Ladder Capital(US:LADR)2025-10-23 15:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated distributable earnings of $32.1 million or $0.25 per share, achieving a return on equity of 8.3% with adjusted leverage of 1.7x [3][10] - The loan portfolio grew by approximately $354 million to $1.9 billion, representing 40% of total assets [4][15] - The securities portfolio totaled $1.9 billion, also representing 40% of total assets, with a weighted average yield of 5.7% [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Loan origination activity accelerated with $511 million of new loans across 17 transactions, marking the highest quarterly origination volume in over three years [3][4] - The real estate portfolio generated $15.1 million in net operating income during the third quarter, primarily consisting of net lease properties with long-term leases [6][16] - The company closed its inaugural $500 million investment-grade bond offering at a rate of 5.5%, which was the tightest new issuance spread in its history [7][10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reduced office loan exposure to $652 million, or 14% of total assets, following the full payoff of its third-largest office loan [4][15] - Approximately 50% of the remaining office loan portfolio consists of two well-performing loans secured by prime properties in Miami [4] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to capitalize on investment opportunities while maintaining prudent credit risk management, expecting fourth-quarter loan originations to exceed third-quarter production [8][20] - The management plans to position the company alongside high-quality peers, including equity REITs, rather than solely within the commercial mortgage REIT space [8][19] - The focus will be on organic growth of the loan portfolio, with expectations of adding $1 billion to $2 billion of assets net on the balance sheet [40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the stability of credit performance and the potential for continued earnings growth [3][8] - The company anticipates favorable market conditions as it heads into 2026, with expectations of a steeper yield curve and more regular contributions to securitizations [20][21] - The management highlighted the importance of maintaining or improving investment-grade ratings to optimize capital management [18][19] Other Important Information - The company maintains $879 million in liquidity, including $49 million in cash and $830 million of undrawn capacity on its unsecured revolver [7][11] - The undepreciated book value per share was $13.71, net of a $0.41 per share CFO reserve [12] - The company declared a $0.23 per share dividend, with a current dividend yield of approximately 8.5% [13][14] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are there any changes in loan origination since obtaining the investment-grade rating? - Management noted a focus on slightly larger transactions and improved stability in financing, leading to more profitable lending opportunities [24] Question: Were there any construction loans or large CapEx projects in the recent origination? - Management clarified that they generally do not write construction loans and that the portfolio remains focused on industrial and multifamily assets [27][28] Question: What is the outlook for growth in the loan portfolio? - Management expects the loan portfolio to grow by approximately $1 billion, driven by a strong origination pipeline and favorable market conditions [34][35] Question: Is improving ROE part of the strategy for the next one to two years? - Management confirmed that the plan includes writing more loans and optimizing the cost of funds, which should positively impact ROE [38] Question: Will the company consider launching a securities fund? - Management indicated that while they have explored this option in the past, their current focus remains on the commercial mortgage business [58][59] Question: How is the New York office equity investment performing? - Management expressed satisfaction with the investment, noting significant leasing progress and plans for potential future involvement in the debt side of the project [61][63]