Agreements and transactions with related parties

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Agreements and transactions with related parties

Agreements and transactions with related parties

Note 18. Agreements and transactions with related parties

Management Agreement

The Company has entered into a management agreement with our Manager (the “Management Agreement”), which describes the services to be provided to us by our Manager and compensation for such services. Our Manager is responsible for managing the Company’s day-to-day operations, subject to the direction and oversight of the Company’s board of directors.

Management fee. Pursuant to the terms of the Management Agreement, our Manager is paid a management fee calculated and payable quarterly in arrears equal to 1.5% per annum of the Company’s stockholders’ equity (as defined in the Management Agreement) up to $500 million and 1.00% per annum of stockholders’ equity in excess of $500 million. Concurrently with entering into the Merger Agreement, we, our operating partnership and our Manager entered into the First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Management Agreement (the “Amendment”).  The Amendment provides that, contingent upon the closing of the Merger, the Manager’s base management fee will be reduced by $1,000,000 per quarter for each of the first full four quarters following the effective time of the Merger (the “Temporary Fee Reduction”). Other than the Temporary Fee Reduction set forth in the Amendment, the terms of the Management Agreement remain the same.

The following table presents certain information on the management fee payable to our Manager:

	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2020		2019
Management fee - total	$	10.7 million	$	9.6 million
Management fee - amount unpaid	$	2.7 million	$	2.6 million

Incentive distribution. Our Manager is entitled to an incentive distribution in an amount equal to the product of (i) 15% and (ii) the excess of (a) distributable earnings (which is referred to as core earnings in the partnership agreement or the operating partnership) on a rolling four-quarter basis over (b) an amount equal to 8.00% per annum multiplied by the weighted average of the issue price per share of the common stock or OP units multiplied by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, provided that distributable earnings over the prior twelve calendar quarters (or the period since the closing of the ZAIS Merger, whichever is shorter) is greater than zero. For purposes of determining the incentive distribution payable to our Manager, distributable earnings is defined under the partnership agreement of the operating partnership in a manner that is similar to the definition of Distributable Earnings described below under Item 2. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Non-GAAP Financial Measures” included in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q but with the following additional adjustments which (i) further exclude: (a) the incentive distribution, (b) non-cash equity compensation expense, if any, (c) unrealized gains or losses on SBC loans (not just MBS and MSRs), (d)  depreciation and amortization (to the extent we foreclose on any property), and (e) one-time events pursuant to changes in U.S. GAAP and certain other non-cash charges after discussions between our Manager and our independent directors and after approval by a majority of the independent directors and (ii) add back any realized gains or losses on the sales of MBS and on discontinued operations which were excluded from the definition of distributable earnings described under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures".

The following table presents certain information on the incentive fee payable to our Manager:

	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2020		2019
Incentive fee distribution - total	$	6.0 million	$	0.1 million
Incentive fee distribution - amount unpaid	$	1.3 million	$	0.1 million

The Management Agreement may be terminated upon the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our independent directors or the holders of a majority of the outstanding common stock (excluding shares held by employees and affiliates of our Manager), based upon (1) unsatisfactory performance by our Manager that is materially detrimental to the Company or (2) a determination that the management fee payable to our Manager is not fair, subject to our Manager’s right to prevent such a termination based on unfair fees by accepting a mutually acceptable reduction of management fees agreed to by at least two-thirds of our independent directors. The Manager must be provided with written notice of any such termination at least 180 days prior to the expiration of the then existing term. Additionally, upon such a termination by the Company without cause (or upon termination by the Manager due to the Company’s material breach), the management agreement provides that the Company will pay the Manager a termination fee equal to three times the average annual base management fee earned by our Manager during the prior 24 month period immediately preceding the date of termination, calculated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter prior to the date of termination, except upon an internalization. Additionally, if the management agreement is terminated under circumstances in which the Company is

obligated to make a termination payment to the Manager, the operating partnership shall repurchase, concurrently with such termination, the Class A special unit for an amount equal to three times the average annual amount of the incentive distribution paid or payable in respect of the Class A special unit during the 24 month period immediately preceding such termination, calculated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter before the date of termination.

The current term of the Management Agreement will expire on October 31, 2021 and is automatically renewed for successive one-year terms on each anniversary thereafter; provided, however, that either the Company, under the certain limited circumstances described above that would require the Company and the operating partnership to make the payments described above, or the Manager may terminate the Management Agreement annually upon 180 days prior notice.

Expense reimbursement. In addition to the management fees and incentive distribution described above, the Company is also responsible for reimbursing our Manager for certain expenses paid by our Manager on behalf of the Company and for certain services provided by our Manager to the Company. Expenses incurred by our Manager and reimbursed by us are typically included in salaries and benefits or general and administrative expense in the consolidated statements of income.

The following table presents certain information on reimbursable expenses payable to our Manager:

	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2020		2019
Reimbursable expenses payable to our Manager - total	$	8.4 million	$	7.0 million
Reimbursable expenses payable to our Manager - amount unpaid	$	5.3 million	$	4.2 million