Company: MFAN
Filing Date: 2025-05-06
Form Type: 10-Q
Source: 0001055160-25-000007
Chunk: 195

Company: MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-05-06
Form: 10-Q
Item: Part I, Item 1
Chunk 195
---
 and Freddie Mac.  While CRT securities are issued by or sponsored by these government-sponsored enterprises, payment of principal on these securities is not guaranteed.  As an investor in a CRT security, we may incur a loss if losses on the mortgage loans in the reference pool exceed the credit enhancement on the underlying CRT security owned by us or if an actual pool of loans experience losses.  We assess the credit risk associated with our investments in CRT securities by assessing the current and expected future performance of the associated loan pool. 

Term Notes Backed by MSR Collateral

We have invested in certain term notes that are issued by special purpose vehicles (or SPVs) that have acquired rights to receive cash flows representing the servicing fees and/or excess servicing spread associated with certain MSRs.  Payment of 

82  

principal and interest on these term notes is considered by us to be largely dependent on the cash flows generated by the underlying MSRs as this impacts the cash flows available to the SPV that issued the term notes.  Credit risk borne by the holders of the term notes is also mitigated by structural credit support in the form of over-collateralization.  In addition, credit support is also provided by a corporate guarantee from the ultimate parent or sponsor of the SPV that is intended to provide for payment of interest and principal to the holders of the term notes if cash flows generated by the underlying MSRs are insufficient. 

Credit Spread Risk

Credit spreads measure the additional yield demanded by investors in financial instruments based on the credit risk associated with an instrument relative to benchmark interest rates.  They are impacted by the available supply and demand for instruments with various levels of credit risk.  Widening credit spreads would result in higher yields being required by investors in financial instruments.  Credit spread widening generally results in lower values of the financial instruments we hold at that time, but will generally result in a higher yield on future investments with similar credit risk.  It is possible that the credit spreads on our assets and liabilities, including hedges, will not always move in tandem.  Consequently, changes in credit spreads can result in volatility in our financial results and reported book value.

Liquidity Risk

The primary liquidity risk we face arises from financing long-maturity assets with shorter-term borrowings primarily in the form of repurchase agreement financings.  We pledge residential mortgage assets and cash to secure our financing agreements.  Our financing agreements with mark-to-market collateral provisions require us to pledge additional collateral in the event the market value of the assets pledged decreases, in order