Orchid Island Capital(US:ORC)2026-01-30 16:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4 2025, the company reported a net income of $103.4 million, translating to $0.62 per share, an increase from $0.53 in Q3 [6] - The book value at the end of Q4 was $7.54, up from $7.33 at the end of Q3 [7] - The total return for Q4 was 7.8%, compared to 6.7% in Q3 [7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The average mortgage-backed securities (MBS) portfolio was $9.5 billion in Q4, compared to $7.7 billion in Q3, reflecting a growth of approximately 27% [8] - The leverage for Q4 remained stable at 7.4%, consistent with Q3 [8] - Liquidity at the end of Q4 was 57.7%, slightly up from 57.1% in Q3 [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Prepayment speeds increased to 15.7% in Q4 from 10.1% in Q3 [9] - The treasury curve showed low volatility throughout the quarter, with interest rates remaining steady [10][11] - The spread of current coupon mortgages to the ten-year Treasury tightened to about 80 basis points [12][13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focused on acquiring agency specified pools with call protection, targeting par to slight premiums [23][56] - A strategic shift towards higher coupon MBS was noted, with a focus on production and premium coupons [26] - The company aims to maintain a flat duration profile to manage interest rate risk effectively [33] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the potential for further mortgage tightening, driven by GSE activity and favorable market conditions [39][41] - The company anticipates that prepayment speeds may moderate, which would improve carry [37] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a low expense ratio, which currently stands at 1.7% [44] Other Important Information - The company paid dividends of $0.36 during the quarter, maintaining the same rate for the past two years [7] - The average repo rate decreased from 4.33% at the beginning of the quarter to 3.98% by quarter end [20] - The weighted average current price of the portfolio at year-end was $102.5, reflecting a strategic shift in coupon allocation [61] Q&A Session Summary Question: Current book value update - Management indicated that the current book value is slightly up, inclusive of the dividend accrual, reflecting a 1.6% increase [51][53] Question: Thoughts on prepayments - Management noted that the portfolio is targeted at par to slight premiums, focusing on modest prepayments without overpaying for protection [56][58] Question: Capacity for further expense reduction - Management stated that most expense increases were due to management fees, with non-management expenses rising only modestly, indicating potential for further reduction [70][72]