatively impact our distributions to stockholders. |
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• | Interest rate caps on the mortgages collateralizing our MBS may materially adversely affect our profitability if short-term interest rates increase. The coupons earned on ARM-MBS adjust over time as interest rates change (typically after an initial fixed-rate period for Hybrids). The financial markets primarily determine the interest rates that we pay on the repurchase transactions used to finance the acquisition of our MBS; however, the level of adjustment to the interest rates earned on our ARM-MBS is typically limited by contract (or in certain cases by state or federal law). The interim and lifetime interest rate caps on the mortgages collateralizing our MBS limit the amount by which the interest rates on such assets can adjust. Interim interest rate caps limit the amount interest rates on a particular ARM can adjust during the next adjustment period. Lifetime interest rate caps limit the amount interest rates can adjust upward from inception through maturity of a particular ARM. Our repurchase transactions are not subject to similar restrictions. Accordingly, in a sustained period of rising interest rates or a period in which interest rates rise rapidly, we could experience a decrease in net income or a net loss because the interest rates paid by us on our borrowings (excluding the impact of hedging transactions) could increase without limitation (as new repurchase transactions are entered into upon the maturity of existing repurchase transactions) while increases in the interest rates earned on the mortgages collateralizing our MBS could be limited due to interim or lifetime interest rate caps. |
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• | Adjustments of interest rates on our borrowings may not be matched to interest rate indexes on our MBS. In general, the interest rates on our repurchase transactions are based on LIBOR, while the interest rates on our ARM-MBS may be indexed to LIBOR or CMT rate. Accordingly, any increase in LIBOR relative to one-year CMT rates will generally result in an increase in our borrowing costs that is not matched by a corresponding increase in the interest earned on our ARM-MBS tied to these other index rates. Any such interest rate index mismatch could adversely affect our profitability, which may negatively impact our distributions to stockholders. |
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• | A flat or inverted yield curve may adversely affect ARM-MBS prepayment rates and supply. Our net interest income varies primarily as a result of changes in interest rates as well as changes in interest rates across the yield curve. When the differential between short-term and long-term benchmark interest rates narrows, the yield curve is said to be “flattening.” In addition, a flatter yield curve generally leads to fixed-rate mortgage rates that are closer to the interest rates available on ARMs, potentially decreasing the supply of ARM-MBS. At times, short-term interest rates may increase and exceed long-term interest rates, causing an inverted yield curve. When the yield curve is inverted, fixed-rate mortgage rates may approach or be lower than mortgage rates on ARMs, further increasing ARM-MBS prepayments and further negatively impacting ARM-MBS supply. Increases in prepayments on our MBS portfolio cause our premium amortization to accelerate, lowering the yield on such assets. If this happens, we could experience a decrease in net income or incur a net loss during these periods, which may negatively impact our distributions to stockholders. |
Risks Associated With Adverse Developments in the Mortgage Finance and Credit Markets and Financial Markets Generally
Market conditions for mortgages and mortgage-related assets as well as the broader financial markets may materially adversely affect the value of the assets in which we invest.
Our results of operations are materially affected by conditions in the markets for mortgages and mortgage-related assets, including MBS, as well as the broader financial markets and the economy generally. Beginning in 2007, significant adverse changes in financial market conditions resulted in a deleveraging of the entire global financial system and the forced sale of large quantities of mortgage-related and other financial assets, which resulted in significant volatility in the market for mortgages and mortgage-related assets and significant losses by certain commercial banks, investment banks and insurance companies with exposure to the residential mortgage market. The 2007-2008 financial crisis and its aftermath impacted investor perception of the risk associated with residential MBS, real estate-related securities and various other asset classes in which we invest, which has continued, in varying degrees through the present. More recently, concerns over economic growth rates, continuing relatively high levels of unemployment and uncertainty regarding future U.S. monetary policy have contributed to increased interest rate volatility. As a result of these circumstances, values for residential MBS, real estate-related securities and various other asset classes in which we may invest have experienced volatility. Any decline in the value of our investments, or perceived market uncertainty about their value, would likely make it difficult for us to obtain financing on favorable terms or at all, or maintain our compliance with terms of any financing arrangements already in place. Although markets have stabilized more recently, renewed volatility and/or deterioration in the broader residential mortgage and MBS markets could materially adversely affect the performance and market value of our investments.
Because assets we acquire may experience periods of illiquidity, we may lose profits, incur losses or be prevented from earning capital gains if we cannot sell mortgage-related assets at an opportune time.
We bear the risk of being unable to dispose of our investments at advantageous times or in a timely manner because mortgage-related assets may experience periods of illiquidity. A lack of liquidity may result from the absence of a willing buyer or an established market for these assets, as well as legal or contractual restrictions on resale or the unavailability of financing for these assets. As a result, our ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions may be relatively limited, which may cause us to incur losses or prevent us from realizing capital gains.
A lack of liquidity in our investments may materially adversely affect our business.
The assets that comprise our investment portfolio and that we acquire are not traded on an exchange. A portion of our investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale and are otherwise generally less liquid than exchange-traded securities. Any illiquidity of our investments may make it difficult for us to sell such investments if the need or desire arises. In addition, if we are required to liquidate all or a portion of our portfolio quickly, we may realize significantly less than the value at which we have previously recorded our investments. Further, we may face other restrictions on our ability to liquidate an investment in a business entity to the extent that we have or could be attributed with material, non-public information regarding such business entity. As a result, our ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions may be relatively limited, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Actions by the U.S. Government designed to stabilize or reform the financial markets may not achieve their intended effect or otherwise benefit our business, and could materially adversely affect our business.
In July 2010, the U.S. Congress enacted the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (or the Dodd-Frank Act), in part to impose significant investment restrictions and capital requirements on banking entities and other organizations that are significant to U.S. financial markets. For instance, the Dodd-Frank Act imposes significant restrictions on the proprietary
trading activities of certain banking entities and subjects other systemically significant entities and activities regulated by the U.S. Federal Reserve to increased capital requirements and quantitative limits for engaging in such activities. The Dodd-Frank Act also seeks to reform the asset-backed securitization market (including the MBS market) by requiring the retention of a portion of the credit risk inherent in the pool of securitized assets and by imposing additional registration and disclosure requirements. The Dodd-Frank Act also imposes significant regulatory restrictions on the origination of residential mortgage loans. The Dodd-Frank Act’s extensive requirements, and implementation by regulatory agencies such as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or CFTC), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (or FDIC), Federal Reserve Board, the SEC may have a significant effect on the financial markets, and may affect the availability or terms of financing from our lender counterparties and the availability or terms of MBS, both of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
In addition, U.S. Government, U.S. Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury and other governmental and regulatory bodies have taken or are considering taking other actions to continue to address the fallout from the 2007-2008 financial and credit crisis domestically and internationally. International financial regulators are examining standard setting for systemically significant entities, such as those considered by the Third Basel Accords (Basel III) to be incorporated by domestic entities. We cannot predict whether or when such actions may occur or what affect, if any, such actions could have on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Deterioration in the condition of European banks and financial institutions could have a material adverse effect on our business.
In the years following the financial and credit crisis of 2007-2008, certain of our repurchase agreement counterparties in the United States and Europe experienced financial difficulty and were either rescued by government assistance or otherwise benefited from accommodative monetary policy of Central Banks. Several European governments implemented measures to attempt to shore up their financial sectors through loans, credit guarantees, capital infusions, promises of continued liquidity funding and interest rate cuts. Additionally, other governments of the world’s largest economic countries also implemented interest rate cuts. Although economic and credit conditions have stabilized in the past few years, there is no assurance that these and other plans and programs will be successful in the longer term, and, in particular, when governments and central banks begin to significantly unwind or otherwise reverse these programs and policies. If unsuccessful, this could materially adversely affect our financing and operations as well as those of the entire mortgage sector in general.
As Europe continues to experience credit-related concerns, particularly in countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal, there is a risk to the financial condition and stability of major European banks. Some of these banks have U.S. banking subsidiaries, which have provided financing to us, particularly repurchase agreement financing for the acquisition of residential mortgage assets. If European banks and financial institutions experienced a deterioration in financial condition, there is the possibility that this would also negatively affect the operations of their U.S. banking subsidiaries. This could adversely affect our financing and operations as well as those of the entire mortgage sector in general.
Any downgrade, or perceived potential of a downgrade, of U.S. sovereign credit ratings or the credit ratings of the U.S. Government-sponsored entities (or GSEs) by the various credit rating agencies may materially adversely affect our the value of our Agency MBS and our business more generally.
During the summer of 2011, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (or S&P), one of the major credit rating agencies, downgraded the U.S. sovereign credit rating in response to the protracted debate over the “U.S. debt ceiling limit” and S&P’s perception of the U.S. Government’s ability to address its long-term budget deficit. At the same time, S&P also lowered the credit ratings of the GSEs in response to the downgrade in the U.S. sovereign credit rating, as the value of the Agency MBS issued by the GSEs and their ability to meet their obligations under such Agency MBS are largely determined by the support provided to them by the U.S. Government and market perceptions of the strength of such support and the likelihood of its continuity.
We could be adversely affected in a number of ways in the event of a default by the U.S. Government, a further downgrade by S&P or a downgrade of the U.S. sovereign credit rating by another credit rating agency Such adverse effects could include higher financing costs and/or a reduction in the amount of financing provided based on the market value of collateral posted under our repurchase agreements and other financing arrangements. In addition, although the rating agencies have more recently determined that the GSEs’ outlook is generally stable, to the extent that the credit rating of any or all of the GSEs were to be downgraded in the future, the value of our Agency MBS could be adversely affected. These outcomes could in turn materially adversely affect our operations and financial condition in a number of ways, including a reduction in the net interest spread between our assets and associated repurchase agreement borrowings or a decrease in our ability to obtain repurchase agreement financing on acceptable terms, or at all.
Regulatory Risk and Risks Related to the Investment Company Act of 1940
Our business is subject to extensive regulation.
Our business is subject to extensive regulation by federal and state governmental authorities, self-regulatory organizations and securities exchanges. We are required to comply with numerous federal and state laws. The laws, rules and regulations comprising this regulatory framework change frequently, as can the interpretation and enforcement of existing laws, rules and regulations. Some of the laws, rules and regulations to which we are subject are intended primarily to safeguard and protect consumers, rather than stockholders or creditors. From time to time, we may receive requests from federal and state agencies for records, documents and information regarding our policies, procedures and practices regarding our business activities. We incur significant ongoing costs to comply with these government regulations.
Although we do not originate or directly service residential mortgage loans, we must comply with various federal and state laws, rules and regulations as a result of owning MBS and residential whole loans. These rules generally focus on consumer protection and include, among others, rules promulgated under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (or the Dodd-Frank Act), and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act of 1999 (or Gramm-Leach-Bliley). These requirements can and do change as statutes and regulations are enacted, promulgated, amended and interpreted, and the recent trend among federal and state lawmakers and regulators has been toward increasing laws, regulations and investigative proceedings in relation to the mortgage industry generally. Although we believe that we have structured our operations and investments to comply with existing legal and regulatory requirements and interpretations, changes in regulatory and legal requirements, including changes in their interpretation and enforcement by lawmakers and regulators, could materially and adversely affect our business and our financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.
Maintaining our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act imposes significant limits on our operations.
We conduct our operations so that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries are required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act defines an investment company as any issuer that is or holds itself out as being engaged primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities. Section 3(a)(1)(C) of the Investment Company Act defines an investment company as any issuer that is engaged or proposes to engage in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in securities and owns or proposes to acquire investment securities having a value exceeding 40% of the value of the issuer’s total assets (exclusive of U.S. Government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Excluded from the term “investment securities,” among other things, are U.S. Government securities and securities issued by majority-owned subsidiaries that are not themselves investment companies and are not relying on the exception from the definition of investment company for private funds set forth in Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act.
Beginning with the second quarter of 2014, we reorganized as a holding company to conduct our businesses primarily through wholly-owned subsidiaries. We intend to conduct our operations so that we do not come within the definition of an investment company because less than 40% of the value of our adjusted total assets on an unconsolidated basis will consist of “investment securities.” The securities issued by any wholly-owned or majority-owned subsidiaries that we may form in the future that are excepted from the definition of “investment company” based on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act, together with any other investment securities we may own, may not have a value in excess of 40% of the value of our adjusted total assets on an unconsolidated basis. We monitor our holdings to ensure continuing and ongoing compliance with this test. In addition, we believe we will not be considered an investment company under Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act because we will not engage primarily or hold ourselves out as being engaged primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities. Rather, through our wholly-owned subsidiaries, we will be primarily engaged in the non-investment company businesses of these subsidiaries.
If the value of securities issued by our subsidiaries that are excepted from the definition of “investment company” by Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act, together with any other investment securities we own, exceeds 40% of our adjusted total assets on an unconsolidated basis, or if one or more of such subsidiaries fail to maintain an exception or exemption from the Investment Company Act, we could, among other things, be required either (a) to substantially change the manner in which we conduct our operations to avoid being required to register as an investment company, (b) effect sales of our assets in a manner that, or at a time when, we would not otherwise choose to do so or (c) to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, either of which could have an adverse effect on us and the market price of our securities. If we were required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we would become subject to substantial regulation with respect to our capital structure (including our ability to use leverage), management, operations, transactions with
affiliated persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act), portfolio composition, including restrictions with respect to diversification and industry concentration, and other matters.
We expect that our subsidiaries that invest in residential mortgage loans (whether through a consolidated trust or otherwise) will rely upon the exemption from registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act pursuant to Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act, which is available for entities “primarily engaged in the business of purchasing or otherwise acquiring mortgages and other liens on and interests in real estate.” This exemption generally requires that at least 55% of these subsidiaries’ assets must be comprised of qualifying real estate assets and at least 80% of each of their portfolios must be comprised of qualifying real estate assets and real estate-related assets under the Investment Company Act. Mortgage loans that were fully and exclusively secured by real property are generally qualifying real estate assets for purposes of the exemption. All, or substantially all, of our residential mortgage loans are fully and exclusively secured by real property with a loan-to-value ratio of less than 100%. As a result, we believe our residential mortgage loans that are fully and exclusively secured by real property meet the definition of qualifying real estate assets. To the extent we own any residential mortgage loans with a loan-to-value ratio of greater than 100%, we intend to classify, depending on guidance from the SEC staff, only the portion of the value of such loans that does not exceed the value of the real estate collateral as qualifying real estate assets and the excess as real estate-related assets.
In August 2011, the SEC issued a concept release pursuant to which they solicited public comments on a wide range of issues relating to companies engaged in the business of acquiring mortgages and mortgage-related instruments and that rely on Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act. The concept release and the public comments thereto have not yet resulted in SEC rulemaking or interpretative guidance and we cannot predict what form any such rulemaking or interpretive guidance may take. There can be no assurance, however, that the laws and regulations governing the Investment Company Act status of REITs, or guidance from the SEC or its staff regarding the exemption from registration as an investment company on which we rely, will not change in a manner that adversely affects our operations. We expect each of our subsidiaries relying on Section 3(c)(5)(C) to rely on guidance published by the SEC staff or on our analyses of guidance published with respect to other types of assets, if any, to determine which assets are qualifying real estate assets and real estate-related assets. To the extent that the SEC staff publishes new or different guidance with respect to these matters, we may be required to adjust our strategy accordingly. In addition, we may be limited in our ability to make certain investments and these limitations could result in us holding assets we might wish to sell or selling assets we might wish to hold.
Certain of our subsidiaries may rely on the exemption provided by Section 3(c)(6) to the extent that they hold d residential mortgage loans through majority owned subsidiaries that rely on Section 3(c)(5)(C). The SEC staff has issued little interpretive guidance with respect to Section 3(c)(6) and any guidance published by the staff could require us to adjust our strategy accordingly.
To the extent that the SEC staff provides more specific guidance regarding any of the matters bearing upon the exceptions we and our subsidiaries rely on from the Investment Company Act, we may be required to adjust our strategy accordingly. Any additional guidance from the SEC staff could provide additional flexibility to us, or it could further inhibit our ability to pursue the strategies we have chosen.
There can be no assurance that the laws and regulations governing the Investment Company Act status of REITs, including the Division of Investment Management of the SEC providing more specific or different guidance regarding these exemptions, will not change in a manner that adversely affects our operations.
Risks Related to Our Use of Hedging Strategies
Our use of hedging strategies to mitigate our interest rate exposure may not be effective.
In accordance with our operating policies, we pursue various types of hedging strategies, including interest rate swap agreements (or Swaps), interest rate cap agreements and other derivative transactions, to seek to mitigate or reduce our exposure to losses from adverse changes in interest rates. Our hedging activity will vary in scope based on the level and volatility of interest rates, the type of assets held and financing sources used and other changing market conditions. No hedging strategy, however, can completely insulate us from the interest rate risks to which we are exposed and there is no guarantee that the implementation of any hedging strategy would have the desired impact on our results of operations or financial condition. Certain of the U.S. federal income tax requirements that we must satisfy in order to qualify as a REIT may limit our ability to hedge against such risks. We will not enter into derivative transactions if we believe that they will jeopardize our qualification as a REIT.
Interest rate hedging may fail to protect or could adversely affect us because, among other things:
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• | interest rate hedging can be expensive, particularly during periods of rising and volatile interest rates; |
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• | available interest rate hedges may not correspond directly with the interest rate risk for which protection is sought; |
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• | the duration of the hedge may not match the duration of the related liability; |
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• | the credit quality of the party owing money on the hedge may be downgraded to such an extent that it impairs our ability to sell or assign our side of the hedging transaction; and |
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• | the party owing money in the hedging transaction may default on its obligation to pay. |
We primarily use Swaps to hedge against future increases in interest rates on our repurchase agreements. Should a Swap counterparty be unable to make required payments pursuant to such Swap, the hedged liability would cease to be hedged for the remaining term of the Swap. In addition, we may be at risk for any collateral held by a hedging counterparty to a Swap, should such counterparty become insolvent or file for bankruptcy. Our hedging transactions, which are intended to limit losses, may actually adversely affect our earnings, which could reduce our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
We may enter into hedging instruments that could expose us to contingent liabilities in the future, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
Subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, part of our financing strategy involves entering into hedging instruments that could require us to fund cash payments in certain circumstances (e.g., the early termination of a hedging instrument caused by an event of default or other voluntary or involuntary termination event or the decision by a hedging counterparty to request the posting of collateral that it is contractually owed under the terms of a hedging instrument). With respect to the termination of an existing Swap, the amount due would generally be equal to the unrealized loss of the open Swap position with the hedging counterparty and could also include other fees and charges. These economic losses will be reflected in our financial results of operations and our ability to fund these obligations will depend on the liquidity of our assets and access to capital at the time. Any losses we incur on our hedging instruments could materially adversely affect our earnings and thus our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
The characteristics of hedging instruments present various concerns, including illiquidity, enforceability, and counterparty risks, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
As indicated above, from time to time we enter into Swaps. Entities entering into Swaps are exposed to credit losses in the event of non-performance by counterparties to these transactions. The CFTC, issued new rules that became effective in October 2012 regarding Swaps under the authority granted to it pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act. Although the new rules do not directly affect the negotiations and terms of individual Swap transactions between counterparties, they do require that the clearing of all Swap transactions through registered derivatives clearing organizations, or swap execution facilities, through standardized documents under which each Swap counterparty transfers its position to another entity whereby the centralized clearinghouse effectively becomes the counterparty to each side of the Swap. It is the intent of the Dodd-Frank Act that the clearing of Swaps in this manner is designed to avoid concentration of swap risk in any single entity by spreading and centralizing the risk in the clearinghouse and its members. In addition to greater initial and periodic margin (collateral) requirements and additional transaction fees both by the swap execution facility and the clearinghouse, the Swap transactions are now subjected to greater regulation by both the CFTC and the SEC. These additional fees, costs, margin requirements, documentation, and regulation could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Additionally, for all Swaps we entered into prior to June 2013, we are not required to clear them through the central clearinghouse and these Swaps are still subject to the risks of non-performance by any of the individual counterparties with whom we entered into these transactions. If the Swap counterparty cannot perform under the terms of a Swap, we would not receive payments due under that agreement, we may lose any unrealized gain associated with the Swap, and the hedged liability would cease to be hedged by the Swap. We may also be at risk for any collateral we have pledged to secure our obligation under the Swap if the counterparty becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy. Default by a party with whom we enter into a hedging transaction may result in a loss and force us to cover our commitments, if any, at the then-current market price. Although generally we will seek to reserve the right to terminate our hedging positions, it may not always be possible to dispose of or close out a hedging position without the consent of the hedging counterparty and we may not be able to enter into an offsetting contract in order to cover our risk. We cannot assure you that there will always be a liquid secondary market that will exist for hedging instruments purchased or sold and we may be required to maintain a position until exercise or expiration, which could result in losses.
Clearing facilities or exchanges upon which some of our hedging instruments are traded may increase margin requirements on our hedging instruments in the event of adverse economic developments.
In response to events having or expected to have adverse economic consequences or which create market uncertainty, clearing facilities or exchanges upon which some of our hedging instruments (i.e., interest rate swaps) are traded may require us to post additional collateral against our hedging instruments. For example, in response to the U.S. approaching its debt ceiling without resolution and the federal government shutdown, in October 2013, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange announced that it would increase margin requirements by 12% for all over-the-counter interest rate swap portfolios that its clearinghouse guaranteed. This increase was subsequently rolled back shortly thereafter upon the news that Congress passed legislation to temporarily suspend the national debt ceiling and reopen the federal government, and provide a time period for broader negotiations concerning federal budgetary issues. In the event that future adverse economic developments or market uncertainty (including those due to governmental, regulatory, or legislative action or inaction) result in increased margin requirements for our hedging instruments, it could materially adversely affect our liquidity position, business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may fail to qualify for hedge accounting treatment, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
We record derivative and hedge transactions in accordance with GAAP, specifically according to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic on Derivatives. Under these standards, we may fail to qualify for hedge accounting treatment for a number of reasons, including if we use instruments that do not meet the definition of a derivative, we fail to satisfy hedge documentation and hedge effectiveness assessment requirements or our instruments are not highly effective. If we fail to qualify for hedge accounting treatment, though the fundamental economic performance of our business would be unaffected, our operating results for financial reporting purposes may be materially adversely affected because losses on the derivatives we enter into would be recorded in net income, rather than AOCI, a component of stockholders’ equity.
Risks Related to Our Taxation as a REIT and the Taxation of Our Assets
If we fail to remain qualified as a REIT, we will be subject to tax as a regular corporation and could face a substantial tax liability, which would reduce the amount of cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
We have elected to qualify as a REIT and intend to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or the Code) related to REIT qualification. Accordingly, we will not be subject to federal income tax to the extent we distribute 100% of our REIT taxable income (which is generally our taxable income, computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction, any net income from prohibited transactions, and any net income from foreclosure property) to stockholders within the timeframe permitted under the Code and provided that we comply with certain income, asset ownership and other tests applicable to REITs. We believe that we currently meet all of the REIT requirements and intend to continue to qualify as a REIT under the provisions of the Code. Many of the REIT requirements however are highly technical and complex. The determination of whether we are a REIT requires an analysis of various factual matters and circumstances, some of which may not be totally within our control and some of which involve interpretation. For example, if we are to qualify as a REIT, annually at least 75% of our gross income must come from, among other sources, interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property or interests in real property, gain from the disposition of real property, including mortgages or interest in real property (other than sales or dispositions of real property, including mortgages on real property, or securities that are treated as mortgages on real property, that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business (i.e., prohibited transactions)), dividends, other distributions on and gains from the disposition of shares in other REITs, commitment fees received for agreements to make real estate loans and certain temporary investment income. In addition, the composition of our assets must meet qualified requirements at the close of each quarter. There can be no assurance that we will be able to satisfy these or other requirements or that the Internal Revenue Service (or IRS) or a court would agree with any conclusions or positions we have taken in interpreting the REIT requirements.
Even a technical or inadvertent mistake could jeopardize our REIT qualification unless we meet certain statutory relief provisions. If we were to fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year for any reason, we would be subject to Federal income tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax, on our taxable income at regular corporate rates, and dividends paid to our stockholders would not be deductible by us in computing our taxable income. Any resulting corporate tax liability could be substantial and would reduce the amount of cash available for distribution to our stockholders, which in turn could have an adverse impact on the value of our common stock. Unless we were entitled to relief under certain Code provisions, we also would be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year in which we failed to qualify as a REIT.
REIT distribution requirements could adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan.
To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we must distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding any net capital gain) to our stockholders within the timeframe permitted under the Code. We generally must make these distributions in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if declared before we timely (including extensions) file our tax return for the year and if paid with or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration. To the extent that we satisfy this distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100% of our taxable income, we will be subject to federal income tax on our undistributed taxable income. In addition, if we should fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (a) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year, (b) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such year, and (c) any undistributed taxable income from prior periods, we would be subject to a non-deductible 4% excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the sum of (x) the amounts actually distributed, plus (y) the amounts of income we retained and on which we have paid corporate income tax.
The dividend distribution requirement limits the amount of cash we have available for other business purposes, including amounts to fund our growth. Also, it is possible that because of differences in timing between the recognition of taxable income and the actual receipt of cash, we may have to borrow funds on unfavorable terms, sell investments at disadvantageous prices or distribute amounts that would otherwise be invested in future acquisitions to make distributions sufficient to maintain our qualification as a REIT or avoid corporate income tax and the 4% excise tax in a particular year. These alternatives could increase our costs or reduce our stockholders' equity. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our ability to grow, which could adversely affect the value of our common stock.
Even if we remain qualified as a REIT, we may face other tax liabilities that reduce our cash flow.
Even if we qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we may be required to pay certain federal, state and local taxes on our income and assets, including taxes on any undistributed income, tax on income from some activities conducted as a result of a foreclosure, excise taxes, state or local income, property and transfer taxes, such as mortgage recording taxes, and other taxes. In addition, in order to meet the REIT qualification requirements, prevent the recognition of certain types of non-cash income, or to avert the imposition of a 100% tax that applies to certain gains derived by a REIT from dealer property or inventory, we may hold some of our assets through taxable REIT subsidiaries (or TRSs) or other subsidiary corporations that will be subject to corporate level income tax at regular rates. In addition, if we lend money to a TRS, the TRS may be unable to deduct all or a portion of the interest paid to us, which could result in an even higher corporate level tax liability. Any of these taxes would reduce our operating cash flow and thus our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
Complying with REIT requirements may cause us to forgo otherwise attractive opportunities.
To remain qualified as a REIT for Federal income tax purposes, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, the nature and diversification of our assets, the amounts that we distribute to our stockholders and the ownership of our stock. We may be required to make distributions to stockholders at disadvantageous times or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution, and may be unable to pursue investments that would be otherwise advantageous to us in order to satisfy the source-of-income or asset-diversification requirements for qualifying as a REIT. In addition, in certain cases, the modification of a debt instrument could result in the conversion of the instrument from a qualifying real estate asset to a wholly or partially non-qualifying asset that must be contributed to a TRS or disposed of in order for us to qualify or maintain our qualification as a REIT. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our ability to make and, in certain cases, to maintain ownership of, certain attractive investments.
We may generate taxable income that differs from our GAAP income on our Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loan investments purchased at a discount to par value, which may result in significant timing variances in the recognition of income and losses.
We have acquired and intend to continue to acquire Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans at prices that reflect significant market discounts on their unpaid principal balances. For financial statement reporting purposes, we generally establish a portion of the purchase discount on Non-Agency MBS as a Credit Reserve. This Credit Reserve is generally not accreted into income for financial statement reporting purposes. For tax purposes, however, we are not permitted to anticipate, or establish a reserve for, credit losses prior to their occurrence. As a result, discount on securities acquired in the primary or secondary market is included in the determination of taxable income and is not impacted by losses until such losses are incurred. Such differences in accounting for tax and GAAP can lead to significant timing variances in the recognition of income and losses. Taxable income on Non-Agency MBS purchased at a discount to their par value may be higher than GAAP earnings in early periods (before losses are actually incurred) and lower than GAAP earnings in periods during and subsequent to when realized credit losses are incurred. Dividends will be declared and paid at the discretion of our Board and will depend on REIT taxable earnings, our financial results
and overall financial condition, maintenance of our REIT qualification and such other factors as our Board may deem relevant from time to time.
The “taxable mortgage pool” rules may increase the taxes that we or our stockholders may incur and may limit the manner in which we effect future securitizations.
Securitizations by us or our subsidiaries could result in the creation of taxable mortgage pools for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The real estate mortgage investment conduit (or REMIC) provisions of the Code generally provide that REMICs are the only form of pass-through entity permitted to issue debt obligations with two or more maturities if the payments on those obligations bear a relationship to the mortgage obligations held by such entity. If we engage in a non-REMIC securitization transaction, directly or indirectly through a qualified REIT subsidiary (or QRS), in which the assets held by the securitization vehicle consist largely of mortgage loans or MBS, in which the securitization vehicle issues to investors two or more classes of debt instruments that have different maturities, and in which the timing and amount of payments on the debt instruments is determined in large part by the amounts received on the mortgage loans or MBS held by the securitization vehicle, the securitization vehicle will be a taxable mortgage pool. As long as we or another REIT hold a 100% interest in the equity interests in a taxable mortgage pool, either directly, or through a QRS, it will not be subject to tax. A portion of the income that we realize with respect to the equity interest we hold in a taxable mortgage pool will, however, be considered to be excess inclusion income and, as a result, a portion of the dividends that we pay to our stockholders will be considered to consist of excess inclusion income. Such excess inclusion income is treated as unrelated business taxable income (or UBTI) for tax-exempt stockholders, is subject to withholding for foreign stockholders (without the benefit of any treaty reduction), and is not subject to reduction by net operating loss carryovers. In addition to the extent that our stock is owned by tax-exempt "disqualified organizations," such as certain government-related entities and charitable remainder trusts that are not subject to tax on unrelated business income, we may incur a corporate level tax on a portion of our income from the taxable mortgage pool. In that case, we may reduce the amount of our distributions to any disqualified organization whose stock ownership gave rise to the tax. Historically, we have not generated excess inclusion income; however, despite our efforts, we may not be able to avoid creating or distributing excess inclusion income to our stockholders in the future. In addition, we could face limitations in selling equity interests to outside investors in securitization transactions that are taxable mortgage pools or selling any debt securities issued in connection with these securitizations that might be considered to be equity interests for tax purposes. These limitations may prevent us from using certain techniques to maximize our returns from securitization transactions.
We have not established a minimum dividend payment level, and there is no guarantee that we will maintain current dividend payment levels or pay dividends in the future.
In order to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we must comply with a number of requirements under federal tax law, including that we distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income within the timeframe permitted under the Code, which is calculated generally before the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gain. Dividends will be declared and paid at the discretion of our Board and will depend on our REIT taxable earnings, our financial results and overall condition, maintenance of our REIT qualification and such other factors as our Board may deem relevant from time to time. We have not established a minimum dividend payment level for our common stock and our ability to pay dividends may be negatively impacted by adverse changes in our operating results. Therefore, our dividend payment level may fluctuate significantly, and, under some circumstances, we may not pay dividends at all.
Our reported GAAP financial results differ from the taxable income results that impact our dividend distribution requirements and, therefore, our GAAP results may not be an accurate indicator of future taxable income and dividend distributions.
Generally, the cumulative net income we report over the life of an asset will be the same for GAAP and tax purposes, although the timing of this income recognition over the life of the asset could be materially different. Differences exist in the accounting for GAAP net income and REIT taxable income which can lead to significant variances in the amount and timing of when income and losses are recognized under these two measures. Due to these differences, our reported GAAP financial results could materially differ from our determination of taxable income results, which impacts our dividend distribution requirements, and, therefore, our GAAP results may not be an accurate indicator of future taxable income and dividend distributions.
Over time, accounting principles, conventions, rules, and interpretations may change, which could affect our reported GAAP and taxable earnings, and stockholders’ equity.
Accounting rules for the various aspects of our business change from time to time. Changes in GAAP, or the accepted interpretation of these accounting principles, can affect our reported income, earnings, and stockholders’ equity. In addition, changes in tax accounting rules or the interpretations thereof could affect our taxable income and our dividend distribution requirements. These changes may materially adversely affect our results of operations.
The failure of assets subject to repurchase agreements to qualify as real estate assets could adversely affect our ability to remain qualified as a REIT.
We enter into certain financing arrangements that are structured as sale and repurchase agreements pursuant to which we nominally sell certain of our assets to a counterparty and simultaneously enter into an agreement to repurchase these assets at a later date in exchange for a purchase price. Economically, these agreements are financings that are secured by the assets sold pursuant thereto. We generally believe that we would be treated for REIT asset and income test purposes as the owner of the assets that are the subject of any such sale and repurchase agreement notwithstanding that such agreement may transfer record ownership of the assets to the counterparty during the term of the agreement. It is possible, however, that the IRS could assert that we did not own the assets during the term of the sale and repurchase agreement, in which case we could fail to remain qualified as a REIT.
Complying with REIT requirements may limit our ability to hedge effectively and may cause us to incur tax liabilities.
The REIT provisions of the Code could substantially limit our ability to hedge our liabilities. Any income from a properly designated hedging transaction we enter into to manage risk of interest rate changes with respect to borrowings made or to be made, or ordinary obligations incurred or to be incurred, to acquire or carry real estate assets generally does not constitute "gross income" for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests. To the extent that we enter into other types of hedging transactions, the income from those transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of both of the gross income tests. As a result of these rules, we may have to limit our use of advantageous hedging techniques or implement those hedges through a TRS. This could increase the cost of our hedging activities because a TRS would be subject to tax on gains or expose us to greater risks associated with changes in interest rates than we would otherwise want to bear. In addition, losses in a TRS will generally not provide any tax benefit, except for being carried forward against future taxable income in the TRS.
We may be required to report taxable income for certain investments in excess of the economic income we ultimately realize from them.
We may acquire debt instruments in the secondary market for less than their face amount. The discount at which such debt instruments are acquired may reflect doubts about their ultimate collectibility rather than current market interest rates. The amount of such discount will nevertheless generally be treated as "market discount" for federal income tax purposes. Accrued market discount is reported as income when, and to the extent that, any payment of principal of the debt instrument is made. If we collect less on the debt instrument than our purchase price plus the market discount we had previously reported as income, we may not be able to benefit from any offsetting loss deductions.
Some of the debt instruments that we acquire may have been issued with original issue discount. We will be required to report such original issue discount based on a constant yield method and will be taxed based on the assumption that all future projected payments due on such debt instruments will be made. If such debt instruments turn out not to be fully collectible, an offsetting loss deduction will become available only in the later year that uncollectibility is provable.
In addition, we may acquire debt instruments that are subsequently modified by agreement with the borrower. If the amendments to the outstanding instrument are "significant modifications" under the applicable Treasury regulations, the modified instrument will be considered to have been reissued to us in a debt-for-debt exchange with the borrower. In that event, we may be required to recognize taxable gain to the extent the principal amount of the modified instrument exceeds our adjusted tax basis in the unmodified instrument, even if the value of the instrument or the payment expectations have not changed. Following such a taxable modification, we would hold the modified loan with a cost basis equal to its principal amount for federal tax purposes.
Finally, in the event that any debt instruments acquired by us are delinquent as to mandatory principal and interest payments, or in the event payments with respect to a particular instrument are not made when due, we may nonetheless be required to continue to recognize the unpaid interest as taxable income as it accrues, despite doubt as to its ultimate collectibility. Similarly, we may be required to accrue interest income with respect to debt instruments at its stated rate regardless of whether corresponding cash payments are received or are ultimately collectible. In each case, while we would in general ultimately have an offsetting loss
deduction available to us when such interest was determined to be uncollectible, the utility of that deduction could depend on our having taxable income in that later year or thereafter.
For these and other reasons, we may have difficulty making distributions sufficient to maintain our qualification as a REIT or avoid corporate income tax and the 4% excise tax in a particular year.
Dividends paid by REITs do not qualify for the reduced tax rates
The maximum regular federal income tax rate for dividends paid to domestic stockholders that are individuals, trusts and estates is currently 20%. Dividends paid by REITs, however, are generally not eligible for the reduced rates. Although this legislation does not adversely affect the taxation of REITs or dividends paid by REITs, the more favorable rates applicable to regular corporate dividends could cause investors who are individuals, trusts and estates to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in stock of non-REIT corporations that pay dividends, which could adversely affect the value of the stock of REITs, including our common stock.
We may enter into resecuritization transactions, the tax treatment of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We have engaged in and may in the future, engage in resecuritization transactions in which we transfer Non-Agency MBS to a special purpose entity that has formed or will form a securitization vehicle that will issue multiple classes of securities secured by and payable from cash flows on the underlying Non-Agency MBS. To date, we have structured two such transactions as a REMIC securitizations, which, to the extent we have transferred securities in a resecuritization, is viewed as the sale of securities for tax purposes. Although such transactions are treated as sales for tax purposes, they have historically not given rise to any taxable gain so that the prohibited transactions tax rules have not been implicated (i.e., the tax only applies to net taxable gain from sales that are prohibited transactions); however, no assurance can be offered that the IRS will agree with such treatment. In addition, to these REMIC securitization transactions, we have also engaged in two resecuritization transactions that we believe should be treated as financing transactions for tax purposes. If a securitization transaction were to be considered to be a sale of property to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business, and we recognized a gain on such transaction for tax purposes, then we could risk exposure to the 100% tax on net taxable income from prohibited transactions. Moreover, even if we retained MBS resulting from a resecuritization transaction and then subsequently sold such securities at a tax gain, the gain could, absent an available safe-harbor provision, be characterized as net income from a prohibited transaction. Under these circumstances, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
New legislation or administrative or judicial action, in each instance potentially with retroactive effect, could make it more difficult or impossible for us to remain qualified as a REIT.
The present federal income tax treatment of REITs may be modified, possibly with retroactive effect, by legislative, judicial or administrative action at any time, which could affect the Federal income tax treatment of an investment in us. Revisions in Federal tax laws and interpretations thereof could affect or cause us to change our investments and commitments and affect the tax considerations of an investment in us.
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
Our ownership limitations may restrict business combination opportunities.
To qualify as a REIT under the Code, no more than 50% of the value of our outstanding shares of capital stock may be owned, directly or under applicable attribution rules, by five or fewer individuals (as defined by the Code to include certain entities) during the last half of each taxable year. To preserve our REIT qualification, among other things, our charter generally prohibits direct or indirect ownership by any person of more than 9.8% of the number or value of the outstanding shares of our capital stock. Generally, shares owned by affiliated owners will be aggregated for purposes of the ownership limit. Any transfer of shares of our capital stock or other event that, if effective, would violate the ownership limit will be void as to that number of shares of capital stock in excess of the ownership limit and the intended transferee will acquire no rights in such shares. Shares issued or transferred that would cause any stockholder to own more than the ownership limit or cause us to become “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code will automatically be converted into an equal number of shares of excess stock. All excess stock will be automatically transferred, without action by the prohibited owner, to a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries that we select, and the prohibited owner will not acquire any rights in the shares of excess stock. The restrictions on ownership and transfer contained in our charter could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction in which holders of shares of common stock might receive a premium for their shares of common stock over the then current market price or that such holders might believe to be otherwise in their best interests. The ownership limit
provisions also may make our shares of common stock an unsuitable investment vehicle for any person seeking to obtain, either alone or with others as a group, ownership of more than 9.8% of the number or value of our outstanding shares of capital stock.
Provisions of Maryland law and other provisions of our organizational documents may limit the ability of a third party to acquire control of the Company.
Certain provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law (or MGCL) may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interests, including:
| |
• | “business combination” provisions that, subject to limitations, prohibit certain business combinations between us and an “interested stockholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock or an affiliate or associate of ours who, at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of our then outstanding stock) or an affiliate of an interested stockholder for five years after the most recent date on which the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, and thereafter impose two supermajority stockholder voting requirements to approve these combinations (unless our common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares); and |
| |
• | “control share” provisions that provide that holders of “control shares” of our company (defined as voting shares of stock which, when aggregated with all other shares controlled by the acquiring stockholder, entitle the stockholder to exercise one of three increasing ranges of voting power in electing directors) acquired in a “control share acquisition” (defined as the direct or indirect acquisition of ownership or control of “control shares”) have no voting rights except to the extent approved by our stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares. |
Our bylaws provide that we are not subject to the “control share” provisions of the MGCL. However, our Board may elect to make the “control share” statute applicable to us at any time, and may do so without stockholder approval.
Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL permits our Board, without stockholder approval and regardless of what is currently provided in our charter or bylaws, to elect on behalf of our company to be subject to statutory provisions that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interest. Our Board may elect to opt in to any or all of the provisions of Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL without stockholder approval at any time. In addition, without our having elected to be subject to Subtitle 8, our charter and bylaws already (1) provide for a classified board, (2) require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors for the removal of any director from our Board, which removal will be allowed only for cause, (3) vest in our Board the exclusive power to fix the number of directorships and (4) require, unless called by our Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or President or our Board, the written request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all votes entitled to be cast at such a meeting to call a special meeting. These provisions may delay or prevent a change of control of our company.
Future offerings of debt securities, which would rank senior to our common stock upon liquidation, and future offerings of equity securities, which would dilute our existing stockholders and may be senior to our common stock for the purposes of dividend and liquidating distributions, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by making offerings of debt or additional offerings of equity securities, including commercial paper, senior or subordinated notes and series or classes of preferred stock or common stock. Upon liquidation, holders of our debt securities and shares of preferred stock, if any, and lenders with respect to other borrowings will receive a distribution of our available assets prior to the holders of our common stock. Additional equity offerings may dilute the holdings of our existing stockholders or reduce the market price of our common stock, or both. Preferred stock could have a preference on liquidating distributions or a preference on dividend payments or both that could limit our ability to make a dividend distribution to the holders of our common stock. Because our decision to issue securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of our future offerings. Thus, holders of our common stock bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market price of our common stock and diluting their stock holdings in us.
Our Board may approve the issuance of capital stock with terms that may discourage a third party from acquiring the Company.
Our charter permits our Board to issue shares of preferred stock, issuable in one or more classes or series. We may issue a class of preferred stock to individual investors in order to comply with the various REIT requirements or to finance our operations. Our charter further permits our Board to classify or reclassify any unissued shares of preferred or common stock and establish the preferences and rights (including, among others, voting, dividend and conversion rights) of any such shares of stock, which rights may be superior to those of shares of our common stock. Thus, our Board could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred or common stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of discouraging a takeover or other transaction in which holders of the outstanding shares of our common stock might receive a premium for their shares over the then current market price of our common stock.
Future issuances or sales of shares could cause our share price to decline.
Sales of substantial numbers of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales might occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. In addition, the sale of these shares could impair our ability to raise capital through a sale of additional equity securities. Other issuances of our common stock could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. In addition, future issuances of our common stock may be dilutive to existing stockholders.
Other Business Risks.
We are dependent on our executive officers and other key personnel for our success, the loss of any of whom may materially adversely affect our business.
Our success is dependent upon the efforts, experience, diligence, skill and network of business contacts of our executive officers and key personnel. The departure of any of our executive officers and/or key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our operations and performance.
We are dependent on information systems and their failure could significantly disrupt our business.
Our business is highly dependent on our information and communications systems. Any failure or interruption of our systems or cyber-attacks or security breaches of our networks or systems could cause delays or other problems in our securities trading activities, which could have a material adverse effect on operating results, the market price of our common stock and other securities and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders. In addition, we also face the risk of operational failure, termination or capacity constraints of any of the third parties with which we do business or that facilitate our business activities, including clearing agents or other financial intermediaries we use to facilitate our securities transactions.
Computer malware, viruses, and computer hacking and phishing and cyber attacks have become more prevalent in our industry and may occur on our systems in the future. We rely heavily on financial, accounting and other data processing systems. It is difficult to determine what, if any, negative impact may directly result from any specific interruption or cyber-attacks or security breaches of our networks or systems (or networks or systems of, among other third parties, our lenders) or any failure to maintain performance, reliability and security of our technical infrastructure. As a result, any such computer malware, viruses, and computer hacking and phishing attacks may negatively affect our operations.
We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities and competition may limit our ability to acquire desirable investments, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities. Our profitability depends, in large part, on our ability to acquire MBS or other investments at favorable prices. In acquiring our investments, we compete with a variety of institutional investors, including other REITs, public and private funds, commercial and investment banks, commercial finance and insurance companies and other financial institutions. Many of our competitors are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial, technical, marketing and other resources than we do. Some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources that are not available to us. Many of our competitors are not subject to the operating constraints associated with REIT compliance or maintenance of an exemption from the Investment Company Act. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments and establish additional business relationships than us. Furthermore, government or regulatory action and competition for investment securities of the types and classes which we acquire may lead to the price of such assets increasing, which may further limit our ability to generate desired returns. We cannot assure you that the competitive pressures we face will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Also, as a result of this competition, desirable investments may be limited in the future and we may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, as we can provide no assurance that we will be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with our investment objectives.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
None.
Item 2. Properties.
Office Leases
We pay monthly rent pursuant to two operating leases. Our lease for our corporate headquarters in New York, New York extends through May 31, 2020. The lease provides for aggregate cash payments ranging over time from approximately $2.4 million to $2.5 million per year, paid on a monthly basis, exclusive of escalation charges. In addition, as part of this lease agreement, we have provided the landlord a $785,000 irrevocable standby letter of credit fully collateralized by cash. The letter of credit may be drawn upon by the landlord in the event that we default under certain terms of the lease. In addition, we have a lease through December 31, 2016, for our off-site back-up facility located in Rockville Centre, New York, which provides for, among other things, cash payments ranging over time from $29,000 to $30,000 per year, paid on a monthly basis.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
There are no material legal proceedings to which we are a party or any of our assets are subject.
To date, we have not been required to make any payments to the IRS as a penalty for failing to make disclosures required with respect to certain transactions that have been identified by the IRS as abusive or that have a significant tax avoidance purpose.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Market Information
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, under the symbol “MFA.” On February 6, 2015, the last sales price for our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $7.76 per share. The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices per share of our common stock during each calendar quarter for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2014 | | 2013 |
Quarter Ended | | High | | Low | | High | | Low |
March 31 | | $ | 7.96 |
| | $ | 7.03 |
| | $ | 9.59 |
| | $ | 8.21 |
|
June 30 | | 8.50 |
| | 7.65 |
| | 9.55 |
| | 7.90 |
|
September 30 | | 8.47 |
| | 7.77 |
| | 8.60 |
| | 6.98 |
|
December 31 | | 8.45 |
| | 7.78 |
| | 7.77 |
| | 7.01 |
|
Holders
As of February 6, 2015, we had 643 registered holders of our common stock. Such information was obtained through our registrar and transfer agent, based on the results of a broker search.
Dividends
No dividends may be paid on our common stock unless full cumulative dividends have been paid on our preferred stock. We have paid full cumulative dividends on our preferred stock on a quarterly basis through December 31, 2014. We have historically declared cash dividends on our common stock on a quarterly basis. During 2014 and 2013, we declared total cash dividends to holders of our common stock of $294.8 million ($0.80 per share) and $594.3 million ($1.64 per share), respectively. In general, our common stock dividends have been characterized as ordinary income to our stockholders for income tax purposes. However, a portion of our common stock dividends may, from time to time, be characterized as capital gains or return of capital. For 2014 and 2013, our common stock dividends were characterized as ordinary income to stockholders. (For additional dividend information, see Notes 13(a) and 13(b) to the consolidated financial statements, included under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.)
We elected to be taxed as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 1998 and, as such, anticipate distributing at least 90% of our REIT taxable income within the timeframe permitted by the Code. Although we may borrow funds to make distributions, cash for such distributions has generally been, and is expected to continue to be, largely generated from our results of our operations.
We declared and paid the following dividends on our common stock during the years 2014 and 2013:
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| | | | | | | | | | | |
Year | | Declaration Date | | Record Date | | Payment Date | | Dividend per Share |
2014 | | December 9, 2014 | | December 26, 2014 | | January 30, 2015 | | $ | 0.20 |
| (1) |
| | September 17, 2014 | | September 29, 2014 | | October 31, 2014 | | 0.20 |
| |
| | June 13, 2014 | | June 27, 2014 | | July 31, 2014 | | 0.20 |
| |
| | March 10, 2014 | | March 28, 2014 | | April 30, 2014 | | 0.20 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
2013 | | December 11, 2013 | | December 31, 2013 | | January 31, 2014 | | $ | 0.20 |
| |
| | September 26, 2013 | | October 11, 2013 | | October 31, 2013 | | 0.22 |
| |
| | August 1, 2013 | | August 12, 2013 | | August 30, 2013 | | 0.28 |
| (2) |
| | June 28, 2013 | | July 12, 2013 | | July 31, 2013 | | 0.22 |
| |
| | March 28, 2013 | | April 12, 2013 | | April 30, 2013 | | 0.22 |
| |
| | March 4, 2013 | | March 18, 2013 | | April 10, 2013 | | 0.50 |
| (3) |
| |
(1) | At December 31, 2014, the Company had accrued dividends and dividend equivalent rights (or DERs) payable of $74.5 million related to the common stock dividend declared on December 9, 2014. |
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(2) | Reflects the special cash dividend on common stock declared on August 1, 2013. |
| |
(3) | Reflects the special cash dividend on common stock declared on March 4, 2013. |
Dividends are declared and paid at the discretion of our Board and depend on our cash available for distribution, financial condition, ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT, and such other factors that our Board may deem relevant. We have not established a minimum payout level for our common stock. (See Part I, Item 1A., “Risk Factors”, and Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for information regarding the sources of funds used for dividends and for a discussion of factors, if any, which may adversely affect our ability to pay dividends.)
Purchases of Equity Securities
As previously disclosed, in August 2005, our Board authorized a stock repurchase program (or Repurchase Program), to repurchase up to 4.0 million shares of our outstanding common stock under the Repurchase Program. The Board reaffirmed such authorization in May 2010. In December 2013, our Board increased the number of shares authorized for repurchase to an aggregate of 10.0 million shares. Such authorization does not have an expiration date and, at present, there is no intention to modify or otherwise rescind such authorization. Subject to applicable securities laws, repurchases of common stock under the Repurchase Program are made at times and in amounts as we deem appropriate (including, in our discretion, through the use of one or more plans adopted under Rule 10b-5-1 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or 1934 Act)), using available cash resources. Shares of common stock repurchased by us under the Repurchase Program are cancelled and, until reissued by us, are deemed to be authorized but unissued shares of our common stock. The Repurchase Program may be suspended or discontinued by us at any time and without prior notice.
We did not repurchase any shares of our common stock under the Repurchase Program during the year ended December 31, 2014. During the year ended December 31, 2013, we repurchased 2,143,354 shares of our common stock under the Repurchase Program at a total cost of approximately $15.4 million and an average cost of $7.20 per share.
We engaged in no share repurchase activity during the fourth quarter of 2014 pursuant to the Repurchase program. We did, however, withhold restricted shares (under the terms of grants under our Amended and Restated 2010 Equity Compensation Plan (or 2010 Plan)) to offset tax withholding obligations that occur upon the vesting and release of restricted stock awards and/or RSUs. The following table presents information with respect to (i) such withheld restricted shares, and (ii) eligible shares remaining for repurchase under the Repurchase Program:
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Month | | Total Number of Shares Purchased | | Weighted Average Price Paid Per Share (1) | | Total Number of Shares Repurchased as Part of Publicly Announced Repurchase Program or Employee Plan | | Maximum Number of Shares that May Yet be Purchased Under the Repurchase Program or Employee Plan |
October 1-31, 2014: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Repurchase Program (2) | | — |
| | $ | — |
| | — |
| | 6,616,355 |
|
Employee Transactions (3) | | — |
| | — |
| | N/A |
| | N/A |
|
November 1-30, 2014: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Repurchase Program (2) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 6,616,355 |
|
Employee Transactions (3) | | — |
| | — |
| | N/A |
| | N/A |
|
December 1-31, 2014: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Repurchase Program (2) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 6,616,355 |
|
Employee Transactions (3) | | 251,486 |
| | 8.28 |
| | N/A |
| | N/A |
|
Total Repurchase Program (2) | | — |
| | $ | — |
| | — |
| | 6,616,355 |
|
Total Employee Transactions (3) | | 251,486 |
| | $ | 8.28 |
| | N/A |
| | N/A |
|
| |
(1) | Includes brokerage commissions. |
| |
(2) | As of December 31, 2014, we had repurchased an aggregate of 3,383,645 shares under the Repurchase Program. |
| |
(3) | Our 2010 Plan provides that the value of the shares delivered or withheld be based on the price of our common stock on the date the relevant transaction occurs. |
Discount Waiver, Direct Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Plan
In September 2003, we initiated a Discount Waiver, Direct Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Plan (or the DRSPP) to provide existing stockholders and new investors with a convenient and economical way to purchase shares of our common stock. Under the DRSPP, existing stockholders may elect to automatically reinvest all or a portion of their cash dividends in additional shares of our common stock and existing stockholders and new investors may make optional cash purchases of shares of our common stock in amounts ranging from $50 (or $1,000 for new investors) to $10,000 on a monthly basis and, with our prior approval, in excess of $10,000. At our discretion, we may issue shares of our common stock under the DRSPP at discounts of up to 5% from the prevailing market price at the time of purchase. Computershare Shareowner Services LLC is the administrator of the DRSPP (or the Plan Agent). Stockholders who own common stock that is registered in their own name and want to participate in the DRSPP must deliver a completed enrollment form to the Plan Agent. Stockholders who own common stock that is registered in a name other than their own (e.g., broker, bank or other nominee) and want to participate in the DRSPP must either request such nominee holder to participate on their behalf or request that such nominee holder re-register our common stock in the stockholder’s name and deliver a completed enrollment form to the Plan Agent. During the years ended 2014 and 2013, we issued 4,526,855 and 9,511,739 shares of common stock through the DRSPP generating net proceeds of approximately $35.6 million and $77.6 million, respectively.
Securities Authorized For Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
During 2010, we adopted the 2010 Plan, as approved by our stockholders. (For a description of the 2010 Plan, see Note 15(a) to the consolidated financial statements included under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.)
The following table presents certain information with respect to our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2014:
|
| | | | | | | | | |
Award (1) | | Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights | | Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights | | Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in the first column of this table) | |
Restricted Stock Units (or RSUs) | | 1,218,474 |
| | | | |
| |
Total | | 1,218,474 |
| | | (2) | 9,034,533 |
| (3) |
(1) All equity based compensation is granted pursuant to plans that have been approved by our stockholders.
(2) A weighted average exercise price is not applicable for our RSUs, as such equity awards result in the issuance of shares of our common stock provided that such awards vest and, as such, do not have an exercise price. At December 31, 2014, 643,138 RSUs were vested, 301,536 RSUs were subject to time based vesting and 273,800 RSUs had vesting subject to achieving a market condition.
(3) Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans excludes RSUs presented in the table and 243,948 shares of restricted stock, which were issued and outstanding at December 31, 2014, which are not presented in the table.
Item 6. Selected Financial Data.
Our selected financial data set forth below is derived from our audited financial statements and should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes, included under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | At or/For the Year Ended December 31, |
(Dollars in Thousands, Except per Share Amounts) | | 2014 | | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Operating Data: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Interest Income | | $ | 463,817 |
| | $ | 482,940 |
| | $ | 499,157 |
| | $ | 496,747 |
| | $ | 391,338 |
|
Interest expense | | (159,808 | ) | | (164,013 | ) | | (171,670 | ) | | (149,411 | ) | | (145,125 | ) |
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings (1) | | — |
| | — |
| | (1,200 | ) | | (10,570 | ) | | (12,277 | ) |
Gain on sales of MBS and U.S. Treasury securities, net (2) | | 37,497 |
| | 25,825 |
| | 9,001 |
| | 6,730 |
| | 33,739 |
|
Unrealized net gains and net interest income from Linked Transactions | | 17,092 |
| | 3,225 |
| | 12,610 |
| | 3,015 |
| | 53,762 |
|
Gain on residential whole loans held at fair value | | 447 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Loss on termination of repurchase agreements (3) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (26,815 | ) |
Other (loss)/income, net | | (251 | ) | | (7,298 | ) | | 10 |
| | 1,082 |
| | 1,464 |
|
Operating and other expense | | (45,290 | ) | | (37,970 | ) | | (41,069 | ) | | (31,179 | ) | | (26,324 | ) |
Net income | | $ | 313,504 |
| | $ | 302,709 |
| | $ | 306,839 |
| | $ | 316,414 |
| | $ | 269,762 |
|
Preferred stock dividends | | 15,000 |
| | 13,750 |
| | 8,160 |
| | 8,160 |
| | 8,160 |
|
Issuance costs of redeemed preferred stock (4) | | — |
| | 3,947 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Net income available to common stock and participating securities | | $ | 298,504 |
| | $ | 285,012 |
| | $ | 298,679 |
| | $ | 308,254 |
| | $ | 261,602 |
|
Earnings per share — basic and diluted | | $ | 0.81 |
| | $ | 0.78 |
| | $ | 0.83 |
| | $ | 0.90 |
| | $ | 0.93 |
|
Dividends declared per share of common stock (5)(6) | | $ | 0.800 |
| | $ | 1.640 |
| | $ | 0.880 |
| | $ | 1.005 |
| | $ | 0.890 |
|
Dividends declared per share of preferred stock (7) | | $ | 1.875 |
| | $ | 2.136 |
| | $ | 2.125 |
| | $ | 2.125 |
| | $ | 2.125 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Balance Sheet Data: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
MBS and CRT securities | | $ | 10,762,622 |
| | $ | 11,371,358 |
| | $ | 12,607,625 |
| | $ | 10,912,977 |
| | $ | 8,058,710 |
|
Residential whole loans | | 207,923 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Residential whole loans, at fair value | | 143,472 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Cash and cash equivalents | | 182,437 |
| | 565,370 |
| | 401,293 |
| | 394,022 |
| | 345,243 |
|
Linked Transactions | | 398,336 |
| | 28,181 |
| | 12,704 |
| | 55,801 |
| | 179,915 |
|
Total assets | | 12,354,744 |
| | 12,471,908 |
| | 13,517,550 |
| | 11,750,634 |
| | 8,687,407 |
|
Repurchase agreements | | 8,267,388 |
| | 8,339,297 |
| | 8,752,472 |
| | 7,813,159 |
| | 5,992,269 |
|
Securitized debt | | 110,574 |
| | 366,205 |
| | 646,816 |
| | 875,520 |
| | 220,933 |
|
Swaps (in a liability position) | | 62,198 |
| | 28,217 |
| | 63,034 |
| | 114,220 |
| | 139,142 |
|
Total liabilities | | 9,151,472 |
| | 9,329,657 |
| | 10,206,544 |
| | 9,252,874 |
| | 6,436,960 |
|
Preferred stock, liquidation preference | | 200,000 |
| | 200,000 |
| | 96,000 |
| | 96,000 |
| | 96,000 |
|
Total stockholders’ equity | | 3,203,272 |
| | 3,142,251 |
| | 3,311,006 |
| | 2,497,760 |
| | 2,250,447 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Other Data: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Average total assets | | $ | 12,547,418 |
| | $ | 13,192,285 |
| | $ | 12,942,171 |
| | $ | 11,185,224 |
| | $ | 8,242,541 |
|
Average total stockholders’ equity | | $ | 3,230,932 |
| | $ | 3,262,458 |
| | $ | 2,945,687 |
| | $ | 2,701,204 |
| | $ | 2,226,546 |
|
Return on average total assets (8) | | 2.38 | % | | 2.16 | % | | 2.31 | % | | 2.76 | % | | 3.17 | % |
Return on average total stockholders’ equity (9) | | 9.24 | % | | 8.74 | % | | 10.14 | % | | 11.41 | % | | 11.75 | % |
Total average stockholders’ equity to total average assets (10) | | 25.75 | % | | 24.73 | % | | 22.76 | % | | 24.18 | % | | 26.91 | % |
Dividend payout ratio (11) | | 0.99 | % | | 1.10 | % | | 1.06 | % | | 1.12 | % | | 0.96 | % |
Book value per share of common stock (12) | | $ | 8.12 |
| | $ | 8.06 |
| | $ | 8.99 |
| | $ | 6.74 |
| | $ | 7.68 |
|
| |
(1) | Reflects OTTI recognized through earnings related to Non-Agency MBS. |
| |
(2) | 2014: We sold Non-Agency MBS for $123.9 million, realizing gross gains of $37.5 million. 2013: We sold Non-Agency MBS for $152.6 million, realizing gross gains of $25.8 million and sold U.S. Treasury securities for $422.2 million, realizing net losses of approximately $24,000. 2012: We sold Agency MBS for $168.9 million, realizing gross gains of $9.0 million. 2011: We sold Agency MBS for $150.6 million, realizing gross gains of $6.7 million. 2010: During the first quarter of 2010, we sold 52 of our longer term-to-reset Agency MBS for $931.9 million, realizing gross gains of $33.1 million. (See Note (3) below.) |
| |
(3) | In connection with sales of our Agency MBS in the first quarter of 2010, we terminated $657.3 million of repurchase agreement borrowings, incurring losses of $26.8 million. |
| |
(4) | Issuance costs of redeemed preferred stock represent the original offering costs related to the 8.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”), which was redeemed on May 16, 2013. |
| |
(5) | During 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011, we declared our common stock dividend in the third month of each calendar quarter. During 2010, we declared dividends on our common stock in the month subsequent to the end of each calendar quarter, with the exception of the fourth quarter dividend, which was typically declared during the fourth calendar quarter for tax reasons. |
| |
(6) | 2013: Includes special cash dividends paid totaling $0.78 per share. 2011: Includes special cash dividend of $0.02 per share. |
| |
(7) | 2013: Reflects dividends declared per share on Series A Preferred Stock and 7.50% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”) of $0.80 and $1.33, respectively. |
| |
(8) | Reflects net income available to common stock and participating securities divided by average total assets. |
| |
(9) | Reflects net income available to common stock and participating securities divided by average total stockholders’ equity. |
(10) Reflects total average stockholders’ equity divided by total average assets.
(11) Reflects dividends declared per share of common stock divided by earnings per share.
(12) Reflects total stockholders’ equity less the preferred stock liquidation preference divided by total shares of common stock outstanding.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and accompanying notes included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
GENERAL
We are a REIT primarily engaged in the business of investing, on a leveraged basis, in residential mortgage assets, including Agency MBS, Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans. Our principal business objective is to deliver shareholder value through the generation of distributable income and through asset performance linked to residential mortgage credit fundamentals. We selectively invest in residential mortgage assets with a focus on credit analysis, projected prepayment rates, interest rate sensitivity and expected return.
At December 31, 2014, we had total assets of approximately $12.355 billion, of which $10.660 billion, or 86.3%, represented our MBS portfolio. At such date, our MBS portfolio was comprised of $5.904 billion of Agency MBS and $4.755 billion of Non-Agency MBS which includes $4.594 billion of Legacy Non-Agency MBS and $161.0 million of RPL/NPL MBS. Furthermore we held $66.4 million of Legacy Non-Agency MBS and $1.847 billion of RPL/NPL MBS that are reported as components of Linked Transactions. In addition, at December 31, 2014, we had approximately $351.4 million in residential whole loans acquired through our interests in consolidated trusts, which represented approximately 2.8% of our total assets. Our remaining investment-related assets were primarily comprised of CRT securities, cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, collateral obtained in connection with reverse repurchase agreements, derivative instruments and MBS-related receivables.
The results of our business operations are affected by a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, and primarily depend on, among other things, the level of our net interest income, the market value of our assets, which is driven by numerous factors, including the supply and demand for residential mortgage assets in the marketplace, the terms and availability of adequate financing, general economic and real estate conditions (both on a national and local level), the impact of government actions in the real estate and mortgage sector, and the credit performance of our credit sensitive residential mortgage assets. Our net interest income varies primarily as a result of changes in interest rates, the slope of the yield curve (i.e., the differential between long-term and short-term interest rates), borrowing costs (i.e., our interest expense) and prepayment speeds on our MBS, the behavior of which involves various risks and uncertainties. Interest rates and conditional prepayment rates (or CPRs) (which measure the amount of unscheduled principal prepayment on a bond as a percentage of the bond balance), vary according to the type of investment, conditions in the financial markets, competition and other factors, none of which can be predicted with any certainty.
With respect to our business operations, increases in interest rates, in general, may over time cause: (i) the interest expense associated with our borrowings to increase; (ii) the value of our MBS portfolio and, correspondingly, our stockholders’ equity to decline; (iii) coupons on our ARM-MBS to reset, on a delayed basis, to higher interest rates; (iv) prepayments on our MBS to decline, thereby slowing the amortization of our MBS purchase premiums and the accretion of our purchase discounts; and (v) the value of our derivative hedging instruments and, correspondingly, our stockholders’ equity to increase. Conversely, decreases in interest rates, in general, may over time cause: (i) the interest expense associated with our borrowings to decrease; (ii) the value of our MBS portfolio and, correspondingly, our stockholders’ equity to increase; (iii) coupons on our ARM-MBS to reset, on a delayed basis, to lower interest rates; (iv) prepayments on our MBS to increase, thereby accelerating the amortization of our MBS purchase premiums and the accretion of our purchase discounts; and (v) the value of our derivative hedging instruments and, correspondingly, our stockholders’ equity to decrease. In addition, our borrowing costs and credit lines are further affected by the type of collateral we pledge and general conditions in the credit market.
We are exposed to credit risk in our Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans, generally meaning that we are subject to credit losses in these portfolios that correspond to the risk of delinquency, default and foreclosure on the underlying real estate collateral. We believe the discounted purchase prices paid on certain of these investments effectively mitigates our risk of loss in the event, as we expect on most, that we receive less than 100% of the par value of these securities or loans. Our investment process for credit sensitive assets involves analysis focused primarily on quantifying and pricing credit risk.
The table below presents the composition of our MBS portfolios with respect to repricing characteristics as of December 31, 2014:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2014 |
Underlying Mortgages | | Agency MBS Fair Value (1) | | Non-Agency MBS Fair Value (2)(3) | | Total MBS (1)(2)(3) | | Percent of Total |
(In Thousands) | | | | | | | | |
Hybrids in contractual fixed-rate period | | $ | 2,470,738 |
| | $ | 678,586 |
| | $ | 3,149,324 |
| | 30.0 | % |
Hybrids in adjustable period | | 1,182,050 |
| | 2,405,731 |
| | 3,587,781 |
| | 34.2 |
|
15-year fixed rate | | 2,164,730 |
| | 11,522 |
| | 2,176,252 |
| | 20.7 |
|
Greater than 15-year fixed rate | | — |
| | 1,423,364 |
| | 1,423,364 |
| | 13.6 |
|
Floaters | | 86,147 |
| | 75,204 |
| | 161,351 |
| | 1.5 |
|
Total | | $ | 5,903,665 |
| | $ | 4,594,407 |
| | $ | 10,498,072 |
| | 100.0 | % |
(1) Does not include principal payments receivable in the amount of $542,000.
(2) Does not reflect $1.913 billion of Non-Agency MBS underlying our Linked Transactions.
(3) Does not reflect $161.0 million of RPL/NPL MBS, which are re-performing deals with both fixed rate and hybrid re-performing loans.
As of December 31, 2014, approximately $6.749 billion, or 64.3%, of our MBS portfolio was in its contractual fixed-rate period or were fixed-rate MBS and approximately $3.749 billion, or 35.7%, was in its contractual adjustable-rate period, or were floating rate MBS with interest rates that reset monthly. Our ARM-MBS in their contractual adjustable-rate period primarily include MBS collateralized by Hybrids for which the initial fixed-rate period has elapsed, such that the interest rate will typically adjust on an annual or semiannual basis.
Premiums arise when we acquire MBS at a price in excess of the principal balance of the mortgages securing such MBS (i.e., par value). Conversely, discounts arise when we acquire MBS at a price below the principal balance of the mortgages securing such MBS or acquire residential whole loans at a price below the principal balance of the mortgage. Premiums paid on our MBS are amortized against interest income and accretable purchase discounts on these investments are accreted to interest income. Purchase premiums on our MBS, which are primarily carried on our Agency MBS, are amortized against interest income over the life of each security using the effective yield method, adjusted for actual prepayment activity. An increase in the prepayment rate, as measured by the CPR, will typically accelerate the amortization of purchase premiums, thereby reducing the internal rate of return (or IRR)/interest income earned on such assets. Generally, if prepayments on these investments are less than anticipated, we expect that the income recognized on such assets would be reduced and impairments and/or loan reserves could result.
CPR levels are impacted by, among other things, conditions in the housing market, new regulations, government and private sector initiatives, interest rates, availability of credit to home borrowers, underwriting standards and the economy in general. In particular, CPR reflects the conditional repayment rate (or CRR), which measures voluntary prepayments of mortgages collateralizing a particular MBS, and the conditional default rate (or CDR), which measures involuntary prepayments resulting from defaults. CPRs on Agency MBS and Legacy Non-Agency MBS may differ significantly. For the year ended December 31, 2014, our Agency MBS portfolio experienced a weighted average CPR of 13.0%, and our Legacy Non-Agency MBS portfolio (including Legacy Non-Agency MBS underlying our Linked Transactions) experienced a CPR of 12.3%. For the year ended December 31, 2013, our Agency MBS portfolio experienced a weighted average CPR of 17.9%, and our Legacy Non-Agency MBS portfolio (including Legacy Non-Agency MBS underlying our Linked Transactions) experienced a CPR of 15.9%. Over the last consecutive eight quarters, ending with December 31, 2014, the monthly fair value weighted average CPR on our MBS portfolio ranged from a high of 19.7% experienced during the quarter ended September 30, 2013 to a low of 10.4% experienced during the quarter ended March 31, 2014, with an average CPR over such quarters of 14.9%.
When we purchase Non-Agency MBS at significant discounts to par value, we make certain assumptions with respect to each security. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, future interest rates, voluntary prepayment rates, default rates, mortgage modifications and loss severities. As part of our Non-Agency MBS surveillance process, we track and compare each security’s actual performance over time to the performance expected at the time of purchase or, if we have modified our original purchase assumptions, to our revised performance expectations. To the extent that actual performance or our expectation of future performance of our Non-Agency MBS deviates materially from our expected performance parameters, we may revise our performance expectations, such that the amount of purchase discount designated as credit discount may be increased or decreased over time. Nevertheless, credit losses greater than those anticipated or in excess of the recorded purchase discount could occur, which could materially adversely impact our operating results.
It is our business strategy to hold our MBS as long-term investments. On at least a quarterly basis, we assess our ability and intent to continue to hold each security and, as part of this process, we monitor our securities for other-than-temporary impairment. A change in our ability and/or intent to continue to hold any of our securities that are in an unrealized loss position, or a deterioration in the underlying characteristics of these securities, could result in our recognizing future impairment charges or a loss upon the sale of any such security. At December 31, 2014, we had net unrealized gains of $80.1 million on our Agency MBS, comprised of gross unrealized gains of $113.7 million and gross unrealized losses of $33.6 million, net unrealized gains on our Non-Agency MBS of $735.2 million, comprised of gross unrealized gains of $738.9 million and gross unrealized losses of $3.7 million and net unrealized losses on our CRT securities of $1.8 million, comprised of gross unrealized gains of $324,000 and gross unrealized losses of $2.1 million. At December 31, 2014, we did not intend to sell any of our MBS or CRT securities that were in an unrealized loss position, and we believe it is more likely than not that we will not be required to sell those securities before recovery of their amortized cost basis, which may be at their maturity.
We rely primarily on borrowings under repurchase agreements to finance our Agency MBS and Non-Agency MBS. Our MBS have longer-term contractual maturities than our borrowings under repurchase agreements. We have also engaged in resecuritization transactions with respect to our Non-Agency MBS, which provide access to non-recourse financing. Even though the majority of our MBS have interest rates that adjust over time based on short-term changes in corresponding interest rate indices (typically following an initial fixed-rate period for our Hybrids), the interest rates we pay on our borrowings and securitized debt will typically change at a faster pace than the interest rates we earn on our MBS. In order to reduce this interest rate risk exposure, we may enter into derivative instruments, which at December 31, 2014 were comprised of Swaps.
Our Swap derivative instruments are designated as cash-flow hedges against a portion of our current and forecasted LIBOR-based repurchase agreements. Our Swaps do not extend the maturities of our repurchase agreements; they do, however, lock in a fixed rate of interest over their term for the notional amount of the Swap corresponding to the hedged item. During 2014, we entered into four new Swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $400.0 million, a weighted average fixed-pay rate of 1.95% and initial maturities ranging from five to seven years and had Swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $685.0 million and a weighted average fixed-pay rate of 2.28% amortize and/or expire. At December 31, 2014, we had Swaps designated in hedging relationships with an aggregate notional amount of $3.760 billion with a weighted average fixed-pay rate of 1.85% and a weighted average variable interest rate of 0.16%.
Recent Market Conditions
During 2014, we continued to invest in residential mortgage assets, including both Agency and Non-Agency MBS and starting in the second quarter of the year, we began, through interests in consolidated trusts, to invest in residential whole loans. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we acquired approximately (i) $2.133 billion of securitizations of RPL/NPL MBS at a weighted average purchase price of 99.9% of par value (of which $1.994 billion are reported as a component of Linked Transactions), (ii) $599.3 million of Agency MBS at a weighted average purchase price of 105.9% of par value and (iii) $429.9 million of Legacy Non-Agency MBS (of which $59.0 million are reported as a component of Linked Transactions) at a weighted average purchase price of 87.7% of par value. At December 31, 2014, our combined MBS portfolio was approximately $12.573 billion (including $1.913 billion MBS reported as components of Linked Transactions) compared to $11.502 billion (including $130.8 million MBS reported as components of Linked Transactions) at December 31, 2013. During 2014, we experienced an increase in our combined MBS portfolio primarily due to the addition of newly acquired assets exceeding principal repayments.
At December 31, 2014, $5.904 billion of our MBS portfolio was invested in Agency MBS. During the year ended 2014, the fair value of our Agency MBS decreased by $615.0 million. This was due to $1.233 billion of principal repayments and $46.8 million of premium amortization, which was partially offset by the addition of $599.3 million of newly acquired assets and a $65.7 million increase in net unrealized gains. In addition to our investments in Agency MBS, during 2014 we invested for the first time in CRT securities, which are debt obligations issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. At December 31, 2014 our investments in these securities totaled $107.6 million (including $4.6 million reported as a component of Linked Transactions).
At December 31, 2014, $4.755 billion of our MBS portfolio was invested in Non-Agency MBS (excluding Legacy Non-Agency MBS and RPL/NPL MBS reported as a component of Linked Transactions). During the year ended December 31, 2014, the fair value of our Non-Agency MBS holdings (excluding Legacy Non-Agency and RPL/NPL MBS reported as a component of Linked Transactions) decreased by $96.7 million. The primary components of the change during the year in these Non-Agency balances include $698.8 million of Non-Agency principal reductions and the sale of Non-Agency MBS with a fair value of $123.9 million. Partially offsetting these decreases were $510.0 million of purchases, an increase reflecting Non-Agency MBS price changes of $129.6 million and an increase of $86.4 million as a result of certain of our Linked Transactions becoming unlinked.
In addition to our holdings of Non-Agency MBS discussed in the preceding paragraph, at December 31, 2014 $66.4 million was invested in Legacy Non-Agency MBS and $1.847 billion was invested in RPL/NPL MBS that are reported as a component of Linked Transactions. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the fair value of our Legacy Non-Agency MBS and RPL/NPL MBS that are reported as a component of Linked Transactions increased by $1.782 billion. The primary components of the change during the year in these balances include $1.994 billion of RPL/NPL MBS purchases, $59.0 million of Legacy Non-Agency MBS purchases, an increase reflecting price changes of $1.2 million partially offset by principal reductions of $185.0 million and a decrease of $86.4 million as a result of certain of our Linked Transactions becoming unlinked.
Our book value per common share was $8.12 as of December 31, 2014. Book value per common share increased from $8.06 as of December 31, 2013 due primarily to price appreciation within the Agency MBS portfolios partially offset by higher unrealized losses on Swaps.
At the end of 2014, the average coupon on mortgages underlying our Agency MBS was lower compared to the end of 2013, due to acquisition of assets in the marketplace at generally lower coupons and as a result of prepayments on higher yielding assets and downward resets on Hybrid and ARM-MBS within the portfolio. As a result, the coupon yield on our Agency MBS portfolio declined 17 basis points to 2.96% for 2014 from 3.13% for 2013. The net Agency MBS yield decreased to 2.23% for 2014, from 2.28% for 2013. The overall yield for our Non-Agency MBS portfolio (excluding Legacy Non-Agency and RPL/NPL MBS reported as a component of Linked Transactions) was 7.70% for 2014 compared to 7.25% for 2013. The increase in the yield on our Non-Agency MBS portfolio is primarily due to increases in accretable discount due to the impact of credit reserve releases, in the current and prior year, that have occurred as a result of the improved credit performance of loans underlying the Legacy Non-Agency MBS portfolio.
We believe that the loss-adjusted returns we currently earn on our existing portfolio of Legacy Non-Agency MBS are attractive and expect to continue to selectively acquire Legacy Non-Agency MBS as market opportunities allow. We believe that our $900.6 million Credit Reserve and OTTI appropriately factors in remaining uncertainties regarding underlying mortgage performance and the potential impact on future cash flows for our existing Legacy Non-Agency MBS portfolio. Home price appreciation and underlying mortgage loan amortization have decreased the LTV for many of the mortgages underlying our Legacy Non-Agency MBS portfolio. Home price appreciation is generally due to a combination of limited housing supply, low mortgage rates, capital flows into own-to-rent foreclosure purchases and demographic-driven U.S. household formation. We estimate that the average LTV of mortgage loans underlying our Legacy Non-Agency MBS has declined from approximately 105% as of January 2012 to approximately 76% as of December 31, 2014. In addition, we estimate that the percentage of non-delinquent loans underlying our Legacy Non-Agency MBS that are underwater (with LTVs greater than 100%), has declined from approximately 52% as of January 2012 to 12% at December 31, 2014. Lower LTVs lessen the likelihood of defaults and simultaneously decrease loss severities. Additionally, current to 60-days delinquent transition rates continue to decline from their 2009 peak. Further, during 2014, we have also observed faster voluntary prepayment (i.e. prepayment of loans in full with no loss) speeds than originally projected. The yields on our Legacy Non-Agency MBS that were purchased at a discount are generally positively impacted if prepayment rates on these securities exceed our prepayment assumptions. Based on these current conditions, we have reduced estimated future losses within our Legacy Non-Agency portfolio. As a result, during the year ended 2014, $95.0 million was transferred from Credit Reserve to accretable discount. This increase in accretable discount is expected to increase the interest income realized over the remaining life of our Legacy Non-Agency MBS. The remaining average contractual life of such assets is approximately 22 years, but based on scheduled loan amortization and prepayments (both voluntary and involuntary), loan balances will decline substantially over time. Consequently, we believe that the majority of the impact on interest income from the reduction in Credit Reserve will occur over the next ten years.
During the year ended December 31, 2014, we purchased for approximately $362.1 million, through interests in consolidated trusts, residential whole loans with an unpaid principal balance of approximately $460.6 million. At December 31, 2014, our total recorded investment in residential whole loans was $351.4 million. Of this amount, $207.9 million is presented as residential whole loans and $143.5 million as residential whole loans, at fair value in our consolidated balance sheet. For the year ended December 31, 2014, we recognized approximately $4.1 million of income on residential whole loans held at carrying value in Interest income on our consolidated statement of operations, representing an effective yield of 6.95% excluding servicing costs. In addition, we recorded net gains on residential whole loans held at fair value of $447,000 in Other income, net in our consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2014.
At December 31, 2014, we have access to various sources of liquidity which we estimate exceeds $761.7 million. This includes (i) $182.4 million of cash and cash equivalents; (ii) $398.4 million in estimated financing available from unpledged Agency MBS and other Agency MBS collateral that is currently pledged in excess of contractual requirements; and (iii) $180.9 million in estimated financing available from unpledged Non-Agency MBS. Consequently, we believe that we are positioned to continue to take advantage of investment opportunities within the residential mortgage marketplace. In 2015 we intend to continue to selectively acquire Agency MBS, Non-Agency MBS and residential whole loans. We believe that our Legacy Non-Agency
assets will benefit going forward as the existing Legacy Non-Agency MBS universe continues to decline in size due to prepayments, defaults and limited issuance. In addition, while the majority of the Legacy Non-Agency MBS in our portfolio will not return their full face value due to loan defaults, we believe that they will deliver attractive loss adjusted yields due to our discounted average amortized cost of 76% of face value at December 31, 2014.
Repurchase agreement funding for both Agency MBS and Non-Agency MBS continues to be available to us from multiple counterparties. Typically, repurchase agreement funding involving Non-Agency MBS is available from fewer counterparties, at terms requiring higher collateralization and higher interest rates, than for repurchase agreement funding involving Agency MBS. At December 31, 2014, our debt consisted of borrowings under repurchase agreements with 25 counterparties, securitized debt and Senior Notes outstanding and obligation to return securities obtained as collateral, resulting in a debt-to-equity multiple of 2.8 times. (See table on page 55 under Results of Operations that presents our quarterly leverage multiples since March 31, 2013.)
Information About Our Assets
The tables below present certain information about our asset allocation at December 31, 2014.
ASSET ALLOCATION |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
GAAP Basis | | Agency MBS | | Legacy Non-Agency MBS | | RPL/NPL MBS (1) | | MBS Portfolio | | Residential Whole Loans, at Carrying Value (2) | | Residential Whole Loans, at Fair Value | | Other, net (3) | | Total |
(Dollars in Thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Fair Value/Carrying Value | | $ | 5,904,207 |
| | $ | 4,594,407 |
| | $ | 161,025 |
| | $ | 10,659,639 |
| | $ | 207,923 |
| | $ | 143,472 |
| | $ | 729,262 |
| | $ | 11,740,296 |
|
Less Repurchase Agreements | | (5,177,835 | ) | | (2,740,350 | ) | | (130,919 | ) | | (8,049,104 | ) | | (47,129 | ) | | (95,195 | ) | | (75,960 | ) | | (8,267,388 | ) |
Less Securitized Debt | | — |
| | (110,574 | ) | | — |
| | (110,574 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (110,574 | ) |
Less Senior Notes | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (100,000 | ) | | (100,000 | ) |
Equity Allocated | | $ | 726,372 |
| | $ | 1,743,483 |
| | $ | 30,106 |
| | $ | 2,499,961 |
| | $ | 160,794 |
| | $ | 48,277 |
| | $ | 553,302 |
| | $ | 3,262,334 |
|
Less Swaps at Market Value | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (59,062 | ) | | (59,062 | ) |
Net Equity Allocated | | $ | 726,372 |
| | $ | 1,743,483 |
| | $ | 30,106 |
| | $ | 2,499,961 |
| | $ | 160,794 |
| | $ | 48,277 |
| | $ | 494,240 |
| | $ | 3,203,272 |
|
Debt/Net Equity Ratio (4) | | 7.13 | x | | 1.64 | x | | 4.35 | x | | | | 0.29 | x | | 1.97 | x | | |
| | 2.81 | x |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Non-GAAP Adjustments | | Agency MBS | | Legacy Non-Agency MBS (5) | | RPL/NPL MBS (5) | | MBS Portfolio | | Residential Whole Loans, at Carrying Value (2) | | Residential Whole Loans, at Fair Value | | Other, net (5) | | Total |
(Dollars in Thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Fair Value/Carrying Value | | $ | — |
| | $ | 66,382 |
| | $ | 1,846,807 |
| | $ | 1,913,189 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | (388,605 | ) | | $ | 1,524,584 |
|
Repurchase Agreements | | — |
| | 456,508 |
| | (1,465,967 | ) | | (1,009,459 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | (3,020 | ) | | (1,012,479 | ) |
Multi-year Collateralized Financing Arrangements | | — |
| | (512,105 | ) | | — |
| | (512,105 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (512,105 | ) |
Equity Allocated | | $ | — |
| | $ | 10,785 |
| | $ | 380,840 |
| | $ | 391,625 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | (391,625 | ) | | $ | — |
|
Less Swaps at Market Value | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Net Equity Allocated | | $ | — |
| | $ | 10,785 |
| | $ | 380,840 |
| | $ | 391,625 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | (391,625 | ) | | $ | — |
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Non-GAAP Basis | | Agency MBS | | Legacy Non-Agency MBS (5) | | RPL/NPL MBS (5) | | MBS Portfolio | | Residential Whole Loans, at Carrying Value (2) | | Residential Whole Loans, at Fair Value | | Other, net (6) | | Total |
(Dollars in Thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Fair Value/Carrying Value | | $ | 5,904,207 |
| | $ | 4,660,789 |
| | $ | 2,007,832 |
| | $ | 12,572,828 |
| | $ | 207,923 |
| | $ | 143,472 |
| | $ | 340,657 |
| | $ | 13,264,880 |
|
Less Repurchase Agreements | | (5,177,835 | ) | | (2,283,842 | ) | | (1,596,886 | ) | | (9,058,563 | ) | | (47,129 | ) | | (95,195 | ) | | (78,980 | ) | | (9,279,867 | ) |
Less Multi-year Collateralized Financing Arrangements | | — |
| | (512,105 | ) | | — |
| | (512,105 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (512,105 | ) |
Less Securitized Debt | | — |
| | (110,574 | ) | | — |
| | (110,574 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (110,574 | ) |
Less Senior Notes | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (100,000 | ) | | (100,000 | ) |
Equity Allocated | | $ | 726,372 |
| | $ | 1,754,268 |
| | $ | 410,946 |
| | $ | 2,891,586 |
| | $ | 160,794 |
| | $ | 48,277 |
| | $ | 161,677 |
| | $ | 3,262,334 |
|
Less Swaps at Market Value | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (59,062 | ) | | (59,062 | ) |
Net Equity Allocated | | $ | 726,372 |
| | $ | 1,754,268 |
| | $ | 410,946 |
| | $ | 2,891,586 |
| | $ | 160,794 |
| | $ | 48,277 |
| | $ | 102,615 |
| | $ | 3,203,272 |
|
Debt/Net Equity Ratio (7) | | 7.13 | x | | 1.66 | x | | 3.89 | x | | | | 0.29 | x | | 1.97 | x | | |
| | 3.28 | x |
| |
(1) | Represents private-label MBS issued in 2013 and 2014 in which the underlying collateral consists of re-performing/non-performing loans that were originated in prior years. Included with the balance of Non-Agency MBS reported on our consolidated balance sheets. |
| |
(2) | The carrying value of such loans reflects the purchase price, accretion of income, cash received and provision for loan losses since acquisition. At December 31, 2014, the fair value of such loans is estimated to be $217.4 million. |
| |
(3) | Includes cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, securities obtained and pledged as collateral, CRT securities (including CRT securities and associated repurchase agreements reported as Linked Transactions), interest receivable, goodwill, prepaid and other assets, obligation to return securities obtained as collateral, interest payable, dividends payable and accrued expenses and other liabilities. |
| |
(4) | Represents the sum of borrowings under repurchase agreements, payable for unsettled MBS purchases and securitized debt as a multiple of net equity allocated. The numerator of our Total Debt/Net Equity ratio also includes the obligation to return securities obtained as collateral of $512.1 million, Senior Notes. |
| |
(5) | Includes Legacy Non-Agency, RPL/NPL MBS, CRT securities and repurchase agreements underlying Linked Transactions. The purchase of a Non-Agency MBS or CRT security and contemporaneous repurchase borrowing of these securities with the same counterparty are accounted for under GAAP as a “linked transaction.” The two components of a linked transaction (MBS or CRT security and associated borrowings under a repurchase agreement) are evaluated on a combined basis and are presented net as “Linked Transactions” on our consolidated balance sheets. Amounts reported in the Non-Agency MBS column also includes the adjustment to reflect Non-Agency financing under multi-year collateralized financing arrangements of $512.1 million, while borrowings under repurchase agreements of $507.1 million for which U.S. Treasury securities are pledged as collateral is reclassified to other, net. |
| |
(6) | Includes cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash, securities obtained and pledged as collateral, CRT securities (including CRT securities and associated repurchase agreements reported as Linked Transactions), interest receivable, goodwill, prepaid and other assets, borrowings under repurchase agreements of $507.1 million for which U.S. Treasury securities are pledged as collateral, interest payable, dividends payable, and accrued expenses and other liabilities. |
| |
(7) | Represents the sum of borrowings under repurchase agreements (including an aggregate of $1.520 billion repurchase agreements underlying Linked Transactions), payable for unsettled MBS purchases, multi-year collateralized financing arrangements of $512.1 million and securitized debt as a multiple of net equity allocated. The numerator of our total debt-to-equity ratio also includes borrowings under repurchase agreements of $507.1 million for which U.S. Treasury securities are pledged as collateral and Senior Notes. |
Agency MBS
The following table presents certain information regarding the composition of our Agency MBS portfolio as of December 31, 2014 and 2013:
December 31, 2014
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(Dollars in Thousands) | | Current Face | | Weighted Average Purchase Price | | Weighted Average Market Price | | Fair Value (1) | | Weighted Average Loan Age (Months) (2) | | Weighted Average Coupon (2) | | 3 Month Average CPR |
15-Year Fixed Rate: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Low Loan Balance (3) | | $ | 1,705,386 |
| | 104.3 | % | | 104.0 | % | | $ | 1,773,255 |
| | 32 |
| | 3.01 | % | | 7.7 | % |
HARP (4) | | 177,193 |
| | 104.7 |
| | 104.0 |
| | 184,192 |
| | 31 |
| | 2.99 |
| | 6.5 |
|
Other (Post June 2009) (5) | | 192,325 |
| | 103.9 |
| | 107.2 |
| | 206,132 |
| | 51 |
| | 4.15 |
| | 13.0 |
|
Other (Pre June 2009) (6) | | 1,069 |
| | 104.9 |
| | 107.7 |
| | 1,151 |
| | 67 |
| | 4.50 |
| | 0.8 |
|
Total 15-Year Fixed Rate | | $ | 2,075,973 |
| | 104.3 | % | | 104.3 | % | | $ | 2,164,730 |
| | 34 |
| | 3.12 | % | | 8.1 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Hybrid: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Other (Post June 2009) (5) | | $ | 2,343,186 |
| | 104.4 | % | | 105.4 | % | | $ | 2,469,714 |
| | 44 |
| | 3.15 | % | | 17.9 | % |
Other (Pre June 2009) (6) | | 1,049,495 |
| | 101.7 |
| | 106.8 |
| | 1,120,830 |
| | 97 |
| | 2.82 |
| | 8.8 |
|
Total Hybrid | | $ | 3,392,681 |
| | 103.6 | % | | 105.8 | % | | $ | 3,590,544 |
| | 60 |
| | 3.04 | % | | 15.1 | % |
CMO/Other | | $ | 141,639 |
| | 102.5 | % | | 104.8 | % | | $ | 148,391 |
| | 163 |
| | 2.41 | % | | 8.9 | % |
Total Portfolio | | $ | 5,610,293 |
| | 103.8 | % | | 105.2 | % | | $ | 5,903,665 |
| | 53 |
| | 3.06 | % | | 12.3 | % |
December 31, 2013
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(Dollars in Thousands) | | Current Face | | Weighted Average Purchase Price | | Weighted Average Market Price | | Fair Value (1) | | Weighted Average Loan Age (Months) (2) | | Weighted Average Coupon (2) | | 3 Month Average CPR |
15-Year Fixed Rate: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Low Loan Balance (3) | | $ | 1,977,798 |
| | 104.3 | % | | 101.8 | % | | $ | 2,012,876 |
| | 20 |
| | 3.04 | % | | 7.2 | % |
HARP (4) | | 205,895 |
| | 104.7 |
| | 101.8 |
| | 209,597 |
| | 19 |
| | 3.01 |
| | 6.3 |
|
Other (Post June 2009) (5) | | 222,691 |
| | 103.7 |
| | 106.1 |
| | 236,253 |
| | 40 |
| | 4.16 |
| | 17.0 |
|
Other (Pre June 2009) (6) | | 1,256 |
| | 104.9 |
| | 106.7 |
| | 1,340 |
| | 55 |
| | 4.50 |
| | 0.5 |
|
Total 15-Year Fixed Rate | | $ | 2,407,640 |
| | 104.3 | % | | 102.2 | % | | $ | 2,460,066 |
| | 22 |
| | 3.14 | % | | 8.0 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Hybrid: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
Other (Post June 2009) (5) | | $ | 2,502,413 |
| | 104.1 | % | | 104.4 | % | | $ | 2,612,108 |
| | 32 |
| | 3.22 | % | | 17.7 | % |
Other (Pre June 2009) (6) | | 1,202,227 |
| | 101.4 |
| | 106.0 |
| | 1,274,745 |
| | 84 |
| | 3.28 |
| | 13.2 |
|
Total Hybrid | | $ | 3,704,640 |
| | 103.2 | % | | 104.9 | % | | $ | 3,886,853 |
| | 49 |
| | 3.24 | % | | 16.2 | % |
CMO/Other | | $ | 164,639 |
| | 102.5 | % | | 104.0 | % | | $ | 171,182 |
| | 154 |
| | 2.44 | % | | 8.7 | % |
Total Portfolio | | $ | 6,276,919 |
| | 103.6 | % | | 103.8 | % | | $ | 6,518,101 |
| | 41 |
| | 3.18 | % | | 12.9 | % |
(1) Does not include principal payments receivable of $542,000 and $1.1 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
(2) Weighted average is based on MBS current face at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
(3) Low loan balance represents MBS collateralized by mortgages with original loan balance of less than or equal to $175,000.
(4) HARP MBS are backed by refinanced loans with LTVs greater than or equal to 80% at origination.
(5) MBS issued in June 2009 or later. Majority of underlying loans are ineligible to refinance through the HARP program.
(6) MBS issued before June 2009.
The following table presents certain information regarding our 15-year fixed-rate Agency MBS as of December 31, 2014 and 2013:
December 31, 2014
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Coupon | | Current Face | | Weighted Average Purchase Price | | Weighted Average Market Price | | Fair Value (1) | | Weighted Average Loan Age (Months) (2) | | Weighted Average Loan Rate | | Low Loan Balance and/or HARP (3) | | 3 Month Average CPR |
(Dollars in Thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
15-Year Fixed Rate: | | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
2.5% | | $ | 969,213 |
| | 104.0 | % | | 102.2 | % | | $ | 990,328 |
| | 24 |
| | 3.04 | % | | 100 | % | | 6.1 | % |
3.0% | | 420,623 |
| | 105.9 |
| | 104.2 |
| | 438,377 |
| | 30 |
| | 3.49 |
| | 100 |
| | 4.4 |
|
3.5% | | 11,990 |
| | 103.5 |
| | 106.0 |
| | 12,706 |
| | 50 |
| | 4.17 |
| | 100 |
| | 11.7 |
|
4.0% | | 575,040 |
| | 103.5 |
| | 107.2 |
| | 616,662 |
| | 49 |
| | 4.40 |
| | 79 |
| | 12.4 |
|
4.5% | | 99,107 |
| | 105.2 |
| | 107.6 |
| | 106,657 |
| | 53 |
| | 4.88 |
| | 32 |
| | 16.9 |
|
Total 15-Year Fixed Rate | | $ | 2,075,973 |
| | 104.3 | % | | 104.3 | % | | $ | 2,164,730 |
| | 34 |
| | 3.60 | % | | 91 | % | | 8.1 | % |
December 31, 2013
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Coupon | | Current Face | | Weighted Average Purchase Price | | Weighted Average Market Price | | Fair Value (1) | | Weighted Average Loan Age (Months) (2) | | Weighted Average Loan Rate | |