Loans Held for Investment and the Allowance for Credit Losses | Loans Held for Investment and the Allowance for Credit Losses The Company originates and acquires first mortgage and mezzanine loans secured by commercial properties. The Company considers these loans to comprise a single portfolio of mortgage loans, and the Company has developed its systematic methodology to determine the allowance for credit losses based on a single portfolio. For purposes of certain disclosures herein, the Company disaggregates this portfolio segment into the following classes of finance receivables: senior loans; and subordinated and mezzanine loans. These loans can potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, including, without limitation: property type collateralizing the loan; loan category; loan size; loans to a single sponsor; and loans in a single geographic area. The Company’s loans held for investment are accounted for at amortized cost. Interest accrued but not yet collected is separately reported within accrued interest and fees receivable on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Amounts within that caption relating to loans held for investment were $26.4 million and $14.3 million as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company originated 18 and acquired five mortgage loans with a total commitment of $1.7 billion, an initial unpaid principal balance of $1.5 billion, and unfunded commitments at closing of $0.2 billion. Additionally, the Company received 21 full loan repayments of $1.3 billion, and partial principal payments including accrued PIK interest payments, of $0.2 billion across 25 loans, for total loan repayments of $1.5 billion during the year ended December 31, 2022. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company originated 27 mortgage loans, with a total commitment of $1.9 billion, an initial unpaid principal balance of $1.6 billion, and unfunded commitments at closing of $0.3 billion. Additionally, for the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company received total proceeds of $1.4 billion, including $1.2 billion from 13 loan repayments in-full and $0.2 billion from principal amortization payments across 19 loans and two loan sales. The following table details overall statistics for the Company’s loans held for investment portfolio (dollars in thousands): December 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 Balance sheet portfolio Total loan exposure (1) Balance sheet portfolio Total loan exposure (1) Number of loans 70 70 69 70 Floating rate loans 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % Total loan commitment $ 5,429,146 $ 5,429,146 $ 5,411,944 $ 5,543,944 Unpaid principal balance (2) $ 5,004,798 $ 5,004,798 $ 4,919,343 $ 5,051,343 Unfunded loan commitments (3) $ 426,061 $ 426,061 $ 487,773 $ 487,773 Amortized cost $ 4,978,674 $ 4,978,674 $ 4,909,202 $ 4,909,202 Weighted average credit spread 3.4 % 3.4 % 3.4 % 3.4 % Weighted average all-in yield (4) 8.1 % 8.1 % 4.8 % 4.8 % Weighted average term to extended maturity (in years) (5) 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 _______________________ (1) In certain instances, the Company creates structural leverage through the co-origination or non-recourse syndication of a senior loan interest to a third-party. In either case, the senior mortgage loan (i.e., the non-consolidated senior interest) is not included on the Company’s balance sheet. When the Company creates structural leverage through the co-origination or non-recourse syndication of a senior loan interest to a third-party, the Company retains on its balance sheet a mezzanine loan. Total loan exposure encompasses the entire loan portfolio the Company originated, acquired and financed. The Company had outstanding one non-consolidated senior interest of $132.0 million as of December 31, 2021, and none as of December 31, 2022. (2) Unpaid principal balance includes PIK interest of $1.7 million and $3.0 million as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. (3) Unfunded loan commitments may be funded over the term of each loan, subject in certain cases to an expiration date or a force-funding date, primarily to finance property improvements or lease-related expenditures by the Company’s borrowers, to finance operating deficits during renovation and lease-up, and in limited instances to finance construction. (4) As of December 31, 2022, all of the Company’s loans were floating rate. Loans originated by the Company before December 31, 2021 are indexed to LIBOR, while loans originated after January 1, 2022 are indexed to Term SOFR. As of December 31, 2022, based on the total loan commitments of the Company’s loan portfolio, 20.7% (or $1.1 billion) of the Company’s loans were subject to Term SOFR and 79.3% (or $4.3 billion) were subject to LIBOR as the benchmark interest rate. In addition to credit spread, all-in yield includes the amortization of deferred origination fees, purchase price premium and discount if any, and accrual of both extension and exit fees. All-in yield for the total portfolio assumes the applicable floating benchmark interest rate as of December 31, 2022 for weighted average calculations. (5) Extended maturity assumes all extension options are exercised by the borrower; provided, however, that the Company’s loans may be repaid prior to such date. As of December 31, 2022, based on the unpaid principal balance of the Company’s total loan exposure, 37.8% of the Company’s loans were subject to yield maintenance or other prepayment restrictions and 62.2% were open to repayment by the borrower without penalty. The following tables present an overview of the Company’s loans held for investment portfolio by loan seniority (dollars in thousands): December 31, 2022 Loans held for investment, net Outstanding principal Unamortized premium (discount) and Amortized cost Senior loans (1) $ 5,004,798 $ (26,124) $ 4,978,674 Subordinated and mezzanine loans — — — Total $ 5,004,798 $ (26,124) $ 4,978,674 Allowance for credit losses (197,272) Loans held for investment, net $ 4,781,402 December 31, 2021 Loans held for investment, net Outstanding principal Unamortized premium (discount) and Amortized cost Senior loans (1) $ 4,884,343 $ (10,101) $ 4,874,242 Subordinated and mezzanine loans 35,000 (40) 34,960 Total $ 4,919,343 $ (10,141) $ 4,909,202 Allowance for credit losses (41,999) Loans held for investment, net $ 4,867,203 ________________________________ (1) Senior loans may include contiguous mezzanine loans and pari passu participations in senior mortgage loans. The following table presents the Company’s loans held for investment portfolio activity (dollars in thousands): For the years ended December 31, 2022 2021 Balance as of January 1 $ 4,867,203 $ 4,456,460 Additions during the period: Loans originated and acquired 1,519,406 1,623,585 Additional fundings 145,199 146,032 Amortization of origination fees and discounts 11,085 7,203 Deductions during the period: Collection of principal (1,506,870) (1,236,032) Collection of accrued PIK interest (1,314) — Write-off (4,400) — Loan sale — (147,986) Loan extinguishment on conversion to REO (89,234) — (Increase) decrease of allowance for credit losses (159,673) 17,941 Balance as of December 31 $ 4,781,402 $ 4,867,203 During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company sold, in separate transactions, two performing hotel loans with an unpaid principal balance of $148.0 million, recording a $2.1 million loss on sale after giving effect to transaction costs. The sales prices were 98.0% and 100.0% of par, producing a weighted average sales price of 99.2% of par. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there was $7.9 million and $10.1 million, respectively, of unamortized loan fees included in loans held for investment, net in the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2022, there was $18.2 million of unamortized discounts included in loans held for investment at amortized cost on the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2021, there were no unamortized discounts included in loans held for investment at amortized cost on the consolidated balance sheets. Loan Risk Ratings The Company evaluates all of its loans to assign risk ratings on a quarterly basis on a 5-point scale. As described in Note 2, the Company’s loans are rated “1” through “5,” from least risk to greatest risk, respectively. The Company generally assigns a risk rating of “3” to all loan investments upon origination or acquisition, except when specific circumstances warrant an exception. The following tables present the Company's loans held for investment portfolio on an amortized cost basis by origination year, grouped by risk rating (dollars in thousands): December 31, 2022 Amortized cost by origination year 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 Prior Total Senior loans by internal risk ratings: 1 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — 2 22,732 216,960 — 272,185 — — 511,877 3 907,161 1,609,556 98,874 505,377 110,356 — 3,231,324 4 76,938 79,023 119,172 320,793 342,869 51,542 990,337 5 — — 71,269 118,135 55,732 — 245,136 Total senior loans $ 1,006,831 $ 1,905,539 $ 289,315 $ 1,216,490 $ 508,957 $ 51,542 $ 4,978,674 Senior loans: Current-period write-offs $ — $ — $ — $ — $ (4,400) $ — $ (4,400) Total current-period write-offs $ — $ — $ — $ — $ (4,400) $ — $ (4,400) Subordinated and mezzanine loans by internal risk ratings: 1 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — 2 — — — — — — — 3 — — — — — — — 4 — — — — — — — 5 — — — — — — — Total subordinated and mezzanine loans — — — — — — — Total $ 1,006,831 $ 1,905,539 $ 289,315 $ 1,216,490 $ 508,957 $ 51,542 $ 4,978,674 December 31, 2021 Amortized cost by origination year 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 Prior Total Senior loans by internal risk ratings: 1 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — 2 33,621 — 82,461 242,614 168,355 — 527,051 3 1,600,659 95,858 1,400,670 407,509 169,934 17,163 3,691,793 4 — 78,013 154,093 183,750 216,542 — 632,398 5 — — — 23,000 — — 23,000 Total senior loans $ 1,634,280 $ 173,871 $ 1,637,224 $ 856,873 $ 554,831 $ 17,163 $ 4,874,242 Subordinated and mezzanine loans by internal risk ratings: 1 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — 2 — — — — — — — 3 — — 34,960 — — — 34,960 4 — — — — — — — 5 — — — — — — — Total subordinated and mezzanine loans — — 34,960 — — — 34,960 Total $ 1,634,280 $ 173,871 $ 1,672,184 $ 856,873 $ 554,831 $ 17,163 $ 4,909,202 Loans acquired are presented in the preceding table in the column corresponding to the year of origination, not acquisition. The table below summarizes the Company’s portfolio of loans held for investment on an amortized cost basis, by the results of its internal risk rating review process performed (dollars in thousands): Risk rating December 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 1 $ — $ — 2 511,878 527,051 3 3,231,324 3,726,753 4 990,337 632,398 5 245,135 23,000 Total $ 4,978,674 $ 4,909,202 Allowance for credit losses (197,272) (41,999) Carrying value $ 4,781,402 $ 4,867,203 Weighted average risk rating (1) 3.2 3.0 ________________________________ (1) Weighted average risk rating calculated based on the amortized cost balance at period end. The weighted average risk rating of the Company’s loans held for investment portfolio increased to 3.2 as of December 31, 2022 compared to 3.0 as of December 31, 2021. Allowance for Credit Losses The Company’s allowance for credit losses developed pursuant to ASC 326 reflects its current estimate of potential credit losses related to its loans held for investment portfolio as of December 31, 2022. As part of its allowance for credit losses, the Company maintains a separate allowance for credit losses related to unfunded loan commitments which is included in accrued expenses and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. See Note 2 for additional details regarding the Company's accounting policies and estimation of its allowance for credit losses. The following tables present activity in the allowance for credit losses for loans by finance receivable class (dollars in thousands): For the Year Ended December 31, 2022 Senior loans Subordinated and Total Allowance for credit losses for loans held for investment: Beginning balance at January 1, 2022 $ 41,193 $ 806 $ 41,999 Allowance for (reversal of) credit losses, net 160,479 (806) 159,673 Write-off (4,400) — (4,400) Subtotal 197,272 — 197,272 Allowance for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments: Beginning balance at January 1, 2022 4,210 — 4,210 Allowance for (reversal of) credit losses, net 13,104 — 13,104 Subtotal 17,314 — 17,314 Total allowance for credit losses $ 214,586 $ — $ 214,586 For the Year Ended December 31, 2021 Senior loans Subordinated and Total Allowance for credit losses for loans held for investment: Beginning balance at January 1, 2021 $ 58,210 $ 1,730 $ 59,940 Allowance for (reversal of) credit losses, net (8,817) (924) (9,741) Write-off (8,200) — (8,200) Subtotal 41,193 806 41,999 Allowance for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments: Beginning balance at January 1, 2021 2,756 132 2,888 Allowance for (reversal of) credit losses, net 1,454 (132) 1,322 Subtotal 4,210 — 4,210 Total allowance for credit losses $ 45,403 $ 806 $ 46,209 The following table presents the allowance for credit losses for loans held for investment (dollars in thousands): December 31, 2022 General reserve Specific reserve Total reserve Allowance for credit losses: Loans held for investment $ 119,190 $ 78,082 $ 197,272 Unfunded loan commitments 10,927 6,387 17,314 Total allowance for credit losses $ 130,117 $ 84,469 $ 214,586 Total unpaid principal balance $ 4,759,663 $ 245,135 $ 5,004,798 December 31, 2021 General reserve Specific reserve Total reserve Allowance for credit losses: Loans held for investment $ 41,999 $ — $ 41,999 Unfunded loan commitments 4,210 — 4,210 Total allowance for credit losses $ 46,209 $ — $ 46,209 Total unpaid principal balance $ 4,919,343 $ — $ 4,919,343 The Company’s allowance for credit losses is influenced by the size and maturity dates of its loans, loan quality, credit indicators including risk ratings, delinquency status, historical loss experience and other conditions influencing loss expectations, such as reasonable and supportable forecasts of economic conditions. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded an increase of $168.4 million to its allowance for credit losses, increasing its CECL reserve to $214.6 million as of December 31, 2022. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the increase to the Company's allowance for credit losses was primarily due to an increase in credit loss expense of (1) $84.5 million related to individually assessed loans as further described below, (2) $26.2 million resulting from the Company's increased loan origination and acquisition activity during 2022, and (3) $70.0 million from recessionary and recovery macroeconomic assumptions employed in determining the general CECL reserve, offset by a decrease in the credit loss allowance of $12.4 million resulting from loan repayments. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recorded a decrease of $16.6 million to its allowance for credit losses primarily due to a decrease in credit loss expense of (1) $24.1 million related to loan repayments, loan sales, and a partial write-off of a non-performing retail loan held for investment (recognized as a partial worthlessness deduction for income tax purposes) and (2) $5.9 million from positive macroeconomic data and improved operating performance of the underlying collateral for many of the Company’s loans in 2021 that were adversely impacted by COVID-19 in 2020, offset by an increase in the credit loss allowance of $13.4 million resulting from the Company’s increased loan origination volume during 2021. As of December 31, 2022, four first mortgage loans satisfied the CECL framework's criteria for individual assessment. The total amortized cost of the individually assessed loans as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, was $245.1 million and $250.7 million, respectively. Accordingly, the Company utilized the estimated fair value of the loan collateral to estimate a total allowance for credit losses of $78.1 million as of December 31, 2022. The Company’s fair market value estimates were determined primarily using discounted cash flow models and Level 3 inputs, which include estimates of property-specific cash flows over a specific holding period, a discount rate range of 10.0% – 14.5%, and a terminal capitalization rate range of 6.5% – 9.0%. These inputs are based on the location, type and nature of the property, current sales and lease comparables, anticipated real estate and capital market conditions, and management’s knowledge, experience and judgment. Additionally, the Company may use broker-prepared estimates of fair values based on discounted cash flows and sales comparables to corroborate the estimated value of a loan's collateral. As of December 31, 2022, one of the four loans with an amortized cost of $71.3 million was on non-accrual status; the three other loans with an amortized cost of $173.9 million were not on non-accrual status because the borrowers were not in default of the loan agreements and all amounts of interest due were collected by the Company. During the three months ended December 31, 2022, the Company extinguished a first mortgage loan with an unpaid principal balance of $89.2 million that experienced a maturity default. In October 2022, the Company negotiated and closed a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure to take ownership of the office property which previously served as collateral for the first mortgage loan. The carrying value of the loan was $76.5 million, net the asset-specific credit loss reserve as of the foreclosure date of $12.7 million, which was equal to the previously recorded specific CECL reserve. No cash was exchanged as part of this transaction. See Note 4 for further details. During the three months ended September 30, 2022, the property securing the Company's non-performing retail loan was sold by the borrower for $19.7 million, generating net proceeds of $18.6 million that were directed by the borrower to retire the Company's loan. The Company wrote-off $4.4 million during the three months ended September 30, 2022, which was fully reserved within the Company's CECL reserve as of June 30, 2022. The amortized cost of the loan was $23.0 million as of December 31, 2021. The loan was previously placed on non-accrual status due to a default caused by non-payment of interest in December 2020. In accordance with the Company’s revenue recognition and allowance for credit losses accounting policies, the Company suspended its accrual of interest income when the loan was placed on non-accrual status. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had two loans with an amortized cost of $190.4 million on non-accrual status, of which $119.2 million is 30-59 days past due. In accordance with the Company’s revenue recognition and allowance for credit losses accounting policies, the Company suspended its accrual of interest income when each loan was placed on non-accrual status. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, none of the Company's performing loans (full accrual status) had accrued interest income receivable 90 days or more past due. The following table presents an aging analysis for the Company’s portfolio of loans held for investment, by class of loans on amortized cost basis (dollars in thousands): Days Outstanding as of December 31, 2022 Current Days: 30-59 Days: 60-89 Days: 90 or more Total loans past due Total loans Loans receivable: Senior loans $ 4,541,692 $ 365,713 $ — $ 71,269 $ 436,982 $ 4,978,674 Subordinated and mezzanine loans — — — — — — Total $ 4,541,692 $ 365,713 $ — $ 71,269 $ 436,982 $ 4,978,674 Days Outstanding as of December 31, 2021 Current Days: 30-59 Days: 60-89 Days: 90 or more Total loans past due Total loans Loans receivable: Senior loans $ 4,851,242 $ — $ — $ 23,000 $ 23,000 $ 4,874,242 Subordinated and mezzanine loans 34,960 — — — — 34,960 Total $ 4,886,202 $ — $ — $ 23,000 $ 23,000 $ 4,909,202 See Note 2 of the consolidated financial statements for details of the Company's revenue recognition and allowance for credit losses accounting policies. Loan Modifications The Company may amend or modify a loan depending on the loan’s specific facts and circumstances. These loan modifications typically include additional time for the borrower to refinance or sell the collateral property, adjustment or waiver of performance tests that are prerequisite to the extension of a loan maturity, and/or deferral of scheduled principal payments. In exchange for a modification, the Company often receives a partial repayment of principal, a short-term accrual of PIK interest for a portion of interest due, a cash infusion to replenish interest or capital improvement reserves, termination of all or a portion of the remaining unfunded loan commitment, additional call protection, and/or an increase in the loan coupon. For the year ended December 31, 2022, none of the Company’s loan modifications resulted in significant modifications. As of December 31, 2022, the total amount of accrued PIK interest in the Company's loans held for investment portfolio was $1.7 million and related to two first mortgage loans. The following table presents the accrued PIK interest activity for the Company’s loans held for investment portfolio (dollars in thousands): Year Ended 2022 2021 Balance as of January 1, $ 3,028 $ 4,701 Accrued PIK interest — 816 Repayments of accrued PIK interest (313) — Balance as of March 31, $ 2,715 $ 5,517 Accrued PIK interest — 360 Repayments of accrued PIK interest (300) (1,034) Write-off of accrued PIK interest — (690) Balance as of June 30, $ 2,415 $ 4,153 Accrued PIK interest — 209 Repayments of accrued PIK interest — (871) Write-off of accrued PIK interest — — Balance as of September 30, $ 2,415 $ 3,491 Accrued PIK interest — — Repayments of accrued PIK interest (701) (120) Write-off of accrued PIK interest — (343) Balance as of December 31, $ 1,714 $ 3,028 No accrued PIK interest was recorded and deferred during the year ended December 31, 2022. |