Derivative Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Derivative Instruments [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments

Note 8 — Derivative Instruments

Interest Rate Swap Agreements, Swaptions, TBAs and Treasury Futures

In order to help mitigate exposure to higher short-term interest rates in connection with borrowings under its repurchase agreements, the Company enters into interest rate swap agreements and swaption agreements. Interest rate swap agreements establish an economic fixed rate on related borrowings because the variable-rate payments received on the interest rate swap agreements largely offset interest accruing on the related borrowings, leaving the fixed-rate payments to be paid on the interest rate swap agreements as the Company’s effective borrowing rate, subject to certain adjustments including changes in spreads between variable rates on the interest rate swap agreements and actual borrowing rates. A swaption is an option granting its owner the right but not the obligation to enter into an underlying swap. The Company’s interest rate swap agreements and swaptions have not been designated as qualifying hedging instruments for GAAP purposes.

In order to help mitigate duration risk and manage basis risk and the pricing risk under the Company’s financing facilities, the Company utilizes U.S. treasury futures and forward-settling purchases and sales of RMBS where the underlying pools of mortgage loans are TBAs. Pursuant to these TBA transactions, the Company agrees to purchase or sell, for future delivery, Agency RMBS with certain principal and interest terms and certain types of underlying collateral, but the particular Agency RMBS to be delivered is not identified until shortly before the TBA settlement date. Unless otherwise indicated, references to U.S. treasury futures include options on U.S. treasury futures.

The following table summarizes the outstanding notional amounts of derivative instruments as of the dates indicated (dollars in thousands):

Derivatives	December 31, 2023			December 31, 2022
Notional amount of interest rate swaps	$	1,057,000		$	1,305,000
Notional amount of TBAs, net		(376,600	)		(306,100	)
Notional amount of U.S. treasury futures		274,100			(88,700	)
Notional amount of options on treasury futures		-			20,000
Total notional amount	$	954,500		$	930,200

The following table presents information about the Company’s interest rate swap agreements as of the dates indicated (dollars in thousands):

	Notional Amount(A)		Fair Value		Weighted Average Pay Rate			Weighted Average Receive Rate			Weighted Average Years to Maturity
December 31, 2023	$	1,057,000	$	16,705		1.59	%		5.24	%		3.5
December 31, 2022	$	1,305,000	$	15,748		1.53	%		3.96	%		5.1

(A) Includes $869.0 million notional of receive SOFR and pay fixed of 5.4% and $188.0 million notional of receive fixed of 5.4% and pay SOFR with weighted average maturities of 3.8 years and 2.0 years, respectively, as of December 31, 2023. Includes $1,030.0 million notional of receive SOFR/LIBOR and pay fixed of 4.4% and $275.0 million notional of receive fixed of 4.6% and pay LIBOR with weighted average maturities of 4.7 years and 6.5 years, respectively, as of December 31, 2022.

The following tables present information about the Company’s TBA derivatives as of the dates indicated (dollars in thousands):

As of December 31, 2023

Purchase and sale contracts for derivative TBAs	Notional			Implied Cost Basis			Implied Fair Value			Net Carrying Value
Purchase contracts	$	368,300		$	357,472		$	360,821		$	3,350
Sale contracts		(744,900	)		(702,557	)		(718,073	)		(15,517	)
Net TBA derivatives	$	(376,600	)	$	(345,085	)	$	(357,252	)	$	(12,167	)

As of December 31, 2022

Purchase and sale contracts for derivative TBAs	Notional			Implied Cost Basis			Implied Fair Value			Net Carrying Value
Purchase contracts	$	518,300		$	506,245		$	501,682		$	(4,563	)
Sale contracts		(824,400	)		(796,054	)		(787,275	)		8,778
Net TBA derivatives	$	(306,100	)	$	(289,809	)	$	(285,593	)	$	4,215

The following tables present information about the Company’s U.S. treasury futures agreements as of the dates indicated (dollars in thousands):

As of December 31, 2023

Maturity	Notional Amount - Long		Notional Amount - Short			Fair Value
2 years	$	196,800	$	-		$	2,090
5 years		221,500		-			4,944
10 years (A)		-		(144,200	)		(8,685	)
Total	$	418,300	$	(144,200	)	$	(1,651	)

As of December 31, 2022

Maturity	Notional Amount - Long		Notional Amount - Short			Fair Value
10 years (A)	$	-	$	(88,700	)	$	618
Total	$	-	$	(88,700	)	$	618

(A) Includes 10-year Ultra futures and Long Bond futures contracts.

The following table presents information about the Company’s U.S. treasury futures options agreements as of the dates indicated (dollars in thousands):

As of December 31, 2022

Maturity	Notional Amount - Long		Notional Amount - Short			Fair Value
10 years	$	70,000	$	(50,000	)	$	234
Total	$	70,000	$	(50,000	)	$	234

The following table presents information about realized gain (loss) on derivatives, which is included on the consolidated statements of income (loss) for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

	Year Ended December 31,
Derivatives	2023			2022			2021
Interest rate swaps (A)	$	(4,896	)	$	(4,794	)	$	(884	)
Swaptions		-			(585	)		(1,028	)
TBAs		13,059			(27,774	)		(4,668	)
U.S. Treasury futures		(8,992	)		23,752			(3,670	)
U.S. treasury futures options		(337	)		(350	)		(2,902	)
Total	$	(1,166	)	$	(9,751	)	$	(13,152	)

(A) Excludes interest rate swap periodic interest income of $35.0 million, $11.1 million and $3.8 million, for the years ended December 31, 2023, December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively.

Offsetting Assets and Liabilities

The Company has netting arrangements in place with all of its derivative counterparties pursuant to standard documentation developed by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. Under GAAP, if the Company has a valid right of offset, it may offset the related asset and liability and report the net amount. The Company presents interest rate swaps, swaptions and U.S. treasury futures assets and liabilities on a gross basis in its consolidated balance sheets, but in the case of interest rate swaps, net of variation margin. The Company presents TBA assets and liabilities on a net basis in its consolidated balance sheets. The Company presents repurchase agreements in this section even though they are not derivatives because they are subject to master netting arrangements. However, repurchase agreements are presented on a gross basis. Additionally, the Company does not offset financial assets and liabilities with the associated cash collateral on the consolidated balance sheets.

The following tables present information about the Company’s assets and liabilities that are subject to master netting arrangements or similar agreements and can potentially be offset on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as of the dates indicated (dollars in thousands):

Offsetting Assets and Liabilities

As of December 31, 2023

	Gross Amounts of Recognized Assets or Liabilities		Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheet			Net Amounts of Assets and Liabilities Presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheet		Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheet
								Financial Instruments			Cash Collateral Received (Pledged) (A)		Net Amount
Assets
Interest rate swaps	$	19,504	$	-		$	19,504	$	(19,504	)	$	-	$	-
TBAs		3,350		(3,350	)		-		-			-		-
U.S. treasury futures		7,034		(7,034	)		-		-			-		-
Total Assets	$	29,888	$	(10,384	)	$	19,504	$	(19,504	)	$	-	$	-

Liabilities
Repurchase agreements	$	903,489	$	-		$	903,489	$	(933,042	)	$	29,553		$	-
Interest rate swaps		2,799		-			2,799		(2,799	)		-			-
TBAs		15,517		(3,350	)		12,167		(1,162	)		(11,005	)		-
U.S. treasury futures		8,685		(7,034	)		1,651		3,785			(5,436	)		-
Total Liabilities	$	930,490	$	(10,384	)	$	920,106	$	(933,218	)	$	13,112		$	-

As of December 31, 2022

	Gross Amounts of Recognized Assets or Liabilities		Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheet			Net Amounts of Assets and Liabilities Presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheet		Gross Amounts Not Offset in the Consolidated Balance Sheet
								Financial Instruments			Cash Collateral Received (Pledged) (A)			Net Amount
Assets
Interest rate swaps	$	40,466	$	-		$	40,466	$	(40,466	)	$	-		$	-
Interest rate swaptions		-		-			-		-			-			-
TBAs		8,786		(4,571	)		4,215		(4,215	)		-			-
U.S. treasury futures		618		-			618		(618	)		-			-
U.S. treasury futures options		234		-			234		3,630			(3,864	)		-
Total Assets	$	50,104	$	(4,571	)	$	45,533	$	(41,669	)	$	(3,864	)	$	-

Liabilities
Repurchase agreements	$	825,962	$	-		$	825,962	$	(830,022	)	$	4,060	$	-
Interest rate swaps		24,718		-			24,718		(24,718	)		-		-
TBAs		4,571		(4,571	)		-		(2,767	)		2,767		-
Total Liabilities	$	855,251	$	(4,571	)	$	850,680	$	(857,507	)	$	6,827	$	-

(A) Includes cash pledged / received as collateral. Amounts presented are limited to collateral pledged sufficient to reduce the net amount to zero for individual counterparties, as applicable.