PRESS RELEASE, DATED 12-15-05
Published on December 15, 2005
MFA MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS, INC. 350 Park Avenue New York, New York 10022 |
PRESS RELEASE | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | ||
December 15, 2005 | NEW YORK METRO | ||
CONTACT: | MFA Investor Relations | NYSE: MFA | |
800-892-7547 | |||
www.mfa-reit.com |
MFA Mortgage
Investments, Inc.
Announces Fourth Quarter 2005 Dividend of $0.05
MFA Mortgage Investments, Inc. (NYSE:MFA) announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.05 per share of common stock for the fourth quarter of 2005. The dividend will be paid on January 31, 2006 to stockholders of record on December 27, 2005.
Stewart Zimmerman, MFAs Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President, said, The fourth quarter 2005 dividend of $0.05 per share is equal to the dividend rate paid in the third quarter of 2005. We currently estimate that fourth quarter operating earnings per share, excluding realized capital losses, will approximate $0.05 per share for the fourth quarter.
Based on a number of factors, including 13 consecutive increases in the target fed funds rate from 1% to 4.25% and a flattening of the yield curve, a portion of MFAs MBS portfolio was repositioned during the fourth quarter in order to reduce interest rate risk. This repositioning included sales of approximately $565 million of MBS securities with realized losses of approximately $18 million. These realized capital losses did not impact MFAs book value per share of common stock because, in general, the reduced market values were already reflected in the carrying value of these MBS. Criteria used in selecting assets to be sold included sensitivity to rising interest rates and future earning potential. As a result of this repositioning, approximately 62% of the MBS in MFAs portfolio will have their coupon contractually reprice or are projected to prepay within the next 12 months, assuming a prepayment rate of 25% CPR.
On August 11, 2005, MFA announced a 4,000,000 share stock repurchase program. Through December 13, 2005, MFA has repurchased 2,047,700 shares at an average cost of approximately $5.81.
Stockholders interested in learning how to participate 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 www.melloninvestor.com or visit MFAs website at 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.