# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001055160
**File Stem:** 0001104659-23-001557
**Filing Date:** 2023-1
**Character Count:** 7535
**Document Hash:** b65b823c2d24e84e8ed2a919ad934057
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001104659-23-001557.hdr.sgml**: 20230105

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001104659-23-001557

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 4

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 1

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20230103

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20230105

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20230105

**REPORTING-OWNER**: 

**OWNER DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Knutson Craig L
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001431830

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 4
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-13991
- **FILM NUMBER:** 23512890

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** C/O MFA MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS, INC.
- **STREET 2:** 350 PARK AVENUE, 21ST FLOOR
- **CITY:** NEW YORK
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 10022
**ISSUER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001055160
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
- **IRS NUMBER:** 133974868
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** MD
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 350 PARK AVENUE
- **STREET 2:** 20TH FL
- **CITY:** NEW YORK
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 10022
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 2122076400

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 350 PARK AVE
- **STREET 2:** 20TH FLOOR
- **CITY:** NEW YORK
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 10022

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** MFA MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20020809

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** AMERICA FIRST MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS INC
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19980211

### UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
**Washington, D.C. 20549**

## FORM 4

### STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

[ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

[ ] Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **1. Name and Address of Reporting Person**<sup>*</sup><br>Knutson Craig L<br><sub>(Last) (First) (Middle)</sub><br>C/O MFA FINANCIAL, INC.<br>ONE VANDERBILT AVENUE, 48TH FLOOR<br><sub>(Street)</sub><br>NEW YORK, NY 10017<br><sub>(City) (State) (Zip)</sub> | **3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)**<br>2023-01-03 | **5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer**<br>(Check all applicable)<br>[X] Director [ ] 10% Owner<br>[X] Officer (give title below) [ ] Other (specify below)<br>_CEO and President_ |
| **2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol**<br>MFA FINANCIAL, INC. [ MFA ] | **4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)**<br>  | **6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)**<br>[X] Form filed by One Reporting Person<br>[ ] Form filed by More than One Reporting Person |

---

## Table I - Non-Derivative Securities

---

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Title of Security | 2. Transaction Date | 2A. Deemed Execution Date | 3. Transaction Code (V) | 3. Transaction Code (V) | 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned | 6. Ownership Form | 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership |
| 1. Title of Security | 2. Transaction Date | 2A. Deemed Execution Date | Code | V | Amount | (A) or (D) | Price | 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned | 6. Ownership Form | 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

---

## Table II - Derivative Securities

---

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Title of Derivative Security | 2. Conversion or Exercise Price | 3. Transaction Date | 3A. Deemed Execution Date | 4. Transaction Code (V) | 4. Transaction Code (V) | 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) | 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date | 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date | 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities | 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities | 8. Price of Derivative Security | 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned | 10. Ownership Form | 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership |
| 1. Title of Derivative Security | 2. Conversion or Exercise Price | 3. Transaction Date | 3A. Deemed Execution Date | Code | V | (A) | (D) | Date Exercisable | Expiration Date | Title | Amount or Number of Shares | 8. Price of Derivative Security | 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned | 10. Ownership Form | 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership |
| Phantom Shares | <sup>(1)</sup> | 2023-01-03 |  | A |  | 157481 |  | <sup>(2)</sup> | <sup>(2)</sup> | Common Stock | 157481 | $0 | 678064<sup>(3)</sup> | D |  |
| Phantom Shares | <sup>(1)</sup> | 2023-01-03 |  | A |  | 301882<sup>(4)(5)</sup> |  | <sup>(4)(5)</sup> | <sup>(4)(5)</sup> | Common Stock | 301882<sup>(4)(5)</sup> | $0 | 979946 | D |  |

---

### Footnotes:

(1) Each phantom share represents the right to receive one share of MFA Financial, Inc. common stock.

(2) These phantom shares are scheduled to vest, subject to forfeiture, on December 31, 2025, and thereafter will be settled in an equivalent number of shares of MFA common stock within 30 days following the vesting date.

(3) Number of securities beneficially owned has been adjusted to reflect the issuer's 1-for-4 reverse stock split effected on April 4, 2022.

(4) These phantom shares are performance-based equity awards. The number of phantom shares reported represents the "target" number of phantom shares granted. The number of underlying shares of MFA common stock that the recipient becomes entitled to receive at the time of vesting will be subject to the achievement of a pre-established performance metric and the other terms and conditions of MFA's Equity Compensation Plan and the Reporting Person's award agreement.

(5) The vesting of these phantom shares will generally occur on December 31, 2025, based on MFA's absolute total stockholder return (TSR) and MFA's TSR as compared to the TSR of a designated peer group of companies, in each case for the three years then ended. The number of phantom shares to vest will be adjusted to reflect the value of any dividends paid on MFA's common stock during the vesting period in respect of the number of phantom shares that ultimately vest. The phantom shares will be settled in an equivalent number of shares of MFA common stock in January 2027.

**Signature:** /s/ Craig L. Knutson  
**Date:** 2023-01-05

### Remarks:

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

**Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.**