Ditch Mortgage REITs? These High Yielders Are Crushing It

Group 1: Investment Opportunities - Mortgage REITs, preferred shares, baby bonds, and BDCs are highlighted as high-yielding investment alternatives, with preferred shares and baby bonds generally outperforming mortgage REIT common shares over the long term [1] - BDCs have performed well in recent years, benefiting from higher interest rates which increased their income despite also raising their cost of funds [3] - Preferred shares from mortgage REITs have shown stability in dividends and total returns, contrasting with the declining book value of common shares [5][19] Group 2: Performance Analysis - Fixed-rate preferred shares have underperformed due to significant changes in interest rates, while fixed-to-floating shares have performed well with lower price volatility [4] - Baby bonds have shown impressive performance, with many trading above their maturity value of $25.00, indicating solid investor confidence [7] - The worst-performing baby bond, RCD from Ready Capital, is down only about 4% adjusted for dividends, which is considered a relatively minor loss [8] Group 3: Market Expectations - Q2 2025 is anticipated to be a challenging quarter for mortgage REITs regarding total economic return, which includes changes in book value and dividends [9] - The spread between the yield on assets and the cost of funds for mortgage REITs is currently favorable, suggesting potential for earnings on newly invested capital [10][13] Group 4: Long-Term Trends - Preferred shares have outperformed common shares from the same mortgage REITs since early 2022, demonstrating lower volatility and consistent income generation [19][23] - The performance of fixed-rate agency MBS pools indicates a strong interest in preferred shares, with trading values reflecting healthy demand [16] Group 5: Future Opportunities - There are current opportunities in preferred shares and baby bonds, prompting the company to consider reallocating capital into these investments [24] - The demand for key real estate sectors is expected to increase, presenting a prime opportunity for investment in REITs, preferred shares, and BDCs in 2025 [27]