Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. (“GAAP”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates affecting the accompanying consolidated financial statements include the valuation of MBS (as defined below), including an assessment of whether other than temporary impairment (“OTTI”) exists, and derivative instruments.

Cash

Cash includes cash on deposit with financial institutions. We may maintain deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. However, management believes we are not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial position and creditworthiness of the depository institutions in which those deposits are held.

Cash Collateral Posted To/By Counterparties

Cash collateral posted to/by counterparties represents cash posted by us to counterparties or posted by counterparties to us as collateral. Cash collateral posted to/by counterparties may include collateral for interest rate swap contracts (including swaptions and basis swap contracts), and repurchase agreements on our MBS and our Agency Securities purchased or sold on a to-be-announced basis ("TBA Agency Securities").

Credit Risk, Non-Agency, and Interest-only Securities, Trading

Investments in Securities, at Fair Value

Our investments in securities are generally classified as either available for sale or trading securities. Management determines the appropriate classifications of the securities at the time they are acquired and evaluates the appropriateness of such classifications at each balance sheet date.

Available for Sale Securities represent investments that we intend to hold for extended periods of time and are reported at their estimated fair values with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported as part of the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss).

Trading Securities are reported at their estimated fair values with gains and losses included in Other Income (Loss) as a component of the consolidated statements of operations.

Purchase and sale transactions (including TBA Agency Securities) are recorded on the trade date to the extent it is probable that we will take or make timely physical delivery of the related securities. Gains or losses realized from the sale of securities are reclassified into income from other comprehensive income and are determined using the specific identification method.

Receivables and Payables for Unsettled Sales and Purchases

We account for purchases and sales of securities on the trade date, including purchases and sales for forward settlement. Receivables and payables for unsettled trades represent the agreed trade price multiplied by the outstanding balance of the securities at the balance sheet date.

Accrued Interest Receivable and Payable

Accrued interest receivable includes interest accrued between payment dates on securities and interest on unsettled sales of securities. Accrued interest payable includes interest on unsettled purchases of securities, interest on repurchase agreements and may, at certain times, contain interest payable on U.S. Treasury Securities sold short.

Repurchase Agreements

We finance the acquisition of the majority of our MBS through the use of repurchase agreements. Our repurchase agreements are secured by our MBS and bear interest rates that have historically moved in close relationship to the Federal Funds Rate and short-term London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"). Under these repurchase agreements, we sell MBS to a lender and agree to repurchase the same MBS in the future for a price that is higher than the original sales price. The difference between the sales price that we receive and the repurchase price that we pay represents interest paid to the lender, which accrues over the life of the repurchase agreement. A repurchase agreement operates as a financing arrangement under which we pledge our MBS as collateral to secure a loan which is equal in value to a specified percentage of the estimated fair value of the pledged collateral. We retain beneficial ownership of the pledged collateral. At the maturity of a repurchase agreement, we are required to repay the loan and concurrently receive back our pledged collateral from the lender or, with the consent of the lender, we may renew such agreement at the then prevailing interest rate. The repurchase agreements may require us to pledge additional assets to the lender in the event the estimated fair value of the existing pledged collateral declines.

In addition to the repurchase agreement financing discussed above, at certain times we have entered into reverse repurchase agreements with certain of our repurchase agreement counterparties. Under a typical reverse repurchase agreement, we purchase U.S. Treasury Securities from a borrower in exchange for cash and agree to sell the same securities in the future in exchange for a price that is higher than the original purchase price. The difference between the purchase price originally paid and the sale price represents interest received from the borrower. Reverse repurchase agreement receivables and repurchase agreement liabilities are presented net when they meet certain criteria, including being with the same counterparty, being governed by the same master repurchase agreement ("MRA"), settlement through the same brokerage or clearing account and maturing on the same day.

Derivatives, at Fair Value

We recognize all derivatives individually as either assets or liabilities at fair value on our consolidated balance sheets. All changes in the fair values of our derivatives are reflected in our consolidated statements of operations. We designate derivatives as hedges for tax purposes and any unrealized derivative gains or losses would not affect our distributable net taxable income. These transactions include interest rate swap contracts, interest rate swaptions and basis swap contracts.

We also may utilize forward contracts for the purchase or sale of TBA Agency Securities. We account for TBA Agency Securities as derivative instruments if it is reasonably possible that we will not take or make physical delivery of the Agency Security upon settlement of the contract. We account for TBA dollar roll transactions as a series of derivative transactions. We may also purchase and sell TBA Agency Securities as a means of investing in and financing Agency Securities (thereby increasing our “at risk” leverage) or as a means of disposing of or reducing our exposure to Agency Securities (thereby reducing our “at risk” leverage). We agree to purchase or sell, for future delivery, Agency Securities with certain principal and interest terms and certain types of collateral, but the particular Agency Securities to be delivered are not identified until shortly before the TBA settlement date. We may also choose, prior to settlement, to move the settlement of these securities out to a later date by entering into an offsetting short or long position (referred to as a “pair off”), net settling the paired off positions for cash, and simultaneously purchasing or selling a similar TBA Agency Security for a later settlement date. This transaction is commonly referred to as a “dollar roll.” When it is reasonably possible that we will pair off a TBA Agency Security, we account for that contract as a derivative.

Impairment of Assets

We evaluate available for sale securities for OTTI at least on a quarterly basis and more frequently when economic or market concerns warrant such evaluation. We consider an impairment to be other than temporary if we (1) have the intent to sell the available for sale securities , (2) believe it is more likely than not that we will be required

to sell the securities before recovery (for example, because of liquidity requirements or contractual obligations) or (3) a credit loss exists. Impairment losses recognized establish a new cost basis for the related available for sale securities .

Revenue Recognition

Available for Sale Securities - Interest income is earned and recognized on Agency Securities based on their unpaid principal amounts and their contractual terms. Recognition of interest income commences on the settlement date of the purchase transaction and continues through the settlement date of the sale transaction. Premiums and discounts associated with the purchase of Multi-Family MBS, which are generally not subject to prepayment, are amortized or accreted into interest income over the contractual lives of the securities using a level yield method. Premiums and discounts associated with the purchase of other Agency Securities are amortized or accreted into interest income over the actual lives of the securities, reflecting actual prepayments as they occur.

Trading Securities - Interest income on Credit Risk and Non-Agency Securities and Interest-Only Securities is recognized using the effective yield method over the life of the securities based on the future cash flows expected to be received. Future cash flow projections and related effective yields are determined for each security and updated quarterly. OTTI establishes a new cost basis in the security for purposes of calculating effective yields, are recognized when the fair value of a security is less than its cost basis and there has been an adverse change in the future cash flows expected to be received. Other changes in future cash flows expected to be received are recognized prospectively over the remaining life of the security. Interest income on U.S. Treasury Securities is recognized based on their unpaid principal amounts and their contractual terms. Recognition of interest income commences on the settlement date of the purchase transaction and continues through the settlement date of the sale transaction.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) refers to changes in equity during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. It includes all changes in equity during a period, except those resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

We consider the applicability and impact of all Accounting Standards Updates ("ASU") issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Those not listed below were deemed to be either not applicable, are not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements when adopted, or did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements upon adoption.



Accounting Standard		Description

ASU 2018–07, Improvements to Non-employee Share –Based Payment Accounting (Topic 718)		The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. The standard largely aligns the accounting for share–based payment awards issued to employees and non-employees. Equity–classified share–based payment awards issued to non-employees are measured on the grant date, instead of being remeasured through the performance completion date (generally the vesting date). The standard was applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year when adopted. The cumulative effective adjustment was recorded in our consolidated statement of stockholders' equity as of January 1, 2019, and did not have a material impact on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) - Restricted Cash		This standard was adopted in 2018, which resulted in the presentation of cash collateral posted to counterparties with cash on the consolidated statements of cash flows when reconciling the total beginning and ending amounts. Prior period results have been revised to conform to the current presentation.

ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments–Credit Losses (Topic 326)		The standard introduces a new model for recognizing credit losses on financial instruments based on an estimate of current expected credit losses. The standard will apply to (1) loans, accounts receivable, trade receivables, and other financial assets measured at amortized cost, (2) loan commitments and certain other off–balance sheet credit exposures, (3) debt securities and other financial assets measured at fair value through other comprehensive income, and (4) beneficial interests in securitized financial assets. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The adoption of the standard did not have a significant impact on the Company's Agency Securities as the contractual cash flows of these federal agency mortgage backed securities are guaranteed by an agency of the U.S. government. Accordingly, it is expected that the securities would not be settled at a price less than their amortized cost. The Company does not intend to sell the investments and it is not more likely than not that it will be required to sell the investments before recovery of their amortized cost bases.