Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Available-for-Sale Securities, at Fair Value (Notes)

v2.4.0.6
Available-for-Sale Securities, at Fair Value (Notes)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Available for Sale Securities at Fair Value [Abstract]  
Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block]
Available-for-Sale Securities, at Fair Value
The following table presents the Company's available-for-sale, or AFS, investment securities by collateral type, which were carried at their fair value as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
(in thousands)
December 31,
2011
 
December 31,
2010
Mortgage-backed securities:
 
 
 
Agency
 
 
 
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
$
1,609,003

 
$
396,888

Federal National Mortgage Association
2,414,637

 
556,609

Government National Mortgage Association
1,029,517

 
62,972

Non-agency
1,196,095

 
337,936

Total mortgage-backed securities
$
6,249,252

 
$
1,354,405



At December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the Company pledged investment securities with a carrying value of $6.2 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively, as collateral for repurchase agreements. See Note 11 - Repurchase Agreements.
At December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the Company did not have any securities purchased from and financed with the same counterparty that did not meet the conditions of ASC 860, Transfers and Servicing, to be considered linked transactions and therefore classified as derivatives.
The following tables present the amortized cost and carrying value (which approximates fair value) of AFS securities by collateral type as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
 
December 31, 2011
(in thousands)
Agency
 
Non-Agency
 
Total
Face Value
$
5,692,754

 
$
2,667,929

 
$
8,360,683

Unamortized premium
279,640

 
—

 
279,640

Unamortized discount
 
 
 
 
 
Designated credit reserve
—

 
(782,606
)
 
(782,606
)
Net, unamortized
(1,008,780
)
 
(540,969
)
 
(1,549,749
)
Amortized Cost
4,963,614

 
1,344,354

 
6,307,968

Gross unrealized gains
108,864

 
11,881

 
120,745

Gross unrealized losses
(19,321
)
 
(160,140
)
 
(179,461
)
Carrying Value
$
5,053,157

 
$
1,196,095

 
$
6,249,252

 
December 31, 2010
(in thousands)
Agency
 
Non-Agency
 
Total
Face Value
$
1,306,655

 
$
594,306

 
$
1,900,961

Unamortized premium
41,651

 
—

 
41,651

Unamortized discount
  

 
  

 
  

Designated credit reserve
—

 
(145,855
)
 
(145,855
)
Net, unamortized
(334,979
)
 
(129,992
)
 
(464,971
)
Amortized Cost
1,013,327

 
318,459

 
1,331,786

Gross unrealized gains
9,308

 
21,503

 
30,811

Gross unrealized losses
(6,166
)
 
(2,026
)
 
(8,192
)
Carrying Value
$
1,016,469

 
$
337,936

 
$
1,354,405



The following tables present the carrying value of the Company's AFS investment securities by rate type as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010:
 
December 31, 2011
(in thousands)
 Agency
 
 Non-Agency
 
 Total
Adjustable Rate
$
231,678

 
$
995,014

 
$
1,226,692

Fixed Rate
4,821,479

 
201,081

 
5,022,560

Total
$
5,053,157

 
$
1,196,095

 
$
6,249,252

 
December 31, 2010
(in thousands)
Agency
 
Non-Agency
 
Total
Adjustable Rate
$
269,512

 
$
245,517

 
$
515,029

Fixed Rate
746,957

 
92,419

 
839,376

Total
$
1,016,469

 
$
337,936

 
$
1,354,405



When the Company purchases a credit-sensitive AFS security at a significant discount to its face value, the Company often does not amortize into income a significant portion of this discount that the Company is entitled to earn because it does not expect to collect it due to the inherent credit risk of the security. The Company may also record an other-than-temporary impairment, or OTTI, for a portion of its investment in the security to the extent the Company believes that the amortized cost will exceed the present value of expected future cash flows. The amount of principal that the Company does not amortize into income is designated as an off balance sheet credit reserve on the security, with unamortized net discounts or premiums amortized into income over time to the extent realizable.
The following table presents the changes for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 of the unamortized net discount and designated credit reserves on non-Agency AFS securities.
 
December 31, 2011
 
December 31, 2010
(in thousands)
Designated credit reserve
 
Unamortized net discount
 
Total
 
Designated credit reserve
 
Unamortized net discount
 
Total
Beginning balance at January 1
$
(145,855
)
 
$
(129,992
)
 
$
(275,847
)
 
$
(50,187
)
 
$
(41,050
)
 
$
(91,237
)
Acquisitions
(651,726
)
 
(491,290
)
 
(1,143,016
)
 
(142,041
)
 
(117,908
)
 
(259,949
)
Accretion of net discount
—

 
54,466

 
54,466

 
—

 
10,850

 
10,850

Realized credit losses
6,055

 
—

 
6,055

 
1,736

 
8

 
1,744

Reclassification adjustment for other-than-temporary impairments
(5,102
)
 
—

 
(5,102
)
 
—

 
—

 
—

Transfers from (to)
579

 
(579
)
 
—

 
4,850

 
(4,850
)
 
—

Sales, calls, other
13,443

 
26,426

 
39,869

 
39,787

 
22,958

 
62,745

Ending balance at December 31
$
(782,606
)
 
$
(540,969
)
 
$
(1,323,575
)
 
$
(145,855
)
 
$
(129,992
)
 
$
(275,847
)


The following table presents the components comprising the carrying value of AFS securities not deemed to be other than temporarily impaired by length of time the securities had an unrealized loss position as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010. At December 31, 2011, the Company held 854 AFS securities, of which 264 were in an unrealized loss position for less than twelve consecutive months and 20 were in an unrealized loss position for more than twelve consecutive months. At December 31, 2010, the Company held 373 AFS securities, of which 108 were in an unrealized loss position for less than twelve months and 5 were in an unrealized loss position for more than twelve consecutive months.
 
Unrealized Loss Position for
 
Less than 12 Months
 
12 Months or More
 
Total
(in thousands)
Estimated Fair Value
 
Gross Unrealized Losses
 
Estimated Fair Value
 
Gross Unrealized Losses
 
Estimated Fair Value
 
Gross Unrealized Losses
December 31, 2011
$
1,277,120

 
$
(175,348
)
 
$
15,608

 
$
(4,113
)
 
$
1,292,728

 
$
(179,461
)
December 31, 2010
$
310,445

 
$
(7,183
)
 
$
1,405

 
$
(1,009
)
 
$
311,850

 
$
(8,192
)


Evaluating AFS Securities for Other-than-Temporary Impairments
In order to evaluate AFS securities for OTTI, the Company determines whether there has been a significant adverse quarterly change in the cash flow expectations for a security. The Company compares the amortized cost of each security in an unrealized loss position against the present value of expected future cash flows of the security. The Company also considers whether there has been a significant adverse change in the regulatory and/or economic environment as part of this analysis. If the amortized cost of the security is greater than the present value of expected future cash flows, an other-than-temporary credit impairment has occurred. If the Company does not intend to sell and is not more likely than not required to sell the security, the credit loss is recognized in earnings and the balance of the unrealized loss is recognized in other comprehensive income (loss). If the Company intends to sell the security or will be more likely than not required to sell the security, the full unrealized loss is recognized in earnings.
The Company recorded a $5.1 million other-than-temporary credit impairment during year ended December 31, 2011 on a total of thirteen non-Agency RMBS where the future expected cash flows for each security was less than its amortized cost. As of December 31, 2011, the impaired securities had weighted average cumulative losses of 5.5%, weighted average three-month prepayment speed of 1.99, weighted average 60+ day delinquency of 37.9% of the pool balance, and weighted average FICO score of 653. At December 31, 2011 the Company did not intend to sell the securities and it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the securities, therefore, only the credit loss was recognized in earnings. The Company did not record an other-than-temporary credit impairment during the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.
The following table presents the OTTI included in earnings for years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009:
 
Year Ended
 
December 31,
(in thousands)
2011
 
2010
 
2009
Cumulative credit loss at beginning of year
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
—

Additions:
 
 
 
 
 
Other-than-temporary impairments not previously recognized
(5,102
)
 
—

 
—

Increases related to other-than-temporary impairments on securities with previously recognized other-than-temporary impairments
—

 
—

 
—

Cumulative credit loss at end of year
$
(5,102
)
 
$
—

 
$
—



Gross Realized Gains and Losses
Gains and losses from the sale of AFS securities are recorded as realized gains (losses) within gain on investment securities, net in the Company's consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company sold AFS securities for $1.0 billion with an amortized cost of $1.0 billion, for a net realized gain of $29.7 million. For the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company sold AFS securities for $415.8 million with an amortized cost of $409.5 million, for a net realized gain of $6.3 million, which included sales of U.S. Treasuries with an amortized cost of $295.8 million.
The following table presents the gross realized gains and losses on sales of AFS securities for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
 
Year Ended
 
December 31,
(in thousands)
2011
 
2010
 
2009
Gross realized gains
$
29,983

 
$
6,607

 
$
336

Gross realized losses
(316
)
 
(332
)
 
—

Total realized gains (losses) on sales, net
$
29,667

 
$
6,275

 
$
336