Mortgage-Backed Securities | Mortgage-Backed Securities The Company classifies its Non-Agency RMBS as senior, subordinated, or Interest-only. The Company also invests in Agency MBS which it classifies as Agency RMBS to include residential and residential interest-only MBS and Agency CMBS to include commercial and commercial interest-only MBS. Senior interests in Non-Agency RMBS are generally entitled to the first principal repayments in their pro-rata ownership interests at the acquisition date. The tables below present amortized cost, allowance for credit losses, fair value and unrealized gain/losses of Company's MBS investments as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. June 30, 2021 (dollars in thousands) Principal or Notional Value Total Premium Total Discount Amortized Cost Allowance for credit losses Fair Value Gross Unrealized Gains Gross Unrealized Losses Net Unrealized Gain/(Loss) Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 1,405,783 $ 3,939 $ (711,225) $ 698,497 $ (508) $ 1,116,871 $ 418,984 $ (102) $ 418,882 Subordinated 827,198 6,093 (276,574) 556,717 — 604,208 71,724 (24,233) 47,491 Interest-only 4,217,507 213,510 — 213,510 — 198,589 41,498 (56,419) (14,921) Agency RMBS Interest-only 1,164,844 110,275 — 110,275 — 76,820 219 (33,674) (33,455) Agency CMBS Project loans 974,756 18,194 (829) 992,121 — 1,094,145 102,031 (7) 102,024 Interest-only 2,412,480 137,809 — 137,809 — 142,362 5,090 (537) 4,553 Total $ 11,002,568 $ 489,820 $ (988,628) $ 2,708,929 $ (508) $ 3,232,995 $ 639,546 $ (114,972) $ 524,574 December 31, 2020 (dollars in thousands) Principal or Notional Value Total Premium Total Discount Amortized Cost Allowance for credit losses Fair Value Gross Unrealized Gains Gross Unrealized Losses Net Unrealized Gain/(Loss) Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 1,560,135 $ 3,934 $ (773,804) $ 790,265 $ (180) $ 1,277,800 $ 487,963 $ (248) $ 487,715 Subordinated 905,674 7,059 (347,056) 565,677 — 610,655 83,007 (38,029) 44,978 Interest-only 5,628,240 249,610 — 249,610 — 262,259 67,868 (55,219) 12,649 Agency RMBS Interest-only 1,262,963 118,867 — 118,867 — 90,738 270 (28,399) (28,129) Agency CMBS Project loans 1,527,621 28,559 (861) 1,555,319 — 1,714,483 159,233 (69) 159,164 Interest-only 1,326,665 23,572 — 23,572 — 25,885 2,659 (346) 2,313 Total $ 12,211,298 $ 431,601 $ (1,121,721) $ 3,303,310 $ (180) $ 3,981,820 $ 801,000 $ (122,310) $ 678,690 The following tables present the gross unrealized losses and estimated fair value of the Company’s Agency and Non-Agency MBS by length of time that such securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. All available for sale Non-Agency RMBS not accounted under the fair value option election in an unrealized loss position have been evaluated by the Company for current expected credit losses. June 30, 2021 (dollars in thousands) Unrealized Loss Position for Less than 12 Months Unrealized Loss Position for 12 Months or More Total Estimated Fair Value Unrealized Losses Number of Positions Estimated Fair Value Unrealized Losses Number of Positions Estimated Fair Value Unrealized Losses Number of Positions Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 27,428 $ — 2 $ 9,952 $ (102) 1 $ 37,380 $ (102) 3 Subordinated 8,201 (70) 1 42,355 (24,163) 12 50,556 (24,233) 13 Interest-only 33,699 (9,867) 32 18,334 (46,552) 46 52,033 (56,419) 78 Agency RMBS Interest-only 20,151 (3,509) 5 54,682 (30,165) 18 74,833 (33,674) 23 Agency CMBS Project loans — — — 8,514 (7) 1 8,514 (7) 1 Interest-only 2,420 (537) 4 — — — 2,420 (537) 4 Total $ 91,899 $ (13,983) 44 $ 133,837 $ (100,989) 78 $ 225,736 $ (114,972) 122 December 31, 2020 (dollars in thousands) Unrealized Loss Position for Less than 12 Months Unrealized Loss Position for 12 Months or More Total Estimated Fair Value Unrealized Losses Number of Positions Estimated Fair Value Unrealized Losses Number of Positions Estimated Fair Value Unrealized Losses Number of Positions Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 11,985 $ (248) 2 $ — $ — — $ 11,985 $ (248) 2 Subordinated 253,822 (8,711) 5 34,697 (29,318) 15 288,519 (38,029) 20 Interest-only 38,604 (8,682) 34 22,761 (46,537) 43 61,365 (55,219) 77 Agency RMBS Interest-only 31,059 (4,938) 6 54,153 (23,461) 16 85,212 (28,399) 22 Agency CMBS Project loans — — — 8,581 (69) 1 8,581 (69) 1 Interest-only 4,052 (346) 6 — — — 4,052 (346) 6 Total $ 339,522 $ (22,925) 53 $ 120,192 $ (99,385) 75 $ 459,714 $ (122,310) 128 At June 30, 2021, the Company did not intend to sell any of its Agency and Non-Agency MBS that were in an unrealized loss position, and it was not more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell these MBS investments before recovery of their amortized cost basis, which may be at their maturity. With respect to RMBS held by consolidated VIEs, the ability of any entity to cause the sale by the VIE prior to the maturity of these RMBS is either expressly prohibited, not probable, or is limited to specified events of default, none of which have occurred as of June 30, 2021. Gross unrealized losses on the Company’s Agency MBS (excluding Agency MBS which are reported at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in earnings) were $7 thousand and $69 thousand as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Given the inherent credit quality of Agency MBS, the Company does not consider any of the current impairments on its Agency MBS to be credit related. In evaluating whether it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell any impaired security before its anticipated recovery, which may be at their maturity, the Company considers the significance of each investment, the amount of impairment, the projected future performance of such impaired securities, as well as the Company’s current and anticipated leverage capacity and liquidity position. Based on these analyses, the Company determined that at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, unrealized losses on its Agency MBS were temporary. Gross unrealized losses on the Company’s Non-Agency RMBS (excluding Non-Agency RMBS which are reported at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in earnings), net of any allowance for credit losses, were $102 thousand and $248 thousand, at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. After evaluating the securities and recording the allowance for credit losses, the Company concluded that the remaining unrealized losses reflected above were non-credit related and would be recovered from the securities' estimated future cash flows. The Company considered a number of factors in reaching this conclusion, including that it did not intend to sell the securities, it was not considered more likely than not that it would be forced to sell the securities prior to recovering the amortized cost, and there were no material credit events that would have caused the Company to otherwise conclude that it would not recover the amortized cost. The allowance for credit losses are calculated by comparing the estimated future cash flows of each security discounted at the yield determined as of the initial acquisition date or, if since revised, as of the last date previously revised, to the net amortized cost basis. Significant judgment is used in projecting cash flows for Non-Agency RMBS. The Company has reviewed its Non-Agency RMBS that are in an unrealized loss position to identify those securities with losses that are credit related based on an assessment of changes in cash flows expected to be collected for such RMBS, which considers recent bond performance and expected future performance of the underlying collateral. A summary of the credit losses allowance on available-for-sale securities for quarters and six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 is presented below. For the Quarter Ended For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2021 June 30, 2020 June 30, 2021 June 30, 2020 (dollars in thousands) (dollars in thousands) Beginning allowance for credit losses $ 54 $ 6,314 $ 180 $ — Additions to the allowance for credit losses on securities for which credit losses were not previously recorded 468 247 468 6,561 Allowance on purchased financial assets with credit deterioration — — — — Reductions for the securities sold during the period — (321) — (321) Increase/(decrease) on securities with an allowance in the prior period (14) (2,703) (179) (2,703) Write-offs charged against the allowance — (1,748) (62) (1,748) Recoveries of amounts previously written off — 28 101 28 Ending allowance for credit losses $ 508 $ 1,817 $ 508 $ 1,817 The following table presents significant credit quality indicators used for the credit loss allowance on our Non-Agency RMBS investments as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. June 30, 2021 (dollars in thousands) Prepay Rate CDR Loss Severity Amortized Cost Weighted Average Weighted Average Weighted Average Non-Agency RMBS Senior 37,989,049 9.7% 3.7% 56.0% December 31, 2020 (dollars in thousands) Prepay Rate CDR Loss Severity Amortized Cost Weighted Average Weighted Average Weighted Average Non-Agency RMBS Senior 46,500,000 9.2% 3.5% 58.3% The decrease in the allowance for credit losses for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2021 is primarily due to a reduction in expected losses and delinquencies as compared to the same periods of 2020. The following tables present a summary of unrealized gains and losses at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. June 30, 2021 (dollars in thousands) Gross Unrealized Gain Included in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Gross Unrealized Gain Included in Cumulative Earnings Total Gross Unrealized Gain Gross Unrealized Loss Included in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Gross Unrealized Loss Included in Cumulative Earnings Total Gross Unrealized Loss Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 418,984 $ — $ 418,984 $ (102) $ — $ (102) Subordinated 34,147 37,577 71,724 — (24,233) (24,233) Interest-only — 41,498 41,498 — (56,419) (56,419) Agency RMBS Interest-only — 219 219 — (33,674) (33,674) Agency CMBS Project loans 3,091 98,940 102,031 (7) — (7) Interest-only — 5,090 5,090 — (537) (537) Total $ 456,222 $ 183,324 $ 639,546 $ (109) $ (114,863) $ (114,972) December 31, 2020 (dollars in thousands) Gross Unrealized Gain Included in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Gross Unrealized Gain Included in Cumulative Earnings Total Gross Unrealized Gain Gross Unrealized Loss Included in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Gross Unrealized Loss Included in Cumulative Earnings Total Gross Unrealized Loss Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 487,963 $ — $ 487,963 $ (248) $ — $ (248) Subordinated 65,043 17,964 83,007 — (38,029) (38,029) Interest-only — 67,868 67,868 — (55,219) (55,219) Agency RMBS Interest-only — 270 270 — (28,399) (28,399) Agency CMBS Project loans 5,407 153,826 159,233 (69) — (69) Interest-only — 2,659 2,659 — (346) (346) Total $ 558,413 $ 242,587 $ 801,000 $ (317) $ (121,993) $ (122,310) Changes in prepayments, actual cash flows, and cash flows expected to be collected, among other items, are affected by the collateral characteristics of each asset class. The Company chooses assets for the portfolio after carefully evaluating each investment’s risk profile. The following tables provide a summary of the Company’s MBS portfolio at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. June 30, 2021 Principal or Notional Value Weighted Average Amortized Weighted Average Fair Value Weighted Average Weighted Average Yield at Period-End (1) Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 1,405,783 $ 49.69 79.45 4.4 % 17.4 % Subordinated 827,198 67.30 73.04 3.9 % 6.5 % Interest-only 4,217,507 5.06 4.71 1.7 % 12.7 % Agency RMBS Interest-only 1,164,844 9.47 6.60 1.3 % 1.4 % Agency CMBS Project loans 974,756 101.78 112.25 4.2 % 4.1 % Interest-only 2,412,480 5.71 5.90 0.7 % 4.6 % (1) Bond Equivalent Yield at period end. December 31, 2020 Principal or Notional Value at Period-End Weighted Average Amortized Weighted Average Fair Value Weighted Average Weighted Average Yield at Period-End (1) Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 1,560,135 $ 50.65 $ 81.90 4.5 % 16.9 % Subordinated 905,674 62.46 67.43 3.8 % 6.3 % Interest-only 5,628,240 4.43 4.66 1.5 % 16.2 % Agency RMBS Interest-only 1,262,963 9.41 7.18 1.7 % 1.6 % Agency CMBS Project loans 1,527,621 101.81 112.23 4.1 % 3.8 % Interest-only 1,326,665 1.78 1.95 0.6 % 8.4 % (1) Bond Equivalent Yield at period end. The following table presents the weighted average credit rating of the Company’s Non-Agency RMBS portfolio at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. June 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 AAA 0.1 % 0.2 % AA 0.1 % 0.1 % A 1.6 % 1.2 % BBB 2.1 % 1.9 % BB 4.5 % 4.3 % B 2.1 % 2.0 % Below B 26.6 % 31.9 % Not Rated 62.9 % 58.4 % Total 100.0 % 100.0 % Actual maturities of MBS are generally shorter than the stated contractual maturities. Actual maturities of the Company’s MBS are affected by the underlying mortgages, periodic payments of principal, realized losses and prepayments of principal. The following tables provide a summary of the fair value and amortized cost of the Company’s MBS at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 according to their estimated weighted-average life classifications. The weighted-average lives of the MBS in the tables below are based on lifetime expected prepayment rates using the Company's prepayment assumptions for the Agency MBS and Non-Agency RMBS. The prepayment model considers current yield, forward yield, steepness of the interest rate curve, current mortgage rates, mortgage rates of the outstanding loan, loan age, margin, and volatility. June 30, 2021 (dollars in thousands) Weighted Average Life Less than one year Greater than one year and less Greater than five years and less Greater than ten years Total Fair value Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 9,083 $ 366,593 $ 331,708 $ 409,487 $ 1,116,871 Subordinated 6,845 140,914 26,984 429,465 604,208 Interest-only 4,495 160,365 33,125 604 198,589 Agency RMBS Interest-only — — 76,820 — 76,820 Agency CMBS Project loans 8,514 — — 1,085,631 1,094,145 Interest-only 1,805 136,990 3,567 — 142,362 Total fair value $ 30,742 $ 804,862 $ 472,204 $ 1,925,187 $ 3,232,995 Amortized cost Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 7,048 $ 256,293 $ 184,278 $ 250,878 $ 698,497 Subordinated 2,483 122,434 19,445 412,355 556,717 Interest-only 30,410 155,661 27,220 219 213,510 Agency RMBS Interest-only — — 110,275 — 110,275 Agency CMBS Project loans 8,521 — — 983,600 992,121 Interest-only 2,277 132,181 3,351 — 137,809 Total amortized cost $ 50,739 $ 666,569 $ 344,569 $ 1,647,052 $ 2,708,929 December 31, 2020 (dollars in thousands) Weighted Average Life Less than one year Greater than one year and less Greater than five years and less Greater than ten years Total Fair value Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 7,850 $ 366,218 $ 467,336 $ 436,396 $ 1,277,800 Subordinated 5 105,272 102,805 402,573 610,655 Interest-only 5,780 143,631 110,468 2,380 262,259 Agency RMBS Interest-only — 864 89,874 — 90,738 Agency CMBS Project loans 8,581 — — 1,705,902 1,714,483 Interest-only 620 21,500 3,765 — 25,885 Total fair value $ 22,836 $ 637,485 $ 774,248 $ 2,547,251 $ 3,981,820 Amortized cost Non-Agency RMBS Senior $ 4,691 $ 256,935 $ 257,188 $ 271,451 $ 790,265 Subordinated — 83,188 78,435 404,054 565,677 Interest-only 26,286 138,150 82,368 2,806 249,610 Agency RMBS Interest-only — 1,898 116,969 — 118,867 Agency CMBS Project loans 8,650 — — 1,546,669 1,555,319 Interest-only 788 19,273 3,511 — 23,572 Total amortized cost $ 40,415 $ 499,444 $ 538,471 $ 2,224,980 $ 3,303,310 The Non-Agency RMBS investments are secured by pools of mortgage loans which are subject to credit risk. The following table summarizes the delinquency, bankruptcy, foreclosure and Real estate owned, or REO, total of the pools of mortgage loans securing the Company’s investments in Non-Agency RMBS at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. When delinquency rates increase, it is expected that the Company will incur additional credit losses. June 30, 2021 30 Days Delinquent 60 Days Delinquent 90+ Days Delinquent Bankruptcy Foreclosure REO Total % of Unpaid Principal Balance 3.0 % 1.3 % 6.5 % 1.4 % 3.2 % 0.3 % 15.7 % December 31, 2020 30 Days Delinquent 60 Days Delinquent 90+ Days Delinquent Bankruptcy Foreclosure REO Total % of Unpaid Principal Balance 3.1 % 1.4 % 7.2 % 1.3 % 2.9 % 0.4 % 16.3 % The Non-Agency RMBS in the Portfolio have the following collateral characteristics at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. June 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 Weighted average maturity (years) 21.4 22.2 Weighted average amortized loan to value (1) 60.6 % 61.4 % Weighted average FICO (2) 718 714 Weighted average loan balance (in thousands) $ 263 $ 291 Weighted average percentage owner-occupied 83.0 % 81.8 % Weighted average percentage single family residence 62.6 % 61.7 % Weighted average current credit enhancement 1.0 % 0.9 % Weighted average geographic concentration of top four states CA 31.5 % CA 33.8 % NY 10.0 % NY 8.7 % FL 8.3 % FL 7.9 % NJ 4.6 % NJ 4.3 % (1) Value represents appraised value of the collateral at the time of loan origination. (2) FICO as determined at the time of loan origination. The table below presents the origination year of the underlying loans related to the Company’s portfolio of Non-Agency RMBS at June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. Origination Year June 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 2003 and prior 1.5 % 1.7 % 2004 1.4 % 1.4 % 2005 9.6 % 10.3 % 2006 53.2 % 52.1 % 2007 26.3 % 27.2 % 2008 and later 8.0 % 7.3 % Total 100.0 % 100.0 % Gross realized gains and losses are recorded in “Net realized gains (losses) on sales of investments” on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. The proceeds and gross realized gains and gross realized losses from sales of investments for the quarters and six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020 are as follows: For the Quarters For the Six Months June 30, 2021 June 30, 2020 June 30, 2021 June 30, 2020 (dollars in thousands) (dollars in thousands) Proceeds from sales: Non-Agency RMBS 15,418 108,163 47,877 141,960 Agency RMBS 626 — 626 5,710,134 Agency CMBS — 221,651 201,037 326,668 Gross realized gains: Non-Agency RMBS 11,229 20,017 37,742 21,274 Agency RMBS — — — 74,264 Agency CMBS — 12,542 13,735 18,691 Gross realized losses: Non-Agency RMBS (2,503) (6,179) (4,955) (6,179) Agency RMBS (1,209) — (1,209) (5,816) Agency CMBS — — — — Net realized gain (loss) $ 7,517 $ 26,380 $ 45,313 $ 102,234 |