Annaly(NLY) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported earnings available for distribution per share of $0.72, consistent with the prior quarter, driven by lower average repo rates of 4.56% compared to 4.93% in the previous quarter [18] - The book value per share was $19.02, reflecting a modest decline of less than 1% quarter over quarter [18] - The economic return for Q1 was 3%, with individual business segments contributing positively despite a challenging macro environment [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Agency portfolio saw a notional growth of $3.5 billion, driven by purchases of intermediate coupon TBAs [9] - The Residential Credit portfolio ended the quarter at $6.6 billion in market value, with a decrease of $340 million quarter over quarter due to opportunistic sales and increased securitizations [11] - The Mortgage Servicing Rights (MSR) portfolio remained relatively unchanged at $3.3 billion in market value, with $28 billion in principal balance settled during Q1 [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Economic leverage increased modestly to 5.7 turns, remaining at the low end of the historical range [6] - The housing market is showing signs of increased regional disparity, with some areas experiencing a modest reversal in home price appreciation trends [12] - Inventory levels have increased, with a year-over-year rise of 18%, impacting the spring selling season [58] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to maintain a conservative leverage approach amidst market volatility, balancing the opportunity to increase leverage with the risks associated with high volatility [38] - The focus remains on agency investments as spreads have cheapened, while also continuing to grow the OBX platform for loan acquisition and securitization [76] - The company is strategically aligned with industry-leading sub-servicing partners to enhance efficiency and technological investment in the mortgage industry [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed concerns about the impact of U.S. trade policy on consumer and business confidence, which may affect economic growth [7] - Despite the uncertain outlook, the company believes its diversified and actively managed portfolio positions it well to perform across various economic scenarios [17] - The management remains optimistic about the housing market's long-term stability due to low delinquencies and tight underwriting standards, despite short-term pullbacks in certain regions [62] Other Important Information - The company increased its common stock dividend to $0.70 per share, underscoring earnings momentum [6] - The total assets available for financing increased to approximately $7.5 billion, reflecting enhanced liquidity [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on book value quarter to date - The book value was off roughly 3.5% as of Tuesday evening, improving from a 4.5% decline post-Easter [26] Question: Outlook for spreads and regulatory impacts - Swap spreads have tightened due to volatility, and regulatory reforms are anticipated to positively impact market conditions in the future [27][33] Question: Thoughts on leverage given current market conditions - The company is maintaining a conservative leverage approach due to high volatility, despite wider spreads suggesting a potential increase in risk [37][39] Question: Supply-demand dynamics in the agency portfolio - There was strong demand from fixed income funds and banks, but foreign demand, particularly from Asian accounts, remains limited [87][88] Question: Impact of housing price moderation on the market - Housing prices have increased significantly since 2019, but recent inventory increases may lead to short-term pullbacks in certain regions [58][62]