Whether rising interest rates are a sign of systemic health or an arrow aimed at the heart of an over-leveraged society remains an open question. But what’s certain is that shares of Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY), and other rivals such as Chimera Investment Corporation (NYSE:CIM) and American Capital Agency Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC), have reached new 52-week lows, as a result of this interest rate swing.
The business model
Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY) is a mortgage real estate investment trust. As such, the company owns, manages, and finances a portfolio of real-estate related investments. If it sounds boring to you…that’s okay. Because Annaly elected to be taxed as a REIT, it’s obligated to pay 90% of its net income back to its shareholders in the form of dividends. Now it’s getting more interesting.
The business model of Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY) and other rivals such as is fairly simple. They borrow money at low interest rates (thanks to the Federal Reserve) and invest it at a higher interest rate in government-guaranteed mortgages from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The difference between the rates they pay to borrow and the ones they collect from investments is called the “interest-rate spread.” Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY), for instance, has an interest rate spread of 2%. At six times leverage — or six times more debt than equity — that’s roughly a 12% return on its money. And that’s what allows it to pay out such hefty dividends.
The good
Higher interest rates could be a blessing for mREITs because fewer homeowners have an incentive to refinance. A recent report stated that the spike in interest rates has led to a decline of more than 15% in refinance application volume. This is good news because it diminishes one of the industry’s greatest fears — the fear of refinancing.
You see, when people prepay their mortgages, mREITS are forced to take them off their books, and instead, settle for a lower, newer mortgage. What this finding indicates is that people will continue making payments on existing loans, so the “inventory” that Annaly and others currently have will continue to produce income rather than be taken off the table.
The bad
But, higher rates eventually erode the book value, which is the most important for mREITS. Chimera Investment Corporation (NYSE:CIM), for example, is now falling apart. The company has failed to file year end and quarterly statements since December 2011, and it’s now on the verge of being de-listed from trading. Although it has continued to pay dividends throughout 2012, in November it paid a dividend of $0.09, of which $0.06 was a distribution of capital.
Distributions of capital are usually done by companies that are winding up operations or closing out divisions. So, it’s very probable that it’s game over for Chimera Investment Corporation (NYSE:CIM). And American Capital Agency Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC) hasn’t escaped the bad news either. According to management’s recent presentation, book value was around $26.44. With the share price currently hovering above $20, American Capital Agency Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC) trades at a 23% discount to book value. In Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY)‘s case, book value is estimated at $15.2. At the current share price of $11.50, shares are trading at a steep 25% discount to book.
