BIMINI CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC. - Quarter Report: 2007 March (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
þ QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the quarterly period ended March 31, 2007
¨ TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the transition period from __________ to ___________
Commission
File Number: 001-32171
Opteum
Inc.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Maryland
|
72-1571637
|
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of
incorporation
or organization)
|
(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
|
3305
Flamingo Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32963
(Address
of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(772)
231-1400
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements
for
the past 90 days. YES þ
NO
¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated
filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large
accelerated filer ¨
|
Accelerated
filer þ
|
Non-accelerated
filer ¨
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES ¨
NO
þ
As
of May
9, 2007, the number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Class A Common
Stock, $0.001 par value, was 24,558,184;
the
number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Class B Common Stock, $0.001
par value, was 319,388; and the number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s
Class C Common Stock, $0.001 par value, was 319,388.
OPTEUM INC.
INDEX
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
3
|
ITEM
1. FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS.
|
3
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2007 (unaudited) and December 31,
2006
|
3
|
Consolidated
Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2007
and
2006
(unaudited)
|
4
|
Consolidated
Statement of Stockholders’ Equity for the three months ended March 31,
2007 (unaudited)
|
6
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2007
and
2006 (unaudited)
|
7
|
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)
|
9
|
ITEM
2. MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
|
36
|
ITEM
3. QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
|
52
|
ITEM
4. CONTROLS
AND PROCEDURES.
|
52
|
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
|
|
ITEM
1. LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS.
|
52
|
ITEM
1A. RISK
FACTORS.
|
52
|
ITEM
6. EXHIBITS.
|
53
|
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM
1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
OPTEUM
INC.
|
||||
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
|
||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||
ASSETS
|
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
||
MORTGAGE
BACKED SECURITIES:
|
||||
Pledged
to counterparties, at fair value
|
$
|
2,930,510,017
|
$
|
2,803,019,180
|
Unpledged,
at fair value
|
1,286,084
|
5,714,860
|
||
TOTAL
MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES
|
2,931,796,101
|
2,808,734,040
|
||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
78,946,785
|
92,506,282
|
||
Mortgage
loans held for sale, net
|
402,560,006
|
749,833,599
|
||
Retained
interests, trading
|
101,974,381
|
104,198,721
|
||
Securities
held for sale
|
849,139
|
857,788
|
||
Mortgage
servicing rights, net
|
91,940,415
|
98,859,466
|
||
Receivables,
net
|
5,092,605
|
5,958,329
|
||
Principal
payments receivable
|
9,112,840
|
12,209,825
|
||
Accrued
interest receivable
|
14,481,468
|
14,072,078
|
||
Derivative
asset
|
482,507
|
5,863,963
|
||
Deferred
tax asset, net
|
-
|
7,180,598
|
||
Property
and equipment, net
|
9,140,121
|
15,788,078
|
||
Prepaid
and other assets
|
18,857,336
|
21,571,169
|
||
TOTAL
ASSETS
|
$
|
3,665,233,704
|
$
|
3,937,633,936
|
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
||||
LIABILITIES:
|
||||
Repurchase
agreements
|
$
|
2,862,121,928
|
$
|
2,741,679,650
|
Warehouse
lines of credit and drafts payable
|
405,240,442
|
734,878,632
|
||
Other
secured borrowings
|
124,270,815
|
121,976,748
|
||
Junior
subordinated notes due to Bimini Capital Trust I & II
|
103,097,000
|
103,097,000
|
||
Accrued
interest payable
|
20,558,256
|
17,776,464
|
||
Dividends
payable
|
1,267,645
|
1,266,937
|
||
Deferred
tax liability, net
|
4,281,956
|
-
|
||
Minority
interest in consolidated subsidiary
|
-
|
770,563
|
||
Accounts
payable, accrued expenses and other
|
26,620,709
|
23,753,113
|
||
TOTAL
LIABILITIES
|
3,547,458,751
|
3,745,199,107
|
||
STOCKHOLDERS'
EQUITY:
|
||||
Preferred
Stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; designated
1,800,000 Class A Redeemable and 2,000,000 Class B Redeemable; no
shares
issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2007 and December 31,
2006
|
-
|
-
|
||
Class
A Common Stock, $0.001 par value; 98,000,000 shares designated: 24,556,219
shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2007 and 24,515,717
shares
issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2006
|
24,556
|
24,516
|
||
Class
B Common Stock, $0.001 par value; 1,000,000 shares designated, 319,388
shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2007 and December 31,
2006
|
319
|
319
|
||
Class
C Common Stock, $0.001 par value; 1,000,000 shares designated, 319,388
shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2007 and December 31,
2006
|
319
|
319
|
||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
336,325,956
|
335,646,460
|
||
Accumulated
other comprehensive loss
|
(72,775,359)
|
(76,773,610)
|
||
Accumulated
deficit
|
(145,800,838)
|
(66,463,175)
|
||
TOTAL
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
117,774,953
|
192,434,829
|
||
TOTAL
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
$
|
3,665,233,704
|
$
|
3,937,633,936
|
See
notes to consolidated financial
statements.
|
OPTEUM
INC.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
|
||||
Three
Months Ended
|
||||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
Interest
income, net of amortization of premium and discount
|
$
|
53,877,464
|
$
|
60,280,985
|
Interest
expense
|
(51,972,115)
|
(56,189,361)
|
||
NET
INTEREST INCOME
|
1,905,349
|
4,091,624
|
||
OTHER
INCOME
|
1,367,392
|
1,748,142
|
||
SERVICING
(LOSS):
|
||||
Servicing
fee income
|
7,578,796
|
6,299,224
|
||
Fair
value adjustments to mortgage servicing rights
|
(12,221,653)
|
(8,062,481)
|
||
NET
SERVICING LOSS
|
(4,642,857)
|
(1,763,257)
|
||
NON-INTEREST
INCOME:
|
||||
GAINS
(LOSS) ON MORTGAGE BANKING ACTIVITIES
|
(17,959,672)
|
2,996,730
|
||
LOSS
ON SALES OF MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES
|
(820,271)
|
-
|
||
TOTAL
NET REVENUES (DEFICIENCY OF REVENUES)
|
(20,150,059)
|
7,073,239
|
||
DIRECT
REIT OPERATING EXPENSES
|
228,247
|
319,250
|
||
GENERAL
AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:
|
||||
Impairment
of property and equipment
|
5,951,752
|
-
|
||
Impairment
of goodwill and other intangible assets
|
2,825,741
|
-
|
||
Compensation
and related benefits
|
8,064,709
|
8,024,556
|
||
Audit,
legal and other professional fees
|
2,313,350
|
1,202,147
|
||
Other
interest
|
2,133,758
|
1,731,785
|
||
Valuation
allowance
|
17,812,256
|
1,341,609
|
||
Occupancy
and utilities
|
3,625,906
|
1,612,226
|
||
Advertising
and marketing
|
957,229
|
1,118,998
|
||
Other
administrative
|
3,315,020
|
5,074,915
|
||
TOTAL
GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES
|
46,999,721
|
20,106,236
|
||
TOTAL
EXPENSES
|
47,227,968
|
20,425,486
|
||
LOSS
BEFORE INCOME TAXES
|
(67,378,027)
|
(13,352,247)
|
||
INCOME
TAX (PROVISION) BENEFIT
|
(11,462,554)
|
5,380,436
|
||
NET
LOSS BEFORE MINORITY INTEREST
|
(78,840,581)
|
(7,971,811)
|
||
MINORITY
INTEREST IN THE CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARY’S LOSS
|
770,563
|
-
|
||
NET
LOSS
|
$
|
(78,070,018)
|
$
|
(7,971,811)
|
OPTEUM
INC.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (con’t)
(Unaudited)
|
||||
Three
Months Ended
|
||||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
BASIC
AND DILUTED NET LOSS PER SHARE OF:
|
||||
PER
CLASS A REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARE
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
CLASS
A COMMON STOCK
|
$
|
(3.14)
|
$
|
(0.34)
|
CLASS
B COMMON STOCK
|
$
|
(3.14)
|
$
|
(0.34)
|
WEIGHTED
AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES OUTSTANDING USED IN COMPUTING BASIC AND
DILUTED
PER SHARE AMOUNTS
|
||||
CLASS
A REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES
|
-
|
1,223,208
|
||
CLASS
A COMMON STOCK
|
24,534,374
|
23,436,534
|
||
CLASS
B COMMON STOCK
|
319,388
|
319,388
|
||
CASH
DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER SHARE OF:
|
||||
CLASS
A REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARE
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
|
CLASS
A COMMON STOCK
|
$
|
0.05
|
$
|
0.11
|
CLASS
B COMMON STOCK
|
$
|
0.05
|
$
|
0.11
|
See
notes to consolidated financial
statements.
|
OPTEUM
INC.
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Unaudited)
Three
Months Ended March 31, 2007
|
||||||||||
Common
Stock,
Amounts
at par value
|
Additional
Paid-in
|
Accumulated
Other Comprehensive
|
Accumulated
|
|||||||
Class
A
|
Class
B
|
Class
C
|
Capital
|
Loss
|
Deficit
|
Total
|
||||
Balances,
December 31, 2006
|
$
24,516
|
$
319
|
$
319
|
$
335,646,460
|
$
(76,773,610)
|
$
(66,463,175)
|
$
192,434,829
|
|||
Issuance
of Class A Common Stock for board compensation and equity plan share
exercises, net
|
40
|
-
|
-
|
43,126
|
-
|
|
43,166
|
|||
Cash
dividends declared, March 2007
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(1,267,645)
|
(1,267,645)
|
|||
Amortization
of equity plan compensation
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
739,945
|
-
|
-
|
739,945
|
|||
Equity
plan shares withheld for statutory minimum withholding
taxes
|
(103,575)
|
(103,575)
|
||||||||
Reclassify
net realized loss on security sales
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
820,271
|
-
|
820,271
|
|||
Net
loss
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(78,070,018)
|
(78,070,018)
|
|||
Unrealized
gain on available-for-sale securities, net
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3,177,980
|
-
|
3,177,980
|
|||
Comprehensive
loss
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(74,892,038)
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Balances,
March 31, 2007
|
$
24,556
|
$
319
|
$
319
|
$
336,325,956
|
$(72,775,359)
|
$(145,800,838)
|
$
117,774,953
|
|||
See
notes to consolidated financial
statements.
|
OPTEUM
INC.
|
|||||
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
|
|||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
||||
CASH
FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
|
|||||
Net
loss
|
$
|
(78,070,018)
|
$
|
(7,971,811)
|
|
Adjustments
to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating
activities:
|
|||||
Loss
(gain) on mortgage banking activities
|
17,959,672
|
(2,996,730)
|
|||
Amortization
of premium and discount on mortgage backed securities
|
2,390,095
|
3,471,025
|
|||
Decrease
(Increase) in residual interest in asset backed securities
|
2,224,340
|
(7,185,613)
|
|||
Originated
mortgage servicing rights
|
6,919,051
|
(4,633,843)
|
|||
Decrease
in mortgage loans held for sale
|
330,065,610
|
179,720,923
|
|||
Decrease
in securities held for sale
|
8,649
|
935,300
|
|||
Derivative
asset
|
4,629,767
|
-
|
|||
Stock
compensation
|
679,536
|
657,468
|
|||
Minority
interest in the consolidated subsidiary’s loss
|
(770,563)
|
-
|
|||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
1,154,116
|
1,027,644
|
|||
Impairment
of property and equipment
|
5,951,752
|
-
|
|||
Impairment
of goodwill and other intangible assets
|
2,825,741
|
||||
Deferred
income tax (benefit) provision
|
11,462,554
|
(3,704,129)
|
|||
Loss
on sales of mortgage backed securities
|
820,271
|
-
|
|||
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|||||
Decrease
in other receivables, net
|
865,724
|
17,855,238
|
|||
(Increase)
in accrued interest receivable
|
(409,390)
|
(701,063)
|
|||
(Increase)
decrease in prepaids and other assets
|
(268,904)
|
283,855
|
|||
Increase
in accrued interest payable
|
2,781,792
|
4,406,495
|
|||
Increase
in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other
|
1,415,822
|
2,682,552
|
|||
NET
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES
|
312,635,617
|
183,847,311
|
|||
CASH
FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
|
|||||
From
available-for-sale securities:
|
|||||
Purchases
|
(834,671,789)
|
(432,101,265)
|
|||
Sales
|
409,782,566
|
-
|
|||
Principal
repayments
|
305,712,032
|
321,984,757
|
|||
Purchases
of property equipment, and other
|
(300,917)
|
(1,842,465)
|
|||
NET
CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES
|
(119,478,108)
|
(111,958,973)
|
|||
CASH
FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
|
|||||
Decrease
in restricted cash
|
-
|
2,310,000
|
|||
Proceeds
from repurchase agreements
|
5,288,715,205
|
4,609,404,826
|
|||
Principal
payments on repurchase agreements
|
(5,168,272,927)
|
(4,533,048,362)
|
|||
Decrease
in warehouse lines of credit, drafts payable and other secured
borrowings
|
(325,892,347)
|
(185,565,000)
|
|||
Stock
issuance and other costs
|
-
|
(128,384)
|
|||
Purchases
of treasury stock
|
-
|
(4,500,327)
|
|||
Cash
dividends paid
|
(1,266,937)
|
-
|
|||
NET
USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES
|
(206,717,006)
|
(111,527,247)
|
|||
NET
CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
(13,559,497)
|
(39,638,909)
|
|||
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, Beginning of the period
|
92,506,282
|
130,510,948
|
|||
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, End of the period
|
$
|
78,946,785
|
$
|
90,872,039
|
OPTEUM
INC.
|
||||
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (CONT’D)
|
||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||
Three
Months Ended
|
||||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
SUPPLEMENTAL
DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
|
||||
Cash
paid during the period for interest
|
$
|
51,324,081
|
$
|
53,514,651
|
SUPPLEMENTAL
SCHEDULE OF NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
|
||||
Unsettled
security purchases
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
1,709,728
|
Cash
dividends declared and payable, not yet paid
|
$
|
(1,267,645)
|
$
|
2,645,853
|
See
notes to consolidated financial
statements.
|
OPTEUM INC.
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
March
31, 2007
NOTE
1. ORGANIZATION
AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Organization
and Business Description
Opteum
Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Opteum”), was originally formed in September 2003
as Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. (“Bimini”) for
the
purpose of creating and managing a leveraged investment portfolio consisting
of
residential mortgage backed securities (“MBS”). Opteum’s shares of Class A
Common Stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trade under the
ticker symbol “OPX.” Opteum’s website is located at
http://www.opteum.com.
On
November 3, 2005, Opteum, then known as Bimini, acquired Opteum
Financial Services, LLC (“OFS”).
Upon
closing of the transaction, OFS became a wholly-owned taxable REIT subsidiary
(“TRS”) of Bimini. Under the terms of the transaction, Bimini issued 3.7 million
shares of Class A Common Stock and 1.2 million shares of Class A Redeemable
Preferred Stock to the former members of OFS. Bimini also agreed to a contingent
earn-out of up to $17.5 million based on the achievement by OFS of certain
specific financial objectives. For the period from the date of acquisition
through March 31, 2007, such objectives were not met and there were no payments
made in respect of the contingent earn-out.
On
February 10, 2006, Bimini changed its name to Opteum Inc. At Opteum’s 2006
Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the shares of Class A Redeemable Preferred
Stock
issued to the former members of OFS were converted into shares of Opteum’s Class
A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis following the approval of such conversion
by Opteum’s stockholders.
On
December 21, 2006, Opteum sold to Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp.
(“Citigroup Realty”) a Class B non-voting limited liability company membership
interest in OFS, representing 7.5% of all of OFS’s outstanding limited liability
company membership interests, for $4.1 million. Immediately following the
transaction, Opteum held Class A voting limited liability company membership
interests in OFS representing 92.5% of all of OFS’s outstanding limited
liability company membership interests. In connection with the transaction,
Opteum also granted Citigroup Realty the option, exercisable on or before
December 20, 2007, to acquire additional Class B non-voting limited liability
company membership interests in OFS representing 7.49% of all of OFS’s
outstanding limited liability company membership interests.
Opteum
has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As a REIT, Opteum is
generally not subject to federal income tax on its REIT taxable income provided
that it distributes to its stockholders at least 90% of its REIT taxable income
on an annual basis. OFS
has
elected to be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary and, as such, is subject
to
federal, state and local income taxation. In addition, the ability of OFS to
deduct interest paid or accrued to Opteum for federal, state and local tax
purposes is subject to certain limitations.
As
used
in this document, references to “Opteum,” the parent company, the registrant,
and to REIT qualifying activities or the general management of Opteum Inc.’s
investment portfolio of MBS refer solely to “Opteum Inc.” Further, as used in
this document, references to “OFS,” Opteum’s taxable REIT subsidiary or non-REIT
eligible assets refer solely to Opteum Financial Services, LLC and its
consolidated subsidiaries. References to the “Company” refer to Opteum and OFS
on a consolidated basis. The assets and activities that are not REIT eligible,
such as mortgage origination, acquisition and servicing activities, are
conducted by OFS.
On
April
20, 2007, the Board of Managers of OFS, at the recommendation of the Board
of
Directors of Opteum, approved the closure of OFS’s wholesale and conduit
mortgage loan origination channels in the second quarter of 2007. Additionally,
in May 2007, OFS signed a binding agreement to sell its retail mortgage loan
origination channel to a third party. The impact of these decisions on the
March
31, 2007 financial statements includes OFS recording impairment charges on
goodwill and other intangible assets and on certain fixed assets (as further
described below). See Note 19.
Interim
Financial Statements
The
accompanying interim financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting
of
normal recurring items that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for
a
fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations,
statement of stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods presented.
These interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with
disclosure requirements for interim financial information and accordingly,
they
may not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for annual financial statements. The
operating results for the interim period ended March 31, 2007 are not
necessarily indicative of results that can be expected for the year ended
December 31, 2007. Certain prior year amounts were reclassified to conform
to
the 2007 presentation. The financial statements included as part of this Form
10-Q should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes
thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2006.
Basis
of Presentation and Use of Estimates
The
accompanying consolidated financial statements are prepared on the accrual
basis
of accounting in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of financial statements
in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions
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.
Significant estimates affecting the accompanying financial statements include
the fair values of MBS, the prepayment speeds used to calculate amortization
and
accretion of premiums and discounts on MBS, the realizability of the deferred
tax assets and related valuation allowance, the valuation allowance on mortgage
loans held for sale, the amount of the impairment charges recorded on certain
assets, the valuation of retained interests, trading and the fair value of
mortgage servicing rights.
Opteum
owned 100% of OFS until December 21, 2006, when a Class B non-voting interest
representing 7.5% of OFS’s then outstanding limited liability company membership
interest was sold to Citigroup Realty. Citigroup Realty’s proportionate share in
the after-tax results of OFS’s operations are shown in the accompanying
consolidated statements of operations and Citigroup Realty’s interests in the
net equity of OFS is reflected as a liability on the accompanying consolidated
balance sheets. The minority interest’s share of the loss for the three months
ended March 31, 2007 has been limited to its investment; see Note
2.
The
accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Opteum
and its majority-owned subsidiary, OFS, as well the wholly-owned and majority
owned subsidiaries of OFS. All inter-company accounts and transactions have
been
eliminated from the consolidated financial statements.
As
further described in Note 11, Opteum has a common share investment in two trusts
used in connection with the issuance of Opteum’s junior subordinated notes.
Pursuant to the accounting guidance provided in Financial Accounting Standards
Board (“FASB”) Interpretation (“FIN”) No. 46, Consolidation
of Variable Interest Entities,
Opteum’s common share investments in the trusts are not consolidated in the
financial statements of Opteum, and accordingly, these investments are accounted
for on the equity method.
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
Cash
and
cash equivalents include cash on hand and highly liquid investments with
original maturities of three months or less. The carrying amount of cash
equivalents approximates its fair value as of March 31, 2007 and December
31, 2006.
Valuation
of Mortgage Backed Securities
The
valuation of the Company's investments in MBS is governed by Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 107,
Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments.
SFAS
No. 107 defines the fair value of a financial instrument as the amount at which
the instrument could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing
parties. All REIT securities are reflected in the Company's financial statements
at their estimated fair value as of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006.
Estimated fair values for MBS are based on the average of third-party broker
quotes received and/or independent pricing sources when available. However,
the
fair values reported reflect estimates and may not necessarily be indicative
of
the amounts the Company could realize in a current market exchange.
In
accordance with GAAP, the Company classifies its investments in MBS as either
trading investments, available-for-sale investments or held-to-maturity
investments. Management determines the appropriate classification of the
securities at the time they are acquired and evaluates the appropriateness
of
such classifications at each balance sheet date. Although the Company intends
to
hold its MBS until maturity, it may, from time to time, sell any of its MBS
as
part of the overall management of the business. The Company classifies all
of
its securities as available-for-sale and assets so classified are carried on
the
balance sheet at fair value and unrealized gains or losses arising from changes
in fair value are reported as other comprehensive income or loss as a component
of stockholders' equity.
When
the
fair value of an available-for-sale security is less than amortized cost,
management considers whether there is an other-than-temporary impairment in
the
value of the security. The decision is based on the credit quality
of the issue (agency versus non-agency and for non-agency, the credit
performance of the underlying collateral), the security prepayment speeds,
the
length of time the security has been in an unrealized loss position and the
Company's ability and intent to hold securities. As of March 31, 2007, the
Company did not hold any non-agency securities in its portfolio. If, in
management's judgment, an other-than-temporary impairment exists, the cost
basis
of the security is written down in the period to fair value and the unrealized
loss is recognized in current period earnings.
Mortgage
Loans Held for Sale
Mortgage
loans held for sale represent mortgage loans originated and held by the Company
pending sale to investors. The mortgages are carried at the lower of cost or
market as determined by outstanding commitments from investors or current
investor yield requirements calculated on the aggregate loan basis. Deferred
net
fees or costs are not amortized during the period the loans are held for sale,
but are recorded when the loan is sold. The Company generally, but not always,
sells or securitizes loans with servicing rights retained. These transfers
of
financial assets are accounted for as sales for financial reporting purposes
when control over the assets has been surrendered. Control over transferred
assets is surrendered when (i) the assets have been isolated from the Company;
(ii) the purchaser obtains the right, free of conditions that constrain such
purchaser from taking advantage of that right, to pledge or exchange the
transferred assets and (iii) the Company does not maintain effective control
over the transferred assets through an agreement to repurchase them before
their
maturity. These transactions are treated as sales in accordance with SFAS No.
140
Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishment
of
Liabilities.
Gains
or losses on such sales are recognized at the time legal title transfers to
the
purchaser and are based upon the difference between the sales proceeds from
the
purchaser and the allocated basis of the loan sold, adjusted for net deferred
loan fees and certain direct costs and selling costs. A valuation allowance
is
recorded to adjust mortgage loans held for sale to the lower of cost or
market.
Retained
Interest, Trading
The
Company uses warehouse loan arrangements to finance the origination and purchase
of pools of fixed and adjustable-rate residential mortgage loans (the “Mortgage
Loans”). Subsequent to their origination or purchase, OFS either sells these
Mortgage Loans to third-party institutional investors through bulk sale
arrangements or through securitization transactions. The Company generally
makes
several representations and warranties regarding the performance of the Mortgage
Loans in connection with each sale or securitization.
In
a
securitization, the Company accumulates the desired amount of Mortgage Loans
and
securitizes them in order to create marketable securities. First, pursuant
to a
Mortgage Loan Purchase Agreement (“MLPA”), the Company sells Mortgage Loans to
Opteum Mortgage Acceptance Corporation (“OMAC”), the Company's wholly-owned
special purpose entity created for the execution of these securitizations.
Under
this MLPA, the Company makes general representations and warranties for the
Mortgage Loans sold by the Company to OMAC.
OMAC
then
deposits the Mortgage Loans purchased from the Company into a Real Estate
Mortgage Investment Conduit (“REMIC”) trust where, pursuant to a Pooling and
Servicing Agreement (“P&S Agreement”), the rights to the cash flows
associated with such Mortgage Loans are sold to investors in the form of
marketable debt securities. These securities, issued by the REMIC trust, are
divided into different classes of certificates (the “Certificates”) with varying
claims to payments received on the Mortgage Loans.
Certain
of these Certificates are offered to the public (the “Public Certificates”)
pursuant to a prospectus. These Public Certificates are sold to underwriters
on
the closing date pursuant to an underwriting agreement. The proceeds from the
sale of the Public Certificates to the underwriters (less an underwriting
discount) are ultimately transferred to the Company as partial consideration
for
the Mortgage Loans sold to OMAC pursuant to the MLPA.
Finally,
subsequent to a securitization transaction as described above, the Company
typically executes an additional net interest margin (“NIM”) securitization, or
“resecuritization” of the non-publicly offered Certificates, representing
prepayment penalties and over-collateralization fundings (the “Underlying
Certificates”). This NIM securitization is typically transacted as
follows:
OMAC
first deposits the Underlying Certificates into a trust (the “NIM Trust”)
pursuant to a deposit trust agreement. The NIM Trust, pursuant to an indenture,
then issues (i) notes (the “NIM Notes”) representing interests in the Underlying
Certificates and (ii) an owner trust certificate (the “Owner Trust Certificate”)
representing the residual interest in the NIM Trust. The NIM Notes are sold
to
third parties via private placement transactions. The net proceeds from the
sale
of the NIM Notes and the Owner Trust Certificate are then transferred from
OMAC
to the Company. The Owner Trust Certificates from the Company's various
securitizations represent the retained interest, trading on the consolidated
balance sheet and are carried at fair value with changes in fair value reflected
in earnings.
Mortgage
Servicing Rights
The
Company recognizes mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”) as an asset when separated
from the underlying mortgage loans in connection with the sale of such loans.
Upon sale of a loan, the Company measures the retained MSRs by allocating the
total cost of originating a mortgage loan between the loan and the servicing
right based on their relative fair values. The estimated fair value of MSRs
is
determined by obtaining a market valuation from a specialist who brokers MSRs.
The broker, Interactive Mortgage Advisors, LLC, is 50% owned by OFS. To
determine the market valuation, the broker uses a valuation model that
incorporates assumptions relating to the estimate of the cost of servicing
the
loan, a discount rate, a float value, an inflation rate, ancillary income of
the
loan, prepayment speeds and default rates that market participants use for
acquiring similar servicing rights. Gains or losses on the sale of MSRs are
recognized when title and all risks and rewards have irrevocably passed to
the
purchaser of such MSRs and there are no significant unresolved
contingencies.
In
March
2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 156,
Accounting for Servicing of Financial Assets.
SFAS
156 amends SFAS 140 with respect to the accounting for separately-recognized
servicing assets and liabilities. SFAS 156 requires all separately-recognized
servicing assets and liabilities to be initially measured at fair value and
permits companies to elect, on a class-by-class basis, to account for servicing
assets and liabilities on either a lower of cost or market value basis or a
fair
value measurement basis. The Company elected to early adopt SFAS 156 as of
January 1, 2006, and to measure all mortgage servicing assets at fair value
(and
as one class). As a result of adopting SFAS 156, the Company recognized a $2.6
million after-tax ($4.3 million pre-tax) increase in retained earnings as of
January 1, 2006, representing the cumulative effect adjustment of re-measuring
all servicing assets and liabilities that existed as of December 31, 2005,
from
a lower of amortized cost or market basis to a fair value basis.
Property
and Equipment, net
Property
and equipment, net, consisting primarily of computer equipment with a
depreciable life of 3 years, office furniture with a depreciable life of 5
to 12
years, leasehold improvements with a depreciable life of 5 to 15 years, land
which has no depreciable life and building with a depreciable life of 30 years,
is recorded at acquisition cost and depreciated using the straight-line method
over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Asset lives range from three
years to thirty years depending on the type of asset.
In
accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting
for the Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets
(“SFAS
144”), the closure and/or sale of mortgage loan origination channels (discussed
in Note 19) required management to test the associated long lived assets for
recoverability. In connection with the testing of recoverability of the long
lived assets, OFS recorded an impairment charge of $6.0 million for the three
months ended March 31, 2007. Further, in accordance with SFAS 144, such long
lived assets were reported by OFS as held for use as of March 31, 2007, but
these assets will be included in discontinued operations for the remainder
of
2007.
Property
and equipment as of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, is net of accumulated
depreciation of $5.3 million and $4.3 million, respectively. Depreciation
expense for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was $1.0 million
and
$0.9 million, respectively.
Goodwill
and Other Intangible Assets
Goodwill
represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets
acquired in a business combination. The Company's goodwill all arose from the
OFS merger.
In
accordance with SFAS No. 142, Goodwill
and Other Intangible Assets
,
goodwill of a reporting unit (OFS) and other intangible assets (the “Opteum”
trade
name) not subject to amortization shall be tested for impairment on an annual
basis and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that
indicate the intangible asset might be impaired, which, in the case of goodwill
of a reporting unit, is when such event or circumstances would more likely
than
not reduce the fair value of that reporting unit below its carrying amount.
The
closure and/or sale of the wholesale and conduit mortgage loan origination
channels constituted such an event that would require impairment analyses on
the
goodwill and other intangibles not subject to amortization. Accordingly, OFS
recorded impairment charges for both goodwill and other intangible assets not
subject to amortization of approximately $2.8 million as of March 31,
2007.
Derivative
Assets and Derivative Liabilities
The
Company's mortgage committed pipeline includes interest rate lock commitments
(“IRLCs”) that have been extended to borrowers who have applied for loan funding
and meet certain defined credit and underwriting criteria. Effective with the
adoption of SFAS No. 133,
Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,
as
amended, the Company classifies and accounts for the IRLCs as derivatives.
Accordingly, IRLCs are recorded at their fair value with changes in fair
value recorded to current earnings. Changes in fair value of IRLCs are
determined based on changes in value of similar loans observed over the period
in question. The Company uses other derivative instruments to economically
hedge
the IRLCs, which are also classified and accounted for as
derivatives.
The
Company's risk management objective for its mortgage loans held for sale
includes use of mortgage forward delivery contracts designed as fair value
derivative instruments to protect earnings from an unexpected change due to
a
decline in value. Effective with the adoption of SFAS No. 133, the Company's
mortgage forward delivery contracts are recorded at their fair value with
changes in fair value recorded to current earnings. The value of mortgage
forward delivery contracts are obtained from readily available market sources.
The Company also evaluates its contractual arrangements, assets and liabilities
for the existence of embedded derivatives.
Derivative
assets or liabilities arising from the Company's derivative activities are
reported as separate line items in the accompanying consolidated financial
statements in “Derivative Asset” or Derivative Liability.” IRLCs are included in
“Mortgage loans held for sale” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Fluctuations in the fair market value of IRLCs and other derivatives employed
are reflected in the consolidated statement of operations under the caption
“Gains (losses) on mortgage banking activities.”
Repurchase
Agreements
The
Company finances the acquisition of its MBS through the use of repurchase
agreements. Under these repurchase agreements, the Company sells securities
to a
repurchase counterparty and agrees to repurchase the same securities in the
future for a price that is higher than the original sales price. The difference
between the sales price that the Company receives and the repurchase price
that
the Company pays represents interest paid to the repurchase counterparty.
Although structured as a sale and repurchase obligation, a repurchase agreement
operates as a financing under which the Company pledges its securities as
collateral to secure a loan which is equal in value to a specified percentage
of
the estimated fair value of the pledged collateral. The Company retains
beneficial ownership of the pledged collateral. At the maturity of a repurchase
agreement, the Company is required to repurchase the underlying MBS and
concurrently receives back its pledged collateral from the repurchase
counterparty or, with the consent of the repurchase counterparty, the Company
may renew such agreement at the then prevailing rate. These repurchase
agreements may require the Company to pledge additional assets to the repurchase
counterparty in the event the estimated fair value of the existing pledged
collateral declines. As of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, the Company
did
not have any margin calls on its repurchase agreements that it was not able
to
satisfy with either cash or additional pledged collateral.
Original
terms to maturity of the Company's repurchase agreements generally, but not
always, range from one month to twelve months; however, the Company is not
precluded from entering into repurchase agreements with shorter or longer
maturities. Repurchase agreement transactions are reflected in the financial
statements at their cost, which approximates their fair value because of the
short-term nature of these instruments. Should a counterparty decide not to
renew a repurchase agreement at maturity, the Company must either refinance
elsewhere or be in a position to satisfy this obligation. If, during the term
of
a repurchase agreement, a counterparty files for bankruptcy, the Company could
experience difficulty recovering its pledged assets and may have an unsecured
claim against the counterparty's assets for the difference between the amount
received by the Company and the estimated fair value of the collateral pledged
to such counterparty.
Interest
Income Recognition on MBS
MBS
are
recorded at cost on the date the MBS are purchased or sold, which is generally
the trade date. Realized gains or losses from MBS transactions are determined
based on the specific identified cost of the MBS. Interest income is accrued
based on the outstanding principal amount of the MBS and their stated
contractual terms. Premiums and discounts associated with the purchase of the
MBS are amortized or accreted into interest income over the estimated lives
of
the MBS adjusted for estimated prepayments using the effective interest method.
Adjustments are made using the retrospective method to the effective interest
computation each reporting period. The adjustment is based on the actual
prepayment experiences to date and the present expectation of future prepayments
of the underlying mortgages and/or the current value of the indices underlying
adjustable rate mortgage securities versus index values in effect at the time
of
purchase or the last adjustment period.
Gain
(Loss) on Sale of Loans
Gains
or
losses on the sale of mortgage loans are recognized at the time legal title
transfers to the purchaser of such loans based upon the difference between
the
sales proceeds from the purchaser and the allocated basis of the loan sold,
adjusted for net deferred loan fees and certain direct costs and selling costs.
The Company defers net loan origination costs and fees as a component of the
loan balance on the balance sheet. Such costs are not amortized and are
recognized into income as a component of the gain or loss upon sale.
Accordingly, salaries, commissions, benefits and other operating expenses of
$12.2 million and $16.0 million were capitalized as direct loan origination
costs during the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively and
reflected in the basis of loans sold for gain on sale recognition purposes.
Loan
fees related to the origination and funding of mortgage loans held for sale
which were also capitalized, were $1.2 million and $1.6 million during the
three
months ended as of March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The net gain/(loss)
on
sale of loans for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was ($18.0)
million and $3.0 million, respectively. The net loss on sale of loans is
included with changes in fair market value of IRLCs and mortgage loans held
for
sale and reported as “Gains (loss) on mortgage banking activities” on the
consolidated statement of operations.
Servicing
Fee Income
Servicing
fee income is generally a fee based on a percentage of the outstanding principal
balances of the mortgage loans serviced by the Company (or by a subservicer
where the Company is the master servicer) and is recorded as income as the
installment payments on the mortgages are received by the Company or the
subservicer.
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
In
accordance with SFAS No. 130,
Reporting Comprehensive Income,
the
Company is required to separately report its comprehensive income (loss) each
reporting period. Other comprehensive income refers to revenue, expenses, gains
and losses that, under GAAP, are included in comprehensive income but are
excluded from net income, as these amounts are recorded directly as an
adjustment to stockholders' equity. Other comprehensive income (loss) arises
from unrealized gains or losses generated from changes in market values of
securities classified as available-for-sale.
Comprehensive
(loss) is as follows:
(in
thousands)
(Unaudited)
|
||||
Three
Months Ended
|
||||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
Net
(loss)
|
$
|
(78,070)
|
$
|
(7,972)
|
Plus
unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities,
net
|
3,178
|
(11,424)
|
||
|
||||
Comprehensive
loss
|
$
|
(74,892)
|
$
|
(19,396)
|
Stock-Based
Compensation
The
Company adopted SFAS No. 123(R),
Share-Based Payment,
on
January 1, 2006, and this adoption did not have an impact on the Company, as
the
Company had previously accounted for stock-based compensation using the fair
value based method prescribed by SFAS No. 123,
Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation.
For
stock and stock-based awards issued to employees, a compensation charge is
recorded against earnings based on the fair value of the award. For transactions
with non-employees in which services are performed in exchange for the Company's
common stock or other equity instruments, the transactions are recorded on
the
basis of the fair value of the service received or the fair value of the equity
instruments issued, whichever is more readily measurable at the date of
issuance. Opteum's
stock-based compensation transactions resulted in an aggregate of $0.8 million
of compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and $0.8
million of compensation expense for the three months ended March 31,
2006.
Earnings
Per Share
The
Company follows the provisions of SFAS No. 128,
Earnings per Share,
and the
guidance provided in the FASB's Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) Issue No.
03-6,
Participating Securities and the Two-Class Method under FASB Statement
No. 128, Earnings Per Share,
which
requires companies with complex capital structures, common stock equivalents
or
two (or more) classes of securities that participate in the declared dividends
to present both basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) on the face of the
consolidated statement of operations. Basic EPS is calculated as income
available to common stockholders divided by the weighted average number of
common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is calculated using
the
“if converted” method for common stock equivalents. However, the common stock
equivalents are not included in computing diluted EPS if the result is
anti-dilutive.
Outstanding
shares of Class B Common Stock, participating and convertible into Class A
Common Stock, are entitled to receive dividends in an amount equal to the
dividends declared on each share of Class A Common Stock if, as and when
authorized and declared by the Board of Directors. Following the provisions
of
EITF 03-6, shares of the Class B Common Stock are included in the computation
of
basic EPS using the two-class method and, consequently, are presented separately
from Class A Common Stock.
The
shares of Class C Common Stock are not included in the basic EPS
computation as these shares do not have participation rights. The outstanding
shares of Class C Common Stock, totaling 319,388 shares, are not included
in the computation of diluted EPS for the Class A Common Stock as the conditions
for conversion into shares of Class A Common Stock were not
met.
Income
Taxes
Opteum
has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code. As further described below,
Opteum's TRS, OFS, is a taxpaying entity for income tax purposes and is taxed
separately from Opteum. Opteum will generally not be subject to federal income
tax on its REIT taxable income to the extent that Opteum distributes its REIT
taxable income to its stockholders and satisfies the ongoing REIT requirements,
including meeting certain asset, income and stock ownership tests. A REIT must
generally distribute at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its
stockholders, of which 85% generally must be distributed within the taxable
year, in order to avoid the imposition of an excise tax. The remaining balance
may be distributed up to the end of the following taxable year, provided the
REIT elects to treat such amount as a prior year distribution and meets certain
other requirements.
OFS
and
its activities are subject to corporate income taxes and the applicable
provisions of SFAS No. 109,
Accounting for Income Taxes.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax
consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement
carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax
basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using 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 effect on deferred
tax
assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in
the
period that includes the enactment date. To the extent management believes
deferred tax assets will not be fully realized in future periods, a provision
will be recorded so as to reflect the net portion, if any, of the deferred
tax
asset management expects to realize in the consolidated balance sheet of the
Company.
In
assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether
it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets
will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is
dependant upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in
which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the
scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable
income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment, including the
impacts of the Company’s current plans
to close
the OFS wholesale and conduit mortgage loan origination channels in the second
quarter of 2007, and to sell the OFS retail mortgage loan origination channel
to
a third party. At this time, management
believes it is more likely than not that the Company will not realize the full
benefits of the federal tax loss carryforwards, and that the Company will not
realize any benefit of the state tax loss carryforwards and the other deferred
tax assets. Therefore, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance of
$37.4 million against certain deferred tax assets at March 31, 2007. The Company
believes deferred tax assets of $23.4 million for which there are future
reversals of existing taxable temporary differences expected to result in tax
gains are more likely than not realizable as of March 31, 2007.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
On
February 15, 2007, the FASB issued statement No. 159, The
Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities — Including an
Amendment of FASB Statement No. 115
SFAS
159. This standard permits an entity to measure financial instruments and
certain other items at estimated fair value. Most of the provisions of SFAS
No. 159 are elective; however, the amendment to SFAS No. 115,
Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities, applies to
all
entities that own trading and available-for-sale securities. The fair
value option created by SFAS 159 permits an entity to measure eligible items
at
fair value as of specified election dates. The fair value option is generally
applied instrument by instrument, is irrevocable unless a new election date
occurs, and must be applied to the entire instrument and not to only a portion
of the instrument. SFAS 159 is effective as of the beginning of the first
fiscal year that begins after November 15, 2007. Under certain
conditions, early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of the previous
fiscal year. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of SFAS 159,
if any, on our consolidated financial statements.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair
Value Measurements,
to
eliminate the diversity in practice that exists due to the different definitions
of fair value that are dispersed among the many accounting pronouncements that
require fair value measurements and the limited guidance for applying those
definitions. SFAS 157 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal
years beginning after November 15, 2007, and interim periods within those fiscal
years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact, if any, of adopting
SFAS
157 on the financial statements.
In
June
2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48,
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes — an interpretation of FASB
Statement No. 109
(“FIN 48”), which clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in tax
positions. This Interpretation requires that the Company recognize in its
financial statements, the impact of a tax position, if that position is more
likely than not of being sustained on audit, based on the technical merits
of
the position. The provisions of FIN 48 are effective as of the beginning
of the 2007 fiscal year, with the cumulative effect, if any, of the change
in accounting principle recorded as an adjustment to opening retained earnings.
The Company adopted FIN 48 on January 1, 2007, and such adoption did not have
a
material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of
operations.
In
February 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 155, Accounting
for Certain Hybrid Financial Instruments — an amendment of FASB Statements
No. 133 and 140.
SFAS
155 (i) permits an entity to measure at fair value any financial instrument
that
contains an embedded derivative that otherwise would require bifurcation; (ii)
establishes a requirement to evaluate interests in securitized financial assets
to identify interests that are freestanding derivatives or that are hybrid
financial instruments that contain an embedded derivative requiring bifurcation;
and (iii) contains other provisions that are not germane to the Company. SFAS
155 is effective for all financial instruments acquired or issued after the
beginning of an entity’s first fiscal year beginning after September 15, 2006. A
scope exception under SFAS 155 where by securitized interests that only contain
an embedded derivative that is tied to the prepayment risk of the underlying
prepayable financial asset, and for which the investor does not control the
right to accelerate the settlement was adopted by the FASB. The MBS securities
owned in the REIT portfolio fall under this scope exception. However, in the
future, the Company may own securities that may not fall under the exception
or
the FASB may repeal the exception, in which case the Company would be subject
to
the provisions of SFAS 155. Should securities owned by the Company fall under
the provisions of SFAS 155 in the future, the Company’s results of operations
may exhibit volatility as certain of its future investments may be marked to
market through the income statement. Currently, changes in the value of the
Company’s MBS securities are recognized through other comprehensive income
(loss), a component of stockholders equity.
NOTE
2. OPTEUM FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC
On
November 3, 2005, Opteum acquired 100% of the equity interests of OFS
through a merger with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Opteum. The results of
operations of OFS have been included in the Company's consolidated financial
statements since November 3, 2005.
At
the
date of the merger, the Company recorded intangible assets with finite lives
in
the amount of $2.1 million for proprietary software and $0.6 million for an
unlocked loans pipeline. The software intangible has a 36 month life
without any significant residual value, and the unlocked loans intangible was
reduced as the applicable loans were closed. During 2006, the unlocked
loans pipeline was reduced to zero. As of March 31, 2007, the software
intangible had been fully amortized, with $1.3 million of amortization expense
for the three months ended March 31, 2007. As of March 31, 2007, the
Company’s goodwill of $2.1 million was fully impaired and written off in
accordance with SFAS 142. In addition the Company recorded an impairment charge
of $0.7 million
to reduce the trade name intangible asset to $0.6 million
as of March 31, 2007, in accordance with SFAS 144. During the three months
ended
March 31, 2007, the goodwill was deemed fully impaired and its carrying value
was reduced to zero.
On
December 21, 2006, Opteum sold to Citigroup Realty a Class B non-voting limited
liability company membership interest in OFS, representing 7.5% of all of OFS’s
outstanding limited liability company membership interests. Immediately
following the transaction, Opteum held Class A voting limited liability company
membership interests in OFS representing 92.5% of all of OFS’s outstanding
limited liability company membership interests. In connection with the
transaction, Opteum also granted Citigroup Realty the option, exercisable on
or
before December 20, 2007, to acquire additional Class B non-voting limited
liability company membership interests in OFS representing 7.49% of all of
OFS’s
outstanding limited liability company membership interests.
Citigroup
Realty’s proportionate share in the after-tax results of OFS’s operations are
shown in the accompanying statements of operation, and Citigroup Realty’s
interests in the net equity of these subsidiaries is reflected as a liability
on
the accompanying balance sheets. However, during the three-months ended March
31, 2007, the proportionate share of OFS loss exceeded the net investment
attributable to Citigroup Realty. Therefore, the portion of the net loss of
OFS
that is attributable to Citigroup Realty’s interest that is in excess of their
investment is charged against the Company. Citigroup Realty’s net investment on
December 31, 2006 was $0.8 million. For the quarter ended March 31, 2007,
Citigroup Realty’s interest in the net loss of OFS was limited to $0.8 million.
The losses absorbed by the Company which are in excess of Citigroup Realty’s
investment totaled approximately $5.1 million for the quarter ended March 31,
2007. In future periods, the Company will be credited first for these absorbed
losses before Citigroup Realty’s investment is reinstated.
NOTE
3. MORTGAGE LOANS HELD FOR SALE, NET
Upon
the
closing of a residential mortgage loan or shortly thereafter, OFS will sell
or
securitize the majority of its mortgage loan originations. OFS also sells
mortgage loans insured or guaranteed by various government-sponsored entities
and private insurance agencies. The insurance or guaranty is provided primarily
on a nonrecourse basis to OFS, except where limited by the Federal Housing
Administration and Veterans Administration and their respective loan programs.
As of March 31, 2007, OFS serviced approximately $9.4 billion of mortgage loans
sold into the secondary market. All of OFS’s loans held for sale are pledged as
collateral under the various financing arrangements described in Note 8.
Mortgage loans held for sale consist of the following as of March 31, 2007
and
December 31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
Mortgage
loans held for sale, and other, net
|
$
|
416,620
|
$
|
741,545
|
Deferred
loan origination costs and other-net
|
5,387
|
9,188
|
||
Lower
of cost or market and valuation allowance
|
(19,447)
|
(899)
|
||
$
|
402,560
|
$
|
749,834
|
Included
in mortgage loans held for sale above are IRLCs. Fluctuations in the fair
market value of IRLCs and other derivatives employed for hedging are reflected
in the consolidated statement of operations under the caption “Gains on mortgage
banking activities.”
NOTE
4. RETAINED INTEREST, TRADING
Retained
interest, trading is the subordinated interests retained by OFS resulting from
securitizations and includes the over-collateralization and residual net
interest spread remaining after payments to the Public Certificates and NIM
Notes. Retained interest, trading represents the present value of estimated
cash
flows to be received from these subordinated interests in the future. The
subordinated interests retained are classified as “trading securities” and are
reported at fair value with unrealized gains or losses reported in
earnings.
All
of
OFS’s securitizations were structured and are accounted for as sales in
accordance with SFAS No. 140,
Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments
of Liabilities.
Generally, to meet the sale treatment requirements of SFAS No. 140, the REMIC
trust is structured as a “qualifying special purpose entity” or QSPE, which
specifically limits the REMIC trust's activities, and OFS surrenders control
over the mortgage loans upon their transfer to the REMIC trust.
Valuation
of Investments. OFS
classifies its retained interests as trading securities and therefore records
these securities at their estimated fair value. In order to value the unrated,
unquoted, investments, OFS will record these assets at their estimated fair
value utilizing pricing information available directly from dealers and the
present value calculated by projecting the future cash flows of an investment
on
a publicly available analytical system. When a publicly available analytical
system is utilized, OFS will input the following variable factors which will
have an impact on determining the market value:
Interest
Rate Forecast.
The
forward London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) interest rate curve.
Discount
Rate.
The
present value of all future cash flows utilizing a discount rate assumption
established at the discretion of OFS to represent market conditions and value
of
similar instruments with similar risks. Discount rates used will vary over
time.
Management observes discount rates used for assets with similar risk profiles.
In selecting which assets to monitor for variations in discount rates,
management seeks to identify assets that share most, if not all of the risk
attributes of the Company’s retained interests, trading. Such assets are
typically traded between market participants whereby the discount rate is the
primary variable.
Prepayment
Forecast.
The
prepayment forecast may be expressed by OFS in accordance with one of the
following standard market conventions: 1) Constant Prepayment Rate (CPR) or
2)
Percentage of a Prepayment Vector (PPV). Prepayment forecasts may be changed
as
OFS observes trends in the underlying collateral as delineated in the Statement
to Certificate Holders generated by the REMIC trust’s Trustee for each
underlying security. Prepayment forecast will also vary over time as the level
of interest rates change, the difference between rates available to borrowers
on
adjustable rate versus fixed rate mortgages change and non-interest rate related
variables fluctuate such as home price appreciation, among others.
Credit
Performance Forecast. A
forecast of future credit performance of the underlying collateral pool will
include an assumption of default frequency, loss severity, and a recovery lag.
In general, OFS will utilize the combination of default frequency and loss
severity in conjunction with a collateral prepayment assumption to arrive at
a
target cumulative loss to the collateral pool over the life of the pool based
on
historical performance of similar collateral by the originator. The target
cumulative loss forecast will be developed and noted at the pricing date of
the
individual security but may be updated by OFS consistent with observations
of
the actual collateral pool performance. The Company utilizes a third party
source to forecast credit performance.
Default
Frequency may be expressed by OFS in accordance with any of three standard
market conventions: 1) Constant Default Rate (CDR) 2) Percentage of a Standard
Default Assumption (SDA) curve, or 3) a vector or curve established to meet
forecasted performance for specific collateral pools.
Loss
Severity will be expressed by OFS in accordance with historical performance
of
similar collateral and the standard market conventions of a percentage of the
unpaid principal balance of the forecasted defaults lost during the foreclosure
and liquidation process.
During
the first year of a new issue OFS may balance positive or adverse effects of
the
prepayment forecast and the credit performance forecast allowing for deviation
between actual and forecasted performance of the collateral pool. After the
first year OFS will generally adjust the Prepayment and Credit Performance
Forecasts to replicate actual performance trends without balancing adverse
and
positive effects.
The
following table summarizes OFS’s residual interests in securitizations as of
March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
Series
|
Issue
Date
|
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
HMAC
2004-1
|
March
4, 2004
|
$
|
2,513
|
$
|
2,948
|
|
HMAC
2004-2
|
May
10, 2004
|
1,655
|
1,939
|
|||
HMAC
2004-3
|
June
30, 2004
|
566
|
362
|
|||
HMAC
2004-4
|
August
16, 2004
|
1,776
|
1,544
|
|||
HMAC
2004-5
|
September
28, 2004
|
3,996
|
4,545
|
|||
HMAC
2004-6
|
November
17, 2004
|
8,828
|
9,723
|
|||
OMAC
2005-1
|
January
31, 2005
|
10,236
|
13,331
|
|||
OMAC
2005-2
|
April
5, 2005
|
13,676
|
14,259
|
|||
OMAC
2005-3
|
June
17, 2005
|
16,458
|
16,091
|
|||
OMAC
2005-4
|
August
25, 2005
|
13,938
|
12,491
|
|||
OMAC
2005-5
|
November
23, 2005
|
10,034
|
8,916
|
|||
OMAC
2006-1
|
March
23, 2006
|
14,024
|
13,219
|
|||
OMAC
2006-2
|
June
26, 2006
|
4,274
|
4,831
|
|||
Total
|
$
|
101,974
|
$
|
104,199
|
Key
economic assumptions used in measuring the fair value of retained interests
at
the date of securitization resulting from securitizations completed during
2006
were as follows:
2006
|
|
Prepayment
speeds (CPR)
|
36.25%
|
Weighted-average-life
|
4.18
|
Expected
credit losses
|
0.74%
|
Discount
rates
|
16.81%
|
Interest
rates
|
Forward
LIBOR Yield curve
|
As
of
March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, key economic assumptions and the
sensitivity of the current fair value of residual cash flows to the immediate
10% and 20% adverse change in those assumptions are as follows:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
Balance
sheet carrying value of retained interests - fair value
|
$
|
101,974
|
$
|
104,199
|
Weighted
average life (in years)
|
4.00
|
4.26
|
||
Prepayment
assumption (annual rate)
|
38.94%
|
37.88%
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(6,748)
|
$
|
(8,235)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(12,334)
|
$
|
(14,939)
|
Expected
credit losses (% of original unpaid principal balance)
|
0.51%
|
0.56%
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(2,602)
|
$
|
(3,052)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(5,285)
|
$
|
(6,098)
|
Residual
cash-flow discount rate
|
17.35%
|
16.03%
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(4,407)
|
$
|
(4,575)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(8,452)
|
$
|
(8,771)
|
Interest
rates on variable and adjustable loans and bonds
|
Forward
LIBOR Yield Curve
|
Forward
LIBOR Yield Curve
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(17,611)
|
$
|
(18,554)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(33,568)
|
$
|
(39,292)
|
These
sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution. As the figures
indicate, changes in fair value based upon a 10% variation in assumptions
generally cannot be extrapolated because the relationship of the change in
assumption to the change in fair value may not be linear. Also, in this table,
the effect of the variation in a particular assumption on the fair value of
the
retained interest is calculated without changing any other assumption, in
reality, changes in one factor may result in changes in another which may
magnify or counteract the sensitivities. To estimate the impact of a 10% and
20%
adverse change of the Forward LIBOR curve, a parallel shift in the forward
LIBOR
curve was assumed based on the Forward LIBOR curve as of March 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2006.
Static
pool loss percentages are calculated by using the original unpaid principal
balance of each pool of assets as the denominator. The following static pool
loss percentages are calculated based upon all OFS securitizations that have
been completed to date:
(in
thousands)
Series
|
Issue
Date
|
Original
Unpaid Principal Balance
|
Actual
Losses Through March 31, 2007
|
Projected
Future Credit Losses as of March 31, 2007
|
Projected
Total Credit Losses as of March 31, 2007
|
HMAC
2004-1
|
March
4, 2004
|
$
309,710
|
0.18%
|
0.12%
|
0.30%
|
HMAC
2004-2
|
May
10, 2004
|
388,737
|
0.38
|
0.15
|
0.53
|
HMAC
2004-3
|
June
30, 2004
|
417,055
|
0.17
|
0.15
|
0.32
|
HMAC
2004-4
|
August
16, 2004
|
410,123
|
0.14
|
0.14
|
0.28
|
HMAC
2004-5
|
September
28, 2004
|
413,875
|
0.10
|
0.26
|
0.36
|
HMAC
2004-6
|
November
17, 2004
|
761,027
|
0.23
|
0.28
|
0.51
|
OMAC
2005-1
|
January
31, 2005
|
802,625
|
0.10
|
0.27
|
0.37
|
OMAC
2005-2
|
April
5, 2005
|
883,987
|
0.07
|
0.36
|
0.43
|
OMAC
2005-3
|
June
17, 2005
|
937,117
|
0.04
|
0.35
|
0.39
|
OMAC
2005-4
|
August
25, 2005
|
1,321,739
|
0.01
|
0.51
|
0.52
|
OMAC
2005-5
|
November
23, 2005
|
986,277
|
0.01
|
0.61
|
0.62
|
OMAC
2006-1
|
March
23, 2006
|
934,441
|
0.00
|
0.67
|
0.67
|
OMAC
2006-2
|
June
26, 2006
|
491,572
|
0.00
|
1.12
|
1.12
|
Total
|
|
$
9,058,285
|
|
|
|
The
table
below summarizes certain cash flows received from and paid to securitization
trusts:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
Proceeds
from securitizations
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
939,305
|
Servicing
fees received
|
5,310
|
4,592
|
||
Servicing
advances
|
605
|
335
|
||
Cash
flows received on retained interests
|
901
|
1,016
|
The
following information presents quantitative information about delinquencies
and
credit losses on securitized financial assets as of March 31, 2007 and December
31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
As
of Date
|
Total
Principal Amount of Loans
|
Principal
Amount of Loans 60 Days or more
|
Net
Credit Losses
|
|||
March
31, 2007
|
$
|
5,427,366
|
$
|
227,215
|
$
|
7,512
|
December
31, 2006
|
5,849,013
|
138,205
|
5,210
|
NOTE
5. MORTGAGE
SERVICING RIGHTS, NET
As
permitted by the effective date provisions of SFAS No. 156, the Company early
adopted SFAS No. 156 as of January
1, 2006 with respect to the valuation of its MSRs. (See Note 1 - Mortgage
Servicing Rights.) Activities for MSRs are
summarized as follows for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and for the
year
ended December 31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
Balance
at beginning of period
|
$
|
98,859
|
$
|
86,082
|
Adjustment
to fair value upon adoption of SFAS 156 as of January 1,
2006
|
-
|
4,298
|
||
Additions
|
5,303
|
11,020
|
||
Changes
in fair value:
|
||||
Changes
in fair value due to changes in market conditions and
run-off
|
(9,663)
|
(6,918)
|
||
Changes
in fair value due to change in valuation assumptions
|
(2,559)
|
(1,145)
|
||
|
||||
Balance
at end of period
|
$
|
91,940
|
$
|
93,337
|
The
Company elected to account for all originated MSRs as one class and, therefore,
all MSRs are carried at fair value. As a result of the early adoption of SFAS
156, the carrying value of the MSRs were increased by approximately $4.3 million
(pre-tax) as of January 1, 2006. As required by the provisions of SFAS 156,
the
net of tax effect was recorded as a cumulative effect adjustment to retained
earnings of OFS as of January 1, 2006. In addition, changes in value due to
run-offs of the portfolio are recorded as valuation adjustments instead of
amortization.
The
fair
value of MSRs is determined using discounted cash flow techniques. Changes
in
fair value are the result of changes in market conditions, changes in valuation
assumptions and run-off of the underlying mortgage loans. Changes in fair value
due to run-off of the underlying mortgage loans and changes in value due to
changes in market conditions are grouped together above. When the underlying
assumptions used for valuation purposes are changed, the effect on fair value
is
presented separately. For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, such
changes to the underlying assumptions resulted in changes in fair value of
($2.6) million and ($1.1) million, respectively. During the three months ended
March 31, 2007 and 2006, the MSR value increased/(decreased) by ($6.9) million
and $7.3 million, respectively. Additions to the servicing portfolio, net
of run-off, for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, were $0.6
million and $5.5 million, respectively. Estimates of fair value involve several
assumptions, including the key valuation assumptions about market expectations
of future prepayment rates, interest rates and discount rates. Prepayment rates
are projected using a prepayment model. The model considers key factors, such
as
refinance incentive, housing turnover, seasonality and aging of the pool of
loans. Prepayment speeds incorporate expectations of future rates implied by
the
forward LIBOR/swap curve, as well as collateral specific
information.
As
of
March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, key economic assumptions and the
sensitivity of the current fair value of MSR rights cash flows to the immediate
10% and 20% adverse change in those assumptions are as follows: (Note: base
case
prepayment and discount rate assumptions are a weighted average of the values
applied to the various mortgage loans).
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
Prepayment
assumption (annual rate) (PSA)
|
406.8
|
424.6
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(3,986)
|
$
|
(3,923)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(7,535)
|
$
|
(7,557)
|
MSR
Cash-Flow Discount Rate
|
14.39%
|
14.50%
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(3,378)
|
$
|
(3,505)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(6,480)
|
$
|
(6,727)
|
These
sensitivities are entirely hypothetical and should be used with caution. As
the
figures indicate, changes in fair value based upon 10% and 20% variations in
assumptions generally cannot be extrapolated to greater or lesser percentage
variation because the relationship of the change in assumption to the change
in
fair value may not be linear. Also, in this table, the effect of the variation
in a particular assumption on the fair value of the MSR is calculated without
changing any other assumption. In reality, changes in one factor may result
in
changes in another which may magnify or counteract the
sensitivities.
NOTE
6. MORTGAGE
BACKED SECURITIES
As
of
March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, all of Opteum's MBS were classified
as available-for-sale and, as such, were reported at their estimated fair value.
Estimated fair value was determined based on the average of third-party broker
quotes received and/or independent pricing sources when available.
The
following are the carrying values of Opteum's MBS portfolio as of March 31,
2007 and December 31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
Hybrid
Arms
|
$
|
516,598
|
$
|
76,488
|
Adjustable
Rate Mortgages
|
1,821,445
|
2,105,818
|
||
Fixed
Rate Mortgages
|
593,753
|
626,428
|
||
Totals
|
$
|
2,931,796
|
$
|
2,808,734
|
The
following table presents the components of the carrying value of Opteum's MBS
portfolio as of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
Principal
balance
|
$
|
2,893,760
|
$
|
2,779,867
|
Unamortized
premium
|
111,272
|
116,114
|
||
Unaccreted
discount
|
(461)
|
(502)
|
||
Gross
unrealized gains
|
1,218
|
422
|
||
Other-than-temporary
losses
|
-
|
(9,971)
|
||
Gross
unrealized losses
|
(73,993)
|
(77,196)
|
||
Carrying
value/estimated fair value
|
$
|
2,931,796
|
$
|
2,808,734
|
The
following table presents for Opteum's MBS investments with gross unrealized
losses, the estimated fair value and gross unrealized losses aggregated by
investment category, as of March 31, 2007:
(in
thousands)
Loss
Position More than 12 Months
|
Loss
Position Less than 12 Months
|
Total
|
||||||||||
Estimated
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses
|
Estimated
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses
|
Estimated
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses
|
|||||||
Hybrid
Arms
|
$
|
63,890
|
$
|
(1,697)
|
$
|
188,705
|
$
|
(638)
|
$
|
252,595
|
$
|
(2,335)
|
Adjustable
Rate Mortgages
|
1,255,190
|
(47,191)
|
427,654
|
(1,611)
|
1,682,844
|
(48,802)
|
||||||
Fixed
Rate Mortgages
|
503,935
|
(22,842)
|
3,524
|
(14)
|
507,459
|
(22,856)
|
||||||
$
|
1,823,015
|
$
|
(71,730)
|
$
|
619,883
|
$
|
(2,263)
|
$
|
2,442,898
|
$
|
(73,993)
|
The
following table presents for Opteum's MBS investments with gross unrealized
losses, the estimated fair value and gross unrealized losses aggregated by
investment category, as of December 31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
Loss
Position More than 12 Months
|
Loss
Position Less than 12 Months
|
Total
|
||||||||||
Estimated
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses
|
Estimated
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses
|
Estimated
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses
|
|||||||
Hybrid
Arms and Balloons
|
$
|
67,437
|
$
|
(1,858)
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
67,437
|
$
|
(1,858)
|
Adjustable
Rate Mortgages
|
1,232,644
|
(46,715)
|
348,901
|
(2,591)
|
1,581,545
|
(49,306)
|
||||||
Fixed
Rate Mortgages
|
515,067
|
(25,662)
|
48,604
|
(370)
|
563,671
|
(26,032)
|
||||||
$
|
1,815,148
|
$
|
(74,235)
|
$
|
397,505
|
$
|
(2,961)
|
$
|
2,212,653
|
$
|
(77,196)
|
As
of
March 31, 2007, all of Opteum's MBS investments have contractual maturities
greater than 24 months. Actual maturities of MBS investments are generally
shorter than stated contractual maturities. Actual maturities of Opteum's MBS
investments are affected by the contractual lives of the underlying mortgages,
periodic payments of principal, and prepayments of principal.
The
Company believes that the overall decline in fair value of MBS is not considered
to be other-than-temporary as of March 31, 2007. Accordingly, the write
down to fair value is recorded in other comprehensive loss as an unrealized
loss. Generally,
the factors considered in making this determination include: the expected cash
flow from the MBS investment, the general quality of the MBS owned, any credit
protection available, current market conditions, and the magnitude and duration
of the historical decline in market prices as well as Opteum's ability and
intention to hold the MBS owned. At December 31, 2006, the Company
recorded a $10.0 million loss related to an other-than-temporary impairment
on
MBS securities identified for sale during the three months ended March 31,
2007.
Subsequent to the release of the Company’s annual report for the year ended
December 31, 2006, the Company sold the balance of such assets and recorded
an
additional net loss of $0.8 million. The $0.8 million loss is classified as
“Loss on sales of Mortgage Backed Securities” in the accompanying Statement of
Operations. The Company has the present intent and ability to hold the remaining
available for sale assets until their decline in fair market value could be
recovered.
NOTE
7. EARNINGS
PER SHARE
The
Company follows the provisions of SFAS No. 128,
Earnings per Share,
and the
guidance provided in the FASB's EITF Issue No. 03-6,
Participating Securities and the two-class method under FASB Statement
No. 128, Earnings Per Share,
which
requires companies with complex capital structures, common stock equivalents,
or
two classes of participating securities to present both basic and diluted EPS
on
the face of the statement of operations. Basic EPS is calculated as income
available to common stockholders divided by the weighted average number of
common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is calculated using
the
“if converted” method for common stock equivalents.
The
shares of Class B Common Stock, participating and convertible into
Class A Common Stock, are entitled to receive dividends in an amount equal
to the dividends declared on each share of Class A Common Stock if, as and
when authorized and declared by the Board of Directors. The Class B Common
Stock is therefore included in the computations of basic EPS using the two-class
method, and consequently is presented separately from Class A Common
Stock.
The
Class C common shares are not included in the basic EPS computation as
these shares do not have participation rights. The Class C common shares
totaling 319,388 are not included in the computation of diluted Class A EPS
as the conditions for conversion to Class A shares were not
met.
Effective
November 3, 2005, the Company issued 1.2 million shares of Class A
Redeemable Preferred Stock, pursuant to the acquisition of OFS. Holders of
shares of the preferred stock could not receive or accrue dividend payments
prior to January 1, 2006. After January 1, 2006, and prior to March 31,
2006, holders of Class A Redeemable Preferred Stock were entitled to receive
dividends according to the formula described in the Company's amended Articles
of Incorporation. For the Company's first quarter 2006 dividend declared on
March 10, 2006, the shares of Class A Redeemable Preferred Stock, although
considered to be participating securities, did not receive a dividend pursuant
to the formula. Following the provisions of EITF 03-6, the Class A Redeemable
Preferred Stock, a participating security prior to conversion on April 28,
2006,
was excluded in the computation of basic EPS using the two-class method.
The
conversion of the Class A Redeemable Preferred Stock into shares of Class A
Common Stock was approved by the stockholders at the Company's 2006 Annual
Meeting of Shareholders on April 28, 2006, and the shares of Class A Redeemable
Preferred Stock were converted into shares of Class A Common Stock on that
date.
For purposes of the EPS computation, the conversion of the shares of Class
A
Redeemable Preferred Stock into shares of Class A Common Stock has been
accounted for as of April 28, 2006, and is included in the computation of basic
EPS for the Class A Common Stock as of that date.
The
Company has dividend eligible stock incentive plan shares that were outstanding
during the three month periods ended March 31, 2007 and March 31, 2006. These
stock incentive plan shares have dividend participation rights, but no
contractual obligation to share in losses. Since there is no such obligation,
these incentive plan shares are not included, pursuant to EITF 03-6, in the
basic EPS computation for the Class A Common Stock, even though they are
participating securities. For the computation of diluted EPS for the Class
A
Common Stock for the three month periods ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, 477,290
incentive plan shares in 2007 and 650,320 incentive plan shares in 2006 are
excluded as their inclusion would be anti-dilutive.
The
table
below reconciles the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted EPS.
(in
thousands)
(Unaudited)
|
||||
Three
Months Ended
|
||||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
Basic
and diluted EPS per Class A common share:
|
||||
Numerator:
net loss allocated to the Class A common shares
|
$
|
(77,068)
|
$
|
(7,863)
|
Denominator:
basic and diluted:
|
||||
Class
A common shares outstanding at the balance sheet date
|
24,556
|
23,083
|
||
Effect
of weighting
|
(22)
|
353
|
||
Weighted
average shares-basic and diluted
|
24,534
|
23,436
|
||
Basic
and diluted EPS per Class A common share
|
$
|
(3.14)
|
$
|
(0.34)
|
Basic
and diluted EPS per Class B common share:
|
||||
Numerator:
net loss allocated to Class B common shares
|
$
|
(1,002)
|
$
|
(109)
|
Denominator:
basic and diluted:
|
||||
Class
B common shares outstanding at the balance sheet date
|
319
|
319
|
||
Effect
of weighting
|
-
|
-
|
||
Weighted
average shares-basic and diluted
|
319
|
319
|
||
Basic
and diluted EPS per Class B common share
|
$
|
(3.14)
|
$
|
(0.34)
|
Basic
and diluted EPS per Class A redeemable preferred share:
|
||||
Numerator:
net loss allocated to Class A redeemable preferred
shares
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
Denominator:
basic and diluted:
|
||||
Class
A redeemable preferred shares outstanding at the balance sheet
date
|
-
|
1,223,208
|
||
Basic
and diluted EPS per Class A redeemable preferred share
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
-
|
NOTE
8. WAREHOUSE LINES OF CREDIT AND DRAFTS PAYABLE
OFS
issues drafts or wires at loan settlement in order to facilitate the closing
of
mortgage loans held for sale. Drafts payable represent mortgage loans on which
a
closing has occurred prior to quarter end but the related drafts have not
cleared the respective bank. Upon clearing the bank, the drafts are funded
by
the appropriate warehouse line of credit. Warehouse and aggregate lines of
credit and loan sale agreements accounted for as financing consisted of the
following as of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
Warehouse
and aggregation lines of credit:
|
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
||
A
committed warehouse line of credit for $100.0 million between OFS
and
Residential Funding Corporation ("RFC"). The agreement expired on
February
28, 2007 and was not renewed. RFC is now a party to the JPM syndicated
facility below. The agreement provides for interest rates based upon
one
month LIBOR plus a margin between 1.00% and 2.50% depending on the
product
that was originated or acquired.
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
6,172
|
A
syndicated committed warehouse line of credit for $850.0 million
between
OFS and JP Morgan Chase (“JPM”). The agreement expires on May 30, 2007.
The agreement provides for interest rates based upon one month LIBOR
plus
a margin of 0.60% to 1.50% depending on the product originated or
acquired.
|
192,110
|
409,609
|
||
An
aggregation facility for $1.5 billion for the whole loan and servicing
rights facility, collectively, (of which no more than $100.0 million
may
be allocated to the servicing rights facility) between HS Special
Purpose,
LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OFS, and Citigroup Global Markets
Realty
Corp. (“Citigroup”) to aggregate loans pending securitization. The
agreement expires on December 20, 2007. The agreement provides for
interest rates based upon one month LIBOR plus a margin of
0.30%.
|
141,887
|
5,358
|
||
A
$750.0 million purchase and security agreement between OFS and UBS
Warburg
Real Estate Securities, Inc. (“UBS Warburg”). The agreement expired on
February 28, 2007 and was not renewed.
|
-
|
3,283
|
||
Drafts
payable
|
5,090
|
6,542
|
||
Loan
sale agreements accounted for as financings:
|
||||
An
uncommitted $700.0 million purchase agreement between OFS and Colonial
Bank. The facility is due upon demand and can be cancelled by either
party
upon notification to the counterparty. OFS incurs a charge for the
facility based on one month LIBOR plus 0.50% for the first $300.0
million
purchased and one month LIBOR plus 0.75% for the amount used above
and
beyond $300.0 million. The facility is secured by loans held for
sale and
cash generated from sales to investors.
|
66,153
|
303,915
|
||
Total
warehouse lines and drafts payable
|
$
|
405,240
|
$
|
734,879
|
In
addition to the RFC, JPM, Citigroup, UBS Warburg, and Colonial Bank facilities,
OFS has purchase and sale agreements with Fannie Mae. These additional
agreements allow OFS to accelerate the sale of its mortgage loan inventory,
resulting in a more effective use of its warehouse facilities. OFS has a
combined capacity of $100.0 million under these purchase and sale agreements.
There were $6.0 million sold and being held under these agreements as of March
31, 2007. The agreements are not committed facilities and may be terminated
at
the discretion of either party.
The
facilities are secured by mortgage loans and other assets of OFS. The facilities
generally contain various covenants pertaining to tangible net worth, net
income, available cash and liquidity, leverage ratio, current ratio and
servicing delinquency. As of March 31, 2007, OFS was not in compliance with
respect to two covenants pertaining to tangible net worth with two lenders.
OFS
has obtained waivers from each lender for the covenant violations. However,
OFS
may violate such covenants again in the future. In the event the violations
occur, OFS may be unable to obtain waivers. In the event waivers are not
obtained, OFS would be in default under the terms of the agreements. In the
event OFS defaulted under the terms of the agreement, the lenders could force
OFS to liquidate the mortgage loans collateralizing the loan, seek payment
from
the Company as guarantor, or force OFS into an involuntary
bankruptcy.
NOTE
9. OTHER SECURED BORROWINGS
Other
secured borrowings consisted of the following as of March 31, 2007 and December
31, 2006:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
A
committed warehouse line of credit for $150.0 million between OFS
and JP
Morgan Chase, that allows for a sublimit for originated Mortgage
Servicing
Rights. The agreement expires May 30, 2007. The agreement provides
for
interest rate based on LIBOR plus 1.50% to 1.85% depending on collateral
type.
|
$
|
73,687
|
$
|
71,657
|
Citigroup
Global Realty Inc., working capital line of credit for $80.0 million
secured by the retained interests in securitizations through OMAC
2006-2.
The facility expires on December 20, 2007. The agreement provides
for
interest rate based on LIBOR plus 1.00%
|
50,584
|
50,320
|
||
$
|
124,271
|
$
|
121,977
|
NOTE
10. REPURCHASE
AGREEMENTS
Opteum
has entered into repurchase agreements to finance most of its MBS security
purchases. The repurchase agreements are short-term borrowings that bear
interest at rates that have historically moved in close relationship to LIBOR.
At March 31, 2007, Opteum had an outstanding amount of $2.9 billion with a
net weighted average borrowing rate of 5.24% and these agreements were
collateralized by MBS with a fair value of $2.9 billion. As of December 31,
2006, Opteum had an outstanding amount of $2.7 billion with a net weighted
average borrowing rate of 5.31%, and these agreements were collateralized by
MBS
with a fair value of $2.8 billion.
As
of
March 31, 2007, Opteum's repurchase agreements had remaining maturities as
summarized below:
(in
thousands)
OVERNIGHT
(1
DAY OR LESS)
|
BETWEEN
2 AND
30
DAYS
|
BETWEEN
31 AND
90
DAYS
|
GREATER
THAN
90
DAYS
|
TOTAL
|
||||||
Agency-Backed
Mortgage Backed Securities:
|
||||||||||
Amortized
cost of securities sold, including accrued interest
receivable
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
361,126
|
$
|
1,653,806
|
$
|
890,776
|
$
|
2,905,708
|
Fair
market value of securities sold, including accrued interest
receivable
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
352,599
|
$
|
1,614,191
|
$
|
870,326
|
$
|
2,837,116
|
Repurchase
agreement liabilities associated with these securities
|
$
|
-
|
$
|
358,576
|
$
|
1,625,027
|
$
|
878,519
|
$
|
2,862,122
|
Net
weighted average borrowing rate
|
-
|
5.29%
|
5.29%
|
5.12%
|
5.24%
|
As
of December 31,
2006, Opteum's repurchase agreements had remaining maturities as summarized
below:
(in
thousands)
OVERNIGHT
(1
DAY OR LESS)
|
BETWEEN
2 AND
30
DAYS
|
BETWEEN
31 AND
90
DAYS
|
GREATER
THAN
90
DAYS
|
TOTAL
|
||||||
Agency-Backed
Mortgage Backed Securities:
|
||||||||||
Amortized
cost of securities sold, including accrued interest
receivable
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
859,344
|
$
|
807,488
|
$
|
1,149,309
|
$
|
2,816,141
|
Fair
market value of securities sold, including accrued interest
receivable
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
833,436
|
$
|
793,702
|
$
|
1,106,228
|
$
|
2,733,366
|
Repurchase
agreement liabilities associated with these securities
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
842,094
|
$
|
805,595
|
$
|
1,093,991
|
$
|
2,741,680
|
Net
weighted average borrowing rate
|
—
|
5.31%
|
5.33%
|
5.29%
|
5.31%
|
As
of
March 31, 2007, Opteum's repurchase agreements had the following
counterparties, amounts at risk and weighted average remaining maturities:
(in
thousands)
Repurchase
Agreement Counterparties
|
Amount
Outstanding
|
Amount
at
Risk(1)
|
Weighted
Average
Maturity
of
Repurchase
Agreements
in
Days
|
Percent
of
Total
Amount
Outstanding
|
|||
Deutsche
Bank Securities, Inc.
|
$
|
873,149
|
$
|
16,329
|
168
|
30.52
|
%
|
ING
Financial Markets LLC
|
699,520
|
14,148
|
91
|
24.44
|
|||
JP
Morgan Securities
|
565,111
|
14,065
|
255
|
19.74
|
|||
Nomura
Securities International, Inc.
|
328,640
|
8,407
|
48
|
11.48
|
|||
Countrywide
Securities Corp
|
127,167
|
4,708
|
45
|
4.44
|
|||
RBS
Greenwich Capital
|
98,613
|
1,315
|
38
|
3.45
|
|||
Bank
of America Securities, LLC
|
54,120
|
1,929
|
52
|
1.89
|
|||
Morgan
Stanley
|
33,650
|
1,042
|
10
|
1.18
|
|||
HSBC
Securities (USA) Inc
|
31,537
|
615
|
6
|
1.10
|
|||
Lehman
Brothers
|
27,045
|
598
|
60
|
0.94
|
|||
Goldman
Sachs
|
23,570
|
706
|
151
|
0.82
|
|||
Total
|
$
|
2,862,122
|
$
|
63,862
|
100.00
|
%
|
(1) Equal
to
the fair value of securities sold, plus accrued interest income, minus the
sum
of repurchase agreement liabilities, plus accrued interest expense.
As
of
December 31, 2006, Opteum's repurchase agreements had the following
counterparties, amounts at risk and weighted average remaining maturities:
(in
thousands)
Repurchase
Agreement Counterparties
|
Amount
Outstanding
|
Amount
at
Risk(1)
|
Weighted
Average
Maturity
of
Repurchase
Agreements
in
Days
|
Percent
of
Total
Amount
Outstanding
|
|||
Deutsche
Bank Securities, Inc.
|
$
|
834,940
|
$
|
10,189
|
28
|
30.45
|
%
|
JP
Morgan Securities
|
652,936
|
13,195
|
98
|
23.82
|
|
||
Nomura
Securities International, Inc.
|
463,410
|
13,405
|
94
|
16.90
|
|
||
Washington
Mutual
|
333,587
|
12,476
|
24
|
12.17
|
|
||
Countrywide
Securities Corp
|
206,220
|
4,401
|
79
|
7.52
|
|
||
BNP
Paribas
|
92,155
|
2,666
|
18
|
3.36
|
|
||
Goldman
Sachs
|
70,068
|
1,278
|
122
|
2.56
|
|
||
Bank
of America Securities, LLC
|
54,120
|
1,742
|
136
|
1.97
|
|
||
UBS
Investment Bank, LLC
|
21,515
|
231
|
17
|
0.78
|
|
||
RBS
Greenwich Capital
|
12,729
|
44
|
7
|
0.47
|
|
||
Total
|
$
|
2,741,680
|
$
|
59,627
|
100.00
|
%
|
(1) Equal
to
the fair value of securities sold, plus accrued interest income, minus the
sum
of repurchase agreement liabilities, plus accrued interest expense.
NOTE
11. TRUST
PREFERRED SECURITIES
On
May 17, 2005, Opteum completed a private offering of $50.0 million of trust
preferred securities of Bimini Capital Trust I (“BCTI”), a Delaware statutory
business trust sponsored by Opteum. BCTI used the proceeds of the private
offering, together with Opteum's investment of $1.6 million in BCTI common
equity securities, to purchase $51.6 million aggregate principal amount of
Opteum's BCTI Junior Subordinated Notes with terms that parallel the terms
of
the BCTI trust preferred securities.
The
BCTI
trust preferred securities and Opteum's BCTI Junior Subordinated Notes have
a
fixed rate of interest until March 30, 2010, of 7.61% and thereafter,
through maturity in 2035, the rate will float at a spread of 3.30% over the
prevailing three-month LIBOR rate. The BCTI trust preferred securities and
Opteum's BCTI Junior Subordinated Notes require quarterly interest distributions
and are redeemable at Opteum's option, in whole or in part and without penalty,
beginning March 30, 2010 and at any date thereafter. Opteum's BCTI
Junior Subordinated Notes are subordinate and junior in right of payment of
all
present and future senior indebtedness. The proceeds from the private offering
net of costs were approximately $48.5 million.
On
October 5, 2005, Opteum completed a private offering of $50.0 million of trust
preferred securities of Bimini Capital Trust II (“BCTII”), a Delaware statutory
business trust sponsored by Opteum. BCTII used the proceeds of the private
offering, together with Opteum's investment of $1.5 million in BCTII common
equity securities, to purchase $51.5 million aggregate principal amount of
Opteum's BCTII Junior Subordinated Notes with terms that parallel the terms
of
the BCTII trust preferred securities.
The
BCTII
trust preferred securities and Opteum's BCTII Junior Subordinated Notes have
a
fixed rate of interest until December 15, 2010, of 7.8575% and thereafter,
through maturity in 2035, the rate will float at a spread of 3.50% over the
prevailing three-month LIBOR rate. The BCTII trust preferred securities and
Opteum's BCTII Junior Subordinated Notes require quarterly interest
distributions and are redeemable at Opteum's option, in whole or in part and
without penalty, beginning December 15, 2010, and at any date thereafter.
Opteum's BCTII Junior Subordinated Notes are subordinate and junior in right
of
payment of all present and future senior indebtedness. The proceeds from the
private offering net of costs were approximately $48.5 million.
Each
trust is a variable interest entity pursuant to FIN No. 46 because the
holders of the equity investment at risk do not have adequate decision making
ability over the trust's activities. Since Opteum's investment in each trust's
common equity securities was financed directly by the applicable trust as a
result of its loan of the proceeds to Opteum, that investment is not considered
to be an equity investment at risk pursuant to FIN No. 46. Since Opteum's common
share investments in BCTI and BCTII are not a variable interest, Opteum is
not
the primary beneficiary of the trusts. Therefore, Opteum has not consolidated
the financial statements of BCTI and BCTII into its financial statements.
Based on the aforementioned accounting guidance, the accompanying consolidated
financial statements present Opteum's BCTI and BCTII Junior Subordinated Notes
issued to the trusts as liabilities and Opteum's investments in the common
equity securities of BCTI and BCTII as assets. For financial statement purposes,
Opteum records payments of interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes issued
to
BCTI and BCTII as interest expense.
NOTE
12. CAPITAL STOCK
Issuances
of Class A Common Stock
During
the three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company issued a total of 5,974
shares of Class A Common Stock to its independent directors for the payment
of
director fees for services rendered.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company issued 34,528 shares of its
Class
A Common Stock to employees pursuant to the terms of the stock incentive plan
phantom share grants (see Note 14).
Dividends
On
December 20, 2006, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a $0.05 per share
cash dividend to the holders of its dividend eligible securities on the record
date of January 3, 2007. The distribution totaling $1.3 million was paid on
January 19, 2007.
On
March
9, 2007, the Company's Board of Directors declared a $0.05 per share cash
dividend to the holders of its dividend eligible securities on the record date
of March 26, 2007. The distribution totaling $1.3 million was paid on April
13,
2007.
Other
Classes of Common and Preferred Stock
There
was
no change in the issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s Class B and
Class C Common Stock or its Class A and Class B Redeemable Preferred Stock
during the three month period ended March 31, 2007.
NOTE
13. TRANSACTIONS
WITH RELATED PARTIES
During
the three months ended March 31, 2007, OFS received aggregate payments of $0.4
million from Southstar Funding, LLC (“Southstar Funding”) primarily in exchange
for the performance of certain interim loan servicing functions. Southstar
Funding is fifty percent owned by Southstar Partners, LLC (“Southstar
Partners”). Certain officers of OFS, one of whom is also a director of Opteum,
own membership interests in Southstar Partners. In addition, an officer of
OFS
as well as a former director of Opteum serves on the Board of Managers of
Southstar Funding. As of March 31, 2007, there were no amounts due from or
owed
to Southstar Funding or Southstar Funding. Amounts paid for interim loan
servicing were determined on an arms-length basis and are comparable to amounts
charged to other, non-related parties. On
April
11, 2007, Southstar Funding filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 7 of the
U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
NOTE
14. STOCK INCENTIVE PLANS
On
December 1, 2003, Opteum adopted the 2003 Long Term Incentive Compensation
Plan (the “2003 Plan”) to provide Opteum with the flexibility to use stock
options and other awards as part of an overall compensation package to provide
a
means of performance-based compensation to attract and retain qualified
personnel. The 2003 Plan was amended and restated in March 2004. Key
employees, directors and consultants are eligible to be granted stock options,
restricted stock, phantom shares, dividend equivalent rights and other
stock-based awards under the 2003 Plan. Subject to adjustment upon certain
corporate transactions or events, a maximum of 4,000,000 shares of the Class
A
Common Stock (but not more than 10% of the Class A Common Stock outstanding
on
the date of grant) may be subject to stock options, shares of restricted stock,
phantom shares and dividend equivalent rights under the 2003 Plan.
During
the three months ended March 31, 2007, Opteum granted 25,607 phantom shares
to
employees with an aggregate fair value of $0.2 million. Each phantom share
represents a right to receive a share of Opteum's Class A Common Stock.
Dividend equivalent rights were also granted on these phantom
shares.
Phantom
share awards are valued at the fair value of Opteum’s Class A Common Stock
at the date of the grant. The total grant date value of all awards since the
inception of the 2003 Plan is $10.0 million. The phantom share awards do not
have an exercise price. The grant date value is being amortized to compensation
expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the respective
award. The phantom shares vest, based on the employees’ continuing
employment, following a schedule as provided in the grant agreements, for
periods through December 15,
2009.
As
of
March 31, 2007, a total of 759,457 phantom share awards have been granted
since
the inception of the 2003 Plan, however 4,871 phantom shares have been forfeited
due to the termination of the grantee’s employment. The future compensation
charge that was eliminated by the forfeitures totaled $56,853. Of the
phantom shares not forfeited, 441,078 phantom shares have fully vested since
inception of the 2003 Plan and 313,508 phantom shares remain unvested as
of
March 31, 2007. Of the 441,078 phantom shares that have fully vested,
276,296 phantom shares have been settled as of March 31, 2007, and an equivalent
number of shares of the Company’s Class A Common have been issued to grantees or
surrendered by grantees to pay income taxes. As of March 31, 2007, there
were 164,782 phantom shares that, although fully vested as of such date,
had not
been settled. No phantom share awards have expired.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, 51,961 phantom shares were settled and
an equivalent number of shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock were issued
to grantees or surrendered by grantees to pay income taxes. For the three
months ended March 31, 2006, 50,250 phantom shares were settled and an
equivalent number of shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock were issued to
grantees or surrendered by grantees to pay income taxes. As of
March 31, 2007, there were 478,290 phantom shares outstanding that had not
been settled as of such date, 313,508 of which were unvested and 164,782
of
which were vested. Total compensation cost recognized for the three months
ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 was $0.7 million and $0.7 million, respectively.
Dividends paid on unsettled phantom shares are charged to retained earnings
when
declared.
Opteum
also has adopted the 2004 Performance Bonus Plan (the “Performance Bonus Plan”).
The
Performance Bonus Plan is an annual bonus plan that permits the issuance of
the
Company’s Class A Common Stock in payment of stock-based awards made under the
plan. No stock-based awards have been made under and no shares of the
Company’s stock have been issued under the Performance Bonus Plan.
NOTE
15. SAVINGS
INCENTIVE PLAN
Opteum’s
employees have the option to participate in the Opteum Inc., 401K Plan (the
“Plan”). Under the terms of the Plan, eligible employees can make tax-deferred
401(k) contributions and at Opteum’s sole discretion, Opteum can match the
employees’ contributions. For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006,
Opteum made 401(k) matching contributions of $0.02 million and $0.02 million,
respectively.
OFS’s
employees have the option to participate in the Company Savings and Incentive
Plan (the “Plan”). Under the terms of the Plan, eligible employees can make
tax-deferred 401(k) contributions and at the OFS’s sole discretion, OFS can
match the employees’ contributions as well as make annual profit-sharing
contributions to the Plan. For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006,
OFS made 401(k) matching contributions of $0.2 million and $0.2 million,
respectively.
NOTE
16. COMMITMENTS
AND CONTINGENCIES
Loans
Sold to Investors.
Generally, OFS is not exposed to significant credit risk on its loans sold
to
investors. In the normal course of business, OFS provides certain
representations and warranties during the sale of mortgage loans which obligate
it to repurchase loans which are subsequently unable to be sold through the
normal investor channels. The repurchased loans are secured by the related
real
estate properties, and can usually be sold directly to other permanent
investors. There can be no assurance, however, that OFS will be able to recover
the repurchased loan value either through other investor channels or through
the
assumption of the secured real estate.
OFS
recognizes a liability for the estimated fair value of this obligation at the
inception of each mortgage loan sale based on the anticipated repurchase levels
and historical experience. The liability is recorded as a reduction of the
gain
on sale of mortgage loans and included as part of other liabilities in the
accompanying financial statements.
Changes
in the liability during the three months ended March 31, 2007 and
2006:
(in
thousands)
For
the Three Months Ended March 31, 2007
|
For
the Three Months Ended March 31, 2006
|
|||
Balance—Beginning
of period
|
$
|
7,136
|
$
|
2,038
|
Provision
|
12,674
|
551
|
||
Charge-Offs
|
(6,345)
|
(663)
|
||
Balance—End
of period
|
$
|
13,465
|
$
|
1,926
|
Loan
Funding and Delivery Commitments.
As of
March 31, 2007, OFS has commitments to fund loans approximating $142.3
million. OFS hedges the interest rate risk of such commitments primarily with
mandatory delivery commitments. The remaining commitments to fund loans with
agreed-upon rates are anticipated to be sold through “best-efforts” and investor
programs. OFS does not anticipate any material losses from such sales.
Net
Worth Requirements.
OFS is
required to maintain certain specified levels of minimum net worth to maintain
its approved status with Fannie Mae, HUD, and other investors. As of March
31,
2007 and 2006, the highest minimum net worth requirement applicable to OFS
was
approximately $2.2 million and $1.7 million, respectively. OFS had negative
net
worth of approximately ($68.4) million as of March 31, 2007. On April 16, 2007,
$25.0 million of inter-company debt existing between OFS and Opteum was
forgiven. On April 30, 2007, an additional $63.3 million of inter-company debt
was forgiven. As of April 30, 2007, OFS has net worth in excess of the required
minimum.
Outstanding
Litigation. The
Company is involved in various lawsuits and claims, both actual and potential,
including some that it has asserted against others, in which monetary and other
damages are sought. These lawsuits and claims relate primarily to contractual
disputes arising out of the ordinary course of the Company’s business. The
outcome of such lawsuits and claims is inherently unpredictable. However,
management believes that, in the aggregate, the outcome of all lawsuits and
claims involving the Company will not have a material effect on the Company’s
consolidated financial position or liquidity; however, any such outcome may
be
material to the results of operations of any particular period in which costs,
if any, are recognized.
As
part
of the November 3, 2005 merger pursuant to which OFS became a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Opteum, the parties to the Agreement and Plan of Merger and
Reorganization (the “Merger Agreement”) agreed to special resolution procedures
concerning certain litigation matters in which OFS was a party and that was
pending at the time of the merger. Certain provisions of the Merger Agreement
specified the manner in which four separate litigation matters would be treated
for purposes of determining the rights and obligations of the parties to the
Merger Agreement. In two of these matters, OFS was the plaintiff and was seeking
money damages from third parties. In the other two matters, OFS was a defendant
and was defending itself against claims for money damages.
Pursuant
to the terms of the Merger Agreement, the former owners of OFS must indemnify
the Company for any liabilities arising from the two matters in which OFS was
a
defendant. In addition, the former owners of OFS are entitled to receive any
amounts paid to the Company upon the settlement or final resolution of the
two
matters in which OFS was the plaintiff.
Guarantees.
Opteum
has guaranteed the obligations of OFS and OFS’s wholly-owned subsidiary, HS
Special Purpose, LLC, under their respective financing facilities with JPMorgan
Chase and Citigroup described in Note 8. These guarantees will remain in effect
so long as the applicable financing facilities remain in effect. If an Event
of
Default occurs under these financing facilities that are not cured or waived,
Opteum may be required to perform under its guarantees. There is no specific
limitation on the maximum potential future payments under these guarantees.
However, Opteum’s liability under these guarantees would be reduced in an amount
equal to the amount by which the collateral securing such obligations exceeds
the amounts outstanding under the applicable facilities.
NOTE
17. SEGMENTS
Opteum
follows SFAS No. 131, Disclosures
about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information. The
Company operates in two reportable segments: as a REIT and as an originator
of
mortgage loans. The REIT activities primarily involve Opteum investing in
residential mortgage-related securities. OFS is a mortgage lender that
originates loans.
The
accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the
summary of significant accounting policies in Note 1. The Company evaluates
the performance of its REIT segment and mortgage origination business segment
results based on net income. Each of the business segments’ net income or loss
includes direct costs incurred at each segment’s operating level, plus a minimal
amount of allocated corporate-level expenses.
The
following table shows three months ended March 31, 2007 summarized financial
information concerning the Company’s reportable segments.
(in
thousands)
|
REIT
|
OFS
|
TOTAL(1)
|
|||
Net
interest income
|
$
|
2,214
|
$
|
2,914
|
$
|
1,905
|
Other
losses, net
|
(820)
|
(21,235)
|
(22,055)
|
|||
Inter-segment
interest income
|
3,222
|
(3,222)
|
-
|
|||
Income
(loss) before income taxes
|
(715)
|
(66,663)
|
(67,378)
|
|||
Impairment
of goodwill and other intangible assets
|
-
|
2.8
|
2.8
|
|||
Impairment
of property, equipment
|
-
|
6.0
|
6.0
|
|||
Other
interest expense
|
-
|
|
2,134
|
|
2,134
|
|
Depreciation
and amortization
|
216
|
938
|
1,154
|
|||
Income
tax expense (benefit)
|
-
|
11,463
|
11,463
|
|||
Total
assets
|
3,102,012
|
|
627,600
|
3,660,952
|
||
Capital
expenditures
|
4
|
297
|
301
|
(1) Figures
reflect the elimination of inter-company transactions between Opteum and
OFS
The
following table shows three months ended March 31, 2006 summarized financial
information concerning the Company’s reportable segments.
(in
thousands)
|
REIT
|
OFS
|
TOTAL(1)
|
|||
Net
interest income
|
$
|
2,948
|
$
|
2,976
|
$
|
4,092
|
Other
revenues, net
|
-
|
2,982
|
2,982
|
|||
Inter-segment
interest income
|
1,832
|
(1,832)
|
-
|
|||
Income
(loss) before income taxes
|
499
|
(13,851)
|
(13,352)
|
|||
Other
interest expense
|
-
|
1,732
|
1,732
|
|||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
184
|
844
|
1,028
|
|||
Income
tax expense (benefit)
|
-
|
(5,380)
|
(5,380)
|
|||
Total
assets
|
3,783,762
|
954,228
|
4,621,963
|
|||
Capital
expenditures
|
392
|
1,450
|
1,842
|
(1) Figures
reflect the elimination of inter-company transactions between Opteum and OFS.
The
following information is needed to reconcile the segment amounts to the total
information, which agrees to the amounts shown in the accompanying consolidated
financial statements. During the consolidation process, loans receivable
totaling $135.7 million at March 31, 2007 and $73.1 million at March 31, 2006,
and the related interest income and accrued interest, which are recorded on
Opteum’s segment financial statements, are eliminated against corresponding
liabilities and expenses recorded on OFS’s segment financial statements. The
interest income related to these loans is reported above as inter-segment
interest income. There were no inter-segment gross revenues during the periods
ended March 31, 2007 and March 31, 2006, except for this interest, and therefore
all other revenues were from external sources.
No
single
customer accounted for more than 10% of revenues at OFS. For the REIT
activities, approximately 91.3% of the interest income was derived from MBS
issued by U.S. Government agencies.
NOTE
18. INCOME TAXES
As
more
fully described in Note 2, Opteum acquired OFS on November 3, 2005. OFS is
a
TRS, which is a taxpaying entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is
taxed separately from Opteum.
The
income tax (provision) benefit is as follows for the three months ended March
31, 2007 and 2006:
(in
thousands)
Deferred
income tax (provision)
benefit:
|
Three
Months ended March 31, 2007
|
Three
Months ended March 31, 2006
|
||
Federal
|
$
|
23,314
|
$
|
4,841
|
State
|
2,598
|
539
|
||
Deferred
tax asset valuation allowance
|
(37,375)
|
-
|
||
Total
deferred income tax (provision) benefit
|
$
|
(11,463)
|
$
|
5,380
|
The
effective income tax benefit for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and
2006
differs from the amount determined by applying the statutory Federal rate of
35%
as follows:
(in
thousands)
Three
Months ended March 31, 2007
|
Three
Months ended March 31, 2006
|
|||
Benefit
of the net loss at the Federal tax rate
|
$
|
23,583
|
$
|
4,673
|
Exclusion
of REIT taxable income/(loss)
|
(250)
|
175
|
||
Permanent
tax differences
|
(21)
|
(8)
|
||
State
tax benefit, net of Federal tax effect
|
2,600
|
540
|
||
Subtotal
|
25,912
|
5,380
|
||
Deferred
tax asset valuation allowance
|
(37,375)
|
-
|
||
Total
deferred income tax (provision) benefit
|
$
|
(11,463)
|
$
|
5,380
|
The
tax
affected cumulative temporary differences that give rise to deferred tax assets
and liabilities as of March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, are as follows:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
Deferred
tax assets:
|
||||
Federal
tax loss carry-forward
|
$
|
43,657
|
$
|
29,684
|
State
tax loss carry-forward
|
7,360
|
4,812
|
||
Loan
loss reserves, interest and other
|
9,787
|
5,056
|
||
Mark-to-market
adjustments
|
-
|
269
|
||
Total
gross deferred tax assets
|
60,804
|
39,821
|
||
Valuation
Allowance
|
(37,375)
|
-
|
||
Net
deferred tax assets
|
$
|
23,429
|
$
|
39,821
|
Deferred
tax liabilities:
|
||||
Capitalized
cost of mortgage servicing rights
|
$
|
26,194
|
$
|
28,693
|
Loan
origination and other amounts
|
1,517
|
2,606
|
||
Intangible
assets
|
-
|
1,341
|
||
Total
gross deferred tax liabilities
|
$
|
27,711
|
$
|
32,640
|
Net
deferred tax (liabilities) assets
|
$
|
(4,282)
|
$
|
7,181
|
As
described in Note 1, the Company adopted SFAS No. 156 as of January 1,
2006. As a result of this adoption, net deferred tax liabilities were
increased by approximately $1.67 million. As further described below, the
Company recorded a deferred tax asset valuation allowance of approximately
$37.4
million during the three months ended March 31, 2007; there was no allowance
recorded previously. As
of
March 31, 2007, the Company had an estimated federal tax net operating loss
carryforward of $126.8 million, which begins to expire in 2025, and is fully
available to offset future taxable income.
In
assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether
it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets
will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is
dependant upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in
which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the
scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable
income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment, including the
impacts of the Company’s current plans
to close
the OFS wholesale and conduit mortgage loan origination channels in the second
quarter of 2007, and to sell the OFS retail mortgage loan origination channel
to
a third party. At this time, management
believes it is more likely than not that the Company will not realize the full
benefits of the federal tax loss carryforwards, and that the Company will not
realize any benefit of the state tax loss carryforwards and the other deferred
tax assets. Therefore, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance of
$37.4 million against certain deferred tax assets at March 31, 2007. The
Company believes deferred tax assets of $23.4 million for which there are future
reversals of existing taxable temporary differences expected to result in tax
gains are more likely than not realizable as of March 31, 2007. The amount
of
the deferred tax assets that the Company considers realizable could be increased
in the future depending on the actual tax results from the OFS closing and
sales
activities described above.
Tax
differences on REIT income
Taxable
income, as generated by Opteum’s qualifying REIT activities, is computed
differently from Opteum’s financial statement net income as computed in
accordance with GAAP. Depending on the number and size of the various items
or
transactions being accounted for differently, the differences between Opteum’s
REIT taxable income and Opteum’s financial statement net income (loss) can be
substantial and each item can affect several years. Since inception through
March 31, 2007, Opteum's REIT taxable income is approximately $16.4 million
greater than Opteum's financial statement net income as reported in its
financial statements.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, Opteum's REIT taxable income was
approximately $1.5 million greater than Opteum's financial statement net income
from REIT activities. During 2007, Opteum's most significant items and
transactions being accounted for differently include interest on inter-company
loans with OFS, equity plan stock awards, depreciation of property and
equipment, the accounting for debt issuance costs and losses realized on certain
MBS sales. The debt issuance costs are being amortized, and property and
equipment are being depreciated, over different useful lives for tax purposes.
The future deduction of equity plan stock compensation against REIT taxable
income is uncertain as to the amount, because the tax impact is measured at
the
fair value of the shares as of a future date, and this amount may be greater
than or less than the financial statement expense already recognized by Opteum.
For tax purposes, the loss on certain MBS sales are recognized when the
transaction is completed; for financial statement purposes, approximately $10.0
million of an other-than-temporary loss was recorded as a charge to earnings
during the year ended December 31, 2006. For the three months ended March 31,
2007, tax capital losses of approximately $10.8 million were realized; these
capital losses are only available to the REIT to offset future capital gains,
and therefore they do not reduce REIT taxable income.
NOTE
19. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
On
April
26, 2007, OFS entered into a binding agreement to sell a majority of its
private-label and agency mortgage servicing portfolio, which had an aggregate
unpaid principal balance of approximately $5.9 billion as of March 31, 2007.
The
aggregate sales proceeds will be used to repay debt that is currently secured
by
OFS’s mortgage
servicing portfolio. The transaction, which is subject to various closing
conditions, is expected to be completed by June 15, 2007. The transaction is
not
expected to result in a material gain or loss.
On
April
18, 2007, the Board of Managers of OFS approved the closure of OFS’s wholesale
and conduit mortgage origination channels. On April 20, 2007, the wholesale
and
conduit mortgage loan origination channels ceased accepting applications for
new
mortgages from borrowers. The closure of the wholesale and conduit mortgage
loan
origination channels will result in charges associated with severance payments
to employees and operating lease termination costs of approximately $2.0 million
to be reported in the second quarter of 2007.
On
May 7,
2007, OFS signed a binding agreement to sell its retail mortgage loan
origination channel to a third party. The purchase price is estimated at
approximately $5.0 million plus the assumption of certain liabilities of OFS.
The transaction is scheduled to close during the second quarter of
2007.
The
carrying amounts of the assets to be disposed of/sold related to the various
mortgage loan origination channels were as follows; property and
equipment with a carrying amount of $4.7 million and other intangible
assets with a carrying amount of $0.6 million as of March 31, 2007. No
liabilities are part of the disposal group.
In
accordance with SFAS No. 144, the
closure and/or sale of mortgage loan origination channels required management
to
test the associated long lived assets for recoverability. In connection with
the
testing of recoverability of the long lived assets, OFS recorded an impairment
charge of $6.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2007. Further,
in
accordance with SFAS 144, such long lived assets were reported by OFS as held
for use as of March 31, 2007, but these assets will be included in discontinued
operations for the remainder of 2007.
In
accordance with SFAS No. 142, goodwill
of a reporting unit (OFS) and other intangible assets (the “Opteum”
trade
name) not subject to amortization shall be tested for impairment on an annual
basis and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that
indicate the intangible asset might be impaired, which, in the case of goodwill
of a reporting unit, is when such event or circumstances would more likely
than
not reduce the fair value of that reporting unit below its carrying amount.
The
closure and/or sale of the wholesale and conduit mortgage loan origination
channels constituted such an event that would require impairment analyses on
the
goodwill and other intangibles not subject to amortization. Accordingly, OFS
recorded impairment charges for both goodwill and other intangible assets not
subject to amortization of approximately $2.8 million as of March 31,
2007.
Forward-Looking
Statements
When
used
in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in future filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) or in press releases or
other written or oral communications, statements which are not historical in
nature, including those containing words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,”
“should,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend” and similar expressions, are intended to
identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
“Exchange Act”).
These
forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties,
including, but not limited to, those described or incorporated by reference
in
Part II - Item 1A - Risk Factors of this Form 10-Q. These and other risks,
uncertainties and factors, including those described in reports that the Company
files from time to time with the Commission, could cause the Company’s actual
results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking
statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are
made and the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events
or circumstances occurring after the date of such statements.
The
following discussion of the Company’s financial condition and results of
operations should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial
statements and related notes included elsewhere in this report.
Introduction
As
used
in this document, discussions related to “Opteum,” the parent company, the
registrant, and to real estate investment trust (“REIT”) qualifying activities
or the general management of Opteum’s portfolio of mortgage backed securities
(“MBS”) refer to “Opteum Inc.” Further, as used in this document, “OFS,”
Opteum’s taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”) or non-REIT eligible assets refer to
Opteum Financial Services, LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries. Discussions
relating to the “Company” refer to the consolidated entity (the combination of
Opteum and OFS). The assets and activities that are not REIT eligible, such
as
mortgage origination, acquisition and servicing activities, are conducted by
OFS.
Opteum
Inc., formerly Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc., was formed in September 2003
to
invest primarily in but not limited to, residential mortgage related securities
issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (more commonly known as
Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (more commonly known
as
Freddie Mac) and the Government National Mortgage Association (more commonly
known as Ginnie Mae). Opteum attempts to earn a return on the spread between
the
yield on its assets and its costs, including the interest expense on the funds
it borrows. It generally intends to borrow between eight and twelve times the
amount of its equity capital in an attempt to enhance its returns to
stockholders. This leverage may be adjusted above or below this range to the
extent management or the Company’s Board of Directors deems necessary or
appropriate. For purposes of this calculation, Opteum treats its junior
subordinated notes as an equity capital equivalent. Opteum is self-managed
and
self-advised and has elected to be taxed as a REIT for U.S. federal income
tax
purposes.
On
April
26, 2007, OFS entered into a binding agreement to sell a majority of its
private-label and agency mortgage servicing portfolio, which had an aggregate
unpaid principal balance of approximately $5.67 billion as of March 31, 2007.
The aggregate sales proceeds will be used to repay debt that is currently
secured by OFS’s mortgage servicing portfolio. The transaction, which is subject
to various closing conditions, is expected to be completed by June 15, 2007.
The
transaction is not expected to result in a material gain or loss.
On
April
28, 2007, the Board of Managers of OFS, at the recommendation of the Board
of
Directors of the Company, approved the closure of the wholesale and conduit
mortgage loan origination channels. Both channels ceased accepting new
applications for mortgage loans on April 20, 2007. On May 7, 2007, OFS signed
a
binding agreement to sell its retail mortgage loan origination channel to a
third party as well. The proceeds of the transactions are approximately $5.0
million plus the assumption of certain liabilities of OFS. Going forward OFS
will not operate a mortgage loan origination business.
OFS
was
acquired by the Company in November 2005. As a result of the merger, OFS became
a wholly-owned TRS of Opteum. OFS is subject to corporate income taxes and
files
separate federal and state income tax returns. OFS acquires and originates
mortgages that are either sold to third parties or securitized by a wholly-owned
special purpose entity, Opteum Mortgage Acceptance Corporation (“OMAC”). OFS
services the mortgages securitized by OMAC. In addition, OFS typically retains
an interest in the securitizations which represents its right to the residual
cash flows from the transactions once all debt service costs of the securities
sold and expenses have been met.
Dividends
to Stockholders
In
order
to maintain its qualification as a REIT, Opteum is required (among other
provisions) to annually distribute dividends to its stockholders in an amount
at
least equal to, generally, 90% of Opteum’s REIT taxable income. REIT taxable
income is a term that describes Opteum’s operating results calculated in
accordance with rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Internal
Revenue Code.
Opteum’s
REIT taxable income is computed differently from net income as computed in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP net income"),
as
reported in the Company’s accompanying consolidated financial statements.
Depending on the number and size of the various items or transactions being
accounted for differently, the differences between REIT taxable income and
GAAP
net income can be substantial and each item can affect several reporting
periods. Generally, these items are timing or temporary differences between
years; for example, an item that may be a deduction for GAAP net income in
the
current year may not be a deduction for REIT taxable income until a later year.
As
a
REIT, Opteum may be subject to a federal excise tax if Opteum distributes less
than 85% of its taxable income by the end of the calendar year. Accordingly,
Opteum’s dividends are based on its taxable income, as determined for federal
income tax purposes, as opposed to its net income computed in accordance with
GAAP (as reported in the accompanying consolidated financial statements).
Results
of Operations
PERFORMANCE
OVERVIEW
Described
below are the Company’s results of operations for the three months ended March
31, 2007, as compared to the Company’s results of operations for the three
months ended March 31, 2006.
Consolidated
net (loss) for the three months ended March 31, 2007, was ($78.1)
million compared
to ($8.0) million for the three months ended March 31, 2006. Consolidated net
loss per basic and diluted share of Class A Common Stock was ($3.14) in the
three months ended March 31, 2007, compared to $(0.34) of per share income,
for
the comparable prior period. The decline in consolidated net income/ (loss)
was
driven primarily by a material decline in the results of operations at OFS
for
the quarter.
Included
in the Company’s consolidated results are $1.9 million of consolidated net
interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2007, compared to
$4.1 million of net interest income for the three months ended
March 31, 2006. For the three months ended March 31, 2007,
consolidated interest income of $53.9 million was partially offset by
consolidated interest expense of $52.0 million. These figures are not reflected
as annualized net yields on invested assets as was reported prior to the
acquisition of OFS since the figures represent blended net interest earnings
on
both Opteum’s MBS portfolio and mortgage loans held for sale by OFS. The decline
in net interest income owes principally to a lower average balance of mortgage
loans held for sale at OFS. The net interest margin of 0.36% and 0.35% on the
MBS portfolio of the Company was essentially unchanged for the three months
ended March 31, 2007 and March 31, 2006, respectfully.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, the Company’s consolidated
general and administrative costs were $47.0 million and $20.1 million,
respectively. Operating expenses, which incorporate trading costs, fees and
other direct costs, were $0.2 million and $0.3 million, for the three months
ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The impairment of property,
equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets was $8.8 million for the three
months ended March 31, 2007. In addition, the Company recorded a $37.4 million
valuation allowance associated with OFS’s deferred tax asset for the three
months ended March 31, 2007. The Company did not record any impairment for
the
three months ended March 31, 2006.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, comprehensive (loss) was ($74.9) million
including the net unrealized gain/ (loss) on available-for-sale securities
of
$3.2 million. For the three months ended March 31, 2006, comprehensive (loss)
was ($19.4) million, including the net unrealized loss on available-for-sale
securities of ($11.4) million. The factors resulting in the unrealized loss
on
available-for-sale securities are described below.
Comprehensive
(loss) income is as follows:
(in
thousands)
(Unaudited)
|
||||
Three
Months Ended
|
||||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
Net
(loss) income
|
$
|
(78,070)
|
$
|
(7,972)
|
Plus
unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale securities,
net
|
3,178
|
(11,424)
|
||
|
||||
Comprehensive
loss
|
$
|
(74,892)
|
$
|
(19,396)
|
Unlike
net income/(loss), unrealized gains/(losses) on available for sale securities
is
also a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss, which is a component
of stockholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheet. Accumulated other
comprehensive loss is the difference between the fair market value of the
portfolio of MBS securities and their cost basis. The unrealized gain on
available for sale securities for the three months ended March 31, 2007 was
driven by a combination of a decrease in short term rates for the period, which
tends to increase the fair market value of the Company’s portfolio of MBS
securities, and increased amortization of net premium for the period, which
lowers the cost basis in the portfolio of MBS securities. The increased
amortization for the period was the result of the continued upward resetting
of
ARM securities in the portfolio, which results in higher coupons on the
securities relative to their booked yields, and therefore greater
amortization.
The
Company has negative retained earnings (titled “Accumulated deficit” in the
stockholders’ equity section of the accompanying consolidated financial
statements) as of March 31, 2007, partially because of the consequences of
Opteum’s tax qualification as a REIT. As is more fully described in the
“Dividends to Stockholders” section above, Opteum’s dividends are based on
its REIT taxable income, as determined for federal income tax purposes, and
not
on its net income computed in accordance with GAAP (as reported in the
accompanying consolidated financial statements).
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, Opteum's REIT taxable income was
approximately $1.5 million greater than Opteum's net income computed in
accordance with GAAP. A substantial portion of this amount is attributable
to
interest on inter-company loans with OFS as well as timing differences in the
recognition of compensation expense attributable to phantom stock awards. In
April of 2007, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a resolution
to
forgive up to $103.3 million of inter-company debt with OFS. Such action will
reduce future interest income associated with the inter-company debt. With
respect to the phantom stock awards, the future deduction of this temporary
difference is uncertain as to the amount (the amount of the tax impact is
measured at the fair value of the shares as of a future date and this amount
may
be greater than or less than the financial statement deduction already taken
by
Opteum). Since inception through March 31, 2007, Opteum's taxable income is
approximately $16.4 million greater than Opteum's financial statement net income
as computed in accordance with GAAP. For the three months ended March 31, 2007,
tax capital loss of approximately $10.8 million were realized; these capital
losses are only available to the REIT to offset future capital gains and
therefore they do not reduce REIT taxable income.
Therefore,
to the extent that Opteum’s cumulative taxable income is greater than
cumulative GAAP net income and Opteum continues to pay out as dividends all
of
its REIT taxable income, the Company will continue to report a deficit in
retained earnings on its balance sheet.
PERFORMANCE
OF OPTEUM’S MBS PORTFOLIO
For
the
three month period ended March 31, 2007, the REIT generated $2.2 million of
net
interest income. Included in these results were $41.9 million of interest
income, offset by $39.6 million of interest expense. Inclusive in these results
is the quarterly retrospective adjustment of $1.8 million for the three month
period ended March 31, 2007. The retrospective adjustment is described below
under Critical Accounting Policies/Income Recognition. Net interest income
is
down approximately $2.5 million compared to the three month period ended March
31, 2006. The decline is mostly the result of the approximately 18.4% decline
in
the investment securities held for the period.
Opteum
had an ($0.8) million in losses from the sale of securities in the MBS portfolio
during the three months ended March 31, 2007. For the three month period ended
March 31, 2006, Opteum reported no gains/loss from the sale of MBS.
As
of
March 31, 2007, Opteum’s MBS portfolio consisted of $2.9 billion of
agency or government MBS at fair value and had a weighted average yield on
assets of 5.14% and a net weighted average borrowing cost of 5.24%. The
following tables summarize Opteum’s agency and government mortgage related
securities as of March 31, 2007:
Asset
Category
|
Market
Value
(in
thousands)
|
Percentage
of Entire Portfolio
|
Weighted
Average Coupon
|
Weighted
Average Maturity in Months
|
Longest
Maturity
|
Weighted
Average Coupon Reset in Months
|
Weighted
Average Lifetime Cap
|
Weighted
Average Periodic Cap
|
|||
Adjustable-Rate
MBS
|
$
|
1,821,445
|
62.13%
|
5.25%
|
321
|
1-Apr-44
|
4
|
10.40%
|
1.82%
|
||
Fixed-Rate
MBS
|
$
|
593,753
|
20.25%
|
6.56%
|
258
|
1-Jan-37
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
||
Hybrid
Adjustable-Rate MBS
|
$
|
516,598
|
17.62%
|
5.41%
|
346
|
1-Jan-37
|
35
|
11.14%
|
6.95%
|
||
Total
Portfolio
|
$
|
2,931,796
|
100.00%
|
5.55%
|
313
|
1-Apr-44
|
11
|
10.57%
|
3.21%
|
Agency
|
Market
Value
(in
thousands)
|
Percentage
of
Entire
Portfolio
|
||
Fannie
Mae
|
$
|
2,326,347
|
79.35%
|
|
Freddie
Mac
|
271,037
|
9.24%
|
||
Ginnie
Mae
|
334,412
|
11.41%
|
||
Total
Portfolio
|
$
|
2,931,796
|
100.00%
|
Entire
Portfolio
|
||
Effective
Duration (1)
|
1.03
|
|
Weighted
Average Purchase Price
|
$
|
102.37
|
Weighted
Average Current Price
|
$
|
101.31
|
(1) |
Effective
duration of 1.03 indicates that an interest rate increase of 1% would
be
expected to cause a 1.03% decline in the value of the MBS in the
Company’s
investment portfolio.
|
In
evaluating Opteum’s MBS portfolio assets and their performance, Opteum’s
management team primarily evaluates these critical factors: asset performance
in
differing interest rate environments, duration of the security, yield to
maturity, potential for prepayment of principal and the market price of the
investment.
Opteum’s
portfolio of MBS will typically be comprised of adjustable-rate MBS, fixed-rate
MBS, hybrid adjustable-rate MBS and balloon maturity MBS. Opteum seeks to
acquire low duration assets that offer high levels of protection from mortgage
prepayments. Although the duration of an individual asset can change as a result
of changes in interest rates, Opteum strives to maintain a portfolio with an
effective duration of less than 2.0. The stated contractual final maturity
of
the mortgage loans underlying Opteum’s portfolio of MBS generally ranges up to
30 years. However, the effect of prepayments of the underlying mortgage
loans tends to shorten the resulting cash flows from Opteum’s investments
substantially. Prepayments occur for various reasons, including refinancing
of
underlying mortgages and loan payoffs in connection with home sales.
Prepayments
on the loans underlying Opteum’s MBS can alter the timing of the cash flows from
the underlying loans to the Company. As a result, Opteum gauges the interest
rate sensitivity of its assets by measuring their effective duration. While
modified duration measures the price sensitivity of a bond to movements in
interest rates, effective duration captures both the movement in interest rates
and the fact that cash flows to a mortgage related security are altered when
interest rates move. Accordingly, when the contract interest rate on a mortgage
loan is substantially above prevailing interest rates in the market, the
effective duration of securities collateralized by such loans can be quite
low
because of expected prepayments. Although some of the fixed-rate MBS in Opteum’s
portfolio are collateralized by loans with a lower propensity to prepay when
the
contract rate is above prevailing rates, their price movements track securities
with like contract rates and therefore exhibit similar effective duration.
As
of
March 31, 2007, approximately 51.2% of Opteum’s 15-year fixed-rate coupon MBS
and approximately 41.7% of Opteum’s 30-year fixed-rate coupon MBS contain only
loans with principal balances of $85,000 or less. Because of the low loan
balance on these mortgages, Opteum believes borrowers have a lower economic
incentive to refinance and have historically prepaid more slowly than comparable
securities.
The
value
of Opteum’s MBS portfolio changes as interest rates rise or fall. Opteum faces
the risk that the market value of its assets will increase or decrease at
different rates than that of its liabilities, including its hedging instruments.
Opteum primarily assesses its interest rate risk by estimating the duration
of
its assets and the duration of its liabilities. Duration essentially measures
the market price volatility of financial instruments as interest rates change.
Opteum generally calculates duration using various financial models and
empirical data and different models and methodologies can produce different
duration numbers for the same securities.
The
following sensitivity analysis shows the estimated impact on the fair value
of
Opteum's interest rate-sensitive investments as of March 31, 2007, assuming
rates instantaneously fall 100 basis points, rise 100 basis points and rise
200
basis points:
(in
thousands)
Interest
Rates Fall
100
Basis Points
|
Interest
Rates Rise
100
Basis Points
|
Interest
Rates Rise
200
Basis Points
|
||||
Adjustable-Rate
MBS
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $1,821,445)
|
||||||
Change
in fair value
|
$
|
9,758
|
$
|
(9,758)
|
$
|
(19,516)
|
Change
as a percent of fair value
|
0.54%
|
(0.54)%
|
(1.07)%
|
|||
Fixed-Rate
MBS
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $593,753)
|
||||||
Change
in fair value
|
$
|
13,824
|
$
|
(13,824)
|
$
|
(27,647)
|
Change
as a percent of fair value
|
2.33%
|
(2.33)%
|
(4.66)%
|
|||
Hybrid
Adjustable-Rate MBS
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $516,598)
|
||||||
Change
in fair value
|
$
|
6,648
|
$
|
(6,648)
|
$
|
(13,297)
|
Change
as a percent of fair value
|
1.29%
|
(1.29)%
|
(2.57)%
|
|||
Cash
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $ 78,947)
|
||||||
Portfolio
Total
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $2,931,796)
|
||||||
Change
in fair value
|
$
|
30,230
|
$
|
(30,230)
|
$
|
(60,460)
|
Change
as a percent of fair value
|
1.03%
|
(1.03)%
|
(2.06)%
|
The
table
below reflects the same analysis presented above but with the figures in the
columns that indicate the estimated impact of a 100 basis point fall or rise
adjusted to reflect the impact of convexity.
(in
thousands)
Interest
Rates Fall
100
Basis Points
|
Interest
Rates Rise
100
Basis Points
|
Interest
Rates Rise
200
Basis Points
|
||||
Adjustable-Rate
MBS
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $1,821,445)
|
||||||
Change
in fair value
|
$
|
4,566
|
$
|
(13,572)
|
$
|
(34,625)
|
Change
as a percent of fair value
|
0.25%
|
(0.75)%
|
(1.90)%
|
|||
Fixed-Rate
MBS
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $593,753)
|
||||||
Change
in fair value
|
$
|
9,305
|
$
|
(17,269)
|
$
|
(39,047)
|
Change
as a percent of fair value
|
1.57%
|
(2.91)%
|
(6.58)%
|
|||
Hybrid
Adjustable-Rate MBS
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $516,598)
|
||||||
Change
in fair value
|
$
|
4,385
|
$
|
(8,772)
|
$
|
(21,005)
|
Change
as a percent of fair value
|
0.85%
|
(1.70)%
|
(4.07)%
|
|||
Cash
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $ 78,947)
|
||||||
Portfolio
Total
|
||||||
(Fair
Value $2,931,796)
|
||||||
Change
in fair value
|
$
|
18,256
|
$
|
(39,612)
|
$
|
(94,677)
|
Change
as a percent of fair value
|
0.62%
|
(1.35)%
|
(3.23)%
|
In
addition to changes in interest rates, other factors impact the fair value
of
Opteum's interest rate-sensitive investments and hedging instruments, such
as
the shape of the yield curve, market expectations as to future interest rate
changes and other market conditions. Accordingly, in the event of changes in
actual interest rates, the change in the fair value of Opteum's assets would
likely differ from that shown above and such difference might be material and
adverse to Opteum's stockholders.
For
reference, the table below shows the principal balance of Opteum’s investment
securities, the net unamortized premium, amortized cost of securities held,
average cost expressed as a price, the fair market value of investments and
the
fair market value expressed as a price for the current quarter and each of
the
previous eight quarters for the portfolio of MBS securities only. The data
in the table below does not include information pertaining to OFS.
(in
thousands)
Quarter
Ended
|
Principal
Balance
of
Investment
Securities
Held
|
Unamortized
Premium
(Net)
|
Amortized
Cost of
Securities
Held
|
Amortized
Cost/Principal
Balance
Held
|
Fair
Market
Value
of
Investment
Securities
Held
|
Fair
Market
Value/Principal
Balance
Held
|
||||
At
March 31, 2007
|
$
|
2,893,761
|
$
|
109,445
|
$
|
3,003,206
|
103.78
|
$
|
2,931,796
|
101.31
|
At
December 31, 2006
|
2,779,867
|
115,612
|
2,895,479
|
104.16
|
2,808,734
|
101.04
|
||||
At
September 30, 2006
|
3,055,791
|
122,300
|
3,178,091
|
104.00
|
3,080,060
|
100.79
|
||||
At
June 30, 2006
|
3,396,910
|
120,769
|
3,517,679
|
103.56
|
3,407,288
|
100.31
|
||||
At
March 31,2006
|
3,515,113
|
111,361
|
3,626,473
|
103.17
|
3,538,554
|
100.67
|
||||
At
December 31, 2005
|
3,457,891
|
112,636
|
3,570,527
|
103.26
|
3,494,029
|
101.05
|
||||
At
September 30, 2005
|
3,797,401
|
113,393
|
3,910,793
|
102.99
|
3,858,320
|
101.60
|
||||
At
June 30, 2005
|
3,784,668
|
114,673
|
3,899,341
|
103.03
|
3,876,206
|
102.42
|
||||
At
March 31, 2005
|
3,212,517
|
109,390
|
3,321,907
|
103.41
|
3,299,052
|
102.69
|
The
table
below shows Opteum’s average investments held, total interest income, yield on
average earning assets, average repurchase obligations outstanding, interest
expense, average cost of funds, net interest income and net interest spread
for
the quarter ended March 31, 2007, and the eight previous quarters for
Opteum’s portfolio of MBS securities only. The data in the table below
does not include information pertaining to OFS’s results of operations.
Indicated in the table below, net interest spread expanded during the first
quarter of 2007 to 0.36% from (0.86%) in the fourth quarter of 2006. Excluding
the quarterly retrospective adjustment, the net interest margin expanded from
(0.31%) in the fourth quarter of 2006 to 0.11% in the first quarter of 2007.
Excluding the quarterly retrospective adjustment, the net interest margin
decreased from 0.14% in the first quarter of 2006 to 0.11% in the first quarter
of 2007.
RATIOS
FOR THE QUARTERS HAVE BEEN ANNUALIZED
(in
thousands)
Quarter
Ended
|
Average
Investment
Securities
Held
|
Total
Interest Income
|
Yield
on
Average
Interest
Earning
Assets
|
Average
Balance
of
Repurchase
Obligations
Outstanding
|
Interest
Expense
|
Average
Cost
of
Funds
|
Net
Interest
Income
|
Net
Interest
Spread
|
|||||
March
31, 2007
|
$
|
2,870,265
|
$
|
41,856
|
5.83%
|
$
|
2,801,901
|
$
|
38,357
|
5.48%
|
$
|
3,499
|
0.36%
|
December
31, 2006
|
2,944,397
|
35,162
|
4.78%
|
2,869,210
|
40,400
|
5.63%
|
(5,238)
|
(0.86%)
|
|||||
September
30, 2006
|
3,243,674
|
45,850
|
5.65%
|
3,151,813
|
42,710
|
5.42%
|
3,140
|
0.23%
|
|||||
June
30, 2006
|
3,472,921
|
57,027
|
6.57%
|
3,360,421
|
42,829
|
5.10%
|
14,198
|
1.47%
|
|||||
March
31, 2006
|
3,516,292
|
42,345
|
4.82%
|
3,375,777
|
37,661
|
4.46%
|
4,684
|
0.35%
|
|||||
December
31, 2005
|
3,676,175
|
43,140
|
4.69
%
|
3,533,486
|
35,913
|
4.07
%
|
7,227
|
0.63
%
|
|||||
September
30, 2005
|
3,867,263
|
43,574
|
4.51
%
|
3,723,603
|
33,102
|
3.56
%
|
10,472
|
0.95
%
|
|||||
June 30,
2005
|
3,587,629
|
36,749
|
4.10
%
|
3,449,744
|
26,703
|
3.10
%
|
10,045
|
1.00
%
|
|||||
March 31,
2005
|
3,136,142
|
31,070
|
3.96
%
|
2,976,409
|
19,842
|
2.67
%
|
11,228
|
1.30
%
|
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007, $1.8 million of the $41.8 million of interest
income was derived from the quarterly retrospective adjustment. The adjustment
represented 25.0 basis points of the 583.3 basis points of the yield on average
interest earning assets. For the three months ended March 31, 2006, $1.9 million
of the $42.3 million of interest income was derived from the quarterly
retrospective adjustment. The adjustment represented 21.8 basis points of the
481.7 basis points of the yield on average interest earning assets.
PERFORMANCE
OF OFS
The
principal business activities of OFS are the origination and sale of mortgage
loans. In addition, as part of the securitization of loans sold, OFS retains
an
interest in the resulting residual interest cash flows more fully described
below. Finally, OFS services the loans securitized as well as some loans sold
on
a whole loan basis.
At
March
31, 2007, OFS owned $416.6 million of mortgage loans which were classified
as
mortgage loans held for sale. Gains/ (losses) realized on the mortgage banking
activities for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, were ($18.0)
million and $3.0 million, respectively. These gains/(losses) reflect the effects
of the mark to market of IRLCs and loans held for sale prior to the sale date
of
($14.1) million and ($4.1) million, respectively. The
sharp
deterioration in the gains/(losses) from mortgage banking activities was the
result of disruptions in the secondary market for the loans OFS originates
and
sells. Owing to fears related to the credit performance of certain types of
loans OFS originated, namely high combined loan to value (“CLTV”) and second
lien mortgages, prices obtained upon sale were depressed and OFS also
experienced elevated levels of early payment defaults (EPD’s), resulting in OFS
recording high loan loss reserves.
Gains/
(losses) from mortgage banking activities include changes in the fair value
of
retained interests in securitizations and the associated hedge gains or losses.
Excluding changes in fair value of retained interests in securitizations net
of
hedge gains and losses, OFS had gains (losses) from sales of mortgages held
for
sale of ($12.0) million and $3.8 million for the three months ended March 31,
2007 and 2006, respectively.
The
retained interests in securitizations represent residual interests in loans
originated or purchased by OFS prior to securitization. These retained interests
are classified on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet as Retained
Interest, Trading. The total fair market value of these retained interests
was
approximately $102.0 million as of March 31, 2007. Fluctuations in value of
retained interests are primarily driven by projections of future interest rates
(the forward LIBOR curve), the discount rate used to determine the present
value
of the residual cash flows and prepayment and loss estimates on the underlying
mortgage loans. Due to slightly higher projected prepayment rates on the
underlying mortgage loans, the market value of the retained interests decreased
by $(2.2) million and increased $7.2 million (net of $12.4 million of
additions), respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and
2006.
It
is the
Company’s intention to hedge these retained interests so as to protect earnings
from an unexpected change due to a decline in value of the retained interests.
However, movements in the variables that affect the value of the retained
interests, in particular forward LIBOR rates and prepayment estimates, also
affect retrospective adjustments to the effective interest computation of the
Opteum MBS portfolio and the value of the Company’s mortgage servicing rights
(“MSRs”).
Movements in these two variables have the opposite effect on the value of the
retained interests and the retrospective adjustment to the effective interest
computation of the Opteum MBS portfolio and the MSRs. Since movements in these
two variables affect reported earnings in an offsetting fashion, they tend
to
naturally hedge the Company’s earnings when taken as a whole. Accordingly, the
Company takes this fact into consideration when constructing and implementing
its hedging strategy.
The
table
below provides details of OFS’s gain/ (loss) on mortgage banking activities for
the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006. OFS recognizes a gain on sale
of
mortgages held for sale only when the loans are actually sold.
(LOSSES)
GAINS ON MORTGAGE BANKING ACTIVITIES
(in
thousands)
Three
Months Ended
|
||||
March
31, 2007
|
March
31, 2006
|
|||
Fair
value adjustment of retained interests, trading
|
$
|
(1,324)
|
$
|
(4,226)
|
Gain
on sales of mortgage loans
|
14,513
|
20,829
|
||
Fees
on brokered loans
|
857
|
1,549
|
||
Gain/(loss)
on derivatives
|
(4,636)
|
3,402
|
||
Direct
loan origination expenses, deferred
|
(1,492)
|
1,238
|
||
Fees
earned, brokering
|
435
|
771
|
||
Write
off purchased pipeline (Purchase Accounting Adjustment)
|
-
|
(534)
|
||
Direct
loan origination expenses, reclassified
|
(12,239)
|
(15,952)
|
||
Net
gain/(loss) on sale of mortgage loans
|
$
|
(3,886)
|
$
|
7,077
|
Change
in market value of IRLCs
|
204
|
(3,744)
|
||
Change
in market value of mortgage loans held for sale
|
(14,278)
|
(336)
|
||
Gain/(loss)
on mortgage banking activities
|
$
|
(17,960)
|
$
|
2,997
|
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, OFS originated mortgage loans of
$1.1 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively. For the same periods, OFS sold
$1.3
billion and $1.4 billion of originated mortgage loans. Of the originated
mortgage loans sold during the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006,
$0.6
billion of the $1.3 billion and $1.1 billion of the $1.4 billion, respectively,
were sold on a servicing retained basis.
For
the
three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, OFS had net servicing (loss) of
($4.6) million and ($1.8) million, respectively. The results for the three
month
periods were driven primarily by negative fair value adjustments
to the MSRs (inclusive of run-off of the servicing portfolio) for the three
months ended March 31, 2007 and the Company’s early adoption of SFAS 156 on
January 1, 2006 (for the three months ended March 31, 2006).
As
of
March 31, 2007, OFS held originated MSRs on approximately $9.4 billion in
mortgages with a fair market value of approximately $91.9 million. For the
three
months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, additions to the MSRs were $5.3 million
and $11.0 million, respectively. In turn, the net fair value adjustments for
the
three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, reflect declines in fair value
due
to run-off of $(4.7) million and $(5.1) million and adjustments due to decreases
in fair value of ($7.6) million and ($1.4) million, respectively. Changes in
valuation assumptions in the case of the three months ended March 31, 2007,
and
early adoption of SFAS 156 for the three month period and March 31, 2006,
reduced the fair market value by $2.6 million and $1.1 million, respectively.
OFS
had
interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”), along with other instruments that are
hedges for both these IRLCs and retained interests, securitizations, and both
are considered derivatives. The changes to the fair value of these derivatives
from inception to the period end are recorded at their fair value with the
resulting gain or loss reflected in current period earnings. The result of
the
changes in the fair value of these derivatives was a loss of approximately
$4.4
million as of March 31, 2007.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
The
Company presently believes that its equity and junior subordinated debt capital,
combined with the cash flow from operations and the utilization of borrowings,
will be sufficient to enable the Company to meet its anticipated liquidity
requirements. Various changes in market conditions could, however, adversely
affect the Company’s liquidity, including increases in interest rates, increases
in prepayment rates substantially above expectations or the reduction of fee
income generated through mortgage originations at OFS. If cash resources are,
at
any time, insufficient to satisfy the Company’s liquidity requirements, such as
when cash flow from operations were materially negative, the Company may be
required to pledge additional assets to meet margin calls, liquidate assets,
sell additional debt or equity securities or pursue other financing
alternatives. Any sale of mortgage-related securities or originated mortgage
loans held for sale by OFS at prices lower than the carrying value of such
assets would reduce the Company’s income.
The
Company may, in the future, increase capital resources by making additional
offerings of equity and debt securities, including classes of preferred stock,
common stock, commercial paper, medium-term notes, collateralized mortgage
obligations and senior or subordinated notes. All debt securities, other
borrowings and classes of preferred stock will be senior to the Class A
Common Stock in a liquidation of the company. Additional equity offerings may
be
dilutive to stockholders' equity or reduce the market price of the Class A
Common Stock or both. The Company is unable to estimate the amount, timing
or
nature of any additional offerings as they will depend upon market conditions
and other factors.
In
addition to its equity and junior subordinated debt capital and cash flow from
operations, which consists primarily of monthly principal and interest payments
received on Opteum’s mortgage-related securities and cash generated by OFS from
sales of mortgage loans, retained interests in mortgage securitizations,
originated MSRs and originated loan fees, the Company presently relies upon
repurchase agreements and credit facilities to finance its operations.
Repurchase
agreements are used primarily in connection with the financing of Opteum’s MBS
portfolio and, although structured as repurchase agreements, are treated as
secured loans for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Credit facilities are used
primarily in connection with OFS’s mortgage loan origination
activities.
OPTEUM’S
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
At
March 31, 2007, Opteum had master repurchase agreements in place with
19 counterparties
and had outstanding balances under 11 of these agreements. None of the
counterparties to these agreements are affiliates of Opteum. These agreements
are secured by Opteum’s MBS and bear interest rates that are based on a spread
to LIBOR.
As
of
March 31, 2007, Opteum had obligations outstanding under its repurchase
agreements totaling $2.9 billion with a net weighted average borrowing cost
of
5.24%. All of Opteum’s outstanding repurchase agreement obligations are due in
less than 18 months with $0.4 billion maturing between two and
30 days, $1.6 billion maturing between 31 and 90 days and
$0.9 billion maturing in more than 90 days. Securing these repurchase
agreement obligations as of March 31, 2007, were MBS with an estimated fair
value of $2.9 billion and a weighted average maturity of 313 months.
As
of
March 31, 2007, Opteum’s repurchase agreements had the following
counterparties, amounts outstanding, amounts-at-risk and weighted average
remaining maturities:
(in
thousands)
Repurchase
Agreement Counterparties
|
Amount
Outstanding
|
Amount
at
Risk(1)
|
Weighted
Average
Maturity
of
Repurchase
Agreements
in
Days
|
Percent
of
Total
Amount
Outstanding
|
|||
Deutsche
Bank Securities, Inc.
|
$
|
873,149
|
$
|
16,329
|
168
|
30.52
|
%
|
ING
Financial Markets LLC
|
699,520
|
14,148
|
91
|
24.44
|
|||
JP
Morgan Securities
|
565,111
|
14,065
|
255
|
19.74
|
|||
Nomura
Securities International, Inc.
|
328,640
|
8,407
|
48
|
11.48
|
|||
Countrywide
Securities Corp
|
127,167
|
4,708
|
45
|
4.44
|
|||
RBS
Greenwich Capital
|
98,613
|
1,315
|
38
|
3.45
|
|||
Bank
of America Securities, LLC
|
54,120
|
1,929
|
52
|
1.89
|
|||
Morgan
Stanley
|
33,650
|
1,042
|
10
|
1.18
|
|||
HSBC
Securities (USA) Inc
|
31,537
|
615
|
6
|
1.10
|
|||
Lehman
Brothers
|
27,045
|
598
|
60
|
0.94
|
|||
Goldman
Sachs
|
23,570
|
706
|
151
|
0.82
|
|||
Total
|
$
|
2,862,122
|
$
|
63,862
|
100.00
|
%
|
(1) Equal
to
the fair value of securities sold, plus accrued interest income, minus the
sum
of repurchase agreement liabilities, plus accrued interest expense.
Opteum’s
master repurchase agreements have no stated expiration, but can be terminated
at
any time at Opteum’s option or at the option of the counterparty. However, once
a definitive repurchase agreement under a master repurchase agreement has been
entered into, it generally may not be terminated by either party. A negotiated
termination can occur, but may involve a fee to be paid by the party seeking
to
terminate the repurchase agreement transaction.
Opteum
has entered into contracts and paid commitment fees to three counterparties
providing for an aggregate of $1.7 billion in committed repurchase agreement
facilities at pre-determined borrowing rates and haircuts for a 364 day period
following the commencement date of each contract. Opteum has no obligation
to
utilize these repurchase agreement facilities. All of these facilities have
been
renewed for an additional 364 day period.
In
addition, two of the agreements described above are available to provide
financing for up to $150 million to cover margin requirements associated with
monthly principal payments on the MBS portfolio.
It
is the
Company’s present intention to seek to renew its various committed and
uncommitted repurchase agreements as they become due or expire. However, market
conditions could change making the renewal of these contractual arrangements
more expensive or unattainable. Further, as discussed above, increases in
short-term interest rates could negatively impact the valuation of Opteum’s MBS
portfolio. Should this occur, Opteum’s ability to enter into new repurchase
agreements or extend its existing repurchase agreements could be limited and
may
cause Opteum’s repurchase agreement counterparties to initiate margin calls.
Under this scenario, Opteum would likely seek alternative sources of financing
which could include additional debt or equity financing or sales of
assets.
In
May 2005, Opteum completed a private offering of $51.6 million of trust
preferred securities of Bimini Capital Trust I (“BCTI”) resulting in the
issuance by Opteum of $51.6 million of junior subordinated notes. The interest
rate payable by Opteum on the BCTI junior subordinated notes is fixed for the
first five years at 7.61% and then floats at a spread of 3.30% over three-month
LIBOR for the remaining 25 years. However, the BCTI junior subordinated notes
and the corresponding BCTI trust preferred securities are redeemable at Opteum’s
option at the end of the first five year period and at any subsequent date
that
Opteum chooses.
In
addition, in October 2005, Opteum completed a private offering of an additional
$51.5 million of trust preferred securities of Bimini Capital Trust II (“BCTII”)
resulting in the issuance by Opteum of an additional $51.5 million of junior
subordinated notes. The interest rate on the BCTII junior subordinated notes
and
the corresponding BCTII trust preferred securities is fixed for the first five
years at 7.8575% and then floats at a spread of 3.50% over three-month LIBOR
for
the remaining 25 years. However, the BCTII junior subordinated notes and the
corresponding BCTII trust preferred securities are redeemable at Opteum’s option
at the end of the first five year period and at any subsequent date that Opteum
chooses.
Opteum
attempts to ensure that the income generated from available investment
opportunities, when the use of leverage is employed for the purchase of assets,
exceeds the cost of its borrowings. However, the issuance of debt at a fixed
rate for any long-term period, considering the use of leverage, could create
an
interest rate mismatch if Opteum is not able to invest at yields that exceed
the
interest rates of the Company’s junior subordinated notes and other
borrowings.
OFS’S
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
In
order
to facilitate the origination of mortgage loans, OFS has various warehouse
and
aggregation lines of credit available, some of which are committed facilities
while others are uncommitted. With respect to the committed lines, the
commitments are for 364 day periods. At March 31, 2007 OFS had committed
warehouse lines of $0.9 billion, uncommitted warehouse lines of $0.7 billion
and
a committed aggregation line of $1.5 billion. In addition, OFS had $0.2 billion
of various committed lines of credit secured by OFS’s retained interests in
securitizations and originated mortgage servicing rights. One billion of the
committed warehouse and credit line with one lender matures May 31, 2007 and
will be reduced as a consequence of the decision to close the wholesale and
conduit mortgage loan origination channels.
The
committed and uncommitted warehouse and aggregation facilities are secured
by
mortgage loans and other assets of OFS. The facilities generally contain various
covenants pertaining to tangible net worth, net income, available cash and
liquidity, leverage ratio, current ratio and servicing delinquency. As of March
31, 2007, OFS was not in compliance with respect to two covenants pertaining
to
tangible net worth with two lenders. OFS has obtained waivers from each lender
for the covenant violations. However, OFS may violate such covenants again
in
the future. In the event the violations occur, OFS may be unable to obtain
waivers. In the event waivers are not obtained, OFS would be in default under
the terms of the agreements. In the event OFS defaulted under the terms of
the
agreement, the lenders could force OFS to liquidate the mortgage loans
collateralizing the loan, seek payment from the Company as guarantor, or force
OFS into an involuntary bankruptcy. In the event the Company where required
to
perform under its duties as guarantor, the Company’s liquidity would be
constrained or it may not be able to satisfy such obligations. In such event,
this would also constitute an event of default under the terms of the agreement
and the lenders would have the same remedies available to them as
above.
As
of
March 31, 2007, OFS had outstanding balances of approximately $405.2 million
under their various warehouse and aggregation lines and approximately $124.3
million outstanding on other lines of credit with various lenders. The rates
on
these borrowings generally are based on a spread to LIBOR.
The
committed and uncommitted warehouse an aggregation lines are sufficient to
support OFS’s production. However, in the event OFS were not able to renew the
$1.0 billion committed warehouse/credit line maturing May 31, 2007, even at
a
reduced commitment level, OFS would have to seek a waiver from other committed
lenders who require OFS to have additional committed borrowing available of
$500
million. Should OFS not obtain such waiver, OFS could lose all their committed
lines. In such instance, OFS would have to seek to obtain additional financing
that might only be available at less favorable terms or not available at all.
In
such instance, OFS might have to curtail production further or pledge additional
assets to obtain financing.
OFS
has
commitments to borrowers to fund residential mortgage loans as well as
commitments to purchase and sell mortgage loans to third parties. As of March
31, 2007, OFS had outstanding commitments to originate loans of approximately
$142.3 million. As of March 31, 2007, OFS had outstanding commitments to sell
loans of approximately $201.2 million. The commitments to originate and purchase
loans do not necessarily represent future cash requirements, as some portion
of
the commitments are likely to expire without being drawn upon or may be
subsequently declined for credit or other reasons.
The
Company’s TRS, OFS has been in violation of certain covenants with respect to
their warehouse lines of credit related to their loan origination operations
for
five consecutive quarters. While the violations to the covenants have been
waived by the lender, should conditions in the mortgage origination industry
continue to deteriorate or fail to recover in sufficient time, it is possible
OFS may not be able to obtain such waivers in the future. Under such
circumstances, OFS might be precluded from accessing its warehouse lending
agreements to the extent it does now and may have to curtail its originations
accordingly. As of March 31, 2007, OFS was not in compliance with respect to
a
covenant with two lenders. The covenant violations as of March 31, 2007
pertained to tangible net worth. OFS has obtained a waiver from lenders
with respect to the covenant violations as of March 31, 2007.
Outlook
As
discussed above, the Company's results of operations for the three months ended
March 31, 2007 continue to be impacted by the prior monetary policy actions
of
the Federal Reserve whereby their target for the federal funds rate was raised
by 425 basis points over a two year period. The Company repositioned its
portfolio of MBS securities in response to the initial steps taken by the
Federal Reserve by significantly increasing the allocation to short resetting
ARMs. However, while this protected the portfolio from rising funding costs
to
some extent, such ARM securities reset upward in coupon less frequently than
funding costs and the NIM of the portfolio became negative in late 2006. The
NIM
of the portfolio was negative for the three month period ended March 31, 2007
as
well.
The
funding costs of the MBS portfolio have stabilized and the yield on the MBS
assets continues to rise, albeit slowly, through a combination of ARM resetting
and reinvestment of monthly pay-downs at higher relative yields. The need to
fund negative cash flow operations at OFS precluded the Company from reinvesting
monthly pay-downs throughout much of 2006 and thus exacerbated the erosion
of
the NIM. The Company did reinvest pay-downs throughout the three month period
ended March 31, 2007. The Company’s recent decision to significantly terminate
mortgage loan origination operations at OFS was done in part to alleviate the
negative effect the operations at OFS had on the MBS portfolio.
Going
forward, the combination of the ability to reinvest pay-downs on a regular
basis, the continued appreciation in yield resulting from ARM resets and the
absence of cash flow needs for OFS should slowly restore the NIM of the MBS
portfolio to a positive value. However, the reduced size of the portfolio and
the current market conditions in terms of the positive NIM available, will
constrain the earnings potential of the Company in the near term.
In
the
event short-term rates remain stable, the effect on the Company's consolidated
results of operations would depend on the rate at which the portfolio of
adjustable MBS securities reset upward in relation to the funding costs, yields
available on securities purchased with reinvested pay-downs and future
retrospective adjustments. However, if short-term rates decline, the Company's
consolidated results of operations and liquidity will likely be positively
impacted. In this event, the Company may seek to raise additional equity or
debt
financing or reposition its assets to maximize its earnings and dividend
potential.
Recent
developments in the secondary market for Alt-A and, specifically, loans with
additional second lien mortgages, have had a material negative impact on the
results of operations of OFS. Owing primarily to poor credit performance of
such
high CLTV residential mortgage loans, especially those originated in late 2006
and early 2007, the secondary market for such loans has deteriorated. The poor
credit performance of such loans has manifested itself in elevated levels of
EPD's and depressed prices in the secondary market. As a result, OFS recorded
reserves for loan losses in excess of amounts recorded in earlier periods and
has had to repurchase EPD loans from the buyers that acquired the loans from
OFS. Once repurchased, such loans are typically re-sold at a loss by OFS. OFS
made changes to its underwriting standards designed to increase the
creditworthiness of the loans it originates. Such actions should reduce the
level of EPD's incurred and increase the prices at which OFS sells such loans.
On
April
20, 2007, OFS announced the closure of its warehouse and conduit loan
origination channels. On May 7, 2007, OFS signed a binding agreement to sell
its
retail loan origination channel to a third party. Accordingly, upon closing
of
the sale of the retail origination channel and the closure of OFS conduit and
wholesale origination channel, OFS will no longer operate a mortgage loan
origination business.
During
the wind down of the mortgage loan origination operations, OFS will still need
access to sufficient capacity of warehouse lines of credit to fund the remaining
unsold loans in its inventory. In the event such borrowing capacity is reduced
or withdrawn before the inventory can be fully liquidated, OFS may need to
seek
alternative sources of funding or hold such loans until sold.
Critical
Accounting Policies
The
Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Company’s significant accounting
policies are described in Note 1 to the Company’s accompanying Consolidated
Financial Statements.
GAAP
requires the Company’s management to make some complex and subjective decisions
and assessments. The Company’s most critical accounting policies involve
decisions and assessments which could significantly affect reported assets
and
liabilities, as well as reported revenues and expenses. The Company believes
that all of the decisions and assessments upon which its financial statements
are based were reasonable at the time made based upon information available
to
it at that time. Management has identified its most critical accounting policies
to be the following:
LONG-LIVED
ASSETS
Long-lived
assets, including property, plant and equipment and goodwill comprise a
significant amount of the Company’s total assets. The Company makes judgments
and estimates about the carrying value of these assets, including amounts to
be
capitalized, depreciation methods and useful lives. The Company also reviews
these assets for impairment on a periodic basis or whenever events or changes
in
circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable. The
impairment test consists of a comparison of an asset’s fair value with its
carrying value; if the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value,
an
impairment loss is recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations in
an
amount equal to that excess. When an asset’s fair value is not readily apparent
from other sources, management’s determination of an asset’s fair value requires
it to make long-term forecasts of future net cash flows related to the asset.
These forecasts require assumptions about future demand, future market
conditions and regulatory developments. Significant and unanticipated changes
to
these assumptions could require a provision for impairment in a future period.
In
accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting
for the Impairment or Disposal of Long Lived Assets
(“SFAS
144”), the closure and/or sale of mortgage loan origination channels (discussed
in Note 19) required management to test the associated long lived assets
for
recoverability. In connection with the testing of recoverability of the long
lived assets, OFS recorded an impairment charge of $6.0 million for the three
months ended March 31, 2007. Further, in accordance with SFAS 144, such long
lived assets were reported by OFS as held for use as of March 31, 2007, but
these assets will be included in discontinued operations for the remainder
of
2007.
GOODWILL
AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS
In
accordance with SFAS No. 142, Goodwill
and Other Intangible Assets,
goodwill
of a reporting unit (OFS) and other intangible assets (the “Opteum”
trade
name) not subject to amortization shall be tested for impairment on an annual
basis and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that
indicate the intangible asset might be impaired, which, in the case of goodwill
of a reporting unit, is when such event or circumstances would more likely
than
not reduce the fair value of that reporting unit below its carrying amount.
The
closure and or sale of the mortgage loan origination channels constituted such
an event that would require impairment analyses on the goodwill and other
intangibles not subject to amortization. Accordingly, OFS recorded impairment
charges of both goodwill and other intangible assets not subject to amortization
of approximately $2.8 million at March 31, 2007.
MORTGAGE
BACKED SECURITIES
The
Company’s investments in MBS are classified as available-for-sale securities. As
a result, changes in fair value are recorded as a balance sheet adjustment
to
accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), which is a component of
stockholders' equity, rather than through the statement of operations. The
Company’s MBS have fair values determined by management based on the average of
third-party broker quotes received and/or by independent pricing sources when
available. Because the price estimates may vary to some degree between sources,
management must make certain judgments and assumptions about the appropriate
price to use to calculate the fair values for financial reporting purposes.
Alternatively, management could opt to have the value of all of its positions
in
MBS determined by either an independent third-party pricing source or do so
internally based on managements own estimates. Management believes pricing
on
the basis of third-party broker quotes is the most consistent with the
definition of fair value described in SFAS No. 107, Disclosures
about the Fair Value of Financial Instruments.
RETAINED
INTEREST, TRADING
Retained
interest, trading is the subordinated interests retained by the Company from
the
Company’s various securitizations and includes the over-collateralization and
residual net interest spread remaining after payments to the Public Certificates
and NIM Notes. (See Notes 1 and 4 in the accompanying consolidated financial
statements.) Retained interest, trading represents the present value of
estimated cash flows to be received from these subordinated interests in the
future. The subordinated interests retained are classified as “trading
securities” and are reported at fair value with unrealized gains or losses
reported in earnings. In order to value these unrated and unquoted retained
interests, the Company utilizes either pricing available directly from dealers
or calculates their present value by projecting their future cash flows on
a
publicly-available analytical system. When a publicly-available analytical
system is employed, the Company uses the following variable factors in
estimating the fair value of these assets:
Interest
Rate Forecast.
The
forward London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) interest rate curve.
Discount
Rate.
The
present value of all future cash flows utilizing a discount rate assumption
established at the discretion of the Company to represent market conditions
and
value.
Prepayment
Forecast.
The
prepayment forecast may be expressed by the Company in accordance with one
of
the following standard market conventions: Constant Prepayment Rate (“CPR”) or
Percentage of a Prepayment Vector. Prepayment forecasts are made utilizing
Citigroup Global Markets Yield Book and/or management estimates based on
historical experience. Conversely, prepayment speed forecasts could have been
based on other market conventions or third-party analytical systems. Prepayment
forecasts may be changed as OFS observes trends in the underlying collateral
as
delineated in the Statement to Certificate Holders generated by the
securitization trust’s Trustee for each underlying security.
Credit
Performance Forecast.
A
forecast of future credit performance of the underlying collateral pool will
include an assumption of default frequency, loss severity and a recovery lag.
In
general, the Company will utilize the combination of default frequency and
loss
severity in conjunction with a collateral prepayment assumption to arrive at
a
target cumulative loss to the collateral pool over the life of the pool based
on
historical performance of similar collateral by the originator. The target
cumulative loss forecast will be developed and noted at the pricing date of
the
individual security but may be updated by the Company consistent with
observations of the actual collateral pool performance.
As
of
March 31, 2007, and December 31, 2006, key economic assumptions and the
sensitivity of the current fair value of retained interests to the immediate
10%
and 20% adverse change in those assumptions are as follows:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
Balance
Sheet Carrying value of retained interests - fair value
|
$
|
101,974
|
$
|
104,199
|
Weighted
average life (in years)
|
4.00
|
4.26
|
||
Prepayment
assumption (annual rate)
|
38.94%
|
37.88%
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(6,748)
|
$
|
(8,235)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(12,334)
|
$
|
(14,939)
|
Expected
Credit losses (annual rate)
|
0.51%
|
0.56%
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(2,602)
|
$
|
(3,052)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(5,285)
|
$
|
(6,098)
|
Residual
Cash-Flow Discount Rate
|
17.35%
|
16.03%
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(4,407)
|
$
|
(4,575)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(8,452)
|
$
|
(8,771)
|
Interest
rates on variable and adjustable loans and bonds
|
Forward
LIBOR Yield Curve
|
Forward
LIBOR Yield Curve
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(17,611)
|
$
|
(18,554)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(33,568)
|
$
|
(39,292)
|
These
sensitivities are entirely hypothetical and should be used with caution. As
the
figures indicate, changes in fair value based upon 10% and 20% variations in
assumptions generally cannot be extrapolated to greater or lesser percentage
variations because the relationship of the change in assumption to the change
in
fair value may not be linear. Also, in this table, the effect of the variation
in a particular assumption on the fair value of the subordinated interest is
calculated without changing any other assumption. In reality, changes in one
factor may result in changes in another that may magnify or counteract the
sensitivities. To estimate the impact of a 10% and 20% adverse change of the
forward LIBOR curve, a parallel shift in the forward LIBOR curve was assumed
based on the forward LIBOR curve as of March 31, 2007 and December 31,
2006.
MORTGAGE
SERVICING RIGHTS
The
Company recognizes mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”) as assets when separated
from the underlying mortgage loans in connection with the sale of such loans.
Upon sale of a loan, the Company measures the retained MSRs by allocating the
total cost of originating a mortgage loan between the loan and the servicing
right based on their relative fair values. Gains or losses on the sale of MSRs
are recognized when title and all risks and rewards have irrevocably passed
to
the purchaser of such MSRs and there are no significant unresolved
contingencies.
In
March
2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 156, Accounting
for Servicing of Financial Assets.
The
Company elected to early adopt SFAS 156 as of January 1, 2006, and to measure
all mortgage servicing assets at fair value (and as one class). (See Notes
1 and
5 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.)
To
facilitate hedging of the MSRs, management has elected to utilize an internal
model for valuation purposes. Accordingly, fair value is estimated based on
internally generated expected cash flows considering market prepayment
estimates, historical prepayment rates, portfolio characteristics, interest
rates and other economic factors.
As
of
March 31, 2007, and December 31, 2006, key economic assumptions and the
sensitivity of the current fair value of MSR cash flows to the immediate 10%
and
20% adverse change in those assumptions are as follows:
(in
thousands)
March
31, 2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||
Prepayment
assumption (annual rate) (PSA)
|
406.8
|
424.6
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(3,986)
|
$
|
(3,923)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(7,535)
|
$
|
(7,557)
|
MSR
Cash-Flow Discount Rate
|
14.39%
|
14.50%
|
||
Impact
on fair value of 10% adverse change
|
$
|
(3,378)
|
$
|
(3,505)
|
Impact
on fair value of 20% adverse change
|
$
|
(6,480)
|
$
|
(6,727)
|
These
sensitivities are entirely hypothetical and should be used with caution. As
the
figures indicate, changes in fair value based upon 10% and 20% variations in
assumptions generally cannot be extrapolated to greater or lesser percentage
variations because the relationship of the change in assumption to the change
in
fair value may not be linear. Also, in this table, the effect of the variation
in a particular assumption on the fair value of the MSRs is calculated without
changing any other assumption. In reality, changes in one factor may result
in
changes in another which may magnify or counteract the sensitivities.
INCOME
RECOGNITION
Interest
income on MBS is accrued based on the actual coupon rate and the outstanding
principal amount of the underlying mortgages. Premiums and discounts are
amortized or accreted into interest income over the estimated lives of the
MBS
using the effective yield method adjusted for the effects of estimated
prepayments based on SFAS No. 91, Accounting
for Nonrefundable Fees and Costs Associated with Originating or Acquiring Loans
and Initial Direct Costs of Leases; an
amendment of FASB Statements No. 13, 60 and 65 and a rescission of FASB
Statement No. 17. Adjustments are made using the retrospective method to
the effective interest computation each reporting period based on the actual
prepayment experiences to date and the present expectation of future prepayments
of the underlying mortgages. To make assumptions as to future estimated rates
of
prepayments, the Company currently uses actual market prepayment history for
the
securities it owns and for similar securities that the Company does not own
and
current market conditions. If the estimate of prepayments is incorrect, the
Company is required to make an adjustment to the amortization or accretion
of
premiums and discounts that would have an impact on future income.
With
respect to mortgage loans held for sale, interest income and interest expense
are recognized as earned or incurred. Loans are placed on a non-accrual status
when concern exists as to the ultimate collectability of principal or interest.
Loans return to accrual status when principal and interest become current and
are anticipated to be fully collectible. The Company recognizes gain (or loss)
on the sale of these loans. Gains or losses on such sales are recognized
at the time legal title transfers to the purchaser of such loans based upon
the
difference between the sales proceeds from the purchaser and the allocated
basis
of the loan sold, adjusted for net deferred loan fees and certain direct costs
and selling costs. The Company defers net loan origination costs and fees as
a
component of the loan balance on the balance sheet. Such costs are not amortized
and are recognized into income as a component of the gain or loss upon sale.
Accordingly, salaries, commissions, benefits and other operating expenses of
$12.2 million during the three months ended March 31, 2007 were capitalized
as
direct loan origination costs.
Servicing
fee income is generally a fee based on a percentage of the outstanding principal
balances of the mortgage loans serviced by the Company (or by a sub-servicer
where the Company is the master servicer) and is recorded as income as the
installment payments on the mortgages are received by the Company or the
sub-servicer.
INCOME
TAXES
Opteum
has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code. As further described below,
Opteum's TRS, OFS, is a taxpaying entity for income tax purposes and is taxed
separately from Opteum. Opteum will generally not be subject to federal income
tax on its REIT taxable income to the extent that Opteum distributes its REIT
taxable income to its stockholders and satisfies the ongoing REIT requirements,
including meeting certain asset, income and stock ownership tests. A REIT must
generally distribute at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its
stockholders, of which 85% generally must be distributed within the taxable
year, in order to avoid the imposition of an excise tax. The remaining balance
may be distributed up to the end of the following taxable year, provided the
REIT elects to treat such amount as a prior year distribution and meets certain
other requirements.
OFS
and
its activities are subject to corporate income taxes and the applicable
provisions of SFAS No. 109,
Accounting for Income Taxes.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax
consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement
carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax
basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using 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 effect on deferred
tax
assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in
the
period that includes the enactment date.
In
assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether
it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets
will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is
dependant upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in
which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the
scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable
income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment, including the
impacts of the Company’s current plans
to close
the OFS wholesale and conduit mortgage loan origination channels in the second
quarter of 2007, and to sell the OFS retail mortgage loan origination channel
to
a third party. At this time, management
believes it is more likely than not that the Company will not realize the full
benefits of the federal tax loss carryforwards, and that the Company will not
realize any benefit of the state tax loss carryforwards and the other deferred
tax assets. Therefore, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance of
$37.4 million against certain deferred tax assets as of March 31, 2007.
The Company believes deferred tax assets of $23.4 million for which there are
future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences expected to result
in
tax gains are more likely than not realizable as of March 31, 2007. The amount
of the deferred tax assets that the Company considers realizable could be
increased in the future depending on the actual tax results from the OFS closing
and sales activities described above.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
As
previously discussed
OFS
pools loans originated or purchased and then sells them or securitizes them
to
obtain long-term financing for its assets. Securitized loans are transferred
to
a trust where they serve as collateral for asset-backed bonds, which the trust
primarily issues to the public. During the first quarter of 2007, OFS did not
execute a securitization, and is not expected to do so in the future. However,
OFS held approximately $102.0 million of retained interests from securitizations
as of March 31, 2007.
The
cash
flows associated with OFS’s securitization activities over the three months
ended March 31, 2007, were as follows:
(in
thousands)
For
the Three Months Ended March 31, 2007
|
||
Proceeds
from securitizations
|
$
|
-
|
Servicing
fees received
|
5,310
|
|
Servicing
advances net of repayments
|
605
|
|
Cash
flows received on retained interests
|
901
|
ITEM
3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
There
have been no material changes to the Company’s exposure to market risk since
December 31, 2006. The information set forth under Item 7A - Quantitative and
Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk in the Company’s Annual Report on Form
10-K for the period ended December 31, 2006, is incorporated herein by
reference.
ITEM
4. CONTROLS
AND PROCEDURES.
Evaluation
of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The
Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure
that information required to be disclosed in the Company’s Exchange Act reports
is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods
specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and that such information is
accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely
decisions regarding required disclosure based closely on the definition of
“disclosure controls and procedures” in Rule 13a-15(e). In designing and
evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that
any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can
provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives
and management necessarily was required to apply its judgment in evaluating
the
cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.
As
of the
end of the period covered by this report, the Company carried out an evaluation,
under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management,
including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s Chief
Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the
Company’s disclosure controls and procedures. Based on the foregoing, the
Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the
Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
Changes
in Internal Controls over Financial Reporting
There
were no significant changes in the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting that occurred during the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter that
have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION.
ITEM
1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
The
Company is involved in various lawsuits and claims, both actual and potential,
including some that it has asserted against others, in which monetary and other
damages are sought. These lawsuits and claims relate primarily to contractual
disputes arising out of the ordinary course of the Company’s business. The
outcome of such lawsuits and claims is inherently unpredictable. However,
management believes that, in the aggregate, the outcome of all lawsuits and
claims involving the Company will not have a material effect on the Company’s
consolidated financial position or liquidity; however, any such outcome may
be
material to the results of operations of any particular period in which costs,
if any, are recognized.
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS.
During
the period covered by this report, there were no material changes from the
risk
factors previously disclosed under Item 1A - Risk Factors in the Company’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period December 31, 2006 as filed on March
14, 2007. The information set forth under Item 1A - Risk Factors in the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2006, is
incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM
6. EXHIBITS.
Exhibit
No.
2.1
|
Agreement
and Plan of Merger, incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, dated September 29,
2005, filed with the SEC on September 30, 2005
|
3.1
|
Articles
of Amendment and Restatement, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
3.1 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, filed with the SEC on April 29,
2004
|
3.2
|
Articles
Supplementary, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
3.1 to the
Company’s Form 8-K, dated November 3, 2005, filed with the SEC on November
8, 2005
|
3.3
|
Articles
of Amendment, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
3.1 to the
Company’s Form 8-K, dated February 10, 2006, filed with the SEC on
February 15, 2006
|
3.4
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
3.1 to the
Company’s Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on September 26,
2006
|
4.1
|
Specimen
Common Stock Certificate incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1
to the
Company’s Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2006, filed with the
SEC on May 8, 2006
|
†10.1
|
Opteum
Inc. 2003 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan, incorporated by
reference
to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the period ended September
30, 2006, filed with the SEC on December 20, 2006
|
†10.2
|
Employment
Agreement between Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. and Jeffrey J.
Zimmer, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.3 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, dated April 12, 2004, filed with the SEC on April
29, 2004
|
†10.3
|
Employment
Agreement between Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. and Robert E.
Cauley, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.4 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, dated April 12, 2004, filed with the SEC on April
29, 2004
|
†10.4
|
Employment
Agreement between Opteum Financial Services, LLC and Peter R.
Norden,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.5 to the
Company’s Form 10-K, dated September 29, 2005, filed with the SEC on March
10, 2006
|
†10.5
|
Opteum
Inc. 2004 Performance Bonus Plan, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.7 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2006,
filed with the SEC on December 20, 2006
|
†10.6
|
Phantom
Share Award Agreement between Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. and
Jeffrey J. Zimmer, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.8 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, dated August 13, 2004, filed with the SEC on August
25, 2004
|
†10.7
|
Phantom
Share Award Agreement between Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. and
Robert E. Cauley, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.9 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, dated August 13, 2004, filed with the SEC on August
25, 2004
|
10.8
|
Voting
Agreement, among certain stockholders of Bimini Mortgage Management,
Inc.,
Jeffrey J. Zimmer, Robert E. Cauley, Amber K. Luedke, George H. Haas,
IV,
Kevin L. Bespolka, Maureen A. Hendricks, W. Christopher Mortenson,
Buford
H. Ortale, Peter Norden, certain of Mr. Norden’s affiliates, Jason Kaplan,
certain of Mr. Kaplan’s affiliates and other former owners of Opteum
Financial Services, LLC, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99(D)
to the
Company’s Schedule 13D, dated November 3, 2005, filed with the SEC on
November 14, 2005
|
†10.9
|
Form
of Phantom Share Award Agreement,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for
the period ended September 30, 2006, filed with the SEC on December
20,
2006
|
†10.10
|
Form
of Restricted Stock Award Agreement,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for
the period ended September 30, 2006, filed with the SEC on December
20,
2006
|
10.11
|
Membership
Interest Purchase, Option and Investor Rights Agreement among Opteum
Inc.,
Opteum Financial Services, LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Realty
Corp.
dated as of December 21, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.1
to the Company’s Form 8-K, dated December 21, 2006, filed with the SEC on
December 21, 2006
|
10.12
|
Sixth
Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Opteum
Financial Services, LLC, dated as of December 21, 2006, made and
entered
into by Opteum Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp.,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K, dated
December 21, 2006, filed with the SEC on December 21,
2006
|
10.13
|
Asset
Purchase Agreement, dated May 7, 2007, by and among Opteum Financial
Services, LLC, Opteum Inc. and Prospect Mortgage Company, LLC,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, dated
May 7, 2007, filed with the SEC on May 7, 2007
|
*31.1
|
Certification
of the Principal Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or
15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant
to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
*31.2
|
Certification
of the Principal Financial Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or
15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant
to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
*32.1
|
Certification
of the Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
|
*32.2
|
Certification
of the Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
|
Signatures
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
OPTEUM
INC.
Date:
May
10, 2007 By: /s/
Robert E. Cauley
Robert
E.
Cauley
Vice
Chairman, Senior Executive Vice President,
Chief
Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer
EXHIBIT
INDEX
Exhibit
No.
2.1
|
Agreement
and Plan of Merger, incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, dated September 29,
2005, filed with the SEC on September 30, 2005
|
3.1
|
Articles
of Amendment and Restatement, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
3.1 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, filed with the SEC on April 29,
2004
|
3.2
|
Articles
Supplementary, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
3.1 to the
Company’s Form 8-K, dated November 3, 2005, filed with the SEC on November
8, 2005
|
3.3
|
Articles
of Amendment, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
3.1 to the
Company’s Form 8-K, dated February 10, 2006, filed with the SEC on
February 15, 2006
|
3.4
|
Amended
and Restated Bylaws, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
3.1 to the
Company’s Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on September 26,
2006
|
4.1
|
Specimen
Common Stock Certificate incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1
to the
Company’s Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2006, filed with the
SEC on May 8, 2006
|
†10.1
|
Opteum
Inc. 2003 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan, incorporated by
reference
to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the period ended September
30, 2006, filed with the SEC on December 20, 2006
|
†10.2
|
Employment
Agreement between Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. and Jeffrey J.
Zimmer, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.3 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, dated April 12, 2004, filed with the SEC on April
29, 2004
|
†10.3
|
Employment
Agreement between Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. and Robert E.
Cauley, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.4 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, dated April 12, 2004, filed with the SEC on April
29, 2004
|
†10.4
|
Employment
Agreement between Opteum Financial Services, LLC and Peter R.
Norden,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.5 to the
Company’s Form 10-K, dated September 29, 2005, filed with the SEC on March
10, 2006
|
†10.5
|
Opteum
Inc. 2004 Performance Bonus Plan, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.7 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2006,
filed with the SEC on December 20, 2006
|
†10.6
|
Phantom
Share Award Agreement between Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. and
Jeffrey J. Zimmer, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.8 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, dated August 13, 2004, filed with the SEC on August
25, 2004
|
†10.7
|
Phantom
Share Award Agreement between Bimini Mortgage Management, Inc. and
Robert E. Cauley, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.9 to the
Company’s Form S-11/A, dated August 13, 2004, filed with the SEC on August
25, 2004
|
10.8
|
Voting
Agreement, among certain stockholders of Bimini Mortgage Management,
Inc.,
Jeffrey J. Zimmer, Robert E. Cauley, Amber K. Luedke, George H. Haas,
IV,
Kevin L. Bespolka, Maureen A. Hendricks, W. Christopher Mortenson,
Buford
H. Ortale, Peter Norden, certain of Mr. Norden’s affiliates, Jason Kaplan,
certain of Mr. Kaplan’s affiliates and other former owners of Opteum
Financial Services, LLC, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99(D)
to the
Company’s Schedule 13D, dated November 3, 2005, filed with the SEC on
November 14, 2005
|
†10.9
|
Form
of Phantom Share Award Agreement,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for
the period ended September 30, 2006, filed with the SEC on December
20,
2006
|
†10.10
|
Form
of Restricted Stock Award Agreement,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the Company’s Form 10-Q for
the period ended September 30, 2006, filed with the SEC on December
20,
2006
|
10.11
|
Membership
Interest Purchase, Option and Investor Rights Agreement among Opteum
Inc.,
Opteum Financial Services, LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Realty
Corp.
dated as of December 21, 2006, incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.1
to the Company’s Form 8-K, dated December 21, 2006, filed with the SEC on
December 21, 2006
|
10.12
|
Sixth
Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Opteum
Financial Services, LLC, dated as of December 21, 2006, made and
entered
into by Opteum Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp.,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K, dated
December 21, 2006, filed with the SEC on December 21,
2006
|
10.13
|
Asset
Purchase Agreement, dated May 7, 2007, by and among Opteum Financial
Services, LLC, Opteum Inc. and Prospect Mortgage Company, LLC,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K, dated
May 7, 2007, filed with the SEC on May 7, 2007
|
*31.1
|
Certification
of the Principal Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or
15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant
to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
*31.2
|
Certification
of the Principal Financial Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or
15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant
to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
*32.1
|
Certification
of the Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
|
*32.2
|
Certification
of the Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002
|
*
Filed herewith.
†
Management compensatory plan or arrangement required to be filed
by Item
601 of Regulation S-K.
|