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FANNIE MAE: Posts $2.2BB Net Loss; Plans to Raise $6BB New Capital
Fannie Mae reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2008. The company reported a net loss of $2.2 billion, compared with a fourth quarter 2007 net loss of $3.6 billion. First quarter 2008 results were driven primarily by increased revenues from net interest income and guaranty fee income, which were more than offset by fair value losses and credit-related expenses due to adverse market conditions.
These conditions included a significant widening of credit spreads, and higher-than-expected home price declines and loan loss severity during the quarter. The mortgage credit book of business grew by three percent, and estimated market share increased to approximately 50 percent of new single-family mortgage-related securities issued. Core capital totaled $42.7 billion at the end of the quarter, $5.1 billion above the company's current regulatory requirements.
$6 Billion Public Offerings
The company also announced its plan to raise $6 billion in new capital through public offerings of common stock, non-cumulative mandatory convertible preferred stock and non-cumulative, non- convertible preferred stock. The new capital will enable Fannie Mae to maintain a strong, conservative balance sheet, enhance long-term shareholder value, and provide stability to the secondary mortgage market.
Fannie Mae said that its regulator, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO), had lifted the May 2006 Consent Order, and would reduce the current OFHEO-directed requirement from 20 percent capital to 15 percent upon the successful completion of the company's capital-raising plan. The company said OFHEO also indicated its intention to reduce the capital surplus by an additional 5 percentage points to a 10 percent surplus requirement in September 2008, based upon the company's continued maintenance of excess capital well above OFHEO's regulatory requirement, and no material adverse change to the company's ongoing regulatory compliance.
Reduction of Quarterly Common Stock Dividend
As part of the company's announced plan to raise capital, Fannie Mae's Board of Directors said it intends to reduce the company's quarterly common stock dividend beginning with the third quarter of 2008 to $0.25 per share, which will make available approximately $390 million of capital annually.
A full-text copy of the company's report for the three months ended March 31, 2008 is available for free at http://ResearchArchives.com/t/s?2baa
"Keys to Recovery"
In addition, Fannie Mae announced on May 6 a series of new initiatives called "Keys to Recovery" on a conference call with investors and analysts in connection with the Form 10-Q filing. The new effort is geared toward providing liquidity, stability and affordability to the housing and mortgage markets for the long term, keeping struggling borrowers in their homes, assisting prospective homebuyers with home purchases, and stabilizing communities affected by the mortgage market downturn.
The initiatives include:
(1) a new refinancing option for up-to-date but "underwater" borrowers with loans owned by Fannie Mae that will allow for refinancing up to 120 percent of a property's current value;
(2) a renewal and expansion of the company's partnership with the state Housing Finance Agencies to provide $10 billion in financing for qualified, first-time homebuyers;
(3) in partnership with Self-Help Credit Union, a new initiative that allows families in hard-hit communities to reside in foreclosed properties on a rent-to-own basis; and
(4) new jumbo-conforming loans will be priced flat to conforming for portfolio asset acquisition through the end of the year.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Fannie Mae -- http://www.fanniemae.com/ -- was created in 1938 under Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide mortgage funds to help U.S. families become homeowners. In 1968, Fannie Mae was re-chartered by U.S. Congress as a shareholder-owned company, funded solely with private capital raised from investors on Wall Street and around the world. It operates in America's secondary mortgage market to expand the flow of mortgage funds in all communities.
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