オプションチェーンは、Ellington Creditの株式オプションの主要データを様々な行使価格と満期日で表示します。トレーダーはこの情報を使用して、潜在的な取引を分析し、Ellington Creditの市場センチメントを評価します。.

Ellington Credit (NYSE:EARN) 株価情報, オプションチェーン

Ellington Credit

Ellington Residential

Ellington Credit Co is focused on corporate collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). It focuses on acquiring, investing in, and managing secondary CLO mezzanine debt and equity tranches. The company relies on risk management, including disciplined liquidity management and selective use of credit hedges, to preserve book value during times of stress. It also leverages Ellington's proprietary technology, analytics, and risk management systems to enhance underwriting and investment selection and to guide ongoing portfolio monitoring and surveillance.

Ellington Credit Company Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

Ellington Credit Co

During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/yield-investments"> high dividend payout</a>.
Benzinga readers can review the latest analyst takes on their favorite stocks by visiting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">Analyst Stock Ratings</a> page. Traders can sort through Benzinga's extensive database of analyst ratings, including <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/22/09/28888638/exclusive-study-finds-benzinga-analyst-ratings-data-yields-market-beating-strategie">by analyst accuracy</a>.
Below are the ratings of the most accurate analysts for three high-yielding stocks in the financial sector.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Horizon Technology Finance Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRZN#NASDAQ">HRZN</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 17.89%</li>
<li>Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Paul Johnson maintained an Underperform rating and cut the price target from $8 to $7.5 on April 8, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 63%.</li>
<li>Compass Point analyst Casey Alexander upgraded the stock from Sell to Neutral with a price target of $8.25 on Dec. 17, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 68%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On April 29, Horizon Technology Finance reported first-quarter financial results and missed its net and total investment income estimates.</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro&#8217;s real-time newsfeed alerted to latest HRZN <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0505">news</a>. </li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0505"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="916" height="846" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050809/image-35.png" alt="" class="wp-image-900873" style="width:606px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050809/image-35.png 916w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050809/image-35-300x277.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050809/image-35-768x709.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 916px) 100vw, 916px" /></a></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Ellington Credit Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 17.78%</li>
<li>UBS analyst Douglas Harter maintained a Neutral rating and cut the price target from $6.5 to $5.25 on April 17, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 68%.</li>
<li>JMP Securities analyst Mikhail Goberman reiterated a Market Perform rating on April 19, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 67%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On April 3, Ellington Credit Company's Board of Trustees declared a monthly common dividend of $0.08 per share.</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro's real-time newsfeed alerted to latest EARN <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0505">news</a>. </li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0505"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="912" height="847" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050844/image-2-14.png" alt="" class="wp-image-900876" style="width:583px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050844/image-2-14.png 912w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050844/image-2-14-300x279.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050844/image-2-14-768x713.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 912px) 100vw, 912px" /></a></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AGNC#NASDAQ">AGNC</a>)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Dividend Yield: 16.38%</li>
<li>RBC Capital analyst Kenneth Lee maintained an Outperform rating and cut the price target from $11 to $10 on April 29, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 62%.</li>
<li>Wells Fargo analyst Donald Fandetti maintained an Overweight rating and slashed the price target from $11 to $10 on April 22, 2025. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 71%.</li>
<li>Recent News: On April 21, AGNC Investment posted upbeat quarterly earnings.</li>
<li>Benzinga Pro&#8217;s real-time newsfeed alerted to latest AGNC <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0505">news </a></li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0505"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="915" height="822" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050916/image-36.png" alt="" class="wp-image-900878" style="width:597px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050916/image-36.png 915w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050916/image-36-300x270.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05050916/image-36-768x690.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 915px) 100vw, 915px" /></a></figure>
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Photo via Shutterstock

News

Dividends

Price Target

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

Analyst Ratings

Trading Ideas

AGNC

EARN

HRZN

Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts Give Their Take On 3 Financial Stocks With Over 10% Dividend Yields

UBS analyst Douglas Harter maintains Ellington Credit (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) with a Neutral and lowers the price target from $6.5 to $5.25.

UBS Maintains Neutral on Ellington Credit, Lowers Price Target to $5.25

Piper Sandler analyst Crispin Love maintains Ellington Credit (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) with a Overweight and lowers the price target from $8 to $6.5.

Piper Sandler Maintains Overweight on Ellington Credit, Lowers Price Target to $6.5

Ellington Credit (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.28 per share which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $0.30 by 6.67 percent. This is a 3.7 percent increase over earnings of $0.27 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $6.142 which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $7.186 million by 100.00 percent. This is a 100.00 percent decrease over sales of $377.000 thousand the same period last year.

Earnings

Earnings Misses

Ellington Credit Q4 2024 Adj. EPS $0.28 Misses $0.30 Estimate, Sales $6.142 Miss $7.186M Estimate

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• EHang Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EH#NASDAQ">EH</a>) is projected to report quarterly loss at $0.07 per share on revenue of $23.36 million. 
• Hello Gr (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MOMO#NASDAQ">MOMO</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.21 per share on revenue of $365.05 million. 
• Chicago Atlantic Real (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/REFI#NASDAQ">REFI</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.56 per share on revenue of $14.19 million. 
• Waterdrop (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDH#NYSE">WDH</a>) is expected to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Upland Software (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UPLD#NASDAQ">UPLD</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.20 per share on revenue of $67.84 million. 
• VNET Gr (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VNET#NASDAQ">VNET</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.03 per share on revenue of $284.88 million. 
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• Sprinklr (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CXM#NYSE">CXM</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.07 per share on revenue of $200.59 million. 
• Arcos Dorados Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARCO#NYSE">ARCO</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.21 per share on revenue of $1.15 billion. 
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• ABM Indus (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABM#NYSE">ABM</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.78 per share on revenue of $2.09 billion. 
• Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SDHC#NYSE">SDHC</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.45 per share on revenue of $265.85 million. 
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• ZIM Integrated Shipping (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZIM#NYSE">ZIM</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $3.49 per share on revenue of $2.02 billion. 
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• National Energy Services (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NESR#NASDAQ">NESR</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.25 per share on revenue of $339.84 million. 
• iRobot (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IRBT#NASDAQ">IRBT</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $1.73 per share on revenue of $171.00 million. 
• Ondas Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ONDS#NASDAQ">ONDS</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.09 per share on revenue of $5.75 million. 
• BingEx (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLX#NASDAQ">FLX</a>) is expected to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• InspireMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NSPR#NASDAQ">NSPR</a>) is likely to report quarterly loss at $0.19 per share on revenue of $1.82 million. 
• United Homes Gr (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UHG#NASDAQ">UHG</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Harvard Bioscience (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HBIO#NASDAQ">HBIO</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $24.15 million. 
• MagnaChip Semiconductor (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MX#NYSE">MX</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.19 per share on revenue of $61.57 million. 
<h3>Companies Reporting After The Bell</h3>
• Vasta Platform (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VSTA#NASDAQ">VSTA</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.25 per share on revenue of $110.28 million. 
• KLX Energy Services Hldgs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLXE#NASDAQ">KLXE</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.80 per share on revenue of $168.90 million. 
• Algoma Steel Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASTL#NASDAQ">ASTL</a>) is expected to report earnings for its third quarter. 
• Comtech Telecom (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMTL#NASDAQ">CMTL</a>) is projected to report quarterly loss at $0.25 per share on revenue of $129.53 million. 
• Aris Water Solutions (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARIS#NYSE">ARIS</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Legacy Housing (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LEGH#NASDAQ">LEGH</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.52 per share on revenue of $44.59 million. 
• Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKTR#NASDAQ">NKTR</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.19 per share on revenue of $36.66 million. 
• Montauk Renewables (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MNTK#NASDAQ">MNTK</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $56.32 million. 
• Ellington Credit (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.30 per share on revenue of $9.65 million. 
• FreightCar America (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RAIL#NASDAQ">RAIL</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $152.02 million. 
• PHX Minerals (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHX#NYSE">PHX</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.03 per share on revenue of $8.93 million. 
• Crown Castle (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCI#NYSE">CCI</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $1.82 per share on revenue of $1.64 billion. 
• SentinelOne (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/S#NYSE">S</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.21 per share on revenue of $222.33 million. 
• ContextLogic (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOGC#NASDAQ">LOGC</a>) is likely to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• UiPath (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PATH#NYSE">PATH</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.19 per share on revenue of $425.34 million. 
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• American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AEO#NYSE">AEO</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.51 per share on revenue of $1.60 billion. 
• Berry Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRY#NASDAQ">BRY</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.15 per share on revenue of $173.00 million. 
• Phreesia (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHR#NYSE">PHR</a>) is projected to report quarterly loss at $0.19 per share on revenue of $108.91 million. 
• Adobe (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $4.97 per share on revenue of $5.66 billion. 
• electroCore (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ECOR#NASDAQ">ECOR</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.34 per share on revenue of $7.29 million. 
• AudioEye (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AEYE#NASDAQ">AEYE</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.18 per share on revenue of $9.73 million. 
• BGSF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BGSF#NYSE">BGSF</a>) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.08 per share on revenue of $67.65 million. 
• CI&amp;T (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CINT#NYSE">CINT</a>) is projected to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Companhia Siderurgica (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SID#NYSE">SID</a>) is projected to report quarterly loss at $0.09 per share on revenue of $1.94 billion. 
• Performant Healthcare (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHLT#NASDAQ">PHLT</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.00 per share on revenue of $34.15 million. 
• Urgently (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULY#NASDAQ">ULY</a>) is expected to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Assertio Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASRT#NASDAQ">ASRT</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $28.67 million. 
• Quest Resource Holding (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QRHC#NASDAQ">QRHC</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.03 per share on revenue of $73.63 million. 
• CPS Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CPSH#NASDAQ">CPSH</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Kewaunee Scientific (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KEQU#NASDAQ">KEQU</a>) is expected to report earnings for its third quarter. 
• Zedge (AMEX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZDGE#AMEX">ZDGE</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.04 per share on revenue of $7.71 million. 
• NextNav (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NN#NASDAQ">NN</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.14 per share on revenue of $1.73 million. 
• Monogram Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MGRM#NASDAQ">MGRM</a>) is estimated to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Fossil Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FOSL#NASDAQ">FOSL</a>) is likely to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Anika Therapeutics (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANIK#NASDAQ">ANIK</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.09 per share on revenue of $29.00 million. 
• Aris Mining (AMEX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARMN#AMEX">ARMN</a>) is likely to report earnings for its fourth quarter. 
• Brilliant Earth Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRLT#NASDAQ">BRLT</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.00 per share on revenue of $116.82 million. 
• Tilly's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLYS#NYSE">TLYS</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.29 per share on revenue of $159.90 million. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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ONDS

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Earnings Scheduled For March 12, 2025

Ellington Credit Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) ("we") today reported the following preliminary fourth quarter financial results, and update on its portfolio and pending conversion to a CLO closed-end fund.
<ul>
<li>Book value per common share is estimated to be in the range of $6.52 to $6.54 as of December 31, 2024, including the effects of dividends of $0.24 per common share declared during the quarter.</li>
<li>Net income (loss) per common share is estimated to be in the range of $(0.08) to $(0.06) for the quarter ended December 31, 2024.</li>
<li>Adjusted Distributable Earnings1 per common share is estimated to be in the range of $0.26 to $0.28 for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. Adjusted Distributable Earnings is a non-GAAP financial measure. See "Reconciliation of Adjusted Distributable Earnings to Net Income (Loss)" below for an explanation regarding the calculation of Adjusted Distributable Earnings.</li>
<li>Total shareholders' equity is estimated to be $195 million as of December 31, 2024.</li>
<li>CLO portfolio and MBS portfolio increased to approximately $170 million and $510 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2024.</li>
<li>Capital allocation2 to CLOs was approximately 72% as of December 31, 2024 as compared to 58% as of September 30, 2024.</li>
<li>Expected conversion to a closed-end fund on or before April 1, 2025.</li>
</ul>

Reported Earlier, Ellington Credit Reports Preliminary Q4 Adj. EPS Of $0.26-$0.28 (Vs. $0.30 Est.), Estimates Book Value At $6.52-$6.54, And Provides Conversion Update

Ellington Credit (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.28 per share which met the analyst consensus estimate. This is a 22.22 percent decrease over earnings of $0.36 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $4.752 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $5.241 million by 9.33 percent. This is a 533.58 percent increase over sales of $(1.096 million) the same period last year.

Ellington Credit Q3 2024 Adj. EPS $0.28, Inline, Sales $4.752M Miss $5.241M Estimate

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Earnings Scheduled For November 12, 2024

Ellington Credit Postpones Its 2024 Annual Meeting Of Shareholders, Originally Scheduled For September 26, 2024

AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/agnc#NASDAQ">AGNC</a>) is in the limelight with the Federal Reserve&#39;s decision to begin an interest rate cut this month. The Fed has kept its influential lending rate at its highest level at 5.25-5.50% since 2001 to tame inflation. The inflation has been gradually cooling down.
On Aug. 23, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell stated that the central bank has &quot;ample room&quot; to maneuver as policy enters its next phase. He stressed that the timing and speed of reduction will &quot;depend on incoming data.&quot; With this, as per the CME Fedwatch tool, the market participants are now predicting a 61% chance of a 50 basis point rate cut this month compared with a 26% chance predicted a month ago.
AGNC is one of the mortgage real estate investment trust (mREIT) stocks burdened by the higher-interest-rate environment. With an improving market scenario and rate cut around the corner, investors are turning optimistic about AGNC stock. In the past six months, the shares of AGNC stock have rallied 15.5% compared with the industry&#39;s growth of 6%.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/55/76589.jpg?v=1463796336" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The stock is also trading above the 50-day SMA, representing a bullish trend.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/01/76583.jpg?v=1226237945" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In the current situation, should investors scoop up AGNC Investment stock? Before making any hasty decision, it would be prudent to take a look at the reasons behind the surge, the stock&#39;s growth prospects as well as risks (if any).
<h2>How Rate Cut Benefits AGNC?</h2>
AGNC&#39;s financials have been adversely impacted since early 2022, when the Fed first began its interest rate hiking cycle. The negative return and falling profitability raised concerns about the company&#39;s Investment&#39;s capacity to sustain its high-yielding payment.
At the end of the six months ended June 30, 2024, AGNC&#39;s interest income grew 54% compared with the six months ended June 30, 2022, thanks to higher rates on its MBS portfolio. However, its borrowing costs rose significantly, as interest expenses ballooned from $107 million to $1.4 billion during the same period. As a result, this mREIT had a net interest loss of $33 million at the end of six months ended June 30, 2024, against $763 million of net interest income registered at the end of six months ended June 30, 2022.
As long-term bond yields have declined with the Fed&#39;s decision of an interest rate cut, this resulted in a decline in mortgage rates. The average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 6.35% as of Aug. 29 from 6.46% a week ago. A year ago, the metric averaged 7.18%.
As rate cuts begin, it will likely increase net interest spreads. This will ease earnings pressure for AGNC, as it is currently reeling under high funding costs. This will help the company to increase its dividend payout.
Also, the company has solid access to attractive funding across a broad spectrum of counterparties and financing conditions. As a result, it has flexibility in the opportunistic enhancement of its portfolio. AGNC Investment&#39;s liquidity as of June 30, 2024, including cash and unencumbered Agency assets, was $5.3 billion. This should alleviate some concerns about its capacity to maintain its payout.
High rates also impacted the book value of AGNC&#39;s investments due to &quot;spread risk.&quot; From June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2024, the company&#39;s book value per share has declined 36.8%.
Nonetheless, the long-term outlook for Agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) looks favorable. Agency MBS spreads have remained in a range that supports positive long-term risk-adjusted returns for leveraged investors like AGNC. At these levels, Agency MBS provides a significant incremental yield over both U.S. Treasuries and investment-grade corporate paper, which will continue to drive demand for Agency MBS. Given the favorable supply-demand dynamic for Agency MBS and the improving monetary policy outlook, the prospects for AGNC look favorable.
<h2>AGNC&#39;s Impressive Payout</h2>
This publicly traded mREIT offers a lucrative dividend yield.
As the expected rate cut will support AGNC&#39;s financials, the company can continue to pay dividends to its shareholders.
Income-seeking investors have a large appetite for REIT stocks, as U.S. law requires REITs to distribute 90% of their annual taxable income in the form of dividends. As for AGNC, the company has a record of paying monthly dividends.
AGNC&#39;s current dividend yield is 14.01%. This is impressive compared with the industry&#39;s average of 11.2% and attracts investors as it represents a steady income stream.
AGNC is not the only dividend-paying stock among Zacks Industry &ndash; REIT and Equity Trust. Stocks like Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nly#NYSE">NLY</a>) and Ellington Credit Company (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/earn#NYSE">EARN</a>) are also providing investors with solid dividend options.
NLY has an annual dividend yield of 12.9%, while EARN has a dividend yield of 13.9%.
Coming back to AGNC, dividends aside, it has a share repurchase plan in place. In 2022 and 2021, AGNC Investment repurchased 4.7 million shares and 17.7 million shares for $51 million and $281 million, respectively. With no repurchases done in 2023 and the first half of 2024, $1 billion remained under this program for repurchase through Dec. 31, 2024. It plans to buy back shares only when the repurchase price is lower than the then-current estimate of tangible net book value per common share. The buyback program will enable it to respond to the volatility in its stock and boost shareholders&#39; wealth.
<h2>Factors to Consider Before Choosing AGNC</h2>
The ultra-high dividend yield and regular payout look eye-catching for most investors watching for high-income funds. However, in April 2020, AGNC slashed its dividend to 12 cents per share from 16 cents and continued to pay the same amount in later periods. Also, the company has a history of cutting its dividend.
Further, any volatility in the mortgage market, unfavorable changes in the shape of the yield curve, interest-rate volatility and deterioration of the generic financial conditions may affect the performance of the company&#39;s investments.
Also, analyst seems to be bearish about AGNC. Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 and 2025 earnings has moved downward.
Estimate Revision Trend
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/b3/76579.jpg?v=474796960" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h2>Unlocking Valuation for AGNC</h2>
From a valuation standpoint, AGNC Investment appears expensive relative to the industry. The company is currently trading at a discount with a forward 12-month Price-to-Tangible Book (P/TB) multiple of 1.16X, above the industry average of 0.99X.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/9d/76581.jpg?v=1910096254" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The stock is more expensive than its peer, NLY&#39;s current forward 12-month P/TB of 1.06X. AGNC is trading at a discount to EARN&#39;s current forward 12-month P/E of 0.96X.
<h2>Should You Make a Bet on AGNC Now?</h2>
The Fed&#39;s adjustment in monetary policy should benefit AGNC. A rate-cutting cycle should boost its net interest spread and the book value of its portfolio. That could be a strong tailwind for the company in the upcoming period.
However, volatility in the mortgage market, unfavorable changes in the shape of the yield curve, and deterioration of the generic financial conditions may affect the AGNC&#39;s performance. Moreover, the company has a track record of lowering dividends during stressful times.
To conclude, investors interested in AGNC should wait for a better entry point, considering its premium valuation. They should analyze the upcoming interest rate changes and market volatility closely for a more appropriate entry point. The stock&#39;s Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) supports our thesis.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2331645/fed-rate-cut-round-the-corner-should-you-make-a-bet-on-agnc-stock?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|most_popular_stocks-2331645">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

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Fed Rate Cut Round the Corner: Should You Make a Bet on AGNC Stock?

Arbor Realty Trust (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/abr#NYSE">ABR</a>) &mdash;&nbsp; a multi-family mREIT company &mdash;&nbsp; is in the limelight with the recent decline in mortgage rates. Mortgage rates fell to their lowest level in over a year, a positive development for the housing market.&nbsp;
With a market capitalization of $2.54 billion, ABR is trading below its 50-day simple moving average and above its 200-day SMA. In June 2024, a bullish &lsquo;Golden Cross&#39; formed as the 50-day moving average crossed above the 200-day moving average.
<h3>50-Day &amp; 200-day Moving Average</h3>
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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In the past six months, the stock has gained 9.7% compared with the industry&#39;s growth of 0.8%.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/ec/74325.jpg?v=2018541680" style="height:178px; width:620px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
ABR consistently attracts investors looking for high-yield companies. However, concerns related to market volatility might be a concern.&nbsp;
Currently, the stock is down 17.4% from its 52-week high of $16.35. Is now the right time to invest? To answer this, it&#39;s essential to delve into the details and evaluate various factors at play.
<h3>Arbor Realty: High-Income REIT Stock</h3>
This New York-headquartered REIT primarily focuses on originating and servicing loans for multi-family, single-family, and other commercial real estate assets. Mortgage REITs tend to be more volatile than equity REITs because they are tied to interest rates, but the high yields make them appealing to watchful investors.&nbsp;
Income-seeking investors have a large appetite for REIT stocks, as U.S. law requires REITs to distribute 90% of their annual taxable income in the form of dividends. As for ABR, the company has a record of paying monthly dividends.
The company has a track record of paying a quarterly dividend of 43 cents. ABR&#39;s current dividend yield is 12.86%. This is impressive compared with the industry&#39;s average of 11.6% and attracts investors as it represents a steady income stream.
ABR is not the only dividend-paying stock among Zacks Industry &ndash; REIT and Equity Trust. Stocks like Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nly#NYSE">NLY</a>) and Ellington Credit Company (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/earn#NYSE">EARN</a>) are also providing investors with solid dividend options.
NLY has an annual dividend yield of 13.2%, while EARN has a dividend yield of 14.3%.
<h3>Mortgage Rate Decline: A Positive Development</h3>
Long-term bond yields have declined due to expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in September. This resulted in a decline in mortgage rates. The average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 6.47% as of August 8 from 6.73% a week ago. A year ago, the metric averaged 6.96%.
Housing affordability challenges are expected to decline with lower mortgage rates. With rates trending lower and balanced supply/affordability playing out in the mortgage market, demand is set to increase in the coming days. With this turnaround, mortgage originations will likely witness a positive trend. This will reduce operational and financial challenges for mREITs like Arbor Realty and increase the gain on sale margin and new investment activity.
Also, rate cuts beginning in September will likely increase net interest spreads. This will ease earnings pressure for the ABR as it is facing rising funding costs. This will help the company to increase its dividend payout, which might look attractive to investors.
<h3>Q2 Result Not Impressive</h3>
ABR&#39;s financial results were subdued in second-quarter 2024. The company reported quarterly earnings of 45 cents per share, lower than 57 cents in the year-ago quarter. It posted revenues of $297.19 million in the second quarter, down 11.5% year over year.
<h3>Estimates Trend</h3>
Analysts&#39; estimates have likely reflected these headwinds, with Arbor Realty&#39;s distributable earnings per share expected to decline 21.3% in 2024 and 1.9% in 2025, intimidating the sustainability of its dividends.&nbsp;
In the past month, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 has moved marginally upward, while 2025 earnings have moved downward, reflecting analysts&#39; mixed sentiments.
<h3>Estimate Revision Trend</h3>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/53/74319.jpg?v=1546554145" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h3>Near-term Concerns</h3>
ABR&#39;s credit risk has increased rapidly of late. As of Jun 30, 2014, the company reported a credit loss allowance of $238.9 million compared with $169 million reported in the same period of last year.
The company is also witnessing a rise in non-performing loans. As of Jun 30, 2024, it had 24 non-performing loans with an unpaid principal balance (UPB) of $676.2 million before related loan loss reserves of $28.1 million. This compared with 21 loans with a UPB of $464.8 million, before loan loss reserves of $32.9 million as of Mar 31, 2024.
<h3>Lofty Valuation</h3>
From a valuation standpoint, ABR Investment appears expensive relative to the industry. The company is currently trading at a stretched valuation with a forward 12-month P/TB multiple of 1.13X, above the industry average of 0.92X.
<h3>Price-to-Book TTM</h3>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/89/74320.jpg?v=1402100419" style="height:118px; width:620px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The stock is also trading at a premium compared with its peers. NLY and EARN have current forward 12-month P/E of 1.02X and 0.96X, respectively.
<h3>Consider Waiting for a Better Entry Point</h3>
The ultra-high dividend yield and high payout look eye-catching for most investors watching for high-income funds. Also, interest rate cuts will turn out to be favorable for ABR over the long term.
Yet, any volatility in the mortgage market, unfavorable change in the shape of the yield curve and deterioration of the generic financial conditions may affect the performance of the company&#39;s investments. Also, Its credit risk trajectory raises concerns with rapid growth in credit loss allowance and delinquent loans.
Also, the company&#39;s stretched valuation looks pricey compared with industry and peers.
Considering the pros and cons, we can conclude that investors should refrain from rushing to buy ABR right now, just banking on its lucrative dividend. Instead, they should analyze the upcoming interest rate changes and the mortgage market closely for a more appropriate entry point. The stock&#39;s Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) supports our thesis.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2322159/should-you-buy-arbor-realty-abr-stock-as-mortgage-rates-fall?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|most_popular_stocks-2322159">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Should You Buy Arbor Realty Stock as Mortgage Rates Fall?

Ellington Credit (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.36 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $0.28 by 28.57 percent. This is a 111.76 percent increase over earnings of $0.17 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $3.90 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $4.13 million by 5.64 percent. This is a 341.15 percent increase over sales of $(1.62 million) the same period last year.

Ellington Credit Q2 EPS $0.36 Beats $0.28 Estimate, Sales $3.90M Miss $4.13M Estimate

Guidance

Ellington Credit Expects Q3 Adjusted Distributed EPS To Decline Somewhat From Q2 Level Of $0.36, While Still Exceeding Q1 Level Of $0.27; Est $0.29

Ellington Credit (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.36 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $0.28 by 28.57 percent. The company reported quarterly sales of $3.90 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $4.13 million by 5.61 percent.&nbsp;

Earnings Beats

Ellington Credit Q2 2024 Adj EPS $0.36 Beats $0.28 Estimate, Sales $3.90M Miss $4.13M Estimate

AFC Gamma Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/afcg#NASDAQ">AFCG</a>) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.56 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.50 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.49 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 12%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this company would post earnings of $0.50 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.49, delivering a surprise of -2%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
AFC Gamma, which belongs to the Zacks REIT and Equity Trust industry, posted revenues of $19.96 million for the quarter ended June 2024, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 21.10%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $17.68 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock&#39;s immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management&#39;s commentary on the earnings call.
AFC Gamma shares have lost about 27.9% since the beginning of the year versus the S&amp;P 500&#39;s gain of 9.9%.
<h2>What&#39;s Next for AFC Gamma?</h2>
While AFC Gamma has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors&#39; minds is: what&#39;s next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company&#39;s earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for AFC Gamma: mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company&#39;s just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.50 on $16.12 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.99 on $65.05 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, REIT and Equity Trust is currently in the top 20% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
One other stock from the same industry, Ellington Credit (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/earn#NYSE">EARN</a>), is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2024. The results are expected to be released on August 12.
This residential mortgage real estate investment trust is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.24 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +41.2%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Ellington Credit&#39;s revenues are expected to be $6.35 million, up 492% from the year-ago quarter.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2318167/afc-gamma-inc-afcg-q2-earnings-and-revenues-surpass-estimates?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-tale_of_the_tape|yseop_template_4-2318167">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

AFCG

AFC Gamma Inc. Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates

AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/agnc#NASDAQ">AGNC</a>) stock rallied 11.8% in the past three months. The company&#39;s shares have outpaced the 7.6% rally registered by the industry it belongs to and 9.2% growth of the Zacks S&amp;P 500 composite.
<h3>Three Months Price Performance</h3>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/c4/73108.jpg?v=2012552605" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
This publicly-traded mortgage real estate investment trust (mREIT) company offers favorable long-term stockholder returns with a huge dividend yield, which may compel many investors to buy the stock. However, the stock experienced some headwinds in the second quarter of 2024, which might raise concerns about its dividend sustainability.
Currently, the stock is trading 5% down from its 52-week high of $10.57 hit on Jul 17. Is now the right time to invest? To answer this, it&#39;s essential to delve into the details and evaluate various factors at play.
<h3>Q2 Result: A Shift in Momentum</h3>
AGNC Investment&#39;s financial results dipped in the second quarter. The company reported a comprehensive loss of 13 cents per share against 48 cents of comprehensive income registered in the first quarter. Net spread and dollar roll income of 53 cents was down from 58 cents in the previous quarter.
Meanwhile, AGNC&#39;s tangible book value per share fell 5%. This reduction, together with dividend payments of 36 cents for the quarter, resulted in a negative 0.9% economic return on tangible common equity for the period.
The negative return and falling profitability may raise worries about AGNC Investment&#39;s capacity to sustain its high-yielding payment. The company&#39;s leverage ratio increased from 7.1 in the first quarter to 7.4 in the second quarter, which could exacerbate concerns. Despite this, the company concluded the period with strong liquidity of $5.3 billion, which should alleviate some concerns about its capacity to maintain its dividend in the short term.
<h3>Impressive Payout</h3>
Income-seeking investors have a large appetite for REIT stocks, as U.S. law requires REITs to distribute 90% of their annual taxable income in the form of dividends. As for AGNC, the company has a record of paying monthly dividends.
AGNC&#39;s current dividend yield is 15.1%. This is impressive compared with the industry&#39;s average of 10.3% and attracts investors as it represents a steady income stream.
AGNC is not the only dividend-paying stock among Zacks Industry &ndash; REIT and Equity Trust. Stocks like Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nly#NYSE">NLY</a>) and Ellington Credit Company (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/earn#NYSE">EARN</a>) are also providing investors with solid dividend options.
NLY has an annual dividend yield of 13.1%, while EARN has a dividend yield of 13.7%.
Coming back to AGNC, dividends aside, it has a share repurchase plan in place. In 2022 and 2021, AGNC Investment repurchased 4.7 million shares and 17.7 million shares for $51 million and $281 million, respectively. With no repurchases done in the first half of 2024, $1 billion remained under this program for repurchase through Dec 31, 2024. It plans to buy back shares only when the repurchase price is lower than the then-current estimate of tangible net book value per common share. The buyback program will enable it to respond to the volatility in its stock and boost shareholders&#39; wealth.
<h3>Favorable Long-Term Outlook</h3>
AGNC Investment primarily focuses on leveraged investments in Agency residential mortgage-backed securities. That includes residential mortgage pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations. A U.S. Government agency or a U.S. Government-sponsored enterprise&nbsp;guarantees the principal and interest payments for such investments.
AGNC Investment borrows against its investment portfolio under a master repurchase agreement, which provides short-term financing. The company expects to make a profit and pay the dividend from the net interest income (NII), which is the difference between interest earned on investments and its cost of borrowing.
The long-term outlook for Agency MBS remains favorable. Agency MBS spreads have remained in a range that supports positive long-term risk-adjusted returns for leveraged investors like AGNC. At these levels, Agency MBS provides a significant incremental yield over both US Treasuries and investment-grade corporate paper, which will continue to drive demand for Agency MBS. Given the positive supply-demand dynamic for Agency MBS and the improved monetary policy outlook, both the present returns and future prospects for AGNC look favorable.
<h3>2024 Estimates Down</h3>
Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 and 2025 earnings has moved downward, reflecting analyst bearish sentiments.
<h3>Estimate Revision Trend</h3>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/2b/73107.jpg?v=1376659545" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h3>Unlocking Valuation</h3>
From a valuation standpoint, AGNC Investment appears inexpensive relative to the industry. The company is currently trading at a discount with a forward 12-month P/E multiple of 4.95X, significantly below the industry average of 8.44X. The stock is also significantly cheaper than its peer NLY and EARN current forward 12-month P/E of 7.41X and 6.65X, respectively.
<h3>Price-to-Earnings (Forward 12 Months)</h3>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/5a/73109.jpg?v=872049456" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h3>Consider Waiting for a Better Entry Point</h3>
The ultra-high dividend yield and regular payout look eye-catching for most investors watching for high-income funds. However, AGNC slashed its dividend to 12 cents from 16 cents in April 2020 and continued to pay the same amount in later periods. The company also has a history of cutting its dividend.
AGNC uses leverage to scoop returns and give dividends to investors, which act as an advantage and a disadvantage for the company, depending on the market scenario. Increasing interest rates may have two drawbacks. As a leveraged corporation, the company finds it challenging to hedge its portfolio due to unstable and fluctuating interest rates. Also, high rates enable it to enhance its portfolio yield by investing in mortgages with higher interest rates.
At the recently concluded two-day FOMC meeting, the Federal Reserve left the interest rates unchanged at a 23-year high of 5.25%-5.50%. Per the press conference following the meeting, the central bank has kept the doors open for the September rate cut. With the inflation numbers cooling down, market participants are expecting more cuts this year. This will turn out to be favorable for AGNC.
Yet, any volatility in the mortgage market, unfavorable change in the shape of the yield curve, interest-rate volatility and deterioration of the generic financial conditions may affect the performance of the company&#39;s investments. In the past two years, there has been significant volatility in the financial markets. The increase in interest rates resulted in higher debt servicing costs and underperformance of fixed-income assets.
Considering the pros and cons of AGNC, we can conclude that investors should refrain from rushing to buy AGNC right now, just banking on its lucrative dividend. Instead, they should analyze the upcoming interest rate changes and the mortgage market closely for a more appropriate entry point. The stock&#39;s Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) supports our thesis.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2314516/agnc-investment-agnc-up-11-8-in-3-months-is-it-worth-buying?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|most_popular_stocks-2314516">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

AGNC Investment Up 11.8% in 3 Months: Is It Worth Buying?

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nly#NYSE">NLY</a>) is benefiting from an improvement in the average yield on interest-earning assets. The company&#39;s prudent asset selection will drive its performance. However, the current market volatility and interest rate fluctuations are near-term worries. Additionally, the company&#39;s dividend reduction and an unutilized share repurchase program highlight concerns regarding capital distribution.
NLY&#39;s investment strategy is driven by the prudent selection of assets and effective allocation of capital to achieve stable returns. The company&#39;s investment strategy involves traditional Agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS), which provide downside protection, as well as investments in more non-agency and credit-focused asset classes that aid in enhancing returns. Also, a scaled MSR platform will continue to benefit from a low prepayment environment. As of Mar 31, 2024, its investment portfolio aggregated $87.5 billion.
Further, the company is focused on diversifying its investment portfolio. The company seeks to stabilize and diversify its investment portfolio through investing in Agency MBS and residential credit. NLY&#39;s strong liquidity position enables it to reinvest in the franchise. In 2022, it sold its Middle Market Lending portfolio and exited its commercial real estate business. Through these exits, Annaly was able to enhance capabilities across its core housing finance strategy.
Further, Annaly is focusing on improving its liquidity and reducing leverage. The company showcased a strong liquidity position in the first quarter of 2024. The company maintains an unencumbered asset portfolio, aggregating $5.3 billion, which can readily provide liquidity in times of adverse market conditions. Hence, with a decent balance sheet, the company is well-equipped to support its business, even in times of economic stress and market volatility.
NLY enjoys a diverse funding profile in the industry. Its main sources of financing are repurchasing agreements and various forms of equity. Arcola Securities, its wholly-owned subsidiary, enters repurchase contracts on behalf of the company. This helps it enjoy flexibility in the opportunistic enhancement of its portfolio. Annaly maintains a strong presence in the residential securitization market through its residential credit business. This will enable the company to capitalize on the improving outlook for residential mortgage finance. This will support Annaly&#39;s asset generation strategy.
Shares of Annaly have declined 2.7% over the past six months compared with the industry&#39;s decline of 11.1%.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/32/70760.jpg?v=435863113" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
At present, Annaly carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
The operating performances of mREITs depend on conditions prevalent in the broader financial markets and the macroeconomic situation. Any volatility in the mortgage market, unfavorable changes in the shape of the yield curve, interest-rate volatility and deterioration of the generic financial conditions may affect the performance of the company&#39;s investments. The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged and scaled back its forecast from three rate cuts to just one this year after an inflation pickup in early 2024. This might not serve as a good indicator for the company.
Annaly&#39;s capital distribution plans keep us apprehensive. In January 2022, it was authorized with a $1.5-billion share repurchase plan, valid through Dec 31, 2024. However, the company has not repurchased shares under this plan since the announcement. Moreover, it slashed its first-quarter 2023 cash dividend by 26% to 65 cents per share due to a moderation in earnings available for distribution. Earlier, amid the pandemic-led market volatility, Annaly slashed its second-quarter 2020 dividends by 12% to 22 cents in June 2020.
<h3>Stocks to Consider:</h3>
A couple of better-ranked stocks are Ellington Credit Company (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/earn#NYSE">EARN</a>) and Chimera Investment Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/cim#NYSE">CIM</a>).
Earnings estimates of Ellington Credit Company have been revised upward by 2% over the past 60 days. In the past six months, EARN&#39;s shares have gained 13.4%. Currently, the company carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Earnings estimates for Chimera Investment Corporation have been revised upward by 14.6% for 2024 over the past 60 days. Shares of CIM have gained 6.7% over the past three months. Currently, the company carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2298603/annaly-s-nly-diversification-efforts-aid-amid-market-volatility?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|zer_report_update-2298603">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Annaly's Diversification Efforts Aid Amid Market Volatility

Ellington Credit (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/earn#NYSE">EARN</a>) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This rating change essentially reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.
The sole determinant of the Zacks rating is a company&#39;s changing earnings picture. The Zacks Consensus Estimate -- the consensus of EPS estimates from the sell-side analysts covering the stock -- for the current and following years is tracked by the system.
The power of a changing earnings picture in determining near-term stock price movements makes the Zacks rating system highly useful for individual investors, since it can be difficult to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts. These are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time.
Therefore, the Zacks rating upgrade for Ellington Credit basically reflects positivity about its earnings outlook that could translate into buying pressure and an increase in its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock Prices
The change in a company&#39;s future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, has proven to be strongly correlated with the near-term price movement of its stock. The influence of institutional investors has a partial contribution to this relationship, as these big professionals use earnings and earnings estimates to calculate the fair value of a company&#39;s shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their bulk investment action then leads to price movement for the stock.
Fundamentally speaking, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade for Ellington Credit imply an improvement in the company&#39;s underlying business. Investors should show their appreciation for this improving business trend by pushing the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, so it could be truly rewarding if such revisions are tracked for making an investment decision. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988.
Earnings Estimate Revisions for Ellington Credit
For the fiscal year ending December 2024, this residential mortgage real estate investment trust is expected to earn $1.02 per share, which is a change of 18.6% from the year-ago reported number.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Ellington Credit. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 2%.
Bottom Line
Unlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of &#39;buy&#39; and &#39;sell&#39; ratings for its entire universe of more than 4000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a &#39;Strong Buy&#39; rating and the next 15% get a &#39;Buy&#39; rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
The upgrade of Ellington Credit to a Zacks Rank #1 positions it in the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2291029/ellington-credit-earn-upgraded-to-strong-buy-here-s-what-you-should-know?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-tale_of_the_tape|yseop_template_12_zacks_rank_upgrade-2291029">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Upgrades

Ellington Credit Upgraded to Strong Buy: Here's What You Should Know

Ellington Residential (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.27 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $0.25 by 8 percent. This is a 28.57 percent increase over earnings of $0.21 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $279.00 thousand which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $3.64 million by 92.34 percent. This is a 175.00 percent increase over sales of $(372.00 thousand) the same period last year.

Ellington Residential Q1 Adj $0.27 Beats $0.25 Estimate, Sales $279.00K Miss $3.64M Estimate

JMP Securities analyst Mikhail Goberman reiterates Ellington Residential (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EARN#NYSE">EARN</a>) with a Market Perform.

Reiteration

JMP Securities Reiterates Market Perform on Ellington Residential

Press Releases

Ellington Credit Company Announces the Income Tax Treatment of its 2024 Distributions

Ellington Credit Company Reports Preliminary Fourth Quarter 2024 Results and Provides Conversion Update

Ellington Credit Declares Monthly Common Dividend

Ellington Credit Company Announces Release Date of Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings, Conference Call, and Investor Presentation

Ellington Credit Company Reports Fourth Quarter 2024 Results

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