Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
We seek to manage our risks related to interest rates, liquidity, prepayment speeds, market value and the credit quality of our assets while, at the same time, seeking to provide an opportunity to stockholders to realize attractive total returns through ownership of our capital stock. While we do not seek to avoid risk, we seek, consistent with our investment policies, to: assume risk that can be quantified based on management’s judgment and experience and actively manage such risk; earn sufficient returns to justify the taking of such risks; and maintain capital levels consistent with the risks that we undertake.
INTEREST RATE RISK
We are exposed to interest rate risk on our residential mortgage assets, as well as on our liabilities. Changes in interest rates can affect our net interest income and the fair value of our assets and liabilities.
In general, when interest rates change, borrowing costs on our financing agreements will change more quickly than the yield on our assets. In a rising interest rate environment, the borrowing costs may increase faster than the interest income on our assets, thereby reducing our net income. In order to mitigate compression in net income based on such interest rate movements, we may use Swaps or other derivatives to lock in a portion of the net interest spread between assets and liabilities or otherwise hedge interest rate risk.
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When interest rates change, the fair value of our residential mortgage assets could change at a different rate than the fair value of our liabilities. We measure the sensitivity of our portfolio to changes in interest rates by estimating the duration of our assets and liabilities. Duration is the approximate percentage change in fair value for a 100 basis point parallel shift in the yield curve. In general, our assets have higher duration than our liabilities, and in order to reduce this exposure, we have historically used Swaps and other derivatives to reduce the gap in duration between our assets and liabilities.
The fair value of our re-performing and non-performing residential whole loans is in part dependent on the value of the underlying real estate collateral, past and expected delinquency status of the borrower as well as the level of interest rates. For certain loans that were re-performing or non-performing when purchased and where the borrower has brought the loan current, but nonetheless may be less likely to prepay due to weak credit history and/or high LTV, we believe these loans exhibit positive duration. We estimate the duration of these residential whole loans using management’s assumptions.
The fair value of our Purchased Performing Loans is typically dependent on the value of the underlying real estate collateral, as well as the level of interest rates. Because these loans are primarily newly or recently originated performing loans, we believe these investments exhibit positive duration. Given the short duration of our Rehabilitation loans, we believe the fair value of these loans exhibits little sensitivity to changes in interest rates. We estimate the duration of these Purchased Performing Loans held at carrying value using management’s assumptions.
The fair value of our non-performing residential whole loans is typically primarily dependent on the value of the underlying real estate collateral and the time required for collateral liquidation. Since neither the value of the collateral nor the liquidation timeline is generally sensitive to interest rates, we believe their fair value exhibits little sensitivity to interest rates. We estimate the duration of our non-performing residential whole loans using management’s assumptions.
We use derivative financial instruments, including Swaps, as part of our overall interest rate risk management strategy. Such instruments are used to economically hedge against future interest rate increases on our financing transactions. While use of such derivatives does not extend the maturities of our borrowings under repurchase agreements, they do, in effect, lock in a fixed rate of interest over their term for a corresponding amount of our repurchase agreement financings that are hedged, or otherwise act as a hedge against changes in interest rates. Additionally, we have entered into short positions in TBA securities to economically hedge interest rate and other market risks arising from our investments in Agency eligible investor loans.
The interest rates for the vast majority of our investments, financings and certain of our hedging transactions are either explicitly or indirectly based on LIBOR. On March 5, 2021, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (or FCA) which regulates LIBOR, announced that all LIBOR tenors relevant to us will cease to be published or will no longer be representative after June 30, 2023. The FCA’s announcement coincides with the March 5, 2021 announcement of LIBOR’s administrator, the ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (or IBA), indicating that, as a result of not having access to input data necessary to calculate LIBOR tenors relevant to us on a representative basis after June 30, 2023, IBA would have to cease publication of such LIBOR tenors immediately after the last publication on June 30, 2023. At present, it is not possible to predict the effect of such change, including the establishment of potential alternative reference rates, on the economy or markets we are active in either currently or in the future, or on any of our assets or liabilities whose interest rates are based on LIBOR. We are in the process of evaluating the potential impact of a discontinuation of LIBOR on our portfolio, as well as the related accounting impact. However, we expect that in the near term, we will work closely with the Trustee companies and/or other entities that are involved in calculating the interest rates for our residential mortgage securities and securitized debt, our loan servicers for our hybrid and floating rate loans, and with the various counterparties to our financing and hedging transactions in order to determine what changes, if any, are required to be made to existing agreements for these transactions.
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Shock Table
The information presented in the following “Shock Table” projects the potential impact of sudden parallel changes in interest rates on our net interest income and portfolio value, including the impact of Swaps and short positions in TBA securities (if any), over the next 12 months based on the assets in our investment portfolio at December 31, 2021 and 2020. All changes in income and value are measured as the percentage change from the projected net interest income and portfolio value under the base interest rate scenario at December 31, 2021 and 2020.
December 31, 2021
Change in Interest Rates Estimated
Value
of Assets (1)
Estimated
Value of Securitized and Other Fixed Rate Debt Estimated
Value of
Financial
Instruments Change in
Estimated
Value Percentage
Change in Net
Interest
Income Percentage
Change in
Portfolio
Value
(Dollars in Thousands)
+100 Basis Point Increase $ 8,664,374 $ 135,251 $ 8,799,625 $ (159,216) 1.61 % (1.78) %
+ 50 Basis Point Increase $ 8,820,924 $ 68,604 $ 8,889,528 $ (69,313) 0.79 % (0.77) %
Actual at December 31, 2021 $ 8,955,479 $ 3,362 $ 8,958,841 $ — — % — %
- 50 Basis Point Decrease $ 9,068,036 $ (60,475) $ 9,007,561 $ 48,720 (1.99) % 0.54 %
-100 Basis Point Decrease $ 9,158,597 $ (122,908) $ 9,035,689 $ 76,848 (3.49) % 0.86 %
December 31, 2020
Change in Interest Rates Estimated
Value
of Assets (1)
Estimated
Value of Securitized and Other Fixed Rate Debt Estimated
Value of
Financial
Instruments Change in
Estimated
Value Percentage
Change in Net
Interest
Income Percentage
Change in
Portfolio
Value
(Dollars in Thousands)
+100 Basis Point Increase $ 6,858,041 $ 34,247 $ 6,892,288 $ (123,596) 6.27 % (1.76) %
+ 50 Basis Point Increase $ 6,943,725 $ 16,231 $ 6,959,956 $ (55,928) 3.10 % (0.80) %
Actual at December 31, 2020 $ 7,017,668 $ (1,784) $ 7,015,884 $ — — % — %
- 50 Basis Point Decrease $ 7,079,872 $ (19,800) $ 7,060,072 $ 44,188 (3.87) % 0.63 %
-100 Basis Point Decrease $ 7,130,336 $ (37,815) $ 7,092,521 $ 76,637 (8.03) % 1.09 %
(1) Such assets include residential whole loans and REO, MBS and CRT securities, MSR-related assets, cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash.
Certain assumptions have been made in connection with the calculation of the information set forth in the Shock Table and, as such, there can be no assurance that assumed events will occur or that other events will not occur that would affect the outcomes. The base interest rate scenario assumes interest rates at December 31, 2021 and 2020. The analysis presented utilizes assumptions and estimates based on management’s judgment and experience. Furthermore, while we generally expect to retain the majority of our assets and the associated interest rate risk to maturity, future purchases and sales of assets could materially change our interest rate risk profile. It should be specifically noted that the information set forth in the above tables and all related disclosure constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimated in the Shock Table above.
The Shock Table quantifies the potential changes in net interest income and portfolio value, which includes the value of our derivative and other hedging transactions (if any) and securitized and other fixed rate debt (which are carried at fair value), should interest rates immediately change (i.e., are shocked). The Shock Table presents the estimated impact of interest rates instantaneously rising 50 and 100 basis points, and falling 50 and 100 basis points. The cash flows associated with our portfolio for each rate shock are calculated based on assumptions, including, but not limited to, prepayment speeds, yield on replacement assets, the slope of the yield curve and composition of our portfolio. Assumptions made with respect to the interest rate sensitive liabilities include anticipated interest rates, collateral requirements as a percent of repurchase agreement financings, and the amounts and terms of borrowing. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, we applied a floor of 0% for all anticipated interest rates included in our assumptions. Due to this floor, it is anticipated that any hypothetical interest rate shock decrease would have a limited positive impact on our funding costs; however, because prepayments speeds are unaffected by this floor, it is expected that any increase in our prepayment speeds (occurring as a result of any interest rate shock decrease or otherwise) could result in an acceleration of premium amortization on assets purchased at a premium and discount accretion on
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assets purchased at a discount and in the reinvestment of principal repayments in lower yielding assets. As a result, because the presence of this floor limits the positive impact of interest rate decrease on our funding costs, hypothetical interest rate shock decreases could cause a decline in the fair value of our financial instruments and our net interest income.
At December 31, 2021, the impact on portfolio value was approximated using estimated net effective duration (i.e., the price sensitivity to changes in interest rates), including the effect of securitized and other fixed rate debt, of 1.32, which is the weighted average of 3.06 for our Residential whole loans, 0.13 for our Securities investments, (3.22) for our derivative and other hedging transactions and securitized and other fixed rate debt, and 0.06 for our Other assets and cash and cash equivalents. Estimated convexity (i.e., the approximate change in duration relative to the change in interest rates) of the portfolio was (0.92), which is the weighted average of (1.09) for our Residential whole loans, 0.14 for our derivative and other hedging transactions and securitized and other fixed rate debt, zero for our Securities, and zero for our Other assets and cash and cash equivalents. At December 31, 2020, the impact on portfolio value was approximated using estimated net effective duration (i.e., the price sensitivity to changes in interest rates), including the effect of securitized and other fixed rate debt, of 1.43, which is the weighted average of 2.42 for our Residential whole loans, 0.75 for our Non-Agency investments, (2.11) for our securitized debt and other fixed rate debt, and 0.06 for our Other assets and cash and cash equivalents. Estimated convexity (i.e., the approximate change in duration relative to the change in interest rates) of the portfolio was (0.67), which is the weighted average of (0.85) for our Residential whole loans, zero for our securitized and other fixed rate debt, zero for our Non-Agency MBS, and zero for our Other assets and cash and cash equivalents. The impact on our net interest income is driven mainly by the difference between portfolio yield and cost of funding of our repurchase agreements. Our asset/liability structure is generally such that an increase in interest rates would be expected to result in a decrease in net interest income, as our borrowings are generally shorter in term than our interest-earning assets. When interest rates are shocked, prepayment assumptions are adjusted based on management’s expectations along with the results from the prepayment model.
CREDIT RISK
We are exposed to credit risk through our credit sensitive residential mortgage investments, in particular residential whole loans and CRT securities and to a lesser extent our investments in MSR-related assets. Our primary credit risk currently relates to our residential whole loans.
Our exposure to credit risk from our credit sensitive investments is discussed in more detail below:
Residential Whole Loans
We are exposed to credit risk from our investments in residential whole loans. Our investment process for Purchased Non-performing and Purchased Credit Deteriorated Loans is focused on quantifying and pricing credit risk. Non-Performing and Purchased Credit Deteriorated Loans are acquired at purchase prices that are generally discounted to the contractual loan balances based on a number of factors, including the impaired credit history of the borrower and the value of the collateral securing the loan. In addition, as we generally own the mortgage-servicing rights associated with these loans, our process is also focused on selecting a sub-servicer with the appropriate expertise to mitigate losses and maximize our overall return. This involves, among other things, performing due diligence on the sub-servicer prior to their engagement as well as ongoing oversight and surveillance. To the extent that delinquencies and defaults on these loans are higher than our expectation at the time the loans were purchased, the discounted purchase price at which the asset is acquired is intended to provide a level of protection against financial loss.
Credit risk on Purchased Performing Loans is mitigated through our process to underwrite the loan before it is acquired and/or originated and includes an assessment of the borrower’s financial condition and ability to repay the loan, nature of the collateral and relatively low LTV, including after-repair LTV for the majority of our Rehabilitation loans.
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The following table presents certain information about our Residential whole loans at December 31, 2021:
Purchased Performing Loans Purchased Credit Deteriorated Loans Purchased Non-Performing Loans
Loans with an LTV: Loans with an LTV: Loans with an LTV:
(Dollars in Thousands) 80% or Below Above 80% 80% or Below Above 80% 80% or Below Above 80% Total
Amortized cost $ 6,139,112 $ 205,281 $ 405,221 $ 142,551 $ 630,097 $ 240,356 $ 7,762,618
Unpaid principal balance (UPB) $ 5,987,507 $ 201,505 $ 458,286 $ 184,901 $ 702,045 $ 371,499 $ 7,905,743
Weighted average coupon (1)
5.0 % 5.4 % 4.6 % 4.5 % 4.9 % 4.8 % 5.0 %
Weighted average term to maturity (months) 305 352 267 323 264 321 301
Weighted average LTV (2)
64.6 % 87.1 % 54.4 % 105.3 % 53.1 % 111.1 % 66.4 %
Loans 90+ days delinquent (UPB) $ 221,666 $ 7,853 $ 69,058 $ 48,420 $ 258,329 $ 194,817 $ 800,143
(1) Weighted average is calculated based on the interest bearing principal balance of each loan within the related category. For loans acquired with servicing rights released by the seller, interest rates included in the calculation do not reflect loan servicing fees. For loans acquired with servicing rights retained by the seller, interest rates included in the calculation are net of servicing fees.
(2) LTV represents the ratio of the total unpaid principal balance of the loan to the estimated value of the collateral securing the related loan as of the most recent date available, which may be the origination date. For Rehabilitation loans, the LTV presented is the ratio of the maximum unpaid principal balance of the loan, including unfunded commitments, to the estimated “after repaired” value of the collateral securing the related loan, where available. For certain Rehabilitation loans, totaling $137.3 million, an after repaired valuation was not obtained and the loan was underwritten based on an “as is” valuation. The LTV of these loans based on the current unpaid principal balance and the valuation obtained during underwriting, is 71%. Excluded from the calculation of weighted average LTV are certain low value loans secured by vacant lots for which the LTV ratio is not meaningful.
The following table presents the five largest geographic concentrations by state of our residential whole loan portfolio at December 31, 2021:
Property Location Percent of Interest-Bearing Unpaid Principal Balance
California 36.8 %
Florida 10.9 %
New York 6.5 %
New Jersey 4.4 %
Texas 4.0 %
MSR-Related Assets
Term Notes
We have invested in certain term notes that are issued by special purpose vehicles (or SPVs) that have acquired rights to receive cash flows representing the servicing fees and/or excess servicing spread associated with certain MSRs. Payment of principal and interest on these term notes is considered by us to be largely dependent on the cash flows generated by the underlying MSRs as this impacts the cash flows available to the SPV that issued the term notes. Credit risk borne by the holders of the term notes is also mitigated by structural credit support in the form of over-collateralization. In addition, credit support is also provided by a corporate guarantee from the ultimate parent or sponsor of the SPV that is intended to provide for payment of interest and principal to the holders of the term notes should cash flows generated by the underlying MSRs be insufficient.
CRT Securities
We are exposed to potential credit losses from our investments in CRT securities issued by or sponsored by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. While CRT securities are issued by or sponsored by these GSEs, payment of principal on these securities is not guaranteed. As an investor in a CRT security, we may incur a loss if losses on the mortgage loans in the reference pool exceed the credit enhancement on the underlying CRT security owned by us or if an actual pool of loans experience losses. We assess the credit risk associated with our investments in CRT securities by assessing the current and expected future performance of the associated loan pool.
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Credit Spread Risk
Credit spreads measure the additional yield demanded by investors in financial instruments based on the credit risk associated with an instrument relative to benchmark interest rates. They are impacted by the available supply and demand for instruments with various levels of credit risk. Widening credit spreads would result in higher yields being required by investors in financial instruments. Credit spread widening generally results in lower values of the financial instruments we hold at that time, but will generally result in a higher yield on future investments with similar credit risk. It is possible that the credit spreads on our assets and liabilities, including hedges, will not always move in tandem. Consequently, changes in credit spreads can result in volatility in our financial results and reported book value.
LIQUIDITY RISK
The primary liquidity risk we face arises from financing long-maturity assets with shorter-term borrowings primarily in the form of repurchase agreement financings. This risk was particularly pronounced during the first quarter of 2020, as conditions created by COVID-19 resulted in us receiving an unusually high number of margin calls, negatively impacting our overall liquidity and ultimately leading us to enter into forbearance agreements.
We pledge residential mortgage assets and cash to secure our financing agreements. Our financing agreements with mark-to-market collateral provisions require us to pledge additional collateral in the event the market value of the assets pledged decreases, in order maintain the lenders contractually specified collateral cushion, which is measured as the difference between the loan amount and the market value of the asset pledged as collateral. Should the value of our residential mortgage assets pledged as collateral suddenly decrease, margin calls under our repurchase agreements would likely increase, causing an adverse change in our liquidity position. Additionally, if one or more of our financing counterparties chose not to provide ongoing funding, our ability to finance our long-maturity assets would decline or be available on possibly less advantageous terms. Further, when liquidity tightens, our repurchase agreement counterparties may increase our collateral cushion (or margin) requirements on new financings, including repurchase agreement borrowings that we roll with the same counterparty, reducing our ability to use leverage.
At December 31, 2021, we had access to various sources of liquidity, including $304.7 million of cash and cash equivalents. Our sources of liquidity do not include restricted cash. In addition, at December 31, 2021, we had $280.2 million of unencumbered residential whole loans. Further, we believe that we have unused capacity of approximately $350 million in certain borrowing lines, given that the amount currently borrowed is less than the maximum advance rate permitted by the facility. This unused capacity serves to act as a buffer against potential margin calls on certain pledged assets in the events that asset prices do not decline by more than a specified amount.
PREPAYMENT RISK
Premiums arise when we acquire an MBS or loan at a price in excess of the aggregate principal balance of the mortgages securing the MBS (i.e., par value) or when we acquire residential whole loans at a price in excess of their aggregate principal balance. Conversely, discounts arise when we acquire an MBS or loan at a price below the aggregate principal balance of the mortgages securing the MBS or when we acquire residential whole loans at a price below their aggregate principal balance. Premiums paid are amortized against interest income and accretable purchase discounts on these investments are accreted to interest income. Purchase premiums, which are primarily carried on our Purchased Performing Loans (excluding Rehabilitation loans that are typically purchased at par), are amortized against interest income over the life of the investment 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 interest income earned on these assets. Fees payable by borrowers on the early repayment of certain of our Purchased Performing Loans serve to mitigate the impact on our income of higher prepayment rates. Generally, if prepayments on residential whole loans purchased at significant discounts and not accounted for at fair value are less than anticipated, we expect that the income recognized on these assets will be reduced and impairments and/or credit loss reserves may result.
In addition, increased prepayments are generally associated with decreasing market interest rates as borrowers are able to refinance their mortgages at lower rates. Therefore, increased prepayments on our investments may accelerate the redeployment of our capital to generally lower yielding investments. Similarly, decreased prepayments are generally associated with increasing market interest rates and may slow our ability to redeploy capital to generally higher yielding investments.
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