Core Insights - United Wholesale Mortgage retained the top position in mortgage origination volume for 2024, continuing its lead over Rocket Mortgage from the previous year [1] - The top 10 mortgage lenders accounted for over 21% of all U.S. home loans originated and nearly 26% of the total dollar volume of loans for the year [2] Top 10 Mortgage Lenders - The top 10 lenders by loan origination volume in 2024 are as follows: 1. United Wholesale Mortgage: 366,078 loans, $139.7 billion [5] 2. Rocket Mortgage: 361,071 loans, $97.6 billion [9] 3. CrossCountry Mortgage: 101,894 loans, $39.4 billion [10] 4. Bank of America: 83,143 loans, $29.5 billion [11] 5. Navy Federal Credit Union: 82,019 loans, $17.7 billion [14] 6. LoanDepot: Data not provided 7. Chase: Data not provided 8. Guild Mortgage: Data not provided 9. Fairway Independent Mortgage: Data not provided 10. U.S. Bank: Data not provided [3] Customer Satisfaction Ratings - Bank of America received a high customer satisfaction rating for mortgage servicing and an above-average rating for mortgage origination according to J.D. Power in 2025 [9] - Navy Federal Credit Union achieved high customer satisfaction ratings for both mortgage origination and servicing, although it is not eligible for official rankings [14]

Core Viewpoint - loanDepot, Inc. (LDI) shares experienced a significant increase, rising from $2 to a local high of $3.14, before settling at $2.91, marking a 37% increase from the local high [1] Summary by Relevant Sections - **Stock Performance** - On December 31, 2025, loanDepot shares were trading at $2 - The stock reached a high of $3.14 before settling at $2.91 - This represents a 37% increase from the local high [1]

On December 31, 2025, loanDepot, Inc. ( LDI ) shares were trading at $2. As readers can see in the image below, the stock reached $3.14 last Friday, before settling at $2.91 at current levels. This represents a 37% increase from the local high and aAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receivi ...

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the focus on value investing in Asia, particularly in Hong Kong, targeting stocks with significant discrepancies between market price and intrinsic value [1] - It highlights two main categories of investment opportunities: deep value balance sheet bargains and wide moat stocks, which are characterized by their strong competitive advantages [1] Group 1: Investment Strategy - The investment strategy involves seeking deep value balance sheet bargains, such as net cash stocks and low price-to-book (P/B) ratio stocks [1] - The strategy also includes identifying wide moat stocks, which are high-quality businesses with sustainable competitive advantages [1] Group 2: Research Service - The research service, Asia Value & Moat Stocks, provides value investors with ideas and monthly updates on potential investment opportunities in the Asian equity market [1] - The service is led by an analyst with over a decade of experience in both buy and sell sides of the market, specializing in Asian equities [1]

Asia Value & Moat Stocks is a research service for value investors seeking Asia-listed stocks with a huge gap between price and intrinsic value, leaning towards deep value balance sheet bargains (i.e. buying assets at a discount e.g. net cash stocks, net-nets, low P/B stocks, sum-of-the-parts discounts) and wide moat stocks (i.e. buying earnings power at a discount in great companies like "Magic Formula" stocks, high-quality businesses, hidden champions and wide moat compounders). Sign up here to get starte ...

Market Overview - Stock futures are modestly higher following the December nonfarm payrolls report and ahead of a Supreme Court decision on President Trump's tariff policy [1] - Major indexes have shown resilience early in 2026 after a strong finish to 2025, but gains have faced headwinds due to cooling tech momentum and uncertainty around labor data affecting Federal Reserve policy expectations [1] Sector Performance - Defensive sectors such as energy and mining have demonstrated relative strength, while value-oriented and cyclical areas are gaining attention amid market rotation [2] - Safe-haven assets like gold have seen increased demand as risk sentiment fluctuates [2] Pre-Market Trading - In pre-market trading, S&P 500 futures rose by 0.33%, Nasdaq futures increased by 0.42%, and Dow futures were up by 0.32% [2] Company Movements - Oklo (OKLO) is up 18% after announcing an agreement with Meta Platforms (META) to develop a 1.2 GW power campus in Pike County, Ohio [5] - Vistra (VST) increased by 17% after entering into 20-year purchase power agreements to provide over 2,600 megawatts of zero-carbon energy from three nuclear plants for Meta's operations [5] - Intel (INTC) rose by 2% following President Trump's positive remarks about a meeting with CEO Lip-Bu Tan [5] - Offerpad Solutions (OPAD) surged by 48%, LoanDepot (LDI) increased by 16%, Opendoor Technologies (OPEN) rose by 11%, Rocket Companies (RKT) was up by 6%, and UWM Holdings (UWMC) also increased by 6% [5] - Conversely, Aquestive Therapeutics (AQST) fell by 37% after the FDA identified deficiencies in its Anaphylm NDA, while AXT Inc. (AXTI) dropped by 14% after cutting its Q4 revenue outlook [5]

Core Insights - U.S. stocks experienced an upward trend, with the Dow Jones index increasing by approximately 200 points on Friday [1] Company Highlights - CG Oncology Inc (NASDAQ:CGON) saw its shares rise by 21.8% to $51.05 after announcing an expedited timeline for topline data from the Phase 3 PIVOT-006 clinical trial, now expected in the first half of 2026 [1][2] - Rich Sparkle Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:ANPA) surged 113.6% to $51.70 following a $39 million offering of 3 million ordinary shares at $13 per share [3] - NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Inc (NYSE:NBY) increased by 34.4% to $12.81 [3] - Quanterix Corp (NASDAQ:QTRX) gained 29.3% to $8.42 after naming Everett Cunningham as President and CEO, effective January 19 [3] - MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (NASDAQ:MLTX) rose 21.7% to $17.45 after receiving FDA feedback on its clinical evidence strategy for Sonelokimab in Hidradenitis Suppurativa [3] - Enliven Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ELVN) increased by 21.5% to $28.24, sharing positive initial data from its Phase 1b ENABLE trial for ELVN-001 in chronic myeloid leukemia [3] - Aeva Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:AEVA) surged 21.2% to $20.47 [3] - Loandepot Inc (NYSE:LDI) rose 20.1% to $2.93 [3] - ASP Isotopes Inc (NASDAQ:ASPI) increased by 19.7% to $7.71 [3] - Allogene Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ALLO) gained 19.5% to $1.78 [3] - Opendoor Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:OPEN) rose 19.2% to $7.67 following a new housing market proposal by President Donald Trump [3] - Liquidia Corp (NASDAQ:LQDA) jumped 14% to $36.22 after announcing preliminary full-year 2025 YUTREPIA net sales [3] - Vistra Corp (NYSE:VST) gained 13.1% to $170.34 after entering into 20-year power purchase agreements for zero-carbon nuclear energy to support Meta's operations [3] - Oklo Inc (NYSE:OKLO) rose 12.6% to $109.95 after announcing an agreement with Meta for a 1.2 gigawatt power campus [3] - Applied Digital Corp (NASDAQ:APLD) surged 11.8% to $35.72, reporting strong second-quarter results and advanced talks with a new hyperscaler tenant [3] - AST SpaceMobile Inc (NASDAQ:ASTS) gained 10% to $99.65 [3] - SanDisk Corp (NASDAQ:SNDK) increased by 9.6% to $366.93 [3] - Mirion Technologies Inc (NYSE:MIR) rose 9.5% to $26.56 [3] - TTM Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:TTMI) gained 9.1% to $72.94 [3] - SoundHound AI Inc (NASDAQ:SOUN) rose 8.5% to $11.96 [3] - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:KTOS) gained 8.3% to $112.64, with B. Riley Securities maintaining a Buy rating and raising the price target from $105 to $128 [3]

Company Overview - LoanDepot, Inc. (LDI) is a leading U.S. mortgage originator and refinancer, having issued around $30 billion in loans last year, a decline from approximately $100 billion in 2020 due to rising interest rates rather than fundamental weaknesses [2] - The company operates in 20 countries with roughly 5,000 employees and has a market capitalization near $2 billion [3] Market Dynamics - LDI's business contracts when interest rates rise but expands significantly when they fall, indicating a leveraged upside potential during any sustained easing cycle [2] - The current environment presents a contrarian entry point with asymmetric upside potential once rate pressures subside and refinancing demand rebounds [4] Financial Performance - As of December 1st, LDI's shares were trading at $2.7100, with a forward P/E ratio of 26.95 [1] - The stock previously traded above $30 during the low-rate environment of 2021, suggesting potential for material rerating once macro conditions improve [3] Investor Sentiment - Concerns regarding insider selling are considered overstated, as the CEO's compensation is heavily equity-based and insider ownership remains high at approximately 85%, indicating strong alignment with shareholders [3] - At the end of the second quarter, 8 hedge fund portfolios held LDI, a decrease from 14 in the previous quarter, suggesting a shift in investor interest [6]

Financial Performance - Total net revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2025, were $323.3 million, an increase from $314.6 million in the same period of 2024, representing a growth of 2.3%[15] - Net interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $3.1 million, compared to a net expense of $0.8 million in the same period of 2024[15] - Gain on origination and sale of loans for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $201.3 million, up from $198.0 million in the same period of 2024, reflecting a growth of 1.2%[15] - Total expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2025, were $333.6 million, compared to $311.0 million in the same period of 2024, an increase of 7.3%[15] - The net loss attributable to loanDepot, Inc. for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $4.9 million, compared to a net income of $1.4 million in the same period of 2024[15] - The company reported a net loss of $(8,734,000) for the quarter ending September 30, 2025, compared to a net loss of $(4,882,000) for the previous quarter, indicating a deterioration in financial performance[18] - Net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $74,704 thousand, compared to a net loss of $134,685 thousand for the same period in 2024, representing a 44.5% improvement[22] - The Company reported a net loss allocated to common stockholders of $4.882 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025, and $40.166 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2025[112] Assets and Liabilities - Cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2025, were $459.2 million, an increase from $421.6 million as of December 31, 2024[13] - Total assets as of September 30, 2025, were $6.245 billion, a slight decrease from $6.344 billion as of December 31, 2024[13] - Total liabilities as of September 30, 2025, were $5.812 billion, down from $5.837 billion as of December 31, 2024[13] - The company reported a retained deficit of $592.4 million as of September 30, 2025, compared to $550.6 million as of December 31, 2024[13] - The total outstanding debt obligations net amounted to $2,090.9 million, an increase from $2,027.2 million as of December 31, 2024, reflecting a growth of approximately 3.1%[93] Equity and Shares - The weighted average shares outstanding for basic earnings per share for the three months ended September 30, 2025, were 211,442,981, compared to 185,385,271 for the same period in 2024[15] - As of September 30, 2024, the total equity of the company stands at $592,049,000, reflecting an increase from $578,938,000 as of June 30, 2024, representing a growth of approximately 2%[18] - The number of common shares outstanding increased from 85,982,810 on June 30, 2024, to 90,509,784 on September 30, 2024, marking an increase of approximately 5.9%[18] - The balance of Class A common stock increased to 90,509,784 shares as of September 30, 2024, from 85,982,810 shares as of June 30, 2024, reflecting a growth of approximately 5.9%[18] Cash Flow and Operating Activities - Cash used in operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $68,850 thousand, significantly reduced from $905,982 thousand in 2024[22] - Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the period was $525,872 thousand, down from $578,641 thousand at the end of September 2024[24] - Net cash provided by investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $22,892 thousand, a significant decrease from $459,874 thousand in 2024[24] Loan Origination and Sales - Proceeds from sales of loans for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, were $19,079,417 thousand, an increase from $16,742,208 thousand in 2024[22] - The Company originated and purchased loans totaling $6,398,006 during the three months ended September 30, 2025, compared to $6,545,027 in the same period of 2024[52] - The total gain on origination and sale of loans, net for the three months ended September 30, 2025, was $201,304, compared to $198,027 for the same period in 2024[53] Servicing Rights and Fees - The outstanding principal balance of the servicing portfolio increased to $118,228,146 as of September 30, 2025, from $115,971,984 as of December 31, 2024[59] - Total servicing fee income for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $324,270, compared to $373,273 for the same period in 2024, a decline of 13.1%[60] - The fair value of servicing rights, net, as of September 30, 2025, was $1,618,259, slightly up from $1,615,510 as of December 31, 2024[61] Risk and Compliance - The Company was in compliance with all financial covenants as of September 30, 2025, including minimum levels of profitability and liquidity[93] - The Company has been named as a defendant in 23 putative class action cases related to a cybersecurity incident, with a settlement agreement granted final approval on August 25, 2025[124] - The Company believes it has substantial defenses against the Telephone Consumer Protection Act class action lawsuit filed in June 2022, which seeks actual and statutory damages[129] Market Conditions and Future Outlook - The Company anticipates that interest rates will remain the primary benchmark for market risk for the foreseeable future, affecting loan origination volumes and margins[227] - Prepayment risk is influenced by interest rates and borrower actions, affecting the carrying value of servicing rights and expected servicing income[234]

Core Insights - loanDepot reported a quarterly loss of $0.01 per share, outperforming the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.04, and compared to earnings of $0.03 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +75.00% [1] - The company posted revenues of $323.32 million for the quarter ended September 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.61% and showing an increase from $314.6 million year-over-year [2] - loanDepot shares have increased approximately 36.8% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 15.6% [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.03 on revenues of $277.8 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is -$0.19 on revenues of $1.12 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for loanDepot was mixed ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [6] Industry Context - The Financial - Mortgage & Related Services industry, to which loanDepot belongs, is currently ranked in the top 41% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook compared to the bottom 50% [8]