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Industry Overview - The Zacks Mortgage & Related Services industry is experiencing growth due to declining mortgage rates, influenced by the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts in 2025 and expectations for further easing this year [1][4] - The industry consists of providers of mortgage-related loans, refinancing, and loan-servicing facilities, with non-banks gaining market share as banks retreat from the mortgage business due to higher compliance and capital requirements [3] Current Trends - The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has stabilized around a low-6% range since mid-September 2025, providing relief for homebuyers and improving purchase demand [4][5] - Refinancing activity is recovering as homeowners seek to refinance into lower-rate loans, which is expected to drive higher loan origination volumes and improve fee income for industry players [6] - The competitive landscape is intensifying, with mortgage servicers facing pressure to cut prices, leading to reduced sales margins [2][7] Performance Metrics - The Zacks Mortgage & Related Services industry has outperformed the broader Zacks Finance sector and the S&P 500, gaining 54.7% over the past year compared to 23.2% and 23.4% for the sector and S&P 500, respectively [11] - The industry currently trades at a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 6.27X, lower than the S&P 500's 8.67X, indicating a premium compared to the broader finance sector's P/B of 4.36X [14][17] Company Highlights - **PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. (PFSI)**: A specialty financial services firm benefiting from a strong servicing business and a strategic transaction with Annaly Capital Management. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PFSI's 2025 earnings is $11.71 per share, a 1.7% increase from the previous year [20][21] - **Federal Agricultural Mortgage (AGM)**: Known as Farmer Mac, it focuses on creating a secondary market for loans to rural borrowers. AGM's 2025 earnings estimate is $17.53 per share, reflecting a 12.1% rise from the prior year [24][25] - **LendingTree, Inc. (TREE)**: An online marketplace enhancing its product offerings and focusing on improving purchase conversion rates. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TREE's 2025 earnings is $4.79 per share, indicating a 50.2% increase from the previous year [27][30]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the author's recent investment in the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (AGM), also known as Farmer Mac, specifically in its preferred securities, highlighting a shift in investment strategy towards overlooked securities [1]. Group 1: Investment Background - The author has extensive experience in the hedge fund industry, having worked as a Portfolio Manager, Domestic Equity Analyst, and Trader since the mid-90s [1]. - The author's previous portfolio management included a domestic Long/Short Equity product with gross assets that peaked over 1 billion dollars [1]. Group 2: Investment Philosophy - The author identifies as a fundamental, bottoms-up, value investor for long investments and a catalyst-oriented short investor [1]. - Technical analysis is employed as a complement to fundamental work and as a risk management tool within the overall investment philosophy [1]. Group 3: Focus on Unconventional Investments - The author aims to write articles about unconventional investments and overlooked securities, indicating a focus on niche opportunities in the market [1]. - The author is also involved in the analysis and investment of Cryptoassets, suggesting a diverse investment approach [1].

Until recently, I had never owned any of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation ( AGM ), aka Farmer Mac, preferred securities before. It was not because I had a problem with either the issuer or the securities themselves. They just never traded atMy experience stems from the hedge fund industry beginning in the mid-90's, working as a Portfolio Manager, Domestic Equity Analyst and Trader. I was the Portfolio Manager of a domestic Long/Short Equity product with gross assets that peaked over 1 Billion d ...

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) has appointed Matthew M. Pullins as the new Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective December 11, 2025, to enhance its financial leadership and support its mission in American agriculture [1]. Company Overview - Farmer Mac is dedicated to increasing the accessibility of financing to provide vital liquidity for American agriculture and rural infrastructure, supporting a vibrant rural America [5]. - The organization offers a wide range of financial solutions to meet the growth, liquidity, risk management, and capital relief needs of financial institutions across various markets, including agriculture, agribusiness, broadband infrastructure, power and utilities, and renewable energy [5]. Leadership Appointment - Matthew M. Pullins brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, accounting, strategic planning, capital markets, and regulatory reporting, previously serving as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer – Capital Markets at PNC Financial Services Group [2]. - Pullins has a strong background in financial strategy and risk management, having overseen the financial operations of a $1 billion revenue business unit and managed a $290 billion loan portfolio during his tenure at PNC [2][3]. - His personal connection to agriculture, having grown up on a family farm in Ohio, complements his extensive financial expertise, making him a suitable fit for Farmer Mac's mission [3]. Executive Insights - CEO Bradford T. Nordholm emphasized Pullins' financial expertise and operational leadership as key attributes that align with Farmer Mac's goals [4]. - President and COO Zachary N. Carpenter highlighted Pullins' ability to translate complex financial insights into actionable strategies, which will aid in the organization's growth and innovation [4]. - Pullins expressed his commitment to supporting rural communities and the agricultural sector, reflecting the core mission of Farmer Mac [4].

Summary of Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) FY Conference Call Company Overview - **Company Name**: Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) - **Ticker Symbol**: AGM - **Market Capitalization**: Approximately $2 billion - **Total Assets**: About $40 billion, with $31 billion in business volume - **Employee Efficiency**: Core earnings per employee at approximately $900,000 [6][7][12] Core Business Segments - **Agricultural Finance**: Accounts for about two-thirds of business volume, with core farmland mortgages at $18.2 billion [14] - **Infrastructure Finance**: Comprises one-third of business volume, including power and utilities, renewable energy, and broadband infrastructure [16][19] Financial Performance - **Revenue and EPS Growth**: Low double digits compound annual growth rate over the last 10 years [7] - **Net Effective Spread**: Increased from 90 basis points to 120 basis points over five years [21] - **Cumulative Losses**: Only 12 basis points of cumulative losses in agricultural finance loans [28] Market Dynamics - **Agricultural Sector**: Challenges in soybean, cotton, and rice markets due to reliance on exports, particularly to China [42][45] - **Renewable Energy**: Significant growth in renewable energy financing, particularly solar and battery projects, with expectations for continued expansion [17][18] - **Broadband Infrastructure**: Focus on providing liquidity for telecommunication services and data centers, with strong growth anticipated [20] Strategic Initiatives - **Diversification**: Expanded into corporate agricultural finance and infrastructure to mitigate risks and enhance growth [9][15] - **Securitization**: Completed six securitization transactions totaling $1.8 billion, with plans for more [34][35] - **GSE Funding Advantage**: Access to capital markets similar to other government-sponsored enterprises, providing competitive rates [39][40] Risk Management - **Asset Liability Management**: Focus on matching interest rate risk and maintaining liquidity with $8 billion in liquidity reserves [12][31] - **Credit Quality**: Strong credit metrics with no significant sector concerns, supported by diversification across commodities [28][29] Shareholder Returns - **Dividend Growth**: 14 consecutive years of dividend increases, with a current yield of 3.5% [36][49] - **Future Outlook**: Optimistic about market opportunities and potential for continued dividend growth as business matures [37][49] Conclusion - **Unique Positioning**: Farmer Mac is a mission-driven public company with a unique focus on providing liquidity across agriculture and infrastructure sectors, supported by a strong GSE funding advantage and disciplined risk management practices [38][49]

Group 1 - The article emphasizes a strong buy recommendation for Farmer Mac (AGM), indicating a positive outlook on the stock's performance [1] - The author has a long position in AGM shares, suggesting confidence in the company's future growth [2] - The focus is on high-quality small-cap investment opportunities in Europe, with an emphasis on capital gains and dividend income [1] Group 2 - The investment strategy includes a mixture of dividend and growth stocks, aiming for continuous cash flow [1] - The investment group European Small Cap Ideas provides exclusive research and model portfolios for investors [1] - Weekly updates and educational content are offered to enhance understanding of European investment opportunities [1]

Group 1 - The article emphasizes a strong buy recommendation for Farmer Mac (AGM), indicating a positive outlook on the stock's performance [1] - The author highlights a focus on European small-cap investments, advocating for a balanced portfolio of dividend and growth stocks [1] - The investment group European Small Cap Ideas is mentioned as a source for exclusive research on European investment opportunities, particularly in the small-cap sector [1] Group 2 - The article notes that the author holds a beneficial long position in AGM shares, indicating personal investment confidence in the company [2] - The author also has long positions in Series F and Series G preferred shares, further demonstrating commitment to the investment [2]

Core Insights - Farmer Mac's third quarter performance was positively received by the market despite missing revenue expectations, driven by strong non-GAAP earnings and significant portfolio growth [1] - The management attributed the performance to expansion in infrastructure finance and renewable energy, along with disciplined asset liability management [1] - CEO Bradford Nordholm highlighted the importance of diversifying into newer business lines, such as broadband and renewable projects, to mitigate seasonal pressures in traditional agricultural lending [1] Financial Highlights - Revenue for Q3 was reported at $94.96 million, missing analyst estimates of $101 million, representing an 11.1% year-on-year growth but a 6% miss [5] - Adjusted EPS was $4.52, slightly beating analyst estimates of $4.47, marking a 1.2% increase [5] - Operating margin decreased to 70.2% from 72.9% in the same quarter last year [5] - Market capitalization stands at $1.75 billion [5] Analyst Insights - Questions from analysts during the earnings call focused on various topics, including net effective spreads and the impact of tariffs and commodity price volatility on agricultural borrowers [5] - CEO Nordholm explained that Farmer Mac's asset liability structure is designed to be neutral to interest rate shifts, with spreads influenced more by business mix than market rates [5] - The company acknowledged headline risks from tariffs but pointed to portfolio diversity and resilient commodity sectors as mitigating factors [5] - There was broad-based demand for Farm & Ranch loans across over 100 commodities, driven by strong liquidity-seeking borrowers [5] - Prepayment trends are expected to remain modest as most borrowers locked in low fixed rates in recent years [5] - Key drivers for net effective spread increases include rapid growth in rural infrastructure and a shift away from lower-spread AgVantage securities [5]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved a record net effective spread of $97.8 million and core earnings of $49.6 million for Q3 2025 [6][25] - Year-to-date net effective spread and core earnings reached $281 million and $143 million, respectively, reflecting double-digit year-over-year growth [7][25] - The total allowance for losses was $37.2 million, or 12 basis points of total outstanding business volume [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The infrastructure finance line of business grew by $600 million this quarter to $11 billion, driven by strong interest in data centers and renewable energy projects [17] - The renewable energy segment more than doubled year-over-year to $2.3 billion, with expectations for continued growth [18] - The broadband infrastructure segment also doubled year-over-year to $1.3 billion, reflecting increased demand for data centers [20] - The agricultural finance portfolio grew by $285 million in Q3, outpacing scheduled maturities [21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a modest uptick in 90-day delinquencies, attributed to seasonal impacts rather than identifiable trends [11] - Despite market uncertainties, the company has not seen significant effects on its portfolio related to political developments or government actions [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on diversifying its loan portfolio into newer lines of business, including renewable energy and broadband infrastructure, to leverage competitive advantages [7][14] - The securitization program is a strategic initiative aimed at optimizing the balance sheet and enhancing growth opportunities [15] - The company plans to continue evaluating capital management tools to optimize its overall capital position [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the overall health of the portfolio, supported by strong asset quality metrics [4][24] - The company anticipates continued growth in its diversified business segments despite broader market uncertainties [24] - Management noted that the agricultural sector is experiencing financial pressures, but they believe farmers are adapting to market conditions [42][45] Other Important Information - The company successfully issued $100 million of Series H preferred stock, strengthening its capital position [13] - Management is in the process of searching for a new CFO, with expectations for an announcement in Q4 2025 [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook for spreads given Fed rate cuts - Management indicated that a cut in interest rates should have no impact on the net effective spread due to their asset-liability management strategy [30] Question: Impact of tariffs on crops - Management noted that while there are financial pressures in major crops, some prices have increased, and they do not see systemic risks affecting their portfolio [42][45] Question: Changes in loan structure and prepayment expectations - Management confirmed that they are seeing significant increases in loan applications and approvals, with a focus on new money loans [52][58] Question: Credit provision levels - Management characterized the provision as episodic and not indicative of systemic issues, with no significant increases expected in the near term [38][66] Question: Share repurchase activity - Management disclosed a repurchase of approximately 30,000 shares for about $5 million [68]