EQUITY

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Equity [Abstract]

EQUITY

EQUITY

Common Stock

The Company has 450,000,000 authorized shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, with 52,231,152 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

On February 22, 2022, the Company closed a transferable common stock rights offering. The Company issued and sold 27,277,269 shares of common stock at a price of $3.06 per share resulting in gross proceeds of approximately $83.5 million.

Stock Repurchase Program

On December 15, 2015, the Company's board of directors authorized a stock repurchase program (or the "Repurchase Program"), to repurchase up to $10 million of the Company's outstanding common stock. Shares of the Company's common stock may be purchased in the open market, including through block purchases, or through privately negotiated transactions, or pursuant to any trading plan that may be adopted in accordance with Rule 10b18(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The timing, manner, price and amount of any repurchases will be determined at the Company's discretion and the program may be suspended, terminated or modified at any time for any reason. Among other factors, the Company intends to only consider repurchasing shares of the Company's common stock when the purchase price is less than the Company's estimate of the Company's current net asset value per common share. Shares of common stock repurchased by the Company under the Repurchase Program, if any, will be canceled and, until reissued by the Company, will be deemed to be authorized but unissued shares of the Company's common stock. Through March 31, 2023, the Company had repurchased 126,856 shares of common stock at a weighted average share price of $5.09. No share repurchases have been made since January 19, 2016. As of March 31, 2023, $9.4 million of common stock remained authorized for future share repurchase under the Repurchase Program.

Preferred Stock

At March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company was authorized to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, with 2,400,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Voting and other rights and preferences will be determined by the Company's Board of Directors upon issuance.

On May 5, 2021, LFT issued 2,400,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, and received net proceeds, after underwriting discounts and commissions but before offering expenses payable by the Company, of $58.1 million. The Series A Preferred Stock is redeemable, at LFT's option, at a liquidation preference price of $25.00 per share plus accrued dividends commencing on May 5, 2026. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock are payable quarterly in arrears beginning on July 15, 2021.

Distributions to Stockholders

For the 2023 taxable year to date, the Company has declared dividends to common stockholders totaling $3,133,869, or $0.06 per share. The following table presents cash dividends declared by the Company on its common stock during the three months ended March 31, 2023:

Declaration Date	Record Date	Payment Date	Dividend Amount		Cash Dividend Per Weighted Average Share
March 16, 2023	March 31, 2023	April 17, 2023	$	3,133,869	$	0.060

The following table presents cash dividends declared by the Company on its Series A Preferred stock for the three months ended March 31, 2023:

Declaration Date	Record Date	Payment Date	Dividend Amount		Cash Dividend Per Weighted Average Share
March 16, 2023	April 3, 2023	April 17, 2023	$	1,181,250	$	0.49219

Non-controlling Interests

On November 29, 2018, Lument Commercial Mortgage Trust, Inc. ("LCMT"), formerly known as Hunt Commercial Mortgage Trust ("HCMT"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company that has elected to be taxed as a REIT issued 125 shares of Series A Preferred Shares ("LCMT Preferred Shares").  Net proceeds to LCMT were $99,500 representing $125,000 in equity raised, less $25,500 in expenses and is reflected as "Non-controlling interests" in the Company's consolidated balance sheets.  Dividends on the LCMT Preferred Shares are cumulative annually, in an amount equal to 12% of the initial purchase price plus any accrued unpaid dividends.  The LCMT Preferred Shares are redeemable at any time by LCMT.  The redemption price through December 31, 2020 is 1.1x the initial purchase price plus all accrued and unpaid dividends, and the initial purchase price plus all accrued and unpaid dividends thereafter.  The holders of the LCMT Preferred Shares have limited voting rights, which do not entitle the holders to participate or otherwise direct the management of LCMT or the Company.  The LCMT Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of LCMT or the Company.  Dividends on the LCMT Preferred Shares, which amounted to $15,000 for the year ended December 31, 2022 are reflected in "Dividends to preferred stockholders" in the Company's consolidated statements of operations. As of March 31, 2023, LCMT had $3,708 in accrued dividends on the LCMT Preferred Shares which are reflected in "dividends to preferred stockholders" in the Company's consolidated statements of operations of which $3,708 were accrued and unpaid dividends on the LCMT Preferred Shares which are reflected in "Dividends payable" in the Company's consolidated balance sheet.