Safehold Inc. 10-Q

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk Market Risks Market risk is the exposure to loss resulting from changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices and equity prices. In pursuing our business plan, the primary market risk to which we are exposed is interest rate risk. Our operating results will depend in part on the difference between the interest and related income earned on our assets and the interest expense incurred in connection with our interest-bearing liabilities. Changes in the general level of interest rates prevailing in the financial markets will affect the spread between our floating rate assets and liabilities subject to the net amount of floating rate assets/liabilities and the impact of interest rate floors and caps. Any significant compression of the spreads between interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities could have a material adverse effect on us. In the event of a significant rising interest rate environment or economic downturn, defaults could increase and cause us to incur additional credit losses which would adversely affect our liquidity and operating results. Such delinquencies or defaults would likely have a material adverse effect on the spreads between interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. In addition, an increase in interest rates could, among other things, reduce the value of our fixed-rate interest-bearing assets and our ability to realize gains from the sale of such assets. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary and tax policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions, and other factors beyond our control. We monitor the spreads between our interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities and may implement hedging strategies to limit the effects of changes in interest rates on our operations, including engaging in interest rate swaps, interest rate caps and other interest rate-related derivative contracts. Such strategies are designed to reduce our exposure, on specific transactions or on a portfolio basis, to changes in cash flows as a result of interest rate movements in the market. We do not enter into derivative contracts for speculative purposes or as a hedge against changes in our credit risk or the credit risk of our borrowers. While a REIT may utilize derivative instruments to hedge interest rate risk on its liabilities incurred to acquire or carry real estate assets without generating non-qualifying income, use of derivatives for other purposes will generate non-qualified income for REIT income test purposes. This includes hedging asset related risks such as credit and interest rate exposure on our loan assets. As a result, our ability to hedge these types of risks is limited. There can be no assurance that our profitability will not be materially adversely affected during any period as a result of changing interest rates. The following table quantifies the potential changes in annual net income, assuming no change in our interest earning assets or interest bearing liabilities, should interest rates decrease or increase by 10, 50 or 100 basis points, assuming no change in the shape of the yield curve (i.e., relative interest rates). The base interest rate scenario assumes the one-month LIBOR rate of 1.79% as of June 30, 2022. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimated in the table. Estimated Change In Net Income ($ in thousands) ​ ​ ​ ​ Change in Interest Rates ​ Net Income (1) -100 Basis Points ​ $ (13,058) -50 Basis Points ​ (6,529) -10 Basis Points ​ ​ (1,306) Base Interest Rate ​ — +10 Basis Points ​ 1,306 +50 Basis Points ​ 6,628 +100 Basis Points ​ 13,523 (1) As of June 30, 2022, we have an overall net variable-rate asset position. In addition, as of June 30, 2022, $73.1 million of our floating rate loans have a weighted average interest rate floor of 2.2%. ​ 56 Table of Contents