Note 5 - Derivative and Other Hedging Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2025

Notes to Financial Statements

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 5. DERIVATIVE AND OTHER HEDGING INSTRUMENTS

The table below summarizes fair value information about the Company’s derivative and other hedging instruments assets and liabilities as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

(in thousands)
Derivative and Other Hedging Instruments	Balance Sheet Location	March 31, 2025			December 31, 2024
Assets
Interest rate swaps	Derivative assets, at fair value	$	6,267		$	4,574
TBA securities	Derivative assets, at fair value		443			4,703
Total derivative assets, at fair value		$	6,710		$	9,277
Liabilities
TBA securities	Derivative liabilities, at fair value	$	-		$	332
Total derivative liabilities, at fair value		$	-		$	332
Margin Balances Posted to (from) Counterparties
Futures contracts	Restricted cash	$	891		$	2,625
TBA securities	Restricted cash		-			280
TBA securities	Other liabilities		(1,403	)		(4,282	)
Total margin balances on derivative contracts		$	(512	)	$	(1,377	)

T-Note and SOFR futures are cash and securities settled futures contracts on their respective underlying or delivery eligible underlying U.S. Treasury security, with gains and losses credited or charged to the Company’s cash accounts on a daily basis. A minimum balance, or “margin”, is required to be maintained in the account on a daily basis. The tables below present information related to the Company’s T-Note and SOFR futures positions at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

($ in thousands)
	March 31, 2025
	Average		Weighted			Weighted
	Contract		Average			Average
	Notional		Entry			Effective			Open
Expiration Year	Amount		Rate			Rate			Equity(1)
U.S. Treasury Note Futures Contracts (Short Positions)(2)
June 2025 5-year T-Note futures (Jun 2025 - Jun 2030 Hedge Period)	$	377,500		4.16	%		3.94	%	$	(3,371	)
June 2025 10-year T-Note futures (Jun 2025 - Jun 2035 Hedge Period)		193,500		4.23	%		4.09	%		(1,692	)
June 2025 10-year Ultra futures (Jun 2025 - Jun 2035 Hedge Period)		137,500		4.37	%		4.24	%		(1,611	)
SOFR Futures Contracts (Short Positions)
September 2025 3-Month SOFR futures (Jun 2025 - Sep 2025 Hedge Period)	$	28,750		4.05	%		4.08	%	$	9
December 2025 3-Month SOFR futures (Sep 2025 - Dec 2025 Hedge Period)		28,750		3.83	%		3.81	%		(4	)
March 2026 3-Month SOFR futures (Dec 2025 - Mar 2026 Hedge Period)		28,750		3.69	%		3.63	%		(19	)
June 2026 3-Month SOFR futures (Mar 2026 - Jun 2026 Hedge Period)		28,750		3.61	%		3.51	%		(29	)
September 2026 3-Month SOFR futures (Jun 2026 - Sep 2026 Hedge Period)		28,750		3.57	%		3.44	%		(35	)
December 2026 3-Month SOFR futures (Sep 2026 - Dec 2026 Hedge Period)		28,750		3.55	%		3.43	%		(37	)
March 2027 3-Month SOFR futures (Dec 2026 - Mar 2027 Hedge Period)		28,750		3.56	%		3.44	%		(35	)
June 2027 3-Month SOFR futures (Mar 2027 - Jun 2027 Hedge Period)		28,750		3.56	%		3.46	%		(30	)

($ in thousands)
	December 31, 2024
	Average		Weighted			Weighted
	Contract		Average			Average
	Notional		Entry			Effective			Open
Expiration Year	Amount		Rate			Rate			Equity(1)
U.S. Treasury Note Futures Contracts (Short Positions)(2)
March 2025 5-year T-Note futures (Mar 2025 - Mar 2030 Hedge Period)	$	312,500		4.22	%		4.37	%	$	1,890
March 2025 10-year T-Note futures (Mar 2025 - Mar 2035 Hedge Period)		93,500		4.30	%		4.49	%		1,119
March 2025 10-year Ultra futures (Mar 2025 - Mar 2035 Hedge Period)		32,500		4.25	%		4.58	%		914

(1) Open equity represents the cumulative gains (losses) recorded on open futures positions from inception.

(2) 5-Year T-Note futures contracts were valued at a price of $108.16 at  March 31, 2025 and $106.30 at  December 31, 2024. The contract values of the short positions were $408.3 million and $332.2 million at  March 31, 2025 and  December 31, 2024, respectively. 10-Year T-Note futures contracts were valued at a price of $111.22 at  March 31, 2025 and $108.75 at  December 31, 2024. The contract values of the short positions were $215.2 million and $101.6 million at  March 31, 2025 and  December 31, 2024, respectively. 10-Year Ultra futures contracts were valued at a price of $114.13 at  March 31, 2025 and $111.31 at  December 31, 2024. The contract values of the short positions were $156.9 million and $36.2 million at  March 31, 2025 and  December 31, 2024, respectively.

Under its interest rate swap agreements, the Company typically pays a fixed rate and receives a floating rate ("payer swaps") based on an index, such as SOFR. The floating rate the Company receives under its swap agreements has the effect of offsetting the repricing characteristics of its repurchase agreements and cash flows on such liabilities. The Company is typically required to post margin on its interest rate swap agreements. The table below presents information related to the Company’s interest rate swap positions at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

($ in thousands)
			Average
			Fixed			Average			Average
	Notional		Pay			Receive			Maturity
	Amount		Rate			Rate			(Years)
March 31, 2025
Expiration > 1 to ≤ 5 years	$	1,345,000		2.62	%		4.41	%		3.8
Expiration > 5 years		2,564,300		3.64	%		4.43	%		7.1
	$	3,909,300		3.29	%		4.42	%		6.0
December 31, 2024
Expiration > 1 to ≤ 5 years	$	1,450,000		1.69	%		4.58	%		3.4
Expiration > 5 years		2,066,800		3.55	%		4.52	%		7.0
	$	3,516,800		2.78	%		4.54	%		5.5

Our interest rate swaps are centrally cleared through two registered commodities exchanges, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange ("CME") and the London Clearing House (“LCH”). The clearing exchanges require that we post an "initial margin" amount determined by the exchanges. The initial margin amount is intended to be set at a level sufficient to protect the exchange from the interest rate swap's maximum estimated single-day price movement and is subject to adjustment based on changes in market volatility and other factors. We also exchange daily settlements of "variation margin" based upon changes in fair value, as measured by the exchanges.

The following table summarizes the Company’s contracts to purchase and sell TBA securities as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

($ in thousands)
	Notional
	Amount									Net
	Long			Cost			Market			Carrying
	(Short)(1)			Basis(2)			Value(3)			Value(4)
March 31, 2025
15-Year TBA securities:
5.0%	$	200,000		$	200,330		$	200,773		$	443
Total	$	200,000		$	200,330		$	200,773		$	443
December 31, 2024
15-Year TBA securities:
5.0%	$	50,000		$	50,074		$	49,742		$	(332	)
30-Year TBA securities:
3.0%		(200,000	)		(174,406	)		(169,703	)		4,703
Total	$	(150,000	)	$	(124,332	)	$	(119,961	)	$	4,371

(1) Notional amount represents the par value (or principal balance) of the underlying Agency RMBS.

(2) Cost basis represents the forward price to be paid (received) for the underlying Agency RMBS.

(3) Market value represents the current market value of the TBA securities (or of the underlying Agency RMBS) as of period-end.

(4) Net carrying value represents the difference between the market value and the cost basis of the TBA securities as of period-end and is reported in derivative assets (liabilities) at fair value in the balance sheets.

Gain (Loss) From Derivative and Other Hedging Instruments, Net

The table below presents the effect of the Company’s derivative and other hedging instruments on the statements of comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024.

(in thousands)
	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2025			2024
Interest rate futures contracts (short position)	$	(14,942	)	$	19,090
Interest rate swaps		(62,843	)		59,098
Payer swaptions (long positions)		-			(58	)
Dual digital option		-			(239	)
TBA securities (short positions)		3,026			9,903
TBA securities (long positions)		100			105
Total	$	(74,659	)	$	87,899

Credit Risk-Related Contingent Features

The use of derivatives and other hedging instruments creates exposure to credit risk relating to potential losses that could be recognized in the event that the counterparties to these instruments fail to perform their obligations under the contracts. The Company attempts to minimize this risk by limiting its counterparties for instruments which are not centrally cleared on a registered exchange to major financial institutions with acceptable credit ratings and monitoring positions with individual counterparties. In addition, the Company may be required to pledge assets as collateral for its derivatives, whose amounts vary over time based on the market value, notional amount and remaining term of the derivative contract. In the event of a default by a counterparty, the Company may not receive payments provided for under the terms of its derivative agreements and may have difficulty obtaining its assets pledged as collateral for its derivatives. The cash and cash equivalents pledged as collateral for the Company derivative instruments are included in restricted cash on its balance sheets.

It is the Company's policy not to offset assets and liabilities associated with open derivative contracts. However, CME and LCH rules characterize variation margin transfers as settlement payments, as opposed to adjustments to collateral. As a result, derivative assets and liabilities associated with centrally cleared derivatives for which the CME or LCH serves as the central clearing party are presented as if these derivatives had been settled as of the reporting date.