# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001431830
**File Stem:** 0001104659-26-002921
**Filing Date:** 2026-1
**Character Count:** 10061
**Document Hash:** 9fc1955ed6a4493af31ad0cbfe4f5c0f
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001104659-26-002921.hdr.sgml**: 20260112

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001104659-26-002921

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 4

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 1

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20260108

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260112

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260112

**REPORTING-OWNER**: 

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

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 4
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-13991
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26527738

**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]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 05 Real Estate & Construction
- **EIN:** 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>2026-01-08 | **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_ |
| **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 |
| Common Stock | 2026-01-08 |  | M<sup>(1)</sup> |  | 157481 | A | 0<sup>(2)</sup> | 768370<sup>(3)</sup> | D |  |
| Common Stock | 2026-01-08 |  | M<sup>(4)</sup> |  | 538186<sup>(4)</sup> | A | 0<sup>(2)</sup> | 1306556 | D |  |
| Common Stock | 2026-01-08 |  | F<sup>(5)</sup> |  | 81087 | D | $9.57 | 1225469 | D |  |
| Common Stock | 2026-01-08 |  | F<sup>(6)</sup> |  | 42127 | D | $9.57 | 1183342 | D |  |

---

## 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>(7)</sup> | 2026-01-08 |  | M<sup>(7)</sup> |  |  | 157481 | 2026-01-08 | 2026-01-08 | Common Stock | 157481 | <sup>(7)</sup> | 1542971 | D |  |
| Phantom Shares | <sup>(8)</sup> | 2026-01-08 |  | M<sup>(8)</sup> |  |  | 301882<sup>(9)(10)</sup> | 2026-01-08 | 2026-01-08 | Common Stock | 301882<sup>(9)(10)</sup> | <sup>(7)</sup> | 1241089 | D |  |

---

### Footnotes:

(1) Shares acquired pursuant to the settlement of time-based restricted stock units ("TRSUs") (i.e., phantom stock) granted to the Reporting Person in January 2023.

(2) Each phantom share is the economic equivalent of one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc. Each phantom share was or will be settled in one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc.

(3) Effective December 1, 2025, MFA Financial, Inc. ("MFA") eliminated MFA common stock as an investment alternative available under MFA's 401(k) plan, and shares of MFA common stock owned by participants through the 401(k) plan were liquidated. The number of shares beneficially owned by the Reporting Person has been reduced to reflect the liquidation of 14,710 shares of MFA common stock previously owned by him under the MFA 401(k) plan.

(4) Reflects shares to be acquired in connection with the vesting of performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSUs") (i.e., phantom stock) granted to the Reporting Person in January 2023 as discussed in Notes 8, 9 and 10 below. The number of shares reported also includes 168,412 additional PRSUs representing the value of the dividend equivalents that accrued during the three-year performance period ended December 31, 2025, in respect of the underlying PRSUs that vested. Per the terms and conditions of the PRSU awards, the vested PRSUs and the additional PRSUs in respect of dividend equivalents will settle in January 2027 in the form of one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc. for each PRSU.

(5) The reported disposition represents the surrender of shares to satisfy tax obligations arising from the settlement of phantom shares described in Notes 1 and 7.

(6) The reported disposition represents the surrender of shares to satisfy tax obligations arising from the settlement of previously vested phantom shares.

(7) The reported disposition reflects the settlement of TRSUs (i.e., phantom stock) granted to the Reporting Person in January 2023. Each phantom share is the economic equivalent of one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc. Each phantom share was settled in one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc.

(8) The reported disposition reflects the vesting of PRSUs (i.e., phantom stock) granted to the Reporting Person in January 2023. Each phantom share is the economic equivalent of one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc.

(9) The number of PRSUs reported in Table II represents the "target" number of PRSUs that were granted to the reporting person in January 2023. Per the terms of the award agreement governing the PRSUs, the number of underlying shares of MFA common stock that the recipient ultimately became entitled to receive at the time of vesting ranged from 0% to 200% of the target number of PRSUs granted, subject to the achievement of a pre-established performance metric. The vesting of these PRSUs was based on MFA's total stockholder return for the three years ended December 31, 2025.

(10) The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of MFA has confirmed and certified the vesting level of the PRSUs as reflected in Table I. Per the terms of the award agreement governing the PRSUs, the number of PRSUs that vested was adjusted to reflect the value of any dividends paid on MFA's common stock during the performance period in respect of the number of underlying PRSUs that ultimately vested (see Note 4). Per the terms and conditions of the PRSU awards, the vested PRSUs will settle in the form of one share of common stock of MFA Financial, Inc. for each vested phantom share in January 2027.

**Signature:** /s/ Craig L. Knutson  
**Date:** 2026-01-12

### 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.**