Group 1 - Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP (GHI) has seen a 10.1% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days and offers a dividend yield of 12.4%, significantly higher than the industry average of 0.0% [1] - Virtu Financial, Inc. (VIRT) has experienced an 8.5% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days, with a dividend yield of 2.3%, also above the industry average of 0.0% [2] - Flexsteel Industries, Inc. (FLXS) has had a 7.4% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days [2]

Let’s get educational! It’s like going to college but with more numbers and no parties. On the positive side, the price is right. Why educational articles? That’s too many questions. We’re going to talk about AGNC Investment Corp (AGNC) because consensus EPS was around $1.62 for the year and that would be 19.6% on the Q1 2025 tangible book value of $8.25. That’s really high. If you’re not familiar with mortgage REITs, that might sound reasonable. It is not. Now we’re looking into the earnings: AGNCYou’ll no ...

Core Viewpoint - Sachem Capital Corp. has successfully completed a private placement of $100 million in Senior Secured Notes, enhancing its financial flexibility and enabling the repayment of existing obligations and the origination of new loans [1][3]. Financing Details - The private placement consists of five-year Senior Secured Notes due June 11, 2030, with an interest rate of 9.875% per annum, payable quarterly [1]. - An initial draw of $50 million was made at closing, with the remaining $50 million to be drawn by May 15, 2026 [1]. - The Notes are fully guaranteed by the Company and its subsidiary, and have received an investment grade rating of A from Egan-Jones Ratings Company [1]. Use of Proceeds - The proceeds from the Notes will be utilized for repaying existing facility balances, originating new investments, and redeeming 7.75% unsecured notes maturing in September 2025 [2]. Company Overview - Sachem Capital Corp. is a mortgage REIT that specializes in originating, underwriting, funding, servicing, and managing a portfolio of loans secured by first mortgages on real property [7]. - The Company provides short-term secured, nonbanking loans to real estate investors for property acquisition, renovation, and development, with a conservative loan-to-value ratio as its primary underwriting criterion [7].

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of preferred shares and baby bonds for achieving strong risk-adjusted returns, alongside the positive performance of Business Development Companies (BDCs) [1][19] - It highlights the irrational behavior of the market, where some investors continue to buy underperforming stocks despite deteriorating fundamentals [2] - The article discusses the current favorable environment for agency mortgage REITs to issue new shares due to high price-to-book ratios, while hybrid mortgage REITs are struggling [3][6] Agency Mortgage REITs - AGNC Investment (AGNC) maintains a high price-to-book ratio, allowing it to issue new shares effectively [3] - The top three agency mortgage REITs, Dynex Capital (DX), Annaly Capital (NLY), and AGNC, have the highest price-to-book ratios and are expected to capitalize on this by issuing additional shares [4] - A projection indicates that agency mortgage REITs will see a decline in book value in Q2 2025, affecting their price-to-book ratios [5] Hybrid Mortgage REITs - The environment is unfavorable for hybrid mortgage REITs, with only Ellington Financial (EFC) trading close to its projected book value [6] Business Development Companies (BDCs) - Main Street Capital (MAIN) is recognized as a leading BDC, but it is challenging to find it at a bargain valuation [7] - MAIN's Total Economic Return (TER) reflects its performance through changes in book value and dividends, with share issuance above NAV enhancing its value [7][9] - The article notes that MAIN's ability to drive NAV per share higher is attributed to successful investments and effective management [13] Preferred Shares - There are emerging opportunities in preferred shares, which have historically provided strong risk-adjusted returns [14] Market Outlook - The year 2025 is identified as a prime opportunity for investing in REITs, preferred shares, and BDCs due to increasing demand and insufficient supply in key real estate sectors [19]

Company Overview - Sachem Capital Corp. is a mortgage REIT that specializes in originating, underwriting, funding, servicing, and managing a portfolio of loans secured by first mortgages on real property [3] - The company offers short-term secured, nonbanking loans to real estate investors for property acquisition, renovation, development, rehabilitation, or improvement [3] - The primary underwriting criteria of the company is a conservative loan-to-value ratio, with properties typically classified as residential or commercial real estate [3] Dividend Announcements - The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.05 per common share, payable on June 30, 2025, to shareholders of record as of June 16, 2025 [1] - Additionally, a quarterly dividend of $0.484375 per share was declared for holders of the 7.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, payable on June 30, 2025, to shareholders of record as of June 15, 2025 [2]

Group 1 - Dynex Capital, Inc. (NYSE: DX) is a mortgage REIT currently yielding near 17% [1] - The analysis focuses on Dynex's strategy, the context of its yield, and investment ideas [1] - The firm conducting the analysis, Pearl Gray, specializes in systematic analysis of Bonds, Preferreds, and REITs, primarily in the Financials and Real Estate sectors [1] Group 2 - The mission of Pearl Gray is to discover actionable total return ideas that combine academic theories, practical experience, and common sense [1]

Core Insights - The article discusses the anticipated decline in book value for mortgage REITs during Q1 2025, indicating a negative trend in the sector [1][4][6] - Two Harbors is highlighted as a significant underperformer among agency mortgage REITs, facing legal challenges that could further impact its book value [4][5] - The overall volatility in the mortgage REIT market is contributing to the decline in book values, with most companies projected to see decreases ranging from 1.4% to 14.5% [6][7] Mortgage REITs - The article notes that volatility in the market, including tariff issues and bond market fluctuations, is detrimental to mortgage REITs [6] - Most mortgage REITs are expected to experience declines in book value per share, with only one REIT estimated to have a slight increase of less than 1% [7] - ARMOUR Residential REIT is mentioned as one of the larger projected losers in terms of book value [8] Business Development Companies (BDCs) - In contrast to mortgage REITs, BDCs are showing more stability in book value, with gains of about 1% for the top performers and declines of around 2% for the worst performers [9] Legal and Management Issues - Two Harbors' management faced criticism for their performance during the pandemic, leading to a legal battle that may result in significant financial losses for shareholders [4][5] - The potential legal loss for Two Harbors could allow the former external manager to collect approximately $140 million, raising concerns about corporate governance and accountability [4][5] Investment Strategy - The article emphasizes a preference for lower-risk shares due to the current volatility in the market, suggesting a cautious approach to investment in mortgage REITs [10]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For calendar Q1, the company reported a net loss of $0.23 per share and adjusted distributable earnings of $0.26 per share [10] - The overall net interest margin increased by 20 basis points to 5.27, supported by a growing capital allocation to CLOs [10][11] - The economic return for the quarter was negative 3.2%, with book value per share at $6.08 [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The CLO portfolio increased by 46% to $250 million, while capital allocated to CLOs expanded to 81% from 72% [12] - The agency mortgage portfolio decreased slightly to $504 million from $512 million at the end of the previous quarter [12] - The portfolio P&L by strategy showed a negative $0.24 per share from CLOs and a positive $0.08 from agency [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The market experienced turbulence in March, with credit spreads widening and prices declining across high yield, investment grade, and CLO debt tranches [8] - Significant tariff de-escalations in May led to credit spreads and prices reversing course, retracing a significant portion of the March and April moves [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company successfully completed its conversion to a registered closed-end fund and changed its fiscal calendar to begin on April 1 [5][6] - The strategy focuses on increasing the CLO portfolio while maintaining liquidity and flexibility in response to market conditions [23][30] - The company plans to add corporate debt to its liability structure later this year, which should be accretive to net investment income [30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while there were mark-to-market losses in calendar Q1, most price declines were driven by credit spread widening rather than realized credit losses [23] - The company is optimistic about deploying capital in a compelling market and believes it is well-positioned to drive strong earnings moving forward [30] Other Important Information - The company plans to issue monthly updates on portfolio metrics and net asset value on its website [27] - The company maintained high levels of liquidity, with approximately 18.8% of the total portfolio in cash and cash equivalents as of April 30 [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: How does the yield on newly acquired CLOs compare to the previous $250 million? - Management indicated that the weighted average yield varied from slightly wider to potentially hundreds of basis points back, depending on the type of assets purchased [34][35] Question: Do you have dry powder to deploy? - Management confirmed that they still have good dry powder available for deployment [37] Question: What are the latest thoughts on the ADE trajectory? - Management stated that they might be a little short this quarter but are on track for coverage in the third quarter [56]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For calendar Q1, the company reported a net loss of $0.23 per share and adjusted distributable earnings of $0.26 per share [9] - The overall net interest margin increased by 20 basis points to 5.27, supported by a growing capital allocation to CLOs [9] - The economic return for the quarter was negative 3.2%, with book value per share at $6.08 [10][11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The CLO portfolio increased by 46% to $250 million, while capital allocated to CLOs expanded to 81% from 72% at the end of the previous quarter [11] - The agency RMBS holdings decreased slightly to $504 million from $512 million at the end of the previous quarter [11] - The portfolio P&L by strategy showed a negative $0.24 per share from CLOs and a positive $0.08 from agency [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The market experienced strong performance in January and February, followed by turbulence in March due to fears of tariffs, slowing growth, and persistent inflation [7] - Credit spreads widened significantly in March, impacting CLO mezzanine debt and equity tranches, leading to meaningful price declines [7][8] - Recent tariff de-escalations have led to credit spreads and prices reversing course in May, recovering a significant portion of the declines [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company successfully completed its conversion to a registered closed-end fund and changed its fiscal calendar to begin on April 1 [4][5] - The strategy focuses on increasing the CLO portfolio while maintaining liquidity and flexibility in response to market conditions [22][29] - The company plans to add corporate debt to its liability structure later this year, which should be accretive to net investment income [29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that while there were mark-to-market losses in calendar Q1, most price declines were driven by credit spread widening rather than realized credit losses [22] - The company is optimistic about deploying capital in a compelling market and believes it is well-positioned to drive strong earnings moving forward [29] - Management expects to be slightly short on dividend coverage in the second quarter but is on track for recovery in the third quarter [56] Other Important Information - The company disposed of all remaining mortgage positions shortly after April 1, which allowed for increased liquidity and buying power [8][25] - As of April 30, approximately 18.8% of the total portfolio, or about $59 million, was in cash and cash equivalents, providing ample dry powder for deployment [27] Q&A Session Summary Question: How does the yield on newly acquired CLOs compare to the previous $250 million? - Management indicated that the weighted average yield varied from slightly wider to potentially hundreds of basis points back, depending on the type of assets purchased [34] Question: Is there still dry powder available for deployment? - Management confirmed that there is still good dry powder available and that cash reserves are maintained to allow for increased portfolio size [37][39] Question: What are the latest thoughts on the ADE trajectory? - Management stated that they might be slightly short on covering the dividend in the second quarter but are on track for recovery in the third quarter [56]

Core Viewpoint - Real estate investment trusts (REITs) can provide significant dividend yields, with AGNC Investment and Healthpeak Properties being highlighted for their monthly dividends, but their sustainability and growth potential differ significantly [1]. Group 1: AGNC Investment - AGNC Investment is a mortgage REIT that invests in Agency MBS, which are protected against credit risk by government agencies, and it employs leverage to enhance returns, resulting in a high monthly dividend yield of 15.7% [3]. - The CEO noted that the outlook for agency MBS investments remains favorable, with potential returns in the low-20% range, which exceeds the company's total cost of capital of approximately 18% [4]. - However, AGNC has previously cut its dividend when returns fell below costs, indicating that it may not be the best option for investors seeking a highly sustainable income stream [5]. Group 2: Healthpeak Properties - Healthpeak Properties is a healthcare REIT with a diversified portfolio that includes outpatient medical, lab, and senior housing properties, providing stable cash flow with contractual annual rental increases [7]. - The REIT's adjusted funds from operations (FFO) have grown by 19% over the past three years, and it expects to generate between $1.81 and $1.87 per share of FFO this year, comfortably covering its $1.22-per-share dividend [9]. - Healthpeak has a strong balance sheet with $500 million to $1 billion available for new investments, and it recently raised its dividend payout by 2%, indicating a capacity for future dividend increases [10][12].