Better Dividend Stock: AGNC Investment vs. Starwood Property Trust

Core Viewpoint - AGNC Investment and Starwood Property Trust are two prominent mortgage REITs offering high-yield dividends, with AGNC yielding 14% and Starwood yielding 9.4%, making them attractive options for dividend investors [2][12]. Group 1: AGNC Investment - AGNC Investment focuses solely on agency residential mortgage-backed securities (MBSes) guaranteed by government agencies, employing a leveraged investment strategy to enhance returns [4]. - The REIT can achieve a return on equity in the range of 18% to 20% through leveraging, allowing it to maintain its monthly dividend rate for over five years [5]. - However, the use of leverage introduces significant risk, as returns may fall below the cost of capital, potentially leading to dividend reductions [6]. - AGNC has raised nearly $800 million by issuing 92.6 million shares in the second quarter to expand its MBS portfolio, which has resulted in a nearly 50% decline in stock value since its IPO in 2008 [7]. - Despite stock value losses, AGNC's high-yield dividend has provided an 11% average annual total return, although long-term value decline remains a concern [8]. Group 2: Starwood Property Trust - Starwood Property Trust has diversified its business model, originating floating-rate mortgages and expanding into commercial MBS investments, servicing defaulted mortgages, and direct real estate investments [9]. - Approximately 56% of Starwood's portfolio consists of commercial loans, with the remainder including owned properties and various lending assets, which mitigates the impact of interest rate changes [10]. - The REIT's recent acquisition of Fundamental Income for $2.2 billion has significantly enhanced its real estate portfolio, contributing to stable cash flow [10]. - Starwood has maintained its dividend rate for over a decade due to its lower-risk, durable portfolio, with stock price growth of over 25% since its IPO [11]. - The combination of dividend stability and potential for value appreciation positions Starwood as a more favorable investment compared to AGNC [13].