MFA Financial (MFA) 10-Q2024 Q3 Quarterly report

0001055160srt:WeightedAverageMembermfa:ResidentialWholeLoanMemberus-gaap:FairValueInputsLevel3Memberus-gaap:MeasurementInputLossSeverityMemberus-gaap:ValuationTechniqueDiscountedCashFlowMember2023-12-31

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

102,082,561 shares of the registrant’s common stock, $0.01 par value, were outstanding as of October 31, 2024.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

MFA Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) was incorporated in Maryland on July 24, 1997 and began operations on April 10, 1998.  The Company has elected to be treated as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  In order to maintain its qualification as a REIT, the Company must comply with a number of requirements under federal tax law, including that it must distribute at least 90% of its annual REIT taxable income to its stockholders.  The Company has elected to treat certain of its subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS”). In general, a TRS may hold assets and engage in activities that the Company cannot hold or engage in directly and generally may engage in any real estate or non-real estate related business (see Note 8).

The interim unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted in accordance with these SEC rules and regulations.  Management believes that the disclosures included in these interim unaudited consolidated financial statements are adequate to make the information presented not misleading.  The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.  In the opinion of management, all normal and recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial condition of the Company at September 30, 2024 and results of operations for all periods presented have been made.  The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 should not be construed as indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared on the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with GAAP.  The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Although the Company’s estimates contemplate current conditions and how it expects them to change in the future, it is reasonably possible that actual conditions could differ from those estimates, which could materially impact the Company’s results of operations and its financial condition.  Management has made significant estimates in several areas: impairment, valuation allowances and loss allowances on residential whole loans (see Note 3), certain securities designated as available-for- sale (“AFS”) (see Note 4), certain Other assets (see Note 5), valuation of Securities, at fair value (see Notes 4 and 13), income recognition and valuation of residential whole loans (see Notes 3 and 13), valuation of financing agreements (Notes 6 and 13), and valuation of derivative instruments (see Notes 5(e) and 13). In addition, estimates are used in the determination of taxable income used in the assessment of REIT compliance and contingent liabilities for related taxes, penalties and interest (see Note 8).  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of all subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. In addition, the Company consolidates entities established to facilitate transactions related to the acquisition and securitization of residential whole loans. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

Residential whole loans included in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets are primarily comprised of pools of fixed- and adjustable-rate residential mortgage loans acquired through consolidated trusts in secondary market transactions or originated by our indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Lima One Capital, LLC (together with its parent company, Lima One Holdings, LLC, “Lima One”). The accounting model utilized by the Company is determined at the time each loan package is initially acquired or each loan is originated. Prior to the second quarter of 2021, the Company typically elected the fair value option on loans that were 60 or more days delinquent at purchase. All other loans purchased prior to the second quarter of 2021 were typically held at carrying value. Starting in the second quarter of 2021, the Company began to elect the fair value option for all loans originated or acquired. The accounting model initially applied to loan originations and acquisitions is not

The Company’s residential whole loans pledged as collateral against financing agreements are included in the consolidated balance sheets with amounts pledged disclosed in Note 6.  Effective January 1, 2024, purchases and sales of residential whole loans are recorded on settlement date. As of December 31, 2023, approximately $103.7 million of purchased residential whole loans, at fair value were recorded on the consolidated balance sheet and settled after period-end.

The Company’s residential whole loans are primarily comprised of: (i) loans to finance (or refinance) one-to-four family residential properties that are not considered to meet the definition of a “Qualified Mortgage” in accordance with guidelines adopted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“Non-QM loans”), (ii) short-term business purpose loans collateralized by residential properties made to non-occupant borrowers that generally intend to rehabilitate or construct residential housing and then refinance or sell the properties (“Single-family transitional loans”), (iii) short-term business purpose loans collateralized by multifamily properties, typically with a loan balance below $10 million, made to non-occupant borrowers that generally intend to moderately rehabilitate or stabilize and then refinance or sell the properties (“Multifamily transitional loans”) (collectively with Single-family transitional loans, “Transitional loans,” also sometimes referred to as “Rehabilitation loans” or “Fix and Flip loans”), (iv) business purpose loans to finance (or refinance) non-owner occupied one-to-four family residential properties that are rented to one or more tenants (“Single-family rental loans” and, collectively with Transitional loans, “Business purpose loans”), (v) loans primarily secured by residential real estate that were generally either non-performing or re-performing at acquisition (“Legacy RPL/NPL loans”) and (vi) loans on investor properties that conform to the standards for purchase by a federally chartered corporation, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) (“Agency eligible investor loans,” which are included in “Other loans”). Residential whole loans are initially recorded at their purchase price (or amount funded for originated loans). Interest income is accrued based on each loan’s current interest-bearing balance and current interest rate. Interest income on loans acquired at a premium/discount to par is recorded each period based on the contractual coupon net of any amortization of premium or accretion of discount, adjusted for actual prepayment activity. For loans acquired with related servicing rights retained by the seller, interest income is reported net of related servicing costs.

For loans acquired prior to the second quarter of 2021 for which the fair value option was not elected, an allowance for credit losses is recorded at acquisition, and maintained on an ongoing basis, for all credit losses expected over the life of the respective loan. Any required credit loss allowance would reduce the net carrying value of the loan with a corresponding charge to earnings, and may increase or decrease over time. Judgments are required in determining any allowance for credit loss, including assumptions regarding the loan cash flows expected to be collected, the value of the underlying collateral and the ability of the Company to collect on any other forms of security, such as a personal guaranty provided either by the borrower or an affiliate of the borrower.

Income recognition is suspended, and interest accruals are reversed against income, for loans at the earlier of the date on which payments become 90 days past due or when, in the opinion of management, a full recovery of income and principal becomes doubtful (i.e., such loans are placed on nonaccrual status). For nonaccrual loans, interest income is recorded when interest payments are received. Interest accruals are resumed when the loan becomes contractually current. A loan is written off when it is no longer realizable and/or it is legally discharged.

Charge-offs to the allowance for loan losses occur when losses are confirmed through the receipt of cash or other consideration from the completion of a sale; when a modification or restructuring takes place in which we grant a concession to a borrower or agree to a discount in full or partial satisfaction of the loan; when we take ownership and control of the underlying collateral in full satisfaction of the loan; when loans are reclassified as other investments; or when significant collection efforts have ceased and it is highly likely that a loss has been realized.

Certain Legacy RPL/NPL loans acquired by the Company for which the Company did not elect the fair value option are accounted for as credit deteriorated, as they have experienced a deterioration in credit quality since origination and prior to our purchase and were acquired at discounted prices that reflect, in part, the impaired credit history of the borrower. Substantially all of these loans have previously experienced payment delinquencies and the amount owed may exceed the value of the property pledged as collateral. Consequently, these loans generally have a higher likelihood of default than newly originated mortgage loans with loan-to-value ratios (“LTVs”) of 80% or less to creditworthy borrowers. The Company believes that amounts paid to acquire these loans represent fair market value at the date of acquisition. Loans considered credit deteriorated are initially recorded at their purchase price on a net basis, after establishing an initial allowance for credit losses (their initial cost basis is equal to their purchase price plus the initial allowance for credit losses). Subsequent to acquisition, the gross recorded amount for these loans reflects the initial cost basis, plus accretion/amortization of interest income, less principal and interest cash flows received. These credit deteriorated loans are presented on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets at carrying value, which reflects the recorded cost basis reduced by any allowance for credit losses. Interest income on such loans purchased is recorded each period based on the contractual coupon net of accretion/amortization of the difference between their cost basis and unpaid principal balance (“UPB”), subject to the Company’s nonaccrual policy.

Loans Held-for-Sale

For loans for which the fair value option was not elected, once a decision has been made to sell loans previously classified as held for investment, such loans are considered held-for-sale and are carried at the lower of cost or fair value.

Certain of the Company’s residential whole loans are presented at fair value on its consolidated balance sheets as a result of a fair value election made at the time of acquisition or origination. The Company generally considers accounting for these loans at fair value to be more reflective of the expected pattern of returns from these loans under current economic conditions. The Company determines the fair value of its residential whole loans held at fair value after considering portfolio valuations obtained from third-parties that specialize in providing valuations of residential mortgage loans and trading activity observed in the marketplace. Subsequent changes in fair value are reported in current period earnings and presented in Net (loss)/gain on residential whole loans measured at fair value through earnings on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

Interest income is recorded on these loans based on their yield and is presented as part of interest income in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. Cash outflows associated with loan-related advances made by the Company on behalf of the borrower are included in the basis of the loan and are reflected in unrealized gains or losses reported each period. Income and costs associated with originating loans on which the fair value option was elected are recorded in other income and expense, respectively, in the period in which they are earned or incurred.

 

The Company has invested in residential mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) that are issued or guaranteed as to principal and/or interest by a federally chartered corporation, such as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, or an agency of the U.S. Government, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) (collectively, “Agency MBS”), and residential MBS that are not guaranteed by any agency of the U.S. Government or any federally chartered corporation (“Non-Agency MBS”). In addition, the Company has investments in credit risk transfer (“CRT”) securities that are issued by or sponsored by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The coupon payments on CRT securities are paid by the issuer and the principal payments received are dependent on the performance of loans in either a reference pool or an actual pool of loans. As the loans in the underlying pool are paid, the principal balance of the CRT securities is paid. As an investor in a CRT security, the Company may incur a principal loss if the performance of the actual or reference pool loans results in either an actual or calculated loss that exceeds the credit enhancement of the security owned by the Company.

The Company has invested in term notes that are issued by special purpose vehicles (“SPV”) that have acquired rights to receive cash flows representing the servicing fees and/or excess servicing spread associated with certain MSRs. The Company considers payment of principal and interest on these term notes 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. 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 if cash flows generated by the underlying MSRs are insufficient.

Designation

 

Securities that the Company generally intends to hold until maturity, but that it may sell from time to time as part of the overall management of its business, are designated as AFS. Such securities, which include term notes backed by MSR collateral and certain CRT securities, are carried at their fair value with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings (except when an allowance for loan losses is recognized, as discussed below) and reported in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) (“AOCI”), a component of Stockholders’ Equity.

 

Upon the sale of an AFS security, any unrealized gain or loss is reclassified out of AOCI to earnings as a realized gain or loss using the specific identification method.

The Company has elected the fair value option for its Agency and Non-Agency MBS and certain of its CRT securities. These securities are carried at their fair value with changes in fair value included in earnings for the period and reported in Other Income/(Loss), net on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

 

Interest income on securities is accrued based on their outstanding principal balance and their contractual terms. Premiums and discounts associated with MBS assessed as high credit quality at the time of purchase are amortized into interest income over the life of such securities using the effective yield method. Adjustments to premium amortization are made for actual prepayment activity. Premiums and discounts associated with MBS not assessed as high credit quality at the time of purchase are amortized into interest income over the life of such securities using the effective yield method based upon current expected future cash flows. Any adjustment to yield is made on a prospective basis.

 

Determination of Fair Value for Securities

 

In determining the fair value of the Company’s residential mortgage securities, management considers a number of observable market data points, including prices obtained from pricing services, brokers and repurchase agreement counterparties, dialogue with market participants, as well as management’s observations of market activity (see Note 13). For term notes backed by MSR collateral, other factors taken into consideration include estimated changes in fair value of the related underlying MSR collateral, as applicable, and the financial performance of the ultimate parent or sponsoring entity of

Allowance for Credit Losses

When the fair value of an AFS security is less than its amortized cost at the balance sheet date, the security is considered impaired.  The Company assesses its impaired securities, as well as securities for which a credit loss allowance had been previously recorded, on at least a quarterly basis and determines whether any changes to the allowance for credit losses are required.  If the Company intends to sell an impaired security, or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the impaired security before its anticipated recovery, then the Company must recognize a write-down through charges to earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s amortized cost and its fair value at the balance sheet date.  If the Company does not expect to sell an impaired security, only the portion of the impairment related to credit losses is recognized through a loss allowance charged to earnings with the remainder recognized through AOCI on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.  Impairments recognized through other comprehensive income/(loss) (“OCI”) do not impact earnings.  Credit loss allowances are subject to reversal through earnings resulting from improvements in expected cash flows. The determination as to whether to record (or reverse) a credit loss allowance is subjective, as such determinations are based on factual information available at the time of assessment as well as the Company’s estimates of future performance and cash flow projections.  As a result, the timing and amount of losses constitute material estimates that are susceptible to significant change (see Note 4).

Balance Sheet Presentation

 

The Company’s securities pledged as collateral against financing agreements and interest rate swap agreements (“Swaps”) are included on the consolidated balance sheets with the fair value of the securities pledged disclosed in Notes 6 and 5, respectively.  Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on the trade date. 

 

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on deposit with financial institutions and investments in money market funds, all of which have original maturities of three months or less.  Cash and cash equivalents may also include cash pledged as collateral to the Company by its financing counterparties as a result of reverse margin calls (i.e., margin calls made by the Company).  The Company did not hold any cash pledged by its counterparties at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023. At September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $305.6 million and $318.0 million, respectively. At September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had $198.6 million and $151.3 million, respectively, of investments in overnight money market funds, which are not bank deposits and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. In addition, deposits in FDIC insured accounts generally exceed insured limits (see Notes 6 and 13).

 

Restricted cash primarily represents the Company’s cash collections held in connection with certain of the Company’s financing agreements, Swaps, consolidated securitization trusts and/or loan servicing activities that are not available to the Company for general corporate purposes. Restricted cash may be applied against amounts due to financing agreements, Swap counterparties and/or trust obligations or may be returned to the Company when the related collateral requirements are exceeded or at the maturity of financing agreements, Swaps and/or securitizations.  The Company had aggregate restricted cash of $197.3 million and $170.2 million at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively (see Notes 5(e), 6 and 13).

 

 

REO represents real estate acquired by the Company, including through foreclosure, deed in lieu of foreclosure, or purchased in connection with the acquisition of residential whole loans. Generally, REO acquired through foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure is initially recorded at fair value less estimated selling costs. REO acquired in connection with the acquisition of residential whole loans is initially recorded at its purchase price. Subsequent to acquisition, REO is reported, at each reporting date, at the lower of the current carrying amount or fair value less estimated selling costs and for presentation purposes is included in Other assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Changes in fair value that result in an adjustment to the reported amount of an REO property that has a fair value at or below its carrying amount are reported in Other Income/(Loss), net on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations (see Note 5).

Certain multifamily REO properties and Commercial properties held within unconsolidated VIEs acquired by the Company are not immediately available for sale because we generally intend to stabilize the operations at such properties. Therefore, each property is measured at fair value at acquisition and then depreciated over the expected useful life. The amounts reported in the balance sheet at any given period represent the amortized cost of the property until there is a planned sale, at which point the carrying value would be updated to fair value less estimated selling costs.

 

The Company records its operating lease liabilities and operating lease right-of-use assets on its consolidated balance sheets. The operating lease liabilities are equal to the present value of the remaining fixed lease payments (excluding real estate tax and operating expense escalations) discounted at the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate at the date of lease commencement, and the operating lease right-of-use assets are equal to the operating lease liabilities adjusted for lease incentives and initial direct costs. As lease payments are made, the operating lease liabilities are reduced to the present value of the remaining lease payments and the operating lease right-of-use assets are reduced by the difference between the lease expense (straight-lined over the lease term) and the theoretical interest expense amount (calculated using the incremental borrowing rate at the date of lease commencement). See Notes 5 and 9 for further discussion on leases.

 

 

 

Loan securitization related costs are costs associated with the issuance of beneficial interests by consolidated VIEs and incurred by the Company in connection with various financing transactions completed by the Company.  These costs may include underwriting, rating agency, legal, accounting, diligence, bank and other fees.  Such costs, which reflect deferred charges (unless the debt is recorded at fair value, as discussed below), are included on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as a direct deduction from the corresponding debt liability. These deferred charges are amortized as an adjustment to interest expense using the effective interest method. For certain financing agreements, such costs are amortized over the shorter of the period to the expected or stated legal maturity of the debt instruments. The Company periodically reviews the recoverability of these deferred costs and, in the event an impairment charge is required, such amount will be included in Operating and Other Expense on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. To the extent that the Company has elected the fair value option for the related debt liability, these costs are expensed at the closing of the transaction.

The Company finances the majority of its residential mortgage assets with financing agreements that include securitized debt, repurchase agreements and other forms of collateralized financing.  Under repurchase agreements, the Company sells assets to a lender and agrees to repurchase the same assets in the future for a price that is higher than the original sale price.  The difference between the sale price that the Company receives and the repurchase price that the Company pays represents interest paid to the lender.  Although legally structured as sale and repurchase transactions, the Company accounts for repurchase agreements as secured borrowings. Under its repurchase agreements and other forms of collateralized financing, the Company pledges its assets as collateral to secure the borrowing, in an amount which is equal to a specified percentage of the fair value of the pledged collateral, while the Company retains beneficial ownership of the pledged collateral.  At the maturity of a repurchase financing, unless the repurchase financing is renewed with the same counterparty, the Company is required to repay the loan including any accrued interest and concurrently receives back its pledged collateral from the lender.  With the consent of the lender, the Company may renew a repurchase financing at the then prevailing financing terms.  Margin calls, whereby a lender requires that the Company pledge additional assets or cash as collateral to secure borrowings under its repurchase financing with such lender, are routinely experienced by the Company when the value of the assets 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.  The Company also may make margin calls on counterparties when collateral values increase.

 

Should a counterparty decide not to renew a financing arrangement at maturity, the Company must either refinance elsewhere or be in a position to satisfy the obligation.  If, during the term of a financing, a lender should default on its obligation, the Company might experience difficulty recovering its pledged assets which could result in an unsecured claim against the lender for the difference between the amount loaned to the Company plus interest due to the counterparty and the fair value of the collateral pledged by the Company to such lender, including accrued interest receivable on such collateral (see Notes 6 and 13).

 

The Company has elected the fair value option on certain of its financing agreements. These agreements are reported at their fair value, with changes in fair value being recorded in earnings each period (or OCI, to the extent the change results from a change in instrument specific credit risk), as further detailed in Note 6. Interest expense on such financing agreements is recorded based on the current stated interest rate and outstanding principal balance in effect for the related agreement.

Compensation expense for equity-based awards that are subject to vesting conditions, is recognized ratably over the vesting period of such awards, based upon the fair value of such awards at the grant date. 

 

The Company has made annual grants of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) under the Company’s Equity Compensation Plan (the “Equity Plan”), certain of which cliff vest after a three-year period, subject only to continued employment, and others of which cliff vest after a three-year period, subject to both continued employment and the achievement of certain performance criteria based on a formula tied to the Company’s achievement of average total shareholder return (“TSR”) during that three-year period, as well as the TSR of the Company relative to the TSR of a group of peer companies (over the three-year period) selected by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”) at the date of grant. The features in these awards related to the attainment of TSR over a specified period constitute a “market condition,” which impacts the amount of compensation expense recognized for these awards.  Specifically, the uncertainty regarding the achievement of the market condition was reflected in the grant date fair value of the RSUs, which is recognized as compensation expense over the relevant vesting period.  The amount of compensation expense recognized is not dependent on whether the market condition was or will be achieved.

 

Basic EPS is computed using the two-class method, which includes the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period and an estimate of other securities that participate in dividends, if any, to arrive at total common equivalent shares.  In applying the two-class method, earnings are allocated to both shares of common stock and estimated securities that participate in dividends based on their respective weighted-average shares outstanding for the period. In calculating basic EPS, no adjustment is made to income available to common stockholders for forfeitable dividends or dividend equivalents. For the diluted EPS calculation, common equivalent shares are further adjusted for the effect of RSUs outstanding that are unvested and have dividends that are subject to forfeiture, using the treasury stock method.  Under the

 

 

The Company’s comprehensive income/(loss) available to common stock and participating securities includes net income, the change in net unrealized gains/(losses) on its AFS securities and derivative hedging instruments (to the extent that such changes are not recorded in earnings), adjusted by realized net gains/(losses) reclassified out of AOCI for sold AFS securities and terminated hedging relationships, as well as the portion of unrealized gains/(losses) on its financing agreements held at fair value related to instrument-specific credit risk, and is reduced by dividends declared on the Company’s preferred stock and issuance costs of redeemed preferred stock.

 

 

The Company may use derivative instruments to economically hedge a portion of its exposure to market risks, including interest rate risk and prepayment risk. The objective of the Company’s risk management strategy is to reduce fluctuations in net book value over a range of interest rate scenarios.

The Company has entered into Swaps that are not designated as hedges for accounting purposes. Changes in the fair value of the Company’s Swaps not designated in hedging transactions are recorded in Other income/(Loss), net on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

During 2021 and 2022, the Company entered into transactions to take short positions in TBA securities in connection with the management of interest rate and other market risks associated with purchases of Agency eligible investor loans. As the Company did not intend to physically settle its transactions in TBA securities, they were required to be accounted for as derivative financial instruments. The Company did not apply hedge accounting to its TBA securities. Accordingly, TBA securities were recorded on the Company’s balance sheets at fair value, with realized and unrealized changes in fair value each period recorded in Other income/(Loss), net in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

 

The Company’s presentation of fair value for its financial assets and liabilities is determined within a framework that stipulates that the fair value of a financial asset or liability is an exchange price in an orderly transaction between market participants to sell the asset or transfer the liability in the market in which the reporting entity would transact for the asset or liability, that is, the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability.  The transaction to sell the asset or transfer the liability is a hypothetical transaction at the measurement date, considered from the perspective of a market participant that holds the asset or owes the liability.  This definition of fair value focuses on exit price and prioritizes the use of market-based inputs over entity-specific inputs when determining fair value.  In addition, the framework for measuring fair value establishes a three-level hierarchy for fair value measurements based upon the observability of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. 

 

An entity is referred to as a VIE if it meets at least one of the following criteria:  (i) the entity has equity that is insufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without the additional subordinated financial support of other parties; or (ii) as a group, the holders of the equity investment at risk lack (a) the power to direct the activities of an entity that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance; (b) the obligation to absorb the expected losses; or (c) the right to receive the expected residual returns; or (iii) the holders of the equity investment at risk have disproportional voting rights and the entity’s activities are conducted on behalf of the investor that has disproportionately few voting rights.

The Company consolidates a VIE when it has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and a right to receive benefits or absorb losses of the entity that could be potentially significant to the VIE.  The Company is required to reconsider its evaluation of whether to consolidate a VIE each reporting period, based upon changes in the facts and circumstances pertaining to the VIE.

 

The Company has entered into several financing transactions which resulted in the Company forming entities to facilitate these transactions.  In determining the accounting treatment to be applied to these transactions, the Company concluded that the entities used to facilitate these transactions are VIEs and that they should be consolidated.  If the Company had determined that consolidation was not required, it would have then assessed whether the transfers of the underlying assets would qualify as sales or should be accounted for as secured financings under GAAP (see Note 14).

The Company also includes on its consolidated balance sheets certain financial assets and liabilities that are acquired/issued by trusts and/or other special purpose entities that have been evaluated as being required to be consolidated by the Company under the applicable accounting guidance.

The Company also has investments in three VIEs, in which it is not considered to be the primary beneficiary and which are therefore not consolidated, but the VIEs are considered equity method investments. Each of these VIEs own a commercial property upon which the Company has foreclosed, as further described in Note 5.

Offering costs related to the issuance of preferred stock are recorded as a reduction in Additional paid-in capital, a component of Stockholders’ Equity, at the time such preferred stock is issued. On redemption of preferred stock, any excess of the fair value of the consideration transferred to the holders of the preferred stock over the carrying amount of the preferred stock in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets is included in the determination of Net Income Available to Common Stock and Participating Securities in the calculation of EPS.

Lima One had reached an agreement, or was in the process of reaching an agreement, on certain state and local governmental incentives, in connection with its agreement to lease new office space for its headquarters in Greenville, SC based on certain anticipated capital expenditures and anticipated job creation. However, this lease agreement was terminated prior to commencement and primarily all of the incentives will, therefore, require renegotiation. These incentives are generally recognized when there is reasonable assurance that the incentive will be received and that the Company will comply with the conditions specified in the related agreement. These incentives have commitment terms of up to ten years and may be subject to clawback if the commitments are not fulfilled. No material amounts related to any incentives have been recognized through September 30, 2024.

Included on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 are approximately $9.0 billion and $9.0 billion, respectively, of residential whole loans generally arising from the Company’s interests in certain trusts established to acquire the loans and certain entities established in connection with its loan securitization transactions. The Company has assessed that these entities are required to be consolidated for financial reporting purposes. Starting in the second quarter of 2021, the Company elected the fair value option for all loan acquisitions, including loans originated by Lima One subsequent to its acquisition by the Company. Prior to the second quarter of 2021, the fair value option was typically elected only for loans that were 60 or more days delinquent at purchase.

The following table presents the components of the Company’s Residential whole loans, and the accounting model designated at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023: