Annaly(US:NLY)2025-10-23 14:00Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company's book value per share increased by 4.3% from $18.45 in the prior quarter to $19.25, achieving an economic return of 8.1% for Q3 and 11.5% year to date [19][20] - Earnings available for distribution per share remained consistent at $0.73, exceeding the dividend for the quarter [20] - The average yield improved to 5.46% compared to 5.41% in the prior quarter, while the average repo rate improved by three basis points to 4.5% [20][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The agency portfolio's market value increased to over $87 billion, up 10% quarter over quarter, with total growth of $7.8 billion [10] - The residential credit portfolio increased to $6.9 billion in economic market value, with new origination non-QM AAA spreads tightening by 15 basis points [12] - The mortgage servicing rights (MSR) portfolio increased by $215 million to $3.5 billion, with stable cash flows and unchanged serious delinquencies at 50 basis points [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. economy showed resilience with GDP growth likely on pace with Q2, supported by consumer spending and AI-driven business investment [6] - Labor market conditions weakened, with hiring slowing to 30,000 jobs per month, while inflation remained elevated near 3% [6][7] - The agency MBS market saw improved supply and demand dynamics, with fixed income fund inflows more than 50% higher than the average over the past few quarters [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company maintains a diversified housing finance strategy, which has generated a 13% annualized economic return over the past three years [17] - The focus remains on maintaining a high credit quality portfolio and leveraging proprietary assets through the correspondent channel [14] - The company is positioned to benefit from expected Fed cuts and a healthy fixed income demand, with plans to increase allocations to residential credit and MSR [16][17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed a positive outlook, highlighting the benefits of declining macro volatility and anticipated Fed cuts [16] - The company remains flexible in the current investing climate with historically low leverage and significant liquidity [18] - Concerns about the housing market were noted, with expectations of modest cumulative depreciation due to elevated mortgage rates [14] Other Important Information - The company raised $1.1 billion of accretive equity in Q3, including $800 million through its ATM program [9] - The MSR valuation multiple decreased modestly due to lower mortgage rates, but the portfolio remains well insulated [15] Q&A Session Summary Question: Agency returns and investment preferences - Management indicated that agency investments remain attractive despite tighter spreads, with expectations for increased demand from banks and overseas participants [26][27] Question: MSR bulk supply and pricing - The bulk supply has increased from large participants, with stable pricing throughout the year, encouraging future bulk supply [29][30] Question: Agency returns breakdown - The spread to swaps versus treasuries is around 35 to 40 basis points, with low realized volatility aiding hedging costs [35][36] Question: MSR purchase strategy - The company prefers lower note rate MSRs to mitigate negative convexity risk, with a focus on maintaining a diversified portfolio [46][48] Question: Outlook for mortgage spreads and securitization - Management expects stable mortgage spreads to support continued market activity, with NonQM market penetration increasing [51][54] Question: Duration risk and portfolio management - The company is currently maintaining a close to zero duration gap due to market uncertainty, with plans to manage risks carefully [62][66] Question: GSEs' potential impact on the market - Speculation exists regarding GSEs becoming more active buyers, but the market has strong demand from REITs and fixed income funds [70][71]