Fair Value | Note 6—Fair Value Most of the Company’s assets and certain of its liabilities are measured at or based on their fair values. The application of fair value may be on a recurring or nonrecurring basis depending on the accounting principles applicable to the specific asset or liability and whether the Company has elected to carry the item at its fair value as discussed in the following paragraphs. Fair Value Accounting Elections The Company identified its MSRs, its MSLs and all of its non-cash financial assets, to be accounted for at fair value so changes in fair value will be reflected in income as they occur and more timely reflect the results of the Company’s performance. The Company has also identified its ESS financing to be accounted for at fair value as a means of hedging the related MSRs’ fair value risk. Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Following is a summary of assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis: December 31, 2022 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total (in thousands) Assets: Short-term investment $ 12,194 $ — $ — $ 12,194 Loans held for sale at fair value — 3,163,528 345,772 3,509,300 Derivative assets: Interest rate lock commitments — — 36,728 36,728 Forward purchase contracts — 2,433 — 2,433 Forward sales contracts — 80,754 — 80,754 MBS put options — 6,057 — 6,057 Put options on interest rate futures purchase contracts 29,203 — — 29,203 Call options on interest rate futures purchase contracts 2,820 — — 2,820 Total derivative assets before netting 32,023 89,244 36,728 157,995 Netting — — — (58,992) Total derivative assets 32,023 89,244 36,728 99,003 Mortgage servicing rights at fair value — — 5,953,621 5,953,621 Investment in PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust 929 — — 929 $ 45,146 $ 3,252,772 $ 6,336,121 $ 9,575,047 Liabilities: Derivative liabilities: Interest rate lock commitments $ — $ — $ 10,884 $ 10,884 Forward purchase contracts — 48,670 — 48,670 Forward sales contracts — 20,684 — 20,684 Put options on interest rate futures sales contracts 3,008 — — 3,008 Total derivative liabilities before netting 3,008 69,354 10,884 83,246 Netting — — — (61,534) Total derivative liabilities 3,008 69,354 10,884 21,712 Mortgage servicing liabilities at fair value — — 2,096 2,096 $ 3,008 $ 69,354 $ 12,980 $ 23,808 December 31, 2021 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total (in thousands) Assets: Short-term investment $ 6,873 $ — $ — $ 6,873 Loans held for sale at fair value — 8,613,607 1,128,876 9,742,483 Derivative assets: Interest rate lock commitments — — 323,473 323,473 Forward purchase contracts — 20,485 — 20,485 Forward sales contracts — 40,215 — 40,215 MBS put options — 7,655 — 7,655 Swaption purchase contracts — 1,625 — 1,625 Put options on interest rate futures purchase contracts 3,141 — — 3,141 Call options on interest rate futures purchase contracts 2,078 — — 2,078 Total derivative assets before netting 5,219 69,980 323,473 398,672 Netting — — — (64,977) Total derivative assets 5,219 69,980 323,473 333,695 Mortgage servicing rights at fair value — — 3,878,078 3,878,078 Investment in PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust 1,300 — — 1,300 $ 13,392 $ 8,683,587 $ 5,330,427 $ 13,962,429 Liabilities: Derivative liabilities: Interest rate lock commitments $ — $ — $ 1,280 $ 1,280 Forward purchase contracts — 18,007 — 18,007 Forward sales contracts — 35,415 — 35,415 Total derivative liabilities before netting — 53,422 1,280 54,702 Netting — — — (32,096) Total derivative liabilities — 53,422 1,280 22,606 Mortgage servicing liabilities at fair value — — 2,816 2,816 $ — $ 53,422 $ 4,096 $ 25,422 As shown above, certain of the Company’s loans held for sale, IRLCs, repurchase agreement derivatives, MSRs, ESS and MSLs are measured using Level 3 fair value inputs. Following are roll forwards of assets and liabilities measured at fair value using “Level 3” fair value inputs at either the beginning or the end of the year presented for each of the three years ended December 31, 2022: Year ended December 31, 2022 Net interest Mortgage Loans held rate lock servicing Assets for sale commitments (1) rights Total (in thousands) Balance, December 31, 2021 $ 1,128,876 $ 322,193 $ 3,878,078 $ 5,329,147 Purchases and issuances, net 3,338,743 369,769 3,993 3,712,505 Capitalization of interest and advances 60,589 — — 60,589 Sales and repayments (1,378,441) — — (1,378,441) Mortgage servicing rights resulting from loan sales — — 1,718,094 1,718,094 Changes in fair value included in income arising from: Changes in instrument-specific credit risk (41,483) — — (41,483) Other factors (25,156) (624,905) 353,456 (296,605) (66,639) (624,905) 353,456 (338,088) Transfers from Level 3 to Level 2 (2,736,940) — — (2,736,940) Transfers to real estate acquired in settlement of loans (416) — — (416) Transfers to loans held for sale — (41,213) — (41,213) Balance, December 31, 2022 $ 345,772 $ 25,844 $ 5,953,621 $ 6,325,237 Changes in fair value recognized during the year relating to assets still held at December 31, 2022 $ (26,699) $ 25,844 $ 353,456 $ 352,601 (1) For the purpose of this table, the IRLC asset and liability positions are shown net. Year ended Liabilities December 31, 2022 (in thousands) Mortgage servicing liabilities: Balance, December 31, 2021 $ 2,816 Changes in fair value included in income (720) Balance, December 31, 2022 $ 2,096 Changes in fair value recognized during the year relating to liabilities still outstanding at December 31, 2022 $ (720) Year ended December 31, 2021 Net interest Mortgage Loans held rate lock servicing Assets for sale commitments (1) rights Total (in thousands) Balance, December 31, 2020 $ 4,675,169 $ 677,026 $ 2,581,174 $ 7,933,369 Purchases and issuances, net 20,330,785 1,654,476 — 21,985,261 Capitalization of interest and advances 169,053 — — 169,053 Sales and repayments (11,783,818) — — (11,783,818) Mortgage servicing rights resulting from loan sales — — 1,861,949 1,861,949 Changes in fair value included in income arising from: Changes in instrument-specific credit risk 285,501 — — 285,501 Other factors — 489,547 (565,045) (75,498) 285,501 489,547 (565,045) 210,003 Transfers from Level 3 to Level 2 (12,547,732) — — (12,547,732) Transfer to real estate acquired in settlement of loans (82) — — (82) Transfers to loans held for sale — (2,498,856) — (2,498,856) Balance, December 31, 2021 $ 1,128,876 $ 322,193 $ 3,878,078 $ 5,329,147 Changes in fair value recognized during the year relating to assets still held at December 31, 2021 $ 22,516 $ 322,193 $ (565,045) $ (220,336) Year ended December 31, 2021 Excess servicing Mortgage spread servicing Liabilities financing liabilities Total (in thousands) Balance, December 31, 2020 $ 131,750 $ 45,324 $ 177,074 Issuance of excess servicing spread financing pursuant to a recapture agreement with PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust 557 — 557 Accrual of interest 1,280 — 1,280 Mortgage servicing liabilities resulting from loan sales — 106,631 106,631 Changes in fair value included in income 1,037 (149,139) (148,102) Repayments (134,624) — (134,624) Balance, December 31, 2021 $ — $ 2,816 $ 2,816 Changes in fair value recognized during the year relating to liabilities still outstanding at December 31, 2021 $ — $ (3,156) $ (3,156) Year ended December 31, 2020 Net interest Repurchase Mortgage Loans held rate lock agreement servicing Assets for sale commitments (1) derivatives rights Total (in thousands) Balance, December 31, 2019 $ 383,878 $ 136,650 $ 8,187 $ 2,926,790 $ 3,455,505 Purchases and issuances, net 9,672,322 2,028,957 — 25,473 11,726,752 Capitalization of interest and advances 119,037 — — — 119,037 Sales and repayments (2,381,493) — (8,270) — (2,389,763) Mortgage servicing rights resulting from loan sales — — — 1,138,045 1,138,045 Changes in fair value included in income arising from: Changes in instrument-specific credit risk 127,780 — — — 127,780 Other factors — 1,254,235 83 (1,509,134) (254,816) 127,780 1,254,235 83 (1,509,134) (127,036) Transfers from Level 3 to Level 2 (3,246,282) — — — (3,246,282) Transfers to real estate acquired in settlement of loans (73) — — — (73) Transfers to loans held for sale — (2,742,816) — — (2,742,816) Balance, December 31, 2020 $ 4,675,169 $ 677,026 $ — $ 2,581,174 $ 7,933,369 Changes in fair value recognized during the year relating to assets still held at December 31, 2020 $ 153,474 $ 677,026 $ — $ (1,509,134) $ (678,634) (1) For the purpose of this table, the IRLC asset and liability positions are shown net. Year ended December 31, 2020 Excess servicing Mortgage spread servicing Liabilities financing liabilities Total (in thousands) Balance, December 31, 2019 $ 178,586 $ 29,140 $ 207,726 Issuance of excess servicing spread financing pursuant to a recapture agreement with PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust 2,093 — 2,093 Accrual of interest 8,418 — 8,418 Mortgage servicing liabilities resulting from loan sales — 23,325 23,325 Changes in fair value included in income (24,970) (7,141) (32,111) Repayments (32,377) — (32,377) Balance, December 31, 2020 $ 131,750 $ 45,324 $ 177,074 Changes in fair value recognized during the year relating to liabilities still outstanding at December 31, 2020 $ (24,970) $ (7,141) $ (32,111) The Company had transfers among the fair value levels arising from the return to salability in the active secondary market of certain loans held for sale and from transfers of IRLCs to loans held for sale at fair value upon purchase or funding. Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value under the Fair Value Option Net changes in fair values included in income for assets and liabilities carried at fair value as a result of the Company’s election of the fair value option by income statement line item are summarized below: Year ended December 31, 2022 2021 2020 Net gains on Net Net gains on Net Net gains on Net loans held loan loans held loan loans held loan for sale at servicing for sale at servicing for sale at servicing fair value fees Total fair value fees Total fair value fees Total (in thousands) Assets: Loans held for sale $ (219,054) $ — $ (219,054) $ 2,568,318 $ — $ 2,568,318 $ 2,899,314 $ — $ 2,899,314 Mortgage servicing rights — 353,456 353,456 — (565,045) (565,045) — (1,509,134) (1,509,134) $ (219,054) $ 353,456 $ 134,402 $ 2,568,318 $ (565,045) $ 2,003,273 $ 2,899,314 $ (1,509,134) $ 1,390,180 Liabilities: Excess servicing spread financing payable to PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust $ — $ — $ — $ — $ (1,037) $ (1,037) $ — $ 24,970 $ 24,970 Mortgage servicing liabilities — 720 720 — 149,139 149,139 — 7,141 7,141 $ — $ 720 $ 720 $ — $ 148,102 $ 148,102 $ — $ 32,111 $ 32,111 Following are the fair value and related principal amounts due upon maturity of assets accounted for under the fair value option: December 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 Principal Principal amount amount Fair due upon Fair due upon Loans held for sale value maturity Difference value maturity Difference (in thousands) Current through 89 days delinquent $ 3,450,578 $ 3,428,052 $ 22,526 $ 9,577,398 $ 9,263,242 $ 314,156 90 days or more delinquent: Not in foreclosure 47,252 53,351 (6,099) 153,162 153,875 (713) In foreclosure 11,470 16,811 (5,341) 11,923 13,649 (1,726) $ 3,509,300 $ 3,498,214 $ 11,086 $ 9,742,483 $ 9,430,766 $ 311,717 Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis Following is a summary of assets held at year end that were measured based on fair value on a nonrecurring basis during the year: Real estate acquired in settlement of loans Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total (in thousands) December 31, 2022 $ — $ — $ 1,850 $ 1,850 December 31, 2021 $ — $ — $ 2,588 $ 2,588 The following table summarizes the total net losses recognized on assets measured based on fair values on a nonrecurring basis during the year: Year ended December 31, 2022 2021 2020 (in thousands) Real estate acquired in settlement of loans $ 523 $ 799 $ 814 Fair Value of Financial Instruments Carried at Amortized Cost The Company’s Assets sold under agreements to repurchase Mortgage loan participation purchase and sale agreements, Notes payable secured by mortgage servicing assets, Unsecured senior notes Obligations under capital lease These assets and liabilities are classified as “Level 3” fair value items due to the Company’s reliance on unobservable inputs to estimate their fair values. The Company has concluded that the fair values of these liabilities other than the Notes payable secured by mortgage servicing assets Unsecured senior notes The Company estimates the fair value of the Term Notes and the Unsecured senior notes December 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 Fair value Carrying value Fair value Carrying value (in thousands) Term Notes $ 1,677,476 $ 1,794,475 $ 1,302,640 $ 1,297,622 Unsecured senior notes $ 1,550,750 $ 1,779,920 $ 1,790,375 $ 1,776,219 Valuation Governance Most of the Company’s financial assets, and all of its derivatives, MSRs, ESS, and MSLs, are carried at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in current period income. Certain of the Company’s financial assets and derivatives and all of its MSRs, ESS, and MSLs are “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities which require use of unobservable inputs that are significant to the estimation of the items’ fair values. 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 under the circumstances. Due to the difficulty in estimating the fair values of “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities, the Company has assigned responsibility for estimating the fair value of these assets and liabilities to specialized staff and subjects the valuation process to significant senior management oversight: ● The Company’s Financial Analysis and Valuation group (the “FAV group”) is responsible for estimating the fair values of “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities other than IRLCs and maintaining its valuation policies and procedures. ● The Company’s Capital Markets Risk Management staff develops the fair value of the Company’s IRLCs which is reviewed by its Capital Markets Operations group. With respect to the non-IRLC “Level 3” valuations, the FAV group reports to the Company’s senior management valuation committee, which oversees the valuations. The FAV group monitors the models used for valuation of the Company’s “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities, including the models’ performance versus actual results, and reports those results as well as changes in the valuation of the non-IRLC “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities, including major factors affecting the valuation and any changes in model methods and inputs, to the Company’s senior management valuation committee. To assess the reasonableness of its valuations, the FAV group presents an analysis of the effect on the valuation of changes to the significant inputs to the models and for MSRs, comparisons of its estimates of fair value to those procured from non-affiliate brokers and comparisons of the key inputs used in the Company’s valuation model to published surveys. The Company’s senior management valuation committee includes the Company’s chief financial, risk, credit and deputy chief investment officers as well as other senior members of the Company’s finance, capital markets and risk management staff. Valuation Techniques and Inputs Following is a description of the techniques and inputs used in estimating the fair values of “Level 2” and “Level 3” fair value assets and liabilities: Loans Held for Sale Most of the Company’s loans held for sale at fair value are saleable into active markets and are therefore categorized as “Level 2” fair value assets. The fair values of “Level 2” fair value loans are determined using their contracted selling price or quoted market price or market price equivalent. Certain of the Company’s loans held for sale are not saleable into active markets and are therefore categorized as “Level 3” fair value assets. Loans held for sale categorized as “Level 3” fair value assets include: ● Government guaranteed or insured loans purchased by the Company from Ginnie Mae guaranteed pools in its loan servicing portfolio. The Company’s right to purchase government guaranteed or insured loans arises as the result of the loan being at least three months delinquent on the date of purchase by the Company and provides an alternative to the Company’s obligation to continue advancing principal and interest at the coupon rate of the related Ginnie Mae security. Such loans may be resold to investors and thereafter may be repurchased to the extent eligible for resale into a new Ginnie Mae guaranteed security. Loans become eligible for resale into a new Ginnie Mae security when the loans become current either through completion of a modification of the loan’s terms or otherwise after three months of timely payments and when the issuance date of the new security is at least 120 days after the date the loan was last delinquent. ● Loans that are not saleable into active markets due to identification of a defect by the Company or to the repurchase by the Company of a loan with an identified defect. ● Home equity loans. At present, there is no active market with observable inputs that are significant to the estimation of fair value of the home equity loans the Company produces. The Company uses a discounted cash flow model to estimate the fair value of its “Level 3” fair value loans held for sale. The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement of the Company’s “Level 3” fair value loans held for sale are discount rates, home price projections, voluntary and total prepayment/resale speeds. Significant changes in any of those inputs in isolation could result in a significant change to the loans’ fair value measurement. Increases in home price projections are generally accompanied by an increase in voluntary prepayment speeds. Following is a quantitative summary of key “Level 3” fair value inputs used in the valuation of loans held for sale at fair value: December 31, 2022 2021 Fair value (in thousands) $ 345,772 $ 1,128,876 Key inputs (1): Discount rate: Range 5.5% – 10.2% 2.2% – 9.2% Weighted average 5.7% 2.3% Twelve-month projected housing price index change: Range (1.9)% – (1.7)% 6.1% – 6.5% Weighted average (1.8)% 6.2% Voluntary prepayment/resale speed (2): Range 4.7% – 25.6% 0.4% – 30.3% Weighted average 21.6% 22.0% Total prepayment/resale speed (3): Range 4.8% – 36.1% 0.4% – 39.3% Weighted average 29.4% 28.2% (1) Weighted average inputs are based on fair value of the “Level 3” loans. (2) Voluntary prepayment/resale speed is measured using Life Voluntary Conditional Prepayment Rate (“CPR”). (3) Total prepayment speed is measured using Life Total CPR, which includes both voluntary and involuntary prepayment/resale rates. Changes in fair value relating to loans held for sale as the result of changes in the loan’s instrument specific credit risk are indicated by successful modifications of the loan’s terms or changes in the respective loan’s delinquency status and performance history at year end from the later of the beginning of the year or acquisition date. Changes in fair value of loans held for sale are included in Net gains on loans held for sale at fair value Derivative Financial Instruments Interest Rate Lock Commitments The Company categorizes IRLCs as “Level 3” fair value assets or liabilities. The Company estimates the fair value of IRLCs based on quoted Agency MBS prices, its estimate of the fair value of the MSRs it expects to receive in the sale of the loans and the probability that the loans will fund or be purchased (the “pull-through rate”). The significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement of the Company’s IRLCs are the pull-through rate and the MSR component of the Company’s estimate of the fair value of the mortgage loans it has committed to purchase. Significant changes in the pull-through rate or the MSR component of the IRLCs, in isolation, could result in significant changes in the IRLCs’ fair value measurement. The financial effects of changes in these inputs are generally inversely correlated as increasing interest rates have a positive effect on the MSR component of IRLC fair value, but increase the pull-through rate for the loan principal and interest payment cash flow component, which has decreased in fair value. Initial recognition and changes in fair value of IRLCs are included in Net gains on loans acquired for sale at fair value Following is a quantitative summary of key unobservable inputs used in the valuation of IRLCs: December 31, 2022 2021 Fair value (in thousands) (1) $ 25,844 $ 322,193 Key inputs Pull-through rate: Range 10.3% – 100% 8.0% – 100% Weighted average 82.8% 78.4% Mortgage servicing rights fair value expressed as: Servicing fee multiple: Range (1.3) – 7.7 (8.5) – 6.7 Weighted average 4.3 3.8 Percentage of loan commitment amount Range (0.2)% – 3.8% (1.6)% – 3.6% Weighted average 2.0% 1.5% (1) For purposes of this table, the IRLC assets and liability positions are shown net. (2) Weighted average inputs are based on the committed amounts. Hedging Derivatives Hedging derivatives that are actively traded on exchanges are categorized by the Company as “Level 1” fair value assets and liabilities. Hedging derivatives whose fair values are based on observable MBS prices or interest rate volatilities in the MBS market are categorized as “Level 2” fair value assets and liabilities. Changes in the fair value of hedging derivatives are included in Net gains on loans acquired for sale at fair value, Net loan servicing fees – Mortgage servicing rights hedging results , as applicable, in the consolidated statements of income. Mortgage Servicing Rights MSRs are categorized as “Level 3” fair value assets. The Company uses a discounted cash flow approach to estimate the fair value of MSRs. The key inputs used in the estimation of the fair value of MSRs include the applicable prepayment rate (prepayment speed), pricing spread (discount rate), and annual per-loan cost to service the underlying loans, all of which are unobservable. Significant changes to any of those inputs in isolation could result in a significant change in the MSR fair value measurement. Changes in these key inputs are not directly related. Changes in the fair value of MSRs are included in Net loan servicing fees Change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights and mortgage servicing liabilities Following are the key inputs used in determining the fair value of MSRs received by the Company when it retains the obligation to service the mortgage loans it sells: Year ended December 31, 2022 2021 2020 (Amount recognized and unpaid principal balance of underlying mortgage loans amounts in thousands) Amount recognized $1,718,094 $1,861,949 $1,138,045 Pool characteristics: Unpaid principal balance of underlying loans $83,569,657 $138,319,425 $96,571,835 Weighted average servicing fee rate (in basis points) 44 34 35 Key inputs (1): Annual total prepayment speed (2): Range 5.1% – 23.4% 6.1% – 31.4% 7.2% – 49.8% Weighted average 9.4% 8.6% 11.9% Equivalent average life (in years): Range 3.7 – 9.4 3.0 – 9.2 1.5 – 9.1 Weighted average 8.1 8.1 6.7 Pricing spread (3): Range 5.5% – 16.1% 6.0% – 16.9% 6.8% – 18.1% Weighted average 7.8% 8.8% 9.4% Annual per-loan cost of servicing: Range $71 – $177 $80 – $117 $77 – $117 Weighted average $104 $103 $102 (1) Weighted average inputs are based on UPB of the underlying loans. (2) Annual total prepayment speed is measured using Life Total CPR, which includes both voluntary and involuntary prepayments. Equivalent average life is provided as supplementary information. (3) Pricing spread represents a margin that is applied to a reference interest rate’s forward rate curve to develop periodic discount rates. Effective January 1, 2022, the Company applies a pricing spread to the United States Treasury (“Treasury”) Securities yield curve for purposes of discounting cash flows relating to MSRs. Through December 31, 2021, the Company applied its pricing spread to the United States Dollar London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”)/swap curve. The change in reference interest rate from the LIBOR/swap curve to the Treasury yield curve did not have a significant effect on the Company’s fair value measurement of MSRs. Following is a quantitative summary of key inputs used in the valuation of the Company’s MSRs at year end and the effect on the fair value from adverse changes in those inputs: December 31, 2022 2021 (Fair value, unpaid principal balance of underlying mortgage loans and effect on fair value amounts in thousands) Fair value $ 5,953,621 $ 3,878,078 Pool characteristics: Unpaid principal balance of underlying loans $ 314,567,639 $ 278,324,780 Weighted average note interest rate 3.4% 3.2% Weighted average servicing fee rate (in basis points) 36 34 Key inputs (1): Annual total prepayment speed (2): Range 5.0% – 17.7% 7.9% – 26.7% Weighted average 7.5% 10.7% Equivalent average life (in years): Range 3.7 – 9.3 3.1 – 7.7 Weighted average 8.4 6.8 Effect on fair value of (3): 5% adverse change ($77,346) ($80,109) 10% adverse change ($152,192) ($157,252) 20% adverse change ($294,872) ($303,259) Pricing spread (4): Range 4.9% – 14.3% 5.3% – 15.5% Weighted average 6.5% 7.7% Effect on fair value of (3): 5% adverse change ($81,021) ($59,577) 10% adverse change ($159,863) ($117,352) 20% adverse change ($311,329) ($227,791) Per-loan annual cost of servicing: Range $68 – $144 $79 – $197 Weighted average $109 $108 Effect on fair value of (3): 5% adverse change ($41,263) ($32,979) 10% adverse change ($82,527) ($65,958) 20% adverse change ($165,053) ($131,916) (1) Weighted average inputs are based on UPB of the underlying loans. (2) Annual total prepayment speed is measured using Life Total CPR , which includes both voluntary and involuntary prepayments . Equivalent average life is provided as supplementary information. (3) These sensitivity analyses are limited in that they were performed as of a particular date; only contemplate the movements in the indicated inputs; do not incorporate changes to other inputs; are subject to the accuracy of the models and inputs used; and do not incorporate other factors that would affect the Company’s overall financial performance in such events, including operational adjustments made to account for changing circumstances. For these reasons, these estimates should not be viewed as earnings forecasts. (4) Effective January 1, 2022, the Company applies a pricing spread to the Treasury yield curve for purposes of discounting cash flows relating to MSRs. Through December 31, 2021, the Company applied its pricing spread to the United States Dollar LIBOR/swap curve. The change in reference interest rate from the LIBOR/swap curve to the Treasury yield curve did not have a significant effect on the Company’s fair value measurement of MSRs. Excess Servicing Spread Financing at Fair Value ESS is categorized as a “Level 3” fair value liability. Because ESS is a claim to a portion of the cash flows from MSRs, the Company’s approach to fair value measurement of ESS is similar to that of MSRs. The Company uses the same discounted cash flow approach to measuring ESS as it uses to measure MSRs except that certain inputs relating to the cost to service the mortgage loans underlying the MSRs and certain ancillary income are not included as these cash flows do not accrue to the holder of ESS. The key inputs used in the estimation of ESS fair value include pricing spread (discount rate) and prepayment speed. Significant changes to either of those inputs in isolation could result in a significant change in the fair value of ESS. Changes in these key inputs are not necessarily directly related. ESS is generally subject to fair value increases when mortgage interest rates increase. Increasing mortgage interest rates normally discourage mortgage refinancing activity. Decreased refinancing activity increases the life of the mortgage loans underlying the ESS, thereby increasing its fair value. Changes in the fair value of ESS are included in Net loan servicing fees—Change in fair value of excess servicing spread payable to PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust. Mortgage Servicing Liabilities MSLs are categorized as “Level 3” fair value liabilities. The Company uses a discounted cash flow approach to estimate the fair value of MSLs. The key inputs used in the estimation of the fair value of MSLs include the applicable pricing spread, annual total prepayment speed, and the per-loan annual cost of servicing the underlying loans. Changes in the fair value of MSLs are included in Net servicing fees Change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights and mortgage servicing liabilities Following are the key inputs used in determining the fair value of MSLs: December 31, 2022 2021 Fair value (i |