PRESS RELEASE DATED JULY 1, 2005
Published on July 1, 2005
MFA MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS, INC. 350 Park Avenue New York, New York 10022 |
PRESS RELEASE | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | ||
July 1, 2005 | NEW YORK METRO | ||
CONTACT: | MFA Investor Relations | NYSE: MFA | |
800-892-7547 | |||
www.mfa-reit.com |
MFA
Mortgage Investments, Inc.
Announces Second Quarter 2005 Common Dividend of $0.125
MFA
Mortgage Investments, Inc. (NYSE:MFA) announced today that its Board of Directors
declared a quarterly dividend of $0.125 per share of common stock for the second
quarter of 2005. The dividend will be paid on July 29, 2005 to stockholders of record
on July 12, 2005.
Stewart
Zimmerman, MFAs Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and
President, commented, In line with our previous guidance, recent and
anticipated increases in the fed funds rate are expected to continue to increase
the cost of MFAs liabilities at a more rapid pace than the yield on its
assets, leading to a narrowing of spreads in 2005. We anticipate that spreads
should rebound after this cycle of fed funds rate increases ends. In addition,
recent declines in ten-year treasury yields have led to an increase in MBS
prepayments and, as a result, a corresponding increase in MFAs premium
amortization expense, further impacting spreads.
Over
the past five years, MFAs net spreads have averaged 1.39%, varying from a
low of 0.30% to a high of 2.15%. While investment spreads are currently
compressed across many asset classes and despite the impact of rising short-term
interest rates and increased mortgage prepayments, MFA has continued to earn and
pay dividends in excess of the yield currently available on ten-year treasury notes.
MFA will not compromise its risk versus reward investment decisions and will continue to be conservatively managed for the long term.
In
addition, we are pleased to announce that, on June 15, 2005, Adjustable Rate MBS
Trust (TSX:ADJ.UN), a newly-formed Canadian investment trust (the Fund),
completed its initial public offering of 5,000,000 trust units in Canada,
raising CDN$125 million. The Fund will obtain exposure to the performance of a
portfolio, primarily consisting of adjustable-rate and hybrid MBS, managed by MFA
Spartan II, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MFA.
MFA
seeks primarily to generate income from investment on a leveraged basis in high-quality
adjustable-rate and hybrid MBS and other assets. At March 31, 2005, MFAs
assets totaled approximately $7.1 billion, of which approximately 99% consisted
of MBS issued or guaranteed by an agency of the U.S. government or a federally chartered
corporation, other MBS rated AAA by Standard & Poors Corporation,
MBS-related receivables and cash. As of March 31, 2005, MFAs book value
per share of common stock was $7.37.
Stockholders
interested in participating in MFAs Discount Waiver, Direct Stock Purchase
and Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the Plan) or receiving a Plan
prospectus may do so by contacting Mellon Investor Services, the Plan administrator,
at 1-866-249-2610 (toll free). For more information about the Plan, interested
stockholders may also go to the website established for the Plan at
http://www.melloninvestor.com or visit MFAs website at
http://www.mfa-reit.com.
When
used in this press release or other written or oral communications, statements
which are not historical in nature, including those containing words such as
anticipate, estimate, should, expect, believe, intend and
similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, as such, may involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These forward-looking
statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including, but not
limited to, those relating to: changes in interest rates and the market value of MFAs
MBS; changes in the prepayment rates on the mortgage loans securing MFAs
MBS; MFAs ability to use borrowings to finance its assets; changes in
government regulations affecting MFAs business; MFAs ability to
maintain its qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes; and risks
associated with investing in real estate assets, including changes in business
conditions and the general economy. These and other risks, uncertainties and
factors, including those described in reports that MFA files from time to time with
the SEC, could cause MFAs actual results to differ materially from those
projected in any forward-looking statements it makes. All forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date they are made and MFA does not undertake,
and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the
date of such statements.