MFA Financial reports Q4 EPS 48c, consensus 25c

Reports Q4 economic book value per share $15.55. Commenting on the fourth quarter, Craig Knutson, MFA‘s CEO and president said, "While rates ended the fourth quarter only slightly higher than at September 30, the fourth quarter was another very volatile period for fixed income and mortgages in particular. Two-year Treasuries began the fourth quarter at 4.28% and sold off to 4.72% in early November before rallying back to end the year at 4.43%. After beginning the quarter at 3.83%, ten-year Treasuries hit a high for the year of 4.24% in late October before rallying back to close the year at 3.87%. Agency mortgage spreads widened out to the widest levels since the Great Financial Crisis in late October, and securitization markets, while not closed, were dysfunctional as spreads on even AAA cash flows widened more than Agency MBS spreads. Nonetheless, as we had done all year, our team at MFA protected book value and preserved capital, as we awaited more favorable market conditions."