Hedge Benefits of MSR Result in Stable Performance During Volatile Quarter

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Two Harbors Investment Corp. (NYSE: TWO), an Agency + MSR mortgage real estate investment trust (REIT), today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

Quarterly Summary

• Reported book value of $7.29 per common share, representing a (2.2)% quarterly return on book value(1)
• Generated Comprehensive Income of $(48.5) million, representing an annualized return on average common equity of (9.3)%
• Reported Core Earnings of $45.8 million, or $0.17 per weighted average basic common share(2)
• Declared a first quarter common stock dividend of $0.17 per share
• Continued strength in mortgage servicing rights (MSR) flow-sale program; settled $21.3 billion unpaid principal balance (UPB) of MSR
  • Closed on an additional $1.1 billion UPB of MSR and executed term sheets on an additional $7.2 billion of UPB of MSR through bulk purchases
• Executed on actions to optimize liability and capital structure:
  • Issued $287.5 million principal amount of 5-year convertible senior notes due 2026
  • Repurchased and retired $143.7 million principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2022
  • Completed the redemption of $75 million Series D and $200 million Series E preferred shares
• Expanded funding capacity with the closing of a $300 million MSR asset financing facility, of which $225 million is committed

Post Quarter End Update

• Executed term sheets on $6.1 billion UPB of MSR through bulk purchases

“With mortgage spreads at historically tight levels, our Agency + MSR strategy, with its lower exposure to mortgage spreads, is especially attractive,” stated Bill Greenberg, Two Harbors’ President and Chief Executive Officer. “As spreads normalize, we expect to increase leverage and deploy excess capital at more attractive levels. In the meantime, we are committed to growing our MSR portfolio and have expanded our funding capacity to execute on that strategy.”

(1) Return on book value is defined as the increase (decrease) in book value per common share from the beginning to the end of the given period, plus dividends declared in the period, divided by book value as of the beginning of the period.

(2) Core Earnings is a non-GAAP measure. Please see page 11 for a definition of Core Earnings and a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial information.

Operating Performance

The following table summarizes the company’s GAAP and non-GAAP earnings measurements and key metrics for the first quarter of 2021 and fourth quarter of 2020:

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“We grew the MSR portfolio despite high refinance rates, demonstrating the strength of our platform,” stated Matt Koeppen, Two Harbors’ Chief Investment Officer. “The MSR market remains healthy and performance should be well-supported in a higher rate environment. We expect to continue to source new servicing through flow and bulk channels at attractive levels.”

Portfolio Summary

The company’s portfolio was comprised of $13.6 billion of Agency residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), Agency Derivatives and MSR as well as their associated notional hedges as of March 31, 2021. Additionally, the company held $5.0 billion bond equivalent value of net long to-be-announced securities (TBAs).

The following tables summarize the company’s investment portfolio as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020:

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(3) Accounted for as derivative instruments in accordance with GAAP.

Financing Summary

The following tables summarize the company’s financing metrics and outstanding repurchase agreements, revolving credit facilities, term notes and convertible senior notes as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020:

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Conference Call

Two Harbors Investment Corp. will host a conference call on May 6, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EDT to discuss first quarter 2021 financial results and related information. To participate in the teleconference, please call toll-free 800-263-0877, conference code 5273239, approximately 10 minutes prior to the above start time. You may also listen to the teleconference live via the Internet on the company’s website at www.twoharborsinvestment.com in the Investors section under the Events and Presentations link. For those unable to attend, a telephone playback will be available beginning at 12:00 p.m. EDT on May 6, 2021, through 12:00 a.m. EDT on June 5, 2021. The playback can be accessed by calling 888-203-1112, conference code 5273239. The call will also be archived on the company’s website in the Investors section under the Events and Presentations link.

Two Harbors Investment Corp.

Two Harbors Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation, is an internally managed real estate investment trust that invests in residential mortgage-backed securities, mortgage servicing rights and other financial assets. Two Harbors is headquartered in Minnetonka, MN. Additional information is available at www.twoharborsinvestment.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This presentation includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ from expectations, estimates and projections and, consequently, readers should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “target,” “assume,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believe,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results, including, among other things, those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, under the caption “Risk Factors.” Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to: the state of credit markets and general economic conditions; the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the actions taken by federal and state governmental authorities and GSEs in response, on the U.S. economy, financial markets and our target assets; changes in interest rates and the market value of our assets; changes in prepayment rates of mortgages underlying our target assets; the rates of default or decreased recovery on the mortgages underlying our target assets; declines in home prices; our ability to establish, adjust and maintain appropriate hedges for the risks in our portfolio; the availability and cost of our target assets; the availability and cost of financing; changes in the competitive landscape within our industry; our ability to effectively execute and to realize the benefits of strategic transactions and initiatives we have pursued or may in the future pursue; our decision to terminate our management agreement with PRCM Advisers LLC and the ongoing litigation with PRCM Advisers related to such termination; our ability to manage various operational risks and costs associated with our business; interruptions in or impairments to our communications and information technology systems; our ability to acquire (MSR) and successfully operate our seller-servicer subsidiary and oversee our subservicers; the impact of any deficiencies in the servicing or foreclosure practices of third parties and related delays in the foreclosure process; our exposure to legal and regulatory claims; legislative and regulatory actions affecting our business; the impact of new or modified government mortgage refinance or principal reduction programs; our ability to maintain our REIT qualification; and limitations imposed on our business due to our REIT status and our exempt status under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Two Harbors does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in Two Harbors’ most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Two Harbors or matters attributable to Two Harbors or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to disclosing financial results calculated in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), this press release and the accompanying investor presentation present non-GAAP financial measures, such as Core Earnings and Core Earnings per basic common share that exclude certain items. The non-GAAP financial measures presented by the company provide supplemental information to assist investors in analyzing the company’s results of operations and help facilitate comparisons to industry peers. However, because these measures are not calculated in accordance with GAAP, they should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. The company’s GAAP financial results and the reconciliations from these results should be carefully evaluated. See the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliation table on page 11 of this release.

Additional Information

Stockholders of Two Harbors and other interested persons may find additional information regarding the company at the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov or by directing requests to: Two Harbors Investment Corp., Attn: Investor Relations, 601 Carlson Parkway, Suite 1400, Minnetonka, MN, 55305, telephone (612) 453-4100.

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210505006104/en/

Paulina Sims, Senior Director, Investor Relations, Two Harbors Investment Corp., (612)-446-5431,

[email protected]

Source: Two Harbors Investment Corp.