Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Significant Accounting Policies

Significant Accounting Policies

Note 3—Significant Accounting Policies

A description of the significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements follows.

Basis of Presentation

The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in compliance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) as codified in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification.

Principles of Consolidation

These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PFSI and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The Company also consolidates certain variable interest entities (“VIEs”) as described below.

Variable Interest Entities

The Company entered into securitization transactions in which VIEs issue variable funding notes (“VFNs”) to PLS and term debt backed by beneficial interests in Ginnie Mae and Fannie Mae mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”). PLS finances the VFNs by selling them under agreements to repurchase. The Company acts as guarantor of the VFNs and term debt. The Company determined that it is the primary beneficiary of the VIEs because as the holder of the VFNs and guarantor of the VFNs and term debt, it holds the variable interest in the VIEs. Therefore, PFSI consolidates the VIEs.

For financial reporting purposes, the MSRs financed by the consolidated VIEs are included in Mortgage servicing rights at fair value and the financing of VFNs are included in Assets sold under agreements to repurchase and the term debt is included in Notes payable secured by mortgage servicing assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The financing is detailed in Note 15 – Short-Term Debt and Note 16 – Long Term Debt.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make judgments and estimates 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 will likely differ from those estimates.

Cash Flows

For the purpose of presentation in the statement of cash flows, the Company has identified tenant security deposits relating to rental properties owned by PMT and managed by the Company as restricted cash. Tenant security deposits are included in Other assets on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Fair Value

Most of the Company’s assets and certain of its liabilities are measured at or based on their fair values. The Company groups its assets and liabilities at fair value in three levels, based on the markets in which the assets and liabilities are traded and the observability of the inputs used to determine their fair values. These levels are:

● Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

● Level 2—Prices determined or determinable using other significant observable inputs. Observable inputs are inputs that other market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability and are developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company.

● Level 3— Prices determined using significant unobservable inputs. In situations where observable inputs are unavailable, unobservable inputs may be used. Unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s own judgments about the factors that market participants use in pricing an asset or liability, and are based on the best information available in the circumstances.

As a result of the difficulty in observing certain significant valuation inputs affecting “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities, the Company is required to make judgments regarding these items’ fair values. Different persons in possession of the same facts may reasonably arrive at different conclusions as to the inputs to be applied in valuing these assets and liabilities and their fair values. Such differences may result in significantly different fair value measurements. Likewise, due to the general illiquidity of some of these assets and liabilities, subsequent transactions may be at values significantly different from those reported.

Short-Term Investment

Short-term investment, which represents an investment in an account with a depository institution, is carried at fair value. Changes in fair value are recognized in current period income. The Company classifies its short-term investment as a “Level 1” fair value asset.

Principal-Only Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities

The Company invests in Agency principal-only stripped mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) for the purpose of economically hedging the fair value of its MSRs. The Company’s investments in MBS are carried at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in current period income. Changes in fair value arising from accrual of unearned discount are recognized using the interest method and are included in Interest income. Changes in fair value arising from other factors are included in Net loan servicing fees – Mortgage servicing rights hedging results. Purchases and sales of MBS are recorded as of the trade date. The Company categorizes principal-only stripped MBS as “Level 2” fair value assets.

Loans Held for Sale

The Company has elected to account for loans held for sale at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in current period income, to more timely reflect the Company’s performance. All changes in fair value are recognized as a component of Net gains on loans held for sale at fair value. The Company classifies most of the loans held for sale as “Level 2” fair value assets. Certain of the Company’s loans held for sale may not be saleable into active markets due to the loans’ lack of active markets with observable inputs. Such loans are classified as “Level 3” fair value assets.

Sale Recognition

The Company recognizes transfers of loans as sales when it surrenders control over the loans. Control over transferred loans is deemed to be surrendered when (i) the loans have been isolated from the Company, (ii) the transferee has the right (free of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred loans, and (iii) the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred loans through either (a) an agreement that entitles and obligates the Company to repurchase or redeem them before their maturity or (b) the ability to unilaterally cause the holder to return specific loans.

Interest Income Recognition

Interest income on loans held for sale at fair value is recognized over the life of the loans using their contractual interest rates. Income recognition is suspended and the interest receivable is reversed against Interest income when a loan becomes 90 days delinquent. Income recognition is resumed when the loan becomes contractually current.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company holds and issues derivative financial instruments that are created as a result of certain of its operations. The Company also enters into derivative transactions as part of its interest rate risk management activities.

Derivative financial instruments created as a result of the Company’s operations are interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”) that are created when the Company commits to purchase or originate a loan for sale at a specified interest rate.

PFSI engages in interest rate risk management activities in an effort to moderate the effect of changes in market interest rates on the fair value of the Company’s assets. The Company is exposed to price risk relative to:

● Loans held for sale and IRLCs. The Company bears price risk from the time a commitment to fund a loan is made to a borrower or to purchase a loan from PMT or a non-affiliated entity, to the time either the prospective transaction is cancelled or the loan is sold. During this period, the Company is exposed to losses if market interest rates increase, because the fair value of the purchase commitment or prospective loan decreases.

● MSRs. MSRs are generally subject to reduction in fair value when mortgage interest rates decrease. Decreasing mortgage interest rates normally encourage increased mortgage refinancing activity. Increased refinancing activity reduces the expected life of the mortgage loans underlying the MSRs, thereby reducing the MSRs’ fair values. Reductions in the fair value of MSRs affect earnings primarily through recognition of the changes in fair value.

To manage the fair value risk resulting from interest rate risk, the Company uses derivative financial instruments acquired with the intention of reducing the risk that changes in market interest rates will result in unfavorable changes in the fair value of the Company’s IRLCs, inventory of loans held for sale and MSRs.

The Company manages the risk created by IRLCs by entering into forward sale agreements to sell the expected mortgage loans or MBS and by the purchase and sale of options on MBS. Such agreements are also accounted for as derivative financial instruments. These and other interest-rate derivatives are also used to manage the fair value risk created by changes in prepayment speeds on certain of the MSRs the Company holds.

The Company classifies its IRLCs as “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities. Fair value of hedging derivative financial instruments that are actively traded on an exchange are categorized by the Company as “Level 1” fair value assets and liabilities. Fair value of hedging derivative financial instruments based on observable MBS prices or interest rate volatilities in the MBS market are categorized as “Level 2” fair value assets and liabilities.

The Company does not designate its derivative financial instruments for hedge accounting. Therefore, the Company accounts for its derivative financial instruments as free-standing derivatives. All derivative financial instruments are recognized on the consolidated balance sheet at fair value with changes in the fair values being reported in current period income.

Changes in fair value of derivative financial instruments hedging IRLCs, loans held for sale at fair value and MSRs are included in Net gains on loans held for sale at fair value or in Mortgage servicing rights hedging results, as applicable, in the Company’s consolidated statements of income.

Cash flows from derivative financial instruments hedging IRLCs and loans acquired for sale are included in Cash flows from operating activities in Sale and repayment of loans acquired for sale at fair value to nonaffiliates and cash flows from derivative financial instruments hedging MSRs is included in Cash flows from investing activities.

When the Company has multiple derivative financial instruments with the same counterparty subject to a master netting arrangement, it offsets the amounts recorded as assets and liabilities and amounts recognized for the right to reclaim cash collateral it has deposited with the counterparty or the obligation to return cash collateral it has collected from the counterparty arising from that master netting arrangement. Such offset amounts are presented as either a net asset or liability by counterparty on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Servicing Advances

Servicing advances represent contractually required protective advances the Company makes on behalf of the loans’ beneficial interest holders. Servicing advances may include advances of scheduled principal and interest amounts due to the beneficial interest holders on delinquent loans, property taxes, insurance premiums and out-of-pocket collection amounts (e.g., preservation and restoration of mortgaged property or real estate acquired in the settlement of loans (“REO”), legal fees, and appraisals) made to protect beneficial interest holders’ interests in the properties collateralizing their loans. Servicing advances are made in compliance with the respective servicing agreements and Agency loan servicing guides.

The Company does not expect to incur credit losses on servicing advances as such amounts are generally recoverable from the Agencies. Certain of the Company’s loan servicing agreements and Agency loan servicing guides limit the amounts that the beneficial interest holders or loan insurers or guarantors will reimburse the Company, and beneficial interest holders or guarantors may dispute the level of certain charges incurred in the collection process.

The Company is contractually responsible for making the payments required to protect its beneficial interest holders’ interests in the properties collateralizing their loans and may, therefore, be required to incur amounts in excess of insurer or guarantor reimbursement limits. Therefore, the Company provides a valuation allowance on the servicing advances for these amounts in excess of amounts that are expected to ultimately be recovered from the loans’ insurers, guarantors or beneficial interest holders.

The servicing advance valuation allowance is estimated based on relevant qualitative and quantitative information about past events, including historical collection and loss experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect collectable amounts. The provision for losses on servicing advances is included in Servicing expense in the consolidated statements of income. Servicing advances are written off when they are deemed unrecoverable.

Mortgage Servicing Rights and Mortgage Servicing Liabilities

MSRs and mortgage servicing liabilities (“MSLs”) arise from contractual agreements between the Company and investors (or their agents) in mortgage securities and mortgage loans. Under these contracts, the Company performs loan servicing functions in exchange for fees and other remuneration. The servicing functions typically performed include, among other responsibilities, collecting and remitting loan payments; responding to borrower inquiries; accounting for principal and interest; holding custodial (impounded) funds for payment of property taxes and insurance premiums; counseling delinquent mortgagors; administering loss mitigation activities, including modification and forbearance programs; and supervising foreclosures and property dispositions.

The Company is contractually entitled to receive other remuneration including various mortgagor-contracted fees such as late charges and collateral reconveyance charges, and the Company is generally entitled to retain the placement fees earned on impounded funds and funds held pending remittance related to its collection of mortgagor payments. The Company also generally has the right to solicit the mortgagors for other products and services as well as for new mortgages for those considering refinancing their existing loan or purchasing a new home.

The Company recognizes MSRs and MSLs initially at fair value, either as proceeds from or liabilities incurred in sales of mortgage loans where the Company assumes the obligation to service the mortgage loan in the sale transaction, or from the purchase of MSRs or receipt of cash for acceptance of MSLs.

The fair value of MSRs and MSLs is derived from the net positive or negative, respectively, cash flows associated with the servicing contracts. For loans subject to MSR and MSL contracts, the Company receives a servicing fee, based on the remaining outstanding principal balances of the mortgage loans subject to the servicing contracts. The servicing fees are collected from the monthly payments made by the mortgagors.

The fair value of MSRs and MSLs is difficult to determine because MSRs and MSLs are not actively traded in observable stand-alone markets. Considerable judgment is required to estimate the fair values of MSRs and MSLs and the exercise of such judgment can significantly affect the Company’s income. Therefore, the Company classifies its MSRs and MSLs as “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities.

Changes in fair value of MSLs and MSRs are recognized in current period income in Change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights and mortgage servicing liabilities in the consolidated statements of income.

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. If the arrangement is determined to be a lease, the Company recognizes both an operating lease right-of-use asset in Other assets and a corresponding operating lease liability in Accounts payable and accrued expenses in its consolidated balance sheet, except for leases with initial terms less than or equal to 12 months. Lease expense is recognized on the straight-line basis over the lease term and is recorded in Occupancy and equipment in the consolidated statements of income.

The Company’s lease agreements include both lease and non-lease components (such as common area maintenance), which are generally included in the lease and are accounted for together with the lease as a single lease component. As such, lease payments represent payments on both lease and non-lease components. At lease commencement, lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the remaining lease payments and discounted using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. Right-of-use assets initially equal the lease liability, adjusted for any lease payments made before lease commencement and for any lease incentives.

Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment and Building Improvements

Furniture, fixtures, equipment and building improvements are stated at historical cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of assets, which range from five to seven years for furniture and equipment and the lesser of the asset’s estimated useful life or the remaining lease term for fixtures and building improvements.

Capitalized Software

The Company capitalizes certain consulting, payroll, and payroll-related costs related to the development of computer software for internal use. Once development is complete and the software is placed in service, the Company amortizes the capitalized costs over three to seven years using the straight-line method.

The Company periodically assesses capitalized software for recoverability when events or changes in circumstances indicate that its carrying amount may not be recoverable. If the Company identifies an indicator of impairment, it assesses recoverability by comparing the carrying amount of the asset to the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and the eventual disposal of the asset. An impairment loss is recognized when the carrying amount is not recoverable and is measured as the excess of carrying value over fair value.

Investment in PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust at Fair Value

Common shares of beneficial interest in PMT are carried at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in current period income. Fair value for purposes of the Company’s holdings in PMT is based on the published closing price of the shares as of period end. The Company classifies its investment in common shares of PMT as a “Level 1” fair value asset.

Loans Eligible for Repurchase

The terms of the Ginnie Mae MBS program allow, but do not require, the Company to repurchase a loan when it is at least three months delinquent. As a result of this right, the Company recognizes the loans in Loans eligible for repurchase at their unpaid principal balances and records a corresponding liability in Liability for loans eligible for repurchase on its consolidated balance sheets.

Borrowings

The carrying values of borrowings are based on the accrued cost of the agreements. The costs of creating the facilities underlying the agreements (debt issuance costs) are included in the carrying value of the agreements and are charged to Interest expense over the terms of the respective borrowing facilities:

● Debt issuance costs relating to revolving facilities, such as repurchase agreement and mortgage loan participation purchase and sale facilities are amortized on the straight line basis over the term of the facility; and

● Debt issuance cost relating to non-revolving debts, such as the Company’s Notes payable secured by mortgage servicing assets and Unsecured senior notes are amortized over the contractual term of the non-revolving debt using the interest method.

Liability for Losses Under Representations and Warranties

The Company’s agreements with the Agencies and other investors include representations and warranties related to the loans the Company sells to the Agencies and other investors. The representations and warranties require adherence to Agency and other investor origination and underwriting guidelines, including but not limited to the validity of the lien securing the loan, property eligibility, borrower credit, income and asset requirements, and compliance with applicable federal, state and local law.

In the event of a breach of its representations and warranties, the Company may be required to either repurchase the loans with the identified defects or indemnify the investor or insurer. In such cases, the Company bears any subsequent credit loss on the loans. The Company’s credit loss may be reduced by any recourse it may have to correspondent loan sellers that, in turn, had sold such mortgage loans to PMT and breached similar or other representations and warranties. In such event, the Company has the right to seek a recovery of related repurchase losses from that correspondent loan seller, through PMT.

As a result of providing representations and warranties to investors and insurers, the Company records a provision for losses on representations and warranties at fair value upon sale of loans. The method used to estimate the liability for representations and warranties is a function of the representations and warranties given and considers a combination of factors, including, but not limited to, estimated future defaults and loan repurchase rates, the estimated severity of loss in the event of default and the probability of reimbursement by the correspondent loan seller. The Company periodically assesses the adequacy of the recorded liability. The level of the liability for representations and warranties is reviewed and approved by the Company’s management credit committee. Both the initial recognition of, and adjustments to the level of, the liability for representations and warranties are recorded in Net gains on loans held for sale at fair value.

The level of the liability for representations and warranties is difficult to estimate and requires considerable judgment. The level of loan repurchase losses is dependent on economic factors, investor repurchase demand or insurer claim denial strategies, and other external conditions that may change over the lives of the underlying loans. The Company’s representations and warranties are generally not subject to stated limits of exposure. However, the Company believes that the current unpaid principal balance (“UPB”) of loans sold to date represents the maximum exposure to repurchases related to representations and warranties.

Loan Origination Fees

Loan origination fees represent compensation to the Company for the origination or purchase of loans. Loan origination fees are earned and recognized upon funding or purchase of the loan by the Company and are collected either at purchase from the correspondent seller, at funding when paid by the borrower or upon sale of the loan when the origination fees are financed by the borrower.

Loan Servicing Fees

Loan servicing fees are received by the Company for servicing loans. Loan servicing activities are described in Mortgage Servicing Rights and Mortgage Servicing Liabilities above. Loan servicing fee amounts relating to MSRs and MSLs are based upon fee rates established at the time a loan sale or securitization agreement is entered into. Loan servicing fee amounts relating to loans subserviced for PMT are detailed in Note 4 – Transactions with Related Parties.

The Company’s obligations under its loan servicing agreements are fulfilled as the Company services the loans. Fees are collected when the loan payments are received from the borrowers in the case of MSRs and MSLs held by the Company or within 30 days of the applicable month-end for subserviced loans.

Loan servicing fees relating to owned MSRs are recognized when earned. Loan servicing fees relating to loans subserviced for PMT are recognized in the month in which the loans are serviced.

Fulfillment Fees

Fulfillment fees represent fees the Company collects for services it performs on behalf of PMT in connection with the acquisition, packaging and sale of loans. Fulfillment fee amounts are based upon a negotiated fee schedule as detailed in Note 4 – Transactions with Related Parties. The Company’s obligation under the agreement is fulfilled when PMT issues a loan commitment, when it purchases a loan and when it completes the sale or securitization of a loan it purchases to investors other than Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Fulfillment fee revenue is recognized in the month an interest rate lock commitment is issued, or the loan is purchased or sold by PMT. Fulfillment fees are not collected for any loans sold from PMT to the Company. Fulfillment fees are generally collected from PMT within 30 days of the applicable activity.

Management Fees

Management fees represent compensation to the Company for management services it provides to PMT. Management fees are based on PMT’s shareholders’ equity amounts and profitability in excess of specified thresholds as detailed in Note 4 – Transactions with Related Parties. Management fees are recognized as services are provided and are paid to the Company on a quarterly basis within 30 days of the end of the quarter.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company establishes the cost of its share-based awards at the awards’ fair values at the grant date of the awards. The Company estimates the fair value of time-based restricted stock units and performance-based restricted stock units awarded with reference to the fair value of its underlying common stock and expected forfeiture rates on the date of the award. The Company estimates the fair value of its stock option awards with reference to the expected price volatility of its shares of common stock, expected dividend yield, expected forfeiture rates, and risk-free interest rate for the period that exercisable stock options are expected to be outstanding.

Compensation costs are fixed, except for performance-based restricted stock units, as of the award date. The cost of performance-based restricted stock units is adjusted in each reporting period after the grant for changes in expected performance attainment until the performance share units vest. The Company amortizes the cost of stock based compensation awards to Compensation expense over the vesting period using the graded vesting method.

Marketing and Advertising

Marketing and advertising (selling) expense represent expenditures for advertising, direct and digital mail solicitation and promotional activities. Marketing and advertising expense is recognized as incurred. Sponsorship agreements are amortized over the period covered by the sponsorship agreements on the straight-line basis.

Income Taxes

The Company is subject to federal and state income taxes. Income taxes are provided using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled.

The Company recognizes the effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates in income in the period in which the change occurs. The Company establishes a valuation allowance if, in management’s judgment, it is not more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will be realized.

The Company recognizes tax benefits relating to its tax positions only if, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination by the appropriate taxing authority. A tax position that meets this standard is recognized as the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the appropriate taxing authority. The Company will classify any penalties and interest as a component of provision for income taxes.

As a result of a recapitalization and reorganization of PNMAC in 2013, the Company expects to benefit from amortization and other tax deductions resulting from increases in the tax basis of PNMAC’s assets from the exchange of PennyMac Class A units to the shares of the Company’s common stock. Those deductions will be allocated to the Company and will be taken into account in reporting the Company’s taxable income.

The Company entered into a tax receivable agreement with certain of the former unitholders of PNMAC that provides for the additional payment by the Company to exchanging unitholders of PNMAC equal to 85% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that PFSI realizes due to (i) increases in tax basis resulting from exchanges of the then existing unitholders and (ii) certain other tax benefits related to PFSI entering into the tax receivable agreement, including tax benefits attributable to payments under the tax receivable agreement. Although a reorganization of the Company in 2018 eliminated the potential for unitholders to exchange any additional units subject to this tax receivable agreement, the Company continues to be subject to the agreement and provide payment when applicable for units exchanged before the reorganization.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Income Tax Disclosures

The FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”), that is intended to enhance the level of detail and decision usefulness of income tax disclosures. ASU 2023-09 requires disclosures of:

● Reconciliation of the expected tax at the applicable statutory federal income tax rate to the reported tax in a tabular format, using both percentages and amounts, broken out into specific categories with certain reconciling items of five percent or greater of the expected tax further broken out by nature and/or jurisdiction; and

● Disclosure of income taxes paid, net of refunds received, broken out between federal and state and local income taxes. Payments to individual jurisdictions representing five percent or more of the total income tax payments must also be separately disclosed.

The disclosures specified by ASU 2023-09 are required in the Company’s annual financial statements beginning with the year ended December 31, 2025, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the effect on its disclosures.

Accounting Standards Adopted in 2024

Segment Disclosures

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”), that is intended to improve disclosures about a public entity’s reportable segments and addresses requests from investors and other allocators of capital for more detailed information about a reportable segment’s expenses.

The amendments in ASU 2023-07 are intended to improve reportable segment disclosures primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. The key amendments require that the Company supplement its existing disclosures to include disclosure of:

● significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker included within each reported measure of segment profit or loss; and

● an amount for other segment items by reportable segment and a description of its composition. The other segment items category is the difference between segment revenue less the significant expenses disclosed and each reported measure of segment profit or loss.

The Company adopted ASU 2023-07, using the retrospective method, for the year ended December 31, 2024. Detailed disclosures are included in Note 27‒Segments.

Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses

The FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement (Topic 220) —Reporting Comprehensive Income—Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (“ASU 2024-03”), to improve the disclosures of expenses by requiring public business entities to provide further disaggregation of relevant expense captions; employee compensation, depreciation and amortization of intangible assets in a separate note to the financial statements. A qualitative description of the amounts remaining in relevant expense captions that are not separately disaggregated quantitatively, and the total amount of selling expenses and, in an annual reporting period, an entity’s definition of selling expenses.

The Company adopted ASU 2024-03 effective December 31, 2024. The disclosure specified by ASU 2024-03 is included in Note 24‒Disaggregation of Certain Expense Captions.