Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the full year 2024, the company achieved $3.6 billion in funded loan volume, $108 million in revenue, and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $121 million, with a year-over-year revenue growth of 50% and a 19% increase in funded loan volume [8][9] - In Q4 2024, funded loan volume was $936 million, representing a 77% year-over-year increase, although it decreased approximately 10% sequentially due to seasonal factors [8][11] - The adjusted EBITDA loss in Q4 was $28 million, with total GAAP net loss around $59 million [46][47] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Funded loan volume growth in Q4 was driven by home equity products and refinance loans, with purchase loan volume increasing by 25% and refinance loan volume surging by 611% year-over-year [10][11] - The company reported a gain on sale margin improvement from 1.95% in 2023 to 2.17% in 2024, indicating enhanced revenue per loan through pricing and marketing optimization [9][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The overall HELOC and HELOAN originations increased by 10% in the third quarter, while the company’s origination volume grew by 619%, indicating significant market outperformance [10] - The mortgage market saw improvements in Q4 compared to the same period in 2023, but 30-year fixed mortgage rates remained high, impacting mortgage demand [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to leverage AI and technology to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer experience, with a focus on achieving profitability in the medium term [6][8][45] - The strategic priorities include continuing to grow the business, diversifying distribution channels, and enhancing the technology platform to streamline the mortgage process [8][33] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the challenges posed by low housing affordability and high mortgage rates but expressed optimism about the company's growth trajectory and market share gains [8][11] - The outlook for 2025 anticipates funded loan volume growth in the low to mid double digits, driven by initiatives like Neo powered by Better, despite macroeconomic headwinds [49][50] Other Important Information - The company is winding down its UK businesses, which contributed to lower volume in Q4, and expects to fully exit this segment by Q2 2025 [34][48] - The introduction of Betsy, an AI voice-based loan assistant, has significantly improved customer interaction efficiency, with a 20x increase in customer interactions since its launch [14][27] Q&A Session Summary Question: How does the AI technology adjust for high property insurance costs? - Management explained that their AI system integrates multiple data sources to provide instant homeowners insurance quotes during the loan process, significantly reducing the need for manual intervention [54] Question: How does profitability affect risk-taking? - Management clarified that they operate a marketplace model, ensuring loans are pre-committed to investors before origination, thus minimizing risk while focusing on efficiency and cost reduction to achieve profitability [58][62] Question: Can you elaborate on savings opportunities from Tin Man's AI application? - Management highlighted that AI-driven processes have reduced operational costs significantly, with potential savings of $2,000 per funded loan and $1,400 for AI-underwritten loans, contributing to improved margins [72][73] Question: How are gain on sale margins trending in Q1? - Management reported that gain on sale margins are trending higher in Q1, particularly with Neo loans performing better than the direct-to-consumer business, indicating improved efficiency and customer conversion [80][82] Question: Can you contextualize contribution profit per loan? - Management indicated that contribution margins have been improving, and they are focused on reducing costs in the mortgage business to enhance profitability while maintaining a balance with corporate cost reductions [93][94]

Ellington Credit Company (NYSE:EARN) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call March 13, 2025 11:00 AM ET Company Participants Alaael-Deen Shilleh - Associate General Counsel and Secretary Laurence E. Penn - Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Tecotzky - Co-Chief Investment Officer Christopher Smernoff - Chief Financial Officer Gregory Borenstein - Head of Corporate Credit at Ellington Management Group Conference Call Participants Douglas Harter - UBS Matthew Erdner - JonesTrading Operator Good morning, ladie ...

Financial Performance Highlights - Altisource's service revenue increased by 10% to $150.4 million in 2024 compared to $136.6 million in 2023[14, 49] - Adjusted EBITDA improved by $18.3 million to $17.4 million in 2024, compared to a loss of $0.9 million in 2023[9, 14, 49] - Business Segments generated $44.6 million of Adjusted EBITDA at 29.7% Adjusted EBITDA margins, representing a $10.4 million improvement and a 462-basis points margin improvement[14] - Corporate Adjusted EBITDA loss declined by $7.9 million, or 22%, to $27.2 million, primarily from efficiency initiatives[14] - Q4 2024 service revenue reached $38.4 million, the highest since Q3 2021, with Adjusted EBITDA at $4.7 million, the strongest quarter since Q3 2020[16] Debt Restructuring - Altisource executed a Term Loan Exchange Transaction, reducing debt by over $60 million from $232.8 million to $172.5 million[9, 18] - The Term Loan Exchange Transaction reduced annual cash and payment-in-kind interest by approximately $18 million to $13.4 million[18] - The company also closed on a $12.5 million super senior credit facility to fund transaction costs and for general corporate purposes[18, 21] Segment Performance - Servicer and Real Estate segment service revenue increased by 11% to $119.9 million in 2024 compared to $107.8 million in 2023[23] - Servicer and Real Estate segment Adjusted EBITDA increased by 14% to $42.1 million in 2024 compared to $37.1 million in 2023, with margins improving to 35.1% from 34.4%[23] - Origination segment service revenue grew by 6% to $30.4 million in 2024 compared to $28.8 million in 2023[29, 31] - Origination segment Adjusted EBITDA improved by $5.4 million to $2.5 million in 2024 compared to a loss of $2.9 million in 2023[29, 31] 2025 Financial Guidance - Altisource anticipates service revenue between $165 million and $185 million and Adjusted EBITDA between $18 million and $23 million in 2025[42] - The guidance midpoint represents 16% annual service revenue and 18% Adjusted EBITDA growth over 2024[42] - The company expects positive operating cash flow in 2025[41, 43]

Rocket Companies said on Monday it would acquire real estate listing platform Redfin in an all-stock deal valued at $1.75 billion, seeking to boost its lending business. Rocket's $12.50 per share offer equates to a near 115% premium to Redfin's Friday close. Redfin's shares rose about 74%, while Rocket's fell about 12% before the bell.Founded in 2004, Redfin operates a home search platform with more than 1 million for-sale and rental listings and a tech-powered brokerage of more than 2,200 agents. US PENDIN ...

Cherry Hill Mortgage Investment Corporation (NYSE:CHMI) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call March 6, 2025 5:00 PM ET Company Participants Garrett Edson - MD, ICR, IR Jay Lown - President and CEO Julian Evans - Chief Investment Officer Mike Hutchby - CFO Conference Call Participants Randy Binner - B. Riley Securities Mikhail Goberman - Citizens JMP Jason Stewart - Janney Montgomery Scott Operator Hello, everyone, and welcome to Cherry Hill Mortgage Investment Corporation Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Call. At th ...

Guild Holdings Company (NYSE:GHLD) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call March 6, 2025 5:00 AM ET Company Participants Terry Schmidt – Chief Executive Officer David Neylan – President and Chief Operating Officer Amber Kramer – Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Derek Sommers – Jefferies Rick Shane – JPMorgan Jake Katsikas – BTIG Operator Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Guild Holdings Company fourth quarter and full year 2024 earnings conference call. At this time, all parti ...

Velocity Financial, Inc. (NYSE:VEL) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call March 6, 2025 5:00 PM ET Company Participants Chris Oltmann - Director, Investor Relations Chris Farrar - President & Chief Executive Officer Mark Szczepaniak - Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Steven Laws - Raymond James Steve Delaney - Citizen Capital Markets Eric Hagan - BTIG Operator Good day, and welcome to the Velocity Financial, Inc. Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Conference Call. All participants will be in l ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4 2024, the company reported net income of $0.25 per share and adjusted distributable earnings (ADE) of $0.45 per share, which comfortably covered the quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share [7][19] - The ADE increased from $0.28 per share in Q1 2024 to $0.45 per share in Q4 2024, reflecting a 25% year-over-year growth in the credit portfolio [44] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Longbridge reverse mortgage segment performed excellently, contributing $0.30 per share to net income, while the credit portfolio generated $0.32 per share [19] - The credit portfolio increased by 5% to $3.42 billion, driven by net purchases of closed-end seconds, HELOCs, commercial mortgage bridge loans, and non-agency RMBS [24] - The Longbridge portfolio decreased by 15% sequentially to $420 million due to the impact of proprietary reverse mortgage securitization [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The agency strategy generated a modest loss due to rising interest rates and volatility around the presidential election, impacting Agency RMBS performance [22] - The overall debt-to-equity ratio increased to 8.8:1 from 8.3:1, while the recourse debt-to-equity ratio remained unchanged at 1.8:1 [26] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to continue leveraging its vertical integration to grow its loan origination business and maintain a focus on credit investments rather than agency securities [30][79] - The strategic use of securitizations is viewed as a core competitive advantage, expected to drive strong earnings and support dividend coverage [14][58] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted an uptick in residential loan delinquencies, particularly in the non-QM portfolio, but does not expect material losses due to strong underlying real estate security [39] - The company remains optimistic about the demand for proprietary reverse mortgage products and anticipates continued ADE growth to cover dividends moving forward [45] Other Important Information - The company completed four securitization transactions in Q4, capitalizing on favorable market conditions, which included two non-QM deals and a proprietary reverse mortgage securitization [10][12] - The total weighted average borrowing rate on recourse borrowings decreased by 56 basis points to 6.21% due to lower short-term interest rates and tighter financing spreads [25] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about some of the originator investments and the appetite for non-QM given the commentary around delinquencies? - Management indicated that they have been making small investments in platforms where they have established relationships and can help lower warehousing costs and improve underwriting processes [63][64] Question: Can you contextualize the earnings expectations for Longbridge? - Management suggested a long-term run rate target of approximately $0.09 per share per quarter for Longbridge, with Q4 exceeding this expectation [68][70] Question: Why isn't the agency portfolio more attractive at current valuations? - Management explained that while the agency sector has been good, they believe their capital can be better utilized in credit-focused investments that leverage their vertical integration [76][79] Question: Is there an expectation from investors to buy loans out of the securitization trust? - Management clarified that they expect to work out and resolve loans while they remain in the securitization, rather than buying them out [84] Question: What is the current run rate for net interest income? - Management indicated that the net interest income seen in Q4 is a good run rate moving forward, supported by ongoing improvements in liability management [91][92] Question: What is the impact of staffing cuts at HUD on Longbridge? - Management acknowledged the uncertainty but emphasized that their proprietary business has been driving earnings, and they will have to wait and see how regulatory changes unfold [121][123]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4 2024, the company generated $1.2 billion in adjusted revenue, representing a 34% year-over-year growth and at the high end of guidance [10][46] - Full-year 2024 adjusted revenue was $4.9 billion, a 30% year-over-year increase, with adjusted EPS at $0.23 [11][48] - Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 18%, up from 2% the previous year, driven by operational efficiency [11][48] - Net rate lock volume for Q4 was $24 billion, up 47% year-over-year, while full-year net rate lock volume increased 28% to $101 billion [47][49] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The origination volume grew nearly 30% year-over-year, with a significant focus on purchase and home equity loans [49] - The servicing portfolio reached $593 billion in unpaid principal balance, a 17% increase, with 308,000 new servicing clients added [19][55] - The company reported a gain on sale margin of 295 basis points, up 32 basis points from 2023, driven by growth in both direct-to-consumer and Partner Network channels [48] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that no single player holds more than a single-digit market share in the purchase market, indicating significant growth opportunities [13][50] - The housing market is expected to see originations around $1.9 trillion in 2025, a 10% to 15% increase from 2024 [84] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on transforming homeownership through strategic investments in marketing, servicing, and technology [61][70] - The "Own the Dream" campaign aims to elevate the brand and connect with diverse demographics, particularly first-time buyers [39][41] - The company is leveraging AI and automation to enhance operational efficiency and client experience [68][69] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism for 2025, citing positive trends in housing inventory and equity levels [81][84] - The company anticipates continued market share gains and a stronger performance compared to 2024 [92][94] Other Important Information - The company ended 2024 with $2.9 billion in available cash and $7.6 billion in mortgage servicing rights, providing significant financial flexibility for strategic investments [71] - The brand refresh and the launch of Rocket.com have shown promising early results, with a 30% increase in brand lift [102] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you unpack the first quarter revenue guide? - Management indicated optimism for 2025, expecting a 7% year-over-year growth in revenue, driven by volume increases and consistent gain on sale margins [80][81][92] Question: Any early indicators from the brand refresh and Rocket.com launch? - Early results show promising engagement metrics, with significant improvements in session length and conversion rates compared to previous platforms [101][102] Question: What drove the outperformance in Q4 expenses? - The company achieved 54% more efficiency in Q4, with volume up 47% and headcount down, showcasing the impact of AI on operational leverage [112] Question: How do you expect to drive market share gains in a volatile environment? - The focus remains on the purchase market, with strategies in place to enhance client experience and optimize conversion rates [130][132]

Starwood Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:STWD) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call February 27, 2025 10:00 AM ET Company Participants Zachary Tanenbaum - Head of Investor Relations Barry Sternlicht - Chairman & CEO Jeffrey DiModica - President Rina Paniry - Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Steven Laws - Raymond James Richard Shane - JPMorgan Jade Rahmani - KBW Douglas Harter - UBS Donald Fandetti - Wells Fargo Securities Operator Greetings, and welcome to Starwood Property Trust, Inc.'s fourth q ...