Annaly Capital Management, Inc. Reports 3rd Quarter 2018 Results

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY) (the “Company” or “Annaly”) today announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2018.

Quarterly Financial Highlights

• GAAP net income of $385.4 million, $0.29 per average common share
• Core earnings (excluding PAA) of $389.7 million, $0.30 per average common share
• GAAP return on average equity of 10.73% and core return on average equity (excluding PAA) of 10.85%
• Book value per common share of $10.03
• Economic leverage of 6.7x as compared to 6.4x at June 30, 2018
• Net interest margin (excluding PAA) of 1.50% as compared to 1.56% in the prior quarter
• Increased hedge ratio to 96% as compared to 95% at June 30, 2018

Business Highlights

• Closed and integrated $906 million acquisition of MTGE Investment Corp.
• Increased credit capital allocation to 30%, up from 28% at June 30, 2018 and 24% at December 31, 2017, while maintaining strong credit quality
• Raised gross proceeds of $1.1 billion through an overnight common equity offering and the at-the-market ("ATM") equity offering program
• Demonstrated access to diverse financing alternatives to support each of our businesses
  • Completed a residential whole loan securitization of $383.9 million in the third quarter 2018 (debut securitization of $327.5 million closed in the first quarter 2018) and closed on a third securitization of $384.0 million in October 2018, for an aggregate of $1.1 billion
  • Expanded and enhanced credit facilities to support continued growth of both Commercial Real Estate and Middle Market Lending, improving terms and reducing funding costs
  • Increased access to direct repo market, representing over 40% of our broker-dealer's ("Arcola") balances at September 30, 2018

• Declared 20th consecutive quarterly dividend of $0.30 per common share

“During the third quarter, Annaly successfully continued the execution of our internal and external growth strategies by increasing our internal investment options, expanding our capital base and further consolidating the industry,” commented Kevin Keyes, Chairman, CEO and President. “We also effectively increased our financing sources and capacity, while improving terms, as our three credit businesses continue to perform well and complement our Agency MBS strategies. Annaly represents a diversified, stable, highly liquid, low beta investment option in a market where heightened volatility has returned."

On September 7, 2018, Annaly completed the acquisition of MTGE Investment Corp. ("MTGE"), for aggregate consideration of $906 million, representing Annaly’s third strategic acquisition since 2013. “The MTGE transaction is accretive to earnings and further enhances our capital base,” Mr. Keyes remarked. “The acquisition also expands our capital allocation to credit, offers significant cost-savings to shareholders and is further evidence of Annaly’s unique position as an industry leading consolidator.”

Financial Performance

The following table summarizes certain key performance indicators as of and for the quarters ended September 30, 2018, June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017:

Other Information

This news release and our public documents to which we refer contain or incorporate by reference certain forward-looking statements which are based on various assumptions (some of which are beyond our control) and may be identified by reference to a future period or periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “continue,” or similar terms or variations on those terms or the negative of those terms. Actual results could differ materially from those set forth in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates; changes in the yield curve; changes in prepayment rates; the availability of mortgage-backed securities and other securities for purchase; the availability of financing and, if available, the terms of any financing; changes in the market value of our assets; changes in business conditions and the general economy; our ability to grow our commercial real estate business; our ability to grow our residential mortgage credit business; our ability to grow our middle market lending business; credit risks related to our investments in credit risk transfer securities, residential mortgage-backed securities and related residential mortgage credit assets, commercial real estate assets and corporate debt; risks related to investments in mortgage servicing rights; our ability to consummate any contemplated investment opportunities; changes in government regulations and policy affecting our business; our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and our ability to maintain our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We do not undertake, and specifically disclaim any obligation, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as required by law.

Annaly is a leading diversified capital manager that invests in and finances residential and commercial assets. Annaly’s principal business objective is to generate net income for distribution to its stockholders and to preserve capital through prudent selection of investments and continuous management of its portfolio. Annaly has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for federal income tax purposes. Annaly is externally managed by Annaly Management Company LLC. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.annaly.com.

Annaly routinely posts important information for investors on the Company’s website, www.annaly.com. Annaly intends to use this webpage as a means of disclosing material, non-public information, for complying with the Company’s disclosure obligations under Regulation FD and to post and update investor presentations and similar materials on a regular basis. Annaly encourages investors, analysts, the media and others interested in Annaly to monitor the Company’s website, in addition to following Annaly’s press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, presentations, webcasts and other information it posts from time to time on its website. To sign-up for email-notifications, please visit the “Email Alerts” section of our website, www.annaly.com, under the “Investors” section and enter the required information to enable notifications. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the Company’s webpage is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this document.

The Company prepares a supplemental investor presentation and a financial summary for the benefit of its shareholders. Both the Third Quarter 2018 Investor Presentation and the Third Quarter 2018 Financial Summary can be found at the Company’s website (www.annaly.com) in the Investors section under Investor Presentations.

Conference Call

The Company will hold the third quarter 2018 earnings conference call on November 1, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The number to call is 888-317-6003 for domestic calls and 412-317-6061 for international calls. The conference passcode is 0664905. There will also be an audio webcast of the call on www.annaly.com. The replay of the call will be available for one week following the conference call. The replay number is 877-344-7529 for domestic calls and 412-317-0088 for international calls and the conference passcode is 10125062. If you would like to be added to the e-mail distribution list, please visit www.annaly.com, click on Investors, then select Email Alerts and complete the email notification form.

Financial Statements

Key Financial Data

The following table presents key metrics of the Company’s portfolio, liabilities and hedging positions, and performance as of and for the quarters ended September 30, 2018, June 30, 2018, and September 30, 2017:

The following table contains additional information on our residential and commercial investments as of the dates presented:

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In connection with the Company's continued growth and diversification, including the recent acquisition of MTGE Investment Corp., the Company has updated its calculation of core earnings and related metrics to reflect changes to its portfolio composition and operations. Beginning with the results for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, core earnings has been refreshed to include coupon income (expense) on CMBX positions (reported in Net gains (losses) on other derivatives) and to exclude depreciation and amortization expense on real estate and related intangibles (reported in Other income (loss)), non-core income (loss) allocated to equity method investments (reported in Other income (loss)) and the income tax effect of non-core income (loss) (reported in Income taxes). Prior period results will not be adjusted to conform to the revised calculation as the impact in each of those periods is not material.

To supplement its consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), the Company provides the following non-GAAP measures:

• core earnings and core earnings (excluding PAA);
• core earnings and core earnings (excluding PAA) per average common share;
• annualized core return on average equity (excluding PAA);
• interest income (excluding PAA);
• economic interest expense;
• economic net interest income (excluding PAA);
• average yield on interest earning assets (excluding PAA);
• net interest margin (excluding PAA); and
• net interest spread (excluding PAA).

These measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures computed in accordance with GAAP. While intended to offer a fuller understanding of the Company’s results and operations, non-GAAP financial measures also have limitations. For example, the Company may calculate its non-GAAP metrics, such as core earnings, or the PAA, differently than its peers making comparative analysis difficult. Additionally, in the case of non-GAAP measures that exclude the PAA, the amount of amortization expense excluding the PAA is not necessarily representative of the amount of future periodic amortization nor is it indicative of the term over which the Company will amortize the remaining unamortized premium. Changes to actual and estimated prepayments will impact the timing and amount of premium amortization and, as such, both GAAP and non-GAAP results.

These non-GAAP measures provide additional detail to enhance investor understanding of the Company’s period-over-period operating performance and business trends, as well as for assessing the Company’s performance versus that of industry peers. Additional information pertaining to the Company’s use of these non-GAAP financial measures, including discussion of how each such measure is useful to investors, and reconciliations to their most directly comparable GAAP results are provided below.

Core earnings and core earnings (excluding PAA), core earnings and core earnings (excluding PAA) per average common share and annualized core return on average equity (excluding PAA)

The Company's principal business objective is to generate net income for distribution to its stockholders and to preserve capital through prudent selection of investments and continuous management of its portfolio. The Company generates net income by earning a net interest spread on its investment portfolio, which is a function of interest income from its investment portfolio less financing, hedging and operating costs. Core earnings, which is defined as the sum of (a) economic net interest income, (b) TBA dollar roll income and CMBX coupon income, (c) realized amortization of MSRs, (d) other income (loss) (excluding depreciation and amortization expense on real estate and related intangibles, non-core income allocated to equity method investments and other non-core components of other income (loss)), (e) general and administrative expenses (excluding transaction expenses and non-recurring items) and (f) income taxes (excluding the income tax effect of non-core income (loss) items), and core earnings (excluding PAA), which is defined as core earnings excluding the premium amortization adjustment representing the cumulative impact on prior periods, but not the current period, of quarter-over-quarter changes in estimated long-term prepayment speeds related to the Company’s Agency mortgage-backed securities, are used by the Company's management and, the Company believes, used by analysts and investors to measure its progress in achieving this objective.

The Company seeks to fulfill this objective through a variety of factors including portfolio construction, the degree of market risk exposure and related hedge profile, and the use and forms of leverage, all while operating within the parameters of the Company's capital allocation policy and risk governance framework.

The Company believes these non-GAAP measures provide management and investors with additional details regarding the Company’s underlying operating results and investment portfolio trends by (i) making adjustments to account for the disparate reporting of changes in fair value where certain instruments are reflected in GAAP net income (loss) while others are reflected in other comprehensive income (loss), and (ii) by excluding certain unrealized, non-cash or episodic components of GAAP net income (loss) in order to provide additional transparency into the operating performance of the Company’s portfolio. Annualized core return on average equity (excluding PAA), which is calculated by dividing core earnings (excluding PAA) over average stockholders’ equity, provides investors with additional detail on the core earnings generated by the Company’s invested equity capital.

The following table presents a reconciliation of GAAP financial results to non-GAAP core earnings for the periods presented:

From time to time, the Company enters into TBA forward contracts as an alternate means of investing in and financing Agency mortgage-backed securities. A TBA contract is an agreement to purchase or sell, for future delivery, an Agency mortgage-backed security with a specified issuer, term and coupon. A TBA dollar roll represents a transaction where TBA contracts with the same terms but different settlement dates are simultaneously bought and sold. The TBA contract settling in the later month typically prices at a discount to the earlier month contract with the difference in price commonly referred to as the “drop”. The drop is a reflection of the expected net interest income from an investment in similar Agency mortgage-backed securities, net of an implied financing cost, that would be foregone as a result of settling the contract in the later month rather than in the earlier month. The drop between the current settlement month price and the forward settlement month price occurs because in the TBA dollar roll market, the party providing the financing is the party that would retain all principal and interest payments accrued during the financing period. Accordingly, TBA dollar roll income generally represents the economic equivalent of the net interest income earned on the underlying Agency mortgage-backed security less an implied financing cost.

TBA dollar roll transactions are accounted for under GAAP as a series of derivatives transactions. The fair value of TBA derivatives is based on methods similar to those used to value Agency mortgage-backed securities. The Company records TBA derivatives at fair value on its Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and recognizes periodic changes in fair value as Net gains (losses) on other derivatives in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss), which includes both unrealized and realized gains and losses on derivatives (excluding interest rate swaps).

TBA dollar roll income is calculated as the difference in price between two TBA contracts with the same terms but different settlement dates multiplied by the notional amount of the TBA contract. Although accounted for as derivatives, TBA dollar rolls capture the economic equivalent of net interest income, or carry, on the underlying Agency mortgage-backed security (interest income less an implied cost of financing). TBA dollar roll income is reported as a component of Net gains (losses) on other derivatives in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss).

The CMBX index is a synthetic tradable index referencing a basket of 25 commercial mortgage-backed securities ("CMBS") of a particular rating and vintage. The CMBX index allows investors to take a long exposure (referred to as selling protection) or short exposure (referred to as buying protection) on the respective basket of CMBS securities and is structured as a “pay-as-you-go” contract whereby the protection buyer pays to the protection seller a standardized running coupon on the contracted notional amount. The Company reports income (expense) on CMBX positions in Net gains (losses) on other derivatives in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). The coupon payments received or paid on CMBX positions are equivalent to interest income (expense) and therefore included in core earnings.

Premium Amortization Expense ("PAA")

In accordance with GAAP, the Company amortizes or accretes premiums or discounts into interest income for its Agency mortgage-backed securities, excluding interest-only securities, multifamily and reverse mortgages, taking into account estimates of future principal prepayments in the calculation of the effective yield. The Company recalculates the effective yield as differences between anticipated and actual prepayments occur. Using third-party model and market information to project future cash flows and expected remaining lives of securities, the effective interest rate determined for each security is applied as if it had been in place from the date of the security’s acquisition. The amortized cost of the security is then adjusted to the amount that would have existed had the new effective yield been applied since the acquisition date. The adjustment to amortized cost is offset with a charge or credit to interest income. Changes in interest rates and other market factors will impact prepayment speed projections and the amount of premium amortization recognized in any given period.

The Company’s GAAP metrics include the unadjusted impact of amortization and accretion associated with this method. Certain of the Company’s non-GAAP metrics exclude the effect of the PAA, which quantifies the component of premium amortization representing the cumulative impact on prior periods, but not the current period, of quarter-over-quarter changes in estimated long-term CPR.

The following table illustrates the impact of the PAA on premium amortization expense for the Company’s Residential Securities portfolio for the quarters ended September 30, 2018, June 30, 2018, and September 30, 2017:

Interest income (excluding PAA), economic interest expense and economic net interest income (excluding PAA)

Interest income (excluding PAA) represents interest income excluding the effect of the PAA, and serves as the basis for deriving average yield on interest earning assets (excluding PAA), net interest spread (excluding PAA) and net interest margin (excluding PAA), which are discussed below. The Company believes this measure provides management and investors with additional detail to enhance their understanding of the Company’s operating results and trends by excluding the component of premium amortization expense representing the cumulative impact on prior periods, but not the current period, of quarter-over-quarter changes in estimated long-term prepayment speeds related to the Company’s Agency mortgage-backed securities (other than interest-only securities), which can obscure underlying trends in the performance of the portfolio.

Economic interest expense includes GAAP interest expense and the net interest component of interest rate swaps. Prior to the quarter ended March 31, 2018, economic interest expense included the net interest component of interest rate swaps used to hedge cost of funds. Beginning with the quarter ended March 31, 2018, as a result of changes to the Company’s hedging portfolio, this metric reflects the net interest component of all interest rate swaps. The Company uses interest rate swaps to manage its exposure to changing interest rates on its repurchase agreements by economically hedging cash flows associated with these borrowings. Accordingly, adding the net interest component of interest rate swaps to interest expense, as computed in accordance with GAAP, reflects the total contractual interest expense and thus, provides investors with additional information about the cost of the Company's financing strategy.

Similarly, economic net interest income (excluding PAA), as computed below, provides investors with additional information to enhance their understanding of the net economics of our primary business operations.

Average yield on interest earning assets (excluding PAA), net interest spread (excluding PAA) and net interest margin (excluding PAA)

Net interest spread (excluding PAA), which is the difference between the average yield on interest earning assets (excluding PAA) and the average cost of interest bearing liabilities, and net interest margin (excluding PAA), which is calculated as the sum of interest income (excluding PAA) plus TBA dollar roll income and CMBX coupon income less interest expense and the net interest component of interest rate swaps divided by the sum of average interest earning assets plus average TBA contract and CMBX balances, provide management with additional measures of the Company’s profitability that management relies upon in monitoring the performance of the business.

Disclosure of these measures, which are presented below, provides investors with additional detail regarding how management evaluates the Company’s performance.

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Annaly Capital Management, Inc.
Investor Relations
1-888-8Annaly
www.annaly.com 

Source: Annaly Capital Management, Inc.