Form: 8-K

Current report filing

January 27, 2006

MFA

MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS, INC.

350 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10022
 

PRESS RELEASE   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
     
January 27, 2006    NEW YORK METRO
     
CONTACT:   Shira Finkel   NYSE: MFA
  800-892-7547    
  www.mfa-reit.com    

MFA Mortgage Investments, Inc. Announces
2005 Dividend Tax Information

MFA Mortgage Investments, Inc. (“MFA”), a real estate investment trust (“REIT”), today announced tax information regarding its dividend distributions for the tax year ended December 31, 2005.

Stockholders should review the 2005 tax statements that they receive from their brokerage firms in order to ensure that the MFA dividend distribution information reported on such statements conforms to the information set forth below. Stockholders should also consult with their tax advisors to determine their individual tax treatment of the dividend distributions paid by MFA.

As a REIT, MFA’s dividend distributions are generally not eligible for the tax rate reductions enacted for qualified dividend income under the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Thus, the portion of MFA’s dividend distributions that are characterized as ordinary income generally will be subject to full ordinary income tax rates. For stockholders that are corporations, MFA’s dividend distributions are not eligible for the corporate dividend distributions received deduction on Form 1120. No portion of MFA’s 2005 dividend distributions consisted of “excess inclusion” income subject to the specialized tax reporting rules applicable to such income.

The following table provides detailed tax information relating to the quarterly dividend distributions paid to MFA’s stockholders with respect to the 2005 tax year:

MFA’s Common Stock: (CUSIP 55272X102):

Quarter
Dividend
Type
Declaration
Date
Record
Date
Payable
Date
Total
Distribution
per Share
Ordinary
Dividend
Income
Return of
Capital
Capital
Gain
Distribution
Carry
forward
To 2006
P/Y
Common
12/17/2004
12/27/2004
01/31/2005
$0.02003
$0.02003
$0.00000
$0.00000
$0.00000
1 Q
Common
04/01/2005
04/12/2005
04/29/2005
$0.18000
$0.18000
$0.00000
$0.00000
$0.00000
2 Q
Common
07/01/2005
07/12/2005
07/29/2005
$0.12500
$0.12500
$0.00000
$0.00000
$0.00000
3 Q
Common
10/03/2005
10/14/2005
10/28/2005
$0.05000
$0.05000
$0.00000
$0.00000
$0.00000
4 Q
Common
12/15/2005
12/27/2005
01/31/2006
$0.05000
$0.03624
$0.00000
$0.00000
$0.01376


During the 2005 tax year, MFA declared total dividend distributions of $0.4050 per share of common stock. Pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to REITs, $0.02003 per share paid in January 2005 will be treated as dividend distributions to stockholders in 2005 for federal, state and local income tax purposes.  This amount represents the per share portion of the dividend distributions which exceeded MFA’s distributable earnings and profits for the year ended December 31, 2004. 

In addition, pursuant to the Code, $0.01376 per share paid in January 2006 will be treated as dividend distributions to stockholders in 2006 for federal, state and local income tax purposes.  This amount represents the per share portion of the dividend distributions which exceeded MFA’s distributable earnings and profits for the year ended December 31, 2005.  This amount will be treated for income tax purposes as 2006 dividend distributions.

MFA’s Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (CUSIP: 55272X201):

Quarter
Dividend
Type
Declaration
Date
Record
Date
Payable
Date
Total
Distribution
per Share
Ordinary
Dividend
Income
Return of
Capital
Capital
Gain
Distribution
1 Q
Preferred
02/18/2005
03/01/2005
03/31/2005
$0.53125
$0.53125
$0.00000
$0.00000
2 Q
Preferred
05/20/2005
06/01/2005
06/30/2005
$0.53125
$0.53125
$0.00000
$0.00000
3 Q
Preferred
08/19/2005
09/01/2005
09/30/2005
$0.53125
$0.53125
$0.00000
$0.00000
4 Q
Preferred
11/18/2005
12/01/2005
12/30/2005
$0.53125
$0.53125
$0.00000
$0.00000

MFA declared total dividend distributions of $2.125 per share of Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock.

MFA elected, commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 1998, to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder applicable to REITs. In accordance with the Code, dividends declared by a REIT in the last month of a calendar year with a record date in such calendar year, but which are payable in January of the following year, are considered paid for Form 1099-DIV reporting purposes on the record date, not on the payable date.

MFA seeks to generate income from investment in high-quality ARM-MBS and other assets. At September 30, 2005, approximately 99% of MFA’s assets consisted of MBS issued or guaranteed by an agency of the U.S. Government, such as Ginnie Mae, or a federally chartered corporation, such as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, other MBS rated “AAA” by Standard & Poor’s Corporation, MBS-related receivables and cash.

Stockholders interested in learning how to participate in MFA’s 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 MFA’s 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 MFA’s MBS; changes in the prepayment rates on the mortgage loans securing MFA’s MBS; MFA’s ability to use borrowings to finance its assets; changes in government regulations affecting MFA’s business; MFA’s 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 MFA’s 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.