Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (WD)
SIC breadcrumb: Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate > SIC Major Group 61 > SIC 6199 Finance Services
SEC company page: https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1497770. Latest filing source: 0001104659-26-020249.
Informational only - descriptive public-record data, not investment advice.
Business
Read WD's verbatim Item 1 Business section from its latest 10-K: Business.
Risk Factors
Read WD's verbatim Item 1A Risk Factors from its latest 10-K: Risk Factors.
Selected Fundamentals
| Metric | Value | Unit | FY | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 1,234,306,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-26 |
| Net income | 56,247,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-26 |
| Assets | 5,059,478,000 | USD | 2025 | 2026-02-26 |
Financials
Annual standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-02-26. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0001497770.json. Derived margins, ratios, and free cash flow are computed from the extracted annual SEC facts.
| Metric | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 575,276,000 | 711,857,000 | 725,246,000 | 817,219,000 | 1,083,707,000 | 1,259,178,000 | 1,258,753,000 | 1,054,440,000 | 1,132,490,000 | 1,234,306,000 |
| Net income | 113,897,000 | 211,127,000 | 161,439,000 | 173,373,000 | 246,177,000 | 265,762,000 | 213,820,000 | 107,357,000 | 108,167,000 | 56,247,000 |
| Diluted EPS | 3.57 | 6.47 | 4.96 | 5.45 | 7.69 | 8.15 | 6.36 | 3.18 | 3.19 | 1.64 |
| Operating cash flow | 759,464,000 | 1,067,642,000 | 64,076,000 | 427,561,000 | -1,411,370,000 | 870,455,000 | 1,582,704,000 | -518,000 | 129,359,000 | -664,310,000 |
| Capital expenditures | 2,478,000 | 5,207,000 | 4,722,000 | 4,711,000 | 2,983,000 | 9,208,000 | 21,995,000 | 16,201,000 | 12,961,000 | 15,772,000 |
| Dividends paid | 31,445,000 | 37,272,000 | 45,350,000 | 64,453,000 | 80,145,000 | 84,836,000 | 88,634,000 | 91,802,000 | ||
| Share buybacks | 12,893,000 | 34,899,000 | 68,832,000 | 30,676,000 | 45,774,000 | 18,872,000 | 42,369,000 | 20,511,000 | 12,381,000 | 10,453,000 |
| Assets | 3,052,432,000 | 2,208,427,000 | 2,782,057,000 | 2,675,199,000 | 4,650,975,000 | 5,205,989,000 | 4,045,359,000 | 4,052,347,000 | 4,381,993,000 | 5,059,478,000 |
| Liabilities | 2,437,358,000 | 1,393,446,000 | 1,874,865,000 | 1,632,914,000 | 3,454,753,000 | 3,627,782,000 | 2,328,530,000 | 2,306,218,000 | 2,622,130,000 | 3,313,616,000 |
| Stockholders' equity | 610,216,000 | 809,416,000 | 902,124,000 | 1,035,689,000 | 1,196,222,000 | 1,550,152,000 | 1,689,426,000 | 1,723,750,000 | 1,747,863,000 | 1,735,034,000 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 118,756,000 | 191,218,000 | 90,058,000 | 120,685,000 | 321,097,000 | 305,635,000 | 225,949,000 | 328,698,000 | 279,270,000 | 299,315,000 |
| Free cash flow | 756,986,000 | 1,062,435,000 | 59,354,000 | 422,850,000 | -1,414,353,000 | 861,247,000 | 1,560,709,000 | -16,719,000 | 116,398,000 | -680,082,000 |
Ratios
| Metric | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net margin | 19.80% | 29.66% | 22.26% | 21.21% | 22.72% | 21.11% | 16.99% | 10.18% | 9.55% | 4.56% |
| Return on equity | 18.67% | 26.08% | 17.90% | 16.74% | 20.58% | 17.14% | 12.66% | 6.23% | 6.19% | 3.24% |
| Return on assets | 3.73% | 9.56% | 5.80% | 6.48% | 5.29% | 5.10% | 5.29% | 2.65% | 2.47% | 1.11% |
| Liabilities / equity | 3.99 | 1.72 | 2.08 | 1.58 | 2.89 | 2.34 | 1.38 | 1.34 | 1.50 | 1.91 |
Industry Peer Context
Net margin peer context
ROE peer context
ROA peer context
Financial Bridges
Free cash flow = operating cash flow - capital expenditures
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts FY 2025. Operating cash flow: accession 0001104659-26-020249; concept NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; source concepts us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities | Capital expenditures: accession 0001104659-26-020249; concept PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets; source concepts us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets | Free cash flow: accession 0001104659-26-020249; concept NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities - PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets; source concepts us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
Financial Charts
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: Revenues. Source concepts: us-gaap:Revenues.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: Assets. Source concepts: us-gaap:Assets.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: Liabilities. Source concepts: us-gaap:Liabilities.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: StockholdersEquity. Source concepts: us-gaap:StockholdersEquity.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue. Source concepts: us-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001104659-26-020249; filed 2026-02-26. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities - PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets.
Quarterly
Quarterly standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-05-07. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0001497770.json.
| Quarter | End Date | Revenue | Net Income | Diluted EPS | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-Q2 | 2022-06-30 | 1.61 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2022-Q3 | 2022-09-30 | 1.40 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q1 | 2023-03-31 | 0.79 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q2 | 2023-03-31 | 26,665,000 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q2 | 2023-06-30 | 272,615,000 | 0.82 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2023-Q3 | 2023-06-30 | 27,635,000 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2023-Q3 | 2023-09-30 | 268,743,000 | 0.64 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2023-Q4 | 2023-12-31 | 274,336,000 | 31,599,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2024-Q1 | 2024-03-31 | 228,059,000 | 11,866,000 | 0.35 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2024-Q2 | 2024-03-31 | 11,866,000 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2024-Q2 | 2024-06-30 | 270,676,000 | 0.67 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2024-Q3 | 2024-06-30 | 22,663,000 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2024-Q3 | 2024-09-30 | 292,304,000 | 0.85 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2024-Q4 | 2024-12-31 | 341,451,000 | 44,836,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2025-Q1 | 2025-03-31 | 237,367,000 | 2,754,000 | 0.08 | reported discrete quarter |
| 2025-Q2 | 2025-03-31 | 2,754,000 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2025-Q2 | 2025-06-30 | 319,240,000 | 0.99 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2025-Q3 | 2025-06-30 | 33,952,000 | reported discrete quarter | ||
| 2025-Q3 | 2025-09-30 | 337,675,000 | 0.98 | reported discrete quarter | |
| 2025-Q4 | 2025-12-31 | 340,024,000 | -13,911,000 | derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD | |
| 2026-Q1 | 2026-03-31 | 301,331,000 | 15,871,000 | 0.46 | reported discrete quarter |
Quarterly Charts
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-03-31; accession 0001104659-26-056572; filed 2026-05-07. Concept: Revenues. Source concepts: us-gaap:Revenues.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-03-31; accession 0001104659-26-056572; filed 2026-05-07. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.
Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-03-31; accession 0001104659-26-056572; filed 2026-05-07. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.
Macro Cross-References
- CPIAUCSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average
- UNRATE - Unemployment Rate
- FEDFUNDS - Federal Funds Effective Rate
- CES0500000003 - Average Hourly Earnings of All Employees, Total Private
- DFEDTARU - Federal Funds Target Range - Upper Limit
- DFEDTARL - Federal Funds Target Range - Lower Limit
- DGS3MO - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 3-Month Constant Maturity
- DGS2 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 2-Year Constant Maturity
- DGS10 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 10-Year Constant Maturity
- DGS30 - Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 30-Year Constant Maturity
- T10Y2Y - 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Minus 2-Year Treasury Constant Maturity
- CPILFESL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items Less Food and Energy
- CPIUFDSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Food
- CPIENGSL - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Energy
- CUSR0000SAH1 - Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Shelter
- PCEPI - Personal Consumption Expenditures: Chain-type Price Index
- PCEPILFE - Personal Consumption Expenditures Excluding Food and Energy: Chain-type Price Index
- PPIACO - Producer Price Index by Commodity: All Commodities
- T10YIE - 10-Year Breakeven Inflation Rate
- U6RATE - Total Unemployed, Plus All Marginally Attached Workers Plus Total Employed Part Time for Economic Reasons
- PAYEMS - All Employees, Total Nonfarm
- CIVPART - Labor Force Participation Rate
- EMRATIO - Employment-Population Ratio
- UNEMPLOY - Unemployed
- CE16OV - Employment Level
- ICSA - Initial Claims
- JTSJOL - Job Openings: Total Nonfarm
- JTSQUR - Quits: Total Nonfarm
- GDPC1 - Real Gross Domestic Product
- A191RL1Q225SBEA - Real Gross Domestic Product: Percent Change from Preceding Period
- INDPRO - Industrial Production: Total Index
- TCU - Capacity Utilization: Total Index
- HOUST - New Privately-Owned Housing Units Started: Total Units
- PERMIT - New Privately-Owned Housing Units Authorized in Permit-Issuing Places: Total Units
- RSAFS - Advance Retail Sales: Retail Trade
- PCE - Personal Consumption Expenditures
- DSPIC96 - Real Disposable Personal Income
- PSAVERT - Personal Saving Rate
- M2SL - M2
- BOPGSTB - U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services: Balance
- MSPUS - Median Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States
- HSN1F - New One Family Houses Sold: United States
- RHORUSQ156N - Homeownership Rate in the United States
- TTLCONS - Total Construction Spending: Total Construction in the United States
- RRVRUSQ156N - Rental Vacancy Rate in the United States
- TOTALSL - Total Consumer Credit Owned and Securitized
- REVOLSL - Revolving Consumer Credit Owned and Securitized
- DRCCLACBS - Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks
- GDP - Gross Domestic Product
- GPDI - Gross Private Domestic Investment
- GCE - Government Consumption Expenditures and Gross Investment
- PCEC - Personal Consumption Expenditures
- NETEXP - Net Exports of Goods and Services
- GFDEBTN - Federal Debt: Total Public Debt
- GFDEGDQ188S - Federal Debt: Total Public Debt as Percent of Gross Domestic Product
- FYFSD - Federal Surplus or Deficit
- FGRECPT - Federal Government Current Receipts
- FGEXPND - Federal Government: Current Expenditures
- MANEMP - All Employees, Manufacturing
- USCONS - All Employees, Construction
- USTRADE - All Employees, Retail Trade
- USFIRE - All Employees, Financial Activities
- USGOVT - All Employees, Government
- AWHAETP - Average Weekly Hours of All Employees, Total Private
- DGORDER - Manufacturers' New Orders: Durable Goods
- NEWORDER - Manufacturers' New Orders: Nondefense Capital Goods Excluding Aircraft
- BUSINV - Total Business Inventories
- EXPGS - Exports of Goods and Services
- IMPGS - Imports of Goods and Services
- IR - Import Price Index (End Use): All Commodities
- PPIFIS - Producer Price Index by Commodity: Final Demand
Latest quarter (10-Q)
Latest 10-Q source: 0001104659-26-056572.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (“Form 10-Q”). The following discussion contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements that include risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or contemplated in those forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 (“2025 Form 10-K”).
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this Form 10-Q of Walker & Dunlop, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company,” “Walker & Dunlop,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, projections, plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and do not relate solely to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans, or intentions.
The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-Q reflect our current views about future events and are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or contemplated in any forward-looking statement. Statements regarding the following subjects, among others, may be forward-looking:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the future of the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac,” and together with Fannie Mae, the “GSEs”), including their existence, relationship to the U.S. federal government, recapitalization, origination capacities, and their impact on our business; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | our obligations to repurchase or indemnify the GSEs for loans we originate under their programs and any potential losses we may incur as a result; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | changes to and trends in the interest rate environment and its impact on our business; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | our growth strategy; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | our projected financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | our ability to obtain and maintain warehouse and other loan funding arrangements; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | our ability to make future dividend payments or repurchase shares of our common stock; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | availability of and our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and our ability to develop and retain relationships with borrowers, key principals, and lenders; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | degree and nature of our competition; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | changes in governmental regulations, policies, and programs, tax laws and rates, tariffs and global trade policies, and similar matters, and the impact of such regulations, policies, and actions; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | our ability to comply with the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to us, including additional regulatory requirements for broker-dealer and other financial services firms; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | trends in the commercial real estate finance market, commercial real estate values, the credit and capital markets, or the general economy, including rent growth and demand for multifamily housing and low-income housing tax credits; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | general volatility of the capital markets and the market price of our common stock; and |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | other risks and uncertainties associated with our business described in our 2025 Form 10-K and our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
While forward-looking statements reflect our good-faith projections, assumptions, and expectations, they do not guarantee future results. Furthermore, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying
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assumptions or factors, new information, data or methods, future events or other changes, except as required by applicable law. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or contemplated in any forward-looking statements, see Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our 2025 Form 10-K.
Business
Overview
Walker & Dunlop is one of the largest commercial real estate capital markets platforms. We are focused on originating, selling, and servicing loans, with a market-leading position in the U.S. multifamily sector. Our longstanding multifamily focus has established us as one of the largest multifamily property sales brokerage platforms in the U.S., and perennially as one of the largest lenders for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (collectively, the “GSEs”), and the Federal Housing Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (together with Ginnie Mae, “HUD”) (collectively, the “Agencies”). We also provide investment management and other ancillary services to commercial real estate owners and investors.
Our business is driven by two primary sources of revenues:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Transaction related revenues, which includes loan origination and debt brokerage fees, property sales fees, and other revenues earned when we facilitate financing or execute transactions for our customers. These revenues are influenced by market conditions and commercial real estate transaction activity. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Recurring fee-based revenues, which includes loan servicing fees, asset management fees, and related income streams generated from our loan servicing portfolio and assets under management. These revenues are contractual in nature, more stable than transaction-related revenues, and largely tied to the size and composition of our loan servicing portfolio and assets under management. |
A core element of our strategy is to convert transaction activity into contractual, long-duration, recurring revenue streams. When we originate loans—particularly through Agency programs—we typically retain the right to service those loans, which increases the size of our commercial real estate loan servicing portfolio, and generates ongoing cash flows over the life of the loan. Our strategy has established Walker & Dunlop as the sixth largest commercial real estate loan servicer in the U.S. As of March 31, 2026, we serviced $146.4 billion of commercial real estate loans (primarily multifamily) that provide durable, largely prepayment protected cash flows. This servicing platform is a foundational component of our business that supports our ability to invest in growth initiatives.
Business Mix and Growth Strategy
Our business is currently driven primarily by our multifamily-focused lending, brokerage, property sales and servicing activities in the United States. These operations benefit from our long-standing relationships with the Agencies and other institutional capital providers, as well as our scale within the multifamily sector.
Over the past several years, we have been investing in expanding and diversifying our service offerings to commercial real estate owners and investors, including appraisal, valuation, research, investment banking, and additional investment management services. We have also been expanding our lending, brokerage and property sales capabilities across other commercial real estate asset classes, including hospitality, industrial, and digital infrastructure and expanding our presence and service offerings in Europe to better serve many of our institutional clients that operate global investment strategies. These initiatives represent long-term growth opportunities. Many of these businesses are currently operating at or near break-even as we continue to invest in their development. As a result, our near-term financial performance continues to be driven predominantly by our core multifamily lending, brokerage, property sales services, loan servicing, and investment management platform.
We are also investing in proprietary technology and software solutions to enhance our competitive position and support the long-term evolution of our business. These investments are designed to increase our touchpoints with current and prospective clients, improve the delivery and scalability of our existing and future services, and drive operating efficiencies across our business. As advancements in artificial intelligence and related technologies continue to reshape financial and real estate services, we believe it is critical to invest proactively to ensure we remain an essential intermediary to our clients and well-positioned within the evolving transaction ecosystem. Our technology initiatives are intended to strengthen client engagement, improve data-driven decision-making, and enhance our ability to originate transactions and grow our servicing and asset management platforms over time.
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Segment Overview
We manage our business through three reportable segments:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Capital Markets, which primarily generates transaction-based revenues through loan origination, debt brokerage, property sales, and related services. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Servicing & Asset Management, which primarily generates recurring, fee-based revenue from servicing our commercial real estate loan portfolio and managing third-party capital through our investment management operations. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (iii) | Corporate, which includes our treasury activities and corporate-level functions that support the overall business. |
These reportable segments are determined based on the product or service provided and reflect the manner in which management evaluates the Company’s financial performance. The segments and related services are further described in the following paragraphs.
Capital Markets (“CM”)
CM provides a comprehensive range of commercial real estate finance products to our customers, including Agency lending, debt brokerage, property sales, appraisal and valuation services, and real estate-related investment banking and advisory services, including housing market research. Our long-established relationships with the Agencies and institutional investors enable us to offer a broad range of loan products and services to our customers. We provide property sales services to owners and developers of multifamily and hospitality properties and commercial real estate appraisals for various lenders and investors. Additionally, we earn subscription fees for our housing re
[Excerpt truncated for page length; source filing is linked above.]
Latest 10-K MD&A
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“10-K”). The following discussion contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements that include risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or contemplated in those forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this 10-K.
Business
Walker & Dunlop, Inc. is a holding company, and we conduct the majority of our operations through Walker & Dunlop, LLC, our primary operating company. During the fourth quarter of 2025, we granted profit interest awards to certain non-executive employees of Walker & Dunlop, LLC to better align their incentive compensation with our goals. The profit interest awards allocate 15% of the income before taxes of a wholly owned subsidiary to these employees. The wholly owned subsidiary is focused on debt financing transactions closed by these employees and is part of our Capital Markets segment.
We are one of the leading commercial real estate services and finance companies in the United States, with a primary focus on multifamily lending and property sales, commercial real estate debt brokerage, and investment management services. We originate, sell, and service a range of multifamily and other commercial real estate financing products to owners and developers of commercial real estate across the country, provide multifamily property sales brokerage and appraisal services in various regions throughout the United States, and engage in commercial real estate and investment management services focused on debt and equity investments on commercial real estate assets and equity investments in affordable housing. We are a leader in commercial real estate technology, developing and acquiring technology resources that (i) provide innovative solutions and a better experience for our customers and (ii) allow us to reach a broader customer base.
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Multifamily Lending, Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Service, and Property Sales
We originate and sell multifamily loans through the programs of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, and HUD, with which we have licenses and long-established relationships. We retain servicing rights and asset management responsibilities on nearly all loans that we originate for the Agencies’ programs. We are approved as a Fannie Mae DUS lender nationally, a Freddie Mac Optigo lender nationally for Conventional, Seniors Housing, Targeted Affordable Housing and Small Balance Loans, a HUD MAP lender nationally, a HUD LEAN lender nationally, and a Ginnie Mae issuer. We broker and service loans for many life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other institutional investors, in which cases we do not fund the loan but rather act as a loan broker. Fannie Mae recently announced that we ranked as its largest DUS lender in 2025, by loan deliveries, and Freddie Mac recently announced that we ranked as its 3rd largest Freddie Mac lender in 2025, by loan deliveries. Our market share with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was 11.2% on a combined basis, by loan deliveries in 2025, compared to 10.7% in 2024. Additionally, we were the 5th largest overall lender for HUD for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2025.
We fund loans for the Agencies’ programs, generally through warehouse facility financings, and sell them to investors in accordance with the related loan sale commitment, which we obtain at rate lock. Proceeds from the sale of the loan are used to pay off the warehouse facility. The sale of the loan is typically completed within 60 days after the loan is closed, and we retain the right to service substantially all of these loans. In cases where we do not fund the loan, we act as a loan broker and service some of the loans. Our mortgage bankers who focus on loan brokerage are engaged by borrowers to work with a variety of institutional lenders to find the most appropriate loan. These loans are then funded directly by the institutional lender, and for those brokered loans we service, we collect ongoing servicing fees while those loans remain in our servicing portfolio. The servicing fees we typically earn on brokered loan transactions are lower than the servicing fees we earn on Agency loans.
We recognize revenue when we make simultaneous commitments to originate a loan to a borrower and sell that loan to an investor. The revenues earned reflect the fair value attributable to loan origination fees, premiums on the sale of loans, net of any co-broker fees, and the fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with servicing the loans, net of any guaranty obligations retained. We also recognize revenue when we receive the origination fee from a brokered loan transaction. Other transaction-related sources of revenue include (i) net warehouse interest income we earn or expense we incur while the loan is held for sale, (ii) sales commissions for brokering the sale of multifamily and hospitality properties, and (iii) syndication and transaction-based asset management fees from our investment management activities.
We are currently not exposed to unhedged interest rate risk during the loan commitment, closing, and delivery process. The sale or placement of each loan to an investor is negotiated concurrently with establishing the coupon rate for the loan. We also seek to mitigate the risk of a loan not closing. We have agreements in place with the Agencies that specify the cost of a failed loan delivery in the event we fail to deliver the loan to the investor. To protect us against such fees, we require a deposit from the borrower at rate lock that is typically more than the potential fee. The deposit is returned to the borrower only once the loan is closed. Any potential loss from a catastrophic change in the property condition while the loan is held for sale using warehouse facility financing is mitigated through property insurance equal to replacement cost. We are also protected contractually from an investor’s failure to purchase the loan. We have experienced a de minimis number of failed deliveries in our history and have incurred insignificant losses on such failed deliveries.
We have risk-sharing obligations on substantially all loans we originate under the Fannie Mae DUS program. When a Fannie Mae DUS loan is subject to full risk-sharing, we absorb losses on the first 5% of the unpaid principal balance of a loan at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss capped at 20% of the original loan amount (subject to doubling or tripling if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if the loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae). Our full risk-sharing is currently limited to loans up to $400 million, which equates to a maximum loss per loan of $80 million (such exposure would occur in the event that the underlying collateral is determined to be completely without value at the time of loss), updated from $300 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. For loans in excess of $400 million, we receive modified risk-sharing. We also may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination on loans below $400 million, which reduces our potential risk-sharing losses from the levels described above if we do not believe that we are being fully compensated for the risks of the transactions. The full risk-sharing limit in prior years was less than $400 million. Accordingly, loans originated in those prior years were subject to risk-sharing at lower levels. In limited circumstances we have agreed, and may in the future agree, with Fannie Mae to increase our loss sharing up to 100% of a loan’s UPB in lieu of the risk-sharing agreement described above. Our servicing fees for risk-sharing loans include compensation for the risk-sharing obligations and are substantially larger than the servicing fees we receive from Fannie Mae for loans with no risk-sharing obligations.
Through WDIS, we offer property sales brokerage services to owners and developers of multifamily and hospitality properties that are seeking to sell these properties. Through these property sales brokerage services, we seek to maximize proceeds and certainty of closure for our clients using our knowledge of the commercial real estate and capital markets and relying on our experienced transaction professionals. Our property sales services are offered in various regions throughout the United States and cover many major markets. We have added several property sales brokerage teams over the past few years and continue to seek to add other property sales brokers, with the goal of continuing to expand the depth and number of regions covered by our brokerage services.
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Commercial Loan Servicing
We retain servicing rights on substantially all the loans we originate and sell to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and HUD, and generate revenues from the fees we receive for servicing the loans, from the placement fees on escrow deposits held on behalf of borrowers, and from other ancillary fees. Servicing fees are set at the time an investor agrees to purchase the loan and are generally paid monthly for the duration of the loan based on the unpaid principal balance of the loan. Our Fannie Mae servicing arrangements generally provide for prepayment protection in the event of a voluntary prepayment. For loans serviced for Freddie Mac, the economic deterrent that reduces the risk of loan prepayment comes in the form of a defeasance requirement wherein the borrower is required to replace the prepaid loan with securities that offer an equivalent return. We also service loans for many of the life insurance companies, conduits and private credit vehicles to which we broker loans. Our responsibilities for servicing brokered loans are limited to cashiering only, and typically earn lower servicing fees than our Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and HUD loan servicing arrangements. For loans serviced outside of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and HUD, we typically do not have similar prepayment protections that reduce the risk of loan prepayment.
As of December 31, 2025, our servicing portfolio was $144.0 billion, up 6% from December 31, 2024, which was the 6th largest commercial/multifamily primary and master servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Mortgage Bankers’ Association’s (“MBA”) 2025 year-end survey (the “Survey”). Our servicing portfolio includes $72.7 billion of loans serviced for Fannie Mae and $42.6 billion for Freddie Mac, making us the 1st and 7th largest servicer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily loans in the nation, respectively, according to the Survey. Also included in our servicing portfolio is $11.6 billion of multifamily HUD loans, the 4th largest HUD primary and servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Survey.
Investment Management Services
WDIP is a registered investment adviser and general partner of private commercial real estate investment funds focused on the management of debt, preferred equity, and mezzanine equity investments through private middle-market commercial real estate funds and separately managed accounts. WDIP’s current AUM of $2.7 billion primarily consist of the “Funds”, separate accounts managed for life insurance companies and a preferred equity JV with a large Canadian pension fund. AUM for the Funds and for the separate accounts consists of both unfunded commitments and funded investments. Unfunded commitments are highest during the fund raising and investment phases. AUM disclosed in this 10-K may differ from regulatory assets under management disclosed on WDIP’s Form ADV.
WDIP typically receives management fees based on limited partner capital commitments, unfunded investment commitments, and funded investments. Additionally, with respect to Fund IV, Fund V, Fund VI, and Fund VII, WDIP receives a percentage of the profits above the fund expenses and preferred return specified in the fund offering agreements, referred to as “carry” or “promote”. Unrealized carry is recognized based on the estimated fair value of the underlying investments, and realized carry is recognized when an investment is repaid and capital is returned to investors in the respective fund.
Through WDAE, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, we are the 9th largest tax credit syndicator in the U.S., as measured by the number of Affordable units under management, and an affordable housing developer through various joint venture partnerships. Affordable assets under management from our LIHTC operations is part of our strategy to grow our investment management platform and to strengthen our position in the affordable housing debt, equity, and property sales sector. We manage $15.9 billion of affordable AUM and have an established tax syndication and affordable housing development platform from which we earn investment management, syndication, and other LIHTC related fees.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated. During the fourth quarter of 2025, we granted profit interest awards to certain non-executive employees of Walker & Dunlop, LLC to better align their incentive compensation with our goals. The profit interest awards allocate 15% of the income before taxes of a wholly owned subsidiary to these employees. The wholly owned subsidiary is focused on debt financing transactions closed by these employees and is part of our Capital Markets segment.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which requires management to make estimates based on certain judgments and assumptions that are inherently uncertain and affect reported amounts. The estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors management believes to be reasonable. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions and the use of different judgments and assumptions may have a material impact on our results. The following critical accounting estimates involve significant estimation uncertainty that may have or is reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial condition
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or results of operations. Additional information about our critical accounting estimates and other significant accounting policies is discussed in NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements.
Mortgage Servicing Rights. MSRs are recorded at fair value at loan sale. The fair value at loan sale is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights and takes into consideration an estimate of loan prepayment. Initially, the fair value amount is included as a component of the derivative asset fair value at the loan commitment date. The estimated net cash flows from servicing, which includes assumptions for discount rate, placement fees on escrow accounts (“placement fees”), prepayment speeds, and servicing costs, are discounted using a discounted cash flow model at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the underlying loan. The discount rates used throughout the periods presented for all MSRs were between 8-14% and varied based on the loan type. The life of the underlying loan is estimated giving consideration to the prepayment provisions in the loan and assumptions about loan behaviors around those provisions. Our model for MSRs assumes no prepayment prior to the expiration of the prepayment provisions and full prepayment of the loan at or near the point when the prepayment provisions have expired. The estimated net cash flows also include cash flows related to the future earnings from placement of escrow accounts associated with servicing the loans. We include a servicing cost assumption to account for our expected costs to service a loan. The estimated placement fee rate associated with servicing the loan increases estimated cash flows, and the estimated future cost to service the loan decreases estimated future cash flows. The servicing cost assumption has had a de minimis impact on the estimate historically. We record an individual MSR asset for each loan at loan sale.
The assumptions used to estimate the fair value of capitalized MSRs are developed internally and are periodically compared to assumptions used by other market participants. Due to the relatively few transactions in the multifamily MSR market and the lack of significant changes in assumptions by market participants, we have experienced limited volatility in the assumptions historically and do not expect to observe significant changes in the foreseeable future, including the assumption that most significantly impacts the estimate: the discount rate. We actively monitor the assumptions used and make adjustments when market conditions change, or other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. Over the past several years, we have adjusted the placement fee rate assumption several times to reflect the current and expected future earnings rate projected for the life of the MSR as the interest rate environment has experienced significant volatility over the past several years. A 100-basis point change in the discount rate would increase or decrease the capitalized MSRs for the year ended December 31, 2025 by 4%. A 200-basis point change in the discount rate would increase or decrease the capitalized MSRs for the year ended December 31, 2025 by 7%. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
Subsequent to loan origination, the carrying value of the MSR is amortized over the expected life of the loan. We engage a third party to assist in determining an estimated fair value of our existing and outstanding MSRs on at least a semi-annual basis, primarily for financial statement disclosure purposes. Changes in our discount rate and placement fee rate assumptions on existing and outstanding MSRs may materially impact the fair value of our MSRs (NOTE 3 of the consolidated financial statements details the portfolio-level impact of hypothetical changes in the discount rate and placement fee rate).
Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations. This reserve liability (referred to as “allowance”) for risk-sharing obligations relates to our Fannie Mae at-risk and Freddie Mac SBL servicing portfolios and is presented as a separate liability on our balance sheets. We record an estimate of the loss reserve for the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) for all loans in these servicing portfolios. For those loans that are collectively evaluated, we use the weighted-average remaining maturity method (“WARM”). WARM uses an average annual loss rate that contains loss content over multiple vintages and loan terms and is used as a foundation for estimating the collective reserves. The average annual loss rate is applied to the estimated unpaid principal balance over the contractual term, adjusted for estimated prepayments and amortization to arrive at the allowance on loans that are collectively evaluated (“CECL allowance”). We currently use one year for our reasonable and supportable forecast period (“forecast period”) as we believe forecasts beyond one year are inherently less reliable. During the forecast period we apply an adjusted loss factor based on generally available economic and unemployment forecasts and a blended loss rate from historical periods that we believe reflect the forecasts. We revert to the historical loss rate over a one-year period on a straight-line basis. Over the past couple of years, the loss rate used in the forecast period has been updated to reflect our expectations of the economic conditions over the coming year in relation to the historical period. For example, over the past two years, we updated the loss rate used in the forecast period several times within a range of 2.1 basis points to 2.3 basis points. The forecast loss rate fluctuating within a tight range reflects our relatively unchanged view of the uncertainty of the evolving macroeconomic conditions facing the multifamily sector. We made multiple revisions to the loss rate used in the forecast period in the past, and those changes have significantly impacted the CECL reserve.
One of the key components of a WARM calculation is the runoff rate, which is the expected rate at which loans in the current portfolio will amortize and prepay in the future based on our historical prepayment and amortization experience. We group loans by similar origination dates (vintage) and contractual maturity terms for purposes of calculating the runoff rate. We originate loans under the DUS program with various terms generally ranging from several years to 15 years; each of these various loan terms has a different runoff rate. The runoff rates applied to each vintage and contractual maturity term are determined using historical data; however, changes in prepayment and amortization
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behavior may significantly impact the estimate. We have not experienced significant changes in the runoff rate since we implemented CECL in 2020.
The weighted-average annual loss rate is calculated using a ten-year look-back period, utilizing the average portfolio balance and settled losses for each year. A ten-year lookback period is used as we believe this period of time includes sufficiently different economic conditions to generate a reasonable estimate of expected results in the future, given the relatively long-term nature of the current portfolio. As the weighted-average annual loss rate utilizes a rolling ten-year look-back period, the loss rate used in the estimate will change as loss data from earlier periods in the look-back period continue to roll off as new loss data are added. For example, in the first quarter of 2024, loss data from earlier periods in the look-back period with significantly higher losses rolled off and were replaced with more recent loss data with fewer losses, resulting in the weighted-average historical annual loss rate changing from 0.6 basis points to 0.3 basis points. Our historical loss rate over the past ten years is 0.2 basis points.
NOTE 4 of the consolidated financial statements outlines adjustments made in the loss rates used to account for the expected economic conditions as of a given period and the related impact on the CECL allowance.
Changes in our expectations and forecasts have materially impacted, and in the future may materially impact, these inputs and the CECL allowance.
We evaluate our risk-sharing loans on a quarterly basis to determine whether there are loans that are probable of foreclosure and thus collateral dependent. Specifically, we assess a loan’s qualitative and quantitative risk factors, such as payment status, property financial performance, local real estate market conditions, loan-to-value ratio, debt-service-coverage ratio, and property condition. When a loan is determined to be probable of foreclosure based on these factors (or has foreclosed), we remove the loan from the WARM calculation and individually assess the loan for potential credit loss. This assessment requires certain judgments and assumptions to be made regarding the property values and other factors that may differ significantly from actual results. Loss settlement with Fannie Mae has historically concluded within 18 to 36 months after foreclosure. Historically, the initial collateral-based reserves have not varied significantly from the final settlement.
We actively monitor the judgments and assumptions used in our Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation estimate and make adjustments to those assumptions when market conditions change, or when other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. We believe the level of Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation is appropriate based on our expectations of future market conditions; however, changes in one or more of the judgments or assumptions used above could have a significant impact on the reserve. For example, a 10% change in the forecasted loss rate as of December 31, 2025 would have increased or decreased the allowance for risk-sharing obligations by 8%. A 20% change in the forecasted loss rate as of December 31, 2025 would have increased or decreased the allowance for risk-sharing obligations by 16%. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
Property Valuations. As noted above, property valuations are a key component of our collateral-based reserves for our risk-sharing portfolio. Additionally, property valuations impact our impairment analyses for real estate held for use (“real estate HFU”) and other real estate owned (“OREO”), the assessment of allowances for loan losses, and the assessment of any expected principal losses on loan repurchase. Those property values are determined using (i) standard appraisals obtained from certified appraisers at national firms subjected to management review or (ii) internal management valuations using inputs and assumptions such as capitalization rates (“cap rates”), net operating income of the property, vacancy rates, bad debt expense, and rental rates. The appraisals often include assumptions about comparable sales and cap rates, among other things. Management reviews those assumptions against its own experience and market data to assess the reasonableness of the assumptions and the resulting property valuations. When management determines the property valuation using an internal model, management maximizes the use of its historical experience with the property and market data from well-recognized data providers. We also may benchmark our historical experience with external data sources to assess the reasonableness of our inputs and assumptions.
We believe our property valuations are reasonable and in line with those a market participant would develop. However, actual sales prices for these properties may differ from those used by management. Additionally, significant changes in the assumptions or judgments would have a significant impact on our reserves and impairment analyses and thus our reported financial results. As noted above, with respect to the property valuations and associated reserves for our risk-sharing portfolio, we have not experienced significant changes from the time of initial reserve and final settlement. However, with respect to properties used for reserves on repurchased loans and impairment analyses for real estate HFU and OREO, we have never disposed of a property.
Goodwill. As of both December 31, 2025 and 2024, goodwill was $868.7 million. Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the identifiable net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill is assigned to the reporting unit to which the acquisition relates. Goodwill is recognized as an asset and is reviewed for impairment annually as of October 1. Between annual impairment analyses, we perform an evaluation of recoverability, when events and circumstances indicate that it is more-likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is below its carrying
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value. Impairment testing requires an assessment of qualitative factors to determine if there are indicators of potential impairment, followed by, if necessary, an assessment of quantitative factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether there has been a significant or adverse change in the business climate that could affect the value of an asset and/or significant or adverse changes in cash flow projections or earnings forecasts. These assessments require management to make judgments, assumptions, and estimates about projected cash flows, discount rates and other factors.
In 2022, we acquired GeoPhy, a software development company focused on data analytics and product development with a specific concentration in U.S. commercial real estate. As part of the acquisition, a significant portion of the transaction proceeds were contingent upon the achievement of performance-based hurdles tied to commercial real estate transaction volumes and associated revenues from the date of the acquisition through December 31, 2025. Due to the sustained challenging macroeconomic conditions in the U.S. commercial real estate sector from the date of the acquisition through December 31, 2025, outlined more fully in Overview of Current Business Environment, our projected cash flows for this reporting unit declined, resulting in goodwill impairment during 2024 of $33.0 million or 3.7% of the aggregate goodwill balance outstanding at the time. We attributed this goodwill impairment to one of the reporting units to which the GeoPhy operations and goodwill are assigned, which is a component of the Capital Markets segment.
As of December 31, 2025, our assessment of the remaining goodwill at each of our reporting units indicates they are not impaired (NOTE 9 of the consolidated financial statements details the changes in the goodwill balance).
Overview of Current Business Environment
From 2022 through the first quarter of 2025, the commercial real estate (CRE) market, and in particular the multifamily sector experienced a challenging environment shaped by elevated interest rates that directly impacted the cost and availability of capital, slower rent growth that has impacted growth expectations and asset valuations, and macroeconomic uncertainties that impacted investors’ long-term outlook and overall demand for transactions.
Many of these factors showed signs of improvement throughout 2025 and the outlook for the commercial real estate sector has improved, and transaction activity has steadily grown over the course of the year. The impact of these factors can be summarized as follows:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Interest Rates & Cost of Capital: The Federal Open Market Committee’s (“FOMC”) aggressive rate hikes that began in 2022 dramatically increased the cost of capital for commercial real estate operators in a short period of time. Higher borrowing costs reduced leverage, pressured debt service coverage ratios, and led to asset valuation declines as cap rates adjusted. Deal flow slowed considerably as buyers and sellers struggled to align on pricing in an environment of heightened uncertainty. Beginning in 2024, the FOMC began easing monetary policy and decreasing its target Federal Funds Rate to 3.50% to 3.75% by the end of 2025. The FOMC has indicated it will remain data dependent and that conditions are likely to lead to rates remaining stable in the near term as the FOMC remains attentive to economic growth and the labor markets. The FOMC’s future rate policy will be a key driver of the cost of capital, transaction volume and capital markets activity. A pronounced pause in rate hikes or additional rate cuts could unlock additional demand and further improve financing conditions for commercial real estate assets. Our expectation is that long-term interest rates, which stabilized in the spring of 2025, will remain at similar levels in the upcoming year and transaction activity will continue its steady improvement again in 2026. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Capital Availability & Lending Markets: During the period of rapid interest rate increases by the FOMC, liquidity was constrained as lenders found it difficult to effectively price the long-term cost of capital. As interest rates have stabilized, capital has grown more abundant. Banks, life insurance companies, conduits (CMBS), and debt funds remain active but are selective, with a preference for high-quality assets and well-capitalized sponsors. Meanwhile, the availability of equity capital has also improved, although at higher spreads than periods prior the FOMC’s rate hikes. This has increased the availability of equity capital, and improved the overall transactions environment. For multifamily, which drives the vast majority of our transaction volumes, the GSEs remain the predominant suppliers of capital, deploying over $150 billion of capital to the industry in 2025, up from $120 billion in 2024. Entering 2025, the GSEs’ lending caps were set at a combined $146 billion, a 22% increase in capacity over 2024 volumes, and for 2026 the lending caps have been set at a combined $176 billion, another 21% increase over 2025. As Fannie Mae’s largest partner for seven consecutive years, and Freddie Mac’s third largest partner in 2025, we are the second largest combined GSE lender in the country. Their participation in the market is a significant driver of our financial performance, and a material increase in their lending activity should enhance our business and results from operations. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Multifamily Rent Growth & Asset Values: Rent growth has slowed considerably since the FOMC began increasing interest rates, particularly in high-supply Sun Belt markets. This has made it difficult for net operating income (NOI) growth to offset valuation declines caused by elevated interest rates. Markets with strong job growth and in-migration continue to see minor rent increases, with |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Zelman, our housing research business, reporting national rent growth of 1.3% in 2025. According to MSCI, in December 2025, multifamily property prices remained stable month-over-month but were down 1.3% year over year, which compares to a year over year decline of 4.2% the previous year. Notably, multifamily prices are estimated to have declined by 19.7% from peak levels in 2022 but remain 11.5% above pre-COVID January 2020 levels. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Other Macroeconomic Considerations: GDP growth has remained strong at 4.4% as of the third quarter of 2025. National unemployment remained low at 4.4% in December 2025, near 25-year lows. GDP growth and unemployment levels will drive FOMC policy decisions in 2026. According to RealPage, vacancies in the multifamily sector stabilized around 5.2% as of December 2025, consistent with the vacancy rate of 5.2% in December 2024. An all-time high number of multifamily units were delivered to the sector in 2024, particularly in high demand Sun Belt markets. Most of those units were absorbed in 2024 and 2025, and we expect that absorption will continue into the first half of 2026. Looking forward, multifamily completions are anticipated to decrease significantly due to stalled new construction over the last several years, largely driven by tighter liquidity and higher cost of capital. Long term, we believe the fundamentals for multifamily properties will trend positively due to constrained supply, recent negative trends in household formation and a persistent affordability advantage for renting over owning given a lack of entry-level single-family homes and the high cost of residential mortgages. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Fraud Trends in Commercial Real Estate: Over the last two years, several high-profile criminal proceedings and lawsuits have surfaced in the commercial real estate lending market alleging borrower fraud around loan collateral, asset title and borrower misrepresentation of asset financial performance that inflated net operating income. The existence of the fraud has been revealed following the prolonged period of market stress brought on by rapidly rising interest rates, higher inflation and stagnant rent growth. Federal prosecutors and regulators have ramped up enforcement and scrutiny of borrower misrepresentation and loan fraud over the last two years, indicating the historical risk is systemic, and no longer anecdotal. In total, we have been required to repurchase or indemnify the GSEs for $221.6 million of loans since 2024, largely driven by borrower fraud and misrepresentations. The repurchases to date represent only 19 basis points of our outstanding GSE mortgage lending portfolio as of December 31, 2025. Since 2024, we have incurred $33.5 million of loan related losses, representing the difference between the unpaid principal balance of the loans and the current estimated fair value of the loan or underlying collateral. In addition, since 2024, we have also incurred additional costs and expenses in connection with repurchased or indemnified assets totaling $31.3 million, which are principally driven by legal, financing, and other operating costs. In response to this risk, we have rolled out training around known red flags, enhanced our production and underwriting policies, procedures and internal controls, and strengthened our risk management and compliance practices to mitigate future risk associated with sophisticated borrower fraud schemes. |
Multifamily remains one of the most resilient asset classes in CRE. Market participants are adjusting to current conditions and we expect the market to continue recovering and transaction activity to continue to increase. Improving conditions in the second half of 2025 led to increased transaction volumes across nearly all aspects of our business during 2025, which surged to $54.8 billion with notable increases in Brokered (37%), GSE (38%) and property sales (37%) transaction volumes compared to last year. Consequently, our Capital Markets segment produced net income of $89.8 million in 2025, up 35% compared to 2024.
Our Servicing & Asset Management segment is not directly correlated to the transaction markets like our Capital Markets segment. This segment’s total managed portfolio of $162.6 billion as of December 31, 2025 was up 6% from December 31, 2024, and included our $144.0 billion loan servicing portfolio and our $18.6 billion of AUM. Total revenues for the segment decreased 4%, to $566.6 million, while net income decreased 46%, to $85.1 million, in 2025 compared to 2024, with net income decreasing in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to 2024. We hold escrow deposits on behalf of our servicing portfolio and place those deposits with large, multinational banks that earn close to the Federal funds rate. Revenues from those escrow deposits have benefitted over the last several years from higher short-term interest rates, but we have begun to see declines in those revenues as the FOMC has eased monetary policy and adjusted short-term rates downward. We expect that trend to continue, but moderate, in 2026 as the FOMC may slow the pace, and rate, of interest rate reductions. We have increased our focus on scaling our assets under management, and in the fourth quarter of 2024 we successfully closed a first round of $200 million of equity capital for Debt Fund II from life insurance companies, pension funds, high net worth investors and a co-investment from Walker & Dunlop. The initial closing provided our investment management team with over $500 million of levered capital, of which approximately $490 million was deployed into transitional multifamily assets in 2025. We continue to actively raise capital for Debt Fund II, and we expect the revenues of our investment management business to grow as that capital is raised and deployed. This segment also includes the activities of WDAE, an alternative investment manager focused on affordable housing, including LIHTC syndication and joint venture development. We ranked as the ninth largest LIHTC syndicator in 2025 and continue to pursue combined LIHTC syndication and affordable housing services to generate significant long-term financing, property sales, and syndication opportunities. We expect the revenues for WDAE to remain fairly stable moving forward, as the realization revenues from our historical LIHTC investments are tied to the underlying value of the affordable assets, and we do not expect a material increase in the value of affordable assets in the near term due to the aforementioned macroeconomic challenges facing the commercial real estate sector.
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Factors That May Impact Our Operating Results
We believe that our results are affected by a number of factors, including the items discussed below.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Performance of Multifamily and Other Commercial Real Estate Related Markets. Our business is dependent on the general demand for, and value of, commercial real estate and related services, particularly multifamily, which are sensitive to long-term mortgage interest rates and other macroeconomic conditions and the continued existence of the GSEs multifamily business. Demand for multifamily and other commercial real estate generally increases during stronger economic environments, resulting in increased property values, property sales, transaction volumes, and loan origination volumes. During weaker economic environments, multifamily and other commercial real estate may experience higher property vacancies, lower demand and reduced values. These conditions can result in lower property sales volume and loan origination volume, as well as an increased level of servicer advances and losses from our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Level of Losses from Fannie Mae Risk-Sharing Obligations. Under the Fannie Mae DUS program, we share risk of loss on most loans we sell to Fannie Mae. In the majority of cases, we absorb the first 5% of any losses on the loan’s unpaid principal balance at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss generally capped at 20% of the loan’s unpaid principal balance on the origination date. In some instances, we negotiate a cap that may be higher, including up to 100% of a loan’s unpaid principal balance or lower for loans with unique attributes. As a result, a rise in defaults on loans in our at-risk portfolio could have a material adverse effect on us, including our profitability and liquidity. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Number and UPB of Loan Repurchases and Indemnifications. In the event of a breach of any representation or warranty concerning a loan, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac could, among other things, require us to repurchase the full amount of the loan and/or seek indemnification for losses from us, or, for Fannie Mae DUS loans, increase the level of risk-sharing on the loan. Our obligation to repurchase the loan is independent of our risk-sharing obligations. The GSEs could require us to repurchase the loan and also reimburse them for legal costs, defaulted interest, and prepayment costs from repurchasing the loans from the securitization trust if representations and warranties are breached, even if the loan is not in default. A significant amount of repurchase or indemnification obligations imposed on us could result in losses upon later sale of the loan or property and also result in operating costs that exceed operating income on any foreclosed property. Additionally, repurchases and indemnifications could increase our liquidity needs either to repurchase loans or post collateral for indemnification obligations. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Price of Loans in the Secondary Market. Our profitability is determined in part by the price we are paid for the loans we originate. A component of our origination related revenues is the premium we recognize on the sale of a loan. Stronger investor demand typically results in larger premiums while weaker demand results in little to no premium. Prices for new loans have not been materially impacted during this period of rising, and now higher, interest rates. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Market for Servicing Commercial Real Estate Loans. Servicing fee rates for new loans are set at the time we enter into a loan sale commitment based on origination fees, competition, prepayment rates, and any risk-sharing obligations we undertake. Changes in servicing fee rates impact the value of our MSRs and future servicing revenues, which could impact our profit margins and operating results immediately and over time. During the period of rapidly rising interest rates our fees for servicing new loans, particularly Fannie Mae loans, faced downward pressure to reduce the overall cost of borrowing to our clients. As interest rates have stabilized, along with the associated cost of capital, our servicing fees on new loans have also stabilized, albeit at lower levels than prior to this period of higher interest rates. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Overall Loan Origination Mix. The loan product mix we originate can significantly impact our overall operating results. For example, an increase in loan origination volume for our two highest-margin products, Fannie Mae and HUD loans, without a change in total loan origination volume would increase our overall profitability, while a decrease in the loan origination volume of these two products without a change in total loan origination volume would decrease our overall profitability, all else being equal. The higher profitability for Fannie Mae and HUD loans is largely driven by higher revenues attributable to the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net of guaranty obligation. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Affordable Housing Market. The profitability of our LIHTC operations is impacted by the demand for and the financial performance of the affordable housing market and the continued existence of federal income tax credits for these properties. For example, we earn syndication fees based on new funds we are able to syndicate for investors and asset management fees based on performance of the underlying LIHTC properties and dispositions of these properties. Strong demand for LIHTC properties typically results in opportunities for syndication of LIHTC funds and high prices for dispositions. |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Duration and Types of Loans. The fair value of expected net cash flows from our MSRs, net of guaranty obligation is directly impacted by the duration of the loan products originated. For example, an increase in the debt financing volume of five-year loan products at the expense of ten-year loan products directly reduces the expected future net cash flows and therefore the fair value of the expected net cash flows from servicing. |
Revenues
Loan Origination and Debt Brokerage Fees, net. Loan origination fee revenue is recognized when we record a derivative asset upon the simultaneous commitments to originate a loan with a borrower and sell to an investor or when a loan that we broker closes with the institutional lender. The commitment asset related to the loan origination fee is recognized at fair value, which reflects the fair value of the contractual loan origination related fees and any sale premiums, net of co-broker fees. Also included in revenues from loan origination activities are changes to the fair value of loan commitments, forward sale commitments, and loans held for sale that occur during their respective holding periods. Upon sale of the loans, no gains or losses are recognized as these loans are recorded at fair value during their holding periods.
Brokered loans tend to have lower origination fees because they often require less time to execute, there is more competition for brokerage assignments, and because the borrower will also have to pay an origination fee to the institutional lender. Loan origination fee revenue for brokered loans is recognized when we have completed the services for the loan to be originated by the institutional lender.
Premiums received on the sale of a loan result when a loan is sold to an investor for more than its face value. There are various reasons investors may pay a premium when purchasing a loan. For example, the fixed rate on the loan may be higher than the rate of return required by an investor or the characteristics of a particular loan may be desirable to an investor. We do not receive premiums on brokered loans, since we are not the lender.
Fair Value of Expected Net Cash Flows from Servicing, net of Guaranty Obligation. Revenue related to expected net cash flows from servicing is recognized at the loan commitment date, similar to the loan origination fees, as described above. The derivative asset is recognized at fair value, which reflects the estimated fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, reduced by the estimated fair value of any guaranty obligations to be assumed. MSRs and guaranty obligations are recognized as assets and liabilities, respectively, upon the sale of the loans.
MSRs are recorded at fair value upon loan sale. The fair value is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights. The estimated net cash flows are discounted at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the loan.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for these revenues.
Servicing Fees. We service nearly all loans we originate for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, and some loans we broker. We earn servicing fees for performing certain loan servicing functions such as processing loan, tax, and insurance payments and managing escrow balances. Servicing generally also includes asset management functions, such as monitoring the physical condition of the property, analyzing the financial condition and liquidity of the borrower, and performing loss mitigation activities as directed by the Agencies.
Our servicing fees on loans we originate provide a stable revenue stream. They are based on contractual terms, are earned over the life of the loan, and are generally not subject to significant prepayment risk. Our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicing agreements generally provide for prepayment fees in the event of a voluntary prepayment. Accordingly, we currently do not hedge our servicing portfolio for prepayment risk. Any prepayment fees received are included in Other revenues.
HUD has the right to terminate our current servicing engagements for cause. In addition to termination for cause, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may terminate our servicing engagements without cause by paying a termination fee. Institutional investors typically may terminate our servicing engagements for brokered loans at any time with or without cause, without paying a termination fee.
Property Sales Broker Fees. We earn property broker sales fee revenue when our investment sales team completes the sale of a multifamily investment property or land real estate. The amount of the property sales brokers fees we earn is based upon a percentage of the final sale price of the investment sold.
Investment Management Fees. We manage invested capital from third-party investors through an investment fund structure. The capital placed into the investment fund is utilized to make investments in commercial real estate investment opportunities, primarily as equity in commercial real estate operating partnerships or LIHTC-generating multifamily properties. Additionally, we may utilize the capital to fund debt financing opportunities through certain investment funds, primarily to multifamily owner-operators. We earn an investment management
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or asset management fee based on a contractual percentage of the invested capital. For market-rate investments, we earn and collect the investment management fees through the returns of the investment funds. For LIHTC investments, we collect the asset management fees (“AMF”) through the combination of current payments and asset dispositions. NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of the accounting for AMF revenues. We also are entitled to a set percentage of the sales proceeds for properties in LIHTC funds. We, as general partner, may sell properties in the funds after the tax credits have been fully distributed to the investors in the funds. The proceeds are used to pay the fund’s obligations and provide any excess as a return to the investor(s) in the fund, with a small percentage retained by us for executing the sale. These sales fees are also included as a component of this line item.
Net Warehouse Interest Income (Expense). We earn warehouse interest income net of warehouse interest expense. Warehouse interest income is the interest earned from loans held for sale and loans held for investment. Generally, a substantial portion of our loans is financed with matched borrowings under one of our warehouse facilities. The remaining portion of loans not funded with matched borrowings is financed with our own cash. Occasionally, we also fully fund a small number of loans held for sale or loans held for investment with our own cash. Warehouse interest expense is incurred on borrowings used to fund loans solely while they are held for sale or for investment. Warehouse interest income and expense are earned or incurred on loans held for sale after a loan is closed and before a loan is sold. Warehouse interest income and expense are earned or incurred on loans held for investment after a loan is closed and before a loan is repaid. NOTE 7 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details regarding our warehouse facilities.
Placement Fees and Other Interest Income. We earn fee income on property-level escrow deposits held on behalf of borrowers in our servicing portfolio, generally based on a fixed or variable placement fee negotiated with the financial institutions that hold the escrow deposits. Placement fees reflect the fees net of interest paid to the borrower, if required. Also included with placement fees and other interest income are interest earnings from our cash and cash equivalents and interest income earned on our pledged securities and other investments.
Other Revenues. Other revenues are comprised of fees for processing loan assumptions, prepayment fee income, application fees, appraisal revenues, income from equity-method investments, syndication, and certain other revenues from our LIHTC operations, and other miscellaneous revenues related to our operations.
Costs and Expenses
Personnel. Personnel expense includes the cost of employee compensation and benefits, which include fixed and discretionary amounts tied to company and individual performance, commissions, severance expense, signing and retention bonuses, and share-based compensation.
Amortization and depreciation. Amortization and depreciation is principally comprised of amortization of our MSRs, net of amortization of our guaranty obligations. The MSRs are amortized using the interest method over the period that servicing income is expected to be received. We amortize the guaranty obligations evenly over their expected lives. When the loan underlying an MSR prepays, we write-off the remaining unamortized balance, net of any related guaranty obligation, and record the write off to Amortization and depreciation. Similarly, when the loan underlying an MSR defaults, we write the MSR off to Amortization and depreciation. We depreciate property, plant, and equipment ratably over their estimated useful lives.
Amortization and depreciation also includes the amortization and write-off of intangible assets, principally related to the amortization of asset management fee contracts, research subscription contracts, intellectual property, and other intangible assets recognized in connection with acquisitions. For the years presented in the Consolidated Statements of Income, the amortization of intangible assets relates primarily to intangible assets associated with our acquisitions in 2021 and 2022.
Provision (benefit) for credit losses. The provision (benefit) for credit losses consists primarily of the provision associated with our risk-sharing loans, including pre-securitized Freddie Mac SBL loans. The provision (benefit) for credit losses associated with risk-sharing loans is estimated on a collective basis when a loan is sold to Fannie Mae and is based on our current expected credit losses on the current portfolio from loan sale to maturity. When a loan is probable of default (in foreclosure) and thus collateral dependent, the loan is taken out of the collective evaluation and individually evaluated for credit losses. Our estimates of property fair value are based on appraisals, broker opinions of value, or net operating income and market capitalization rates, whichever we believe is the best estimate of the net disposition value.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for the provision (benefit) for credit losses associated with our at-risk servicing portfolio.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt includes interest expense from our term debt, which includes the term loan and any additional borrowings under that agreement, and borrowings of a subsidiary associated with our LIHTC operations and amortization of debt discount and deferred debt issuance costs primarily related to our term loan and incremental term loan. NOTE 7 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of our term debt.
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Goodwill impairment. Goodwill impairment is the write-down of our goodwill balance resulting from either our annual impairment testing or our quarterly evaluations of recoverability.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. Fair value adjustments to our contingent consideration liabilities are the adjustments to the estimated fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities remeasured at the end of each reporting period. As noted below, the accretion of contingent consideration liabilities is included in other operating expenses.
NOTE 9 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses. Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses include the expected principal losses on loan repurchases (“loan repurchase losses”), the initial loan repurchase costs, and indemnified and repurchased loans operating costs related to repurchased loans. The loan repurchase losses represent the estimated losses of principal from indemnifying the loan. The initial loan repurchase costs are composed of any indemnifiable legal costs, reimbursed interest, and prepayment costs associated with repurchasing a loan. The indemnified and repurchased loans operating costs are expenses we incur in operating and/or maintaining the loan and/or property collateralizing the loan.
NOTE 2 and NOTE 5 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Asset impairments and other expenses. Asset impairments and other expenses consist of asset impairments of investments, write-offs of unamortized deferred issuance costs associated with repayments of our corporate debt, costs associated with corporate investigations and other professional fees driven by specific individual events.
Other operating expenses. Other operating expenses include facilities costs, travel and entertainment costs, marketing costs, professional fees, accretion of contingent consideration liabilities, corporate insurance premiums, software costs, and other general and administrative expenses.
Income tax expense. The Company is a C-corporation subject to federal, state, and international corporate tax. Our estimated combined statutory federal, state, and international tax rate was 25.1%, 25.1%, and 26.1% for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively. Except for the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Reform”), our combined statutory tax rate has historically not varied significantly as the only material difference in the calculation of the combined statutory tax rate from year to year is the apportionment of our taxable income among the various states where we are subject to taxation since our foreign operations are (i) insignificant and (ii) taxed at a rate similar to our blended federal and state tax rate. Absent additional significant legislative changes to statutory tax rates (particularly the federal tax rate), we expect low deviation from the 2025 combined statutory tax rate for future years. However, we do expect some variability in the effective tax rate going forward due to excess tax benefits and shortfalls recognized and limitations on the deductibility of certain book expenses as a result of Tax Reform, primarily related to executive compensation.
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Consolidated Results of Operations
The following is a discussion of the comparison of our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024. The financial results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Our annual results have fluctuated in the past and are expected to fluctuate in the future, reflecting the interest-rate environment, the volume of transactions, business acquisitions, regulatory actions, and general economic conditions. Discussions of our results of operations and comparisons between 2024 and 2023 can be found in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 2025 | | 2024 | | ||
| Transaction Volume (in thousands) | | | | | | |
| Debt Financing Volume | $ | 41,483,695 | | $ | 30,154,666 | |
| Property Sales Volume | 13,349,892 | | 9,751,223 | | ||
| Total Transaction Volume | $ | 54,833,587 | | $ | 39,905,889 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics (dollars in thousands, except per share data) | | | | | | |
| Operating margin | | 6 | % | | 12 | % |
| Return on equity | | 3 | | | 6 | |
| Walker & Dunlop net income | $ | 56,247 | | $ | 108,167 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(1) | | 262,616 | | | 328,549 | |
| Diluted EPS | | 1.64 | | | 3.19 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Expense Metrics (as a percentage of total revenues) | | | | | | |
| Personnel expenses | | 52 | % | | 49 | % |
| Other operating expenses | | 10 | | | 11 | |
| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | As of December 31, | ||||
| Managed Portfolio (in thousands) | 2025 | | 2024 | ||
| Servicing Portfolio | $ | 143,978,153 | | $ | 135,287,012 |
| Assets under management | | 18,631,100 | | | 18,423,463 |
| Total Managed Portfolio | $ | 162,609,253 | | $ | 153,710,475 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure.” |
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Year Ended December 31, 2025 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2024
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of our financial results for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.
FINANCIAL RESULTS –2025 COMPARED TO 2024 CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | | ||||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | | ||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | | $ | 342,149 | | $ | 276,562 | | $ | 65,587 | | 24 | % | |
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net of guaranty obligation | | | 179,681 | | | 153,593 | | | 26,088 | | 17 | | |
| Servicing fees | | 337,442 | | 325,644 | | 11,798 | | 4 | | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | | 83,519 | | | 60,583 | | | 22,936 | | 38 | | |
| Investment management fees | | | 34,629 | | | 36,976 | | | (2,347) | | (6) | | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense) | | (5,490) | | (7,033) | | 1,543 | | (22) | | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | | 152,584 | | 167,961 | | (15,377) | | (9) | | | |||
| Other revenues | | 109,792 | | 118,204 | | (8,412) | | (7) | | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 1,234,306 | | $ | 1,132,490 | | $ | 101,816 | | 9 | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 647,809 | | $ | 559,246 | | $ | 88,563 | | 16 | % | |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 238,682 | | | 237,549 | | | 1,133 | | 0 | | |
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | 9,586 | | 10,839 | | (1,253) | | (12) | | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 64,715 | | 69,686 | | (4,971) | | (7) | | | |||
| Goodwill impairment | | | — | | | 33,000 | | | (33,000) | | (100) | | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | (8,243) | | | (50,321) | | | 42,078 | | (84) | | |
| Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses | | | 40,850 | | | 10,573 | | | 30,277 | | 286 | | |
| Asset impairments and other expenses | | | 36,746 | | | 1,181 | | | 35,565 | | 3,011 | | |
| Other operating expenses | | 125,163 | | 129,236 | | (4,073) | | (3) | | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 1,155,308 | | $ | 1,000,989 | | $ | 154,319 | | 15 | | |
| Income before taxes | | $ | 78,998 | | $ | 131,501 | | $ | (52,503) | | (40) | | |
| Income tax expense | | 22,013 | | 30,543 | | (8,530) | | (28) | | | |||
| Net income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 56,985 | | $ | 100,958 | | $ | (43,973) | | (44) | | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | (99) | | (7,209) | | 7,110 | (99) | | | ||||
| Less: net income (loss) attributable to temporary equity holders | | | 837 | | | — | | | 837 | | N/A | | |
| Walker & Dunlop net income | | $ | 56,247 | | $ | 108,167 | | $ | (51,920) | | (48) | | |
Overview
Total transaction volume growth of 37% was the principal driver of revenue growth in 2025. Transaction related revenues—loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net (“origination fees”) plus the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net of guaranty obligations (“MSR income”) plus property sales broker fees—increased 23% year over year. Revenues grew at a slower pace than transaction volumes principally due to lower non-cash MSR income on our new Fannie Mae loan originations. This was driven by two factors: (i) a portion of our volume in 2025 was driven by larger portfolio transactions which earn lower servicing fees as a percentage of loan volume and (ii) the weighted average servicing fees and loan terms—two key inputs that drive the estimated fair value of MSR income—for new loans were lower year over year. Borrowers have consistently been opting for shorter duration loans since interest rates began rising sharply in 2022, and that trend continued in 2025. Growth in transaction volume supported 6% growth in our loan servicing portfolio, to $144.0 billion at December 31, 2025. Growth in the loan servicing portfolio drove the 4% growth in servicing fees year on year, which was offset, however, by the decline in placement fees and other interest income. Placement fees are closely correlated to short-term interest rates, and the decline in short-term interest rates throughout 2025 drives the 9% decline in placement fees and other interest income. Other revenues decreased primarily due to a discreet transaction. In 2024, we sold an asset held within our affordable operating subsidiary that generated a gain in 2024 that was included in Other revenues with no comparable activity in 2025. The decline in Other revenues was partially offset by an increase in investment banking revenues and prepayment fees, and various other revenue categories.
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The increase in expenses was due to increases in personnel costs, indemnified and repurchased loan expenses, and asset impairments and other expenses, and lower fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities, partially offset by lower goodwill impairment, and a decrease in interest expense on corporate debt. Personnel costs increased, largely due to increases in variable compensation costs for our salespeople as a result of our higher transaction volumes and salaries and benefits due to higher average headcount. Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses increased due to increases in loan repurchase losses and repurchased loan operating costs. Asset impairments and other expenses increased largely due to our strategic decision to sell asset management contracts and interests in assets held within one of our affordable operating subsidiaries. The expected sales prices were below current carrying values in many instances resulting in an impairment loss. There was also an increase in write off of unamortized premium from corporate debt repayment. Interest expense on corporate debt decreased due to lower average interest rates during 2025 compared to 2024, partially offset by an increase in the balance outstanding from the refinancing of our debt. Goodwill impairment decreased due to an impairment in 2024 with no comparable activity in 2025. Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration decreased primarily due to a larger adjustment in 2024 due to the challenging market conditions related to one of our reporting units that impacted the estimated fair value of future earnout payments without a similar adjustment to the earnout for that reporting unit in 2025.
Income Tax Expense. The decrease in income tax expense primarily relates to a 40% decrease in income before taxes, partially offset by a decrease in excess tax benefits. We recognized excess tax shortfalls of $1.4 million in 2025 compared to excess tax benefits of $1.7 million in 2024.
Net Income (Loss) from Noncontrolling Interests. The decrease in losses attributed to noncontrolling interests is largely the result of a change in the ownership of an entity producing losses in 2024. As part of a larger transaction with the noncontrolling interest holder, we regained full control of the entity at the end of 2024. The remaining noncontrolling interests in 2025 are insignificant.
A discussion of the financial results for our segments is included further below.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we use adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure. The presentation of adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. When analyzing our operating performance, readers should use adjusted EBITDA in addition to, and not as an alternative for, net income. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before income taxes, interest expense on our corporate debt, and amortization and depreciation, adjusted for provision (benefit) for credit losses, net write-offs based on the final resolution of the defaulted loans or collateral, loan repurchase losses, stock-based compensation, the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net of guaranty obligation, the write off of unamortized balance of deferred issuance costs associated with the repayment of a portion of our corporate debt, goodwill impairment, and contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments when the fair value adjustment is a triggering event for a goodwill impairment assessment. In cases where the fair value adjustment of contingent consideration liabilities is a trigger for goodwill impairment, the goodwill impairment is netted against the fair value adjustment of contingent consideration liabilities and included as a net number. Because not all companies use identical calculations, our presentation of adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Furthermore, adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for our management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect certain cash requirements such as tax and debt service payments. The amounts shown for adjusted EBITDA may also differ from the amounts calculated under similarly titled definitions in our debt instruments, which are further adjusted to reflect certain other cash and non-cash charges that are used to determine compliance with financial covenants.
We use adjusted EBITDA to evaluate the operating performance of our business, for comparison with forecasts and strategic plans, and for benchmarking performance externally against competitors. We believe that this non-GAAP measure, when read in conjunction with our GAAP financials, provides useful information to investors by offering:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of our ongoing operating results; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to better identify trends in our underlying business and perform related trend analyses; and |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | a better understanding of how management plans and measures our underlying business. |
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We believe that adjusted EBITDA has limitations in that it does not reflect all of the amounts associated with our results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that adjusted EBITDA should only be used to evaluate our results of operations in conjunction with net income on both a consolidated and segment basis. Adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | ||||
| | | December 31, | | ||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | ||
| Reconciliation of Walker & Dunlop Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | | |
| Walker & Dunlop Net Income | | $ | 56,247 | | $ | 108,167 | |
| Income tax expense | | 22,013 | | 30,543 | | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 64,715 | | 69,686 | | ||
| Amortization and depreciation | | 238,682 | | 237,549 | | ||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | 9,586 | | 10,839 | | ||
| Loan repurchase losses (1) | | | 20,092 | | | — | |
| Net write-offs | | — | | (468) | | ||
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 26,747 | | 27,326 | | ||
| Goodwill impairment, net of contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments (2) | | | — | | | (1,500) | |
| Write-off of unamortized issuance costs from corporate debt paydown (3) | | | 4,215 | | | — | |
| MSR income | | | (179,681) | | | (153,593) | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 262,616 | | $ | 328,549 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Presented as a component of Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Income. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | For the year ended December 31, 2024, includes goodwill impairment of $33.0 million and contingent consideration fair value adjustments of $34.5 million, with no comparable activity for the year ended December 31, 2025. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (3) | Presented as a component of Asset impairments and other expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Income. |
Year Ended December 31, 2025 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2024
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of our adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:
ADJUSTED EBITDA–2025 COMPARED TO 2024
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | $ | 342,149 | | $ | 276,562 | | $ | 65,587 | | 24 | % |
| Servicing fees | 337,442 | | 325,644 | | 11,798 | | 4 | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | 83,519 | | | 60,583 | | | 22,936 | | 38 | |
| Investment management fees | | 34,629 | | | 36,976 | | | (2,347) | | (6) | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense) | (5,490) | | (7,033) | | 1,543 | | (22) | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | 152,584 | | 167,961 | | (15,377) | | (9) | | |||
| Other revenues | 109,792 | | 118,204 | | (8,412) | | (7) | | |||
| Personnel | (621,062) | | (531,920) | | (89,142) | | 17 | | |||
| Net write-offs | — | | (468) | | 468 | | (100) | | |||
| Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses | | (20,758) | | | (10,573) | | | (10,185) | | 96 | |
| Asset impairments and other expenses | | (32,531) | | | (1,181) | | | (31,350) | | 2,655 | |
| Other operating expenses (1) | (116,920) | | (113,415) | | (3,505) | | 3 | | |||
| Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests and temporary equity holders | (738) | | 7,209 | | (7,947) | | (110) | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 262,616 | | $ | 328,549 | | $ | (65,933) | | (20) | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Other operating expenses includes a beneficial adjustment for the fair value of contingent consideration liability not related to a goodwill impairment triggering event of $8.2 million and $15.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. |
The increase in origination fees was primarily related to an increase in the overall debt financing volumes year over year. Servicing fees
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increased mainly due to an increase in the average balance of the servicing portfolio. Property sales broker fees increased largely as a result of an increase in property sales volume year over year. Placement fees and other interest income decreased primarily as a result of lower average fee arrangements with our financial partners. Other revenues decreased primarily due to a decrease in the gain on sale of an asset in our affordable operations in 2024 with no comparable activity in 2025, partially offset by an increase in investment banking revenues, prepayment fees, and various other revenue categories. Personnel costs increased largely due to increases in variable compensation costs for our salespeople as a result of our higher transaction volumes and salaries and benefits due to higher average headcount. Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses increased due to an increase in repurchase costs and repurchased loan operating costs. Asset impairment and other expenses increased due to increases in asset impairments and investment charges. The decrease in losses attributed to noncontrolling interests is largely the result of a change in the ownership of an entity producing losses in 2024. As part of a larger transaction with the noncontrolling interest holder, we regained full control of the entity at the end of 2024. The remaining noncontrolling interests in 2025 are insignificant.
Financial Condition
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Our cash flows from operating activities are generated from loan sales, servicing fees, placement fees, net warehouse interest income (expense), property sales broker fees, investment management fees, research subscription fees, investment banking advisory fees, and other income, net of loan origination and operating costs. Our cash flows from operating activities are impacted by the fees generated by our loan originations and property sales, the timing of loan closings, and the period of time loans are held for sale in the warehouse loan facility prior to delivery to the investor.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
We usually lease facilities and equipment for our operations. Our cash flows from investing activities include the funding and repayment of loans held for investment, including repurchased loans, contributions to and distributions from joint ventures, purchases of equity-method investments, cash paid for acquisitions, and the purchase of available-for-sale (“AFS”) securities pledged to Fannie Mae.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
We use our warehouse loan facilities and, when necessary, our corporate cash to fund loan closings, both for loans held for sale and loans held for investment. We believe that our current warehouse loan facilities are adequate to meet our loan origination needs. Historically, we used a combination of long-term debt and cash flows from operating activities to fund large acquisitions. Additionally, we repurchase shares, pay cash dividends, make long-term debt principal payments, and repay short-term borrowings on a regular basis. We issue stock primarily in connection with the exercise of stock options and occasionally for acquisitions (non-cash transactions).
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Years Ended December 31, 2025 Compared to Years Ended December 31, 2024
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the significant components of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.
SIGNIFICANT COMPONENTS OF CASH FLOWS – 2025 COMPARED TO 2024
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | | $ | (664,310) | | $ | 129,359 | | $ | (793,669) | | (614) | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | | (77,341) | | (38,135) | | (39,206) | | 103 | | |||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | | 758,128 | | (154,729) | | 912,857 | | (590) | | |||
| Total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period ("Total cash") | | | 344,375 | | | 327,898 | | | 16,477 | | 5 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) operating activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net receipt (use) of cash for loan origination activity | | $ | (833,763) | | $ | (23,629) | | $ | (810,134) | | 3,429 | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, excluding loan origination activity | | | 169,453 | | | 152,988 | | | 16,465 | | 11 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) investing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Capital invested in equity-method investments | | $ | (26,547) | | $ | (19,406) | | $ | (7,141) | | 37 | % |
| Principal collected on loans held for investment | | — | | 55,701 | | (55,701) | | (100) | | |||
| Purchases of pledged AFS securities, net of proceeds from prepayments | | | (20,366) | | | (41,857) | | | 21,491 | | (51) | |
| Originations and repurchase of loans held for investment | | | (24,381) | | | (37,928) | | | 13,547 | | (36) | |
| Other investing activities, net | | | 9,725 | | | 18,316 | | | (8,591) | | (47) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) financing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Borrowings (repayments) of warehouse notes payable, net | | $ | 824,546 | | $ | 33,705 | | $ | 790,841 | | 2,346 | % |
| Repayments of interim warehouse notes payable | | — | | | (25,585) | | 25,585 | | (100) | | ||
| Borrowings of corporate notes payable | | | 398,875 | | | — | | | 398,875 | | N/A | |
| Repayments of corporate notes payable | | | (331,856) | | | (8,019) | | | (323,837) | | 4,038 | |
| Payment of contingent consideration | | | (12,347) | | | (34,317) | | | 21,970 | | (64) | |
| Debt issuance costs | | | (16,011) | | | (2,442) | | | (13,569) | | 556 | |
Operating Activities
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities changed due to:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Loan origination activity. Agency loans originated are held for short periods of time, generally less than 60 days, and impact cash flows presented as of a point in time due to the timing difference between the date of origination and date of delivery. The increase in net cash used in loan origination activities is primarily attributable to originations outpacing sales by $833.8 million in 2025 compared to $23.6 million in 2024. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Other activities. Cash flows provided by other operating activities were $169.5 million in 2025, up from $153.0 million in 2024. The primary reasons for the change were a smaller reduction in cash from changes in other assets and receivables of $58.1 million, a decrease in the adjustments for fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities of $42.1 million and an increase in the adjustment for loan repurchase losses of $20.1 million, partially offset by a $44.0 million decrease in net income before noncontrolling interests and temporary equity holders, a $26.1 million increase in adjustments for MSR income, and a $33.0 million decrease in the adjustment for goodwill impairment. |
Investing Activities
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities changed due to:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Capital invested in equity-method investments: Capital invested in equity-method investments increased as we received more capital calls on our equity method investments in 2025 than in 2024. |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Principal collected on loans held for investment. The principal collected on loans held for investment decreased, as we have been winding down our Interim Loan Program (“ILP”) loans over the past several years as our transitional lending opportunities have been funded using third-party capital raised by our investment management business, WDIP. As of the beginning of 2025, we had no ILP loans on our balance sheet, compared to two loans as of the beginning of 2024. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (iii) | Other investing activities, net. The decrease in cash provided was primarily due to a decrease in distributions from our Interim Program JV as the JV is winding down. |
Partially offsetting the aforementioned changes that decreased cash were the following activities that increased cash:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | AFS securities. Prepayment of AFS securities increased in 2025, while purchases declined slightly during the year. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Originations and repurchase of loans held for investment. The decrease was primarily due to the origination of a short-term bridge loan in 2024 with no comparable activity in 2025. |
Financing Activities
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities changed due to:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Net borrowings of warehouse notes payable. The increase was due to the aforementioned increase in net cash used in loan origination activity. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Repayments of interim warehouse notes payable. The change in repayments of interim warehouse notes payable was related to the aforementioned decrease in principal collected on loans held for investment as we use borrowings to fund interim loan program loans held for investment. Due to no loans held for investment under our interim loan program outstanding in 2025, we also had no outstanding borrowings to repay. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (iii) | Borrowings of corporate notes payable. The increase was attributable to the issuance of our Senior Notes in 2025 to pay down our Term Loan, with no comparable activity in 2024. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (iv) | Payment of contingent consideration. The decrease was due to lower achievement of performance-based earnouts related to historical acquisitions in 2025 compared to 2024. |
Partially offsetting the aforementioned changes that increased cash were the following activities that decreased cash:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Repayments of corporate notes payable. The increase was largely due to using $328.5 million of the $400.0 million proceeds from the issuance of our Senior Notes to pay down our Term Loan in 2025, with no comparable activity in 2024. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Debt issuance costs. The increase in debt issuance costs paid was driven by the aforementioned issuance of the Senior Notes and amendment of the Term Loan, with no comparable activity in 2024. |
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Segment Results
The Company is managed based on our three reportable segments: (i) Capital Markets (“CM”), (ii) Servicing & Asset Management (“SAM”), and (iii) Corporate. The segment results below are intended to present each of the reportable segments on a stand-alone basis.
Capital Markets
Our CM segment provides a comprehensive range of commercial real estate finance products to our customers, including Agency lending, debt brokerage, property sales, and appraisal and valuation services. The Company’s long-established relationships with the Agencies and institutional investors enable our CM segment to offer a broad range of loan products and services to the Company’s customers, including first mortgage, second trust, supplemental, construction, mezzanine, preferred equity, and small-balance loans. This segment also provides property sales services to owners and developers of multifamily properties and commercial real estate and multifamily property appraisals for various lenders and investors. The CM segment also provides real estate-related investment banking and advisory services, including housing market research.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | For the year ended | | | | | | | ||||
| Transaction Volume (in thousands) | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| Components of Debt Financing Volume | | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 9,552,425 | | $ | 7,641,161 | | $ | 1,911,264 | | 25 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 8,248,816 | | 5,227,550 | | | 3,021,266 | | 58 | | ||
| Ginnie Mae ̶ HUD | | 915,524 | | 588,529 | | | 326,995 | | 56 | | ||
| Brokered(1) | | 22,076,680 | | 16,093,776 | | 5,982,904 | | 37 | | |||
| Total Debt Financing Volume | | $ | 40,793,445 | | $ | 29,551,016 | | $ | 11,242,429 | | 38 | % |
| Property sales volume | | | 13,349,892 | | | 9,751,223 | | | 3,598,669 | | 37 | |
| Total Transaction Volume | | $ | 54,143,337 | | $ | 39,302,239 | | $ | 14,841,098 | | 38 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics (dollars in thousands, except per share data) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net income | | $ | 89,819 | | $ | 66,664 | | | 23,155 | | 35 | % |
| Adjusted EBITDA(2) | | | (16,980) | | | (28,258) | | | 11,278 | | (40) | |
| Diluted EPS | | | 2.62 | | | 1.97 | | | 0.65 | | 33 | |
| Operating margin | | | 19 | % | | 17 | % | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Key Revenue Metrics (as a percentage of debt financing volume) | | | | | | | | | | |||
| Origination fees | | | 0.83 | % | | 0.92 | % | | | | | |
| MSR income, as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume | | | 0.96 | | | 1.14 | | | | | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered transactions for life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other capital sources. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure.” |
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FINANCIAL RESULTS–2025 COMPARED TO 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| (in thousands) | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| Revenues | | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Origination fees | | $ | 336,947 | | $ | 271,996 | | $ | 64,951 | | 24 | % |
| MSR income | | | 179,681 | | | 153,593 | | | 26,088 | | 17 | |
| Property sales broker fees | | | 83,519 | | | 60,583 | | | 22,936 | | 38 | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense), loans held for sale | | (5,490) | | (8,780) | | 3,290 | | (37) | | |||
| Other revenues | | 52,293 | | 47,449 | | 4,844 | | 10 | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 646,950 | | $ | 524,841 | | $ | 122,109 | | 23 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 475,286 | | $ | 399,256 | | $ | 76,030 | | 19 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 4,579 | | 4,551 | | 28 | | 1 | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 17,506 | | | 19,489 | | | (1,983) | | (10) | |
| Goodwill impairment | | | — | | | 33,000 | | | (33,000) | | (100) | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | — | | | (39,491) | | | 39,491 | | (100) | |
| Asset impairments and other expenses | | | 2,742 | | | 460 | | | 2,282 | | 496 | |
| Other operating expenses | | 21,162 | | 20,284 | | 878 | | 4 | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 521,275 | | $ | 437,549 | | $ | 83,726 | | 19 | |
| Income (loss) before taxes | | $ | 125,675 | | $ | 87,292 | | $ | 38,383 | | 44 | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | 35,019 | | 20,275 | | 14,744 | | 73 | | |||
| Net income (loss) before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 90,656 | | $ | 67,017 | | $ | 23,639 | | 35 | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | — | | 353 | | (353) | (100) | | ||||
| Less: net income (loss) attributable to temporary equity holders | | | 837 | | | — | | | 837 | | N/A | |
| Net income (loss) | | $ | 89,819 | | $ | 66,664 | | $ | 23,155 | | 35 | |
Revenues
Origination fees and MSR Income. The following tables provide additional information that helps explain changes in origination fees and MSR income year over year:
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |||
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | |||
| Debt Financing Volume by Product Type | | 2025 | | | 2024 | |
| Fannie Mae | | 24 | % | | 26 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 20 | | | 18 | |
| Ginnie Mae - HUD | | 2 | | | 2 | |
| Brokered | | 54 | | | 54 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended December 31, | | Basis Point | | Percentage | | |||||
| Mortgage Banking Details (basis points) | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Origination Fee Rate (1) | | 83 | | | 92 | | | (9) | | (10) | |
| Agency MSR Rate (2) | | 96 | | | 114 | | | (18) | | (16) | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Origination fees as a percentage of total debt financing volume. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | MSR Income as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume. |
The increase in origination fees was primarily the result of the 38% increase in debt financing volume, partially offset by a nine-basis-point decrease in our origination fee rate. The decrease in the origination fee rate was primarily attributable to our Freddie Mac debt financing volume, which had a 25% decline in origination fee rate year over year. During 2025, 52% of Freddie Mac debt financing volume was for loans with balances of $50 million or greater compared to 31% in 2024. Additionally, we originated a large Fannie Mae portfolio during the second quarter of 2025, with no comparable activity in 2024, contributing to the decline in origination fee rates. Large portfolios typically have lower origination fee rates than non-portfolio transactions.
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The increase in our MSR income was similarly primarily driven by the increase in Agency debt financing volume, partially offset by a 15% decrease in the weighted-average servicing fee (“WASF”), and a 7% decrease in the weighted average loan term on Fannie Mae debt financing volume. The WASF and weighted average loan term are two key inputs into the estimated fair value of MSR income. The decrease in the WASF was driven by (i) a competitive environment, and (ii) the aforementioned large Fannie Mae portfolio originated during the second quarter of 2025 as large portfolios typically have lower servicing fees than non-portfolio transactions. The decrease in the weighted average loan term is driven by our borrowers are opting for shorter loan terms for several reasons: (i) shorter duration loans have lower coupon rates than longer duration loans, all else equal, (ii) a lower cost of funds generally results in higher loan proceeds, and (iii) more institutional borrowers are matching loan duration with the duration of their limited partner equity capital, which is generally less than ten years. We expect loan terms to remain at the shorter end of historical ranges for the foreseeable future.
Property sales broker fees. The increase in property sales broker fees was driven principally by the 37% increase in the property sales volumes period over period.
Other revenues. The increase was principally due to a $5.8 million increase in investment banking revenues. Investment banking revenues increased primarily due to more M&A transactions in 2025 compared to 2024.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily due to (i) a $64.3 million increase in commission costs resulting from increased origination fees, property sales broker fees, and investment banking revenues, (ii) a $10.1 million increase in salaries and benefits largely related to a 5% increase in average segment headcount, and (iii) a $3.2 million increase in severance expense largely as a result of the separation of several underperforming producers.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. The discussion of our consolidated results above has additional information related to the increase in interest expense on corporate debt.
Goodwill impairment. Goodwill impairment decreased as an impairment was recorded in 2024 without a similar impairment in 2025, due to improved performance of the reporting unit.
Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. The decrease was driven by a decrease in the fair value adjustment to contingent consideration liabilities (“CCL”) related to an impaired reporting unit. In 2024, we wrote down to zero the CCL related to a large acquisition due to performance that lagged far behind the earnout targets. There was no comparable activity in 2025, and the earnout period expired on December 31, 2025 for that transaction so there will be no further adjustments to the CCL.
Income tax expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income before taxes, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
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Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Capital Markets segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. CM adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | ||
| Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | | $ | 89,819 | | $ | 66,664 |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | 35,019 | | 20,275 | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 17,506 | | | 19,489 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 4,579 | | | 4,551 |
| Stock-based compensation expense | | | 14,514 | | | 15,856 |
| Goodwill impairment, net of contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments (1) | | | — | | | (1,500) |
| Write-off of unamortized issuance costs from corporate debt paydown (2) | | | 1,264 | | | — |
| MSR income | | | (179,681) | | | (153,593) |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (16,980) | | $ | (28,258) |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | For the year ended December 31, 2024, included goodwill impairment of $33.0 million and contingent consideration fair value adjustment of $34.5 million, with no comparable activity for the year ended December 31, 2025. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | Presented as a component of Asset impairments and other expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Income |
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of CM adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2025 COMPARED TO 2024
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Origination fees | $ | 336,947 | | $ | 271,996 | | $ | 64,951 | | 24 | % |
| Property sales broker fees | | 83,519 | | | 60,583 | | | 22,936 | | 38 | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense), loans held for sale | (5,490) | | (8,780) | | 3,290 | | (37) | | |||
| Other revenues | 52,293 | | 47,096 | | 5,197 | | 11 | | |||
| Personnel | (460,772) | | (383,400) | | (77,372) | | 20 | | |||
| Asset impairments and other expenses | | (1,478) | | | (460) | | | (1,018) | | 221 | |
| Other operating expenses (1) | (21,162) | | (15,293) | | (5,869) | | 38 | | |||
| Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests and temporary equity holders | | (837) | | | — | | | (837) | | N/A | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | (16,980) | | $ | (28,258) | | $ | 11,278 | | (40) | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Other operating expenses included a beneficial adjustment for the fair value of contingent consideration liability not related to a goodwill impairment triggering event of $5.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, with no comparable activity for the year ended December 31, 2025. |
Origination fees increased due to an increase in our overall debt financing volume, partially offset by a decrease in our origination fee rate. Property sales broker fees increased largely as a result of the growth in property sales volumes. Other revenues increased primarily due to an increase in investment banking revenues. The increase in personnel expense was primarily due to increased commission and other production incentive costs due to the increase in origination fees combined with an increase in salaries and benefits due to higher average headcount for the segment and increased severance expense. Other operating expenses decreased due to a beneficial adjustment to contingent consideration liabilities in 2024 with no comparable activity in 2025.
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Servicing & Asset Management
The SAM segment activities include: (i) servicing and asset-managing the portfolio of loans we (a) originate and sell to the Agencies, (b) broker to certain life insurance companies, and (c) originate through our principal lending and investing activities, and (ii) managing third-party capital invested in tax credit equity funds focused on the affordable housing sector and other commercial real estate.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| Managed Portfolio (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Components of Servicing Portfolio | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 72,708,372 | | $ | 68,196,744 | | $ | 4,511,628 | | 7 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 42,595,441 | | 39,185,091 | | | 3,410,350 | | 9 | | ||
| Ginnie Mae–HUD | | 11,563,020 | | 10,847,265 | | | 715,755 | | 7 | | ||
| Brokered(1) | | 17,111,320 | | 17,057,912 | | 53,408 | | 0 | | |||
| Total Servicing Portfolio | | $ | 143,978,153 | | $ | 135,287,012 | | $ | 8,691,141 | | 6 | % |
| Assets under management | | | 18,631,100 | | | 18,423,463 | | | 207,637 | | 1 | |
| Total Managed Portfolio | | $ | 162,609,253 | | $ | 153,710,475 | | $ | 8,898,778 | | 6 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | | | | |||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | For the year ended | | | | | | | ||||
| (dollars in thousands, except per share data) | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| Key Volume and Performance Metrics | | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Equity syndication volume(2) | | $ | 384,284 | | $ | 404,554 | | $ | (20,270) | | (5) | % |
| Principal Lending and Investing debt financing volume(3) | | | 690,250 | | | 603,650 | | | 86,600 | | 14 | |
| Net income | | | 85,112 | | | 157,750 | | | (72,638) | | (46) | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(4) | | | 419,049 | | | 485,382 | | | (66,333) | | (14) | |
| Diluted EPS | | | 2.48 | | | 4.65 | | | (2.17) | | (47) | |
| Operating margin | | | 21 | % | | 33 | % | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | ||||
| Key Servicing Portfolio Metrics | | 2025 | | 2024 | ||
| Custodial escrow deposit balance (in billions) | | $ | 3.1 | | $ | 2.7 |
| Weighted-average servicing fee rate (basis points) | | | 23.6 | | | 24.2 |
| Weighted-average remaining servicing portfolio term (years) | | | 7.2 | | | 7.7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | ||||||||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | ||||||||
| Components of equity and assets under management | | | Equity under management | | | Assets under management | | | Equity under management | | | Assets under management |
| LIHTC | | $ | 6,870,450 | | $ | 15,894,745 | | $ | 6,918,336 | | $ | 15,908,895 |
| Equity funds | | | 926,954 | | | 926,954 | | | 965,011 | | | 965,011 |
| Debt funds(5) | | | 985,283 | | | 1,809,401 | | | 856,406 | | | 1,549,557 |
| Total | | $ | 8,782,687 | | $ | 18,631,100 | | $ | 8,739,753 | | $ | 18,423,463 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered loans serviced primarily for life insurance companies. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | Amount of equity called and syndicated into LIHTC funds. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (3) | Comprised solely of WDIP separate account originations. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (4) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure”. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (5) | As of December 31, 2025, included $36.5 million and $33.0 million of equity under management and assets under management, respectively, of Interim program JV loans. The remainder was composed of WDIP debt funds. As of December 31, 2024, includes $46.0 million and $173.0 million of equity under management and assets under management, respectively, of Interim program JV loans. The remainder was composed of WDIP debt funds. |
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FINANCIAL RESULTS – 2025 COMPARED TO 2024
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Origination fees | | $ | 5,202 | | $ | 4,566 | | $ | 636 | | 14 | % |
| Servicing fees | | | 337,442 | | | 325,644 | | | 11,798 | | 4 | |
| Investment management fees | | | 34,629 | | | 36,976 | | | (2,347) | | (6) | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment | | — | | 1,747 | | (1,747) | | (100) | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | | 137,864 | | 153,350 | | (15,486) | | (10) | | |||
| Other revenues | | 51,427 | | 69,366 | | (17,939) | | (26) | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 566,564 | | $ | 591,649 | | $ | (25,085) | | (4) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 89,552 | | $ | 83,050 | | $ | 6,502 | | 8 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 225,640 | | 226,067 | | (427) | | (0) | | |||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | 9,586 | | | 10,839 | | | (1,253) | | (12) | |
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 41,345 | | | 43,834 | | | (2,489) | | (6) | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | (8,243) | | | (10,830) | | | 2,587 | | (24) | |
| Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses | | | 40,850 | | | 10,573 | | | 30,277 | | 286 | |
| Asset impairments and other expenses | | | 28,584 | | | 721 | | | 27,863 | | 3,864 | |
| Other operating expenses | | 21,398 | | 31,770 | | (10,372) | | (33) | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 448,712 | | $ | 396,024 | | $ | 52,688 | | 13 | |
| Income (loss) before taxes | | $ | 117,852 | | $ | 195,625 | | $ | (77,773) | | (40) | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | 32,839 | | 45,437 | | (12,598) | | (28) | | |||
| Net income (loss) before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 85,013 | | $ | 150,188 | | $ | (65,175) | | (43) | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | $ | (99) | | $ | (7,562) | | $ | 7,463 | (99) | | |
| Net income (loss) | | $ | 85,112 | | $ | 157,750 | | $ | (72,638) | | (46) | |
Revenues
Servicing fees. The increase was entirely attributable to an increase in the average balance of the servicing portfolio period over period as shown below. The increase in the average servicing portfolio was driven primarily by the $4.5 billion and $3.4 billion increase in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans serviced, respectively.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Servicing Fees Details (in thousands) | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average Servicing Portfolio | $ | 138,023,295 | | $ | 132,981,178 | | $ | 5,042,117 | | 4 | % |
| Average Servicing Fee (basis points) | | 24.1 | | | 24.1 | | | - | | - | |
Placement fees and other interest income. The decrease was driven primarily by a decrease in our placement fees on escrow deposits of $23.9 million, partially offset by a $7.8 million increase in interest income from short-term loans to our affordable joint ventures due to an increase in the balance of loans outstanding year over year. The primary driver in the decrease in placement fees was a decline in the placement fee rates on escrow deposits as a result of lower short-term interest rate environment in 2025 compared to 2024, partially offset by a slight increase in the average escrow balance year over year.
Other revenues. The decrease was primarily due to a $23.2 million decrease from the sale of an asset in our affordable subsidiary in 2024 with no comparable activity in 2025, partially offset by a $5.6 million increase in prepayment fees. The increase in prepayment fees was primarily attributable to the higher refinancing volume within our servicing portfolio in 2025 compared to 2024 due to the more stable interest rate environment and macroeconomic environment for multifamily properties.
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Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of increases in salaries and benefits and subjective bonuses of $3.8 million combined with a $1.7 million increase in severance expense. The increase in salaries, benefits and bonus were due to normal annual adjustments and an increase in the average segment headcount. Severance expenses increased primarily due to the separation of several underperforming producers.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. The discussion of our consolidated results above has additional information related to the increase in interest expense on corporate debt.
Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses. The increase was primarily driven by a $20.1 million increase in loan repurchase losses combined with a $10.2 million increase in repurchase costs and operating costs. As discussed in NOTE 5 of the consolidated financial statements, we received repurchase requests for two loan portfolios with an aggregate UPB of $100.0 million, and we believe that it is probable that we will receive an additional repurchase request for another $34.3 million of loans. In 2024, our repurchase requests were for an aggregate UPB that was less than 2025, resulting in smaller loan repurchase losses in 2024. Similarly, repurchase costs and repurchased loan operating costs increased due to the increase in repurchase request UPB.
Asset impairments and other expenses. The increase was primarily driven by (i) $26.1 million in investment impairments at one of our LIHTC subsidiaries due to continuing underperformance in the investments and (ii) a $2.5 million write off of unamortized debt issuance costs associated with the paydown of our corporate debt in 2025. The $26.1 million of investment impairments consisted of (i) $13.6 million of impairment of real estate held for use, (ii) $5.0 million of impairment of an equity-method investment, and (iii) a $7.5 million accrual for losses expected on disposition of certain affordable assets. All of the 2025 activity had minimal or no comparable activity in 2024.
Other operating expenses. The decrease was due to a $5.9 million decrease and a $3.0 million decrease in professional fees and miscellaneous expenses, respectively. The decrease in professional fees was driven by a decline in legal costs at our LIHTC subsidiary that are correlated with the declines in equity syndication volumes.
Income tax expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income before taxes, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
Net Income (Loss) from Noncontrolling Interests. The decrease in losses attributed to noncontrolling interests is the result of a change in the ownership of an entity producing losses in 2024. As part of a larger transaction with the noncontrolling interest holder, we regained full control of the entity at the end of 2024. The remaining noncontrolling interests in 2025 are insignificant.
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Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our SAM segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. SAM adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | ||
| Reconciliation of Net Income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | | $ | 85,112 | | $ | 157,750 |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | 32,839 | | 45,437 | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 41,345 | | | 43,834 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 225,640 | | 226,067 | ||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | 9,586 | | | 10,839 |
| Loan repurchase losses (1) | | | 20,092 | | | — |
| Net write-offs | | | — | | | (468) |
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 1,906 | | 1,923 | ||
| Write-off of unamortized issuance costs from corporate debt paydown (2) | | | 2,529 | | | — |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 419,049 | | $ | 485,382 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Presented as a component of Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Income. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | Presented as a component of Asset impairments and other expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Income. |
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of SAM adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2025 COMPARED TO 2024
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Origination fees | $ | 5,202 | | $ | 4,566 | | $ | 636 | | 14 | % |
| Servicing fees | 337,442 | | 325,644 | | 11,798 | | 4 | | |||
| Investment management fees | | 34,629 | | | 36,976 | | | (2,347) | | (6) | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense), loans held for investment | — | | 1,747 | | (1,747) | | (100) | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | 137,864 | | 153,350 | | (15,486) | | (10) | | |||
| Other revenues | 51,427 | | 69,366 | | (17,939) | | (26) | | |||
| Personnel | (87,646) | | (81,127) | | (6,519) | | 8 | | |||
| Net write-offs | — | | (468) | | 468 | | (100) | | |||
| Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses | | (20,758) | | | (10,573) | | | (10,185) | | 96 | |
| Asset impairments and other expenses | | (26,055) | | | (721) | | | (25,334) | | 3,514 | |
| Other operating expenses (1) | (13,155) | | (20,940) | | 7,785 | | (37) | | |||
| Net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | 99 | | | 7,562 | | | (7,463) | | (99) | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 419,049 | | $ | 485,382 | | $ | (66,333) | | (14) | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Other operating expenses includes a beneficial adjustment for the fair value of contingent consideration liability not related to a goodwill impairment triggering event of $8.2 million and $10.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. |
Servicing fees increased due to growth in the average balance of the servicing portfolio period over period as a result of loan originations. Placement fees and other interest income decreased primarily due to decrease in the placement fee rate due to the interest rate environment, partially offset by an increase in interest income from short-term loans to our affordable joint ventures. Other revenues decreased primarily due to the gain on equity method investments from the sale of a property in a fund in 2024 with no comparable activity in 2025. Personnel increased primarily due to an increase in salaries and benefit costs and subjective bonus compensation due primarily to an increase in average segment
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headcount. Indemnified and repurchased loan expenses increased due to an increase in repurchase costs and operating costs. Asset impairments and other expenses increased primarily due to investment impairments taken in 2025.
Corporate
The Corporate segment consists primarily of the Company’s treasury operations and other corporate-level activities. Our treasury activities include monitoring and managing liquidity and funding requirements, including corporate debt. Other corporate-level activities include equity-method investments, accounting, information technology, legal, human resources, marketing, internal audit, and various other corporate groups (“support functions”). We do not allocate costs from these support functions to its other segments in presenting segment operating results. We do allocate interest expense and income tax expense. Corporate debt and the related interest expense are allocated first based on specific acquisitions where debt was directly used to fund the acquisition, such as the acquisition of Alliant, and then based on the remaining segment assets. Income tax expense is allocated proportionally based on income before taxes at each segment, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
FINANCIAL RESULTS – 2025 COMPARED TO 2024
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Other interest income | | $ | 14,720 | | $ | 14,611 | | $ | 109 | | 1 | % |
| Other revenues | | 6,072 | | 1,389 | | 4,683 | | 337 | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 20,792 | | $ | 16,000 | | $ | 4,792 | | 30 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 82,971 | | $ | 76,940 | | $ | 6,031 | | 8 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 8,463 | | 6,931 | | 1,532 | | 22 | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 5,864 | | 6,363 | | (499) | | (8) | | |||
| Asset impairments and other expenses | | | 5,420 | | | — | | | 5,420 | | N/A | |
| Other operating expenses | | 82,603 | | 77,182 | | 5,421 | | 7 | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 185,321 | | $ | 167,416 | | $ | 17,905 | | 11 | |
| Income (loss) before taxes | | $ | (164,529) | | $ | (151,416) | | $ | (13,113) | | 9 | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | (45,845) | | (35,169) | | (10,676) | | 30 | | |||
| Net income (loss) | | $ | (118,684) | | $ | (116,247) | | $ | (2,437) | | 2 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Diluted EPS | | | (3.46) | | | (3.43) | | | (0.03) | | 1 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (139,453) | | $ | (128,575) | | $ | (10,878) | | 8 | % |
Revenues
Other revenues. The increase was primarily due to a change to income from equity method investments in 2025 compared to loss from equity method investments in 2024.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of a $10.7 million increase in salaries and benefits, partially offset by a $4.5 million decrease in subjective bonuses. The increase in salaries and benefits was mostly driven by the 11% increase in average segment headcount year over year to support the growth of the business, particularly in emerging markets, and our technology strategy. The decrease in subjective bonus compensation was primarily due to our financial performance.
Asset impairments and other expenses. The increase was driven by increased legal and other professional fees related to company investigations into repurchased or indemnified loans, and third-party due diligence costs associated with an acquisition that did not close.
Other operating expenses. The increase was driven by a $2.6 million increase in software expense to support the Company’s growth in 2025, a $1.2 million increase in travel and entertainment, and a $1.0 million increase in marketing costs.
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Income tax expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income before taxes, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Corporate segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. Corporate adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | | 2025 | | 2024 | ||
| Reconciliation of Net Income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | | $ | (118,684) | | $ | (116,247) |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | (45,845) | | (35,169) | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 5,864 | | 6,363 | ||
| Amortization and depreciation | | 8,463 | | 6,931 | ||
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 10,327 | | 9,547 | ||
| Write-off of unamortized issuance costs from corporate debt paydown (1) | | | 422 | | | — |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (139,453) | | $ | (128,575) |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Presented as a component of Asset impairments and other expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Income. |
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of Corporate adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2025 COMPARED TO 2024
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2025 | | 2024 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Other interest income | $ | 14,720 | | $ | 14,611 | | $ | 109 | | 1 | % |
| Other revenues | 6,072 | | 1,389 | | 4,683 | | 337 | | |||
| Personnel | (72,644) | | (67,393) | | (5,251) | | 8 | | |||
| Asset impairments and other expenses | | (4,998) | | | — | | | (4,998) | | N/A | |
| Other operating expenses | (82,603) | | (77,182) | | (5,421) | | 7 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | (139,453) | | $ | (128,575) | | $ | (10,878) | | 8 | |
Other revenues increased due to an increase in income from equity method investments. The increase in personnel expense was primarily due to increased salaries and benefits expense due to an increase in average segment headcount during 2025, partially offset by a decrease in subjective bonuses due to our financial performance. Asset impairments and other expenses increased due to increased legal and professional fees. Other operating expenses increased largely as a result of increased software costs and travel and entertainment expense.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Uses of Liquidity, Cash and Cash Equivalents
Our significant recurring cash flow requirements consist of liquidity to (i) fund loans held for sale; (ii) pay cash dividends; (iii) fund our portion of the equity necessary to support equity-method investments; (iv) fund investments in properties to be syndicated to LIHTC investment funds that we will asset-manage; (v) make payments related to earnouts from acquisitions, (vi) meet working capital needs to support our day-to-day operations, including debt service payments, joint venture development partnership contributions, advances for servicing, loan repurchases, and payments for salaries, commissions, and income taxes, and (vii) meet working capital to satisfy collateral requirements for
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our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations and to meet the operational liquidity requirements of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae, and our warehouse facility lenders.
Fannie Mae has established benchmark standards for capital adequacy and reserves the right to terminate our servicing authority for all or some of the portfolio if, at any time, it determines that our financial condition is not adequate to support our obligations under the DUS agreement. We are required to maintain acceptable net worth as defined in the standards, and we satisfied the requirements as of December 31, 2025. The net worth requirement is derived primarily from unpaid balances on Fannie Mae loans and the level of risk-sharing. As of December 31, 2025, the net worth requirement was $350.4 million, and our net worth was $1.0 billion, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC. As of December 31, 2025, we were required to maintain at least $69.7 million of liquid assets to meet our operational liquidity requirements for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae, and our warehouse facility lenders. As of December 31, 2025, we had operational liquidity of $290.6 million, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC.
We paid a cash dividend of $0.67 per share each quarter of 2025, which is 3% higher than the quarterly dividend paid in each quarter of 2024. Over the past three years, we have returned $265.3 million to investors through cash dividend payments. In February 2026, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.68 per share for the first quarter of 2026, a 1.5% increase over the 2025 quarterly dividend. The dividend will be paid on March 27, 2026 to all holders of record of our restricted and unrestricted common stock as of March 13, 2026.
Additionally, over the past three years, we have invested $72.8 million in acquisitions, primarily through the payment of earnouts related to acquisitions that closed in 2021 and 2022. We continually seek opportunities to complete additional acquisitions if we believe the economics are favorable. Over the past two years, we have also used $75.2 million to fund loan repurchases with the GSEs.
In February 2025, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program that permitted the repurchase of up to $75.0 million of shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 21, 2025. Through December 31, 2025, we did not repurchase any shares under the 2025 stock repurchase program and had $75.0 million of remaining capacity under that program. In February 2026, our Board of Directors again approved a stock repurchase program that permits the repurchase of up to $75.0 million shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 26, 2026.
We have contractual obligations to make future cash payments on lease agreements on our various offices of $127.4 million over the next 11 years as of December 31, 2025. NOTE 15 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to future lease payments. We have contractual obligations to repay short-term and long-term debt. The total principal balance for such debt was $2.3 billion as of December 31, 2025, of which $1.4 billion will be repaid with the proceeds from the sale of loans held for sale. NOTE 7 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to these future debt payments. The expected interest associated with long-term debt obligations is $62.2 million in 2026, $51.6 million in 2027, $51.3 million in 2028, $51.1 million in 2029, and $50.9 million in 2030. The future interest for long-term debt is based on a variable rate; therefore, the preceding interest payments are calculated based on the effective interest rate as of December 31, 2025.
Historically, our cash flows from operations and warehouse facilities have been sufficient to enable us to meet our short-term liquidity needs and other funding requirements. We believe that cash flows from operations will continue to be sufficient for us to meet our current obligations for the foreseeable future.
Restricted Cash and Pledged Securities
Restricted cash consists primarily of good faith deposits held on behalf of borrowers between the time we enter into a loan commitment with the borrower and the investor purchases the loan. We are generally required to share the risk of any losses associated with loans sold under the Fannie Mae DUS program, which is an off-balance sheet arrangement. We are required to secure this obligation by assigning collateral to Fannie Mae. We meet this obligation by assigning pledged securities to Fannie Mae. The amount of collateral required by Fannie Mae is a formulaic calculation at the loan level and considers the balance of the loan, the risk level of the loan, the age of the loan, and the level of risk-sharing. Fannie Mae requires collateral for Tier 2 loans of 75 basis points, which is funded over a 48-month period that begins upon delivery of the loan to Fannie Mae. Collateral held in the form of money market funds holding U.S. Treasuries is discounted 5%, and Agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) are discounted 4% for purposes of calculating compliance with the collateral requirements. As of December 31, 2025, we held substantially all of our restricted liquidity in Agency MBS in the aggregate amount of $202.7 million. Additionally, the majority of the loans for which we have risk-sharing are Tier 2 loans. We fund any growth in our Fannie Mae required operational liquidity and collateral requirements from our working capital.
We are in compliance with the December 31, 2025 collateral requirements as outlined above. As of December 31, 2025, reserve requirements for the December 31, 2025 DUS loan portfolio will require us to fund $99.7 million in additional restricted liquidity over the next 48 months, assuming no further principal paydowns, prepayments, or defaults within our at-risk portfolio. Fannie Mae has assessed the DUS
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Capital Standards in the past and may make changes to these standards in the future. We generate sufficient cash flows from our operations to meet these capital standards and do not expect any future changes to have a material impact on our future operations; however, any future changes to collateral requirements may adversely impact our available cash.
Under the provisions of the DUS agreement, we must also maintain a certain level of liquid assets referred to as the operational and unrestricted portions of the required reserves each year. We satisfied these requirements as of December 31, 2025.
Sources of Liquidity: Warehouse Facilities and Corporate Notes Payable
Warehouse Facilities
We utilize a combination of warehouse facilities and notes payable to provide funding for our operations. We utilize warehouse facilities to fund our Agency Lending. Our ability to originate Agency mortgage loans depends upon our ability to secure and maintain these types of financing agreements on acceptable terms. For a detailed description of the terms of each warehouse agreement including the affirmative and negative covenants, refer to “Warehouse Facilities” in NOTE 7 of the consolidated financial statements.
Corporate Notes Payable
For a detailed description of the terms of our various corporate debt instruments and related amendments, refer to “Corporate notes payable” in NOTE 7 of the consolidated financial statements.
The warehouse notes payable and corporate notes payable are subject to various financial covenants. The Company is in compliance with all of these financial covenants as of December 31, 2025.
Credit Quality, Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations, and Loan Repurchases
The following table sets forth certain information useful in evaluating our credit performance.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | December 31, | | |||||
| | | 2025 | | 2024 | | ||
| Key Credit Metrics (in thousands) | | | | | | | |
| Risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae Full Risk | | $ | 65,087,136 | | $ | 59,304,888 | |
| Fannie Mae Modified Risk | | 7,621,236 | | 8,891,856 | | ||
| Freddie Mac Modified Risk | | 15,000 | | 15,000 | | ||
| Total risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 72,723,372 | | $ | 68,211,744 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Freddie Mac No Risk | | $ | 42,580,441 | | $ | 39,170,091 | |
| GNMA - HUD No Risk | | 11,563,020 | | 10,847,265 | | ||
| Brokered | | 17,111,320 | | 17,057,912 | | ||
| Total non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 71,254,781 | | $ | 67,075,268 | |
| Total loans serviced for others | | $ | 143,978,153 | | $ | 135,287,012 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Loans held for investment (full risk) | | $ | 36,926 | | $ | 36,926 | |
| Indemnification reserves | | | 23,920 | | | 5,527 | |
| Interim Program JV Managed Loans(1) | | | 32,965 | | | 173,315 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| At-risk servicing portfolio(2) | | $ | 68,649,960 | | $ | 63,365,672 | |
| Maximum exposure to at-risk portfolio(3) | | 14,052,667 | | 12,893,593 | | ||
| Defaulted loans(4) | | 158,821 | | 41,737 | | ||
| | | | | | | | |
| Defaulted loans as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.23 | % | | 0.07 | % |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.05 | | | 0.04 | |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of maximum exposure | | | 0.27 | | | 0.22 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, this balance consisted entirely of Interim Program JV managed loans. We indirectly share in a portion of the risk of loss associated with Interim Program JV managed loans through our 15% equity ownership in the Interim Program JV which was $5.5 million and $6.9 million at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. We have no exposure to risk of loss for the loans serviced directly for the Interim Program JV partner. The balance of this line is included as a component of assets under management in the Supplemental Operating Data table above. |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | At-risk servicing portfolio is defined as the balance of Fannie Mae DUS loans subject to the risk-sharing formula described below, as well as a small number of Freddie Mac loans on which we share in the risk of loss. Use of the at-risk portfolio provides for comparability of the full risk-sharing and modified risk-sharing loans because the provision and allowance for risk-sharing obligations are based on the at-risk balances of the associated loans. Accordingly, we have presented the key statistics as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio. |
For example, a $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing has the same potential risk exposure as a $7.5 million loan with full DUS risk sharing. Accordingly, if the $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing were to default, we would view the overall loss as a percentage of the at-risk balance, or $7.5 million, to ensure comparability between all risk-sharing obligations. To date, substantially all of the risk-sharing obligations that we have settled have been from full risk-sharing loans.
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | Represents the maximum loss we would incur under our risk-sharing obligations if all of the loans we service, for which we retain some risk of loss, were to default and all of the collateral underlying these loans was determined to be without value at the time of settlement. The maximum exposure is not representative of the actual loss we would incur. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (4) | Defaulted loans represent loans in our Fannie Mae at-risk portfolio or Freddie Mac SBL pre-securitized portfolio that are probable of foreclosure or that have foreclosed and for which the Company has recorded a collateral-based reserve (i.e., loans where we have assessed a probable loss). Other loans that are delinquent but not foreclosed or that are not probable of foreclosure are not included here. Additionally, loans that have foreclosed or are probable of foreclosure but are not expected to result in a loss to the Company are not included here. |
Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations are based on a tiered formula and represent substantially all of our risk-sharing activities. The risk-sharing tiers and the amount of the risk-sharing obligations we absorb under full risk-sharing are provided below. Except as described in the following paragraph, the maximum amount of risk-sharing obligations we absorb at the time of default is generally 20% of the origination UPB of the loan.
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk-Sharing Losses | | Percentage Absorbed by Us | |
| First 5% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 100% | |
| Next 20% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 25% | |
| Losses above 25% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 10% | |
| Maximum loss | 20% of origination UPB | |
Fannie Mae can double or triple our risk-sharing obligation if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if a loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae. We may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination, which reduces our potential risk-sharing obligation from the levels described above. At times, we have, and may in the future, agree to a higher risk-sharing percentage (up to 100% of UPB) after origination and under limited circumstances.
We have a loss-sharing arrangement with Freddie Mac related to SBL loans that is only applicable to SBL loans that are pre-securitized and outstanding for more than 12 months. If a loan defaults prior to securitization, we are required to share the losses with Freddie Mac. Our loss-sharing arrangement is a 10% top loss, meaning that we are responsible for the first 10% of the losses incurred on such defaulted loans. We had three defaulted loans with allowances in our portfolio that were awaiting final resolution as of December 31, 2025. We received an insignificant loss settlement notice from Freddie Mac in the first quarter of 2026 and paid the loss settlement accordingly.
We use several techniques to manage our risk exposure under the Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing program. These techniques include maintaining a strong underwriting and approval process, evaluating and modifying our underwriting criteria given the underlying multifamily housing market fundamentals, limiting our geographic market and borrower exposures, and electing the modified risk-sharing option under the Fannie Mae DUS program.
The “Business” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contains a discussion of the risk-sharing caps we have with Fannie Mae.
We regularly monitor the credit quality of all loans for which we have a risk-sharing obligation. Loans with indicators of underperforming credit are placed on a watch list, assigned a numerical risk rating based on our assessment of the relative credit weakness, and subjected to additional evaluation or loss mitigation. Indicators of underperforming credit include poor financial performance, poor physical condition, poor management, and delinquency. A collateral-based reserve is recorded when it is probable that a risk-sharing loan will foreclose or has foreclosed and it is expected to result in a loss for the Company, and a reserve for estimated credit losses and a guaranty obligation are recorded for all other risk-sharing loans. We do not record a collateral-based reserve when it is probable that a risk sharing loan will foreclose or has foreclosed, and the disposition proceeds are expected to be higher than the UPB, resulting in no losses for the Company.
The allowance for risk-sharing obligations related to our $67.5 billion at-risk Fannie Mae servicing portfolio and our Freddie Mac SBL defaulted loans as of December 31, 2025 was $25.0 million compared to $24.2 million as of December 31, 2024.
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As of December 31, 2025, 14 loans (11 Fannie Mae loans and three Freddie Mac SBL loans) were in default with an aggregate UPB of $158.8 million compared to six loans (three Fannie Mae loans and three Freddie Mac SBL loans) with an aggregate UPB of $41.7 million that were in default as of December 31, 2024. The collateral-based reserve on defaulted loans was $12.6 million and $4.0 million as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. We had a provision for risk-sharing obligations of $9.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 and a benefit for risk-sharing obligations of $974 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2024.
For the ten-year period from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2025, we recognized net write-offs of risk-sharing obligations of $9.2 million, or an average of less than one basis point annually of the average at risk Fannie Mae portfolio balance.
We are obligated to repurchase loans that are originated for the GSEs’ programs if certain representations and warranties that we provide in connection with the sale of the loans through these programs are breached. In lieu of repurchasing a loan directly from the GSEs, we have entered into Indemnification and Repurchase Agreements. These indemnification agreements delay the requirement to repurchase the loan for periods of up to two years, and in exchange we fund a collateral reserve generally equal to 20% of the unpaid principal balance of the loan and pay a financing fee to the GSE for the uncollateralized portion of the unpaid principal balance. When we agree to repurchase or indemnify the GSEs, we are required to report the loan or underlying collateral as an asset and the related obligation to repurchase the loans or indemnification liability to the GSE as a liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. NOTE 5 in the consolidated financial statements provides additional details related to our repurchase and indemnification activity over the past two years. NOTE 2 contains additional details related to our accounting policy for repurchased and indemnified loans.
Over the past two years, we have repurchased, indemnified or expect to indemnify the GSEs for $221.6 million of loans. The uncollateralized portion of the indemnification agreements was $60.7 million, and $46.9 million at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. These loans in 2025 and 2024 are the only repurchase obligations in our history, and we have not yet realized any credit losses associated with these repurchase obligations.
New/Recent Accounting Pronouncements
NOTE 2 in the consolidated financial statements in Item 15 of Part IV in this 10-K contains a description of the accounting pronouncements that the Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued and that have the potential to impact us but have not yet been adopted by us. There were no other accounting pronouncements issued during 2025 that have the potential to impact our consolidated financial statements.
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MD&A history
Prior-year 10-K MD&A spans are extracted from SEC filings with the same bounded parser used for the latest filing. The latest 10-K appears above; prior years are below.
FY 2024 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001558370-25-001503.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“10-K”). The following discussion contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements that include risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or contemplated in those forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this 10-K.
Business
Walker & Dunlop, Inc. is a holding company, and we conduct the majority of our operations through Walker & Dunlop, LLC, our primary operating company.
We are one of the leading commercial real estate services and finance companies in the United States, with a primary focus on multifamily lending and property sales, commercial real estate debt brokerage, and investment management services. We originate, sell, and service a range of multifamily and other commercial real estate financing products to owners and developers of commercial real estate across the country, provide multifamily property sales brokerage and appraisal services in various regions throughout the United States, and engage in commercial real estate and investment management services focused on debt and equity investments on commercial real estate assets and equity investments in affordable housing. We are a leader in commercial real estate technology, developing and acquiring technology resources that (i) provide innovative solutions and a better experience for our customers and (ii) allow us to reach a broader customer base.
Multifamily Lending, Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Service, and Property Sales
We originate and sell multifamily loans through the programs of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, and HUD, with which we have licenses and long-established relationships. We retain servicing rights and asset management responsibilities on nearly all loans that we originate for the Agencies’ programs. We are approved as a Fannie Mae DUS lender nationally, a Freddie Mac Optigo lender nationally for Conventional, Seniors Housing, Targeted Affordable Housing and Small Balance Loans, a HUD MAP lender nationally, a HUD LEAN lender nationally, and a Ginnie Mae issuer. We broker and service loans for many life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other institutional
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investors, in which cases we do not fund the loan but rather act as a loan broker. Fannie Mae recently announced that we ranked as its largest DUS lender in 2024, by loan deliveries, and Freddie Mac recently announced that we ranked as its 4th largest Freddie Mac lender in 2024, by loan deliveries. Our market share with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was 10.7% on a combined basis, by loan deliveries in 2024, compared to 11.3% in 2023. Additionally, we were the 2nd largest overall lender for HUD in 2024.
We fund loans for the Agencies’ programs, generally through warehouse facility financings, and sell them to investors in accordance with the related loan sale commitment, which we obtain at rate lock. Proceeds from the sale of the loan are used to pay off the warehouse facility. The sale of the loan is typically completed within 60 days after the loan is closed, and we retain the right to service substantially all of these loans. In cases where we do not fund the loan, we act as a loan broker and service some of the loans. Our mortgage bankers who focus on loan brokerage are engaged by borrowers to work with a variety of institutional lenders to find the most appropriate loan. These loans are then funded directly by the institutional lender, and for those brokered loans we service, we collect ongoing servicing fees while those loans remain in our servicing portfolio. The servicing fees we typically earn on brokered loan transactions are lower than the servicing fees we earn on Agency loans.
We recognize revenue when we make simultaneous commitments to originate a loan to a borrower and sell that loan to an investor. The revenues earned reflect the fair value attributable to loan origination fees, premiums on the sale of loans, net of any co-broker fees, and the fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with servicing the loans, net of any guaranty obligations retained. We also recognize revenue when we receive the origination fee from a brokered loan transaction. Other transaction-related sources of revenue include (i) net warehouse interest income we earn or expense we incur while the loan is held for sale, (ii) net warehouse interest income from loans held for investment while they are outstanding, (iii) sales commissions for brokering the sale of multifamily properties, and (iv) syndication and transaction-based asset management fees from our investment management activities.
We are currently not exposed to unhedged interest rate risk during the loan commitment, closing, and delivery process. The sale or placement of each loan to an investor is negotiated concurrently with establishing the coupon rate for the loan. We also seek to mitigate the risk of a loan not closing. We have agreements in place with the Agencies that specify the cost of a failed loan delivery in the event we fail to deliver the loan to the investor. To protect us against such fees, we require a deposit from the borrower at rate lock that is typically more than the potential fee. The deposit is returned to the borrower only once the loan is closed. Any potential loss from a catastrophic change in the property condition while the loan is held for sale using warehouse facility financing is mitigated through property insurance equal to replacement cost. We are also protected contractually from an investor’s failure to purchase the loan. We have experienced a de minimis number of failed deliveries in our history and have incurred immaterial losses on such failed deliveries.
We have risk-sharing obligations on substantially all loans we originate under the Fannie Mae DUS program. When a Fannie Mae DUS loan is subject to full risk-sharing, we absorb losses on the first 5% of the unpaid principal balance of a loan at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss capped at 20% of the original loan amount (subject to doubling or tripling if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if the loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae). Our full risk-sharing is currently limited to loans up to $300 million, which equates to a maximum loss per loan of $60 million (such exposure would occur in the event that the underlying collateral is determined to be completely without value at the time of loss). For loans in excess of $300 million, we receive modified risk-sharing. We also may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination on loans below $300 million, which reduces our potential risk-sharing losses from the levels described above if we do not believe that we are being fully compensated for the risks of the transactions. The full risk-sharing limit in prior years was less than $300 million. Accordingly, loans originated in those prior years were subject to risk-sharing at lower levels. In limited circumstances we have agreed, and may in the future agree, with Fannie Mae to increase our loss sharing to 100% of a loan’s UPB in lieu of the risk-sharing agreement described above. Our servicing fees for risk-sharing loans include compensation for the risk-sharing obligations and are substantially larger than the servicing fees we receive from Fannie Mae for loans with no risk-sharing obligations.
We retain servicing rights on substantially all the loans we originate and sell and generate revenues from the fees we receive for servicing the loans, from the placement fees on escrow deposits held on behalf of borrowers, and from other ancillary fees. Servicing fees set at the time an investor agrees to purchase the loan are generally paid monthly for the duration of the loan and are based on the unpaid principal balance of the loan. Our Fannie Mae servicing arrangements generally provide for prepayment protection in the event of a voluntary prepayment. For loans serviced outside of Fannie Mae, we typically do not have similar prepayment protections. For loans serviced for Freddie Mac, the economic deterrent that reduces the risk of loan prepayment comes in the form of a defeasance requirement wherein the borrower is required to replace the prepaid loan with securities that offer an equivalent return.
As of December 31, 2024, our servicing portfolio was $135.3 billion, up 4% from December 31, 2023, which was the 7th largest commercial/multifamily primary and master servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Mortgage Bankers’ Association’s (“MBA”) 2024 year-end survey (the “Survey”). Our servicing portfolio includes $68.2 billion of loans serviced for Fannie Mae and $39.2 billion for Freddie Mac, making us the 1st and 6th largest servicer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily loans in the nation, respectively, according to the
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Survey. Also included in our servicing portfolio is $10.8 billion of multifamily HUD loans, the 4th largest HUD primary and servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Survey.
Through WDIS, we offer property sales brokerage services to owners and developers of multifamily properties that are seeking to sell these properties. Through these property sales brokerage services, we seek to maximize proceeds and certainty of closure for our clients using our knowledge of the commercial real estate and capital markets and relying on our experienced transaction professionals. Our property sales services are offered in various regions throughout the United States and cover many major markets. We have added several property sales brokerage teams over the past few years and continue to seek to add other property sales brokers, with the goal of continuing to expand the depth and number of regions covered by our brokerage services.
Investment Management Services
WDIP, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is part of our strategy to grow and diversify the Company by growing our investment management platform. WDIP is a registered investment adviser and general partner of private commercial real estate investment funds focused on the management of debt, preferred equity, and mezzanine equity investments through private middle-market commercial real estate funds and separately managed accounts. WDIP’s current AUM of $2.3 billion primarily consist of eight sources: Fund III, Fund IV, Fund V, Fund VI, Fund VII, Debt Fund I, and Debt Fund II (collectively, the “Funds”), and separate accounts managed for life insurance companies. AUM for the Funds and for the separate accounts consists of both unfunded commitments and funded investments. Unfunded commitments are highest during the fund raising and investment phases. AUM disclosed in this 10-K may differ from regulatory assets under management disclosed on WDIP’s Form ADV.
WDIP typically receives management fees based on limited partner capital commitments, unfunded investment commitments, and funded investments. Additionally, with respect to Fund III, Fund IV, Fund V, Fund VI, and Fund VII, WDIP receives a percentage of the profits above the fund expenses and preferred return specified in the fund offering agreements.
Through WDAE, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, we are the 8th largest tax credit syndicator in the U.S., and an affordable housing developer through various joint venture partnerships. Affordable assets under management from our LIHTC operations is part of our strategy to grow our investment management platform and to strengthen our position in the affordable housing debt, equity, and property sales sector. We manage $15.9 billion of affordable AUM and have an established tax syndication and affordable housing development platform from which we earn investment management, syndication, and other LIHTC related fees.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which requires management to make estimates based on certain judgments and assumptions that are inherently uncertain and affect reported amounts. The estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors management believes to be reasonable. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions and the use of different judgments and assumptions may have a material impact on our results. The following critical accounting estimates involve significant estimation uncertainty that may have or is reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. Additional information about our critical accounting estimates and other significant accounting policies is discussed in NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements.
Mortgage Servicing Rights. MSRs are recorded at fair value at loan sale. The fair value at loan sale is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights and takes into consideration an estimate of loan prepayment. Initially, the fair value amount is included as a component of the derivative asset fair value at the loan commitment date. The estimated net cash flows from servicing, which includes assumptions for discount rate, placement fees on escrow accounts (“placement fees”), prepayment speeds, and servicing costs, are discounted using a discounted cash flow model at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the underlying loan. The discount rates used throughout the periods presented for all MSRs were between 8-14% and varied based on the loan type. The life of the underlying loan is estimated giving consideration to the prepayment provisions in the loan and assumptions about loan behaviors around those provisions. Our model for MSRs assumes no prepayment prior to the expiration of the prepayment provisions and full prepayment of the loan at or near the point when the prepayment provisions have expired. The estimated net cash flows also include cash flows related to the future earnings from placement of escrow accounts associated with servicing the loans. We include a servicing cost assumption to account for our expected costs to service a loan. The estimated placement fee rate associated with servicing the loan increases estimated cash
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flows, and the estimated future cost to service the loan decreases estimated future cash flows. The servicing cost assumption has had a de minimis impact on the estimate historically. We record an individual MSR asset for each loan at loan sale.
The assumptions used to estimate the fair value of capitalized MSRs are developed internally and are periodically compared to assumptions used by other market participants. Due to the relatively few transactions in the multifamily MSR market and the lack of significant changes in assumptions by market participants, we have experienced limited volatility in the assumptions historically and do not expect to observe significant changes in the foreseeable future, including the assumption that most significantly impacts the estimate: the discount rate. We actively monitor the assumptions used and make adjustments when market conditions change, or other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. Over the past several years, we have adjusted the placement fee rate assumption several times to reflect the current and expected future earnings rate projected for the life of the MSR as the interest rate environment has experienced significant volatility over the past several years. A 100-basis point change in the discount rate would increase or decrease the capitalized MSRs for the year ended December 31, 2024 by 3%. A 200-basis point change in the discount rate would increase or decrease the capitalized MSRs for the year ended December 31, 2024 by 5%. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
Subsequent to loan origination, the carrying value of the MSR is amortized over the expected life of the loan. We engage a third party to assist in determining an estimated fair value of our existing and outstanding MSRs on at least a semi-annual basis, primarily for financial statement disclosure purposes. Changes in our discount rate and placement fee rate assumptions on existing and outstanding MSRs may materially impact the fair value of our MSRs (NOTE 3 of the consolidated financial statements details the portfolio-level impact of hypothetical changes in the discount rate and placement fee rate).
Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations. This reserve liability (referred to as “allowance”) for risk-sharing obligations relates to our Fannie Mae at-risk and Freddie Mac SBL servicing portfolios and is presented as a separate liability on our balance sheets. We record an estimate of the loss reserve for the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) for all loans in these servicing portfolios. For those loans that are collectively evaluated, we use the weighted-average remaining maturity method (“WARM”). WARM uses an average annual loss rate that contains loss content over multiple vintages and loan terms and is used as a foundation for estimating the collective reserves. The average annual loss rate is applied to the estimated unpaid principal balance over the contractual term, adjusted for estimated prepayments and amortization to arrive at the allowance on loans that are collectively evaluated (“CECL allowance”). We currently use one year for our reasonable and supportable forecast period (“forecast period”) as we believe forecasts beyond one year are inherently less reliable. During the forecast period we apply an adjusted loss factor based on generally available economic and unemployment forecasts and a blended loss rate from historical periods that we believe reflect the forecasts. We revert to the historical loss rate over a one-year period on a straight-line basis. Over the past couple of years, the loss rate used in the forecast period has been updated to reflect our expectations of the economic conditions over the coming year in relation to the historical period. For example, over the past two years, we updated the loss rate used in the forecast period several times within a range of 2.1 basis points to 2.4 basis points. The forecast loss rate fluctuating within a tight range reflects our relatively unchanged view of the uncertainty of the evolving macroeconomic conditions facing the multifamily sector. We made multiple revisions to the loss rate used in the forecast period in the past, and those changes have significantly impacted the CECL reserve.
One of the key components of a WARM calculation is the runoff rate, which is the expected rate at which loans in the current portfolio will amortize and prepay in the future based on our historical prepayment and amortization experience. We group loans by similar origination dates (vintage) and contractual maturity terms for purposes of calculating the runoff rate. We originate loans under the DUS program with various terms generally ranging from several years to 15 years; each of these various loan terms has a different runoff rate. The runoff rates applied to each vintage and contractual maturity term are determined using historical data; however, changes in prepayment and amortization behavior may significantly impact the estimate. We have not experienced significant changes in the runoff rate since we implemented CECL in 2020.
The weighted-average annual loss rate is calculated using a ten-year look-back period, utilizing the average portfolio balance and settled losses for each year. A ten-year lookback period is used as we believe this period of time includes sufficiently different economic conditions to generate a reasonable estimate of expected results in the future, given the relatively long-term nature of the current portfolio. As the weighted-average annual loss rate utilizes a rolling ten-year look-back period, the loss rate used in the estimate will change as loss data from earlier periods in the look-back period continue to roll off as new loss data are added. For example, in the first quarter of 2024, loss data from earlier periods in the look-back period with significantly higher losses rolled off and were replaced with more recent loss data with fewer losses, resulting in the weighted-average historical annual loss rate changing from 0.6 basis points to 0.3 basis points.
NOTE 4 of the consolidated financial statements outlines adjustments made in the loss rates used to account for the expected economic conditions as of a given period and the related impact on the CECL allowance.
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Changes in our expectations and forecasts have materially impacted, and in the future may materially impact, these inputs and the CECL allowance.
We evaluate our risk-sharing loans on a quarterly basis to determine whether there are loans that are probable of foreclosure and thus collateral dependent. Specifically, we assess a loan’s qualitative and quantitative risk factors, such as payment status, property financial performance, local real estate market conditions, loan-to-value ratio, debt-service-coverage ratio, and property condition. When a loan is determined to be probable of foreclosure based on these factors (or has foreclosed), we remove the loan from the WARM calculation and individually assess the loan for potential credit loss. This assessment requires certain judgments and assumptions to be made regarding the property values and other factors that may differ significantly from actual results. Loss settlement with Fannie Mae has historically concluded within 18 to 36 months after foreclosure. Historically, the initial collateral-based reserves have not varied significantly from the final settlement.
We actively monitor the judgments and assumptions used in our Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation estimate and make adjustments to those assumptions when market conditions change, or when other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. We believe the level of Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation is appropriate based on our expectations of future market conditions; however, changes in one or more of the judgments or assumptions used above could have a significant impact on the reserve. For example, a 10% change in the forecasted loss rate as of December 31, 2024 would have increased or decreased the allowance for risk-sharing obligations by 8%. A 20% change in the forecasted loss rate as of December 31, 2024 would have increased or decreased the allowance for risk-sharing obligations by 16%. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
Contingent Consideration Liabilities. The Company often includes an earnout as part of the consideration paid for acquisitions to align the long-term interests of the acquiree with those of the Company. These earnouts contain milestones for achievement, which typically are revenue, revenue-like, or productivity measurements. If the milestone is achieved, the acquiree is paid the additional consideration. Upon acquisition, the Company is required to estimate the fair value of the earnout and include that fair value measurement as a component of the total consideration paid in the calculation of goodwill. The fair value of the earnout is recorded as a contingent consideration liability and included within Other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet and adjusted to the estimated fair value periodically.
The determination of the fair value of contingent consideration liabilities requires significant management judgment and unobservable inputs to (i) determine forecasts and scenarios of future revenues, net cash flows and certain other performance metrics, (ii) assign a probability of achievement for the forecasts and scenarios, and (iii) select a discount rate. A Monte Carlo simulation analysis is used to determine many iterations of potential fair values. The average of these iterations is then used to determine the estimated fair value. We typically obtain the assistance of third-party valuation specialists to assist with the fair value estimation. The probability of the earnout achievement is based on management’s estimate of the expected future performance and other financial metrics of each of the acquired entities, which are subject to significant uncertainty. Changes to the aforementioned inputs impact the estimate; for example, in 2024, we recorded a reduction of $50.3 million to the fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities based on revised management forecasts, scenarios, and other valuation inputs (NOTE 7 in the consolidated financial statements details changes in the estimate over the past two years).
In 2024, we updated the estimated fair value of the contingent consideration liability for the GeoPhy acquisition. The update resulted in a $34.5 million reduction of the expected liability, effectively reducing the expected liability to zero. Neither a change of 10% nor a change of 20% in the cash flows used for the GeoPhy contingent consideration liability assessment as of December 31, 2024 would have had any impact on the fair value, as the fair value of the GeoPhy contingent consideration was zero as of December 31, 2024. Additionally, in 2024, we also updated the estimated fair value of the contingent consideration liability for the Alliant acquisition. The update resulted in a $10.8 million reduction of the expected liability. A decrease of 10% in the cash flows assumed for this contingent consideration liability assessment as of December 31, 2024 would have decreased the expected payout by an additional 9%, while a decrease of 20% would have decreased the payout by 19%. Changes in the cash flows for the contingent consideration liabilities associated with other acquisitions would have resulted in immaterial changes in the fair values of those contingent consideration liabilities. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
The aggregate fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities as of December 31, 2024 was $30.5 million. This fair value represents management’s best estimate of the discounted cash payments that will be made in the future for all of our remaining contingent consideration arrangements. The maximum remaining undiscounted earnout payments as of December 31, 2024 was $258.5 million, with the vast majority of the undiscounted payments related to the GeoPhy acquisition. In 2022 and 2021, we made two large acquisitions that included significant amounts of contingent consideration to maximize alignment of the key principals and management teams. The earnouts completed prior to 2021 involved businesses that operated in our core debt financing business and involved substantially smaller amounts of contingent consideration as compared to the two aforementioned acquisitions.
Goodwill. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, goodwill was $868.7 million and $901.7 million, respectively. Goodwill represents the
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excess of cost over the identifiable net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill is assigned to the reporting unit to which the acquisition relates. Goodwill is recognized as an asset and is reviewed for impairment annually as of October 1. Between annual impairment analyses, we perform an evaluation of recoverability, when events and circumstances indicate that it is more-likely-than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is below its carrying value. Impairment testing requires an assessment of qualitative factors to determine if there are indicators of potential impairment, followed by, if necessary, an assessment of quantitative factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether there has been a significant or adverse change in the business climate that could affect the value of an asset and/or significant or adverse changes in cash flow projections or earnings forecasts. These assessments require management to make judgments, assumptions, and estimates about projected cash flows, discount rates and other factors.
Due to the sustained challenging macroeconomic conditions related to a reporting unit, our projected cash flows for this reporting unit declined, resulting in goodwill impairment during 2024 of $33.0 million or 3.7% of the aggregate goodwill balance outstanding at the time. We attributed this goodwill impairment to one of the reporting units to which the GeoPhy operations and goodwill are assigned, which is a component of the Capital Markets segment. The remaining goodwill assigned to this reporting unit as of December 31, 2024 was $80.8 million.
A 10% change in the cash flows used for the goodwill assessment over this reporting unit as of December 31, 2024 would have increased or decreased the goodwill impairment recognized by 24%. A 20% change in the cash flows used for the goodwill assessment over this reporting unit as of December 31, 2024 would have increased or decreased the goodwill impairment recognized by 48%. A 100 basis-point change in the discount rate used for the goodwill assessment over this reporting unit as of December 31, 2024 would have increased or decreased the goodwill impairment recognized by 15%. A 200 basis-point change in the discount rate used for the goodwill assessment over this reporting unit as of December 31, 2024 would have increased or decreased the goodwill impairment recognized by 30%. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
As of December 31, 2024, our assessment of the remaining goodwill at each of our other reporting units, totaling $787.9 million, indicates they are not impaired (NOTE 7 of the consolidated financial statements details the changes in the goodwill balance).
Overview of Current Business Environment
The commercial real estate (CRE) market, and in particular the multifamily sector is experiencing a challenging environment shaped by elevated interest rates that are directly impacting the cost and availability of capital, slower rent growth that is impacting growth expectations and asset valuations, and macroeconomic uncertainties that are impacting overall demand for transactions. Although these factors have all shown signs of improvement throughout 2024, indicating a recovery may be underway, these factors generally negatively impacted the commercial real estate transactions market throughout 2024.
Interest Rates & Cost of Capital: The Federal Open Market Committee’s (“FOMC”) aggressive rate hikes over the past two years materially increased the cost of capital for commercial real estate operators. Higher borrowing costs have reduced leverage, pressured debt service coverage ratios, and led to valuation declines as cap rates adjust. While some investors remain active, deal flow has slowed as buyers and sellers struggle to align on pricing in an environment of heightened uncertainty. The FOMC decreased its target Federal Funds Rate at three of its last four meetings, lowering the target rate to 4.25% to 4.50% at its December 2024 meeting. The FOMC has indicated rates will remain elevated for longer, and the market is expecting few rate cuts in 2025 as a result. This should have the effect of stabilizing interest rates, albeit higher than many investors in commercial real estate hoped. The FOMC’s future rate policy will be a key driver of transaction volume and capital markets activity. A pronounced pause in rate hikes or additional rate cuts could unlock demand and improve financing conditions for commercial real estate assets.
Capital Availability & Lending Markets: During the period of rapid interest rate increases by the FOMC from March 2022 through the end of 2023, liquidity was constrained as lenders found it difficult to effectively price their long-term cost of capital. As interest rates have stabilized, capital has grown more abundant. Banks, life insurance companies, conduits (CMBS), and debt funds remain active but are selective, with a preference for high-quality assets and well-capitalized sponsors. Meanwhile, the availability of equity capital has also tightened, making it more challenging for sponsors to secure financing for acquisitions or refinancings. The GSEs, the predominant suppliers of capital to the multifamily market, deployed $120 billion of capital to the industry in 2024, up from $101 billion in 2023. Entering 2025, the GSE’s lending caps were set at combined $146 billion, providing them a 22% increase in capacity over 2024 volumes. As Fannie Mae’s largest partner for six consecutive years, and Freddie Mac’s fourth largest partner in 2024, their participation in the market is a significant driver of our financial performance and a material increase in their lending activity would enhance our business and results from operations.
Multifamily Rent Growth & Asset Values: Rent growth has slowed considerably over the past 12-18 months, particularly in high-supply Sun Belt markets. This has made it difficult for net operating income (NOI) growth to offset valuation declines caused by elevated interest rates. Markets with strong job growth and in-migration continue to see rent increases, with Zelman, our housing
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research arm, reporting national rent growth of approximately 2% in 2024, a pace that is far below the aggressive rent growth seen in 2021 and 2022. According to MSCI, in December 2024, multifamily property prices remained stable month-over-month but were down 4.2% compared to the previous year. Notably, multifamily prices have declined by 19.6% from their peak, but remain 11.9% above pre-COVID January 2020 levels.
Other Macroeconomic Considerations: The national unemployment rate remained low at 4.1% in December 2024. According to RealPage, vacancies in the multifamily sector stabilized around 5.2% as of December 2024, down from 5.8% in December 2023. An all-time high number of multifamily units were delivered to the sector in 2024, particularly in high demand Sun Belt markets. Most of those units were absorbed in 2024, and we expect that absorption will continue into the first half of 2025. Looking forward, multifamily completions are anticipated to decrease significantly due to stalled new construction starts in 2023 and 2024, largely driven by tighter liquidity. Long term, we believe the fundamentals for multifamily properties will trend positively due to constrained supply resulting from reduced construction starts, recent negative trends in household formation and a lack of entry-level single-family homes driving strong demand for rental housing in many areas.
Despite the current headwinds, multifamily remains one of the most resilient asset classes in CRE. Market participants are adjusting to current conditions and we expect the market to continue recovering and transaction activity to continue to increase. Improving conditions in the second half of 2024 led to increased transaction volumes across nearly all aspects of our business during 2024, which surged to $39.9 billion with notable increases in Brokered (37%), GSE (11%) and property sales (11%) transaction volumes compared to last year. Consequently, our Capital Markets segment produced net income of $66.7 million in 2024, up 62% compared to 2023.
Our Servicing & Asset Management segment is not directly correlated to the transaction markets like our Capital Markets segment. This segment’s total managed portfolio of $153.7 billion as of December 31, 2024 was up 4% from December 31, 2023, and included our $135.3 billion loan servicing portfolio and our $18.4 billion of assets under management. Total revenues for the segment grew 5%, to $591.6 million, while net income decreased 5%, to $157.8 million, in 2024 compared to 2023, although net income showed signs of improvement in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 2023. The revenues from the servicing portfolio have benefitted from higher short-term interest rates. We hold escrow deposits on behalf of our servicing portfolio and place those deposits with large, multinational banks that earn close to Fed Funds. We expect these revenues to decline moving forward as the FOMC eventually reduces interest rates. Over the past two years, we have shifted our focus to scaling our assets under management, and in the fourth quarter of 2024 we successfully closed a first round of $200 million of equity capital for Debt Fund II from life insurance companies, pension funds, high net worth investors and Walker & Dunlop. Debt Fund II will provide our investment management team with over $500 million of levered capital to deploy into transitional multifamily assets. We expect the revenues of our investment management business to grow as capital is raised and deployed. This segment also includes the activities of WDAE, an alternative investment manager focused on affordable housing, including LIHTC syndication and joint venture development. We ranked as the eighth largest LIHTC syndicator in 2024 and continue to pursue combined LIHTC syndication and affordable housing services to generate significant long-term financing, property sales, and syndication opportunities. We expect the revenues for WDAE to remain fairly stable moving forward, as the realization revenues from our historical LIHTC investments are tied to the underlying value of the affordable assets, and we do not expect a material increase in the value of affordable assets in the near term due to the aforementioned macroeconomic challenges facing the commercial real estate sector.
Factors That May Impact Our Operating Results
We believe that our results are affected by a number of factors, including the items discussed below.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Performance of Multifamily and Other Commercial Real Estate Related Markets. Our business is dependent on the general demand for, and value of, commercial real estate and related services, particularly multifamily, which are sensitive to long-term mortgage interest rates and other macroeconomic conditions and the continued existence of the GSEs multifamily business. Demand for multifamily and other commercial real estate generally increases during stronger economic environments, resulting in increased property values, property sales, transaction volumes, and loan origination volumes. During weaker economic environments, multifamily and other commercial real estate may experience higher property vacancies, lower demand and reduced values. These conditions can result in lower property sales volume and loan origination volume, as well as an increased level of servicer advances and losses from our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Level of Losses from Fannie Mae Risk-Sharing Obligations. Under the Fannie Mae DUS program, we share risk of loss on most loans we sell to Fannie Mae. In the majority of cases, we absorb the first 5% of any losses on the loan’s unpaid principal balance at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss generally capped at 20% of the loan’s unpaid principal balance on the origination date. As a result, a rise in defaults on loans in our at-risk portfolio could have a material adverse effect on us, including our profitability and liquidity. |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Price of Loans in the Secondary Market. Our profitability is determined in part by the price we are paid for the loans we originate. A component of our origination related revenues is the premium we recognize on the sale of a loan. Stronger investor demand typically results in larger premiums while weaker demand results in little to no premium. Prices for new loans have not been materially impacted during this period of rising, and now higher, interest rates. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Market for Servicing Commercial Real Estate Loans. Servicing fee rates for new loans are set at the time we enter into a loan sale commitment based on origination fees, competition, prepayment rates, and any risk-sharing obligations we undertake. Changes in servicing fee rates impact the value of our MSRs and future servicing revenues, which could impact our profit margins and operating results immediately and over time. During the period of rapidly rising interest rates our fees for servicing new loans, particularly Fannie Mae loans, were under downward pressure to reduce the overall cost of borrowing to our clients. As interest rates have stabilized, along with the associated cost of capital, our servicing fees on new loans have also stabilized, albeit at lower levels than prior to this period of higher interest rates. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Overall Loan Origination Mix. The loan product mix we originate can significantly impact our overall operating results. For example, an increase in loan origination volume for our two highest-margin products, Fannie Mae and HUD loans, without a change in total loan origination volume would increase our overall profitability, while a decrease in the loan origination volume of these two products without a change in total loan origination volume would decrease our overall profitability, all else being equal. The higher profitability for Fannie Mae and HUD loans is largely driven by higher revenues attributable to the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Affordable Housing Market. The profitability of our LIHTC operations is impacted by the demand for and the financial performance of the affordable housing market and the continued existence of federal income tax credits for these properties. For example, we earn syndication fees based on new funds we are able to syndicate for investors and asset management fees based on performance of the underlying LIHTC properties and dispositions of these properties. Strong demand for LIHTC properties typically results in opportunities for syndication of LIHTC funds and high prices for dispositions. |
Revenues
Loan Origination and Debt Brokerage Fees, net. Loan origination fee revenue is recognized when we record a derivative asset upon the simultaneous commitments to originate a loan with a borrower and sell to an investor or when a loan that we broker closes with the institutional lender. The commitment asset related to the loan origination fee is recognized at fair value, which reflects the fair value of the contractual loan origination related fees and any sale premiums, net of co-broker fees. Also included in revenues from loan origination activities are changes to the fair value of loan commitments, forward sale commitments, and loans held for sale that occur during their respective holding periods. Upon sale of the loans, no gains or losses are recognized as these loans are recorded at fair value during their holding periods.
Brokered loans tend to have lower origination fees because they often require less time to execute, there is more competition for brokerage assignments, and because the borrower will also have to pay an origination fee to the institutional lender. Loan origination fee revenue for brokered loans is recognized when we have completed the services for the loan to be originated by the institutional lender.
Premiums received on the sale of a loan result when a loan is sold to an investor for more than its face value. There are various reasons investors may pay a premium when purchasing a loan. For example, the fixed rate on the loan may be higher than the rate of return required by an investor or the characteristics of a particular loan may be desirable to an investor. We do not receive premiums on brokered loans, since we do not originate the loan.
Fair Value of Expected Net Cash Flows from Servicing, net. Revenue related to expected net cash flows from servicing is recognized at the loan commitment date, similar to the loan origination fees, as described above. The derivative asset is recognized at fair value, which reflects the estimated fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, reduced by the estimated fair value of any guaranty obligations to be assumed. MSRs and guaranty obligations are recognized as assets and liabilities, respectively, upon the sale of the loans.
MSRs are recorded at fair value upon loan sale. The fair value is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights. The estimated net cash flows are discounted at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the loan.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for these revenues.
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Servicing Fees. We service nearly all loans we originate and some loans we broker. We earn servicing fees for performing certain loan servicing functions such as processing loan, tax, and insurance payments and managing escrow balances. Servicing generally also includes asset management functions, such as monitoring the physical condition of the property, analyzing the financial condition and liquidity of the borrower, and performing loss mitigation activities as directed by the Agencies.
Our servicing fees on loans we originate provide a stable revenue stream. They are based on contractual terms, are earned over the life of the loan, and are generally not subject to significant prepayment risk. Our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicing agreements generally provide for prepayment fees in the event of a voluntary prepayment. Accordingly, we currently do not hedge our servicing portfolio for prepayment risk. Any prepayment fees received are included in Other revenues.
HUD has the right to terminate our current servicing engagements for cause. In addition to termination for cause, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may terminate our servicing engagements without cause by paying a termination fee. Institutional investors typically may terminate our servicing engagements for brokered loans at any time with or without cause, without paying a termination fee.
Property Sales Broker Fees. We earn property broker sales fee revenue when our investment sales team completes the sale of a multifamily investment property or land real estate. The amount of the property sales brokers fees we earn is based upon a percentage of the final sale price of the investment sold.
Investment Management Fees. We manage invested capital from third-party investors through an investment fund structure. The capital placed into the investment fund is utilized to make investments in commercial real estate investment opportunities, primarily as equity in commercial real estate operating partnerships or LIHTC-generating multifamily properties. Additionally, we may utilize the capital to fund debt financing opportunities through certain investment funds, primarily to multifamily owner-operators. We earn an investment management or asset management fee based on a contractual percentage of the invested capital. For market-rate investments, we earn and collect the investment management fees through the returns of the investment funds. For LIHTC investments, we collect the asset management fees (“AMF”) through the combination of current payments and asset dispositions. NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of the accounting for AMF revenues.
Net Warehouse Interest Income (Expense)—We earn warehouse interest income net of warehouse interest expense. Warehouse interest income is the interest earned from loans held for sale and loans held for investment. Generally, a substantial portion of our loans is financed with matched borrowings under one of our warehouse facilities. The remaining portion of loans not funded with matched borrowings is financed with our own cash. Occasionally, we also fully fund a small number of loans held for sale or loans held for investment with our own cash. Warehouse interest expense is incurred on borrowings used to fund loans solely while they are held for sale or for investment. Warehouse interest income and expense are earned or incurred on loans held for sale after a loan is closed and before a loan is sold. Warehouse interest income and expense are earned or incurred on loans held for investment after a loan is closed and before a loan is repaid. NOTE 6 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details regarding our warehouse facilities.
Placement Fees and Other Interest Income. We earn fee income on property-level escrow deposits held on behalf of borrowers in our servicing portfolio, generally based on a fixed or variable placement fee negotiated with the financial institutions that hold the escrow deposits. Placement fees reflect the fees net of interest paid to the borrower, if required. Also included with placement fees and other interest income are interest earnings from our cash and cash equivalents and interest income earned on our pledged securities and other investments.
Other Revenues. Other revenues are comprised of fees for processing loan assumptions, prepayment fee income, application fees, appraisal revenues, income from equity-method investments, syndication, and certain other revenues from our LIHTC operations, and other miscellaneous revenues related to our operations.
Costs and Expenses
Personnel. Personnel expense includes the cost of employee compensation and benefits, which include fixed and discretionary amounts tied to company and individual performance, commissions, severance expense, signing and retention bonuses, and share-based compensation.
Amortization and depreciation. Amortization and depreciation is principally comprised of amortization of our MSRs, net of amortization of our guaranty obligations. The MSRs are amortized using the interest method over the period that servicing income is expected to be received. We amortize the guaranty obligations evenly over their expected lives. When the loan underlying an MSR prepays, we write-off the remaining unamortized balance, net of any related guaranty obligation, and record the write off to Amortization and depreciation. Similarly, when the loan underlying an MSR defaults, we write the MSR off to Amortization and depreciation. We depreciate property, plant, and equipment ratably over their estimated useful lives.
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Amortization and depreciation also includes the amortization and write-off of intangible assets, principally related to the amortization of asset management fee contracts, research subscription contracts, intellectual property, and other intangible assets recognized in connection with acquisitions. For the years presented in the Consolidated Statements of Income, the amortization of intangible assets relates primarily to intangible assets associated with our acquisitions in 2021 and 2022.
Provision (benefit) for credit losses. The provision (benefit) for credit losses consists primarily of the provision associated with our risk-sharing loans, including pre-securitized Freddie Mac SBL loans. The provision (benefit) for credit losses associated with risk-sharing loans is estimated on a collective basis when a loan is sold to Fannie Mae and is based on our current expected credit losses on the current portfolio from loan sale to maturity. When a loan is probable of default (in foreclosure) and thus collateral dependent, the loan is taken out of the collective evaluation and individually evaluated for credit losses. Our estimates of property fair value are based on appraisals, broker opinions of value, or net operating income and market capitalization rates, whichever we believe is the best estimate of the net disposition value. Also included is a provision (benefit) for loan and other credit losses related to indemnified Agency loans. Given the nature and performance of these loans, we individually evaluate these loans for credit losses as described above.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for the provision (benefit) for credit losses.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt includes interest expense from our term debt, which includes the term loan and any additional borrowings under that agreement, and borrowings of a subsidiary associated with our LIHTC operations and amortization of debt discount and deferred debt issuance costs primarily related to our term loan and incremental term loan. NOTE 6 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of our term debt.
Goodwill impairment. Goodwill impairment is the write-down of our goodwill balance resulting from either our annual impairment testing or our quarterly evaluations of recoverability.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. Fair value adjustments to our contingent consideration liabilities are the adjustments to the estimated fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities remeasured at the end of each reporting period. As noted below, the accretion of contingent consideration liabilities is included in other operating expenses.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 8 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Other operating expenses. Other operating expenses include facilities costs, travel and entertainment costs, marketing costs, professional fees, losses on debt extinguishment, accretion of contingent consideration liabilities, corporate insurance premiums, software costs, and other general and administrative expenses.
Income tax expense. The Company is a C-corporation subject to federal, state, and international corporate tax. Our estimated combined statutory federal, state, and international tax rate was 25.1%, 26.1%, and 26.1% for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. Except for the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Reform”), our combined statutory tax rate has historically not varied significantly as the only material difference in the calculation of the combined statutory tax rate from year to year is the apportionment of our taxable income amongst the various states where we are subject to taxation since our foreign operations are (i) immaterial and (ii) taxed at a rate similar to our blended federal and state tax rate. Absent additional significant legislative changes to statutory tax rates (particularly the federal tax rate), we expect low deviation from the 2024 combined statutory tax rate for future years. However, we do expect some variability in the effective tax rate going forward due to excess tax benefits recognized and limitations on the deductibility of certain book expenses as a result of Tax Reform, primarily related to executive compensation.
Consolidated Results of Operations
The following is a discussion of the comparison of our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. The financial results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Our annual results have fluctuated in the past and are expected to fluctuate in the future, reflecting the interest-rate environment, the volume of transactions, business acquisitions, regulatory actions, and general economic conditions. Discussions of our results of operations and comparisons between 2023 and 2022 can be found in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.
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SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Transaction Volume (in thousands) | | | | | | |
| Debt Financing Volume | $ | 30,154,666 | | $ | 24,202,859 | |
| Property Sales Volume | 9,751,223 | | 8,784,537 | | ||
| Total Transaction Volume | $ | 39,905,889 | | $ | 32,987,396 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics (in thousands, except per share data) | | | | | | |
| Operating margin | | 12 | % | | 13 | % |
| Return on equity | | 6 | | | 6 | |
| Walker & Dunlop net income | $ | 108,167 | | $ | 107,357 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(1) | | 328,549 | | | 300,123 | |
| Diluted EPS | | 3.19 | | | 3.18 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Expense Metrics (as a percentage of total revenues) | | | | | | |
| Personnel expenses | | 49 | % | | 49 | % |
| Other operating expenses | | 12 | | | 11 | |
| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | As of December 31, | ||||
| Managed Portfolio (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | |||
| Servicing Portfolio | $ | 135,287,012 | | $ | 130,471,524 |
| Assets under management | | 18,423,463 | | | 17,321,452 |
| Total Managed Portfolio | $ | 153,710,475 | | $ | 147,792,976 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure.” |
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Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2023
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of our financial results for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
FINANCIAL RESULTS –2024 COMPARED TO 2023 CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | |||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | | $ | 276,562 | | $ | 234,409 | | $ | 42,153 | | 18 | % | |
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net | | | 153,593 | | | 141,917 | | | 11,676 | | 8 | | |
| Servicing fees | | 325,644 | | 311,914 | | 13,730 | | 4 | | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | | 60,583 | | | 53,966 | | | 6,617 | | 12 | | |
| Investment management fees | | | 36,976 | | | 45,381 | | | (8,405) | | (19) | | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense) | | (7,033) | | (5,633) | | (1,400) | | 25 | | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | | 167,961 | | 154,520 | | 13,441 | | 9 | | | |||
| Other revenues | | 118,204 | | 117,966 | | 238 | | 0 | | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 1,132,490 | | $ | 1,054,440 | | $ | 78,050 | | 7 | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 559,246 | | $ | 514,290 | | $ | 44,956 | | 9 | % | |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 237,549 | | | 226,752 | | | 10,797 | | 5 | | |
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | 10,839 | | (10,452) | | 21,291 | | (204) | | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 69,686 | | 68,476 | | 1,210 | | 2 | | | |||
| Goodwill impairment | | | 33,000 | | | 62,000 | | | (29,000) | | (47) | | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | (50,321) | | | (62,500) | | | 12,179 | | (19) | | |
| Other operating expenses | | 140,990 | | 117,677 | | 23,313 | | 20 | | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 1,000,989 | | $ | 916,243 | | $ | 84,746 | | 9 | | |
| Income from operations | | $ | 131,501 | | $ | 138,197 | | $ | (6,696) | | (5) | | |
| Income tax expense | | 30,543 | | 35,026 | | (4,483) | | (13) | | | |||
| Net income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 100,958 | | $ | 103,171 | | $ | (2,213) | | (2) | | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | (7,209) | | (4,186) | | (3,023) | 72 | | | ||||
| Walker & Dunlop net income | | $ | 108,167 | | $ | 107,357 | | $ | 810 | | 1 | | |
Overview
The increase in revenues was driven by increases in loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net (“origination fees”), fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net (“MSR income”), servicing fees, property sales broker fees, and placement fees and other interest income, partially offset by a decrease in investment management fees. Origination fees and MSR income increased largely as a result of a 23% increase in overall debt financing volume. The increase in servicing fees was primarily driven by an increase in the average servicing portfolio. Property sales broker fees increased primarily due to an 11% increase in property sales volume. Placement fees and other interest income increased primarily as a result of higher fee arrangements with our financial partners and higher average escrow balances. Investment management fees decreased largely as a result of a decline in asset management fees from our LIHTC operations.
The increase in expenses was due to increases in personnel costs, amortization and depreciation, provision (benefit) for credit losses, other operating expenses, and lower fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities, partially offset by lower goodwill impairment. Personnel costs increased, largely due to increases in variable compensation costs for our salespeople as a result of our higher transaction volumes and subjective bonus compensation due to our improved financial performance. Amortization and depreciation increased largely due to the write-off of intangible assets related to the pending sale of a portfolio of assets by our LIHTC subsidiary combined with a smaller increase in amortization of MSRs. Provision (benefit) for credit losses changed from a benefit to a provision, primarily due to provision for losses related to repurchased loans. Other operating expenses increased largely as a result of increased travel and entertainment mostly related to our all-company meeting, with no comparable activity in 2023, software costs associated with automation efforts, and expenses associated with repurchased loans. Additionally, the results for 2023 include the write off of unamortized premium from corporate debt repayment, which reduced other operating expenses, with no comparable activity in 2024. Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration decreased due to the larger adjustments in 2023 due to the challenging market conditions related to one of our reporting units that impacted the estimated fair
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value of future earnout payments more acutely than in 2024. Goodwill impairment decreased due a decrease in the size of the impairment and number of reporting units impacted.
Income Tax Expense. The decrease in income tax expense primarily relates to a 5% decrease in income from operations combined with a decrease in the blended statutory tax rate from 26.1% to 25.1% and several one-time tax benefits during the year ended December 31, 2024.
A discussion of the financial results for our segments is included further below.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we use adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure. The presentation of adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. When analyzing our operating performance, readers should use adjusted EBITDA in addition to, and not as an alternative for, net income. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before income taxes, interest expense on our corporate debt, and amortization and depreciation, adjusted for provision (benefit) for credit losses, net write-offs based on the final resolution of the defaulted loans or collateral, stock-based incentive compensation charges, the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net, the write off of unamortized balance of premium associated with the repayment of a portion of our corporate debt, the gain from revaluation of a previously held equity-method investment, goodwill impairment, and contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments when the fair value adjustment is a triggering event for a goodwill impairment assessment. In cases where the fair value adjustment of contingent consideration liabilities is a trigger for goodwill impairment, the goodwill impairment is netted against the fair value adjustment of contingent consideration liabilities and included as a net number. Because not all companies use identical calculations, our presentation of adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Furthermore, adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for our management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect certain cash requirements such as tax and debt service payments. The amounts shown for adjusted EBITDA may also differ from the amounts calculated under similarly titled definitions in our debt instruments, which are further adjusted to reflect certain other cash and non-cash charges that are used to determine compliance with financial covenants.
We use adjusted EBITDA to evaluate the operating performance of our business, for comparison with forecasts and strategic plans, and for benchmarking performance externally against competitors. We believe that this non-GAAP measure, when read in conjunction with our GAAP financials, provides useful information to investors by offering:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of our ongoing operating results; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to better identify trends in our underlying business and perform related trend analyses; and |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | a better understanding of how management plans and measures our underlying business. |
We believe that adjusted EBITDA has limitations in that it does not reflect all of the amounts associated with our results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that adjusted EBITDA should only be used to evaluate our results of operations in conjunction with net income.
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Adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | ||||
| | | December 31, | | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Reconciliation of Walker & Dunlop Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | | |
| Walker & Dunlop Net Income | | $ | 108,167 | | $ | 107,357 | |
| Income tax expense | | 30,543 | | 35,026 | | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 69,686 | | 68,476 | | ||
| Amortization and depreciation | | 237,549 | | 226,752 | | ||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | 10,839 | | (10,452) | | ||
| Net write-offs(1) | | (468) | | (8,041) | | ||
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 27,326 | | 27,842 | | ||
| MSR income | | (153,593) | | (141,917) | | ||
| Write off of unamortized premium from corporate debt repayment | | | — | | | (4,420) | |
| Goodwill impairment, net of contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments(2) | | | (1,500) | | | (500) | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 328,549 | | $ | 300,123 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | The net write-off for the year ended December 31, 2023 includes the $6.0 million write-off of a collateral-based reserve related to a loan held for investment. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | For the year ended December 31, 2024, includes goodwill impairment of $33.0 million and contingent consideration fair value adjustment of $34.5 million. For the year ended December 31, 2023, includes goodwill impairment of $62.0 million and contingent consideration fair value adjustment of $62.5 million. |
Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2023
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of our adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:
ADJUSTED EBITDA–2024 COMPARED TO 2023
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | $ | 276,562 | | $ | 234,409 | | $ | 42,153 | | 18 | % |
| Servicing fees | 325,644 | | 311,914 | | 13,730 | | 4 | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | 60,583 | | | 53,966 | | | 6,617 | | 12 | |
| Investment management fees | | 36,976 | | | 45,381 | | | (8,405) | | (19) | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense) | (7,033) | | (5,633) | | (1,400) | | 25 | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | 167,961 | | 154,520 | | 13,441 | | 9 | | |||
| Other revenues | 125,413 | | 122,152 | | 3,261 | | 3 | | |||
| Personnel | (531,920) | | (486,448) | | (45,472) | | 9 | | |||
| Net write-offs(1) | (468) | | (8,041) | | 7,573 | | (94) | | |||
| Other operating expenses(2) | (125,169) | | (122,097) | | (3,072) | | 3 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 328,549 | | $ | 300,123 | | $ | 28,426 | | 9 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | The net write-off for the year ended December 31, 2023 includes the $6.0 million write-off of a collateral-based reserve related to a loan held for investment. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | Other operating expenses includes a beneficial adjustment for the fair value of contingent consideration liability not related to a goodwill impairment triggering event of $15.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, with no comparable activity for the year ended December 31, 2023. |
The increase in origination fees was primarily related to an increase in the overall debt financing volumes year over year. Servicing fees increased mainly due to an increase in the average servicing portfolio. Property sales broker fees increased largely as a result of an increase in property sales volume year over year. Investment management fees decreased primarily due to a decline in asset management fees from our LIHTC operations due to the sustained challenging market conditions. Placement fees and other interest income increased primarily as a result
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of higher average escrow balances. The increase in personnel costs was largely due to increases in variable compensation costs for our salespeople as a result of our higher transaction volumes and subjective bonus compensation due to our financial performance. Net write-offs decreased primarily due to a $6.0 million write off of a loan held for investment in 2023 with only a small write-off in 2024. Other operating expenses increased largely as a result of increased travel and entertainment, software costs, and expenses associated with repurchased loans, partially offset by an increase in beneficial fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities.
Financial Condition
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Our cash flows from operating activities are generated from loan sales, servicing fees, placement fees, net warehouse interest income, property sales broker fees, investment management fees, research subscription fees, investment banking advisory fees, and other income, net of loan origination and operating costs. Our cash flows from operating activities are impacted by the fees generated by our loan originations and property sales, the timing of loan closings, and the period of time loans are held for sale in the warehouse loan facility prior to delivery to the investor.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
We usually lease facilities and equipment for our operations. Our cash flows from investing activities also include the funding and repayment of loans held for investment, including repurchased loans, contributions to and distributions from joint ventures, purchases of equity-method investments, and the purchase of available-for-sale (“AFS”) securities pledged to Fannie Mae.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
We use our warehouse loan facilities and, when necessary, our corporate cash to fund loan closings, both for loans held for sale and loans held for investment. We believe that our current warehouse loan facilities are adequate to meet our loan origination needs. Historically, we used a combination of long-term debt and cash flows from operating activities to fund large acquisitions. Additionally, we repurchase shares, pay cash dividends, make long-term debt principal payments, and repay short-term borrowings on a regular basis. We issue stock primarily in connection with the exercise of stock options and for acquisitions (non-cash transactions).
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Years Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to Years Ended December 31, 2023
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the significant components of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
SIGNIFICANT COMPONENTS OF CASH FLOWS – 2024 COMPARED TO 2023
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | | $ | 129,359 | | $ | (518) | | $ | 129,877 | | (25,073) | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | | (38,135) | | 126,869 | | (165,004) | | (130) | | |||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | | (154,729) | | 6,769 | | (161,498) | | (2,386) | | |||
| Total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period ("Total cash") | | | 327,898 | | | 391,403 | | | (63,505) | | (16) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) operating activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net receipt (use) of cash for loan origination activity | | $ | (23,629) | | $ | (179,624) | | $ | 155,995 | | (87) | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, excluding loan origination activity | | | 152,988 | | | 179,106 | | | (26,118) | | (15) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) investing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Purchases of pledged AFS securities | | $ | (51,400) | | $ | (12,548) | | $ | (38,852) | | 310 | % |
| Purchases of equity-method investments | | | (19,406) | | | (24,679) | | | 5,273 | | (21) | |
| Principal collected on loans held for investment | | 55,701 | | 160,662 | | (104,961) | | (65) | | |||
| Originations and repurchase of loans held for investment | | | (37,928) | | | — | | | (37,928) | | N/A | |
| Other investing activities, net | | | 18,316 | | | 8,956 | | | 9,360 | | 105 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) financing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Borrowings (repayments) of warehouse notes payable, net | | $ | 33,705 | | $ | 189,736 | | $ | (156,031) | | (82) | % |
| Repayments of interim warehouse notes payable | | (25,585) | | | (119,835) | | 94,250 | | (79) | | ||
| Repayments of notes payable | | | (8,019) | | | (122,046) | | | 114,027 | | (93) | |
| Borrowings of note payable | | | — | | | 196,000 | | | (196,000) | | (100) | |
| Payment of contingent consideration | | | (34,317) | | | (26,090) | | | (8,227) | | 32 | |
| Repurchase of common stock | | | (12,381) | | | (20,511) | | | 8,130 | | (40) | |
| Purchase of noncontrolling interests | | | (17,709) | | | — | | | (17,709) | | N/A | |
Operating Activities
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities changed due to:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Loan origination activity. Agency loans originated are held for short periods of time, generally less than 60 days, and impact cash flows presented as of a point in time due to the timing difference between the date of origination and date of delivery. The decrease in net cash used in loan origination activities is primarily attributable to originations outpacing sales by $23.6 million in 2024 compared to $179.6 million in 2023. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Other activities. Cash flows provided by other operating activities were $153.0 million in 2024, down from $179.1 million in 2023. The primary reasons for the change were an increase in the changes in other assets and receivables of $71.6 million and decrease in the adjustments for goodwill impairment of $29.0 million and MSR income of $11.7 million, partially offset by increases in the adjustments for credit losses of $21.3 million, amortization and depreciation of $10.8 million, and fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities of $12.2 million and increases in the change in other liabilities of $36.6 million and other operating activities of $4.1 million. |
Investing Activities
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities changed due to:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | AFS securities. Purchases of AFS securities increased during 2024 as we reinvested proceeds from the prepayment of AFS securities. |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Principal collected on loans held for investment. The principal collected on loans held for investment decreased, as we have been winding down our Interim Loan Program (“ILP”) loans over the past several years as our transitional lending opportunities have been funded using third-party capital raised by our investment management business, WDIP. As of the beginning of 2024, we only had two ILP loans on our balance sheet, compared to nine loans as of the beginning of 2023. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (iii) | Originations and repurchase of loans held for investment. The increase was primarily due to Agency loan repurchases during 2024 with no comparable activity in 2023 and the origination of a short-term bridge loan during 2024 compared to minimal originations in 2023. |
Partially offsetting the aforementioned changes that decreased cash were the following activities that decreased cash:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Purchases of equity-method investments: Purchases of equity-method investments decreased as we received fewer capital calls on our equity method investments in 2024 than in 2023. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Other investing activities, net. The increase was primarily due to an increase in distributions from our Interim Program JV as the JV is winding down. |
Financing Activities
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities changed due to:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Net borrowings of warehouse notes payable. The decrease was due to the aforementioned decrease in net cash used in loan origination activity. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Borrowings of note payable. The decrease was attributable to an additional borrowing under our Term Loan (as discussed in Liquidity and Capital Resources below) in 2023, with no comparable activity in 2024. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (iii) | Payment of contingent consideration. The increase was due to earnout targets being met by one of our larger contingent consideration liabilities at a higher rate in 2024 than in 2023. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (iv) | Purchase of noncontrolling interests. 2024 included the purchase of interests from two noncontrolling interest holders with no comparable activity in 2023. |
Partially offsetting the aforementioned changes that decreased cash were the following activities that increased cash:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Repayments of interim warehouse notes payable. The decrease was due to the aforementioned decrease in net principal collected on loans held for investment. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (ii) | Repayments of notes payable. In 2023, we had an additional borrowing under our Term Loan (as defined in Liquidity and Capital Resources below), a portion of which was used to repay a note payable at one of our subsidiaries, with no comparable activity in 2024. The activity in 2024 represents routine quarterly principal payments on our Term Loan. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (iii) | Repurchase of common stock. The decrease in repurchases of common stock was related to a decrease in the number and value of employee stock vesting events related to previously issued equity grants under our various share-based compensation plans. |
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Segment Results
The Company is managed based on our three reportable segments: (i) Capital Markets (“CM”), (ii) Servicing & Asset Management (“SAM”), and (iii) Corporate. The segment results below are intended to present each of the reportable segments on a stand-alone basis.
Capital Markets
Our CM segment provides a comprehensive range of commercial real estate finance products to our customers, including Agency lending, debt brokerage, property sales, and appraisal and valuation services. The Company’s long-established relationships with the Agencies and institutional investors enable our CM segment to offer a broad range of loan products and services to the Company’s customers, including first mortgage, second trust, supplemental, construction, mezzanine, preferred equity, and small-balance loans. This segment also provides property sales services to owners and developers of multifamily properties and commercial real estate and multifamily property appraisals for various lenders and investors. The CM segment also provides real estate-related investment banking and advisory services, including housing market research.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | Dollar | Percentage | |||||||
| | | 2024 | 2023 | Change | | Change | ||||||
| Transaction Volume (in thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Components of Debt Financing Volume | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 7,641,161 | | $ | 7,021,397 | | $ | 619,764 | | 9 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 5,227,550 | | 4,568,935 | | | 658,615 | | 14 | | ||
| Ginnie Mae ̶ HUD | | 588,529 | | 678,889 | | | (90,360) | | (13) | | ||
| Brokered(1) | | 16,093,776 | | 11,714,888 | | 4,378,888 | | 37 | | |||
| Total Debt Financing Volume | | $ | 29,551,016 | | $ | 23,984,109 | | $ | 5,566,907 | | 23 | % |
| Property sales volume | | | 9,751,223 | | | 8,784,537 | | | 966,686 | | 11 | |
| Total Transaction Volume | | $ | 39,302,239 | | $ | 32,768,646 | | $ | 6,533,593 | | 20 | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics (in thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net income | | $ | 66,664 | | $ | 41,180 | | | 25,484 | | 62 | % |
| Adjusted EBITDA(2) | | | (28,258) | | | (46,333) | | | 18,075 | | (39) | |
| Operating margin | | | 17 | % | | 12 | % | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Key Revenue Metrics (as a percentage of debt financing volume) | | | | | | | | | | |||
| Origination fees | | | 0.92 | % | | 0.97 | % | | | | | |
| MSR income | | | 0.52 | | | 0.59 | | | | | | |
| MSR income, as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume | | | 1.14 | | | 1.16 | | | | | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered transactions for life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other capital sources. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure.” |
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FINANCIAL RESULTS–2024 COMPARED TO 2023
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Origination fees | | $ | 271,996 | | $ | 232,625 | | $ | 39,371 | | 17 | % |
| MSR income | | | 153,593 | | | 141,917 | | | 11,676 | | 8 | |
| Property sales broker fees | | | 60,583 | | | 53,966 | | | 6,617 | | 12 | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense), loans held for sale | | (8,780) | | (9,497) | | 717 | | (8) | | |||
| Other revenues | | 47,449 | | 57,755 | | (10,306) | | (18) | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 524,841 | | $ | 476,766 | | $ | 48,075 | | 10 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 399,256 | | $ | 375,450 | | $ | 23,806 | | 6 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 4,551 | | 4,550 | | 1 | | 0 | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 19,489 | | | 18,779 | | | 710 | | 4 | |
| Goodwill impairment | | | 33,000 | | | 62,000 | | | (29,000) | | (47) | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | (39,491) | | | (62,500) | | | 23,009 | | (37) | |
| Other operating expenses | | 20,744 | | 19,994 | | 750 | | 4 | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 437,549 | | $ | 418,273 | | $ | 19,276 | | 5 | |
| Income (loss) from operations | | $ | 87,292 | | $ | 58,493 | | $ | 28,799 | | 49 | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | 20,275 | | 14,824 | | 5,451 | | 37 | | |||
| Net income (loss) before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 67,017 | | $ | 43,669 | | $ | 23,348 | | 53 | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | 353 | | 2,489 | | (2,136) | (86) | | ||||
| Net income (loss) | | $ | 66,664 | | $ | 41,180 | | $ | 25,484 | | 62 | |
Revenues
Origination fees and MSR Income. The following tables provide additional information that helps explain changes in origination fees and MSR income year over year:
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended December 31, | | Basis Point | | Percentage | | |||||
| Mortgage Banking Details (basis points) | 2024 | | 2023 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Origination Fee Rate (1) | | 92 | | | 97 | | | (5) | | (5) | |
| MSR Rate (2) | | 52 | | | 59 | | | (7) | | (12) | |
| Agency MSR Rate (3) | | 114 | | | 116 | | | (2) | | (2) | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Origination fees as a percentage of total debt financing volume. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | MSR Income as a percentage of total debt financing volume, excluding the income and debt financing volume from principal lending and investing. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (3) | MSR Income as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume. |
The increase in origination fees were primarily the result of the 23% increase in debt financing volume, partially offset by a five-basis-point decrease in our origination fee rate. The decrease in the origination fee rate was driven by an increase in brokered debt financing volume as a percentage of total debt financing volume as seen above. Brokered debt financing volume has lower origination fees than Agency debt financing volume.
The increase in MSR income was attributable to a 10% increase in Agency debt financing volume, partially offset by a two-basis point decrease in the Agency MSR Rate seen above. The decrease in the Agency MSR Rate was primarily the result of an increase in Freddie Mac debt financing volumes as a percentage of total debt financing volumes shown above. Our Freddie Mac loans have lower weighted-average servicing fees (“WASF”) than our other products.
Property sales broker fees. The increase in property sales broker fees were driven principally by the 11% increase in the property sales volumes period over period.
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Other revenues. The decrease was primarily driven by a $14.3 million decrease in investment banking revenues, partially offset by a $3.4 million increase in appraisal revenues. The decrease in investment banking revenues was largely due to the closing of the largest investment banking advisory transaction in Company history during 2023 with no comparable activity in 2024. The increase in appraisal revenues was driven by the increase in debt financing transactions and growth in our appraisal services.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of an increase of $22.2 million in commission costs and $4.4 million in other production incentive costs due to higher origination fees and property sales broker fees. Partially offsetting the increase was a $3.0 million decrease in salaries and benefits costs and subjective bonus expenses as average headcount decreased for the segment from 822 in 2023 to 734 in 2024.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. The discussion of our consolidated results above has additional information related to the increase in interest expense on corporate debt.
Goodwill impairment. Goodwill impairment decreased due to the lower projected cash flows at one of our reporting units in the CM reportable segment compared to two reporting units in 2023. Additionally, the size of the impairment per reporting unit decreased in 2024 from 2023 as the challenging market conditions and related future expectations began to improve.
Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. The increase was driven by a decrease in the fair value adjustment to contingent consideration liabilities (“CCL”) of $23.0 million also caused by challenges in the forecasted macroeconomic conditions and transaction markets driving lower projected achievement of earnout hurdles, tied primarily to transaction activity and related revenues, resulting in a $39.5 million benefit in 2024 related to several acquisitions, compared to a $62.5 million benefit in 2023 related exclusively to the GeoPhy acquisition.
Income tax expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
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Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Capital Markets segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. CM adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Income (loss) | | $ | 66,664 | | $ | 41,180 |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | 20,275 | | 14,824 | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 19,489 | | | 18,779 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 4,551 | | | 4,550 |
| Stock-based compensation expense | | | 15,856 | | | 16,751 |
| MSR Income | | (153,593) | | (141,917) | ||
| Goodwill impairment, net of contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments(1) | | | (1,500) | | | (500) |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (28,258) | | $ | (46,333) |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | For the year ended December 31, 2024, included goodwill impairment of $33.0 million and contingent consideration fair value adjustment of $34.5 million. For the year ended December 31, 2023, included goodwill impairment of $62.0 million and contingent consideration fair value adjustment of $62.5 million. |
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of CM adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2024 COMPARED TO 2023
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Origination fees | $ | 271,996 | | $ | 232,625 | | $ | 39,371 | | 17 | % |
| Property sales broker fees | | 60,583 | | | 53,966 | | | 6,617 | | 12 | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense), loans held for sale | (8,780) | | (9,497) | | 717 | | (8) | | |||
| Other revenues | 47,096 | | 55,266 | | (8,170) | | (15) | | |||
| Personnel | (383,400) | | (358,699) | | (24,701) | | 7 | | |||
| Other operating expenses(1) | (15,753) | | (19,994) | | 4,241 | | (21) | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | (28,258) | | $ | (46,333) | | $ | 18,075 | | (39) | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Other operating expenses includes a beneficial adjustment for the fair value of contingent consideration liability not related to a goodwill impairment triggering event of $5.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, with no comparable activity for the year ended December 31, 2023. |
Origination fees increased due to an increase in our overall debt financing volume, partially offset by a decrease in our origination fee rate. Property sales broker fees increased as a result of the growth in property sales volumes. Other revenues decreased largely due to decreased investment banking revenues, partially offset by an increase in appraisal revenues. The increase in personnel expense was primarily due to increased commission and other production incentive costs due to the increase in origination fees, partially offset by a decrease in salaries and benefits to a lower average headcount for the segment. Other operating expenses decreased due to a larger beneficial adjustment to contingent consideration liabilities in 2024 than in 2023.
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Servicing & Asset Management
The SAM segment activities include: (i) servicing and asset-managing the portfolio of loans we (a) originate and sell to the Agencies, (b) broker to certain life insurance companies, and (c) originate through our principal lending and investing activities, and (ii) managing third-party capital invested in tax credit equity funds focused on the affordable housing sector and other commercial real estate.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | | Dollar | Percentage | |||||||
| Managed Portfolio (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | | Change | |||||||
| Components of Servicing Portfolio | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 68,196,744 | | $ | 63,699,106 | | $ | 4,497,638 | | 7 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 39,185,091 | | 39,330,545 | | | (145,454) | | (0) | | ||
| Ginnie Mae–HUD | | 10,847,265 | | 10,460,884 | | | 386,381 | | 4 | | ||
| Brokered (1) | | 17,057,912 | | 16,940,850 | | 117,062 | | 1 | | |||
| Principal Lending and Investing (2) | | — | | 40,139 | | | (40,139) | | (100) | | ||
| Total Servicing Portfolio | | $ | 135,287,012 | | $ | 130,471,524 | | $ | 4,815,488 | | 4 | % |
| Assets under management | | | 18,423,463 | | | 17,321,452 | | | 1,102,011 | | 6 | |
| Total Managed Portfolio | | $ | 153,710,475 | | $ | 147,792,976 | | $ | 5,917,499 | | 4 | % |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | Column 6 | Column 7 | Column 8 | Column 9 | Column 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | | | ||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | Percentage | |||||||
| Key Volume and Performance Metrics (in thousands) | | 2024 | | 2023 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Equity syndication volume(3) | | $ | 404,554 | | $ | 688,494 | | $ | (283,940) | | (41) | % |
| Principal Lending and Investing volume(4) | | | 603,650 | | | 218,750 | | | 384,900 | | 176 | |
| Net income | | | 157,750 | | | 166,316 | | | (8,566) | | (5) | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(5) | | | 485,382 | | | 456,826 | | | 28,556 | | 6 | |
| Operating margin | | | 33 | % | | 38 | % | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | ||||
| Key Servicing Portfolio Metrics | | 2024 | 2023 | |||
| Custodial escrow deposit balance (in billions) | | $ | 2.7 | | $ | 2.7 |
| Weighted-average servicing fee rate (basis points) | | | 24.2 | | | 24.1 |
| Weighted-average remaining servicing portfolio term (years) | | | 7.7 | | | 8.2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | ||||||||||
| (in thousands) | | 2024 | | 2023 | ||||||||
| Components of equity and assets under management | | | Equity under management | | | Assets under management | | | Equity under management | | | Assets under management |
| LIHTC | | $ | 6,918,336 | | | 15,908,895 | | $ | 6,646,540 | | $ | 15,072,946 |
| Equity funds | | | 965,011 | | | 965,011 | | | 860,918 | | | 860,918 |
| Debt funds(6) | | | 856,406 | | | 1,549,557 | | | 809,499 | | | 1,387,588 |
| Total | | $ | 8,739,753 | | $ | 18,423,463 | | $ | 8,316,957 | | $ | 17,321,452 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered loans serviced primarily for life insurance companies. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | Consists of interim loans not managed for the Interim Program JV. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (3) | Amount of equity called and syndicated into LIHTC funds. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (4) | Comprised solely of WDIP separate account originations. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (5) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure”. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (6) | As of December 31, 2024, included $46.0 million and $173.0 million of equity under management and assets under management, respectively, of Interim program JV loans. The remainder was composed of WDIP debt funds. As of December 31, 2023, includes $132.0 million and $710.0 million of equity under management and assets under management, respectively, of Interim program JV loans. The remainder was composed of WDIP debt |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| funds. |
FINANCIAL RESULTS – 2024 COMPARED TO 2023
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Origination fees | | $ | 4,566 | | $ | 1,784 | | $ | 2,782 | | 156 | % |
| Servicing fees | | | 325,644 | | | 311,914 | | | 13,730 | | 4 | |
| Investment management fees | | | 36,976 | | | 45,381 | | | (8,405) | | (19) | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment | | 1,747 | | 3,864 | | (2,117) | | (55) | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | | 153,350 | | 141,374 | | 11,976 | | 8 | | |||
| Other revenues | | 69,366 | | 59,526 | | 9,840 | | 17 | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 591,649 | | $ | 563,843 | | $ | 27,806 | | 5 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 83,050 | | $ | 74,407 | | $ | 8,643 | | 12 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 226,067 | | 214,978 | | 11,089 | | 5 | | |||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | 10,839 | | | (10,452) | | | 21,291 | | 204 | |
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 43,834 | | | 42,489 | | | 1,345 | | 3 | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | (10,830) | | | — | | | (10,830) | | N/A | |
| Other operating expenses | | 43,064 | | 28,582 | | 14,482 | | 51 | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 396,024 | | $ | 350,004 | | $ | 46,020 | | 13 | |
| Income (loss) from operations | | $ | 195,625 | | $ | 213,839 | | $ | (18,214) | | (9) | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | 45,437 | | 54,198 | | (8,761) | | (16) | | |||
| Net income (loss) before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 150,188 | | $ | 159,641 | | $ | (9,453) | | (6) | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | (7,562) | | (6,675) | | (887) | 13 | | ||||
| Net income (loss) | | $ | 157,750 | | $ | 166,316 | | $ | (8,566) | | (5) | |
Revenues
Servicing fees. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in the average servicing portfolio period over period as shown below, slightly offset by a decline in the average servicing fee rates. The increase in the average servicing portfolio was driven primarily by the $4.5 billion increase in Fannie Mae loans serviced. The decrease in the average servicing fee rates were the result of decreases in the WASF on our new Fannie Mae debt financing volume over the past year as the volatility in the interest rate environment compressed the spread on our debt financing volume and reduced the servicing fee rates on loans originated over the past two years. The WASF on new debt financing volume was lower than the loans paid off in the portfolio over the past year.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |||||||||
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Servicing Fees Details (in thousands) | 2024 | | 2023 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average Servicing Portfolio | $ | 132,981,178 | | $ | 126,720,544 | | $ | 6,260,634 | | 5 | % |
| Average Servicing Fee (basis points) | | 24.1 | | | 24.3 | | | (0.2) | | (1) | |
Investment management fees. Investment management fees decreased primarily due to a $15.0 million decline in asset management fees and sales fees from WDAE. WDAE earns asset management fees through cash flows from its underlying property level investments and the sale, or realization, of those property level investments. The disruption in the property sales markets, and declines in overall asset valuations, negatively impacted WDAE’s realization related revenues. That decline was partially offset by a $6.5 million increase in investment management fees earned by WDIP, driven by an increase in assets under management within its equity and debt funds.
Placement fees and other interest income. The increase was driven primarily by an increase in our placement fees on escrow deposits of $10.2 million, coupled with increases in interest income from our pledged securities investments of $1.8 million. The increase in placement fee revenue was largely attributable to an increase of 6% year over year in the average escrow balance. Additionally, the placement fee rates
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on escrow deposits and the interest rate on our variable-rate pledged securities investments increased slightly as a result of the elevated short-term interest rate environment in 2024 compared to same period in 2023.
Other revenues. The increase was primarily due to a $17.5 million increase from gain on equity method investments, partially offset by an $8.5 million decline in syndication and other fees. The increase from gain on equity method investments was driven by the sale of a portfolio of assets by our LIHTC subsidiary. The decrease in syndication fees was primarily attributable to 41% decrease in syndication volume as we delayed the closing of two funds in 2024 due to a leadership change at our LIHTC subsidiary. The funds are expected to close in 2025.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of increases in salaries and benefits of $7.1 million and subjective bonus compensation of $1.2 million. The increase in salaries and benefits was due to an increase in average segment headcount. Subjective bonus compensation increased due to our financial performance.
Amortization and depreciation. The increase was primarily due to an $8.4 million increase in amortization of intangible assets combined with a $2.1 million increase in amortization expense related to MSRs. The increase in amortization of intangible assets was related to the aforementioned sale of assets, which resulted in no remaining value for certain intangible assets.
Provision (benefit) for credit losses. The change from a benefit for credit losses to a provision for credit losses was primarily due to the $14.2 million provision for credit losses related to loan repurchase and indemnification agreements we have with the GSEs, with no comparable activity in 2023. Partially offsetting this increase in provision (benefit) for credit losses was a benefit for credit losses from the annual update of our historical loss rate. The benefit for credit losses in 2023 was primarily due to the annual update of our historical loss rate that resulted in a large decrease to the calculated expected credit losses. The annual updates resulted in the loss data from earlier periods within the historical lookback period falling off and being replaced with a period with significantly lower loss data, resulting in the historical loss rates decreasing, with the rate decreasing much more in 2023 than in 2024.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. The discussion of our consolidated results above has additional information related to the increase in interest expense on corporate debt.
Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. The benefit was due to the fair value adjustment to the LIHTC subsidiary CCL of $10.8 million in 2024 caused by the impact of the sustained challenging market conditions upon our LIHTC subsidiary, with no comparable activity in 2023.
Other operating expenses. The increase was primarily due to a $10.9 million increase in miscellaneous expenses related to indemnified and repurchased loans and a $2.9 million increase in legal fees. The miscellaneous operating costs related to indemnified and repurchased loans were related to operating and maintenance costs incurred to preserve the underlying collateral.
Income tax expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our SAM segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. SAM adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
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ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Income (loss) | | $ | 157,750 | | $ | 166,316 |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | 45,437 | | 54,198 | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 43,834 | | | 42,489 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 226,067 | | 214,978 | ||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | 10,839 | | | (10,452) |
| Net write-offs (1) | | | (468) | | | (8,041) |
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 1,923 | | 1,758 | ||
| Write off of unamortized premium from corporate debt repayment | | | — | | | (4,420) |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 485,382 | | $ | 456,826 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | The net write-off for the year ended December 31, 2023 includes the $6.0 million write-off of a collateral-based reserve related to a loan held for investment. |
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of SAM adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2024 COMPARED TO 2023
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Origination fees | $ | 4,566 | | $ | 1,784 | | $ | 2,782 | | 156 | % |
| Servicing fees | 325,644 | | 311,914 | | 13,730 | | 4 | | |||
| Investment management fees | | 36,976 | | | 45,381 | | | (8,405) | | (19) | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment | 1,747 | | 3,864 | | (2,117) | | (55) | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | 153,350 | | 141,374 | | 11,976 | | 8 | | |||
| Other revenues | 76,928 | | 66,201 | | 10,727 | | 16 | | |||
| Personnel | (81,127) | | (72,649) | | (8,478) | | 12 | | |||
| Net write-offs(1) | (468) | | (8,041) | | 7,573 | | (94) | | |||
| Other operating expenses(2) | (32,234) | | (33,002) | | 768 | | (2) | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 485,382 | | $ | 456,826 | | $ | 28,556 | | 6 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | The net write-off for the year ended December 31, 2023 included the $6.0 million write off of a collateral-based reserve related to a loan held for investment. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | Other operating expenses includes a beneficial adjustment for the fair value of contingent consideration liability not related to a goodwill impairment triggering event of $10.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, with no comparable activity for the year ended December 31, 2023. |
Servicing fees increased due to growth in the average servicing portfolio period over period as a result of loan originations, partially offset by a decrease in the average servicing fee rate. Investment management fees decreased primarily due to lower AMF revenues from LIHTC dispositions. Placement fees and other interest income increased primarily due to an increase in the average balance of escrow deposits. Other revenues increased primarily due to the gain on equity method investments from the aforementioned sale of a portfolio of assets. Personnel increased primarily due to an increase in salaries and benefit costs and subjective bonus compensation. Net write-offs decreased due to the write-off of a loan held for investment during 2023 with a larger UPB, while the write off in 2024 related to a loan with a smaller UPB.
Corporate
The Corporate segment consists primarily of the Company’s treasury operations and other corporate-level activities. Our treasury activities include monitoring and managing liquidity and funding requirements, including corporate debt. Other corporate-level activities include equity-method investments, accounting, information technology, legal, human resources, marketing, internal audit, and various other corporate groups (“support functions”). We do not allocate costs from these support functions to its other segments in presenting segment operating results. We do allocate interest expense and income tax expense. Corporate debt and the related interest expense are allocated first
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based on specific acquisitions where debt was directly used to fund the acquisition, such as the acquisition of Alliant, and then based on the remaining segment assets. Income tax expense is allocated proportionally based on income from operations at each segment, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
FINANCIAL RESULTS – 2024 COMPARED TO 2023
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Other interest income | | $ | 14,611 | | $ | 13,146 | | $ | 1,465 | | 11 | % |
| Other revenues | | 1,389 | | 685 | | 704 | | 103 | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 16,000 | | $ | 13,831 | | $ | 2,169 | | 16 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 76,940 | | $ | 64,433 | | $ | 12,507 | | 19 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 6,931 | | 7,224 | | (293) | | (4) | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 6,363 | | 7,208 | | (845) | | (12) | | |||
| Other operating expenses | | 77,182 | | 69,101 | | 8,081 | | 12 | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 167,416 | | $ | 147,966 | | $ | 19,450 | | 13 | |
| Net income (loss) from operations | | $ | (151,416) | | $ | (134,135) | | $ | (17,281) | | 13 | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | (35,169) | | (33,996) | | (1,173) | | 3 | | |||
| Net income (loss) | | $ | (116,247) | | $ | (100,139) | | $ | (16,108) | | 16 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (128,575) | | $ | (110,370) | | $ | (18,205) | | 16 | % |
Revenues
Other interest income. The increase was due to higher interest income earned on our corporate and fund cash balances.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of a $9.8 million increase in subjective bonus compensation and a $3.1 million increase in salaries and benefits. A small increase in the corporate average headcount during 2024 was the primary driver for the increase in salaries and benefits expenses. The increase in subjective bonus compensation was driven primarily by our financial performance combined with a small increase in average headcount.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. The discussion of our consolidated results above has additional information related to the increase in interest expense on corporate debt.
Other operating expenses. The increase was primarily driven by normal growth in software costs of $4.9 million, increased office expenses of $1.7 million due to renewing and extending several office leases, and travel and entertainment of $1.5 million as we hosted an all company gathering in 2024 with no comparable event in 2023 due to our cost reduction efforts in 2023.
Income tax expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
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Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Corporate segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. Corporate adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Income (loss) | | $ | (116,247) | | $ | (100,139) |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | (35,169) | | (33,996) | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 6,363 | | 7,208 | ||
| Amortization and depreciation | | 6,931 | | 7,224 | ||
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 9,547 | | 9,333 | ||
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (128,575) | | $ | (110,370) |
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of Corporate adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2024 COMPARED TO 2023
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (in thousands) | 2024 | 2023 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Other interest income | 14,611 | | 13,146 | | 1,465 | | 11 | % | |||
| Other revenues | 1,389 | | 685 | | 704 | | 103 | | |||
| Personnel | (67,393) | | (55,100) | | (12,293) | | 22 | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (77,182) | | (69,101) | | (8,081) | | 12 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | (128,575) | | $ | (110,370) | | $ | (18,205) | | 16 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Other interest income increased primarily due to an increase in interest earned on our cash deposits and fund cash balances. The increase in personnel expense was primarily due to increased subjective bonus compensation and salaries and benefits expense due to an increase in corporate average headcount during 2024 and company performance. Other operating expenses increased largely as a result of increased software costs and travel and entertainment expense.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Uses of Liquidity, Cash and Cash Equivalents
Our significant recurring cash flow requirements consist of liquidity to (i) fund loans held for sale; (ii) pay cash dividends; (iii) fund our portion of the equity necessary to support equity-method investments; (iv) fund investments in properties to be syndicated to LIHTC investment funds that we will asset-manage; (v) make payments related to earnouts from acquisitions, (vi) meet working capital needs to support our day-to-day operations, including debt service payments, joint venture development partnership contributions, advances for servicing, loan repurchases, and payments for salaries, commissions, and income taxes, and (vii) meet working capital to satisfy collateral requirements for our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations and to meet the operational liquidity requirements of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae, and our warehouse facility lenders.
Fannie Mae has established benchmark standards for capital adequacy and reserves the right to terminate our servicing authority for all or some of the portfolio if, at any time, it determines that our financial condition is not adequate to support our obligations under the DUS agreement. We are required to maintain acceptable net worth as defined in the standards, and we satisfied the requirements as of December 31, 2024. The net worth requirement is derived primarily from unpaid balances on Fannie Mae loans and the level of risk-sharing. As of December 31, 2024, the net worth requirement was $324.4 million, and our net worth was $992.6 million, as measured at our wholly
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owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC. As of December 31, 2024, we were required to maintain at least $64.5 million of liquid assets to meet our operational liquidity requirements for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae, and our warehouse facility lenders. As of December 31, 2024, we had operational liquidity of $253.9 million, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC.
We paid a cash dividend of $0.65 per share each quarter of 2024, which is 3% higher than the quarterly dividend paid in each quarter of 2023. In February 2025, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.67 per share for the first quarter of 2025, a 3% increase over the 2024 quarterly dividend. The dividend will be paid on March 14, 2025 to all holders of record of our restricted and unrestricted common stock as of February 28, 2025.
Over the past three years, we have returned $264.7 million to investors primarily through cash dividend payments of $253.6 million. Additionally, over the past three years, we have invested $92.2 million in acquisitions, primarily through the payment of earnouts related to acquisitions that closed in 2021 and 2022. On occasion, we may use cash to fully fund some loans held for investment or loans held for sale instead of using our warehouse lines. As of December 31, 2024, we did not fully fund any such loans. We continually seek opportunities to complete additional acquisitions if we believe the economics are favorable.
In February 2024, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program that permitted the repurchase of up to $75.0 million of shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 23, 2024. Through December 31, 2024, we did not repurchase any shares under the 2024 stock repurchase program and had $75.0 million of remaining capacity under that program. In February 2025, our Board of Directors again approved a stock repurchase program that permits the repurchase of up to $75.0 million shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 21, 2025.
We have contractual obligations to make future cash payments on lease agreements on our various offices of $131.8 million as of December 31, 2024. NOTE 14 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to future lease payments. We have contractual obligations to repay short-term and long-term debt. The total principal balance for such debt was $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2024, of which $592.5 million will be repaid with the proceeds from the sale of loans held for sale and the repayments of loans held for investment. NOTE 6 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to these future debt payments. The expected interest associated with these debt payments is $58.8 million in 2025, $51.7 million in 2026, $51.1 million in 2027, and $50.6 million in 2028. The future interest for long-term debt is based on a variable rate; therefore, the preceding interest payments are calculated based on the effective interest rate as of December 31, 2024.
Historically, our cash flows from operations and warehouse facilities have been sufficient to enable us to meet our short-term liquidity needs and other funding requirements. We believe that cash flows from operations will continue to be sufficient for us to meet our current obligations for the foreseeable future.
Restricted Cash and Pledged Securities
Restricted cash consists primarily of good faith deposits held on behalf of borrowers between the time we enter into a loan commitment with the borrower and the investor purchases the loan. We are generally required to share the risk of any losses associated with loans sold under the Fannie Mae DUS program, which is an off-balance sheet arrangement. We are required to secure this obligation by assigning collateral to Fannie Mae. We meet this obligation by assigning pledged securities to Fannie Mae. The amount of collateral required by Fannie Mae is a formulaic calculation at the loan level and considers the balance of the loan, the risk level of the loan, the age of the loan, and the level of risk-sharing. Fannie Mae requires collateral for Tier 2 loans of 75 basis points, which is funded over a 48-month period that begins upon delivery of the loan to Fannie Mae. Collateral held in the form of money market funds holding U.S. Treasuries is discounted 5%, and Agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) are discounted 4% for purposes of calculating compliance with the collateral requirements. As of December 31, 2024, we held substantially all of our restricted liquidity in Agency MBS in the aggregate amount of $183.4 million. Additionally, the majority of the loans for which we have risk-sharing are Tier 2 loans. We fund any growth in our Fannie Mae required operational liquidity and collateral requirements from our working capital.
We are in compliance with the December 31, 2024 collateral requirements as outlined above. As of December 31, 2024, reserve requirements for the December 31, 2024 DUS loan portfolio will require us to fund $71.5 million in additional restricted liquidity over the next 48 months, assuming no further principal paydowns, prepayments, or defaults within our at-risk portfolio. Fannie Mae has assessed the DUS Capital Standards in the past and may make changes to these standards in the future. We generate sufficient cash flows from our operations to meet these capital standards and do not expect any future changes to have a material impact on our future operations; however, any future changes to collateral requirements may adversely impact our available cash.
Under the provisions of the DUS agreement, we must also maintain a certain level of liquid assets referred to as the operational and
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unrestricted portions of the required reserves each year. We satisfied these requirements as of December 31, 2024.
Sources of Liquidity: Warehouse Facilities and Note Payable
Warehouse Facilities
We utilize a combination of warehouse facilities and notes payable to provide funding for our operations. We utilize warehouse facilities to fund our Agency Lending and Interim Loan Program. Our ability to originate Agency mortgage loans and loans held for investment depends upon our ability to secure and maintain these types of financing agreements on acceptable terms. For a detailed description of the terms of each warehouse agreement including the affirmative and negative covenants, refer to “Warehouse Facilities” in NOTE 6 of the consolidated financial statements.
Note Payable
For a detailed description of the terms of the Credit Agreement, refer to “Notes Payable – Term Loan Note Payable” in NOTE 6 of the consolidated financial statements.
The warehouse notes payable and note payable are subject to various financial covenants. The Company is in compliance with all of these financial covenants as of December 31, 2024.
Credit Quality, Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations, and Loan Repurchases
The following table sets forth certain information useful in evaluating our credit performance.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | December 31, | | |||||
| | 2024 | 2023 | |||||
| Key Credit Metrics (in thousands) | | | | | | | |
| Risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae Full Risk | | $ | 59,304,888 | | $ | 54,583,555 | |
| Fannie Mae Modified Risk | | 8,891,856 | | 9,115,551 | | ||
| Freddie Mac Modified Risk | | 15,000 | | 23,415 | | ||
| Total risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 68,211,744 | | $ | 63,722,521 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae No Risk | | $ | — | | $ | — | |
| Freddie Mac No Risk | | 39,170,091 | | 39,307,130 | | ||
| GNMA - HUD No Risk | | 10,847,265 | | 10,460,884 | | ||
| Brokered | | 17,057,912 | | 16,940,850 | | ||
| Total non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 67,075,268 | | $ | 66,708,864 | |
| Total loans serviced for others | | $ | 135,287,012 | | $ | 130,431,385 | |
| Loans held for investment (full risk) | | 36,926 | | 40,139 | | ||
| Total servicing portfolio unpaid principal balance | | $ | 135,323,938 | | $ | 130,471,524 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Interim Program JV Managed Loans (1) | | | 173,315 | | | 710,041 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| At risk servicing portfolio (2) | | $ | 63,365,672 | | $ | 58,801,055 | |
| Maximum exposure to at risk portfolio (3) | | 12,893,593 | | 11,949,041 | | ||
| Defaulted loans(4) | | 41,737 | | 27,214 | | ||
| | | | | | | | |
| Defaulted loans as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.07 | % | | 0.05 | % |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.04 | | | 0.05 | |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of maximum exposure | | | 0.22 | | | 0.26 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | As of December 31, 2024, and 2023, this balance consisted entirely of Interim Program JV managed loans. We indirectly share in a portion of the risk of loss associated with Interim Program JV managed loans through our 15% equity ownership in the Interim Program JV. We have no exposure to risk of loss for the loans serviced directly for the Interim Program JV partner. The balance of this line is included as a component of assets under management in the Supplemental Operating Data table above. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | At-risk servicing portfolio is defined as the balance of Fannie Mae DUS loans subject to the risk-sharing formula described below, as well as a small number of Freddie Mac loans on which we share in the risk of loss. Use of the at-risk portfolio provides for comparability of the full risk-sharing and |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| modified risk-sharing loans because the provision and allowance for risk-sharing obligations are based on the at-risk balances of the associated loans. Accordingly, we have presented the key statistics as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio. |
For example, a $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing has the same potential risk exposure as a $7.5 million loan with full DUS risk sharing. Accordingly, if the $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing were to default, we would view the overall loss as a percentage of the at-risk balance, or $7.5 million, to ensure comparability between all risk-sharing obligations. To date, substantially all of the risk-sharing obligations that we have settled have been from full risk-sharing loans.
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | Represents the maximum loss we would incur under our risk-sharing obligations if all of the loans we service, for which we retain some risk of loss, were to default and all of the collateral underlying these loans was determined to be without value at the time of settlement. The maximum exposure is not representative of the actual loss we would incur. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (4) | Defaulted loans represent loans in our Fannie Mae at-risk portfolio or Freddie Mac SBL pre-securitized portfolio that are probable of foreclosure or that have foreclosed and for which the Company has recorded a collateral-based reserve (i.e., loans where we have assessed a probable loss). Other loans that are delinquent but not foreclosed or that are not probable of foreclosure are not included here. Additionally, loans that have foreclosed or are probable of foreclosure but are not expected to result in a loss to the Company are not included here. |
Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations are based on a tiered formula and represent substantially all of our risk-sharing activities. The risk-sharing tiers and the amount of the risk-sharing obligations we absorb under full risk-sharing are provided below. Except as described in the following paragraph, the maximum amount of risk-sharing obligations we absorb at the time of default is generally 20% of the origination UPB of the loan.
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk-Sharing Losses | Percentage Absorbed by Us | | |
| First 5% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 100% | |
| Next 20% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 25% | |
| Losses above 25% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 10% | |
| Maximum loss | 20% of origination UPB | |
Fannie Mae can double or triple our risk-sharing obligation if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if a loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae. We may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination, which reduces our potential risk-sharing obligation from the levels described above. At times, we may agree to a higher risk-sharing percentage (up to 100% of UPB) after origination and under limited circumstances.
We have a loss-sharing arrangement with Freddie Mac related to SBL loans that is only applicable to SBL loans that are pre-securitized and outstanding for more than 12 months. If a loan defaults prior to securitization, we are required to share the losses with Freddie Mac. Our loss-sharing arrangement is a 10% top loss, meaning that we are responsible for the first 10% of the losses incurred on such defaulted loans. We have never incurred a loss on a Freddie Mac SBL loan; however, we have three defaulted loans with allowances in our portfolio that are awaiting final resolution.
We use several techniques to manage our risk exposure under the Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing program. These techniques include maintaining a strong underwriting and approval process, evaluating and modifying our underwriting criteria given the underlying multifamily housing market fundamentals, limiting our geographic market and borrower exposures, and electing the modified risk-sharing option under the Fannie Mae DUS program.
The “Business” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contains a discussion of the risk-sharing caps we have with Fannie Mae.
We regularly monitor the credit quality of all loans for which we have a risk-sharing obligation. Loans with indicators of underperforming credit are placed on a watch list, assigned a numerical risk rating based on our assessment of the relative credit weakness, and subjected to additional evaluation or loss mitigation. Indicators of underperforming credit include poor financial performance, poor physical condition, poor management, and delinquency. A collateral-based reserve is recorded when it is probable that a risk-sharing loan will foreclose or has foreclosed and it is expected to result in a loss for the Company, and a reserve for estimated credit losses and a guaranty obligation are recorded for all other risk-sharing loans. We do not record a collateral-based reserve when it is probable that a risk sharing loan will foreclose or has foreclosed, and the disposition proceeds are expected to be higher than the UPB, resulting in no losses for the Company.
The allowance for risk-sharing obligations related to our $62.9 billion at-risk Fannie Mae servicing portfolio and our Freddie Mac SBL defaulted loans as of December 31, 2024 was $24.2 million compared to $31.6 million as of December 31, 2023.
As of December 31, 2024, six loans (three Fannie Mae loans and three Freddie Mac SBL loans) were in default with an aggregate UPB of $41.7 million compared to three loans (all Fannie Mae loans) with an aggregate UPB of $27.2 million that were in default as of December 31, 2023. The collateral-based reserve on defaulted loans was $4.0 million and $2.8 million as of December 31, 2024 and
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December 31, 2023, respectively. We had a benefit for risk-sharing obligations of $1.0 million and $10.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
For the ten-year period from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2024, we recognized net write-offs of risk-sharing obligations of $10.0 million, or an average of less than one basis point annually of the average at risk Fannie Mae portfolio balance.
We are obligated to repurchase loans that are originated for the GSEs’ programs if certain representations and warranties that we provide in connection with the sale of the loans through these programs are breached. When we agree to repurchase or indemnify the GSEs, we are required to report the loan or underlying collateral as an asset and the related obligation to repurchase the loans or indemnification liability to the GSE as a liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. During 2024, we received repurchase demands for five loans and repurchased or agreed to indemnify the GSEs for all five loans. The loans had an outstanding principal balance of $87.3 million. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we incurred $14.2 million of provision for credit losses and $10.6 million in operating costs related to these five repurchase requests. NOTE 2 of our consolidated financial statements contains additional details.
These five loans are the only repurchase obligations in our history, and we have not yet incurred any realized credit losses associated with these repurchase obligations. We have evaluated our repurchase exposure under a breach of representations and warranties and do not believe there is a material unreserved exposure.
New/Recent Accounting Pronouncements
NOTE 2 in the consolidated financial statements in Item 15 of Part IV in this 10-K contains a description of the accounting pronouncements that the Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued and that have the potential to impact us but have not yet been adopted by us. There were no other accounting pronouncements issued during 2024 that have the potential to impact our consolidated financial statements.
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FY 2023 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001558370-24-001538.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“10-K”). The following discussion contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements that include risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or contemplated in those forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this 10-K.
Business
Walker & Dunlop, Inc. is a holding company, and we conduct the majority of our operations through Walker & Dunlop, LLC, our primary operating company.
We are one of the leading commercial real estate services and finance companies in the United States, with a primary focus on multifamily lending and property sales, commercial real estate debt brokerage, and investment management services. We originate, sell, and service a range of multifamily and other commercial real estate financing products to owners and developers of commercial real estate across the country, provide multifamily property sales brokerage and appraisal services in various regions throughout the United States, and engage in commercial real estate and investment management services focused on debt and equity investments on commercial real estate assets and equity investments in affordable housing. We are a leader in commercial real estate technology, developing and acquiring technology resources that (i) provide innovative solutions and a better experience for our customers and (ii) allow us to reach a broader customer base.
Multifamily Lending, Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Services and Property Sales
We originate and sell multifamily loans through the programs of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, and HUD, with which we have licenses and long-established relationships. We retain servicing rights and asset management responsibilities on nearly all loans that we originate for the Agencies’ programs. We are approved as a Fannie Mae DUS lender nationally, a Freddie Mac Optigo lender nationally for Conventional, Seniors Housing, Targeted Affordable Housing and Small Balance Loans, a HUD MAP lender nationally, a HUD LEAN lender nationally, and a Ginnie Mae issuer. We broker and service loans for many life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other institutional investors, in which cases we do not fund the loan but rather act as a loan broker. Fannie Mae recently announced that we ranked as its largest DUS lender in 2023, by loan deliveries, for the fifth consecutive year, and Freddie Mac recently announced that we ranked as its 3rd largest Freddie Mac lender in 2023, by loan deliveries. Our market share with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was 11.3% on a combined basis, by loan deliveries in 2023, compared to 12.7% in 2022. Additionally, we were the 5th largest overall lender for HUD in 2023. In spite of the slowdown
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in our debt financing volumes from 2022 to 2023, the average number of our mortgage bankers decreased by only three bankers during 2023 as we are retaining production talent to capture the expected rebound in debt financing volumes over the coming years.
We fund loans for the Agencies’ programs, generally through warehouse facility financings, and sell them to investors in accordance with the related loan sale commitment, which we obtain at rate lock. Proceeds from the sale of the loan are used to pay off the warehouse facility. The sale of the loan is typically completed within 60 days after the loan is closed, and we retain the right to service substantially all of these loans. In cases where we do not fund the loan, we act as a loan broker and service some of the loans. Our mortgage bankers who focus on loan brokerage are engaged by borrowers to work with a variety of institutional lenders to find the most appropriate loan. These loans are then funded directly by the institutional lender, and for those brokered loans we service, we collect ongoing servicing fees while those loans remain in our servicing portfolio. The servicing fees we typically earn on brokered loan transactions are lower than the servicing fees we earn on Agency loans.
We recognize revenue when we make simultaneous commitments to originate a loan to a borrower and sell that loan to an investor. The revenues earned reflect the fair value attributable to loan origination fees, premiums on the sale of loans, net of any co-broker fees, and the fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with servicing the loans, net of any guaranty obligations retained. We also recognize revenue when we receive the origination fee from a brokered loan transaction. Other transaction-related sources of revenue include (i) net warehouse interest income we earn while the loan is held for sale, (ii) net warehouse interest income from loans held for investment while they are outstanding, (iii) sales commissions for brokering the sale of multifamily properties, and (iv) syndication and transaction-based asset management fees from our investment management activities.
We are currently not exposed to unhedged interest rate risk during the loan commitment, closing, and delivery process. The sale or placement of each loan to an investor is negotiated concurrently with establishing the coupon rate for the loan. We also seek to mitigate the risk of a loan not closing. We have agreements in place with the Agencies that specify the cost of a failed loan delivery in the event we fail to deliver the loan to the investor. To protect us against such fees, we require a deposit from the borrower at rate lock that is typically more than the potential fee. The deposit is returned to the borrower only once the loan is closed. Any potential loss from a catastrophic change in the property condition while the loan is held for sale using warehouse facility financing is mitigated through property insurance equal to replacement cost. We are also protected contractually from an investor’s failure to purchase the loan. We have experienced a de minimis number of failed deliveries in our history and have incurred immaterial losses on such failed deliveries.
We have risk-sharing obligations on substantially all loans we originate under the Fannie Mae DUS program. When a Fannie Mae DUS loan is subject to full risk-sharing, we absorb losses on the first 5% of the unpaid principal balance of a loan at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss capped at 20% of the original unpaid principal balance of the loan (subject to doubling or tripling if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if the loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae). Our full risk-sharing is currently limited to loans up to $300 million, which equates to a maximum loss per loan of $60 million (such exposure would occur in the event that the underlying collateral is determined to be completely without value at the time of loss). For loans in excess of $300 million, we receive modified risk-sharing. We also may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination on loans below $300 million, which reduces our potential risk-sharing losses from the levels described above if we do not believe that we are being fully compensated for the risks of the transactions. The full risk-sharing limit in prior years was less than $300 million. Accordingly, loans originated in those prior years were subject to risk-sharing at lower levels. Our servicing fees for risk-sharing loans include compensation for the risk-sharing obligations and are larger than the servicing fees we receive from Fannie Mae for loans with no risk-sharing obligations.
We retain servicing rights on substantially all the loans we originate and sell and generate revenues from the fees we receive for servicing the loans, from the placement fees on escrow deposits held on behalf of borrowers, and from other ancillary fees. Servicing fees set at the time an investor agrees to purchase the loan are generally paid monthly for the duration of the loan and are based on the unpaid principal balance of the loan. Our Fannie Mae servicing arrangements generally provide for prepayment protection in the event of a voluntary prepayment. For loans serviced outside of Fannie Mae, we typically do not have similar prepayment protections.
As of December 31, 2023, our servicing portfolio was $130.5 billion, up 6% from December 31, 2022, which was the 10th largest commercial/multifamily primary and master servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Mortgage Bankers’ Association’s (“MBA”) 2022 year-end survey (the “Survey”). Our servicing portfolio includes $63.7 billion of loans serviced for Fannie Mae and $39.3 billion for Freddie Mac, making us the 1st and 7th largest servicer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily loans in the nation, respectively, according to the Survey. Also included in our servicing portfolio is $10.5 billion of multifamily HUD loans, the 4th largest HUD primary and servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Survey.
Through WDIS, we offer property sales brokerage services to owners and developers of multifamily properties that are seeking to sell these properties. Through these property sales brokerage services, we seek to maximize proceeds and certainty of closure for our clients using our knowledge of the commercial real estate and capital markets and relying on our experienced transaction professionals. Our property sales
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services are offered in various regions throughout the United States and cover many major markets. We have added several property sales brokerage teams over the past few years and continue to seek to add other property sales brokers, with the goal of continuing to expand the depth and number of regions covered by our brokerage services.
Investment Management Services
WDIP, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is part of our strategy to grow and diversify the Company by growing our investment management platform. WDIP is a registered investment advisor and general partner of private commercial real estate investment funds focused on the management of debt, preferred equity, and mezzanine equity investments through private middle-market commercial real estate funds and separately managed accounts. WDIP’s current AUM of $1.5 billion primarily consist of six sources: Fund III, Fund IV, Fund V, Fund VI, and Fund VII (collectively, the “Funds”), and separate accounts managed for life insurance companies. AUM for the Funds and for the separate accounts consists of both unfunded commitments and funded investments. Unfunded commitments are highest during the fund raising and investment phases. AUM disclosed in this 10-K may differ from regulatory assets under management disclosed on WDIP’s Form ADV.
WDIP typically receives management fees based on limited partner capital commitments, unfunded investment commitments, and funded investments. Additionally, with respect to Fund III, Fund IV, Fund V, Fund VI, and Fund VII, WDIP receives a percentage of the profits above the fund expenses and preferred return specified in the fund offering agreements.
Through WDAE, we are the 8th largest tax credit syndicator in the U.S., and an affordable housing developer through various joint venture partnerships. WDAE is part of our strategy to grow our investment management platform and to strengthen our position in the affordable housing debt, equity, and property sales sector. WDAE manages $15.1 billion of affordable AUM and has an established tax syndication and affordable housing development platform from which we earn investment management, syndication, and other LIHTC related fees.
Our Interim Program offers floating-rate, interest-only loans for terms of generally up to three years to experienced borrowers seeking to acquire or reposition multifamily properties that do not currently qualify for permanent financing. We underwrite, asset-manage, and service all loans executed through the Interim Program. The ultimate goal of the Interim Program is to provide permanent Agency financing on these transitional properties. The Interim Program has two distinct executions: the Interim Program JV and the Interim Loan Program.
The Interim Program JV assumes full risk of loss while the loans it originates are outstanding. We hold a 15% ownership interest in the Interim Program JV and are responsible for sourcing, underwriting, servicing, and asset-managing the loans originated by the joint venture. The joint venture funds its operations using a combination of equity contributions from its owners and third-party credit facilities.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, we did not originate any interim loans through the Interim Program JV or our Interim Loan Program. During the year ended December 31, 2022, $86.3 million of the $339.1 million of interim loan originations were executed through the Interim Program JV, with all the activity coming in the first half of the year. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we asset-managed $710.0 million and $892.8 million, respectively, of interim loans on behalf of the Interim Program JV.
We originate and hold the Interim Loan Program loans for investment, which are included on our balance sheet. During the time that these loans are outstanding, we assume the full risk of loss. As of December 31, 2023, we had two loans held for investment under the Interim Loan Program with an aggregate outstanding unpaid principal balance of $40.1 million.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which requires management to make estimates based on certain judgments and assumptions that are inherently uncertain and affect reported amounts. The estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors management believes to be reasonable. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions and the use of different judgments and assumptions may have a material impact on our results. The following critical accounting estimates involve significant estimation uncertainty that may have or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. Additional information about our critical accounting estimates and other significant accounting policies are discussed in NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements.
Mortgage Servicing Rights (“MSRs”). MSRs are recorded at fair value at loan sale. The fair value at loan sale (“MSR”) is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights and takes into consideration an estimate of loan prepayment. Initially,
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the fair value amount is included as a component of the derivative asset fair value at the loan commitment date. The estimated net cash flows from servicing, which includes assumptions for discount rate, earnings on escrow accounts (placement fees), prepayment speeds, and servicing costs, are discounted using a discounted cash flow model at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the underlying loan. The discount rates used throughout the periods presented for all MSRs were between 8-14% and varied based on the loan type. The life of the underlying loan is estimated giving consideration to the prepayment provisions in the loan and assumptions about loan behaviors around those provisions. Our model for MSRs assumes no prepayment prior to the expiration of the prepayment provisions and full prepayment of the loan at or near the point when the prepayment provisions have expired. The estimated net cash flows also include cash flows related to the future earnings on the escrow accounts associated with servicing the loans. We include a servicing cost assumption to account for our expected costs to service a loan. The estimated earnings rate on escrow accounts associated with servicing the loan increases estimated cash flows, and the estimated future cost to service the loan decreases estimated future cash flows. The servicing cost assumption has had a de minimis impact on the estimate historically. We record an individual MSR asset (or liability) for each loan at loan sale.
The assumptions used to estimate the fair value of capitalized MSRs are developed internally and are periodically compared to assumptions used by other market participants. Due to the relatively few transactions in the multifamily MSR market and the lack of significant changes in assumptions by market participants, we have observed limited variation or change in the assumptions historically and do not expect to observe significant changes in the foreseeable future, including the assumption that most significantly impacts the estimate: the discount rate. We actively monitor the assumptions used and make adjustments when market conditions change, or other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. Over the past three years, we have adjusted the earnings on escrow accounts assumption several times to reflect the current and expected future earnings rate projected for the life of the MSR as the interest rate environment has experienced significant volatility over the past several years. Additionally, we adjusted the discount rate at the beginning of 2021 to mirror changes observed from market participants. A 100-basis point change in the discount rate would increase or decrease the capitalized MSRs for the year ended December 31, 2023 by 3%. A 200-basis point change in the discount rate would increase or decrease the capitalized MSRs for the year ended December 31, 2023 by 6%. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
Subsequent to loan origination, the carrying value of the MSR is amortized over the expected life of the loan. We engage a third party to assist in determining an estimated fair value of our existing and outstanding MSRs on at least a semi-annual basis, primarily for financial statement disclosure purposes. Changes in our discount rate assumptions on existing and outstanding MSRs may materially impact the fair value of the MSRs disclosure (NOTE 3 of the consolidated financial statements details the portfolio-level impact of a change in the discount rate).
Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations. This reserve liability (referred to as “allowance”) for risk-sharing obligations relates to our Fannie Mae at-risk servicing portfolio and is presented as a separate liability on our balance sheets. We record an estimate of the loss reserve for the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) for all loans in our Fannie Mae at-risk servicing portfolio using the weighted-average remaining maturity method (“WARM”). WARM uses an average annual loss rate that contains loss content over multiple vintages and loan terms and is used as a foundation for estimating the CECL reserve. The average annual loss rate is applied to the estimated unpaid principal balance over the contractual term, adjusted for estimated prepayments and amortization to arrive at the CECL reserve for the entire current portfolio as described further below. We currently use one year for our reasonable and supportable forecast period (“forecast period”) as we believe forecasts beyond one year are inherently less reliable. During the forecast period we apply an adjusted loss factor based on generally available economic and unemployment forecasts and a blended loss rate from historical periods that we believe reflect the forecasts. We revert to the historical loss rate over a one-year period on a straight-line basis. Over the past couple of years, the loss rate used in the forecast period has been updated to reflect our expectations of the economic conditions over the coming year in relation to the historical period. For example, in the first quarter of 2023, we updated the loss rate used in the forecast period from 2.1 basis points to 2.3 basis points, and from 2.3 basis points to 2.4 basis points in the fourth quarter of 2023. These changes resulted in our forecast-period loss rate increasing from 1.8 times to 4.0 times the historical loss rate factor to reflect our current expectations of the evolving and uncertain macroeconomic conditions facing the multifamily sector. We made multiple revisions to the loss rate used in the forecast period in the past, and those changes have significantly impacted the CECL reserve.
One of the key components of a WARM calculation is the runoff rate, which is the expected rate at which loans in the current portfolio will amortize and prepay in the future based on our historical prepayment and amortization experience. We group loans by similar origination dates (vintage) and contractual maturity terms for purposes of calculating the runoff rate. We originate loans under the DUS program with various terms generally ranging from several years to 15 years; each of these various loan terms has a different runoff rate. The runoff rates applied to each vintage and contractual maturity term is determined using historical data; however, changes in prepayment and amortization behavior may significantly impact the estimate. We have not experienced significant changes in the runoff rate since we implemented CECL in 2020.
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The weighted-average annual loss rate is currently calculated using a 10-year look-back period, utilizing the average portfolio balance and settled losses for each year. The 10-year lookback period is intended to capture sufficiently different economic conditions to generate a reasonable estimate of expected results in the future, given the relatively long-term nature of the current portfolio. As the weighted-average annual loss rate utilizes a rolling 10-year look-back period, the loss rate used in the estimate will change as loss data from earlier periods in the look-back period continue to fall off and as new loss data are added. For example, in the first quarter of 2023, loss data from earlier periods in the look-back period with significantly higher losses fell off and were replaced with more recent loss data, resulting in the weighted-average historical annual loss rate changing from 1.2 basis points to 0.6 basis points. Based on our historical loss data, our historical loss rate will decrease again in 2024, which may result in lower CECL reserves.
NOTE 4 of the consolidated financial statements outlines adjustments made in the loss rates used to account for the expected economic conditions as of a given period and the related impact on the CECL reserve.
We evaluate our risk-sharing loans on a quarterly basis to determine whether there are loans that are probable of default. Specifically, we assess a loan’s qualitative and quantitative risk factors, such as payment status, property financial performance, local real estate market conditions, loan-to-value ratio, debt-service-coverage ratio, and property condition. When a loan is determined to be probable of default based on these factors, we remove the loan from the WARM calculation and individually assess the loan for potential credit loss. This assessment requires certain judgments and assumptions to be made regarding the property values and other factors, that may differ significantly from actual results. Loss settlement with Fannie Mae has historically concluded within 18 to 36 months after foreclosure. Historically, the initial collateral-based reserves have not varied significantly from the final settlement.
We actively monitor the judgments and assumptions used in our Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation estimate and make adjustments to those assumptions when market conditions change, or when other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. We believe the level of Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation is appropriate based on our expectations of future market conditions; however, changes in one or more of the judgments or assumptions used above could have a significant impact on the reserve. For example, a 10% change in the forecasted loss rate as of December 31, 2023 would have increased or decreased the allowance for risk-sharing obligations by 6%. A 20% change in the forecasted loss rate as of December 31, 2023 would have increased or decreased the allowance for risk-sharing obligations by 13%. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
Contingent Consideration Liabilities. The Company typically includes an earnout as part of the consideration paid for acquisitions to align the long-term interests of the acquiree with the Company. These earnouts contain milestones for achievement, which typically are revenue, revenue-like, or productivity measurements. If the milestone is achieved, the acquiree is paid the additional consideration. Upon acquisition, the Company is required to estimate the fair value of the earnout and include that fair value measurement as a component of the total consideration paid in the calculation of goodwill. The fair value of the earnout is recorded as a contingent consideration liability and included within Other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet and adjusted to the estimated fair value at the end of each reporting period.
The determination of the fair value of contingent consideration liabilities requires significant management judgment and unobservable inputs to (i) determine forecasts and scenarios of future revenues, net cash flows and certain other performance metrics, (ii) assign a probability of achievement for the forecasts and scenarios, and (iii) select a discount rate. A Monte Carlo simulation analysis is used to determine many iterations of potential fair values. The average of these iterations is then used to determine the estimated fair value. We typically obtain the assistance of third-party valuation specialists to assist with the fair value estimation. The probability of the earnout achievement is based on management’s estimate of the expected future performance and other financial metrics of each of the acquired entities, which are subject to significant uncertainty. Changes to the aforementioned inputs impact the estimate; for example, in the fourth quarter of 2022, we recorded a net $13.5 million reduction to the fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities based primarily on revised management forecasts of the financial performance of the entities over the remaining earnout period. During 2023, we recorded a reduction of $62.5 million to the fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities based on revised management forecasts, scenarios, and other valuation inputs (NOTE 7 of the consolidated financial statements details changes in the estimate over the past two years). The $62.5 million reduction related to the contingent consideration liability for the GeoPhy assessment acquisition. A change of 10% in the cash flows used for the GeoPhy contingent consideration liability assessment as of December 31, 2023 would have increased or decreased the expected payout by 6%. An increase of 20% in the cash flows used for the GeoPhy contingent consideration liability assessment as of December 31, 2023 would have increased the expected payout by 38%. A decrease of 20% in the cash flows used for the GeoPhy contingent consideration liability assessment as of December 31, 2023 would have decreased the expected payout by 13%. The difference between the percent increase and the percent decrease for a 20% change in the cash flows is due to the structure of and the thresholds in the earnout. Changes in the cash flows for the contingent consideration liabilities associated with other acquisitions would have resulted in immaterial changes in the fair values of those contingent consideration liabilities. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
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The aggregate fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities as of December 31, 2023 was $113.5 million. This fair value represents management’s best estimate of the discounted cash payments that will be made in the future for all of our contingent consideration arrangements. The maximum remaining undiscounted earnout payments as of December 31, 2023 was $292.9 million. In 2022 and 2021, we made two large acquisitions that included significant amounts of contingent consideration to maximize alignment of the key principals and management teams. The earnouts completed prior to 2021 involved businesses that operated in our core debt financing business and involved substantially smaller amounts of contingent consideration as compared to the two aforementioned acquisitions.
Goodwill. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, goodwill was $901.7 million and $959.7 million, respectively. Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the identifiable net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill is assigned to the reporting unit to which the acquisition relates. Goodwill is recognized as an asset and is reviewed for impairment annually on October 1. Between the annual evaluation time, we will perform an evaluation of recoverability, when events and circumstances indicate that it is more-likely-than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is below its carrying value. Impairment testing requires an assessment of qualitative factors to determine if there are indicators of potential impairment, followed by, if necessary, an assessment of quantitative factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether there has been a significant or adverse change in the business climate that could affect the value of an asset and/or significant or adverse changes in cash flow projections or earnings forecasts. These assessments require management to make judgments, assumptions, and estimates about projected cash flows, discount rates and other factors. A 10% change in the cash flows used for the goodwill assessment over these two reporting units would have increased or decreased the goodwill impairment recognized by 29%. A 20% change in the cash flows used for the goodwill assessment over these two reporting units would have increased or decreased the goodwill impairment recognized by 58%. A 100 basis-point change in the discount rate used for the goodwill assessment over these two reporting units would have increased or decreased the goodwill impairment recognized by 21%. A 200 basis-point change in the discount rate used for the goodwill assessment over these two reporting units would have increased or decreased the goodwill impairment recognized by 39%. These sensitivities are hypothetical and should be used with caution as they do not include interplay among assumptions.
Due to the sustained challenging macroeconomic conditions resulting from the rapidly increasing interest rate environment that has impacted the multifamily market, our projected cash flows for two reporting units declined, resulting in goodwill impairment during 2023 of $62.0 million or 6.4% of the goodwill balance outstanding at the time. We attributed this goodwill impairment to the two reporting units to which the GeoPhy operations and goodwill are assigned, both of which are components of the Capital Markets segment. The remaining goodwill assigned to these two reporting units as of December 31, 2023 was $156.0 million. As of December 31, 2023, our assessment of the remaining goodwill at each of our other reporting units, totaling $745.7 million, indicates they are not impaired (NOTE 7 of the consolidated financial statements details changes the in goodwill balance).
Overview of Current Business Environment
Higher and volatile interest rates continue to disrupt many sectors of the capital markets, causing significant volatility and uncertainty, including: (a) disruption in the commercial real estate lending and transactions market, (b) volatility in pricing of commercial real estate assets, (c) challenges in the banking sector which are significantly constraining the supply of capital, and (d) uncertainty amongst owners, operators, and developers of commercial real estate assets. Due to the disruption and uncertainties, our total transaction volumes decreased 48% from the year ended December 31, 2023, with the largest decreases in our debt brokerage (55%) and multifamily property sales (55%) executions. The decrease in total transaction volumes also included a decrease in our GSE lending (29%) and HUD originations (39%).
To combat the high rate of inflation over the past two years the Federal Reserve increased its target Federal Funds Rate by 5.25% since March 2022, with its last rate increase following its July 2023 meeting, establishing a target range of 5.25% to 5.50% as of December 31, 2023. Following its December 2023 meeting, the Federal Reserve signaled the end of rate increases in its policy statement, while also stating rates could remain at elevated levels for the foreseeable future as it evaluates the impact of these rates on the inflation rate and on changing economic conditions. The actions of the Federal Reserve resulted in an increase in medium to long-term mortgage interest rates, which form the basis of most of our lending. The increase in the Federal Funds Rate has increased our placement fee revenue on escrow deposits and cash and cash equivalents but also increased our borrowing costs for both our warehouse lines and corporate debt.
During 2023, and partially due to the higher interest rate environment, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic Bank failed. These represented three of the largest bank failures in U.S. history. This caused a significant disruption to the regional banking sector, which typically supplies capital at the local level to developers and owner-operators of commercial real estate—amid concerns of broader weakness and the potential for future failures within the regional banking sector. In addition, larger systemically important financial institutions increased reserves for expected losses in their commercial real estate portfolios while simultaneously preserving capital to pass more stringent stress test regulations. While the banking system remains sound and resilient, the net effect of these changes in the banking sector was a significant reduction in liquidity available to the commercial real estate sector for much of 2023, which adversely impacted overall transaction activity.
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The rapid and sustained rise in medium to long-term interest rates, coupled with the turmoil in the banking sector, negatively impacted certain of our products and offerings more than others, with property sales volumes and debt brokerage executions in non-multifamily asset classes being impacted the most during the year, as banks and other third-party capital sources reduced their lending activities significantly and increased capital reserves. The non-bank multifamily lending market is forecasted by the Mortgage Bankers Association (“MBA”) to have decreased from $480 billion in 2022 to $271 billion in 2023, a decrease of 44%. While the GSEs remained the predominant source of capital to the multifamily sector, lending $101 billion of capital in 2023, that represented a decline of 29% compared to 2022, as overall demand for new loans was down sharply as the market adjusted to the challenging macroeconomic environment. We expect the GSEs’ lending terms to remain competitive and supply much needed countercyclical capital to the multifamily sector going into 2024, but the demand for that capital remains uncertain as the broader macroeconomic environment continues to adjust. As the second largest GSE multifamily lender by volume in 2023, we remain well positioned to originate loans for the GSEs. In addition to lower transaction volumes, as interest rates increased rapidly, and liquidity in the capital markets tightened, we have experienced declines in credit spreads on GSE loans we originate to offset a portion of the interest rate increases on the total cost of borrowing. This has resulted in lower average servicing fees on our new GSE lending over the past year, and we do not anticipate that changing in the near term.
The FHFA establishes loan origination caps for both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each year. In November 2023, the FHFA established Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s 2024 loan origination caps at $70 billion each for all multifamily business, a 7% decrease from the 2023 caps, but a 39% increase over actual combined 2023 lending volumes for the GSEs. During 2023, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had multifamily originations volume of $53 billion and $48 billion, respectively, down 24% and 34%, respectively, from 2022. The decline in the GSEs’ origination volumes was primarily driven by the aforementioned challenging macroeconomic conditions in 2023. The MBA is forecasting the multifamily lending market to increase to $339 billion in 2024, so the decrease to the GSEs’ lending caps in 2024 is not expected to have a material impact on the competitiveness of either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, as they are expected to have sufficient capital to meet market demand under that forecasted scenario.
Despite the higher interest rate environment and declines in commercial real estate lending and property sales, macroeconomic conditions impacting multifamily property fundamentals remained healthy throughout 2023, with the national unemployment rate remaining low at 3.7% as of December 2023. According to RealPage, a provider of commercial real estate data and analytics, vacancies have risen from their historical low of 2.4% in February 2022 and stabilized at 5.8% as of December 2023. The recent historically low vacancy rates were largely considered to be unsustainable from a long-term perspective, and the current vacancy rate represents a return to normal that matches the pre-pandemic decade-long average. A record number of new multifamily properties were completed in 2023, with the majority of those completions concentrated in sunbelt markets, with an even greater number expected to be completed in 2024. However, completions are expected to decrease significantly thereafter, as new starts have stalled in 2023 as a result of the liquidity and macroeconomic challenges. In the short-term, rent growth is expected to face downward pressure, while occupancy rates are also expected to face upward pressure as new supply is absorbed. Despite the increase in vacancies and the short-term increase in supply of multifamily units, national rent growth remains flat to slightly positive indicating continued healthy demand for multifamily units. Meanwhile in certain sunbelt markets, rent growth is beginning to trend negative in the low single-digits as the new supply in those markets is being absorbed.
Our multifamily property sales volumes decreased 55% for the year ended December 31, 2023. We continue to compete for market share in the multifamily property sales sector, as customers increasingly look to experienced brokers to maximize value in this uncertain environment. Long term, we believe the market fundamentals will continue to be positive for multifamily properties, and we saw an increase in assets brought to market in the second half of the year, as evidenced by the 70% decline for the six months ended June 30, 2023 compared to the 55% decline for the year. Over the last several years, household formation and a dearth of supply of entry-level single-family homes led to strong demand for rental housing in many geographical areas. Consequently, the fundamentals of multifamily assets remain healthy, and we expect that market demand for multifamily assets in the long-term will return as this asset class remains an attractive investment option.
Our debt brokerage platform had lower volumes in 2023 compared to 2022 due to the volatile interest rate environment and constrained supply of capital from banks, securitization markets, and other specialty finance lenders. As the interest rate environment and banking sector begin to stabilize, we expect and have seen capital slowly return to the market, as evidenced by the 62% decline in year-to-date volumes for the six months ended June 30, 2023 compared to a 55% decline for the year ended December 30, 2023.
As noted above, our debt financing operations with HUD declined compared to 2022. The decline in HUD volumes was due to the ongoing high interest-rate environment discussed above more acutely impacted the HUD product given the longer lead times associated with HUD executions.
We entered into the Interim Program JV to expand our capacity to originate Interim Program loans beyond the use of our own balance sheet. Demand for transitional lending was strong prior to 2023, and drove increased competition from lenders, specifically banks, private debt funds, mortgage real estate investment trusts, and life insurance companies. Many transitional loans were originated and leveraged through collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”), in 2021 and 2022, particularly in the sunbelt region, and a substantial amount of CLO loans originated
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during 2021 and 2022 are scheduled to mature in 2024 and 2025. Since the Federal Reserve began increasing interest rates, the supply of capital to transitional lending decreased substantially due to constraints in lending from banks, as well as tightening credit standards for transitional assets, and our lending activity through both our balance sheet and the Interim Program JV also slowed. In light of challenging macroeconomic conditions, higher interest rates and declining fundamentals within parts of the sunbelt region, many of the maturing CLO loans are delinquent.
Over the past year, we reduced our reliance on our balance sheet and Interim Program JV as we shift our strategy for transitional lending toward our investment management platform and our registered investment advisor, WDIP. Given the increased distress in the transitional lending market, particularly within CLOs, we have been actively raising capital to meet the potential market demand as those loans mature in 2024 and 2025. We launched our first credit fund through WDIP in the fourth quarter of 2023, raising $150 million of capital from a large life insurance company, that when levered will allow WDIP to supply over half a billion dollars to the transitional multifamily lending market. The credit fund focuses on the same core product as the Interim Loan Program and Interim Program JV. WDIP underwrites, services and asset manages all loans originated for the credit fund, and the Company has only a 5% co-investment obligation.
We provide alternative investment management services focused on the affordable housing sector through LIHTC syndication, joint venture development, and community preservation fund management through our subsidiary, WDAE. We are the eighth largest LIHTC syndicator. We continue to approach the affordable housing space with a combined LIHTC syndication and affordable housing service offering that we believe will generate significant long-term financing, property sales, and syndication opportunities. Additionally, as part of FHFA’s 2024 loan origination caps of $140 billion announced in November 2023, at least 50% of the GSEs’ multifamily business is required to be targeted towards affordable housing. Additionally, in 2023 LIHTC vacancy continued to decline, indicating strong demand for affordable housing. We expect these initiatives coupled with the continued demand will create additional growth opportunities for both WDAE and our debt financing and property sales teams focused on affordable housing, as evidenced by the $688 million of equity syndicated by WDAE for the year ended December 31, 2023, the strongest year of syndicated equity ever for WDAE.
Factors That May Impact Our Operating Results
We believe that our results are affected by a number of factors, including the items discussed below.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Performance of Multifamily and Other Commercial Real Estate Related Markets. Our business is dependent on the general demand for, and value of, commercial real estate and related services, particularly multifamily, which are sensitive to long-term mortgage interest rates and other macroeconomic conditions and the continued existence of the GSEs. Demand for multifamily and other commercial real estate generally increases during stronger economic environments, resulting in increased property values, transaction volumes, and loan origination volumes. During weaker economic environments, multifamily and other commercial real estate may experience higher property vacancies, lower demand and reduced values. These conditions can result in lower property transaction volumes and loan originations, as well as an increased level of servicer advances and losses from our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Level of Losses from Fannie Mae Risk-Sharing Obligations. Under the Fannie Mae DUS program, we share risk of loss on most loans we sell to Fannie Mae. In the majority of cases, we absorb the first 5% of any losses on the loan’s unpaid principal balance at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss generally capped at 20% of the loan’s unpaid principal balance on the origination date. As a result, a rise in defaults on loans in our at-risk portfolio could have a material adverse effect on us, including our profitability and liquidity. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Price of Loans in the Secondary Market. Our profitability is determined in part by the price we are paid for the loans we originate. A component of our origination related revenues is the premium we recognize on the sale of a loan. Stronger investor demand typically results in larger premiums while weaker demand results in little to no premium. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Market for Servicing Commercial Real Estate Loans. Servicing fee rates for new loans are set at the time we enter into a loan sale commitment based on origination fees, competition, prepayment rates, and any risk-sharing obligations we undertake. Changes in servicing fee rates impact the value of our MSRs and future servicing revenues, which could impact our profit margins and operating results immediately and over time. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Overall Loan Origination Mix. The loan product mix we originate can significantly impact our overall operating results. For example, an increase in loan origination volume for our two highest-margin products, Fannie Mae and HUD loans, without a change in total loan origination volume would increase our overall profitability, while a decrease in the loan origination volume of these two products without a change in total loan origination volume would decrease our overall profitability, all else being equal. |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Affordable Housing Market. The profitability of our LIHTC operations is impacted by the demand for and the financial performance of the affordable housing market and the continued existence of income tax credits for these properties. For example, we earn syndication fees based on new funds we are able to syndicate for investors and asset management fees based on performance of the underlying LIHTC properties and dispositions of these properties. Strong demand for LIHTC properties typically results in opportunities for syndication of LIHTC funds and high prices for dispositions. |
Revenues
Loan Origination and Debt Brokerage Fees, net. Loan origination fee revenue is recognized when we record a derivative asset upon the simultaneous commitments to originate a loan with a borrower and sell to an investor or when a loan that we broker closes with the institutional lender. The commitment asset related to the loan origination fee is recognized at fair value, which reflects the fair value of the contractual loan origination related fees and any sale premiums, net of co-broker fees. Also included in revenues from loan origination activities are changes to the fair value of loan commitments, forward sale commitments, and loans held for sale that occur during their respective holding periods. Upon sale of the loans, no gains or losses are recognized as these loans are recorded at fair value during their holding periods.
Brokered loans tend to have lower origination fees because they often require less time to execute, there is more competition for brokerage assignments, and because the borrower will also have to pay an origination fee to the institutional lender. Loan origination fee revenue for brokered loans is recognized when we have completed the services for the loan to be originated by the institutional lender.
Premiums received on the sale of a loan result when a loan is sold to an investor for more than its face value. There are various reasons investors may pay a premium when purchasing a loan. For example, the fixed rate on the loan may be higher than the rate of return required by an investor or the characteristics of a particular loan may be desirable to an investor. We do not receive premiums on brokered loans, since we do not originate the loan.
Fair Value of Expected Net Cash Flows from Servicing, net. Revenue related to expected net cash flows from servicing is recognized at the loan commitment date, similar to the loan origination fees, as described above. The derivative asset is recognized at fair value, which reflects the estimated fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, reduced by the estimated fair value of any guaranty obligations to be assumed. MSRs and guaranty obligations are recognized as assets and liabilities, respectively, upon the sale of the loans.
MSRs are recorded at fair value upon loan sale. The fair value is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights. The estimated net cash flows are discounted at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the loan.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for these revenues.
Servicing Fees. We service nearly all loans we originate and some loans we broker. We earn servicing fees for performing certain loan servicing functions such as processing loan, tax, and insurance payments and managing escrow balances. Servicing generally also includes asset management functions, such as monitoring the physical condition of the property, analyzing the financial condition and liquidity of the borrower, and performing loss mitigation activities as directed by the Agencies.
Our servicing fees on loans we originate provide a stable revenue stream. They are based on contractual terms, are earned over the life of the loan, and are generally not subject to significant prepayment risk. Our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicing agreements generally provide for prepayment fees in the event of a voluntary prepayment. Accordingly, we currently do not hedge our servicing portfolio for prepayment risk. Any prepayment fees received are included in Other revenues.
HUD has the right to terminate our current servicing engagements for cause. In addition to termination for cause, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may terminate our servicing engagements without cause by paying a termination fee. Institutional investors typically may terminate our servicing engagements for brokered loans at any time with or without cause, without paying a termination fee.
Property Sales Broker Fees. We earn property broker sales fee revenue when our investment sales team completes the sale of a multifamily investment property or land real estate. The amount of the property sales brokers fees we earn is based upon a percentage of the final sale price of the investment sold.
Investment Management Fees. We manage invested capital from third-party investors through an investment fund structure. The capital placed into the investment fund is utilized to make investments in multifamily investment opportunities, primarily as equity in market-rate or LIHTC-generating multifamily properties. Additionally, we may utilize the capital to fund debt financing opportunities through certain
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investment funds. We earn an investment management or asset management fee based on a contractual percentage of the invested capital. For market-rate investments, we earn and collect the investment management fees through the returns of the investment funds. For LIHTC investments, we collect the asset management fees (“AMF”) through the combination of current payments and asset dispositions. NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of the accounting for AMF revenues.
Net Warehouse Interest Income (Expense)—We earn warehouse interest income net of warehouse interest expense. Warehouse interest income is the interest earned from loans held for sale and loans held for investment. Generally, a substantial portion of our loans is financed with matched borrowings under one of our warehouse facilities. The remaining portion of loans not funded with matched borrowings is financed with our own cash. Occasionally, we also fully fund a small number of loans held for sale or loans held for investment with our own cash. Warehouse interest expense is incurred on borrowings used to fund loans solely while they are held for sale or for investment. Warehouse interest income and expense are earned or incurred on loans held for sale after a loan is closed and before a loan is sold. Warehouse interest income and expense are earned or incurred on loans held for investment after a loan is closed and before a loan is repaid.
Placement Fees and Other Interest Income. We earn fee income on property-level escrow deposits held on behalf of borrowers in our servicing portfolio, generally based on a fixed or variable placement fee negotiated with the financial institutions that hold the escrow deposits. Placement fees reflect the fees net of interest paid to the borrower, if required. Also included with placement fees and other interest income are interest earnings from our cash and cash equivalents and interest income earned on our pledged securities and other investments.
Other Revenues. Other revenues are comprised of fees for processing loan assumptions, prepayment fee income, application fees, appraisal revenues, income from equity-method investments, syndication, and certain other revenues from our LIHTC operations, and other miscellaneous revenues related to our operations.
Costs and Expenses
Personnel. Personnel expense includes the cost of employee compensation and benefits, which include fixed and discretionary amounts tied to company and individual performance, commissions, severance expense, signing and retention bonuses, and share-based compensation.
Amortization and Depreciation. Amortization and depreciation is principally comprised of amortization of our MSRs, net of amortization of our guaranty obligations. The MSRs are amortized using the interest method over the period that servicing income is expected to be received. We amortize the guaranty obligations evenly over their expected lives. When the loan underlying an MSR prepays, we write off the remaining unamortized balance, net of any related guaranty obligation, and record the write off to Amortization and depreciation. Similarly, when the loan underlying an MSR defaults, we write the MSR off to Amortization and depreciation. We depreciate property, plant, and equipment ratably over their estimated useful lives.
Amortization and depreciation also includes the amortization of intangible assets, principally related to the amortization of asset management fee contracts, research subscription contracts, intellectual property, and other intangible assets recognized in connection with acquisitions. For the years presented in the Consolidated Statements of Income, the amortization of intangible assets relates primarily to intangible assets associated with our acquisitions in 2021 and 2022.
Provision (Benefit) for Credit Losses. The provision (benefit) for credit losses consists primarily of the provision associated with our risk-sharing loans. The provision (benefit) for credit losses associated with risk-sharing loans is estimated on a collective basis when a loan is sold to Fannie Mae and is based on our current expected credit losses on the current portfolio from loan sale to maturity. When a loan is probable of default, the loan is taken out of the collective evaluation and individually evaluated for credit losses. Our estimates of property fair value are based on appraisals, broker opinions of value, or net operating income and market capitalization rates, whichever we believe is the best estimate of the net disposition value.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Interest Expense on Corporate Debt. Interest expense on corporate debt includes interest expense incurred and amortization of debt discount and deferred debt issuance costs primarily related to our term loan and incremental term loan.
Goodwill Impairment. Goodwill impairment is the write-down of our goodwill balance resulting from either our annual impairment testing or our quarterly evaluations of recoverability.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for this expense.
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Fair Value Adjustments to Contingent Consideration Liabilities. Fair value adjustments to our contingent consideration liabilities are the adjustments to the estimated fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities remeasured at the end of each reporting period. As noted below, the accretion of contingent consideration liabilities is included in other operating expenses.
The “Critical Accounting Estimates” section above and NOTE 8 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Other Operating Expenses. Other operating expenses include facilities costs, travel and entertainment costs, marketing costs, professional fees, losses on debt extinguishment, accretion of contingent consideration liabilities, corporate insurance premiums, software costs, and other general and administrative expenses.
Income Tax Expense. The Company is a C-corporation subject to federal, state, and international corporate tax. Our estimated combined statutory federal, state, and international tax rate was 26.1%, 26.1%, and 25.7% for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively. Except for the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Reform”), our combined statutory tax rate has historically not varied significantly as the only material difference in the calculation of the combined statutory tax rate from year to year is the apportionment of our taxable income amongst the various states where we are subject to taxation since our foreign operations are (i) immaterial and (ii) taxed at a rate similar to our blended federal and state tax rate. Absent additional significant legislative changes to statutory tax rates (particularly the federal tax rate), we expect low deviation from the 2023 combined statutory tax rate for future years. However, we do expect some variability in the effective tax rate going forward due to excess tax benefits recognized and limitations on the deductibility of certain book expenses as a result of Tax Reform, primarily related to executive compensation.
Consolidated Results of Operations
The following is a discussion of the comparison of our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The financial results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Our annual results have fluctuated in the past and are expected to fluctuate in the future, reflecting the interest-rate environment, the volume of transactions, business acquisitions, regulatory actions, and general economic conditions. Discussions of our results of operations and comparisons between 2022 and 2021 can be found in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended December 31, | | ||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | ||||
| Transaction Volume: | | | | | | |
| Components of Debt Financing Volume | | | | | | |
| Total Debt Financing Volume | $ | 24,202,859 | | $ | 43,605,984 | |
| Property Sales Volume | 8,784,537 | | 19,732,654 | | ||
| Total Transaction Volume | $ | 32,987,396 | | $ | 63,338,638 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics: | | | | | | |
| Operating margin | | 13 | % | | 21 | % |
| Return on equity | | 6 | | | 13 | |
| Walker & Dunlop net income | $ | 107,357 | | $ | 213,820 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(1) | | 300,123 | | | 325,095 | |
| Diluted EPS | | 3.18 | | | 6.36 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Expense Metrics (as a percentage of total revenues): | | | | | | |
| Personnel expenses | | 49 | % | | 48 | % |
| Other operating expenses | | 11 | | | 10 | |
| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | As of December 31, | ||||
| Managed Portfolio: | 2023 | 2022 | |||
| Total Servicing Portfolio | $ | 130,471,524 | | $ | 123,133,855 |
| Assets under management | | 17,321,452 | | | 16,748,449 |
| Total Managed Portfolio | $ | 147,792,976 | | $ | 139,882,304 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure.” |
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Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2022
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of our financial results for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
FINANCIAL RESULTS –2023 COMPARED TO
2022 CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | |||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | | $ | 234,409 | | $ | 348,007 | | $ | (113,598) | | (33) | % | |
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net | | | 141,917 | | | 191,760 | | | (49,843) | | (26) | | |
| Servicing fees | | 311,914 | | 300,191 | | 11,723 | | 4 | | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | | 53,966 | | | 120,582 | | | (66,616) | | (55) | | |
| Investment management fees | | | 45,381 | | | 71,931 | | | (26,550) | | (37) | | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense) | | (5,633) | | 15,777 | | (21,410) | | (136) | | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | | 154,520 | | 52,830 | | 101,690 | | 192 | | | |||
| Other revenues | | 117,966 | | 157,675 | | (39,709) | | (25) | | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 1,054,440 | | $ | 1,258,753 | | $ | (204,313) | | (16) | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 514,290 | | $ | 607,366 | | $ | (93,076) | | (15) | % | |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 226,752 | | | 235,031 | | | (8,279) | | (4) | | |
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | (10,452) | | (11,978) | | 1,526 | | (13) | | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 68,476 | | 34,233 | | 34,243 | | 100 | | | |||
| Goodwill impairment | | | 62,000 | | | — | | | 62,000 | | N/A | | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | (62,500) | | | (13,512) | | | (48,988) | | 363 | | |
| Other operating expenses | | 117,677 | | 142,648 | | (24,971) | | (18) | | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 916,243 | | $ | 993,788 | | $ | (77,545) | | (8) | | |
| Income from operations | | $ | 138,197 | | $ | 264,965 | | $ | (126,768) | | (48) | | |
| Income tax expense | | 35,026 | | 56,034 | | (21,008) | | (37) | | | |||
| Net income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 103,171 | | $ | 208,931 | | $ | (105,760) | | (51) | | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | (4,186) | | (4,889) | | 703 | (14) | | | ||||
| Walker & Dunlop net income | | $ | 107,357 | | $ | 213,820 | | $ | (106,463) | | (50) | | |
Overview
The decrease in revenues was driven by decreases in loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net (“origination fees”), fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net (“MSR income”), property sales broker fees, investment management fees, net warehouse interest income (expense), and other revenues, partially offset by increases in servicing fees and placement fees and other interest income. Origination fees and MSR income decreased largely as a result of a 45% decline in overall debt financing volume. Property sales broker fees decreased primarily due to a 55% decline in property sales volume. Investment management fees decreased largely as a result of a decline in AMF revenue from our LIHTC operations due to challenging market conditions. Net warehouse interest income (expense) decreased from a net revenue position in 2022 to a net expense position in 2023 due to the inverted yield curve throughout 2023. Other revenues decreased primarily due to a $39.6 million one-time gain from the revaluation of our previously held equity-method investment in Apprise in the first quarter of 2022, with no comparable activity in 2023. Servicing fees increased largely from an increase in the average servicing portfolio outstanding. Placement fees and other interest income increased primarily as a result of a higher placement fee rate due to higher short-term interest rates.
The decrease in expenses was due to decreases in personnel costs, amortization and depreciation, fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities, and other operating expenses, partially offset by increases in interest expense on corporate debt and goodwill impairment. Personnel costs decreased, largely due to decreases in variable compensation costs for our salespeople as a result of our lower transaction volumes. Amortization and depreciation decreased, largely due to a decline in write-offs of MSRs due to lower prepayments in the servicing portfolio. Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration decreased due to the sustained challenging market conditions that impacted the estimated fair value of future earnout payments. Other operating expenses decreased primarily as a result of the write off of unamortized debt premium as we paid off a note payable at one of our subsidiaries in 2023, and other decreases in general and administrative expenses as a result of our cost-reduction initiatives. Interest expense on corporate debt increased due to increases in (i) the interest rate as our
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corporate debt’s floating rate is tied to short-term interest rates, (ii) the outstanding principal balance of corporate debt, and (iii) the principal balance of our corporate debt subject to floating interest rates, as we replaced the fixed-rate debt at one of our subsidiaries with a floating-rate debt. Goodwill impairment increased due to sustained challenging market conditions leading to lower projected cash flows at two of our reporting units with no comparable activity in 2022.
Income Tax Expense. The decrease in income tax expense primarily relates to a 48% decrease in income from operations, partially offset by a $3.1 million decrease in realizable excess tax benefits and a one-time tax benefit during 2022 totaling $6.3 million resulting from (i) the dissolution of a joint venture that we acquired full ownership of in 2022 and (ii) intellectual property (“IP”) transfer tax related to the IP intangible assets we acquired as part of the 2022 GeoPhy acquisition. There was no comparable one-time tax benefit during 2023.
A discussion of the financial results for our segments is included further below.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we use adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure. The presentation of adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. When analyzing our operating performance, readers should use adjusted EBITDA in addition to, and not as an alternative for, net income. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before income taxes, interest expense on our corporate debt, and amortization and depreciation, adjusted for provision (benefit) for credit losses, net write-offs, stock-based incentive compensation charges, the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net, the write off of unamortized balance of premium associated with the repayment of a portion of our corporate debt, the gain from revaluation of a previously held equity-method investment, goodwill impairment, and contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments when the fair value adjustment is a triggering event for a goodwill impairment assessment. In cases where the fair value adjustment of contingent consideration liabilities is a trigger for goodwill impairment (such as 2023), the goodwill impairment is netted against the fair value adjustment of contingent consideration liabilities and included as a net number. Because not all companies use identical calculations, our presentation of adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Furthermore, adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for our management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect certain cash requirements such as tax and debt service payments. The amounts shown for adjusted EBITDA may also differ from the amounts calculated under similarly titled definitions in our debt instruments, which are further adjusted to reflect certain other cash and non-cash charges that are used to determine compliance with financial covenants.
We use adjusted EBITDA to evaluate the operating performance of our business, for comparison with forecasts and strategic plans, and for benchmarking performance externally against competitors. We believe that this non-GAAP measure, when read in conjunction with our GAAP financials, provides useful information to investors by offering:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of our ongoing operating results; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to better identify trends in our underlying business and perform related trend analyses; and |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | a better understanding of how management plans and measures our underlying business. |
We believe that adjusted EBITDA has limitations in that it does not reflect all of the amounts associated with our results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that adjusted EBITDA should only be used to evaluate our results of operations in conjunction with net income.
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Adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL METRIC RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | ||||
| | | December 31, | | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | |||||
| Reconciliation of Walker & Dunlop Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | | |
| Walker & Dunlop Net Income | | $ | 107,357 | | $ | 213,820 | |
| Income tax expense | | 35,026 | | 56,034 | | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 68,476 | | 34,233 | | ||
| Amortization and depreciation | | 226,752 | | 235,031 | | ||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | (10,452) | | (11,978) | | ||
| Net write-offs(1) | | (8,041) | | (4,631) | | ||
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 27,842 | | 33,987 | | ||
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net | | (141,917) | | (191,760) | | ||
| Gain from revaluation of previously held equity-method investment | | | — | | | (39,641) | |
| Write off of unamortized premium from corporate debt repayment | | | (4,420) | | | — | |
| Goodwill impairment, net of contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments(2) | | | (500) | | | — | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 300,123 | | $ | 325,095 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | The net write-off for the year ended December 31, 2023 includes the $6.0 million write-off of a collateral-based reserve related to a loan held for investment. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | For the year ended December 31, 2023, includes goodwill impairment of $62.0 million and contingent consideration fair value adjustment of $62.5 million. For the year ended December 31, 2022, there was no goodwill impairment. |
Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2022
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of our adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
ADJUSTED EBITDA–2023 COMPARED TO 2022
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | $ | 234,409 | | $ | 348,007 | | $ | (113,598) | | (33) | % |
| Servicing fees | 311,914 | | 300,191 | | 11,723 | | 4 | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | 53,966 | | | 120,582 | | | (66,616) | | (55) | |
| Investment management fees | | 45,381 | | | 71,931 | | | (26,550) | | (37) | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense) | (5,633) | | 15,777 | | (21,410) | | (136) | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | 154,520 | | 52,830 | | 101,690 | | 192 | | |||
| Other revenues | 122,152 | | 122,923 | | (771) | | (1) | | |||
| Personnel | (486,448) | | (573,379) | | 86,931 | | (15) | | |||
| Net write-offs(1) | (8,041) | | (4,631) | | (3,410) | | 74 | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (122,097) | | (129,136) | | 7,039 | | (5) | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 300,123 | | $ | 325,095 | | $ | (24,972) | | (8) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | The net write-off for the year ended December 31, 2023 includes the $6.0 million write-off of a collateral-based reserve related to a loan held for investment. |
The decrease in origination fees was primarily related to a significant decrease in the overall debt financing volumes year over year. Servicing fees increased mainly due to an increase in the average servicing portfolio. Property sales broker fees decreased largely as a result of a significant decline in property sales volume year over year. Investment management fees decreased primarily due to a decline in asset management fees from our LIHTC operations due to challenging market conditions. Net warehouse interest income (expense) decreased from
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a net revenue position in 2022 to a net expense position in 2023 due to the inverted yield curve throughout 2023. Placement fees and other interest income increased primarily as a result of higher short-term interest rates.
The decrease in personnel costs was largely due to decreases in variable compensation costs for our salespeople as a result of our lower transaction volumes. Net write-offs increased due to a $6.0 million write off of a loan held for investment in 2023 with no comparable activity in 2022. Other operating expenses decreased largely as a result of our cost-reduction initiatives.
Financial Condition
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Our cash flows from operations are generated from loan sales, servicing fees, placement fees, net warehouse interest income, property sales broker fees, investment management fees, research subscription fees, investment banking advisory fees, and other income, net of loan origination and operating costs. Our cash flows from operations are impacted by the fees generated by our loan originations and property sales, the timing of loan closings, and the period of time loans are held for sale in the warehouse loan facility prior to delivery to the investor.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
We usually lease facilities and equipment for our operations. Our cash flows from investing activities also include the funding and repayment of loans held for investment, contributions to and distributions from joint ventures, purchases of equity-method investments, and the purchase of available-for-sale (“AFS”) securities pledged to Fannie Mae.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
We use our warehouse loan facilities and, when necessary, our corporate cash to fund loan closings, both for loans held for sale and loans held for investment. We also use warehouse facilities to assist in funding investments in tax credit equity before transferring them to a tax credit fund. We believe that our current warehouse loan facilities are adequate to meet our loan origination and tax credit equity syndication needs. Historically, we used a combination of long-term debt and cash flows from operations to fund large acquisitions. Additionally, we repurchase shares, pay cash dividends, make long-term debt principal payments, and repay short-term borrowings on a regular basis. We issue stock primarily in connection with exercise of stock options and for acquisitions (non-cash transactions).
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Years Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Years Ended December 31, 2022
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the significant components of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
SIGNIFICANT COMPONENTS OF CASH FLOWS – 2023 COMPARED TO 2022
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | | $ | (518) | | $ | 1,582,704 | | $ | (1,583,222) | | (100) | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | | 126,869 | | (133,777) | | 260,646 | | (195) | | |||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | | 6,769 | | (1,583,824) | | 1,590,593 | | (100) | | |||
| Total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period ("Total cash") | | | 391,403 | | | 258,283 | | | 133,120 | | 52 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) operating activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net receipt (use) of cash for loan origination activity | | $ | (179,624) | | $ | 1,372,681 | | $ | (1,552,305) | | (113) | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, excluding loan origination activity | | | 179,106 | | | 210,023 | | | (30,917) | | (15) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) investing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Purchases of pledged AFS securities | | $ | (12,548) | | $ | (60,802) | | $ | 48,254 | | (79) | % |
| Proceeds from the prepayment/sale of pledged AFS securities | | | 10,679 | | | 14,040 | | | (3,361) | | (24) | |
| Acquisitions, net of cash received | | | — | | | (114,163) | | | 114,163 | | (100) | |
| Capital expenditures | | | (16,201) | | | (21,995) | | | 5,794 | | (26) | |
| Net payoff of loans held for investment | | | 160,662 | | | 67,709 | | | 92,953 | | 137 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) financing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Borrowings (repayments) of warehouse notes payable, net | | $ | 189,736 | | $ | (1,370,705) | | $ | 1,560,441 | | (114) | % |
| Borrowings of interim warehouse notes payable | | — | | 36,459 | | (36,459) | | (100) | | |||
| Repayments of interim warehouse notes payable | | (119,835) | | | (63,858) | | (55,977) | | 88 | | ||
| Repayments of notes payable | | | (122,046) | | | (36,629) | | | (85,417) | | 233 | |
| Borrowings of notes payable | | | 196,000 | | | — | | | 196,000 | | N/A | |
| Payment of contingent consideration | | | (26,090) | | | (21,191) | | | (4,899) | | 23 | |
| Repurchase of common stock | | | (20,511) | | | (42,369) | | | 21,858 | | (52) | |
| Cash dividends paid | | | (84,836) | | | (80,145) | | | (4,691) | | 6 | |
The decrease in net cash used in operating activities was driven primarily by loans originated and sold. Such loans are held for short periods of time, generally less than 60 days, and impact cash flows presented as of a point in time due to the timing difference between the date of origination and date of delivery. The change in cash flows provided by loan origination activities in 2022 to cash flows used for loan origination activities is primarily attributable to originations outpacing sales by $179.6 million in 2023 compared to sales outpacing originations by $1.4 billion in 2022. Overall loan originations and sales activity declined in 2023 compared to 2022, with a larger decline in sales compared to originations resulting in the change to net cash used for originations activity from net cash provided by originations activity. Excluding cash used for the origination and sale of loans, cash flows provided by operating activities were $179.1 million in 2023, down from $210.0 million in 2022. The decrease is primarily the result of a $105.8 million decrease in net income before noncontrolling interests and a $7.9 million decrease in cash provided by other activities and changes in other assets and liabilities, partially offset by a $41.6 million net increase in non-cash adjustments for MSRs and amortization and depreciation and a $39.6 million non-cash adjustment for the gain from the revaluation of a previously held equity-method investment in 2022 with no comparable activity in 2023.
The change from net cash used in investing activities in 2022 to net cash provided by investing activities in 2023 was due to (i) a decrease in the purchase of AFS securities, which was impacted by limited purchases in 2023 as the market interest rates on pledged securities AFS were not substantially higher (and at certain points in 2023 lower) than the short-term rate earned on uninvested cash due to the inverted yield curve, (ii) a decrease in proceeds from prepayments of pledged AFS securities as prepayments on the securities’ underlying mortgage loans decreased, (iii) a significant reduction in cash used for acquisitions in 2023 compared to 2022, as we had no acquisitions in 2023, (iv) a decrease in capital expenditures due to elevated capital expenditures in 2022 related to the build out of our new headquarters, and (v) an increase in net payoffs of loans held for investment in 2023 due to contractual maturities and the refinancing of these transitional bridge loans to permanent debt structures and no originations in 2023 as we have shifted away from the Interim Loan Program over the past year to invest in other endeavors.
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The change from cash used in financing activities to cash provided by financing activities in 2023 was largely attributable to (a) a change from net warehouse repayments to net borrowings due to the aforementioned decrease in loan origination activity, (b) an increase in borrowings of notes payable, (c) a decrease in repurchases of common stock, partially offset by (i) an increase in net repayments of interim warehouse notes payable due to the aforementioned maturities and refinancings and lack of origination activity in 2023, (ii) an increase in repayments of notes payable, (iii) an increase in the payment of contingent consideration liabilities (“earnouts”), and (iv) an increase in cash dividends paid. The increase in borrowings of notes payable was due to borrowings under our Incremental Term Loan (defined in Liquidity and Capital Resources below), a portion of which was used to repay notes payable at one of our subsidiaries, resulting in an increase in the repayments of notes payable. The decrease in repurchases of common stock was related to a decrease in the number and value of employee stock vesting events related to previously issued equity grants and a reduction in open market share repurchases. The increase in earnout payments was due to a larger payment in 2023 compared to 2022 for one of our acquisitions. The increase in cash dividends paid was due to the 5% increase in our dividend year over year.
Segment Results
The Company is managed based on our three reportable segments: (i) Capital Markets (“CM”), (ii) Servicing & Asset Management (“SAM”), and (iii) Corporate. The segment results below are intended to present each of the reportable segments on a stand-alone basis.
Capital Markets
Our CM segment provides a comprehensive range of commercial real estate finance products to our customers, including Agency lending, debt brokerage, property sales, and appraisal and valuation services. The Company’s long-established relationships with the Agencies and institutional investors enable our CM segment to offer a broad range of loan products and services to the Company’s customers, including first mortgage, second trust, supplemental, construction, mezzanine, preferred equity, and small-balance loans. This segment also provides property sales services to owners and developers of multifamily properties and commercial real estate and multifamily property appraisals for various investors. The CM segment also provides real estate-related investment banking and advisory services, including housing market research.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | Dollar | Percentage | |||||||
| (in thousands) | | 2023 | 2022 | Change | | Change | ||||||
| Transaction Volume: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Components of Debt Financing Volume | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 7,021,397 | | $ | 9,950,152 | | $ | (2,928,755) | | (29) | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 4,568,935 | | 6,320,201 | | | (1,751,266) | | (28) | | ||
| Ginnie Mae ̶ HUD | | 678,889 | | 1,118,014 | | | (439,125) | | (39) | | ||
| Brokered(1) | | 11,714,888 | | 25,878,519 | | (14,163,631) | | (55) | | |||
| Total Debt Financing Volume | | $ | 23,984,109 | | $ | 43,266,886 | | $ | (19,282,777) | | (45) | % |
| Property sales volume | | | 8,784,537 | | | 19,732,654 | | | (10,948,117) | | (55) | |
| Total Transaction Volume | | $ | 32,768,646 | | $ | 62,999,540 | | $ | (30,230,894) | | (48) | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net income | | $ | 41,180 | | $ | 156,078 | | | (114,898) | | (74) | % |
| Adjusted EBITDA(2) | | | (46,333) | | | 36,201 | | | (82,534) | | (228) | |
| Operating margin | | | 12 | % | | 28 | % | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Key Revenue Metrics (as a percentage of debt financing volume): | | | | | | | | | | |||
| Origination fees | | | 0.97 | % | | 0.80 | % | | | | | |
| MSR income | | | 0.59 | | | 0.44 | | | | | | |
| MSR income, as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume | | | 1.16 | | | 1.10 | | | | | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered transactions for life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other capital sources. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure.” |
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FINANCIAL RESULTS–2023 COMPARED TO 2022
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Origination fees | | $ | 232,625 | | $ | 345,779 | | $ | (113,154) | | (33) | % |
| MSR Income | | | 141,917 | | | 191,760 | | | (49,843) | | (26) | |
| Property sales broker fees | | | 53,966 | | | 120,582 | | | (66,616) | | (55) | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense), loans held for sale | | (9,497) | | 9,667 | | (19,164) | | (198) | | |||
| Other revenues | | 57,755 | | 41,046 | | 16,709 | | 41 | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 476,766 | | $ | 708,834 | | $ | (232,068) | | (33) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 375,450 | | $ | 485,958 | | $ | (110,508) | | (23) | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 4,550 | | 3,084 | | 1,466 | | 48 | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 18,779 | | | 8,647 | | | 10,132 | | 117 | |
| Goodwill impairment | | | 62,000 | | | — | | | 62,000 | | N/A | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | (62,500) | | | (18,000) | | | (44,500) | | 247 | |
| Other operating expenses | | 19,994 | | 29,817 | | (9,823) | | (33) | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 418,273 | | $ | 509,506 | | $ | (91,233) | | (18) | |
| Income from operations | | $ | 58,493 | | $ | 199,328 | | $ | (140,835) | | (71) | |
| Income tax expense | | 14,824 | | 42,153 | | (27,329) | | (65) | | |||
| Net income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 43,669 | | $ | 157,175 | | $ | (113,506) | | (72) | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | 2,489 | | 1,097 | | 1,392 | 127 | | ||||
| Net income | | $ | 41,180 | | $ | 156,078 | | $ | (114,898) | | (74) | |
Revenues
Origination fees and MSR Income. The following tables provide additional information that helps explain changes in origination fees and MSR income year over year:
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |||
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | |||
| Debt Financing Volume by Product Type | | 2023 | | | 2022 | |
| Fannie Mae | | 29 | % | | 23 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 19 | | | 15 | |
| Ginnie Mae - HUD | | 3 | | | 3 | |
| Brokered | | 49 | | | 59 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended December 31, | | Basis Point | | Percentage | | |||||
| Mortgage Banking Details (basis points) | 2023 | | 2022 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Origination Fee Rate (1) | | 97 | | | 80 | | | 17 | | 21 | |
| MSR Rate (2) | | 59 | | | 44 | | | 15 | | 34 | |
| Agency MSR Rate (2) | | 116 | | | 110 | | | 6 | | 5 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Origination fees as a percentage of total debt financing volume. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | MSR Income as a percentage of total debt financing volume, excluding the income and debt financing volume from principal lending and investing. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (3) | MSR Income as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume. |
The decrease in origination fees were primarily the result of the 45% decrease in debt financing volume, partially offset by a 17-basis-point increase in our origination fee rate. The increase in the origination fee rate was driven by an increase in GSE debt financing volume as a percentage of total debt financing volume as seen above. GSE debt financing volume has higher origination fees than brokered debt financing volume. The increase in the origination fee rate was driven by a $1.9 billion Fannie Mae loan portfolio financed in 2022, for which we received a much lower origination fee than is typical for individual loans. There was no comparable portfolio transaction in 2023.
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The decrease in MSR income was attributable to a 29% decrease in Agency debt financing volume, partially offset by a six-basis point increase in the Agency MSR Rate seen above. The increase in the Agency MSR Rate was primarily the result of an increase in Fannie Mae debt financing volumes as a percentage of total debt financing volumes shown above. Additionally, the $1.9 billion Fannie Mae portfolio financed in 2022 had a very low servicing fee rate that is typical of such a portfolio. There was no comparable portfolio in 2023. Our Fannie Mae loans have higher weighted-average servicing fees (“WASF”) than our other products.
See the “Overview of Current Business Environment” section above for a detailed discussion of the factors driving the changes in debt financing volumes.
Property sales broker fees. The decrease in property sales broker fees were driven principally by the 55% decrease in the property sales volumes period over period.
See the “Overview of Current Business Environment” section above for a detailed discussion of the factors driving the change in property sales volume.
Net Warehouse Interest Income (Expense), Loans Held for Sale. The decrease in net warehouse interest income from a net revenue position in 2022 to a net expense position in 2023 was primarily attributable to an inverted yield curve during 2023. Short-term interest rates, upon which we incur interest expense, were higher than long-term mortgage rates, upon which we earn interest income, during 2023. Partially reducing the negative impact of the inverted yield curve and resulting negative net spreads shown below were the lower average balances of loans held for sale outstanding in 2023 compared to 2022, which were driven by reductions in the number of days loans were held before delivery to reduce the impact of the aforementioned negative interest spread coupled with lower Agency debt financing volumes.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | | ||||
| | For the year ended December 31, | | Basis Point | | Percentage | | |||||
| Net Warehouse Interest Income (Expense) Details - LHFS (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | | 2022 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average LHFS Outstanding Balance | $ | 660,869 | | $ | 1,326,690 | | $ | (665,821) | | (50) | % |
| LHFS Net Spread (basis points) | | (144) | | | 73 | | | (217) | | (297) | |
Other Revenues. The increase was principally due to a $13.2 million increase in investment banking revenues. The increase in investment banking revenues was primarily due to the closing of the largest investment banking advisory transaction in Company history and a more active market in 2023.
Expenses
Personnel. The decrease was primarily the result of decreases of $96.4 million in commission costs and $4.4 million in other production incentive costs due to lower origination fees and property sales broker fees. Additionally, salaries and benefits costs and subjective bonus expenses decreased by an aggregate $13.0 million as average headcount decreased for the segment from 863 in 2022 to 822 in 2023.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. The discussion of our consolidated results above has additional information related to the increase in interest expense on corporate debt.
Goodwill Impairment. Goodwill impairment increased due to sustained challenging market conditions leading to lower projected cash flows at two of our reporting units in the CM reportable segment with no comparable activity in 2022.
Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. The decrease was driven by an increase in the fair value adjustment to contingent consideration liabilities (“CCL”) of $44.5 million caused by the sustained challenging market conditions. In 2022, the change in fair value of CCLs in the CM segment resulted in a reduction of the CCLs of $18.0 million, compared to a reduction of $62.5 million in 2023.
Other Operating Expenses. The decrease was primarily a result of cost-reduction initiatives across a variety of cost categories, with the most prominent decreases in professional fees and travel and entertainment costs.
Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
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Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Capital Markets segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. CM adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Income | | $ | 41,180 | | $ | 156,078 |
| Income tax expense | | 14,824 | | 42,153 | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 18,779 | | | 8,647 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 4,550 | | | 3,084 |
| Stock-based compensation expense | | | 16,751 | | | 17,999 |
| MSR Income | | (141,917) | | (191,760) | ||
| Goodwill impairment, net of contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments(1) | | | (500) | | | — |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (46,333) | | $ | 36,201 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | For the year ended December 31, 2023, included goodwill impairment of $62.0 million and contingent consideration fair value adjustment of $62.5 million. |
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of CM adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2023 COMPARED TO 2022
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Origination fees | $ | 232,625 | | $ | 345,779 | | $ | (113,154) | | (33) | % |
| Property sales broker fees | | 53,966 | | | 120,582 | | | (66,616) | | (55) | |
| Net warehouse interest income (expense), loans held for sale | (9,497) | | 9,667 | | (19,164) | | (198) | | |||
| Other revenues | 55,266 | | 39,949 | | 15,317 | | 38 | | |||
| Personnel | (358,699) | | (467,959) | | 109,260 | | (23) | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (19,994) | | (11,817) | | (8,177) | | 69 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | (46,333) | | $ | 36,201 | | $ | (82,534) | | (228) | |
Origination fees decreased due to a decrease in our overall debt financing volume, partially offset by an increase in our origination fee rate. Property sales broker fees decreased as a result of the decline in property sales volumes. The decrease in net warehouse interest income from a net revenue position in 2022 to a net expense position in 2023 was primarily attributable to an inverted yield curve during 2023. Other revenues increased largely due to increased investment banking revenues. The decrease in personnel expense was primarily due to decreased commission and other production incentive costs due to the decrease in origination fees and decreases in other personnel costs due to a reduction in headcount. Other operating expenses increased due to a beneficial adjustment to contingent consideration liabilities in 2022, with no directly comparable activity in 2023, partially offset by our cost-reduction initiatives.
Servicing & Asset Management
The SAM segment activities include: (i) servicing and asset-managing the portfolio of loans we (a) originate and sell to the Agencies, (b) broker to certain life insurance companies, and (c) originate through our principal lending and investing activities, and (ii) managing third-party capital invested in tax credit equity funds focused on the affordable housing sector and other commercial real estate.
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SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands) | | As of December 31, | | Dollar | Percentage | |||||||
| Managed Portfolio: | 2023 | 2022 | Change | | Change | |||||||
| Components of Servicing Portfolio | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 63,699,106 | | $ | 59,226,168 | | $ | 4,472,938 | | 8 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 39,330,545 | | 37,819,256 | | | 1,511,289 | | 4 | | ||
| Ginnie Mae - HUD | | 10,460,884 | | 9,868,453 | | | 592,431 | | 6 | | ||
| Brokered (1) | | 16,940,850 | | 16,013,143 | | 927,707 | | 6 | | |||
| Principal Lending and Investing (2) | | 40,139 | | 206,835 | | | (166,696) | | (81) | | ||
| Total Servicing Portfolio | | $ | 130,471,524 | | $ | 123,133,855 | | $ | 7,337,669 | | 6 | % |
| Assets under management | | | 17,321,452 | | | 16,748,449 | | | 573,003 | | 3 | |
| Total Managed Portfolio | | $ | 147,792,976 | | $ | 139,882,304 | | $ | 7,910,672 | | 6 | % |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | Column 6 | Column 7 | Column 8 | Column 9 | Column 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | For the year ended | | | | | | ||||
| | | | December 31, | Dollar | Percentage | |||||||
| Key Volume and Performance Metrics: | | 2023 | | 2022 | | Change | | Change | ||||
| Equity syndication volume(3) | | $ | 688,494 | | $ | 629,529 | | $ | 58,965 | | 9 | % |
| Principal Lending and Investing volume(4) | | | 218,750 | | | 339,098 | | | (120,348) | | (35) | |
| Net income | | | 166,316 | | | 139,691 | | | 26,625 | | 19 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(5) | | | 456,826 | | | 410,429 | | | 46,397 | | 11 | |
| Operating margin | | | 38 | % | | 33 | % | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | ||||
| Key Servicing Portfolio Metrics: | | 2023 | 2022 | |||
| Custodial escrow deposit balance (in billions) | | $ | 2.7 | | $ | 2.7 |
| Weighted-average servicing fee rate (basis points) | | | 24.1 | | | 24.5 |
| Weighted-average remaining servicing portfolio term (years) | | | 8.2 | | | 8.8 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | ||||||||||
| | | 2023 | | 2022 | ||||||||
| Components of assets under management (in thousands) | | | Equity under management | | | Assets under management | | | Equity under management | | | Assets under management |
| LIHTC | | $ | 6,646,540 | | $ | 15,072,946 | | $ | 6,486,215 | | $ | 14,499,642 |
| Equity funds | | | 860,918 | | | 860,918 | | | 800,522 | | | 800,522 |
| Debt funds(6) | | | 809,499 | | | 1,387,588 | | | 724,853 | | | 1,448,285 |
| Total assets under management | | $ | 8,316,957 | | $ | 17,321,452 | | $ | 8,011,590 | | $ | 16,748,449 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered loans serviced primarily for life insurance companies. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | Consists of interim loans not managed for the Interim Program JV. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (3) | Amount of equity called and syndicated into LIHTC funds. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (4) | For the year ended December 31, 2023, comprised solely of WDIP separate account originations. For the year ended December 31, 2022, includes $86.3 million from the Interim Program JV, $117.1 million from the Interim Loan Program and $135.7 million from WDIP separate accounts. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (5) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure”. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (6) | As of December 31, 2023, included $132.0 million and $710.0 million of equity under management and assets under management, respectively, of Interim program JV loans. The remainder was composed of WDIP debt funds. As of December 31, 2022, includes $169.4 million and $892.8 million of equity under management and assets under management, respectively, of Interim program JV loans. The remainder was composed of WDIP debt funds. |
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FINANCIAL RESULTS – 2023 COMPARED TO 2022
SERVICNG & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Origination fees | | $ | 1,784 | | $ | 2,228 | | $ | (444) | | (20) | % |
| Servicing fees | | | 311,914 | | | 300,191 | | | 11,723 | | 4 | |
| Investment management fees | | | 45,381 | | | 71,931 | | | (26,550) | | (37) | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment | | 3,864 | | 6,110 | | (2,246) | | (37) | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | | 141,374 | | 51,010 | | 90,364 | | 177 | | |||
| Other revenues | | 59,526 | | 75,960 | | (16,434) | | (22) | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 563,843 | | $ | 507,430 | | $ | 56,413 | | 11 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 74,407 | | $ | 69,970 | | $ | 4,437 | | 6 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 214,978 | | 225,515 | | (10,537) | | (5) | | |||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | (10,452) | | | (11,978) | | | 1,526 | | (13) | |
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 42,489 | | | 23,621 | | | 18,868 | | 80 | |
| Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities | | | — | | | 4,488 | | | (4,488) | | (100) | |
| Other operating expenses | | 28,582 | | 26,250 | | 2,332 | | 9 | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 350,004 | | $ | 337,866 | | $ | 12,138 | | 4 | |
| Income from operations | | $ | 213,839 | | $ | 169,564 | | $ | 44,275 | | 26 | |
| Income tax expense | | 54,198 | | 35,859 | | 18,339 | | 51 | | |||
| Income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 159,641 | | $ | 133,705 | | $ | 25,936 | | 19 | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | (6,675) | | (5,986) | | (689) | 12 | | ||||
| Net income | | $ | 166,316 | | $ | 139,691 | | $ | 26,625 | | 19 | |
Revenues
Servicing Fees. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in the average servicing portfolio period over period as shown below, slightly offset by a decline in the average servicing fee rates. The increase in the average servicing portfolio was driven by the $4.5 billion increase in Fannie Mae and the $1.5 billion increase in Freddie Mac loans serviced. The decrease in the average servicing fee rates were the result of decreases in the WASF on our new Fannie Mae debt financing volume over the past year as the volatility in the interest rate environment compressed the spread on our debt financing volume and reduced the servicing fee rates on loans originated in 2023. The WASF on new debt financing volume was lower than the loans paid off in the portfolio over the past year.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |||||||||
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Servicing Fees Details (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | | 2022 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average Servicing Portfolio | $ | 126,720,544 | | $ | 118,887,131 | | $ | 7,833,413 | | 7 | % |
| Average Servicing Fee (basis points) | | 24.3 | | | 24.8 | | | (0.5) | | (2) | |
Investment Management Fees. Investment management fees decreased primarily due to a decline in asset management fees and sales fees from our LIHTC operations of $24.4 million due to tightening liquidity and disruptions in the acquisitions market. The disruption in the acquisitions market and tighter liquidity led to a slowdown in disposition activity this year compared to last. As tax credit investments in our managed portfolio mature, they are sold or recapitalized, leading directly to sales fees and allow us to collect accrued asset management fees. NOTE 2 in the consolidated financial statements contains details on the accounting for asset management fees.
Placement fees and other interest income. The increase was driven primarily by an increase in our placement fees on escrow deposits of $84.1 million, coupled with increases in interest income from our pledged securities investments of $5.3 million. The placement fee rates on escrow deposits and the interest rate on our variable-rate pledged securities investments increased significantly as a result of the higher short-term interest rate environment in 2023 compared to same period in 2022.
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Other Revenues. The decrease was primarily due to a $22.9 million decline in prepayment fees, partially offset by an increase in syndication fees of $7.9 million. The decrease in prepayment fees was due to the aforementioned reduction in the volume of loans prepaying and the amount of prepayment fees. Syndication fees increased due to the higher volume of capital syndicated into our LIHTC funds.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of increases in salaries and benefits of $1.8 million and commission costs of $3.6 million. The increase in salaries and benefits was due to annual salary increases as SAM average headcount was flat year over year as it was not impacted by the aforementioned workforce reduction. Commission accruals increased primarily due to the aforementioned increase in syndication fees on which commissions are paid to salespeople.
Amortization and Depreciation. The decrease was primarily due to a $20.7 million reduction in the amortization expense related to write-offs of MSRs due to declines in the prepayment of MSRs, partially offset by an increase of $10.3 million in the amortization expense of existing MSRs.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. The discussion of our consolidated results above has additional information related to the increase in interest expense on corporate debt.
Fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. The decrease was driven by the fair value adjustment to CCLs of $4.5 million in 2022 with no comparable activity in 2023. In 2022, the change in fair value of CCLs in the SAM segment resulted in an increase in the fair value of CCLs of $4.5 million, compared to no change in fair value in 2023.
Other Operating Expenses. The increase was primarily due to a $3.9 million increase in professional fees, primarily the result of increased syndication activity, partially offset by decreases in various expense types. Much of the professional fees incurred from the syndication activity are reimbursable from the LIHTC funds.
Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our SAM segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. SAM adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Income | | $ | 166,316 | | $ | 139,691 |
| Income tax expense | | 54,198 | | 35,859 | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 42,489 | | | 23,621 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 214,978 | | 225,515 | ||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | (10,452) | | | (11,978) |
| Net write-offs(1) | | | (8,041) | | | (4,631) |
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 1,758 | | 2,352 | ||
| Write off of unamortized premium from corporate debt repayment | | | (4,420) | | | — |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 456,826 | | $ | 410,429 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | The net write-off for the year ended December 31, 2023 includes the $6.0 million write-off of a collateral-based reserve related to a loan held for investment. |
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The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of SAM adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2023 COMPARED TO 2022
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Origination fees | $ | 1,784 | | $ | 2,228 | | $ | (444) | | (20) | % |
| Servicing fees | 311,914 | | 300,191 | | 11,723 | | 4 | | |||
| Investment management fees | | 45,381 | | | 71,931 | | | (26,550) | | (37) | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment | 3,864 | | 6,110 | | (2,246) | | (37) | | |||
| Placement fees and other interest income | 141,374 | | 51,010 | | 90,364 | | 177 | | |||
| Other revenues | 66,201 | | 81,946 | | (15,745) | | (19) | | |||
| Personnel | (72,649) | | (67,618) | | (5,031) | | 7 | | |||
| Net write-offs(1) | (8,041) | | (4,631) | | (3,410) | | 74 | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (33,002) | | (30,738) | | (2,264) | | 7 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 456,826 | | $ | 410,429 | | $ | 46,397 | | 11 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | The net write-off for the year ended December 31, 2023 included the $6.0 million write off of a collateral-based reserve related to a loan held for investment. |
Servicing fees increased due to growth in the average servicing portfolio period over period as a result of loan originations, partially offset by a decrease in the average servicing fee rate. Investment management fees decreased primarily due to lower AMF revenues from LIHTC dispositions. Placement fees and other interest income increased primarily due to increases in placement fee rates. Other revenues decreased primarily due to a decrease in prepayment fees. Personnel increased primarily due to an increase in commission costs. Net write-offs increased due to the write-off of a loan held for investment during 2023, with no comparable activity in 2022.
Corporate
The Corporate segment consists primarily of the Company’s treasury operations and other corporate-level activities. Our treasury activities include monitoring and managing liquidity and funding requirements, including corporate debt. Other corporate-level activities include equity-method investments, accounting, information technology, legal, human resources, marketing, internal audit, and various other corporate groups (“support functions”). We do not allocate costs from these support functions to its other segments in presenting segment operating results. We do allocate interest expense and income tax expense. Corporate debt and the related interest expense are allocated first based on specific acquisitions where debt was directly used to fund the acquisition, such as the acquisition of Alliant, and then based on the remaining segment assets. Income tax expense is allocated proportionally based on income from operations at each segment, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
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FINANCIAL RESULTS – 2023 COMPARED TO 2022
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Other interest income | | $ | 13,146 | | $ | 1,820 | | $ | 11,326 | | 622 | % |
| Other revenues | | 685 | | 40,669 | | (39,984) | | (98) | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 13,831 | | $ | 42,489 | | $ | (28,658) | | (67) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 64,433 | | $ | 51,438 | | $ | 12,995 | | 25 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 7,224 | | 6,432 | | 792 | | 12 | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 7,208 | | 1,965 | | 5,243 | | 267 | | |||
| Other operating expenses | | 69,101 | | 86,581 | | (17,480) | | (20) | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 147,966 | | $ | 146,416 | | $ | 1,550 | | 1 | |
| Loss from operations | | $ | (134,135) | | $ | (103,927) | | $ | (30,208) | | 29 | |
| Income tax benefit | | (33,996) | | (21,978) | | (12,018) | | 55 | | |||
| Net loss | | $ | (100,139) | | $ | (81,949) | | $ | (18,190) | | 22 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (110,370) | | $ | (121,535) | | $ | 11,165 | | (9) | % |
Revenues
Other interest income. The increase was due to an increase in the interest rate we earn on our cash deposits held by our corporate segment combined with an increase in the average balance concentrated in interest-earning accounts.
Other Revenues. The decrease was primarily due to a $39.6 million gain from the revaluation of a previously held equity-method investment, which was a one-time transaction recognized in 2022.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of an $11.1 million increase in subjective bonuses, a $3.4 million increase in salaries, and a $4.1 million increase in deferred compensation costs, partially offset by a $4.3 million decrease in stock compensation expense as we are accruing performance-based stock compensation at an overall lower rate this year than last. An increase in the corporate average headcount during 2023 was the primary driver for the increased subjective bonus and salaries and benefits expenses. The corporate average headcount for the year ended December 31, 2023, does not fully reflect the impact of our workforce reduction that we announced in April and that was effective at the beginning of May. Deferred compensation costs are offset by revenues from the assets held in the deferred compensation trust and included in Other revenues.
Interest expense on corporate debt. Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. The discussion of our consolidated results above has additional information related to the increase in interest expense on corporate debt.
Other Operating Expenses. The decrease was primarily driven by decreases in professional fees, travel and entertainment, marketing, and miscellaneous expense categories, partially offset by an increase in software costs. Professional fees decreased $10.2 million partially due to elevated professional fees in 2022 related to acquisition costs. Travel and entertainment decreased $2.0 million, marketing decreased by $1.7 million, and miscellaneous expenses decreased $5.5 million. The decreases in travel and entertainment, marketing, and miscellaneous expenses were primarily due to our cost-reduction initiatives. Software costs increased $5.7 million due to our automation efforts.
Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
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Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Corporate segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. Corporate adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Loss | | $ | (100,139) | | $ | (81,949) |
| Income tax benefit | | (33,996) | | (21,978) | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 7,208 | | 1,965 | ||
| Amortization and depreciation | | 7,224 | | 6,432 | ||
| Stock-based compensation expense | | 9,333 | | 13,636 | ||
| Gain from revaluation of previously held equity-method investment | | | — | | | (39,641) |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (110,370) | | $ | (121,535) |
The following table presents a year-over-year comparison of the components of Corporate adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2023 COMPARED TO 2022
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Other interest income | 13,146 | | 1,820 | | 11,326 | | 622 | % | |||
| Other revenues | 685 | | 1,028 | | (343) | | (33) | | |||
| Personnel | (55,100) | | (37,802) | | (17,298) | | 46 | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (69,101) | | (86,581) | | 17,480 | | (20) | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | (110,370) | | $ | (121,535) | | $ | 11,165 | | (9) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Other interest income increased primarily due to an increase in interest earned on our cash deposits and increased balances. The increase in personnel expense was primarily due to increased performance compensation allocated to this segment and salaries and benefits expense due to an increase in corporate average headcount during 2023. Other operating expenses decreased largely as a result of a decline in professional fees and other operating expenses as a result of cost-reduction initiatives.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Uses of Liquidity, Cash and Cash Equivalents
Our significant recurring cash flow requirements consist of liquidity to (i) fund loans held for sale; (ii) pay cash dividends; (iii) fund our portion of the equity necessary to support equity-method investments; (iv) fund investments in properties to be syndicated to LIHTC investment funds that we will asset-manage; (v) make payments related to earnouts from acquisitions, (vi) meet working capital needs to support our day-to-day operations, including debt service payments, joint venture development partnership contributions, advances for servicing, loan repurchases, and payments for salaries, commissions, and income taxes, and (vii) meet working capital to satisfy collateral requirements for our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations and to meet the operational liquidity requirements of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae, and our warehouse facility lenders.
Fannie Mae has established benchmark standards for capital adequacy and reserves the right to terminate our servicing authority for all or some of the portfolio if, at any time, it determines that our financial condition is not adequate to support our obligations under the DUS agreement. We are required to maintain acceptable net worth as defined in the standards, and we satisfied the requirements as of December 31, 2023. The net worth requirement is derived primarily from unpaid balances on Fannie Mae loans and the level of risk-sharing.
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As of December 31, 2023, the net worth requirement was $304.8 million, and our net worth was $1.0 billion, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC. As of December 31, 2023, we were required to maintain at least $60.7 million of liquid assets to meet our operational liquidity requirements for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae, and our warehouse facility lenders. As of December 31, 2023, we had operational liquidity of $225.0 million, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC.
We paid a cash dividend of $0.63 per share each quarter of 2023, which is 5% higher than the quarterly dividend paid in each quarter of 2022. In February 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.65 per share for the first quarter of 2024. The dividend will be paid on March 15, 2024 to all holders of record of our restricted and unrestricted common stock as of March 1, 2024.
Over the past three years, we have returned $240.4 million to investors primarily through cash dividend payments of $229.3 million. Additionally, we have invested $577.2 million in acquisitions, $300.0 million of which was financed by an increase in our Term Loan (as defined below). On occasion, we may use cash to fully fund some loans held for investment or loans held for sale instead of using our warehouse lines. As of December 31, 2023, we did not fully fund any such loans. We continually seek opportunities to complete additional acquisitions if we believe the economics are favorable.
In February 2023, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program that permitted the repurchase of up to $75.0 million of shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 23, 2023. Through December 31, 2023 we did not repurchase any shares under the 2023 stock repurchase program and had $75.0 million of remaining capacity under that program. In February 2024, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program that permits the repurchase of up to $75.0 million shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 23, 2024.
We have contractual obligations to make future cash payments on lease agreements on our various offices of $101.4 million as of December 31, 2023. NOTE 14 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to future lease payments. We have contractual obligations to repay short-term and long-term debt. The total principal balance for such debt was $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2023, of which $596.4 million will be repaid with the proceeds from the sale of loans held for sale and the repayments of loans held for investment. NOTE 6 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to these future debt payments. The expected interest associated with these debt payments is $70.7 million in 2024, $60.6 million in 2025, $59.9 million in 2026, $59.3 million in 2027, and $58.8 million in 2028. The future interest for long-term debt is based on a variable rate; therefore, the preceding interest payments are calculated based on the effective interest rate as of December 31, 2023.
Historically, our cash flows from operations and warehouse facilities have been sufficient to enable us to meet our short-term liquidity needs and other funding requirements. We believe that cash flows from operations will continue to be sufficient for us to meet our current obligations for the foreseeable future.
Restricted Cash and Pledged Securities
Restricted cash consists primarily of good faith deposits held on behalf of borrowers between the time we enter into a loan commitment with the borrower and the investor purchases the loan. We are generally required to share the risk of any losses associated with loans sold under the Fannie Mae DUS program, our only off-balance sheet arrangement. We are required to secure this obligation by assigning collateral to Fannie Mae. We meet this obligation by assigning pledged securities to Fannie Mae. The amount of collateral required by Fannie Mae is a formulaic calculation at the loan level and considers the balance of the loan, the risk level of the loan, the age of the loan, and the level of risk-sharing. Fannie Mae requires collateral for Tier 2 loans of 75 basis points, which is funded over a 48-month period that begins upon delivery of the loan to Fannie Mae. Collateral held in the form of money market funds holding U.S. Treasuries is discounted 5%, and Agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) are discounted 4% for purposes of calculating compliance with the collateral requirements. As of December 31, 2023, we held substantially all of our restricted liquidity in Agency MBS in the aggregate amount of $142.8 million. Additionally, the majority of the loans for which we have risk-sharing are Tier 2 loans. We fund any growth in our Fannie Mae required operational liquidity and collateral requirements from our working capital.
We are in compliance with the December 31, 2023 collateral requirements as outlined above. As of December 31, 2023, reserve requirements for the December 31, 2023 DUS loan portfolio will require us to fund $77.1 million in additional restricted liquidity over the next 48 months, assuming no further principal paydowns, prepayments, or defaults within our at-risk portfolio. Fannie Mae has assessed the DUS Capital Standards in the past and may make changes to these standards in the future. We generate sufficient cash flows from our operations to meet these capital standards and do not expect any future changes to have a material impact on our future operations; however, any future changes to collateral requirements may adversely impact our available cash.
Under the provisions of the DUS agreement, we must also maintain a certain level of liquid assets referred to as the operational and
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unrestricted portions of the required reserves each year. We satisfied these requirements as of December 31, 2023.
Sources of Liquidity: Warehouse Facilities and Notes Payable
Warehouse Facilities
We utilize a combination of warehouse facilities and notes payable to provide funding for our operations. We utilize warehouse facilities to fund our Agency Lending and Interim Loan Program. Our ability to originate Agency mortgage loans and loans held for investment depends upon our ability to secure and maintain these types of financing agreements on acceptable terms. For a detailed description of the terms of each warehouse agreement including the affirmative and negative covenants, refer to “Warehouse Facilities” in NOTE 6 of the consolidated financial statements.
Notes Payable
We have a senior secured credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) that provides for a $600 million term loan (the “Term Loan”) that bears interest at Adjusted Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 225 basis points with a floor of 50 basis points and has a stated maturity date of December 16, 2028 (or, if earlier, the date of acceleration of the Term Loan pursuant to the term of the Credit Agreement). At any time, we may also elect to request one or more incremental term loan commitments not to exceed the lesser of $230 million and 100% of trailing four-quarter Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, provided that total indebtedness would not cause the leverage ratio to exceed 3.00 to 1.00. As of December 31, 2023, the outstanding principal balance of the Term Loan was $588.0 million, and the effective interest rate was 7.63%. The note payable and the warehouse facilities are senior obligations of the Company. We were in compliance with all covenants related to the Credit Agreement.
On January 12, 2023, we entered into a lender joinder agreement and amendment to the Credit Agreement that provided for an incremental term loan (“Incremental Term Loan”) with a principal amount of $200.0 million, modified the ratio thresholds related to mandatory prepayments, and included a provision that allows additional types of indebtedness. The Incremental Term Loan was issued at a 2.0% discount and contains similar repayment terms as the Term Loan. The Incremental Term Loan bears interest at Adjusted Term SOFR plus 300 basis points and matures on December 16, 2028, and the UPB was $198.5 million and the effective interest rate was 8.38%. We are obligated to make principal payments on the Incremental Term Loan in consecutive quarterly installments equal to 0.25% of the aggregate original principal amount of the Incremental Term Loan on the last business day of each March, June, September, and December, which began on June 30, 2023. We used approximately $115.9 million of the proceeds to pay off the Alliant note payable principal balance and related accrued interest and other fees of a subsidiary. As of December 31, 2023, the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the original Term Loan and Incremental Term Loan (“Corporate Debt”) was $786.5 million.
For a detailed description of the terms of the Credit Agreement, refer to “Notes Payable – Term Loan Note Payable” in NOTE 6 of the consolidated financial statements.
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Credit Quality and Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations
The following table sets forth certain information useful in evaluating our credit performance.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | December 31, | | |||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2023 | 2022 | |||||
| Key Credit Metrics | | | | | | | |
| Risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae Full Risk | | $ | 54,583,555 | | $ | 50,046,219 | |
| Fannie Mae Modified Risk | | 9,115,551 | | 9,172,626 | | ||
| Freddie Mac Modified Risk | | 23,415 | | 23,615 | | ||
| Total risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 63,722,521 | | $ | 59,242,460 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae No Risk | | $ | — | | $ | 7,323 | |
| Freddie Mac No Risk | | 39,307,130 | | 37,795,641 | | ||
| GNMA - HUD No Risk | | 10,460,884 | | 9,868,453 | | ||
| Brokered | | 16,940,850 | | 16,013,143 | | ||
| Total non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 66,708,864 | | $ | 63,684,560 | |
| Total loans serviced for others | | $ | 130,431,385 | | $ | 122,927,020 | |
| Interim loans (full risk) servicing portfolio | | 40,139 | | 206,835 | | ||
| Total servicing portfolio unpaid principal balance | | $ | 130,471,524 | | $ | 123,133,855 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Interim Program JV Managed Loans (1) | | | 710,041 | | | 892,808 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| At risk servicing portfolio (2) | | $ | 58,801,055 | | $ | 54,232,979 | |
| Maximum exposure to at risk portfolio (3) | | 11,949,041 | | 10,993,596 | | ||
| Defaulted loans(4) | | 27,214 | | 36,983 | | ||
| | | | | | | | |
| Defaulted loans as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.05 | % | | 0.07 | % |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.05 | | | 0.08 | |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of maximum exposure | | | 0.26 | | | 0.40 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | This balance consists entirely of Interim Program JV managed loans. We indirectly share in a portion of the risk of loss associated with Interim Program JV managed loans through our 15% equity ownership in the Interim Program JV. We have no exposure to risk of loss for the loans serviced directly for the Interim Program JV partner. The balance of this line is included as a component of assets under management in the Supplemental Operating Data table above. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | At-risk servicing portfolio is defined as the balance of Fannie Mae DUS loans subject to the risk-sharing formula described below, as well as a small number of Freddie Mac loans on which we share in the risk of loss. Use of the at-risk portfolio provides for comparability of the full risk-sharing and modified risk-sharing loans because the provision and allowance for risk-sharing obligations are based on the at-risk balances of the associated loans. Accordingly, we have presented the key statistics as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio. |
For example, a $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing has the same potential risk exposure as a $7.5 million loan with full DUS risk sharing. Accordingly, if the $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing were to default, we would view the overall loss as a percentage of the at-risk balance, or $7.5 million, to ensure comparability between all risk-sharing obligations. To date, substantially all of the risk-sharing obligations that we have settled have been from full risk-sharing loans.
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | Represents the maximum loss we would incur under our risk-sharing obligations if all of the loans we service, for which we retain some risk of loss, were to default and all of the collateral underlying these loans was determined to be without value at the time of settlement. The maximum exposure is not representative of the actual loss we would incur. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (4) | Defaulted loans represent loans in our Fannie Mae at-risk portfolio which are probable of foreclosure or that have foreclosed and for which the Company has recorded a collateral-based reserve (i.e., loans where we have assessed a probable loss). Other loans that have defaulted but not foreclosed or that are not probable of foreclosure are not included here. Additionally, loans that have foreclosed or are probable of foreclosure but are not expected to result in a loss to the Company are not included here. |
Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations are based on a tiered formula and represent substantially all of our risk-sharing activities. The risk-sharing tiers and the amount of the risk-sharing obligations we absorb under full risk-sharing are provided below. Except as described in
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the following paragraph, the maximum amount of risk-sharing obligations we absorb at the time of default is generally 20% of the origination unpaid principal balance (“UPB”) of the loan.
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk-Sharing Losses | Percentage Absorbed by Us | | |
| First 5% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 100% | |
| Next 20% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 25% | |
| Losses above 25% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 10% | |
| Maximum loss | 20% of origination UPB | |
Fannie Mae can double or triple our risk-sharing obligation if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if a loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae. We may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination, which reduces our potential risk-sharing obligation from the levels described above.
We use several techniques to manage our risk exposure under the Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing program. These techniques include maintaining a strong underwriting and approval process, evaluating and modifying our underwriting criteria given the underlying multifamily housing market fundamentals, limiting our geographic market and borrower exposures, and electing the modified risk-sharing option under the Fannie Mae DUS program.
The “Business” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contains a discussion of the risk-sharing caps we have with Fannie Mae.
We regularly monitor the credit quality of all loans for which we have a risk-sharing obligation. Loans with indicators of underperforming credit are placed on a watch list, assigned a numerical risk rating based on our assessment of the relative credit weakness, and subjected to additional evaluation or loss mitigation. Indicators of underperforming credit include poor financial performance, poor physical condition, poor management, and delinquency. A collateral-based reserve is recorded when it is probable that a risk-sharing loan will foreclose or has foreclosed, and a reserve for estimated credit losses and a guaranty obligation are recorded for all other risk-sharing loans.
The calculated CECL reserve for the Company’s $58.5 billion at-risk Fannie Mae servicing portfolio as of December 31, 2023 was $31.6 million compared to $39.7 million as of December 31, 2022. The significant decrease in the CECL reserve was principally related to a reduction in our historical loss rate factor, which decreased from 1.2 basis points as of December 31, 2022 to 0.6 basis points as of March 31, 2023 (with no change from March 31, 2023 to December 31, 2023), as a year with significant losses in our 10-year lookback period was replaced with a year with significantly fewer losses.
As of December 31, 2023, three at-risk loans were in default with an aggregate UPB of $27.2 million compared to two at-risk loans with an aggregate UPB of $37.0 million were in default as of December 31, 2022. The collateral-based reserve on defaulted loans was $2.8 million and $4.4 million as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. We had a benefit for risk-sharing obligations of $10.4 million and $13.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
For the ten-year period from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2023, we recognized net write-offs of risk-sharing obligations of $15.3 million, or an average of less than one basis point annually of the average at risk Fannie Mae portfolio balance.
We are obligated to repurchase loans that are originated for the Agencies’ programs if certain representations and warranties that we provide in connection with the sale of loans through these programs, are breached. In the first quarter of 2024, we expect to repurchase a Fannie Mae loan with a UPB of $13.5 million. Based on the information available to us at this time, we do not believe we will incur a material loss associated with this loan.
Additionally, we received a repurchase request from Freddie Mac related to a loan with a UPB of $11.4 million, and we have appealed Freddie Mac's request. In January 2024, Freddie Mac informed us that they were considering requesting that we repurchase a second loan with a UPB of $34.8 million, but we have not received a formal request to repurchase the loan.
We are currently evaluating our options to resolve both loans with Freddie Mac, and we believe it is likely that we will ultimately repurchase both Freddie Mac loans in 2024 or otherwise indemnify Freddie Mac for any losses it incurs on the loans. With respect to the $11.4 million loan, based on the information available to us at this time, we do not believe we will incur a material loss regardless of the resolution negotiated with Freddie Mac. With respect to the $34.8 million loan, we have not yet been given access to the underlying property for inspection and evaluation such that we can properly estimate the amount of any such loss. Based on the information available to us at this time, we believe that the value of the underlying property is likely less than the UPB of the loan.
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New/Recent Accounting Pronouncements
NOTE 2 in the consolidated financial statements in Item 15 of Part IV in this 10-K contains a description of the accounting pronouncements that the Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued and that have the potential to impact us but have not yet been adopted by us. There were no other accounting pronouncements issued during 2023 that have the potential to impact our consolidated financial statements.
FY 2022 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001558370-23-001872.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following discussion contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements that include risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or contemplated in those forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Business
Walker & Dunlop, Inc. is a holding company, and we conduct the majority of our operations through Walker & Dunlop, LLC, our primary operating company.
We are one of the leading commercial real estate services and finance companies in the United States, with a primary focus on multifamily lending and property sales, commercial real estate debt brokerage, and affordable housing investment management. We originate, sell, and service a range of multifamily and other commercial real estate financing products to owners and developers of commercial real estate across the country, provide multifamily property sales brokerage and appraisal services in various regions throughout the United States, and engage in commercial real estate and affordable housing investment management activities. We are a leader in commercial real estate technology, developing and acquiring technology resources that (i) provide innovative solutions and a better experience for our customers and (ii) allow us to reach a broader customer base.
We originate and sell multifamily loans through the programs of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, and HUD, with which we have licenses and long-established relationships. We retain servicing rights and asset management responsibilities on nearly all loans that we originate for the Agencies’ programs. We are approved as a Fannie Mae DUS lender nationally, a Freddie Mac Optigo lender nationally for Conventional, Seniors Housing, Targeted Affordable Housing and Small Balance Loans, a HUD MAP lender nationally, a HUD LEAN lender nationally, and a Ginnie Mae issuer. We broker and service loans for many life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other institutional investors, in which cases we do not fund the loan but rather act as a loan broker. Fannie Mae recently announced that we ranked as its largest DUS lender in 2022, by loan deliveries, for the fourth consecutive year, and Freddie Mac recently announced that we ranked as its 3rd largest Freddie Mac lender in 2022, by loan deliveries. Our market share with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac grew to 12.7% on a combined basis, by loan deliveries, elevating us to the largest lender with the GSEs for the first time in our Company’s history. Additionally, we were the 2nd largest overall lender for HUD in 2022 based on initial endorsements.
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We fund loans for the Agencies’ programs, generally through warehouse facility financings, and sell them to investors in accordance with the related loan sale commitment, which we obtain at rate lock. Proceeds from the sale of the loan are used to pay off the warehouse facility. The sale of the loan is typically completed within 60 days after the loan is closed, and we retain the right to service substantially all of these loans. In cases where we do not fund the loan, we act as a loan broker and service some of the loans. Our mortgage bankers who focus on loan brokerage are engaged by borrowers to work with a variety of institutional lenders to find the most appropriate loan. These loans are then funded directly by the institutional lender, and for those brokered loans we service, we collect ongoing servicing fees while those loans remain in our servicing portfolio. The servicing fees we typically earn on brokered loan transactions are substantially lower than the servicing fees we earn on Agency loans.
We recognize revenue when we make simultaneous commitments to originate a loan to a borrower and sell that loan to an investor. The revenues earned reflect the fair value attributable to loan origination fees, premiums on the sale of loans, net of any co-broker fees, and the fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with servicing the loans, net of any guaranty obligations retained. We also recognize revenue when we receive the origination fee from a brokered loan transaction. Other transaction-related sources of revenue include (i) net warehouse interest income we earn while the loan is held for sale, (ii) net warehouse interest income from loans held for investment while they are outstanding, (iii) sales commissions for brokering the sale of multifamily properties, and (iv) syndication and transaction-based asset management fees from our investment management activities.
We retain servicing rights on substantially all the loans we originate and sell and generate revenues from the fees we receive for servicing the loans, from the interest income on escrow deposits held on behalf of borrowers, and from other ancillary fees. Servicing fees set at the time an investor agrees to purchase the loan are generally paid monthly for the duration of the loan and are based on the unpaid principal balance of the loan. Our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicing arrangements generally provide for prepayment to us in the event of a voluntary prepayment. For loans serviced outside of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, we typically do not have similar prepayment protections.
We are currently not exposed to unhedged interest rate risk during the loan commitment, closing, and delivery process. The sale or placement of each loan to an investor is negotiated concurrently with establishing the coupon rate for the loan. We also seek to mitigate the risk of a loan not closing. We have agreements in place with the Agencies that specify the cost of a failed loan delivery in the event we fail to deliver the loan to the investor. To protect us against such fees, we require a deposit from the borrower at rate lock that is typically more than the potential fee. The deposit is returned to the borrower only once the loan is closed. Any potential loss from a catastrophic change in the property condition while the loan is held for sale using warehouse facility financing is mitigated through property insurance equal to replacement cost. We are also protected contractually from an investor’s failure to purchase the loan. We have experienced a de minimis number of failed deliveries in our history and have incurred immaterial losses on such failed deliveries.
We have risk-sharing obligations on substantially all loans we originate under the Fannie Mae DUS program. When a Fannie Mae DUS loan is subject to full risk-sharing, we absorb losses on the first 5% of the unpaid principal balance of a loan at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss capped at 20% of the original unpaid principal balance of the loan (subject to doubling or tripling if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if the loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae). Our full risk-sharing is currently limited to loans up to $300 million, which equates to a maximum loss per loan of $60 million (such exposure would occur in the event that the underlying collateral is determined to be completely without value at the time of loss). For loans in excess of $300 million, we receive modified risk-sharing. We also may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination on loans below $300 million, which reduces our potential risk-sharing losses from the levels described above if we do not believe that we are being fully compensated for the risks of the transactions. The full risk-sharing limit in prior years was less than $300 million. Accordingly, loans originated in those prior years were subject to risk-sharing at much lower levels. Our servicing fees for risk-sharing loans include compensation for the risk-sharing obligations and are larger than the servicing fees we receive from Fannie Mae for loans with no risk-sharing obligations.
Our Interim Program offers floating-rate, interest-only loans for terms of generally up to three years to experienced borrowers seeking to acquire or reposition multifamily properties that do not currently qualify for permanent financing. We underwrite, asset-manage, and service all loans executed through the Interim Program. The ultimate goal of the Interim Program is to provide permanent Agency financing on these transitional properties. The Interim Program has two distinct executions: the Interim Program JV and the Interim Loan Program.
The Interim Program JV assumes full risk of loss while the loans it originates are outstanding. We hold a 15% ownership interest in the Interim Program JV and are responsible for sourcing, underwriting, servicing, and asset-managing the loans originated by the joint venture. The joint venture funds its operations using a combination of equity contributions from its owners and third-party credit facilities.
We originate and hold the Interim Loan Program loans for investment, which are included on our balance sheet. During the time that these loans are outstanding, we assume the full risk of loss. As of December 31, 2022, we had nine loans held for investment under the Interim Loan Program with an aggregate outstanding unpaid principal balance of $206.8 million. One loan with a balance of $14.7 million is currently in default.
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During the year ended December 31, 2022, $86.3 million of the $339.1 million of interim loan originations were executed through the joint venture, with the remainder originated through our Interim Loan Program. During the year ended December 31, 2021, $860.0 million of the $1.4 billion of interim loan originations were executed through the joint venture. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we asset-managed $892.8 million and $848.2 million, respectively, of interim loans on behalf of the Interim Program JV.
Through WDIS, we offer property sales brokerage services to owners and developers of multifamily properties that are seeking to sell these properties. Through these property sales brokerage services, we seek to maximize proceeds and certainty of closure for our clients using our knowledge of the commercial real estate and capital markets and relying on our experienced transaction professionals. Our property sales services are offered in various regions throughout the United States. We have added several property sales brokerage teams over the past few years and continue to seek to add other property sales brokers, with the goal of continuing to expand the depth and number of regions covered by our brokerage services.
WDIP, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is part of our strategy to grow and diversify the Company by growing our investment management platform. WDIP is a registered investment adviser and general partner of private commercial real estate investment funds focused on the management of debt, preferred equity, and mezzanine equity investments through private middle-market commercial real estate funds and separately managed accounts. WDIP’s current AUM of $1.4 billion primarily consist of four sources: Fund III, Fund IV, Fund V, and Fund VI (collectively, the “Funds”), and separate accounts managed for life insurance companies. AUM for the Funds and for the separate accounts consists of both unfunded commitments and funded investments. Unfunded commitments are highest during the fund raising and investment phases. AUM disclosed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K may differ from regulatory assets under management disclosed on WDIP’s Form ADV.
WDIP typically receives management fees based on limited partner capital commitments, unfunded investment commitments, and funded investments. Additionally, with respect to Fund III, Fund IV, Fund V and Fund VI, WDIP receives a percentage of the profits above the fund expenses and preferred return specified in the fund offering agreements.
Through Alliant, we are the 6th largest tax credit syndicator in the U.S., and an affordable housing developer. Alliant is part of our strategy to grow our investment management platform and to strengthen our position in the affordable housing space. Alliant manages $14.5 billion of affordable AUM and has an established tax syndication and affordable housing development platform from which we earn investment management, syndication, and other LIHTC related fees.
As of December 31, 2022, our servicing portfolio was $123.1 billion, up 6% from December 31, 2021, which was the 8th largest commercial/multifamily primary and master servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Mortgage Bankers’ Association’s (“MBA”) 2022 year-end survey (the “Survey”). Our servicing portfolio includes $59.2 billion of loans serviced for Fannie Mae and $37.8 billion for Freddie Mac, making us the 1st and 4th largest servicer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily loans in the nation, respectively, according to the Survey. Also included in our servicing portfolio is $9.9 billion of multifamily HUD loans, the 4th largest HUD primary and master servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Survey.
The average number of our mortgage bankers decreased from 163 during 2021 to 161 during 2022 due to voluntary turnover and a slowing in hiring initiatives in line with the slowdown in our debt financing volumes due to the macroeconomic conditions, from a total of $48.9 billion during 2021 to a total of $43.7 billion during 2022.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which requires management to make estimates based on certain judgments and assumptions that are inherently uncertain and affect reported amounts. The estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors management believes to be reasonable. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions and the use of different judgments and assumptions may have a material impact on our results. The following critical accounting estimates involve significant estimation uncertainty that may have or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. Additional information about our critical accounting estimates and other significant accounting policies are discussed in NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements.
Mortgage Servicing Rights (“MSRs”). MSRs are recorded at fair value at loan sale. The fair value at loan sale (“MSR”) is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights and takes into consideration an estimate of loan prepayment. Initially,
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the fair value amount is included as a component of the derivative asset fair value at the loan commitment date. The estimated net cash flows from servicing, which includes assumptions for discount rate, escrow earnings, prepayment speed, and servicing costs, are discounted at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the underlying loan. The discount rates used throughout the periods presented for all MSRs were between 8-14% during 2022 and 2021 and 10-15% during 2020 and varied based on the loan type. The life of the underlying loan is estimated giving consideration to the prepayment provisions in the loan and assumptions about loan behaviors around those provisions. Our model for MSRs assumes no prepayment prior to the expiration of the prepayment provisions and full prepayment of the loan at or near the point when the prepayment provisions have expired. The estimated net cash flows also include cash flows related to the future earnings on the escrow accounts associated with servicing the loans that are based on an escrow earnings rate assumption. We include a servicing cost assumption to account for our expected costs to service a loan. The servicing cost assumption has had a de minimus impact on the estimate historically. We record an individual MSR asset (or liability) for each loan at loan sale.
The assumptions used to estimate the fair value of capitalized MSRs are developed internally and are periodically compared to assumptions used by other market participants. Due to the relatively few transactions in the multifamily MSR market and the lack of significant changes in assumptions by market participants, we have experienced limited volatility in the assumptions historically, including the assumption that most significantly impacts the estimate: the discount rate. We do not expect to see significant volatility in the assumptions for the foreseeable future. We actively monitor the assumptions used and make adjustments to those assumptions when market conditions change, or other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. Over the past two years, we have adjusted the escrow earnings rate assumption several times to reflect the current and expected future earnings rate projected for the life of the MSR. Additionally, we adjusted the discount rate at the beginning of 2021 to mirror changes observed from market participants. We engage a third party to assist in determining an estimated fair value of our existing and outstanding MSRs on at least a semi-annual basis. Changes in our discount rate assumptions may materially impact the fair value of the MSRs (NOTE 3 of the consolidated financial statements details the portfolio-level impact of a change in the discount rate).
Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations. This reserve liability (referred to as “allowance”) for risk-sharing obligations relates to our Fannie Mae at-risk servicing portfolio and is presented as a separate liability on our balance sheets. We record an estimate of the loss reserve for the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) for all loans in our Fannie Mae at-risk servicing portfolio using the weighted-average remaining maturity method (“WARM”). WARM uses an average annual loss rate that contains loss content over multiple vintages and loan terms and is used as a foundation for estimating the CECL reserve. The average annual loss rate is applied to the estimated unpaid principal balance over the contractual term, adjusted for estimated prepayments and amortization to arrive at the CECL reserve for the entire current portfolio as described further below. We currently use one year for our reasonable and supportable forecast period (“forecast period”) as we believe forecasts beyond one year are inherently less reliable. During the forecast period we apply an adjusted loss factor based on economic and unemployment forecasts from a market survey and a blended loss rate from historical periods that we believe reflect the forecast from the survey. We revert to the historical loss rate over a one-year period on a straight-line basis. Over the past couple of years, the loss rate used in the forecast period has been updated to reflect our expectations of the economic conditions over the coming year in relation to the historical period. For example, in the second quarter of 2022, we updated the loss rate used in the forecast period from three basis points to 2.2 basis points and made multiple revisions after the onset of the pandemic in 2020. Changes in the loss rate used in the forecast period have significantly impacted the estimate in the past.
One of the key components of a WARM calculation is the runoff rate, which is the expected rate at which loans in the current portfolio will amortize and prepay in the future based on our historical prepayment and amortization experience. We group loans by similar origination dates (vintage) and contractual maturity terms for purposes of calculating the runoff rate. We originate loans under the DUS program with various terms generally ranging from several years to 15 years; each of these various loan terms has a different runoff rate. The runoff rates applied to each vintage and contractual maturity term is determined using historical data; however, changes in prepayment and amortization behavior may significantly impact the estimate. We have not experienced significant changes in the runoff rate since we implemented CECL in 2020.
The weighted-average annual loss rate is calculated using a 10-year look-back period, utilizing the average portfolio balance and settled losses for each year. A 10-year period is used as we believe that this period of time includes sufficiently different economic conditions to generate a reasonable estimate of expected results in the future, given the relatively long-term nature of the current portfolio. As the weighted-average annual loss rate utilizes a rolling 10-year look-back period, the loss rate used in the estimate will change as loss data from earlier periods in the look-back period continue to fall off and as new loss data are added. For example, in the first quarter of 2022, loss data from earlier periods in the look-back period fell off and were replaced with more recent loss data, resulting in the weighted-average annual loss rate changing from 1.8 basis points to 1.2 basis points. Changes in our expectations and forecasts have materially impacted, and in the future may materially impact, the estimate. Based on our historical loss data, our historical loss rate will decrease again in 2023, which may result in lower CECL reserves. In 2022, we had our first loss settlement in six years.
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NOTE 4 of the consolidated financial statements outlines adjustments made in the loss rates used to account for the expected economic conditions as of a given period and the related impact on the estimate.
We evaluate our risk-sharing loans on a quarterly basis to determine whether there are loans that are probable of default. Specifically, we assess a loan’s qualitative and quantitative risk factors, such as payment status, property financial performance, local real estate market conditions, loan-to-value ratio, debt-service-coverage ratio, and property condition. When a loan is determined to be probable of default based on these factors, we remove the loan from the WARM calculation and individually assess the loan for potential credit loss. This assessment requires certain judgments and assumptions to be made regarding the property values and other factors, that may differ significantly from actual results. Loss settlement with Fannie Mae has historically concluded within 18 to 36 months after foreclosure. Historically, the initial collateral-based reserves have not varied significantly from the final settlement.
We actively monitor the judgments and assumptions used in our Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation estimate and make adjustments to those assumptions when market conditions change, or when other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. We believe the level of Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation is appropriate based on our expectations of future market conditions; however, changes in one or more of the judgments or assumptions used above could have a significant impact on the estimate.
Contingent Consideration Liabilities. The Company typically includes an earnout as part of the consideration paid for acquisitions to align the long-term interests of the acquiree with the Company. These earnouts contain milestones for achievement, which typically are revenue, revenue-like, or productivity measurements. If the milestone is achieved, the acquiree is paid the additional consideration. Upon acquisition, the Company is required to estimate the fair value of the earnout and include that fair value measurement as a component of the total consideration paid in the calculation of goodwill. The fair value of the earnout is recorded as a contingent consideration liability and included within Other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet and adjusted to the estimated fair value at the end of each reporting period.
The determination of the fair value of contingent consideration liabilities requires significant management judgment and unobservable inputs to (i) determine forecasts and scenarios of future revenues, net cash flows and certain other performance metrics, (ii) assign a probability of achievement for the forecasts and scenarios, and (iii) select a discount rate. A Monte Carlo simulation analysis is used to determine many iterations of potential fair values. The average of these iterations is then used to determine the estimated fair value. We typically obtain the assistance of third-party valuation specialists to assist with the fair value estimation. The probability of the earnout achievement is based on management’s estimate of the expected future performance and other financial metrics of each of the acquired entities, which are subject to significant uncertainty. Changes to the aforementioned inputs impact the estimate; for example, in the fourth quarter of 2022, we recorded a net $13.5 million reduction to the fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities based primarily on revised management forecasts of the financial performance of the entities over the remaining earnout period.
The aggregate fair value of our contingent consideration liabilities as of December 31, 2022 was $200.3 million. This fair value represents management’s best estimate of the discounted cash payments that will be made in the future for all of our contingent consideration arrangements. The maximum remaining undiscounted earnout payments as of December 31, 2022 was $319 million. Over the past two years, we have made two large acquisitions that included significant amounts of contingent consideration to maximize alignment of the key principals and management teams. The earnouts completed prior to 2021 involved businesses that operated in our core debt financing business and involved substantially smaller amounts of contingent consideration as compared to the two aforementioned acquisitions.
Goodwill. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, we reported goodwill of $959.7 million and $698.6 million, respectively. Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the identifiable net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill is assigned to the reporting unit to which the acquisition relates. Goodwill is recognized as an asset and is reviewed for impairment annually on October 1. Between the annual evaluation time, we will perform an evaluation of recoverability, when events and circumstances indicate that it is more-likely-than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is below its carrying value. Impairment testing requires an assessment of qualitative factors to determine if there are indicators of potential impairment, followed by, if necessary, an assessment of quantitative factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether there has been a significant or adverse change in the business climate that could affect the value of an asset and/or significant or adverse changes in cash flow projections or earnings forecasts. These assessments require management to make judgments, assumptions, and estimates about projected cash flows, discount rates and other factors. As of December 31, 2022, we continue to believe the goodwill at each of our reporting units is not impaired.
Overview of Current Business Environment
The market’s transition from a historically low interest rate environment to a rising interest rate environment disrupted certain sectors of the lending market, with the most acute impacts felt initially in the consumer lending sector (e.g., residential mortgages, auto lending, and consumer credit). Although the commercial real estate debt and property sales markets began the year strong, volatility in long-term interest
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rates disrupted certain segments of the commercial real estate lending environment during the second half of 2022, particularly during the fourth quarter. Despite this volatility, our total transaction volumes only decreased 7% from 2021, with the largest decreases in our debt brokerage (13%) and HUD originations (52%). The decrease in total transaction volumes was partially offset by an increase in our GSE lending (5%) and multifamily property sales (2%).
Beginning in May 2022, the Federal Reserve’s stance on inflation became more aggressive with seven consecutive increases in the Federal Funds Rate totaling 4.25%, which brought the rate to a target range of 4.50% to 4.75% as of January 2023. The Federal Reserve continues to signal that it anticipates additional increases in the target range and will continue the reduction of its holdings in Treasury securities and Agency mortgage-backed securities (“Agency MBS”) until the inflation rate returns to the Federal Reserve’s long-term target. Both of these actions by the Federal Reserve have resulted in a significant increase in medium to long-term mortgage interest rates, which form the basis of most of our lending.
As the Federal Reserve continues to combat inflation by increasing interest rates, we expect commercial real estate debt and property sales transaction activity to slow down from peaks earlier in the year 2022. Certain products were impacted more than others, with debt brokerage executions in non-multifamily assets classes being impacted the most, as banks and life insurance companies continued to pull back and potentially increase capital reserves in the short-term. However, we anticipate Agency lending volumes to remain steady going into 2023 as the Agencies provide liquidity in countercyclical markets. When the broader capital markets tighten, the Agencies historically step in to provide liquidity to the multifamily borrowing community as they did throughout 2020 and the second half of 2021, and as one of the largest providers of capital to the multifamily sector, we are well positioned. As interest rates increased rapidly over the last several months, and liquidity in the capital markets tightened, we have experienced declines in credit spreads to offset a portion of the interest rate increases. Although our lending activity with the Agencies is expected to remain stable going into 2023, the servicing fees on new loans and associated profitability of those executions is expected to remain at relatively lower than historical levels, consistent with the second half of 2022. We are a market-leading originator with the Agencies, and we believe our market leadership positions us well to continue gaining market share and remain a significant lender with the Agencies for the foreseeable future.
Despite significant market volatility caused by geopolitical risks, high inflation rate, rapidly rising interest rates, multifamily property fundamentals remain healthy. According to RealPage, a provider of commercial real estate data and analytics, vacancies have risen from their March 2022 lows to 5.0% as of December 2022 and are expected to increase in the coming months; however, national vacancy rates still remain below historical averages. Additionally, rent collections remain strong at pre-pandemic levels and increased year-over-year, despite inflationary pressures and high rent growth over the past two years. Also, the national unemployment rate continues to fall, reaching a pre-pandemic low of 3.5% as of December 2022. We believe the unemployment rate is an important determinant of future multifamily property performance.
The FHFA establishes loan origination caps for both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each year. In November 2022, the FHFA established Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s 2023 loan origination caps at $75 billion each for all multifamily business, a 4% decrease from the 2022 caps. During 2022, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had multifamily origination volumes of $69.2 billion and $72.8 billion, respectively, down 0.3% and up 3.7%, respectively, from 2021. The decline in the GSEs’ origination volumes was primarily driven by the volatile and uncertain macroeconomic conditions in 2022. The decrease to the GSEs’ lending caps in 2023 is not expected to have a material impact on the competitiveness of either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, as they continue to have sufficient capital to meet market demand.
Our multifamily property sales volumes grew slightly during the year as we had strong volumes during the first half of 2022 as (i) the multifamily acquisitions market was very active during the first half of the year, and (ii) we expanded the number of property sales brokers and the geographical reach of our property sales platform. The strong volumes in the first half were offset by slowdowns in volumes during the second half of 2022, due to the macroeconomic conditions discussed above. Long term, we believe the market fundamentals will continue to be positive for multifamily property sales. Over the last several years, household formation and a dearth of supply of entry-level single-family homes led to strong demand for rental housing in many geographic areas. Consequently, the fundamentals of the multifamily property sales market were strong prior to the pandemic, and, when combined with high occupancy and retention rates and rising real-estate prices, it is our expectation that market demand for multifamily property sales will remain strong as this asset class remains an attractive investment option.
Our debt brokerage platform had lower volumes in 2022 compared to 2021 due to a substantial decrease in the transaction volume in the second half of the year because of the volatile interest rate environment that in turn drove a pullback of liquidity from banks, life insurance companies, and securitization markets. As the interest rate environment begins to stabilize, we expect liquidity to slowly return to the market.
As noted above, our debt financing operations with HUD declined during 2022. HUD loan volumes accounted for 2.6% total debt financing volumes in 2022 compared to 4.8% in 2021. The decline in HUD debt financing volumes as a percentage of our total debt financing volumes was driven by lower aggregate HUD lending volumes industry-wide, as the increasing interest-rate environment discussed above more acutely impacted the HUD product given the longer lead times associated with HUD executions.
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Our originations with the Agencies are our most profitable executions as they provide significant non-cash gains from MSRs that turn into significant cash revenue streams from future servicing fees. During the year ended December 31, 2022, servicing fees were up 8% compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, due to the $7.4 billion increase in the servicing portfolio unpaid principal balance (“UPB”). A decline in our Agency originations would negatively impact our financial results, as our non-cash revenues would decrease disproportionately with debt financing volume and future servicing fee revenue would be constrained or decline.
We entered into the Interim Program JV to both increase the overall capital available to transitional multifamily properties and to dramatically expand our capacity to originate Interim Program loans. The demand for transitional lending has brought increased competition from lenders, specifically banks, mortgage real estate investment trusts, and life insurance companies. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we originated $86.3 million of Interim Program JV loans, compared to $860.0 million of originations in 2021. The volatile macroeconomic conditions led us to reduce our lending activity on transitional assets. We expect our lending volumes for transitional assets to remain low until economic conditions normalize. Except for one loan that defaulted in early 2019, the loans in our portfolio and in the Interim Program JV continue to perform as agreed.
Our subsidiary, Alliant, which provides alternative investment management services focused on the affordable housing sector through LIHTC syndication, joint venture development, and community preservation fund management remains the 6th largest LIHTC syndicator despite the economic challenges mentioned above. We continue to approach the affordable housing space with a combined LIHTC syndication and affordable housing service offering that we believe will generate significant financing, property sales, and syndication opportunities. Additionally, as part of FHFA’s 2023 loan origination caps of $150 billion announced in November 2022, at least 50% of the GSEs’ multifamily business is required to be targeted towards affordable housing. We expect these initiatives will create additional growth opportunities for both Alliant and our debt financing and property sales teams focused on affordable housing.
Factors That May Impact Our Operating Results
We believe that our results are affected by a number of factors, including the items discussed below.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Performance of Multifamily and Other Commercial Real Estate Related Markets. Our business is dependent on the general demand for, and value of, commercial real estate and related services, particularly multifamily, which are sensitive to long-term mortgage interest rates and other macroeconomic conditions and the continued existence of the GSEs. Demand for multifamily and other commercial real estate generally increases during stronger economic environments, resulting in increased property values, transaction volumes, and loan origination volumes. During weaker economic environments, multifamily and other commercial real estate may experience higher property vacancies, lower demand and reduced values. These conditions can result in lower property transaction volumes and loan originations, as well as an increased level of servicer advances and losses from our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations and our interim lending program. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Level of Losses from Fannie Mae Risk-Sharing Obligations. Under the Fannie Mae DUS program, we share risk of loss on most loans we sell to Fannie Mae. In the majority of cases, we absorb the first 5% of any losses on the loan’s unpaid principal balance at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss generally capped at 20% of the loan’s unpaid principal balance on the origination date. As a result, a rise in defaults could have a material adverse effect on us. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Price of Loans in the Secondary Market. Our profitability is determined in part by the price we are paid for the loans we originate. A component of our origination related revenues is the premium we recognize on the sale of a loan. Stronger investor demand typically results in larger premiums while weaker demand results in little to no premium. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Market for Servicing Commercial Real Estate Loans. Servicing fee rates for new loans are set at the time we enter into a loan sale commitment based on origination fees, competition, prepayment rates, and any risk-sharing obligations we undertake. Changes in servicing fee rates impact the value of our MSRs and future servicing revenues, which could impact our profit margins and operating results immediately and over time. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Overall Loan Origination Mix. The loan product mix we originate can significantly impact our overall operating results. For example, an increase in loan origination volume for our two highest-margin products, Fannie Mae and HUD loans, without a change in total loan origination volume would increase our overall profitability, while a decrease in the loan origination volume of these two products without a change in total loan origination volume would decrease our overall profitability, all else equal. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Affordable Housing Market. The profitability of our LIHTC operations is impacted by the demand for and the financial performance of the affordable housing market and the continued existence of income tax credits for these properties. For example, |
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| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| we earn syndication fees based on new funds we are able to syndicate for investors and asset management fees based on performance of the underlying LIHTC properties and dispositions of these properties. Strong demand for LIHTC properties typically results in opportunities for syndication of LIHTC funds and high prices for dispositions. |
Revenues
Loan Origination and Debt Brokerage Fees, net. Loan origination fee revenue is recognized when we record a derivative asset upon the simultaneous commitments to originate a loan with a borrower and sell to an investor or when a loan that we broker closes with the institutional lender. The commitment asset related to the loan origination fee is recognized at fair value, which reflects the fair value of the contractual loan origination related fees and any sale premiums, net of co-broker fees. Also included in revenues from loan origination activities are changes to the fair value of loan commitments, forward sale commitments, and loans held for sale that occur during their respective holding periods. Upon sale of the loans, no gains or losses are recognized as these loans are recorded at fair value during their holding periods.
Brokered loans tend to have lower origination fees because they often require less time to execute, there is more competition for brokerage assignments, and because the borrower will also have to pay an origination fee to the institutional lender.
Premiums received on the sale of a loan result when a loan is sold to an investor for more than its face value. There are various reasons investors may pay a premium when purchasing a loan. For example, the fixed rate on the loan may be higher than the rate of return required by an investor or the characteristics of a particular loan may be desirable to an investor. We do not receive premiums on brokered loans.
Fair Value of Expected Net Cash Flows from Servicing, net. Revenue related to expected net cash flows from servicing is recognized at the loan commitment date, similar to the loan origination fees, as described above. The derivative asset is recognized at fair value, which reflects the estimated fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, reduced by the estimated fair value of any guaranty obligations to be assumed. MSRs and guaranty obligations are recognized as assets and liabilities, respectively, upon the sale of the loans.
MSRs are recorded at fair value upon loan sale. The fair value is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights. The estimated net cash flows are discounted at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the loan.
The “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provide additional details of the accounting for these revenues.
Servicing Fees. We service nearly all loans we originate and some loans we broker. We earn servicing fees for performing certain loan servicing functions such as processing loan, tax, and insurance payments and managing escrow balances. Servicing generally also includes asset management functions, such as monitoring the physical condition of the property, analyzing the financial condition and liquidity of the borrower, and performing loss mitigation activities as directed by the Agencies.
Our servicing fees on loans we originate provide a stable revenue stream. They are based on contractual terms, are earned over the life of the loan, and are generally not subject to significant prepayment risk. Our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicing agreements provide for prepayment fees in the event of a voluntary prepayment. Accordingly, we currently do not hedge our servicing portfolio for prepayment risk. Any prepayment fees received are included in Other revenues.
HUD has the right to terminate our current servicing engagements for cause. In addition to termination for cause, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may terminate our servicing engagements without cause by paying a termination fee. Institutional investors typically may terminate our servicing engagements for brokered loans at any time with or without cause, without paying a termination fee.
Property sales broker fees. We earn property broker sales fee revenue when our investment sales team completes the sale of a multifamily investment property or land real estate. The amount of the property sales brokers fees we earn is based upon a percentage of the final sale price of the investment sold.
Investment management fees. We manage invested capital from third-party investors through an investment fund structure. The capital placed into the investment fund is utilized to make investments in multifamily investment opportunities, primarily as equity in market-rate or LIHTC generating multifamily properties. We earn an investment management or asset management fee based on a contractual percentage of the invested capital. For market-rate investments, we earn and collect the investment management fees through the returns of the investment funds. For LIHTC investments, we collect the asset management fees (“AMF”) through the combination of current payments and asset dispositions. NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of the accounting for AMF revenues.
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Net Warehouse Interest Income—We earn warehouse interest income net of warehouse interest expense. Warehouse interest income is the interest earned from loans held for sale and loans held for investment. Generally, a substantial portion of our loans is financed with matched borrowings under one of our warehouse facilities. The remaining portion of loans not funded with matched borrowings is financed with our own cash. Occasionally, we also fully fund a small number of loans held for sale or loans held for investment with our own cash. Warehouse interest expense is incurred on borrowings used to fund loans solely while they are held for sale or for investment. Warehouse interest income and expense are earned or incurred on loans held for sale after a loan is closed and before a loan is sold. Warehouse interest income and expense are earned or incurred on loans held for investment after a loan is closed and before a loan is repaid.
Escrow Earnings and Other Interest Income. We earn fee income on property-level escrow deposits in our servicing portfolio, generally based on a fixed or variable placement fee negotiated with the financial institutions that hold the escrow deposits. Escrow earnings reflect the placement fees net of interest paid to the borrower, if required. Also included with escrow earnings and other interest income are interest earnings from our cash and cash equivalents and interest income earned on our pledged securities.
Other Revenues. Other revenues are comprised of fees for processing loan assumptions, prepayment fee income, application fees, property sales broker fees, appraisal revenues, income from equity-method investments, asset management fees, certain revenues from LIHTC operations, and other miscellaneous revenues related to our operations.
Costs and Expenses
Personnel. Personnel expense includes the cost of employee compensation and benefits, which include fixed and discretionary amounts tied to company and individual performance, commissions, severance expense, signing and retention bonuses, and share-based compensation.
Amortization and Depreciation. Amortization and depreciation is principally comprised of amortization of our MSRs, net of amortization of our guaranty obligations. The MSRs are amortized using the interest method over the period that servicing income is expected to be received. We amortize the guaranty obligations evenly over their expected lives. When the loan underlying an MSR prepays, we write off the remaining unamortized balance, net of any related guaranty obligation, and record the write off to Amortization and depreciation. Similarly, when the loan underlying an MSR defaults, we write the MSR off to Amortization and depreciation. We depreciate property, plant, and equipment ratably over their estimated useful lives.
Amortization and depreciation also includes the amortization of intangible assets, principally related to the amortization, asset management fee contracts, research subscription contracts, intellectual property, and other intangible assets recognized in connection with acquisitions. For the years presented in the Consolidated Statements of Income, the amortization of intangible assets relates primarily to intangible assets associated with our acquisitions in 2021 and 2022.
Provision (Benefit) for Credit Losses. The provision (benefit) for credit losses consists of two components: the provision associated with our risk-sharing loans and the provision associated with our loans held for investment. The provision (benefit) for credit losses associated with risk-sharing loans is estimated on a collective basis when a loan is sold to Fannie Mae and is based on our current expected credit losses on the current portfolio from loan sale to maturity. The provision (benefit) for credit losses associated with our loans held for investment is estimated similar to our risk-sharing loans at origination and is based on our current expected credit losses. For both our risk-sharing loans and loans held for investment, when a loan is probable of default, the loan is taken out of the collective evaluation and individually evaluated for credit losses. Our estimates of property fair value are based on appraisals, broker opinions of value, or net operating income and market capitalization rates, whichever we believe is the best estimate of the net disposition value.
The “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Interest Expense on Corporate Debt. Interest expense on corporate debt includes interest expense incurred and amortization of debt discount and deferred debt issuance costs related to our term loan facility.
Other Operating Expenses. Other operating expenses include sub-servicing costs, facilities costs, travel and entertainment costs, marketing costs, professional fees, losses on debt extinguishment, accretion and revaluation of contingent consideration liabilities, corporate insurance premiums, and other administrative expenses.
Income Tax Expense. The Company is a C-corporation subject to federal, state, and international corporate tax. Our estimated combined statutory federal, state, and international tax rate was 26.1%, 25.7%, and 25.2% for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. Except for the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Reform”), our combined statutory tax rate has historically not varied significantly as the only material difference in the calculation of the combined statutory tax rate from year to year is the apportionment of our taxable income amongst the various states where we are subject to taxation since our foreign operations are (i) immaterial and (ii) taxed
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at a rate similar to our blended federal and state tax rate. Absent additional significant legislative changes to statutory tax rates (particularly the federal tax rate), we expect low deviation from the 2022 combined statutory tax rate for future years. However, we do expect some variability in the effective tax rate going forward due to excess tax benefits recognized and limitations on the deductibility of certain book expenses as a result of Tax Reform, primarily related to executive compensation.
Excess tax benefits recognized in 2022, 2021, and 2020 reduced income tax expense by $6.1 million, $8.6 million, and $7.3 million, respectively. The changes in the excess tax benefits over the past three years is largely due to changes in the number of shares vested and the stock price at which the shares vested.
Consolidated Results of Operations
The following is a discussion of the comparison of our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. The financial results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Our annual results have fluctuated in the past and are expected to fluctuate in the future, reflecting the interest-rate environment, the volume of transactions, business acquisitions, regulatory actions, and general economic conditions. Discussions of our results of operations and comparisons between 2021 and 2020 can be found in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended December 31, | | ||||
| (dollars in thousands; except per share data) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| Transaction Volume: | | | | | | |
| Total Debt Financing Volume | $ | 43,605,984 | | $ | 48,911,120 | |
| Property Sales Volume | 19,732,654 | | 19,254,697 | | ||
| Total Transaction Volume | $ | 63,338,638 | | $ | 68,165,817 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics: | | | | | | |
| Operating margin | | 21 | % | | 28 | % |
| Return on equity | | 13 | | | 21 | |
| Walker & Dunlop net income | $ | 213,820 | | $ | 265,762 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(1) | | 325,095 | | | 309,278 | |
| Diluted EPS | | 6.36 | | | 8.15 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Expense Metrics (as a percentage of total revenues): | | | | | | |
| Personnel expenses | | 48 | % | | 48 | % |
| Other operating expenses | | 10 | | | 8 | |
| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | As of December 31, | ||||
| Managed Portfolio: | 2022 | 2021 | |||
| Total Servicing Portfolio | $ | 123,133,855 | | $ | 115,700,564 |
| Assets under management | | 16,748,449 | | | 16,437,865 |
| Total Managed Portfolio | $ | 139,882,304 | | $ | 132,138,429 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure.” |
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Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2021
The following table presents a period-to-period comparison of our financial results for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
FINANCIAL RESULTS –2022 COMPARED TO 2021
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | |||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | | $ | 348,007 | | $ | 446,014 | | $ | (98,007) | | (22) | % | |
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net | | | 191,760 | | | 287,145 | | | (95,385) | | (33) | | |
| Servicing fees | | 300,191 | | 278,466 | | 21,725 | | 8 | | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | | 120,582 | | | 119,981 | | | 601 | | 1 | | |
| Investment management fees | | | 71,931 | | | 25,637 | | | 46,294 | | 181 | | |
| Net warehouse interest income | | 15,777 | | 22,108 | | (6,331) | | (29) | | | |||
| Escrow earnings and other interest income | | 52,830 | | 8,150 | | 44,680 | | 548 | | | |||
| Other revenues | | 157,675 | | 71,677 | | 85,998 | | 120 | | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 1,258,753 | | $ | 1,259,178 | | $ | (425) | | - | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 607,366 | | $ | 603,487 | | $ | 3,879 | | 1 | % | |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 235,031 | | | 210,284 | | | 24,747 | | 12 | | |
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | (11,978) | | (13,287) | | 1,309 | | (10) | | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 34,233 | | 7,981 | | 26,252 | | 329 | | | |||
| Other operating expenses | | 129,136 | | 98,655 | | 30,481 | | 31 | | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 993,788 | | $ | 907,120 | | $ | 86,668 | | 10 | | |
| Income from operations | | $ | 264,965 | | $ | 352,058 | | $ | (87,093) | | (25) | | |
| Income tax expense | | 56,034 | | 86,428 | | (30,394) | | (35) | | | |||
| Net income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 208,931 | | $ | 265,630 | | $ | (56,699) | | (21) | | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | (4,889) | | (132) | | (4,757) | 3,604 | | | ||||
| Walker & Dunlop net income | | $ | 213,820 | | $ | 265,762 | | $ | (51,942) | | (20) | | |
Overview
Revenues decreased slightly as increases in servicing fees, investment management fees, escrow earnings and other interest income, and other revenues, were offset by decreases in loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net (“origination fees”) and the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net (“MSR income”). Servicing fees increased largely from an increase in the average servicing portfolio outstanding. Investment management fees increased due to the addition of investment management fees from our LIHTC operations acquired in the fourth quarter of 2021. Escrow earnings and other interest income increased largely as a result of higher escrow earnings rates due to rising interest rates. Other revenues increased primarily as a result of a one-time gain from the revaluation of our previously held equity-method investment in Apprise (“Apprise revaluation gain”) in connection with the GeoPhy acquisition, and increases in (i) other revenues from our LIHTC operations, (ii) research subscription fees, and (iii) gains from equity-method investments, partially offset by a decline in prepayment fees. Origination fees and MSR income decreased primarily as a result of a decline in the earnings rate from our debt financing volumes due to market volatility and rising interest rates over the second half of the year and a decrease in Agency debt financing volume.
The increase in expenses was due to increases in all expense categories, primarily in amortization and depreciation, interest expense on corporate debt, and other operating expenses. Amortization and depreciation expense increased primarily due to an increase in the average MSR balance and an increase in intangible asset amortization resulting from acquisitions in 2021 and 2022. Interest expense on corporate debt increased due to the increase in the size of the debt outstanding, including the assumption of Alliant’s note payable in the fourth quarter of 2021, and the rising interest rate environment in 2022. Other operating expenses increased largely as a result of (i) the overall growth of the Company’s operations over the past year including expenses from acquired subsidiaries and (ii) an increase in travel and entertainment costs compared to 2021 when our travel and entertainment expenses were depressed due to the on-going effects of the pandemic. These substantial increases were partially offset by a benefit for the revaluation of contingent consideration liabilities.
Income Tax Expense. The decrease in income tax expense relates to a decrease in income from operations and the tax impacts of the
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$39.6 million Apprise revaluation gain. The gain is an unrealized, non-taxable gain. Accordingly, no income tax expense was recorded for this gain. Based on our blended statutory rate, the benefit to our income tax expense was $10.3 million.
A discussion of the financial results for our segments is included further below.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we use adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure. The presentation of adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. When analyzing our operating performance, readers should use adjusted EBITDA in addition to, and not as an alternative for, net income. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before income taxes, interest expense on our term loan facility, and amortization and depreciation, adjusted for provision for credit losses net of write-offs, share-based incentive compensation charges, and the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net. Because not all companies use identical calculations, our presentation of adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Furthermore, adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for our management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect certain cash requirements such as tax and debt service payments. The amounts shown for adjusted EBITDA may also differ from the amounts calculated under similarly titled definitions in our debt instruments, which are further adjusted to reflect certain other cash and non-cash charges that are used to determine compliance with financial covenants.
We use adjusted EBITDA to evaluate the operating performance of our business, for comparison with forecasts and strategic plans, and for benchmarking performance externally against competitors. We believe that this non-GAAP measure, when read in conjunction with our GAAP financials, provides useful information to investors by offering:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of our ongoing operating results; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to better identify trends in our underlying business and perform related trend analyses; and |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | a better understanding of how management plans and measures our underlying business. |
We believe that adjusted EBITDA has limitations in that it does not reflect all of the amounts associated with our results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that adjusted EBITDA should only be used to evaluate our results of operations in conjunction with net income.
Adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL METRIC RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | ||||
| | | December 31, | | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | |||||
| Reconciliation of Walker & Dunlop Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | | |
| Walker & Dunlop Net Income | | $ | 213,820 | | $ | 265,762 | |
| Income tax expense | | 56,034 | | 86,428 | | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 34,233 | | 7,981 | | ||
| Amortization and depreciation | | 235,031 | | 210,284 | | ||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | (11,978) | | (13,287) | | ||
| Net write-offs | | (4,631) | | — | | ||
| Share-based compensation expense | | 33,987 | | 36,582 | | ||
| Gain from revaluation of previously held equity-method investment | | | (39,641) | | | — | |
| Write-off of unamortized issuance costs from corporate debt retirement | | | — | | | 2,673 | |
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net | | (191,760) | | (287,145) | | ||
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 325,095 | | $ | 309,278 | |
| | | | | | | | |
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Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2021
The following table presents a period-to-period comparison of the components of our adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
ADJUSTED EBITDA –2022 COMPARED TO 2021
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | $ | 348,007 | | $ | 446,014 | | $ | (98,007) | | (22) | % |
| Servicing fees | 300,191 | | 278,466 | | 21,725 | | 8 | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | 120,582 | | | 119,981 | | | 601 | | 1 | |
| Investment management fees | | 71,931 | | | 25,637 | | | 46,294 | | 181 | |
| Net warehouse interest income | 15,777 | | 22,108 | | (6,331) | | (29) | | |||
| Escrow earnings and other interest income | 52,830 | | 8,150 | | 44,680 | | 548 | | |||
| Other revenues | 122,923 | | 71,809 | | 51,114 | | 71 | | |||
| Personnel | (573,379) | | (566,905) | | (6,474) | | 1 | | |||
| Net write-offs | (4,631) | | — | | (4,631) | | N/A | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (129,136) | | (95,982) | | (33,154) | | 35 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 325,095 | | $ | 309,278 | | $ | 15,817 | | 5 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
The decrease in origination fees was primarily related to decreases in both the earnings rate on our debt financing volumes and the overall debt financing volumes year over year. Servicing fees increased due to an increase in the average servicing portfolio. Investment management fees increased due to the addition of investment management fees from our LIHTC operations acquired in the fourth quarter of 2021. Net warehouse interest income decreased primarily due to decreases in the net spreads and average outstanding balances. Escrow earnings and other interest income increased primarily as a result of a higher escrow earnings rate due to rising interest rates. Other revenues increased primarily as a result of increases in: (i) other revenues from our LIHTC operations, (ii) research subscription fees (iii) gains from equity-method investments, partially offset by decreases in prepayment fees.
The increase in personnel expense was primarily due to increased salaries and benefits expense due to an increase in average headcount, partially offset by a decrease in commission costs due to lower debt financing volumes and a decrease in accruals for other performance-based compensation due to the Company’s performance. Net write-offs increased due to a loss settlement that occurred in the fourth quarter of 2022 with no comparable activity in 2021. Other operating expenses increased largely as a result of (i) the overall growth of the Company over the past year including expenses from acquired subsidiaries and (ii) an increase in travel and entertainment costs compared to 2021 when our travel and entertainment expenses were depressed due to the on-going effects of the pandemic. The increase in Other operating expenses was partially offset by a benefit for the revaluation of contingent consideration liabilities.
Financial Condition
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Our cash flows from operations are generated from loan sales, servicing fees, escrow earnings, net warehouse interest income, property sales broker fees, investment management fees, research subscription fees, investment banking advisory fees, and other income, net of loan origination and operating costs. Our cash flows from operations are impacted by the fees generated by our loan originations and property sales, the timing of loan closings, and the period of time loans are held for sale in the warehouse loan facility prior to delivery to the investor.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
We usually lease facilities and equipment for our operations. Our cash flows from investing activities also include the funding and repayment of loans held for investment, contributions to and distributions from joint ventures, purchases of equity-method investments, and the purchase of available-for-sale (“AFS”) securities pledged to Fannie Mae. We opportunistically invest cash for acquisitions and MSR portfolio purchases.
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Cash Flows from Financing Activities
We use our warehouse loan facilities and, when necessary, our corporate cash to fund loan closings, both for loans held for sale and loans held for investments. We also use warehouse facilities to assist in funding investments in tax credit equity before transferring them to a tax credit fund. We believe that our current warehouse loan facilities are adequate to meet our loan origination and tax credit equity syndication needs. Historically, we used a combination of long-term debt and cash flows from operations to fund large acquisitions, repurchase shares, pay cash dividends, make long-term debt principal payments, and repay short-term borrowings on a regular basis. We issue stock primarily in connection with exercise of stock options (cash inflow) and for acquisitions (non-cash transactions).
Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2021
The following table presents a period-to-period comparison of the significant components of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
SIGNIFICANT COMPONENTS OF CASH FLOWS – 2022 COMPARED TO 2021
CONSOLIDATED
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | | $ | 1,582,704 | | $ | 870,455 | | $ | 712,249 | | 82 | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | | (133,777) | | (377,551) | | 243,774 | | (65) | | |||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | | (1,583,824) | | (457,726) | | (1,126,098) | | 246 | | |||
| Total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period ("Total cash") | | | 258,283 | | | 393,180 | | | (134,897) | | (34) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) operating activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net receipt (use) of cash for loan origination activity | | $ | 1,372,681 | | $ | 620,774 | | $ | 751,907 | | 121 | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, excluding loan origination activity | | | 210,023 | | | 249,681 | | | (39,658) | | (16) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) investing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Purchases of pledged AFS securities | | $ | (60,802) | | $ | (31,750) | | $ | (29,052) | | 92 | % |
| Proceeds from the prepayment/sale of pledged AFS securities | | | 14,040 | | | 45,301 | | | (31,261) | | (69) | |
| Purchase of equity-method investments | | | (26,099) | | | (33,446) | | | 7,347 | | (22) | |
| Acquisitions, net of cash received | | | (114,163) | | | (420,555) | | | 306,392 | | (73) | |
| Capital expenditures | | | (21,995) | | | (9,208) | | | (12,787) | | 139 | |
| Net payoff of (investment in) loans held for investment | | | 67,709 | | | 91,760 | | | (24,051) | | (26) | |
| Net distributions from (investments in) joint ventures | | | 7,533 | | | (19,653) | | | 27,186 | | 138 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) financing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Borrowings (repayments) of warehouse notes payable, net | | $ | (1,370,705) | | $ | (635,912) | | $ | (734,793) | | 116 | % |
| Borrowings of interim warehouse notes payable | | 36,459 | | 266,575 | | (230,116) | | (86) | | |||
| Repayments of interim warehouse notes payable | | (63,858) | | (227,999) | | 164,141 | | (72) | | |||
| Borrowings (repayments) of notes payable | | | (36,629) | | | 303,727 | | | (340,356) | | (112) | |
| Payment of contingent consideration | | | (21,191) | | | — | | | (21,191) | | N/A | |
| Repurchase of common stock | | | (42,369) | | | (18,872) | | | (23,497) | | 125 | |
| Borrowings (repayments) of secured borrowings | | | — | | | (73,312) | | | 73,312 | | (100) | |
| Cash dividends paid | | | (80,145) | | | (64,453) | | | (15,692) | | 24 | |
The change in cash flows from operating activities was driven primarily by loans originated and sold. Such loans are held for short periods of time, generally less than 60 days, and impact cash flows presented as of a point in time. The increase in cash flows received in loan origination activities is primarily attributable to sales of loans held for sale outpacing originations by $1.4 billion in 2022 compared to $620.8 million in 2021. Excluding cash used for the origination and sale of loans, cash flows provided by operations were $210.0 million in 2022, down from $249.7 million in 2021. The decrease is primarily the result of a (i) $56.7 million decrease in net income before noncontrolling interest, (ii) a $39.6 million increase in a non-cash adjustment for the Apprise revaluation gain in 2022 with no comparable activity in 2021, and (iii) $58.5 million decrease in adjustments for other operating activities, partially offset by a $120.1 million change in non-cash adjustments for MSRs and amortization and depreciation. The significant decrease in Total cash over the past year is largely attributable to acquisition activity coupled with a decrease in cash provided by operating activities, excluding loan origination activity.
The decrease in cash used in investing activities in 2022 from 2021 was due to (i) a decrease in cash used in acquisitions in 2022 compared
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to 2021, (ii) a decrease in the purchase of equity-method investments as capital calls for capital commitments decreased year over year, and (iii) a change from net investments in joint ventures to net distributions from joint ventures, partially offset by (i) an increase in the net purchase of pledged AFS securities, as we reinvested prepayments from the prior year, (ii) an increase in capital expenditures due to the build out of our new corporate headquarters, and (iii) a decrease in the net payoff of loans held for investment. Cash used in acquisitions decreased, as in 2021, we had four acquisitions, including the Alliant acquisition, the largest acquisition in Company history, compared to two acquisitions, including GeoPhy, and a large payment for working capital adjustments for the Alliant acquisition in 2022. Our distributions from joint ventures outpaced our investments as our joint ventures originated fewer loans in 2022. Net payoff of loans held for investment decreased, as there were fewer payoffs and originations in 2022 than in 2021.
The increase in cash used in financing activities was attributable to (i) an increase in net warehouse repayments, (ii) a change to net repayments from net borrowings of interim warehouse notes payable, (iii) a change from net borrowings to net repayments of notes payable, (iv) an increase in the payment of contingent consideration as the Company made payments in 2022 for certain acquired entities in prior years, (v) an increase in repurchases of common stock, and (vi) an increase in dividends paid, partially offset by a decrease in repayments of secured borrowings. The increase in the net repayments of warehouse notes payable was due to the aforementioned increase in cash received for loan origination activity. The change to net cash repayments from net borrowings of interim warehouse notes payable was primarily due to an increase in net repayments of interim loans as we had fewer originations in 2022. The change from net borrowings to net repayments of notes payable was due to the refinancing and increase of our Term Loan in December 2021 with no comparable activity in 2022 and due to the required quarterly paydowns of a note payable at our subsidiary, Alliant. The increase in cash paid for repurchases of common stock was related to significant vesting events in our various share-based compensation plans and the $11.1 million repurchase of common stock through our 2022 stock repurchase program compared to no repurchases under the 2021 stock repurchase program. Cash dividends paid increased largely as a result of the increase in our dividend to $0.60 per share in 2022 compared to $0.50 per share in 2021
Segment Results
The Company is managed based on our three reportable segments: (i) Capital Markets, (ii) Servicing & Asset Management, and (iii) Corporate. The segment results below are intended to present each of the reportable segments on a stand-alone basis.
Capital Markets
Our Capital Markets segment provides a comprehensive range of commercial real estate finance products to our customers, including Agency lending, debt brokerage, property sales, and appraisal and valuation services. The Company’s long-established relationships with the Agencies and institutional investors enable our Capital Markets segment to offer a broad range of loan products and services to the Company’s customers, including first mortgage, second trust, supplemental, construction, mezzanine, preferred equity, and small-balance loans. This segment also provides property sales services to owners and developers of multifamily properties and commercial real estate and multifamily property appraisals for various investors. The Capital Markets segment also provides real estate-related investment banking and advisory services, including housing market research.
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SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended December 31, | | ||||
| (in thousands; except per share data) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| Transaction Volume: | | | | | | |
| Components of Debt Financing Volume | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | $ | 9,950,152 | | $ | 9,301,865 | |
| Freddie Mac | 6,320,201 | | 6,154,828 | | ||
| Ginnie Mae ̶ HUD | 1,118,014 | | 2,340,699 | | ||
| Brokered(1) | 25,878,519 | | 29,670,226 | | ||
| Total Debt Financing Volume | $ | 43,266,886 | | $ | 47,467,618 | |
| Property sales volume | | 19,732,654 | | | 19,254,697 | |
| Total Transaction Volume | $ | 62,999,540 | | $ | 66,722,315 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics: | | | | | | |
| Net income | $ | 156,078 | | $ | 262,194 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(2) | | 36,201 | | | 84,626 | |
| Operating margin | | 28 | % | | 39 | % |
| | | | | | | |
| Key Revenue Metrics (as a percentage of debt financing volume): | | | | | | |
| Origination fees | | 0.80 | % | | 0.93 | % |
| MSR income | | 0.44 | | | 0.60 | |
| MSR income, as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume | | 1.10 | | | 1.61 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered transactions for life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other capital sources. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure”. |
FINANCIAL RESULTS –2022 COMPARED TO 2021
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | | $ | 345,779 | | $ | 440,044 | | $ | (94,265) | | (21) | % |
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net | | | 191,760 | | | 287,145 | | | (95,385) | | (33) | |
| Property sales broker fees | | | 120,582 | | | 119,981 | | | 601 | | 1 | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for sale | | 9,667 | | 14,396 | | (4,729) | | (33) | | |||
| Other revenues | | 41,046 | | 20,458 | | 20,588 | | 101 | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 708,834 | | $ | 882,024 | | $ | (173,190) | | (20) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 485,958 | | $ | 500,052 | | $ | (14,094) | | (3) | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 3,084 | | 2,877 | | 207 | | 7 | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 8,647 | | | 5,078 | | | 3,569 | | 70 | |
| Other operating expenses | | 11,817 | | 26,420 | | (14,603) | | (55) | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 509,506 | | $ | 534,427 | | $ | (24,921) | | (5) | |
| Income from operations | | $ | 199,328 | | $ | 347,597 | | $ | (148,269) | | (43) | |
| Income tax expense | | 42,153 | | 85,333 | | (43,180) | | (51) | | |||
| Net income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 157,175 | | $ | 262,264 | | $ | (105,089) | | (40) | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | 1,097 | | 70 | | 1,027 | 1,467 | | ||||
| Net income | | $ | 156,078 | | $ | 262,194 | | $ | (106,116) | | (40) | |
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Revenues
Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net and Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net. The following tables provide additional information that helps explain changes in origination fees and MSR income period over period:
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |||
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | |||
| Debt Financing Volume by Product Type | | 2022 | | | 2021 | |
| Fannie Mae | | 23 | % | | 20 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 15 | | | 13 | |
| Ginnie Mae - HUD | | 3 | | | 5 | |
| Brokered | | 59 | | | 62 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Mortgage Banking Details (basis points) | 2022 | | 2021 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Origination Fee Rate (1) | | 80 | | | 93 | | | (13) | | (14) | |
| Agency MSR Rate (2) | | 110 | | | 161 | | | (51) | | (32) | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | Origination fees as a percentage of total debt financing volume. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | MSR Income as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume. |
The decrease in origination fees was the result of a 13-basis-point decrease in our origination fee rate and a 9% decrease in overall debt financing volume. The decline in the origination fee rate was driven by a combination of a decline in in our HUD debt financing volumes and a decline in the margins we earn on our debt financing products, particularly with our Fannie Mae volume. Our Fannie Mae volume in 2022 included a $1.9 billion portfolio of loans that had a relatively lower origination fee rate that is typical for transactions of that size. We had no such portfolio transactions in 2021.
The decrease in MSR income was attributable to the 32% decrease in our Agency MSR Rate, coupled with a substantial decrease in our HUD debt financing volumes. The weighted-average servicing fees on new Fannie Mae debt financing volume declined 38% due to tightening of servicing fees due to large interest rate increases during 2022. Our Fannie Mae and HUD products are our most profitable products.
See the “Overview of Current Business Environment” section above for a detailed discussion of the factors driving the changes in debt financing volumes.
Net Warehouse Interest Income, Loans Held for Sale. The decrease was the result of decreases in the average balance outstanding and in the net spread between the rate on the originated loans and the interest costs associated with the warehouse facility as shown below. The decrease in the average balance was related to the overall decrease in our debt financing volume year over year, particularly our HUD originations. The decrease in the net spreads shown below was a result of the rapidly rising interest rate environment.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |||||||||
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Net Warehouse Interest Income Details - LHFS (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | | 2021 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average LHFS Outstanding Balance | $ | 1,326,690 | | $ | 1,634,999 | | $ | (308,309) | | (19) | % |
| LHFS Net Spread (basis points) | | 73 | | | 88 | | | (15) | | (17) | |
Other Revenues. The increase was due to an increase in our research subscription revenues and appraisal revenues, partially offset by a decrease in miscellaneous revenues. Research subscription fees increased $13.1 million year over year primarily due to the acquisition of Zelman early in the third quarter of 2021. 2022 included a full year of revenue from research services compared to less than half a year in 2021. Appraisal revenues increased due to the consolidation of Apprise in the first quarter of 2022, resulting in $8.3 million of appraisal revenue recognized during 2022. The appraisal revenue was accounted for as income from equity method investments prior to the consolidation of Apprise.
Expenses
Personnel. The decrease was primarily the result of a $51.7 million decrease in debt financing commission costs as a result of the decrease in debt financing activity and the related origination fees, partially offset by a $26.3 million increase in salaries and benefits and an $8.9 million increase in other compensation costs. These increases in salaries and benefits and other compensation costs were due to higher
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average headcount resulting from (a) acquisitions and hiring initiatives and (b) the GeoPhy acquisition and corresponding consolidation of Apprise.
Interest expense on corporate debt. The increase was primarily driven by an increase in the interest rate on our corporate debt as the lockout on the cap of our floating interest rate expired.
Other Operating Expenses. The decrease stemmed from an $18.0 million benefit for the revaluation of contingent consideration liabilities allocated to the Capital Markets segment, partially offset by increases in travel and entertainment costs of $5.8 million as our bankers and brokers attended more in person meetings compared to 2021 when the effects of the pandemic were still depressing business travel.
Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Capital Markets segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. CM adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Income | | $ | 156,078 | | $ | 262,194 |
| Income tax expense | | 42,153 | | 85,333 | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 8,647 | | | 5,078 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 3,084 | | | 2,877 |
| Share-based compensation expense | | | 17,999 | | | 16,289 |
| MSR Income | | (191,760) | | (287,145) | ||
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 36,201 | | $ | 84,626 |
The following tables present period-to-period comparisons of the components of CM adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2022 COMPARED TO 2021
CAPITAL MARKETS
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Origination fees | $ | 345,779 | | $ | 440,044 | | $ | (94,265) | | (21) | % |
| Property sales broker fees | | 120,582 | | | 119,981 | | | 601 | | 1 | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for sale | 9,667 | | 14,396 | | (4,729) | | (33) | | |||
| Other revenues | 39,949 | | 20,388 | | 19,561 | | 96 | | |||
| Personnel | (467,959) | | (483,763) | | 15,804 | | (3) | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (11,817) | | (26,420) | | 14,603 | | (55) | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 36,201 | | $ | 84,626 | | $ | (48,425) | | (57) | |
Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net decreased due to a decrease in our origination fee rate and a decrease in our overall debt financing volume. Net warehouse interest income decreased due to decreases in the net spread and average outstanding balance. The decrease in personnel expense was primarily due to decreased commission costs due to the decrease in origination fees, partially offset by growth in salaries and benefits costs resulting from an increase in the average headcount from acquisitions and hiring initiatives. Other operating expenses
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decreased primarily due to a contingent consideration revaluation gain in 2022, partially offset by growth in the segment’s operations and increases in travel and entertainment costs as our bankers and brokers attended more in person meetings in 2022.
Servicing & Asset Management
The Servicing & Asset Management segment’s activities include: (i) servicing and asset-managing the portfolio of loans the Company (a) originates and sells to the Agencies, (b) brokers to certain life insurance companies, and (c) originates through its principal lending and investing activities, and (ii) managing third-party capital invested in tax credit equity funds focused on the affordable housing sector and other commercial real estate.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands; except per share data) | | As of December 31, | ||||
| Managed Portfolio: | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| Components of Servicing Portfolio | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 59,226,168 | | $ | 53,401,457 |
| Freddie Mac | | 37,819,256 | | 37,138,836 | ||
| Ginnie Mae - HUD | | 9,868,453 | | 9,889,289 | ||
| Brokered (1) | | 16,013,143 | | 15,035,439 | ||
| Principal Lending and Investing (2) | | 206,835 | | 235,543 | ||
| Total Servicing Portfolio | | $ | 123,133,855 | | $ | 115,700,564 |
| Assets under management | | | 16,748,449 | | | 16,437,865 |
| Total Managed Portfolio | | $ | 139,882,304 | | $ | 132,138,429 |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 | Column 6 | Column 7 | Column 8 | Column 9 | Column 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | ||||
| | | December 31, | | ||||
| Key Volume and Performance Metrics: | | 2022 | | 2021 | | ||
| Principal Lending and Investing debt financing volume(3) | | $ | 339,098 | | $ | 1,443,502 | |
| Net income | | | 139,691 | | | 105,142 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(4) | | | 410,429 | | | 333,292 | |
| Operating margin | | | 33 | % | | 37 | % |
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | ||||
| Key Servicing Portfolio Metrics: | | 2022 | 2021 | |||
| Custodial escrow account balance (in billions) | | $ | 2.7 | | $ | 3.7 |
| Weighted-average servicing fee rate (basis points) | | | 24.5 | | | 24.9 |
| Weighted-average remaining servicing portfolio term (years) | | | 8.8 | | | 9.2 |
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | As of December 31, | |||
| Components of assets under management (in thousands) | | 2022 | | 2021 | ||
| LIHTC | | $ | 14,499,642 | | $ | 14,266,339 |
| Investment funds | | | 1,355,999 | | | 1,323,330 |
| Interim Program JV Managed Loans(5) | | | 892,808 | | | 848,196 |
| Total assets under management | | $ | 16,748,449 | | $ | 16,437,865 |
| | | | | | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered loans serviced primarily for life insurance companies. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | Consists of interim loans not managed for the Interim Program JV. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | For the year ended December 31, 2022, comprised solely of WDIP separate account originations. For the year ended December 31, 2022, includes $86.3 million from the Interim Program JV, $117.1 million from the Interim Loan Program and $135.7 million from WDIP separate accounts. For the year ended December 31, 2021, includes $860.0 million from the Interim Program JV, $537.1 million from the Interim Loan Program, and $46.4 million from WDIP separate accounts. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (4) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measure”. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (5) | Comprised only of Interim Program JV managed loans. |
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FINANCIAL RESULTS – 2022 COMPARED TO 2021
SERVICNG & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | | $ | 2,228 | | $ | 5,970 | | $ | (3,742) | | (63) | % |
| Servicing fees | | | 300,191 | | | 278,466 | | | 21,725 | | 8 | |
| Investment management fees | | | 71,931 | | | 25,637 | | | 46,294 | | 181 | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment | | 6,110 | | 7,712 | | (1,602) | | (21) | | |||
| Escrow earnings and other interest income | | 51,010 | | 7,776 | | 43,234 | | 556 | | |||
| Other revenues | | 75,960 | | 52,916 | | 23,044 | | 44 | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 507,430 | | $ | 378,477 | | $ | 128,953 | | 34 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 69,970 | | $ | 36,412 | | $ | 33,558 | | 92 | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 225,515 | | 203,118 | | 22,397 | | 11 | | |||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | (11,978) | | | (13,287) | | | 1,309 | | (10) | |
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 23,621 | | | 1,749 | | | 21,872 | | 1,251 | |
| Other operating expenses | | 30,738 | | 11,401 | | 19,337 | | 170 | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 337,866 | | $ | 239,393 | | $ | 98,473 | | 41 | |
| Income from operations | | $ | 169,564 | | $ | 139,084 | | $ | 30,480 | | 22 | |
| Income tax expense | | 35,859 | | 34,144 | | 1,715 | | 5 | | |||
| Income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 133,705 | | $ | 104,940 | | $ | 28,765 | | 27 | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | (5,986) | | (202) | | (5,784) | 2,863 | | ||||
| Net income | | $ | 139,691 | | $ | 105,142 | | $ | 34,549 | | 33 | |
Revenues
Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net. The decrease was due to a 77% decrease in our principal lending and investing debt financing volumes. Debt financing volume for this segment includes loans made on transitional multifamily properties on our balance sheet or through the Interim Program JV. Due to the challenging macroeconomic conditions, we scaled back our lending on transitional assets in 2022.
Servicing Fees. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in the average servicing portfolio period over period as shown below, primarily due to a $5.8 billion net increase in Fannie Mae serviced loans and a $977.7 million net increase in brokered loans serviced over the past year, coupled with the increase in the servicing portfolio’s average servicing fee rate as shown below. The increase in the average servicing fee rate is the result of the relatively large volume of Fannie Mae debt financing volume over the past year, resulting in Fannie Mae loans composing a higher percentage of the overall portfolio. Fannie Mae loans have the highest servicing fees of all our products.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |||||||||
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Servicing Fees Details (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | | 2021 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average Servicing Portfolio | $ | 118,887,131 | | $ | 111,577,130 | | $ | 7,310,001 | | 7 | % |
| Average Servicing Fee (basis points) | | 24.8 | | | 24.5 | | | 0.3 | | 1 | |
Investment Management Fees. The increase was primarily driven by the addition of investment management fees from our LIHTC operations due to our acquisition of Alliant late in the fourth quarter of 2021, which added an incremental $47.4 million of investment management fees from 2021.
Escrow earnings and other interest income. The increase was driven primarily by an increase in our escrow earnings of $37.7 million, coupled with an increase in interest income from pledged securities, cash balances, and other investments. The earnings rate on escrow balances and other interest-earning assets increased significantly as a result of rising interest rates over the past year, partially offset by a reduction in the average balance of escrows outstanding.
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Other Revenues. The increase was primarily due to a $35.9 million increase in other revenues from our LIHTC operations, partially offset by a $13.7 million decrease in prepayment fees. The increase in other revenues from LIHTC operations was driven by our subsidiary Alliant, which was acquired in the fourth quarter of 2021. The decrease in prepayment fees was due to a substantial decrease in the volume of loans that prepaid year over year due to the higher interest rate environment and the amount of prepayment fees earned on that volume.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of increases in salaries and benefits of $24.0 million and bonus accruals by $8.7 million. Salaries and benefits and bonus accruals increased during the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily due to growth in headcount as a result of the Alliant acquisition that occurred late in the fourth quarter of 2021, partially offset by a decrease in the accrual rate due to the Company’s performance in 2022.
Amortization and Depreciation. The increase was primarily attributed to loan origination activity and the resulting growth in the average MSR balance and due to an increase in intangible asset amortization. Over the past 12 months, we have added $110.3 million of MSRs, net of disposals. Due to the Alliant acquisition in December 2021, we added $170.8 million in intangible assets to SAM, resulting in an increase in amortization expense of $12.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Interest expense on corporate debt. The increase was primarily driven by (i) an increase in the portion of corporate debt related to SAM, (ii) the assumption of a securitized debt instrument late in the fourth quarter of 2021 in connection with the Alliant acquisition, and (iii) an increase in the interest rate on our corporate debt as the lockout on the cap of our floating rate expired. The increase in corporate debt related to SAM was due to the $300.0 million of additional debt incurred to acquire Alliant. The increase in the interest rate was driven by rapidly rising interest rates during 2022.
Other Operating Expenses. The increase primarily stemmed from relatively small increases in various expense types. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the increase was primarily due to a $16.7 million increase in other operating costs and a $2.3 million increase in professional fees. The increases in other operating costs and professional fees were primarily due to additional operating expenses at Alliant, which was acquired late in the fourth quarter of 2021, and a $4.5 million expense for the revaluation of contingent consideration liabilities in the fourth quarter of 2022 due to the performance of Alliant.
Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Servicing & Asset Management segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. SAM adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Income | | $ | 139,691 | | $ | 105,142 |
| Income tax expense | | 35,859 | | 34,144 | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 23,621 | | | 1,749 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 225,515 | | 203,118 | ||
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | (11,978) | | | (13,287) |
| Net write-offs | | | (4,631) | | | — |
| Share-based compensation expense | | 2,352 | | 2,426 | ||
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 410,429 | | $ | 333,292 |
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The following tables present period-to-period comparisons of the components of SAM adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2022 COMPARED TO 2021
SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | $ | 2,228 | | $ | 5,970 | | $ | (3,742) | | (63) | % |
| Servicing fees | 300,191 | | 278,466 | | 21,725 | | 8 | | |||
| Investment management fees | | 71,931 | | | 25,637 | | | 46,294 | | 181 | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment | 6,110 | | 7,712 | | (1,602) | | (21) | | |||
| Escrow earnings and other interest income | 51,010 | | 7,776 | | 43,234 | | 556 | | |||
| Other revenues | 81,946 | | 53,118 | | 28,828 | | 54 | | |||
| Personnel | (67,618) | | (33,986) | | (33,632) | | 99 | | |||
| Net write-offs | (4,631) | | — | | (4,631) | | N/A | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (30,738) | | (11,401) | | (19,337) | | 170 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 410,429 | | $ | 333,292 | | $ | 77,137 | | 23 | |
Origination fees decreased primarily due to a decrease in our principal lending and investing origination volume. Servicing fees increased due to growth in the average servicing portfolio period over period as a result of loan originations and an increase in the average servicing fee rate. Investment management fees increased due to the addition of our LIHTC operations from our acquisition in the fourth quarter of 2021. Escrow earnings and other interest income increased primarily due to the rise in the escrow earnings rate. Other revenues increased primarily due to the addition of other revenues from our LIHTC operations, partially offset by a decrease in prepayment fees. Net write-offs increased due to a loss settlement that occurred in the fourth quarter of 2022 with no comparable activity in 2021. Personnel and other operating expenses increased due to growth in headcount and operations from the aforementioned acquisition. Additionally, other operating expenses increased due to a contingent consideration revaluation expense in 2022.
Corporate
The Corporate segment consists primarily of the Company’s treasury operations and other corporate-level activities. Our treasury activities include monitoring and managing liquidity and funding requirements, including corporate debt. Other corporate-level activities include equity-method investments, accounting, information technology, legal, human resources, marketing, internal audit, and various other corporate groups (“support functions”). We do not allocate costs from these support functions to its other segments in presenting segment operating results. We do allocate interest expense and income tax expense. Corporate debt and the related interest expense are allocated first based on specific acquisitions where debt was directly used to fund the acquisition, such as the acquisition of Alliant, and then based on the remaining segment assets. Income tax expense is allocated proportionally based on income from operations at each segment, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
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FINANCIAL RESULTS – 2022 COMPARED TO 2021
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Other interest income | | $ | 1,820 | | $ | 374 | | $ | 1,446 | | 387 | % |
| Other revenues | | 40,669 | | (1,697) | | 42,366 | | (2,497) | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 42,489 | | $ | (1,323) | | $ | 43,812 | | (3,312) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 51,438 | | $ | 67,023 | | $ | (15,585) | | (23) | % |
| Amortization and depreciation | | 6,432 | | 4,289 | | 2,143 | | 50 | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 1,965 | | 1,154 | | 811 | | 70 | | |||
| Other operating expenses | | 86,581 | | 60,834 | | 25,747 | | 42 | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 146,416 | | $ | 133,300 | | $ | 13,116 | | 10 | |
| Income from operations | | $ | (103,927) | | $ | (134,623) | | $ | 30,696 | | (23) | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | (21,978) | | (33,049) | | 11,071 | | (33) | | |||
| Net income | | $ | (81,949) | | $ | (101,574) | | $ | 19,625 | | (19) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (121,535) | | $ | (108,640) | | $ | (12,895) | | 12 | % |
Revenues
Other Revenues. The increase was primarily due to the $39.6 million Apprise revaluation gain, which was recognized in the first quarter of 2022. As part of our acquisition of GeoPhy, we acquired its 50% interest in Apprise. The revaluation of our existing 50% ownership interest with a carrying value of $18.9 million to a fair value of $58.5 million resulted in a $39.6 million gain. The remaining increase was primarily due to a $6.1 million increase in income from our other equity-method investments, mostly related to the first quarter of 2022. Partially offsetting the increase in Other revenues was a $2.7 million decrease in investment income from the Company’s deferred compensation plan.
Expenses
Personnel. The decrease was primarily the result of (i) a $16.1 million decrease to the accrual for subjective bonuses, (ii) a $4.2 million decrease in stock compensation expense related to the Company’s performance share plan, and (iii) a $2.7 million decrease in compensation expense related to the Company’s deferred compensation plan, partially offset by a $6.8 million increase in salaries and benefits due to an increase in the average headcount. The decreases related to (i) and (ii) were due to the Company’s performance in 2022. The majority of the decrease came from a reduction in senior management compensation due to the Company’s performance in 2022.
Other Operating Expenses. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the increase was primarily driven by: (i) a $16.4 million increase in office expenses related to the growth of the Company and acquired offices, (ii) a $6.3 million increase in professional fees largely related to our acquisitions, (iii) a $2.2 million increase in travel and entertainment costs attributable to the growth of the Company and depressed travel and entertainment costs in 2021 due to the pandemic, and (iv) a $2.1 million increase in marketing costs related to the diversification of the Company, especially in support of acquired businesses and new business initiatives.
Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity.
Non-GAAP Financial Measure
A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA for our Corporate segment is presented below. Our segment level adjusted EBITDA represents the segment portion of consolidated adjusted EBITDA. A detailed description and reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA is provided above in our Consolidated Results of Operations—Non-GAAP Financial Measure. Corporate adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
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ADJUSTED FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | ||||
| | | December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Net Income | | $ | (81,949) | | $ | (101,574) |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | | (21,978) | | (33,049) | ||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 1,965 | | 1,154 | ||
| Amortization and depreciation | | 6,432 | | 4,289 | ||
| Share-based compensation expense | | 13,636 | | 17,867 | ||
| Gain from revaluation of previously held equity-method investment | | | (39,641) | | | — |
| Write-off of unamortized issuance costs from corporate debt retirement | | | — | | | 2,673 |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | (121,535) | | $ | (108,640) |
The following tables present period-to-period comparisons of the components of Corporate adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
ADJUSTED EBITDA – 2022 COMPARED TO 2021
CORPORATE
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Other interest income | 1,820 | | 374 | | 1,446 | | 387 | % | |||
| Other revenues | 1,028 | | (1,697) | | 2,725 | | (161) | | |||
| Personnel | (37,802) | | (49,156) | | 11,354 | | (23) | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (86,581) | | (58,161) | | (28,420) | | 49 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | (121,535) | | $ | (108,640) | | $ | (12,895) | | 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
The increase in other revenue was primarily due to an increase in income from our other equity-method investments, partially offset by a decrease in investment income from the Company’s deferred compensation plan. The decrease in personnel expense was primarily due to the decreases in accruals for subjective bonuses, stock compensation expense related to the Company’s performance share plan, and expenses related to the Company’s deferred compensation plan, partially offset by increased salaries and benefits resulting from an increase in average headcount. Other operating expenses increased as a result of the overall growth of the Company over the past year and from increased office costs from our acquisitions.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Uses of Liquidity, Cash and Cash Equivalents
Our significant recurring cash flow requirements consist of liquidity to (i) fund loans held for sale; (ii) fund loans held for investment under the Interim Loan Program; (iii) pay cash dividends; (iv) fund our portion of the equity necessary for the operations of the Interim Program JV, and other equity-method investments; (v) fund investments in properties to be syndicated to LIHTC investment funds that we will asset-manage; (vi) make payments related to earnouts from acquisitions, (vii) meet working capital needs to support our day-to-day operations, including debt service payments, joint venture development partnership contributions, servicing advances and payments for salaries, commissions, and income taxes, and (viii) meet working capital to satisfy collateral requirements for our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations and to meet the operational liquidity requirements of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae, and our warehouse facility lenders.
Fannie Mae has established benchmark standards for capital adequacy and reserves the right to terminate our servicing authority for all or some of the portfolio if, at any time, it determines that our financial condition is not adequate to support our obligations under the DUS agreement. We are required to maintain acceptable net worth as defined in the standards, and we satisfied the requirements as of December 31, 2022. The net worth requirement is derived primarily from unpaid balances on Fannie Mae loans and the level of risk-sharing. As of December 31, 2022, the net worth requirement was $285.6 million, and our net worth was $692.8 million, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC. As of December 31, 2022, we were required to maintain at least $56.9 million of liquid
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assets to meet our operational liquidity requirements for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae and our warehouse facility lenders. As of December 31, 2022, we had operational liquidity of $170.8 million, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC.
We paid a cash dividend of $0.60 per share each quarter of 2022, which is 20% higher than the quarterly dividend paid in each quarter of 2021. On February 20, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.63 per share for the first quarter of 2023. The dividend will be paid on March 23, 2023 to all holders of record of our restricted and unrestricted common stock as of March 8, 2023.
Over the past three years, we have returned $227.1 million to investors through the repurchase of 568 thousand shares of our common stock under share repurchase programs for a cost of $37.2 million and cash dividend payments of $189.9 million. Additionally, we have invested $648.3 million in acquisitions, $300.0 million of which was financed by an increase in our Term Loan (as defined below). On occasion, we may use cash to fully fund some loans held for investment or loans held for sale instead of using our warehouse lines. As of December 31, 2022, we did not fully fund any such loans. We continually seek opportunities to complete additional acquisitions if we believe the economics are favorable.
In February 2022, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program that permitted the repurchase of up to $75.0 million of shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 13, 2022. Through December 31, 2022 we repurchased 109 thousand shares under the 2022 stock repurchase program and had $63.9 million of remaining capacity under that program. In February 2023, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program that permits the repurchase of up to $75.0 million shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 23, 2023.
We have contractual obligations to make future cash payments on lease agreements on our various offices of $79.6 million as of December 31, 2022. NOTE 14 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to future lease payments. We have contractual obligations to repay short-term and long-term debt. The total principal balance for such debt is $1.2 billion as of December 31, 2022, of which $538.1 million will be repaid with the proceeds from the sale of loans held for sale and the repayments of loans held for investment. NOTE 6 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to these future debt payments. The expected interest associated with these debt payments is $52.0 million in 2023, $40.2 million in 2024, $37.9 million in 2025, $37.5 million in 2026, and $37.1 million in 2027. The interest for long-term debt is based on a variable rate. Such interest is calculated based on the effective interest rate as of December 31, 2022. The amounts above do not include any payments related to the Alliant note payable since it was repaid in January 2023.
Historically, our cash flows from operations and warehouse facilities have been sufficient to enable us to meet our short-term liquidity needs and other funding requirements. We believe that cash flows from operations will continue to be sufficient for us to meet our current obligations for the foreseeable future.
Restricted Cash and Pledged Securities
Restricted cash consists primarily of good faith deposits held on behalf of borrowers between the time we enter into a loan commitment with the borrower and the investor purchases the loan and cash held in collection accounts to be used to fund the repayment of the Alliant note payable. We are generally required to share the risk of any losses associated with loans sold under the Fannie Mae DUS program, our only off-balance sheet arrangement. We are required to secure this obligation by assigning collateral to Fannie Mae. We meet this obligation by assigning pledged securities to Fannie Mae. The amount of collateral required by Fannie Mae is a formulaic calculation at the loan level and considers the balance of the loan, the risk level of the loan, the age of the loan, and the level of risk-sharing. Fannie Mae requires collateral for Tier 2 loans of 75 basis points, which is funded over a 48-month period that begins upon delivery of the loan to Fannie Mae. Collateral held in the form of money market funds holding U.S. Treasuries is discounted 5%, and Agency MBS are discounted 4% for purposes of calculating compliance with the collateral requirements. As of December 31, 2022, we held substantially all of our restricted liquidity in Agency MBS in the aggregate amount of $142.6 million. Additionally, the majority of the loans for which we have risk-sharing are Tier 2 loans. We fund any growth in our Fannie Mae required operational liquidity and collateral requirements from our working capital.
We are in compliance with the December 31, 2022 collateral requirements as outlined above. As of December 31, 2022, reserve requirements for the December 31, 2022 DUS loan portfolio will require us to fund $79.6 million in additional restricted liquidity over the next 48 months, assuming no further principal paydowns, prepayments, or defaults within our at-risk portfolio. Fannie Mae has assessed the DUS Capital Standards in the past and may make changes to these standards in the future. We generate sufficient cash flows from our operations to meet these capital standards and do not expect any future changes to have a material impact on our future operations; however, any future changes to collateral requirements may adversely impact our available cash.
Under the provisions of the DUS agreement, we must also maintain a certain level of liquid assets referred to as the operational and unrestricted portions of the required reserves each year. We satisfied these requirements as of December 31, 2022.
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Sources of Liquidity: Warehouse Facilities and Notes Payable
Warehouse Facilities
We utilize a combination of warehouse facilities and notes payable to provide funding for our operations. We utilize warehouse facilities to fund our Agency Lending, Interim Loan Program, and a small portion of our LIHTC operations. Our ability to originate Agency mortgage loans and loans held for investment depends upon our ability to secure and maintain these types of financing agreements on acceptable terms. For a detailed description of the terms of each warehouse agreement including the affirmative and negative covenants, refer to “Warehouse Facilities” in NOTE 6 of the consolidated financial statements.
Notes Payable
We have a senior secured credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) that provides for a $600 million term loan (the “Term Loan”) that bears interest at Adjusted Term SOFR (“SOFR”) plus 225 basis points with a floor of 50 basis points and has a stated maturity date of December 16, 2028 (or, if earlier, the date of acceleration of the Term Loan pursuant to the term of the Credit Agreement). At any time, we may also elect to request one or more incremental term loan commitments not to exceed the lesser of $230 million and 100% of trailing four-quarter Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, provided that total indebtedness would not cause the leverage ratio to exceed 3.00 to 1.00. As of December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal balance of the Term Loan was $594.0 million, and the effective interest rate was 6.55%. The note payable and the warehouse facilities are senior obligations of the Company. We were in compliance with all covenants related to the Credit Agreement.
For a detailed description of the terms of the Credit Agreement, refer to “Notes Payable – Term Loan Note Payable” in NOTE 6 of the consolidated financial statements. There have been no changes to the Credit Agreement in 2022.
We have a note payable through our wholly-owned subsidiary Alliant, which had an outstanding balance of $114.5 million as of December 31, 2022 and bore interest at a fixed rate of 4.75%. The note had a stated maturity of January 15, 2035 and required quarterly payments of principal, interest, and other required priority items shortly after the beginning of each quarter.
On January 12, 2023, we entered into a lender joinder agreement and amendment to the Credit Agreement that provided for an incremental term loan (“Incremental Term Loan”) with a principal amount of $200.0 million, and modified the ratio thresholds related to mandatory prepayments, and allow for incurrence of additional types of indebtedness. The Incremental Term Loan was issued at a 2.0% discount and contains similar repayment terms as the Term Loan. We used approximately $115.9 million of the proceeds to fully pay off the Alliant note payable, accrued interest, and other related fees.
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Credit Quality and Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations
The following table sets forth certain information useful in evaluating our credit performance.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | December 31, | | |||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2022 | 2021 | |||||
| Key Credit Metrics | | | | | | | |
| Risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae Full Risk | | $ | 50,046,219 | | $ | 45,581,476 | |
| Fannie Mae Modified Risk | | 9,172,626 | | 7,807,853 | | ||
| Freddie Mac Modified Risk | | 23,615 | | 33,195 | | ||
| Total risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 59,242,460 | | $ | 53,422,524 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae No Risk | | $ | 7,323 | | $ | 12,127 | |
| Freddie Mac No Risk | | 37,795,641 | | 37,105,641 | | ||
| GNMA - HUD No Risk | | 9,868,453 | | 9,889,289 | | ||
| Brokered | | 16,013,143 | | 15,035,438 | | ||
| Total non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 63,684,560 | | $ | 62,042,495 | |
| Total loans serviced for others | | $ | 122,927,020 | | $ | 115,465,019 | |
| Interim loans (full risk) servicing portfolio | | 206,835 | | 235,543 | | ||
| Total servicing portfolio unpaid principal balance | | $ | 123,133,855 | | $ | 115,700,562 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Interim Program JV Managed Loans (1) | | | 892,808 | | | 848,196 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| At risk servicing portfolio (2) | | $ | 54,232,979 | | $ | 49,573,263 | |
| Maximum exposure to at risk portfolio (3) | | 10,993,596 | | 10,056,584 | | ||
| Defaulted loans | | 36,983 | | 78,659 | | ||
| | | | | | | | |
| Defaulted loans as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.07 | % | | 0.16 | % |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.08 | | | 0.13 | |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of maximum exposure | | | 0.40 | | | 0.62 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | This balance consists entirely of Interim Program JV managed loans. We indirectly share in a portion of the risk of loss associated with Interim Program JV managed loans through our 15% equity ownership in the Interim Program JV. We have no exposure to risk of loss for the loans serviced directly for the Interim Program JV partner. The balance of this line is included as a component of assets under management in the Supplemental Operating Data table above. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | At-risk servicing portfolio is defined as the balance of Fannie Mae DUS loans subject to the risk-sharing formula described below, as well as a small number of Freddie Mac loans on which we share in the risk of loss. Use of the at-risk portfolio provides for comparability of the full risk-sharing and modified risk-sharing loans because the provision and allowance for risk-sharing obligations are based on the at-risk balances of the associated loans. Accordingly, we have presented the key statistics as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio. |
For example, a $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing has the same potential risk exposure as a $7.5 million loan with full DUS risk sharing. Accordingly, if the $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing were to default, we would view the overall loss as a percentage of the at-risk balance, or $7.5 million, to ensure comparability between all risk-sharing obligations. To date, substantially all of the risk-sharing obligations that we have settled have been from full risk-sharing loans.
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | Represents the maximum loss we would incur under our risk-sharing obligations if all of the loans we service, for which we retain some risk of loss, were to default and all of the collateral underlying these loans was determined to be without value at the time of settlement. The maximum exposure is not representative of the actual loss we would incur. |
Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations are based on a tiered formula and represent substantially all of our risk-sharing activities. The risk-sharing tiers and the amount of the risk-sharing obligations we absorb under full risk-sharing are provided below. Except as described in the following paragraph, the maximum amount of risk-sharing obligations we absorb at the time of default is generally 20% of the origination unpaid principal balance (“UPB”) of the loan.
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| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk-Sharing Losses | Percentage Absorbed by Us | | |
| First 5% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 100% | |
| Next 20% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 25% | |
| Losses above 25% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 10% | |
| Maximum loss | 20% of origination UPB | |
Fannie Mae can double or triple our risk-sharing obligation if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if a loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae. We may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination, which reduces our potential risk-sharing obligation from the levels described above.
We use several techniques to manage our risk exposure under the Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing program. These techniques include maintaining a strong underwriting and approval process, evaluating and modifying our underwriting criteria given the underlying multifamily housing market fundamentals, limiting our geographic market and borrower exposures, and electing the modified risk-sharing option under the Fannie Mae DUS program.
The “Business” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contains a discussion of the risk-sharing caps we have with Fannie Mae.
We regularly monitor the credit quality of all loans for which we have a risk-sharing obligation. Loans with indicators of underperforming credit are placed on a watch list, assigned a numerical risk rating based on our assessment of the relative credit weakness, and subjected to additional evaluation or loss mitigation. Indicators of underperforming credit include poor financial performance, poor physical condition, poor management, and delinquency. A specific reserve is recorded when it is probable that a risk-sharing loan will foreclose or has foreclosed, and a reserve for estimated credit losses and a guaranty obligation are recorded for all other risk-sharing loans.
The calculated CECL reserve for the Company’s $54.0 billion at-risk Fannie Mae servicing portfolio as of December 31, 2022 was $39.7 million compared to $52.3 million as of December 31, 2021. The decrease in the CECL reserve was principally related to a reduction in our historical loss factor and the forecast-period loss rate used for the year ended December 31, 2022.
As of December 31, 2022, two at-risk loans with an aggregate UPB of $37.0 million were in default compared to three loans with an aggregate UPB of $78.7 million as of December 31, 2021. The collateral-based reserve on defaulted loans was $4.4 million and $10.3 million as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively. We had a benefit for risk-sharing obligations of $13.9 million and $12.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
For the ten-year period from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2022, we recognized net write-offs of risk-sharing obligations of $22.0 million, or an average of less than two basis points annually of the average at risk Fannie Mae portfolio balance.
We have never been required to repurchase a loan.
New/Recent Accounting Pronouncements
NOTE 2 in the consolidated financial statements in Item 15 of Part IV in this Annual Report on Form 10-K contains a description of the accounting pronouncements that the Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued and that have the potential to impact us but have not yet been adopted by us. There were no other accounting pronouncements issued during 2022 that have the potential to impact our consolidated financial statements.
FY 2021 10-K MD&A
SEC filing source: 0001558370-22-001963.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The following discussion contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements that include risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those expressed or contemplated in those forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Business
Walker & Dunlop, Inc. is a holding company, and we conduct the majority of our operations through Walker & Dunlop, LLC, our primary operating company.
We are one of the leading commercial real estate services and finance companies in the United States, with a primary focus on multifamily lending and property sales, commercial real estate debt brokerage, and affordable housing investment management. We originate, sell, and service a range of multifamily and other commercial real estate financing products to owners and developers of commercial real estate across the country, provide multifamily property sales brokerage and appraisal services in various regions throughout the United States, and engage in commercial real estate and affordable housing investment management activities. We are a leader in commercial real estate technology, developing and acquiring technology resources that (i) provide innovative solutions and a better experience for our customers and (ii) allow us to reach a broader customer base.
We originate and sell multifamily loans through the programs of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, and HUD, with which we have licenses and long-established relationships. We retain servicing rights and asset management responsibilities on nearly all loans that we originate for the Agencies’ programs. We are approved as a Fannie Mae DUS lender nationally, a Freddie Mac lender nationally for Conventional, Seniors Housing, Targeted Affordable Housing and Small Balance Loans, a HUD MAP lender nationally, a HUD LEAN lender nationally, and a Ginnie Mae issuer. We broker and service loans for many life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other institutional investors, in which cases we do not fund the loan but rather act as a loan broker.
We fund loans for the Agencies’ programs, generally through warehouse facility financings, and sell them to investors in accordance with the related loan sale commitment, which we obtain at rate lock. Proceeds from the sale of the loan are used to pay off the warehouse facility. The sale of the loan is typically completed within 60 days after the loan is closed, and we retain the right to service substantially all of these loans. In cases where we do not fund the loan, we act as a loan broker and service some of the loans. Our mortgage bankers who focus on loan brokerage are engaged by borrowers to work with a variety of institutional lenders to find the most appropriate loan. These loans are then funded directly by the institutional lender, and for those brokered loans we service, we collect ongoing servicing fees while those loans remain in our servicing portfolio. The servicing fees we typically earn on brokered loan transactions are substantially lower than the servicing fees we earn on Agency loans.
We recognize revenue when we make simultaneous commitments to originate a loan to a borrower and sell that loan to an investor. The revenues earned reflect the fair value attributable to loan origination fees, premiums on the sale of loans, net of any co-broker fees, and the fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with servicing the loans, net of any guaranty obligations retained. We also recognize revenue when we receive the origination fee from a brokered loan transaction. Other transaction-related sources of revenue include (i) net warehouse interest income we earn while the loan is held for sale, (ii) net warehouse interest income from loans held for investment while they are outstanding, (iii) sales commissions for brokering the sale of multifamily properties, and (iv) syndication and asset management fees from our investment management activities.
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We retain servicing rights on substantially all the loans we originate and sell and generate revenues from the fees we receive for servicing the loans, from the interest income on escrow deposits held on behalf of borrowers, and from other ancillary fees. Servicing fees set at the time an investor agrees to purchase the loan are generally paid monthly for the duration of the loan and are based on the unpaid principal balance of the loan. Our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicing arrangements generally provide for prepayment to us in the event of a voluntary prepayment. For loans serviced outside of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, we typically do not have similar prepayment protections.
We are currently not exposed to unhedged interest rate risk during the loan commitment, closing, and delivery process. The sale or placement of each loan to an investor is negotiated concurrently with establishing the coupon rate for the loan. We also seek to mitigate the risk of a loan not closing. We have agreements in place with the Agencies that specify the cost of a failed loan delivery in the event we fail to deliver the loan to the investor. To protect us against such fees, we require a deposit from the borrower at rate lock that is typically more than the potential fee. The deposit is returned to the borrower only once the loan is closed. Any potential loss from a catastrophic change in the property condition while the loan is held for sale using warehouse facility financing is mitigated through property insurance equal to replacement cost. We are also protected contractually from an investor’s failure to purchase the loan. We have experienced a de minimis number of failed deliveries in our history and have incurred immaterial losses on such failed deliveries.
We have risk-sharing obligations on substantially all loans we originate under the Fannie Mae DUS program. When a Fannie Mae DUS loan is subject to full risk-sharing, we absorb losses on the first 5% of the unpaid principal balance of a loan at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss capped at 20% of the original unpaid principal balance of the loan (subject to doubling or tripling if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if the loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae). Our full risk-sharing is currently limited to loans up to $300 million, which equates to a maximum loss per loan of $60 million (such exposure would occur in the event that the underlying collateral is determined to be completely without value at the time of loss). For loans in excess of $300 million, we receive modified risk-sharing. We also may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination on loans below $300 million, which reduces our potential risk-sharing losses from the levels described above if we do not believe that we are being fully compensated for the risks of the transactions. The full risk-sharing limit in prior years was less than $300 million. Accordingly, loans originated in those prior years were subject to risk-sharing at much lower levels. Our servicing fees for risk-sharing loans include compensation for the risk-sharing obligations and are larger than the servicing fees we receive from Fannie Mae for loans with no risk-sharing obligations.
Our Interim Program offers floating-rate, interest-only loans for terms of generally up to three years to experienced borrowers seeking to acquire or reposition multifamily properties that do not currently qualify for permanent financing. We underwrite, asset-manage, and service all loans executed through the Interim Program. The ultimate goal of the Interim Program is to provide permanent Agency financing on these transitional properties. The Interim Program has two distinct executions: the Interim Program JV and the Interim Loan Program.
The Interim Program JV assumes full risk of loss while the loans it originates are outstanding. We hold a 15% ownership interest in the Interim Program JV and are responsible for sourcing, underwriting, servicing, and asset-managing the loans originated by the joint venture. The joint venture funds its operations using a combination of equity contributions from its owners and third-party credit facilities.
We originate and hold the Interim Loan Program loans for investment, which are included on our balance sheet. During the time that these loans are outstanding, we assume the full risk of loss. As of December 31, 2021, we had 11 loans held for investment under the Interim Loan Program with an aggregate outstanding unpaid principal balance of $235.5 million. One loan with a balance of $14.7 million is currently in default.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, $860.0 million of the $1.4 billion of interim loan originations were executed through the joint venture, with the remainder originated through our Interim Loan Program. During the year ended December 31, 2020, $86.2 million of the $276.0 million of interim loan originations were executed through the joint venture. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we asset-managed $848.2 million and $484.8 million, respectively, of interim loans on behalf of the Interim Program JV.
During the third quarter of 2018, we transferred a $70.1 million portfolio of participating interests in loans held for investment to a third party that was paid off in the second quarter of 2021. As of December 31, 2020, the balance of the portfolio was presented as loans held for investment with an offsetting amount for the secured borrowing included in Other Liabilities.
Through WDIS, we offer property sales brokerage services to owners and developers of multifamily properties that are seeking to sell these properties. Through these property sales brokerage services, we seek to maximize proceeds and certainty of closure for our clients using our knowledge of the commercial real estate and capital markets and relying on our experienced transaction professionals. Our property sales services are offered in various regions throughout the United States. We have added several property sales brokerage teams over the past few years and continue to seek to add other property sales brokers, with the goal of expanding these services to cover all major regions throughout the United States.
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WDIP, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is part of our strategy to grow and diversify the Company by growing our investment management platform. WDIP is a registered investment adviser and general partner of private commercial real estate investment funds focused on the management of debt, preferred equity, and mezzanine equity investments in private middle-market commercial real estate funds and separately managed accounts. WDIP’s current AUM of $1.3 billion primarily consist of five sources: Fund III, Fund IV, Fund V, Fund VI (collectively, the “Funds”), and separate accounts managed for life insurance companies. AUM for the Funds and for the separate accounts consists of both unfunded commitments and funded investments. Unfunded commitments are highest during the fund raising and investment phases. AUM disclosed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K may differ from regulatory assets under management disclosed on WDIP’s Form ADV.
WDIP typically receives management fees based on limited partner capital commitments, unfunded investment commitments, and funded investments. Additionally, with respect to Fund III, Fund IV, Fund V and Fund VI, WDIP receives a percentage of the profits above the fund expenses and preferred return specified in the fund offering agreements.
During December 2021, the Company acquired Alliant, one of the largest tax credit syndicators and an affordable housing developer in the U.S. The acquisition of Alliant is part of our strategy to grow our investment management platforms and to strengthen our position in the affordable housing space. Alliant brings $14.3 billion of affordable AUM and an established tax syndication and affordable housing development platform from which we expect to earn substantial syndication and asset management fees.
As of December 31, 2021, our servicing portfolio was $115.7 billion, up 8% from December 31, 2020, which was the 8th largest commercial/multifamily primary and master servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Mortgage Bankers’ Association’s (“MBA”) 2021 year-end survey (the “Survey”). Our servicing portfolio includes $53.4 billion of loans serviced for Fannie Mae and $37.1 billion for Freddie Mac, making us the 1st and 4th largest servicer of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily loans in the nation, respectively, according to the Survey. Also included in our servicing portfolio is $9.9 billion of multifamily HUD loans, the 3rd largest HUD primary and master servicing portfolio in the nation according to the Survey.
The average number of our mortgage bankers increased from 161 during 2020 to 163 during 2021 due to organic growth, recruiting and acquisition, contributing to an increase of 40% in our loan origination volume, from a total of $35.0 billion during 2020 to a total of $48.9 billion during 2021. Fannie Mae recently announced that we ranked as its largest DUS lender in 2021, by loan deliveries, and Freddie Mac recently announced that we ranked as its 4th largest Freddie Mac lender in 2021, by loan deliveries. Additionally, we were the 5th largest multifamily lender for HUD in 2021 based on MAP initial endorsements.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include all of the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which requires management to make estimates based on certain judgments and assumptions that are inherently uncertain and affect reported amounts. The estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors management believes to be reasonable. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions and the use of different judgments and assumptions may have a material impact on our results. The following critical accounting estimates involve significant estimation uncertainty that may have or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. Additional information about our critical accounting estimates and other significant accounting policies are discussed in NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements.
Mortgage Servicing Rights (“MSRs”). MSRs are recorded at fair value at loan sale or upon purchase. The fair value at loan sale (“OMSR”) is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights and takes into consideration an estimate of loan prepayment. Initially, the fair value amount is included as a component of the derivative asset fair value at the loan commitment date. The estimated net cash flows from servicing, which includes assumptions for discount rate, escrow earnings, prepayment speed, and servicing costs, are discounted at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the OMSR over the estimated life of the underlying loan. The discount rates used throughout the periods presented for all OMSRs were between 8-14% during 2021 and between 10-15% during 2020 and varied based on the loan type. The life of the underlying loan is estimated giving consideration to the prepayment provisions in the loan and assumptions about loan behaviors around those provisions. Our model for OMSRs assumes no prepayment prior to the expiration of the prepayment provisions and full prepayment of the loan at or near the point when the prepayment provisions have expired. The estimated net cash flows also include cash flows related to the future earnings on the escrow accounts associated with servicing the loans that are based on an escrow earnings rate assumption. We include a servicing cost assumption to account for our expected costs to service a loan. The servicing cost assumption has not had a material impact on the estimate. We record an individual OMSR asset (or liability) for each loan at loan sale. The fair value of MSRs
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acquired through a stand-alone servicing portfolio purchase (“PMSR”) is equal to the purchase price paid. For PMSRs, we record and amortize a portfolio-level MSR asset based on the estimated remaining life of the portfolio using the prepayment characteristics of the portfolio.
The assumptions used to estimate the fair value of capitalized OMSRs are developed internally and are periodically compared to assumptions used by other market participants. Due to the relatively few transactions in the multifamily MSR market and the lack of significant changes in assumptions by market participants, we have experienced limited volatility in the assumptions historically, including the assumption that most significantly impacts the estimate: the discount rate. We do not expect to see significant volatility in the assumptions for the foreseeable future. We actively monitor the assumptions used and make adjustments to those assumptions when market conditions change, or other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. During the first quarter of 2021, we reduced the discount rate and escrow earnings rate assumptions for our OMSRs. We engage a third party to assist in determining an estimated fair value of our existing and outstanding MSRs on at least a semi-annual basis. Changes in our discount rate assumptions may materially impact the fair value of the MSRs (NOTE 3 of the consolidated financial statements details the portfolio-level impact of a change in the discount rate).
For PMSRs, a constant rate of prepayments and defaults is included in the determination of the portfolio’s estimated life at purchase (and thus included as a component of the portfolio’s amortization). Accordingly, prepayments and defaults of individual loans do not change the level of amortization expense recorded for the portfolio unless the pattern of actual prepayments and defaults varies significantly from the estimated pattern. When such a significant difference in the pattern of estimated and actual prepayments and defaults occurs, we prospectively adjust the estimated life of the portfolio (and thus future amortization) to approximate the actual pattern observed. We have made adjustments to the estimated life of our PMSRs in the past when the actual experience of prepayments differed materially from the estimated prepayments.
Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations. This reserve liability (referred to as “allowance”) for risk-sharing obligations relates to our Fannie Mae at-risk servicing portfolio and is presented as a separate liability on our balance sheets. We record an estimate of the loss reserve for the current expected credit losses (“CECL”) for all loans in our Fannie Mae at-risk servicing portfolio using the weighted-average remaining maturity method (“WARM”). WARM uses an average annual loss rate that contains loss content over multiple vintages and loan terms and is used as a foundation for estimating the CECL reserve. The average annual loss rate is applied to the estimated unpaid principal balance over the contractual term, adjusted for estimated prepayments and amortization to arrive at the CECL reserve for the entire current portfolio as described further below. We currently use one year for our reasonable and supportable forecast period (“forecast period”) as we believe forecasts beyond one year are inherently less reliable. During the forecast period we apply an adjusted loss factor based on loss rates from a historical period that we believe is similar. We revert to the historical loss rate over a one-year period.
One of the key components of a WARM calculation is the runoff rate, which is the expected rate at which loans in the current portfolio will amortize and prepay in the future based on our historical prepayment and amortization experience. We group loans by similar origination dates (vintage) and contractual maturity terms for purposes of calculating the runoff rate. We originate loans under the DUS program with various terms generally ranging from several years to 15 years; each of these various loan terms has a different runoff rate. The runoff rates applied to each vintage and contractual maturity term is determined using historical data; however, changes in prepayment and amortization behavior may significantly impact the estimate.
The weighted-average annual loss rate is calculated using a 10-year look-back period, utilizing the average portfolio balance and settled losses for each year. A 10-year period is used as we believe that this period of time includes sufficiently different economic conditions to generate a reasonable estimate of expected results in the future, given the relatively long-term nature of the current portfolio. Changes in our expectations and forecasts may materially impact the estimate.
As of December 31, 2020, our forecast-period loss rate was six basis points due to the significant economic uncertainty and high unemployment rate that existed at the time of our forecast. As economic conditions and unemployment rates improved substantially in 2021, we adjusted our forecast-period loss rate down to three basis points as of December 31, 2021. The decrease in the loss rate resulted in a benefit for risk-sharing obligations compared to a provision for risk-sharing obligations for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
We evaluate our risk-sharing loans on a quarterly basis to determine whether there are loans that are probable of default. Specifically, we assess a loan’s qualitative and quantitative risk factors, such as payment status, property financial performance, local real estate market conditions, loan-to-value ratio, debt-service-coverage ratio, and property condition. When a loan is determined to be probable of default based on these factors, we remove the loan from the WARM calculation and individually assess the loan for potential credit loss. This assessment requires certain judgments and assumptions to be made regarding the property values and other factors, that may differ significantly from actual results. Loss settlement with Fannie Mae has historically concluded within 18 to 36 months after foreclosure. Historically, the initial collateral-based reserves have not varied significantly from the final settlement.
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We actively monitor the judgments and assumptions used in our Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation estimate and make adjustments to those assumptions when market conditions change, or when other factors indicate such adjustments are warranted. We believe the level of Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligation is appropriate based on our expectations of future market conditions; however, changes in one or more of the judgments or assumptions used above could have a significant impact on the estimate.
Overview of Current Business Environment
Entering 2021, the pandemic continued to impact macroeconomic conditions with U.S. unemployment rates at elevated levels but significantly improved compared to the middle of 2020. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed three pandemic stimulus packages to provide funding for government programs directly supporting households and businesses, which included a total of $47 billion in renter assistance. By the middle of 2021, vaccines became widely available to the public and vaccination rates allowed most jurisdictions to remove most economic restrictions, resulting in macroeconomic conditions rapidly recovering with the reported unemployment rate falling to 3.9% as of December 2021 from 6.7% as of December 2020.
The Federal Reserve has indicated in its fourth quarter 2021 meetings that it believes the economy is nearing what it believes is full employment and given the overall improvements of the economy and large increases in the inflation rate, that it would begin reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and Agency mortgage-backed securities (“Agency MBS”). Additionally, the Federal Reserve has indicated that it will begin increasing its Federal Funds Rate from the target it set during the pandemic of 0% to 0.25%. Despite the movements from the Federal Reserve, long-term mortgage interest rates, which form the basis of most of our lending, remain close to historical lows.
Multifamily property fundamentals showed strength throughout 2021, with multifamily occupancy rates, demand for new leases, and retention rates at record highs. According to RealPage, a provider of commercial real estate data and analytics, occupancy rates have increased to 97.5% as of December 2021, compared to 95.8% as of December 2019, prior to the start of the pandemic. Additionally, the continued demand combined with limited supply of multifamily units drove rental rates higher for both new leases and renewals. Higher occupancy rates coupled with limited supply and rent growth indicate a robust and healthy multifamily market.
Our multifamily property sales volumes grew significantly in 2021, as (i) the multifamily acquisitions market was very active during the year, (ii) we have expanded the number of property sales brokers and the geographical reach of our property sales platform, and (iii) our volume in 2020 was lower due to the pandemic. Long term, we believe the market fundamentals will continue to be positive for multifamily property sales. Over the last several years, and in the months leading up to the pandemic, household formation and a dearth of supply of entry-level single-family homes led to strong demand for rental housing in most geographic areas. Consequently, the fundamentals of the multifamily property sales market were strong prior to the pandemic, and, when combined with high occupancy and retention rates and rising real-estate prices, it is our expectation that market demand for multifamily property sales will continue to grow as this asset class remains an attractive investment option.
Our debt brokerage platform had strong growth in 2021, with brokered volume increasing significantly during the year. The increase in volume during 2021 reflects the continued demand from private capital providers, with activity focused not only on multifamily but other commercial real estate assets such as office and retail. We expect non-multifamily debt financing volumes to continue to recover over time as other commercial real estate asset classes stabilize post-pandemic.
Our Agency multifamily debt financing operations have remained very active over the past year. We are a market-leading originator with the Agencies, and we believe our market leadership positions us well to continue gaining market share and remain a significant lender with the Agencies for the foreseeable future. We expect strength in our Agency operations to continue despite the return of other capital sources.
The FHFA establishes loan origination caps for both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each year. In October 2021, the FHFA established Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s 2022 loan origination caps at $78 billion each for all multifamily business, an 11% increase from the 2021 caps. During 2021, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had multifamily origination volumes of $69.5 billion and $70.0 billion, respectively, down 8.8% and 15.5%, respectively, from 2020. The decline in the GSEs’ origination volumes was primarily driven by the origination caps in 2021.
Our debt financing operations with HUD remained steady during 2021, with HUD loan volumes accounting for 5% of our total debt financing volumes for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to 6% for the year ended 2020, despite our overall debt financing volumes increasing 40%. The maintenance of HUD debt financing volumes as a percentage of our total debt financing volumes was driven by continued strong demand for HUD’s multifamily lending product, which provides borrowers with favorable economics on long-term, fully amortizing debt, despite competition from other private capital sources.
Our originations with the Agencies are our most profitable executions as they provide significant non-cash gains from MSRs that turn into significant cash revenue streams from future servicing fees. During the year ended December 31, 2021, servicing fees were up 18% compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, due to the record amount of MSRs we generated in 2020. A decline in our Agency originations
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would negatively impact our financial results as our non-cash revenues would decrease disproportionately with debt financing volume and future servicing fee revenue would be constrained or decline.
We entered into the Interim Program JV to both increase the overall capital available to transitional multifamily properties and to dramatically expand our capacity to originate Interim Program loans. The demand for transitional lending has brought increased competition from lenders, specifically banks, mortgage real estate investment trusts, and life insurance companies. For the year ended December 31, 2021, we originated $860.0 million of Interim Program JV loans, compared to $86.2 million of originations in 2020. In 2020, we had few originations of new Interim Program loans as a result of the pandemic. Except for one loan that defaulted in early 2019, the loans in our portfolio and in the Interim Program JV continue to perform as agreed.
In December 2021, we acquired Alliant, which provides alternative investment management services focused on the affordable housing sector through LIHTC syndication, joint venture development, and community preservation fund management. We expect the combination of Alliant and our existing strong position in the affordable housing space to generate significant financing and property sales opportunities.
In September 2021, the White House announced plans to increase the affordable housing supply across the country. These plans include the relaunching and expansion of programs designed to increase the available capital for the development of affordable housing projects. In conjunction with the announcement, the FHFA raised the GSEs’ combined LIHTC investment cap to $1.7 billion, up 70% from the previous cap of $1.0 billion. Additionally, as part of FHFA’s 2022 loan origination caps of $156 billion announced in October 2021, at least 50% of the GSEs’ multifamily business is required to be targeted towards affordable housing. We expect these initiatives will create additional growth opportunities for both Alliant and our debt financing and property sales teams focused on affordable housing.
Factors That May Impact Our Operating Results
We believe that our results are affected by a number of factors, including the items discussed below.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Performance of Multifamily and Other Commercial Real Estate Related Markets. Our business is dependent on the general demand for, and value of, commercial real estate and related services, which are sensitive to long-term mortgage interest rates and other macroeconomic conditions and the continued existence of the GSEs. Demand for multifamily and other commercial real estate generally increases during stronger economic environments, resulting in increased property values, transaction volumes, and loan origination volumes. During weaker economic environments, multifamily and other commercial real estate may experience higher property vacancies, lower demand and reduced values. These conditions can result in lower property transaction volumes and loan originations, as well as an increased level of servicer advances and losses from our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations and our interim lending program. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Level of Losses from Fannie Mae Risk-Sharing Obligations. Under the Fannie Mae DUS program, we share risk of loss on most loans we sell to Fannie Mae. In the majority of cases, we absorb the first 5% of any losses on the loan’s unpaid principal balance at the time of loss settlement, and above 5% we share a percentage of the loss with Fannie Mae, with our maximum loss generally capped at 20% of the loan’s unpaid principal balance on the origination date. As a result, a rise in defaults could have a material adverse effect on us. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Price of Loans in the Secondary Market. Our profitability is determined in part by the price we are paid for the loans we originate. A component of our origination related revenues is the premium we recognize on the sale of a loan. Stronger investor demand typically results in larger premiums while weaker demand results in little to no premium. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Market for Servicing Commercial Real Estate Loans. Servicing fee rates for new loans are set at the time we enter into a loan sale commitment based on origination fees, competition, prepayment rates, and any risk-sharing obligations we undertake. Changes in servicing fee rates impact the value of our MSRs and future servicing revenues, which could impact our profit margins and operating results immediately and over time. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | The Overall Loan Origination Mix. The loan product mix we originate can significantly impact our overall operating results. For example, an increase in loan origination volume for our two highest-margin products, Fannie Mae and HUD loans, without a change in total loan origination volume would increase our overall profitability, while a decrease in the loan origination volume of these two products without a change in total loan origination volume would decrease our overall profitability, all else equal. |
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Revenues
Loan Origination and Debt Brokerage Fees, net. Loan origination fee revenue is recognized when we record a derivative asset upon the simultaneous commitments to originate a loan with a borrower and sell to an investor or when a loan that we broker closes with the institutional lender. The commitment asset related to the loan origination fee is recognized at fair value, which reflects the fair value of the contractual loan origination related fees and any sale premiums, net of co-broker fees. Also included in revenues from loan origination activities are changes to the fair value of loan commitments, forward sale commitments, and loans held for sale that occur during their respective holding periods. Upon sale of the loans, no gains or losses are recognized as these loans are recorded at fair value during their holding periods.
Brokered loans tend to have lower origination fees because they often require less time to execute, there is more competition for brokerage assignments, and because the borrower will also have to pay an origination fee to the institutional lender.
Premiums received on the sale of a loan result when a loan is sold to an investor for more than its face value. There are various reasons investors may pay a premium when purchasing a loan. For example, the fixed rate on the loan may be higher than the rate of return required by an investor or the characteristics of a particular loan may be desirable to an investor. We do not receive premiums on brokered loans.
Fair Value of Expected Net Cash Flows from Servicing, net. Revenue related to expected net cash flows from servicing is recognized at the loan commitment date, similar to the loan origination fees, as described above. The derivative asset is recognized at fair value, which reflects the estimated fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, reduced by the estimated fair value of any guaranty obligations to be assumed. OMSRs and guaranty obligations are recognized as assets and liabilities, respectively, upon the sale of the loans.
OMSRs are recorded at fair value upon loan sale. The fair value is based on estimates of expected net cash flows associated with the servicing rights. The estimated net cash flows are discounted at a rate that reflects the credit and liquidity risk of the MSR over the estimated life of the loan.
The “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of the accounting for these revenues.
Servicing Fees. We service nearly all loans we originate and some loans we broker. We earn servicing fees for performing certain loan servicing functions such as processing loan, tax, and insurance payments and managing escrow balances. Servicing generally also includes asset management functions, such as monitoring the physical condition of the property, analyzing the financial condition and liquidity of the borrower, and performing loss mitigation activities as directed by the Agencies.
Our servicing fees on loans we originate provide a stable revenue stream. They are based on contractual terms, are earned over the life of the loan, and are generally not subject to significant prepayment risk. Our Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicing agreements provide for prepayment fees in the event of a voluntary prepayment. Accordingly, we currently do not hedge our servicing portfolio for prepayment risk. Any prepayment fees received are included in Other revenues.
HUD has the right to terminate our current servicing engagements for cause. In addition to termination for cause, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may terminate our servicing engagements without cause by paying a termination fee. Institutional investors typically may terminate our servicing engagements for brokered loans at any time with or without cause, without paying a termination fee.
Net Warehouse Interest Income, Loans Held for Sale. We earn net interest income on loans funded through borrowings from our warehouse facilities from the time the loan is closed until the loan is sold pursuant to the loan purchase agreement. Each borrowing on a warehouse line relates to a specific loan for which we have already secured a loan sale commitment with an investor. Related interest expense from the warehouse loan funding is netted in our financial statements against interest income. Net warehouse interest income related to loans held for sale varies based on the period of time between the loan closing and the sale of the loan to the investor, the size of the average balance of the loans held for sale, and the net interest spread between the loan coupon rate and the cost of warehouse financing. Loans may remain in the warehouse facility for up to 60 days, but the average time in the warehouse facility is approximately 30 days. As a short-term cash management tool, we may also use excess corporate cash to fund Agency loans on our balance sheet rather than borrowing against a warehouse line. Loans that we broker for institutional investors and other investors are funded directly by them; therefore, there is no warehouse interest income or expense associated with brokered loan transactions. Additionally, the amortization of deferred debt issuance costs related to our Agency warehouse lines is included in net warehouse interest income, loans held for sale.
Net Warehouse Interest Income, Loans Held for Investment. Similar to loans held for sale, we earn net interest income on loans held for investment during the period they are outstanding. We earn interest income on the loan, which is funded partially by an investment of our cash and through one of our interim warehouse credit facilities. The loans originated for investment are typically interest-only, variable-rate loans
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with terms up to three years. The warehouse credit facilities are variable rate. The interest rate reset date is typically the same for the loans and the credit facility. Related interest expense from the warehouse loan funding is netted in our financial statements against interest income. Net warehouse interest income related to loans held for investment varies based on the period of time the loans are outstanding, the size of the average balance of the loans held for investment, and the net interest spread between the loan coupon rate and the cost of warehouse financing. The net spread has historically not varied much. Additionally, the amortization of deferred fees and costs and the amortization of deferred debt issuance costs related to our interim warehouse lines are included in net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment. Net warehouse interest income from loans held for investment will decrease in the coming years if most, or all, of the loans originated through the Interim Program are held by the Interim Program JV.
Escrow Earnings and Other Interest Income. We earn fee income on property-level escrow deposits in our servicing portfolio, generally based on a fixed or variable placement fee negotiated with the financial institutions that hold the escrow deposits. Escrow earnings reflect interest income net of interest paid to the borrower, if required. Also included with escrow earnings and other interest income are interest earnings from our cash and cash equivalents and interest income earned on our pledged securities.
Other Revenues. Other revenues are comprised of fees for processing loan assumptions, prepayment fee income, application fees, property sales broker fees, income from equity-method investments, asset management fees, revenues from LIHTC operations, and other miscellaneous revenues related to our operations.
Costs and Expenses
Personnel. Personnel expense includes the cost of employee compensation and benefits, which include fixed and discretionary amounts tied to company and individual performance, commissions, severance expense, signing and retention bonuses, and share-based compensation.
Amortization and Depreciation. Amortization and depreciation is principally comprised of amortization of our MSRs, net of amortization of our guaranty obligations. The MSRs are amortized using the interest method over the period that servicing income is expected to be received. We amortize the guaranty obligations evenly over their expected lives. When the loan underlying an OMSR prepays, we write off the remaining unamortized balance, net of any related guaranty obligation, and record the write off to Amortization and depreciation. Similarly, when the loan underlying an OMSR defaults, we write the OMSR off to Amortization and depreciation. We depreciate property, plant, and equipment ratably over their estimated useful lives.
Amortization and depreciation also includes the amortization of intangible assets, principally related to the amortization of the mortgage pipeline, asset management fee contracts, research subscription contracts acquired, brand, and other intangible assets recognized in connection with acquisitions. We recognize amortization related to the mortgage pipeline intangible asset when a loan included in the mortgage pipeline intangible asset is rate locked or is no longer probable of rate locking. For the years presented in the Consolidated Statements of Income, the amortization of intangible assets relates primarily to intangible assets associated with our acquisition of WDIP in 2018 and our acquisitions in 2020 and 2021.
Provision (Benefit) for Credit Losses. The provision (benefit) for credit losses consists of two components: the provision associated with our risk-sharing loans and the provision associated with our loans held for investment. The provision (benefit) for credit losses associated with risk-sharing loans is estimated on a collective basis when a loan is sold to Fannie Mae and is based on our current expected credit losses on the current portfolio from loan sale to maturity. The provision (benefit) for credit losses associated with our loans held for investment is estimated similar to our risk-sharing loans at origination and is based on our current expected credit losses. For both our risk-sharing loans and loans held for investment, when a loan is probable of default, the loan is taken out of the collective evaluation and individually evaluated for credit losses. Our estimates of property fair value are based on appraisals, broker opinions of value, or net operating income and market capitalization rates, whichever we believe is the best estimate of the net disposition value.
The “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” section above and NOTE 2 of the consolidated financial statements provides additional details of the accounting for this expense.
Interest Expense on Corporate Debt. Interest expense on corporate debt includes interest expense incurred and amortization of debt discount and deferred debt issuance costs related to our term loan facility.
Other Operating Expenses. Other operating expenses include sub-servicing costs, facilities costs, travel and entertainment costs, marketing costs, professional fees, losses on debt extinguishment, accretion and revaluation of contingent consideration liabilities, corporate insurance premiums, and other administrative expenses.
Income Tax Expense. The Company is a C-corporation subject to both federal and state corporate tax. Our estimated combined statutory federal and state tax rate was 25.7%, 25.2%, and 25.0% for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. Except for the
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effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Reform”), our combined statutory tax rate has historically not varied significantly as the only material difference in the calculation of the combined statutory tax rate from year to year is the apportionment of our taxable income amongst the various states where we are subject to taxation since we do not have foreign operations. For example, from the period since we went public in 2010 through 2017, our combined statutory tax rate varied by only 0.7%, with a low of 38.2% and a high of 38.9%. Absent additional significant legislative changes to statutory tax rates (particularly the federal tax rate), we expect low deviation from the 2021 combined statutory tax rate for future years. However, we do expect some variability in the effective tax rate going forward due to excess tax benefits recognized and limitations on the deductibility of certain book expenses as a result of Tax Reform, primarily related to executive compensation.
Excess tax benefits recognized in 2021 and 2020 reduced income tax expense by $8.6 million and $7.3 million, respectively. The increase in the excess tax benefits from 2020 to 2021 largely reflects the increase in the number of shares vested and the stock price at which the shares vested.
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Results of Operations
The following is a discussion of the comparison of our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. The financial results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Our annual results have fluctuated in the past and are expected to fluctuate in the future, reflecting the interest-rate environment, the volume of transactions, business acquisitions, regulatory actions, and general economic conditions. Discussions of our results of operations and comparisons between 2020 and 2019 can be found in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.
SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands; except per share data) | | 2021 | 2020 | ||||
| Transaction Volume: | | | | | | | |
| Components of Debt Financing Volume | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 9,301,865 | | $ | 12,803,046 | |
| Freddie Mac | | 6,154,828 | | 8,588,748 | | ||
| Ginnie Mae ̶ HUD | | 2,340,699 | | 2,212,538 | | ||
| Brokered(1) | | 29,670,226 | | 10,969,615 | | ||
| Principal Lending and Investing(2) | | 1,443,502 | | 380,360 | | ||
| Total Debt Financing Volume | | $ | 48,911,120 | | $ | 34,954,307 | |
| Property Sales Volume | | | 19,254,697 | | | 6,129,739 | |
| Total Transaction Volume | | $ | 68,165,817 | | $ | 41,084,046 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Key Performance Metrics: | | | | | | | |
| Operating margin | | | 28 | % | | 30 | % |
| Return on equity | | | 21 | % | | 23 | % |
| Walker & Dunlop net income | | $ | 265,762 | | $ | 246,177 | |
| Adjusted EBITDA(3) | | $ | 309,278 | | $ | 215,849 | |
| Diluted EPS | | $ | 8.15 | | $ | 7.69 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Key Expense Metrics (as a percentage of total revenues): | | | | | | | |
| Personnel expenses | | | 48 | % | | 43 | % |
| Other operating expenses | | | 8 | % | | 6 | % |
| | | | | | | | |
| Key Revenue Metrics (as a percentage of debt financing volume): | | | | | | | |
| Origination related fees(4) | | | 0.93 | % | | 1.04 | % |
| MSR income(5) | | | 0.60 | % | | 1.04 | % |
| MSR income, as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume(6) | | | 1.61 | % | | 1.52 | % |
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in thousands; except per share data) | | As of December 31, | ||||
| Managed Portfolio: | 2021 | 2020 | ||||
| Components of Servicing Portfolio | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae | | $ | 53,401,457 | | $ | 48,818,185 |
| Freddie Mac | | 37,138,836 | | 37,072,587 | ||
| Ginnie Mae - HUD | | 9,889,289 | | 9,606,506 | ||
| Brokered (7) | | 15,035,439 | | 11,419,372 | ||
| Principal Lending and Investing (8) | | 235,543 | | 295,322 | ||
| Total Servicing Portfolio | | $ | 115,700,564 | | $ | 107,211,972 |
| Assets under management | | | 16,437,865 | | | 1,816,421 |
| Total Managed Portfolio | | $ | 132,138,429 | | $ | 109,028,393 |
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SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATING DATA (Continued)
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | As of December 31, | ||||
| Key Servicing Portfolio Metrics: | | 2021 | 2020 | |||
| Custodial escrow account balance (in billions) | | $ | 3.7 | | $ | 3.1 |
| Weighted-average servicing fee rate (basis points) | | | 24.9 | | | 24.0 |
| Weighted-average remaining servicing portfolio term (years) | | | 9.2 | | | 9.4 |
The following tables present our AUM as of December 31, 2021 and 2020:
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | As of December 31, | | |||
| Components of assets under management (in thousands) | | 2021 | | 2020 | | ||
| Alliant(9) | | | | | | | |
| Syndication | | $ | 13,794,464 | | $ | — | |
| Real Estate Investment | | | 471,875 | | | — | |
| Total Alliant assets under management | | $ | 14,266,339 | | $ | — | |
| | | | | | | | |
| WDIP | | | | | | | |
| Funds | | $ | 620,692 | | $ | 690,768 | |
| Separate accounts | | | 702,638 | | | 567,492 | |
| Total WDIP assets under management | | $ | 1,323,330 | | $ | 1,258,260 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Interim Program JV Managed Loans(10) | | $ | 848,196 | | $ | 558,161 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Total assets under management | | $ | 16,437,865 | | $ | 1,816,421 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | Brokered transactions for life insurance companies, commercial banks, and other capital sources. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | For the year ended December 31, 2021, includes $860.0 million from the Interim Program JV, $537.1 million from the Interim Loan Program, and $46.4 million from WDIP separate accounts. For the year ended December 31, 2020, includes $86.2 million from the Interim Program JV, $189.8 million from the Interim Loan Program, and $104.4 million from WDIP separate accounts. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | This is a non-GAAP financial measure. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures.” |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (4) | Excludes the income and debt financing volume from Principal Lending and Investing. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (5) | The fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, net of any guaranty obligations retained. Excludes the income and debt financing volume from Principal Lending and Investing. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (6) | The fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, net of any guaranty obligations retained, as a percentage of Agency volume. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (7) | Brokered loans serviced primarily for life insurance companies. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (8) | Consists of interim loans not managed for the Interim Program JV. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (9) | Alliant assets under management acquired in December 2021. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (10) | As of December 31, 2021, this balance consisted entirely of Interim Program JV managed loans. As of December 31, 2020, this balance consisted of $73.3 million of loans serviced directly for the Interim Program JV partner and $484.8 million of Interim Program JV managed loans. |
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Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2020
The following table presents a period-to-period comparison of our financial results for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
FINANCIAL RESULTS –2021 COMPARED TO 2020
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended | | | | | | ||||||
| | | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | Change | Change | |||||||||
| Revenues | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | | $ | 446,014 | | $ | 359,061 | | $ | 86,953 | | 24 | % | |
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net | | | 287,145 | | | 358,000 | | | (70,855) | | (20) | | |
| Servicing fees | | 278,466 | | 235,801 | | 42,665 | | 18 | | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | | 119,981 | | | 38,108 | | | 81,873 | | 215 | | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for sale | | | 14,396 | | | 17,936 | | | (3,540) | | (20) | | |
| Net warehouse interest income, loans held for investment | | | 7,712 | | | 11,390 | | | (3,678) | | (32) | | |
| Escrow earnings and other interest income | | 8,150 | | 18,255 | | (10,105) | | (55) | | | |||
| Other revenues | | 97,314 | | 45,156 | | 52,158 | | 116 | | | |||
| Total revenues | | $ | 1,259,178 | | $ | 1,083,707 | | $ | 175,471 | | 16 | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Personnel | | $ | 603,487 | | $ | 468,819 | | $ | 134,668 | | 29 | % | |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 210,284 | | | 169,011 | | | 41,273 | | 24 | | |
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | (13,287) | | 37,479 | | (50,766) | | (135) | | | |||
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | 7,981 | | 8,550 | | (569) | | (7) | | | |||
| Other operating expenses | | 98,655 | | 69,582 | | 29,073 | | 42 | | | |||
| Total expenses | | $ | 907,120 | | $ | 753,441 | | $ | 153,679 | | 20 | | |
| Income from operations | | $ | 352,058 | | $ | 330,266 | | $ | 21,792 | | 7 | | |
| Income tax expense | | 86,428 | | 84,313 | | 2,115 | | 3 | | | |||
| Net income before noncontrolling interests | | $ | 265,630 | | $ | 245,953 | | $ | 19,677 | | 8 | | |
| Less: net income (loss) from noncontrolling interests | | (132) | | (224) | | 92 | (41) | | | ||||
| Walker & Dunlop net income | | $ | 265,762 | | $ | 246,177 | | $ | 19,585 | | 8 | | |
Overview
The increase in revenues was mainly driven by increases in loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net (“origination fees”), servicing fees, property sales broker fees, and other revenues, partially offset by decreases in the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net (“MSR Income”), net warehouse interest income for both loans held for sale and held for investment, and escrow earnings and other interest income. The increase in origination fees was primarily related to an overall increase in debt financing volume, particularly in our brokered product. Servicing fees increased largely from an increase in the average servicing portfolio outstanding. The increase in property sales broker fees was a result of the significant increase in property sales volume. The increase in other revenues was driven by increases in prepayment fees, research subscription fees, and fee revenues from our LIHTC operations. MSR Income decreased as a result of a decrease in GSE debt financing volume. Net warehouse interest income decreased due to decreases in the average balances and net spreads for both loans held for sale (“LHFS”) and loans held for investment (“LHFI”). Escrow earnings and other interest income decreased largely due to a substantial decrease in the average earnings rate.
The increase in expenses was mainly driven by increases in personnel expenses, amortization and depreciation, and other operating expenses, partially offset by a reduction in provision (benefit) for credit losses. The increase in personnel expenses was primarily due to increases in commission costs due to the increases in origination fees and property sales broker fees and salaries and benefits costs due primarily to an increase in the average headcount. Amortization and depreciation expense increased due to an increase in the average MSR balance. Other operating expenses increased as a result of the overall growth of the Company over the past year and additional costs related to acquisition activity during the year. The change to a benefit for credit losses in 2021 from a provision for credit losses in 2020 was driven primarily by a decrease in our CECL reserve.
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Revenues
The following tables provide additional information that helps explain changes in origination fees and MSR income over the past two years:
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |||
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | |||
| Debt Financing Volume by Product Type | | 2021 | | | 2020 | |
| Fannie Mae | | 19 | % | | 37 | % |
| Freddie Mac | | 13 | | | 25 | |
| Ginnie Mae - HUD | | 5 | | | 6 | |
| Brokered | | 60 | | | 31 | |
| Interim Loans | | 3 | | | 1 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Mortgage Banking Details (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | | 2020 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Origination Fees (1) | $ | 446,014 | | $ | 359,061 | | $ | 86,953 | | 24 | % |
| MSR Income (2) | $ | 287,145 | | $ | 358,000 | | $ | (70,855) | | (20) | |
| Origination Fee Rate (3) (basis points) | | 93 | | | 104 | | | (11) | | (11) | |
| MSR Rate (4) (basis points) | | 60 | | | 104 | | | (44) | | (42) | |
| Agency MSR Rate (5) (basis points) | | 161 | | | 152 | | | 9 | | 6 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | The fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, net of any guaranty obligations retained. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | Origination fees as a percentage of debt financing volume, excluding the income and debt financing volume from principal lending and investing. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (4) | MSR Income as a percentage of debt financing volume, excluding the income and debt financing volume from principal lending and investing. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (5) | MSR Income as a percentage of Agency debt financing volume. |
Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net. The increase was driven by the 40% increase in overall debt financing volume, particularly in our brokered debt financing, which grew by 170%, in 2021 compared to 2020. The increase due to debt financing volume was partially offset by a decline in the origination fee rate, as our debt financing volume mix shifted towards brokered loans from Agency loans. Brokered loans typically have lower origination fee margins than Agency loans.
Fair value of the expected net cash flows associated with the servicing of the loan, net of any guaranty obligations retained. The decrease was due to a 28% decrease in GSE debt financing volume, particularly our Fannie Mae debt financing volume, which decreased 27%. Partially offsetting the decline due to volume was an increase in the Agency MSR Rate. The decline in Fannie Mae debt financing volume was partially the result of a portfolio of loans originated in 2020 with over $2 billion in volume, with no comparable large portfolio transaction in 2021. The Agency MSR Rate increased year over year due primarily to this large portfolio, which had a lower-than-average servicing fee and to an increase in the weighted-average servicing fee on Fannie Mae non-portfolio debt financing volume in 2021. The overall Fannie Mae weighted-average servicing fee increased from 45 basis points in 2020 to 52 basis points in 2021.
See the “Overview of Current Business Environment” section above for a detailed discussion of the factors driving the changes in debt financing volumes.
Servicing Fees. The increase was primarily attributable to increases in the average servicing portfolio period over period as shown below, primarily due to the $4.6 billion net increase in Fannie Mae serviced loans and a $3.6 billion net increase in brokered loans serviced over the past year, coupled with increases in the servicing portfolio’s average servicing fee rates as shown below. The increases in the average servicing fee are the result of the large net increase in Fannie Mae debt financing volume with high servicing fees over the past year.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |||||||||
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Servicing Fees Details (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | | 2020 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average Servicing Portfolio | $ | 111,577,130 | | $ | 99,699,637 | | $ | 11,877,493 | | 12 | % |
| Average Servicing Fee (basis points) | | 24.5 | | | 23.4 | | | 1.1 | | 5 | |
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Net Warehouse Interest Income, Loans Held for Sale. The decrease was the result of decreases in the average balance outstanding and in the net spread between the rate on the originated loans and the interest costs associated with the warehouse facility as shown below. The decrease in the average balance was related to the overall decrease in our GSE debt financing volume year over year. The decrease in the net spreads shown below was a result of the short-term interest rates upon which we incur interest expense decreasing at a slower rate than the mortgage rates upon which we earn interest income
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |||||||||
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Net Warehouse Interest Income Details - LHFS (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | | 2020 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average LHFS Outstanding Balance | $ | 1,634,999 | | $ | 1,908,381 | | $ | (273,382) | | (14) | % |
| LHFS Net Spread (basis points) | | 88 | | | 94 | | | (6) | | (6) | |
Net Warehouse Interest Income, Loans Held for Investment. The decrease was due to a decline in the average balance of loans held for investment outstanding from 2020 to 2021 and the net spread between the rate on the originated loans and the interest costs associated with the warehouse facility. The decrease in the average balance was due to payoffs continuing to outpace loan originations in 2021. Additionally, much of our debt financing volume in 2021 was for loans with short maturities. In 2020, we had a larger balance of loans funded with corporate cash, resulting in a higher net spread.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |||||||||
| | For the year ended December 31, | | | | Percentage | | |||||
| Net Warehouse Interest Income Details - LHFI (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | | 2020 | | Change | | Change | | |||
| Average LHFI Outstanding Balance | $ | 270,525 | | $ | 348,947 | | $ | (78,422) | | (22) | % |
| LHFI Net Spread (basis points) | | 285 | | | 326 | | | (41) | | (13) | |
Escrow Earnings and Other Interest Income. The decrease was primarily due to a significant decrease in average earnings rate on our escrow accounts resulting from a decrease in short-term interest rates in the broader market, slightly offset by an increase in the average balance of escrow accounts due to an increase in the average servicing portfolio. The decrease in the average earnings rate was due to substantial decreases in short-term interest rates, upon which our earnings rates are based, over the past year and a half as discussed above in the “Overview of Current Business Environment” section.
Property Sales Broker Fees. The increase was driven by a significant increase in property sales volume year over year. See the “Overview of Current Business Environment” section above for a detailed discussion of the factors driving the changes in property sales volumes.
Other Revenues. The increase was driven primarily by increases in prepayment fees, research subscription fees, investment management fees, and other revenues. Prepayment fees increased $18.1 million in 2021 compared to 2020 as the volume of the loans that prepaid in 2021 was substantially higher than in 2020 due to changes in the interest rate environment and an increase in property acquisition activity in 2021. In 2021, we acquired Zelman, which resulted in the addition of $7.3 million of research subscription fee revenues, and Alliant, which generated $20.4 million in investment management fees and other revenues.
Expenses
Personnel. The increase was primarily the result of (i) a $101.9 million increase in commission costs due to higher origination fees and property sales broker fees, (ii) a $28.3 million increase in salaries and benefits due to a 20% increase in average headcount to support our growth efforts, and (iii) an $8.3 million increase in share-based compensation expense due to higher expense associated with a stock grant provided to the vast majority of our non-executive employee base in the fourth quarter of 2020 and share-based compensation expense associated with our performance share plans due to the Company’s financial performance in 2021. Partially offsetting these increases in personnel costs was a decrease of $7.2 million in the accrual for subjective bonuses from 2020.
Amortization and Depreciation. The increase was primarily attributed to loan origination activity and the resulting growth in the average MSR balance. During the year ended December 31, 2021, we added $91.0 million of MSRs, net of amortization and write offs due to prepayment. Additionally, the write off of MSRs due to prepayment increased $12.3 million due to the aforementioned increase in prepayment activity in 2021.
Provision (benefit) for Credit Losses. The change in the provision (benefit) for credit losses in 2021 was due to improvements in the forecasted unemployment rate and sustained strength in multifamily operating fundamentals. The forecasted loss rate as of December 31, 2020 was six basis points compared to one basis point upon implementation at January 1, 2020 as a result of the expected negative economic impacts
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of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a significant provision expense for 2020. With the economic improvements noted above, we lowered our forecast-period loss rate to three basis points at December 31, 2021, resulting in a large benefit for 2021. The benefit related to a decrease in the forecast-period loss rate, which was partially offset by an increase in the balance of our at-risk Fannie Mae servicing portfolio during the year.
Other Operating Expenses. The increase was driven primarily by increases in professional fees and other expenses. Professional fees increased $8.6 million primarily due to additional costs related to the acquisitions completed during the year, including Alliant. Other expenses increased primarily due to two non-recurring charges related to (i) a $2.7 million write-off of deferred issuance costs related to our Prior Term Loan (as defined below) that was paid off at the issuance of our new Term Loan and (ii) a $6.9 million accelerated earnout accrual related to the 2020 acquisition of the non-controlling interest in WDIS. The remaining increase was the result of additional costs in travel and entertainment and marketing due to our growth. Partially offsetting these increases was a $6.0 million decrease due to a non-recurring charge in 2020 from the write-off of previously capitalized software implementation costs related to a planned servicing system conversion that was terminated in 2020.
Income Tax Expense. The increase in income tax expense is related to the 7% increase in income from operations, partially offset by a decrease in the effective tax rate from 25.5% in 2020 to 24.5% in 2021. The decrease in the effective tax rate related primarily to an increase in excess tax benefits of $1.3 million and a reduction to the impact of uncertain tax positions of $3.8 million.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, we use adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure. The presentation of adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. When analyzing our operating performance, readers should use adjusted EBITDA in addition to, and not as an alternative for, net income. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before income taxes, interest expense on our term loan facility, and amortization and depreciation, adjusted for provision for credit losses net of write-offs, share-based incentive compensation charges, and the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net. Because not all companies use identical calculations, our presentation of adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Furthermore, adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for our management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect certain cash requirements such as tax and debt service payments. The amounts shown for adjusted EBITDA may also differ from the amounts calculated under similarly titled definitions in our debt instruments, which are further adjusted to reflect certain other cash and non-cash charges that are used to determine compliance with financial covenants.
We use adjusted EBITDA to evaluate the operating performance of our business, for comparison with forecasts and strategic plans, and for benchmarking performance externally against competitors. We believe that this non-GAAP measure, when read in conjunction with our GAAP financials, provides useful information to investors by offering:
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of our ongoing operating results; |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | the ability to better identify trends in our underlying business and perform related trend analyses; and |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| ● | a better understanding of how management plans and measures our underlying business. |
We believe that adjusted EBITDA has limitations in that it does not reflect all of the amounts associated with our results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that adjusted EBITDA should only be used to evaluate our results of operations in conjunction with net income.
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Adjusted EBITDA is reconciled to net income as follows:
ADJUSTED FINANCIAL METRIC RECONCILIATION TO GAAP
| | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended December 31, | ||||
| (in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Walker & Dunlop Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA | | | | | | |
| Walker & Dunlop Net Income | | $ | 265,762 | | $ | 246,177 |
| Income tax expense | | | 86,428 | | | 84,313 |
| Interest expense on corporate debt | | | 7,981 | | | 8,550 |
| Amortization and depreciation | | | 210,284 | | | 169,011 |
| Provision (benefit) for credit losses | | | (13,287) | | | 37,479 |
| Net write-offs | | | — | | | — |
| Share-based compensation expense | | | 36,582 | | | 28,319 |
| Write-off of unamortized issuance costs from corporate debt retirement | | | 2,673 | | | — |
| Fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net | | | (287,145) | | | (358,000) |
| Adjusted EBITDA | | $ | 309,278 | | $ | 215,849 |
| | | | | | | |
Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2020
The following table presents a period-to-period comparison of the components of our adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:
ADJUSTED EBITDA –2021 COMPARED TO 2020
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | For the year ended | | | | | | |||||
| | December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | Change | Change | |||||||
| Loan origination and debt brokerage fees, net | $ | 446,014 | | $ | 359,061 | | $ | 86,953 | | 24 | % |
| Servicing fees | 278,466 | | 235,801 | | 42,665 | | 18 | | |||
| Property sales broker fees | | 119,981 | | | 38,108 | | | 81,873 | | 215 | |
| Net warehouse interest income | 22,108 | | 29,326 | | (7,218) | | (25) | | |||
| Escrow earnings and other interest income | 8,150 | | 18,255 | | (10,105) | | (55) | | |||
| Other revenues | 97,446 | | 45,380 | | 52,066 | | 115 | | |||
| Personnel | (566,905) | | (440,500) | | (126,405) | | 29 | | |||
| Net write-offs | — | | — | | — | | N/A | | |||
| Other operating expenses | (95,982) | | (69,582) | | (26,400) | | 38 | | |||
| Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 309,278 | | $ | 215,849 | | $ | 93,429 | | 43 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
The increase in origination fees was primarily related to an increase in debt financing volumes year over year. Servicing fees increased due to an increase in the average servicing portfolio period over period as a result of the substantial debt financing volume and relatively few payoffs. Property sales broker fees increased as a result of the increase in property sales volume. Net warehouse interest income decreased primarily due to decreases in the net spreads and average outstanding balances. Escrow earnings and other interest income decreased primarily as a result of a decline in the average earnings rate. Other revenues increased primarily due to increases in prepayment fees and additional revenue from the acquisitions of Zelman and Alliant.
The increase in personnel expense was primarily due to increased commissions expense resulting from the increases in origination fees and property sales broker fees and salaries and benefits expense due to an increase in average headcount. Other operating expenses increased as a result of the overall growth of the Company over the past year, two non-recurring charges mentioned above, and from increased costs associated with due diligence for acquisitions.
Financial Condition
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Our cash flows from operations are generated from loan sales, servicing fees, escrow earnings, net warehouse interest income, property sales broker fees, investment management fees, and other income, net of loan origination and operating costs. Our cash flows from operations are impacted by the fees generated by our loan originations and property sales, the timing of loan closings, assets under management, escrow
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account balances, the average balance of loans held for investment, and the period of time loans are held for sale in the warehouse loan facility prior to delivery to the investor.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
We usually lease facilities and equipment for our operations. Our cash flows from investing activities also include the funding and repayment of loans held for investment, contributions to and distributions from joint ventures, and the purchase of available-for-sale (“AFS”) securities pledged to Fannie Mae. We opportunistically invest cash for acquisitions and MSR portfolio purchases.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
We use our warehouse loan facilities and, when necessary, our corporate cash to fund loan closings. We believe that our current warehouse loan facilities are adequate to meet our increasing loan origination needs. Historically, we have used a combination of long-term debt and cash flows from operations to fund acquisitions, repurchase shares, pay cash dividends, and fund a portion of loans held for investment.
Years Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to Years Ended December 31, 2020
The following table presents a period-to-period comparison of the significant components of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
SIGNIFICANT COMPONENTS OF CASH FLOWS – 2021 COMPARED TO 2020
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | For the year ended December 31, | | Dollar | | Percentage | ||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | Change | Change | ||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | | $ | 870,455 | | $ | (1,411,370) | | $ | 2,281,825 | | (162) | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | | (377,551) | | 115,179 | | (492,730) | | (428) | | |||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | | (457,726) | | 1,517,627 | | (1,975,353) | | (130) | | |||
| Total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and restricted cash equivalents at end of period ("Total cash") | | | 393,180 | | | 358,002 | | | 35,178 | | 10 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) operating activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net receipt (use) of cash for loan origination activity | | $ | 620,774 | | $ | (1,611,627) | | $ | 2,232,401 | | (139) | % |
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, excluding loan origination activity | | | 249,681 | | | 200,257 | | | 49,424 | | 25 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) investing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Purchases of pledged AFS securities | | $ | (31,750) | | $ | (24,883) | | $ | (6,867) | | 28 | % |
| Proceeds from the prepayment/sale of pledged AFS securities | | | 45,301 | | | 19,635 | | | 25,666 | | 131 | |
| Purchase of equity-method investments | | | (33,446) | | | (1,682) | | | (31,764) | | 1,888 | |
| Acquisitions, net of cash received | | | (420,555) | | | (46,784) | | | (373,771) | | 799 | |
| Net payoff of (investment in) loans held for investment | | | 91,760 | | | 180,338 | | | (88,578) | | (49) | |
| Net distributions from (investments in) joint ventures | | | (19,653) | | | (8,462) | | | (11,191) | | 132 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cash flows from (used in) financing activities | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Borrowings (repayments) of warehouse notes payable, net | | $ | (635,912) | | $ | 1,718,470 | | $ | (2,354,382) | | (137) | % |
| Borrowings of interim warehouse notes payable | | 266,575 | | 60,770 | | 205,805 | | 339 | | |||
| Repayments of interim warehouse notes payable | | (227,999) | | (167,960) | | (60,039) | | 36 | | |||
| Net borrowings (repayments) of notes payable | | | 303,727 | | | (2,977) | | | 306,704 | | (10,302) | |
| Repurchase of common stock | | | (18,872) | | | (45,774) | | | 26,902 | | (59) | |
| Borrowings (repayments) of secured borrowings | | | (73,312) | | | 2,766 | | | (76,078) | | (2,750) | |
| Cash dividends paid | | | (64,453) | | | (45,350) | | | (19,103) | | 42 | |
The change in cash flows from operating activities was driven primarily by loans originated and sold. Such loans are held for short periods of time, generally less than 60 days, and impact cash flows presented as of a point in time. The decrease in cash flows used in loan origination activities is primarily attributable to sales of loans held for sale outpacing originations by $620.8 million in 2021 compared to originations outpacing sales of loans held for sale by $1.6 billion in 2020. Our GSE debt financing activity decreased year over year, which resulted in less cash used in originations during 2021. Excluding cash used for the origination and sale of loans, cash flows provided by operations were $249.7 million in 2021, up from $200.3 million in 2020. The increase is primarily the result of a $19.7 million increase in net income before noncontrolling interests, a lower adjustment for gains attributable to the fair value of future servicing rights, net of guaranty obligation of $70.9 million, and a lower adjustment for change in the fair value of premiums and origination fees of $52.4 million, partially
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offset by a lower adjustment for the provision (benefit) for credit losses of $50.8 million, a greater increase in receivables of $23.6 million, and a smaller decrease in other liabilities of $24.7 million.
The change from cash provided by investing activities in 2020 to cash used by investing activities in 2021 was primarily attributable to the changes shown in the table above. The increase in cash paid for acquisitions was primarily the result of the increase in the size of the acquisitions in 2021 compared to 2020, particularly the acquisition of Alliant in 2021, the largest acquisition in our history. The decrease in net payoff of loans held for investment was due to an increase in originations in 2021 compared to 2020 as we paused the originations of loans held for investment for several months in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We increased our investments in equity-method investments as we increased our investments in small strategic opportunities. Net proceeds from prepayment/sale of pledged AFS securities increased as prepayments of AFS securities were greater than our purchases of AFS securities in 2021. The increase in purchases of AFS investments was due to the increase in the aforementioned prepayments of AFS. The increase in investment in joint ventures related primarily to the increase in originations for our Interim Program JV.
The change to cash used from cash provided by financing activity was primarily attributable to the changes shown in the table above. The change in net borrowings of warehouse notes payable during 2021 was largely due to the decrease in cash used for loan origination activity, as noted above. The repayment of secured borrowings was the result of the maturity of the loan in the second quarter of 2021, a unique transaction. Cash dividends paid increased as a result of the increase in our dividend to $2.00 per share in 2021 compared to $1.44 per share in 2020. Net borrowings of notes payable changed due to the refinancing and increase of our Term Loan in December 2021 to fund our acquisition of Alliant. Net borrowings of interim warehouse notes payable increased due to the increase in originations of loans held for investments noted above. The decrease in cash paid for repurchases of common stock was related to repurchases under approved stock repurchase programs. In 2021, we did not repurchase any shares under approved repurchase programs, while in 2020 we repurchased $26.1 million of shares under such programs.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Uses of Liquidity, Cash and Cash Equivalents
Our significant recurring cash flow requirements consist of liquidity to (i) fund loans held for sale; (ii) fund loans held for investment under the Interim Loan Program; (iii) pay cash dividends; (iv) fund our portion of the equity necessary for the operations of the Interim Program JV, our appraisal JV, and other equity-method investments; (v) fund investments in properties to be syndicated to LIHTC investment funds that we will asset-manage; (vi) make payments related to earnouts from acquisitions, (vii) meet working capital needs to support our day-to-day operations, including debt service payments, joint venture development partnerships contributions, servicing advances and payments for salaries, commissions, and income taxes,; and (viii) meet working capital to satisfy collateral requirements for our Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations and to meet the operational liquidity requirements of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae, and our warehouse facility lenders.
Fannie Mae has established benchmark standards for capital adequacy and reserves the right to terminate our servicing authority for all or some of the portfolio if, at any time, it determines that our financial condition is not adequate to support our obligations under the DUS agreement. We are required to maintain acceptable net worth as defined in the standards, and we satisfied the requirements as of December 31, 2021. The net worth requirement is derived primarily from unpaid balances on Fannie Mae loans and the level of risk-sharing. As of December 31, 2021, the net worth requirement was $258.2 million, and our net worth was $722.4 million, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC. As of December 31, 2021, we were required to maintain at least $51.1 million of liquid assets to meet our operational liquidity requirements for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, Ginnie Mae and our warehouse facility lenders. As of December 31, 2021, we had operational liquidity of $251.7 million, as measured at our wholly owned operating subsidiary, Walker & Dunlop, LLC.
We paid a cash dividend of $0.50 per share each quarter of 2021, which is 39% higher than the quarterly dividend paid in each quarter of 2020. In February 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.60 per share for the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 20%. The dividend will be paid on March 10, 2022 to all holders of record of our restricted and unrestricted common stock as of February 22, 2022. We expect to continue to make regular quarterly dividend payments for the foreseeable future.
Over the past three years, we have returned $177.5 million to investors in the form of the repurchase of 594 thousand shares of our common stock under share repurchase programs for a cost of $30.5 million and cash dividend payments of $147.0 million. Additionally, we have invested $619.4 million in acquisitions. On occasion, we may use cash to fully fund loans held for investment or loans held for sale instead of using our warehouse lines. We continually seek opportunities to complete additional acquisitions if we believe the economics are favorable.
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In February 2021, our Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program; we did not repurchase any shares under this program. In February 2022, our Board approved a new stock repurchase program that permits the repurchase of up to $75.0 million of shares of our common stock over a 12-month period beginning February 13, 2022.
We have contractual obligations to make future cash payments on lease agreements on our various offices of $29.5 million as of December 31, 2021. NOTE 15 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to future lease payments. We have contractual obligations to repay short-term and long-term debt. The total principal balance for such debt is $2.7 billion as of December 31, 2021. Most of this balance will be repaid with the proceeds from the sale of loans held for sale and the repayments of loans held for investment. NOTE 6 in the consolidated financial statements contains additional details related to these future debt payments. The expected interest associated with these debt payments is $31.2 million in 2022, $25.0 million in 2023, $22.2 million in 2024, $20.4 million in 2025, and $19.4 million in 2026. The interest for long-term debt is based on a variable rate. Such interest is calculated based on the effective interest rate as of December 31, 2021.
Historically, our cash flows from operations and warehouse facilities have been sufficient to enable us to meet our short-term liquidity needs and other funding requirements. We believe that cash flows from operations will continue to be sufficient for us to meet our current obligations for the foreseeable future.
Restricted Cash and Pledged Securities
Restricted cash consists primarily of good faith deposits held on behalf of borrowers between the time we enter into a loan commitment with the borrower and the investor purchases the loan and cash held in collection accounts to be used to fund the repayment of the Alliant note payable. We are generally required to share the risk of any losses associated with loans sold under the Fannie Mae DUS program, our only off-balance sheet arrangement. We are required to secure this obligation by assigning collateral to Fannie Mae. We meet this obligation by assigning pledged securities to Fannie Mae. The amount of collateral required by Fannie Mae is a formulaic calculation at the loan level and considers the balance of the loan, the risk level of the loan, the age of the loan, and the level of risk-sharing. Fannie Mae requires collateral for Tier 2 loans of 75 basis points, which is funded over a 48-month period that begins upon delivery of the loan to Fannie Mae. Collateral held in the form of money market funds holding U.S. Treasuries is discounted 5%, and Agency MBS are discounted 4% for purposes of calculating compliance with the collateral requirements. As of December 31, 2021, we held substantially all of our restricted liquidity in Agency MBS in the aggregate amount of $104.3 million. Additionally, the majority of the loans for which we have risk-sharing are Tier 2 loans. We fund any growth in our Fannie Mae required operational liquidity and collateral requirements from our working capital.
We are in compliance with the December 31, 2021 collateral requirements as outlined above. As of December 31, 2021, reserve requirements for the December 31, 2021 DUS loan portfolio will require us to fund $65.3 million in additional restricted liquidity over the next 48 months, assuming no further principal paydowns, prepayments, or defaults within our at-risk portfolio. Fannie Mae has assessed the DUS Capital Standards in the past and may make changes to these standards in the future. We generate sufficient cash flows from our operations to meet these capital standards and do not expect any future changes to have a material impact on our future operations; however, any future changes to collateral requirements may adversely impact our available cash.
Under the provisions of the DUS agreement, we must also maintain a certain level of liquid assets referred to as the operational and unrestricted portions of the required reserves each year. We satisfied these requirements as of December 31, 2021.
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Sources of Liquidity: Warehouse Facilities
The following table provides information related to our warehouse facilities as of December 31, 2021.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | December 31, 2021 | | | ||||||||||
| (dollars in thousands) | Committed | Uncommitted | | Total Facility | | Outstanding | | |||||||
| Facility(1) | | Amount | | Amount | | Capacity | | Balance | | Interest rate(2) | ||||
| Agency Warehouse Facility #1 | | $ | 425,000 | | $ | — | | $ | 425,000 | | $ | 34,032 | Adjusted Term SOFR plus 1.30% | |
| Agency Warehouse Facility #2 | | 700,000 | | 300,000 | | 1,000,000 | | 147,055 | | 30-day LIBOR plus 1.30% | ||||
| Agency Warehouse Facility #3 | | 600,000 | | 265,000 | | 865,000 | | 156,705 | 30-day LIBOR plus 1.30% | |||||
| Agency Warehouse Facility #4 | | 350,000 | | — | | 350,000 | | 45,337 | 30-day LIBOR plus 1.30% | |||||
| Agency Warehouse Facility #5 | | | — | | | 1,000,000 | | | 1,000,000 | | | 175,608 | | Adjusted Term SOFR plus 1.45% |
| Agency Warehouse Facility #6 | | | 150,000 | | | 100,000 | | | 250,000 | | | — | | 30-day LIBOR plus 1.40% |
| Agency Warehouse Facility #7 | | | 150,000 | | | 50,000 | | | 200,000 | | | 16,289 | | 30-day LIBOR plus 1.30% |
| Total National Bank Agency Warehouse Facilities | | $ | 2,375,000 | | $ | 1,715,000 | | $ | 4,090,000 | | $ | 575,026 | | |
| Fannie Mae repurchase agreement, uncommitted line and open maturity | | $ | — | | $ | 1,500,000 | | $ | 1,500,000 | | $ | 1,186,306 | | |
| Total Agency Warehouse Facilities | | | 2,375,000 | | | 3,215,000 | | | 5,590,000 | | | 1,761,332 | | |
| Interim Warehouse Facility #1 | | $ | 135,000 | | $ | — | | $ | 135,000 | | $ | — | 30-day LIBOR plus 1.90% | |
| Interim Warehouse Facility #2 | | | 100,000 | | | — | | | 100,000 | | | — | | 30-day LIBOR plus 1.65% to 2.00% |
| Interim Warehouse Facility #3 | | | 200,000 | | | — | | | 200,000 | | | 153,009 | | 30-day LIBOR plus 1.75% to 3.25% |
| Interim Warehouse Facility #4 | | | 19,810 | | | — | | | 19,810 | | | 19,810 | | 30-day LIBOR plus 3.00% |
| Total National Bank Interim Warehouse Facilities | | $ | 454,810 | | $ | — | | $ | 454,810 | | $ | 172,819 | | |
| Alliant Warehouse Facility | | $ | 30,000 | | $ | — | | $ | 30,000 | | $ | 8,296 | | Daily LIBOR plus 3.00% |
| Total warehouse facilities | | $ | 2,859,810 | | $ | 3,215,000 | | $ | 6,074,810 | | $ | 1,942,447 | | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | Agency Warehouse Facilities, including the Fannie Mae repurchase agreement are used to fund loans held for sale, while Interim Warehouse Facilities are used to fund loans held for investment. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
| (2) | Interest rate presented does not include the effect of interest rate floors. |
Agency Warehouse Facilities
As of December 31, 2021, we had seven warehouse lines of credit in the aggregate amount of $4.1 billion with certain national banks and a $1.5 billion uncommitted facility with Fannie Mae (collectively, the “Agency Warehouse Facilities”) that we use to fund substantially all of our loan originations. The seven warehouse facilities are revolving commitments we expect to renew annually (consistent with industry practice), and the Fannie Mae facility is provided on an uncommitted basis without a specific maturity date. Our ability to originate mortgage loans depends upon our ability to secure and maintain these types of short-term financing on acceptable terms. An outline of the affirmative and negative covenants contained within the warehouse agreements and a summary of the amendments we executed during 2021 are detailed in NOTE 6 in the consolidated financial statements.
Agency Warehouse Facility #1:
We have a warehousing credit and security agreement with a national bank for a $425.0 million committed warehouse line that is scheduled to mature on October 24, 2022. The agreement provides us with the ability to fund Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, and FHA loans. Advances are made at 100% of the loan balance and borrowings under this line bear interest at the Adjusted Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 130 basis points.
Agency Warehouse Facility #2:
We have a warehousing credit and security agreement with a national bank for a $700.0 million committed warehouse line that is scheduled to mature on April 14, 2022. The committed warehouse facility provides the Company with the ability to fund Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, and FHA loans. Advances are made at 100% of the loan balance, and borrowings under this line bear interest at 30-day LIBOR plus 130 basis points. In addition to the committed borrowing capacity, the agreement provides $300.0 million of uncommitted borrowing capacity that bears interest at the same rate as the committed facility.
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Agency Warehouse Facility #3:
We have a $600.0 million committed warehouse credit and security agreement with a national bank that is scheduled to mature on May 14, 2022. The committed warehouse facility provides us with the ability to fund Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD and FHA loans. Advances are made at 100% of the loan balance, and the borrowings under the warehouse agreement bear interest at a rate of 30-day LIBOR plus 130 basis points, with a 30-day LIBOR floor of zero basis points. In addition to the committed borrowing capacity, the agreement provides $265.0 million of uncommitted borrowing capacity that bears interest at the same rate as the committed facility.
Agency Warehouse Facility #4:
We have a $350.0 million committed warehouse credit and security agreement with a national bank that is scheduled to mature on June 22, 2022. The warehouse facility provides us with the ability to fund Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, FHA, and defaulted HUD and FHA loans and has a sublimit of $75.0 million to fund defaulted HUD and FHA loans. Advances are made at 100% of the loan balance, and the borrowings under the warehouse agreement bear interest at a rate of 30-day LIBOR plus 130 basis points, with a 30-day LIBOR floor of five basis points.
Agency Warehouse Facility #5:
We have a master repurchase agreement with a national bank for a $1.0 billion uncommitted advance credit facility that is scheduled to mature on September 15, 2022. The facility provides us with the ability to fund Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, and FHA loans. Advances are made at 100% of the loan balance, and the borrowings under the repurchase agreement bear interest at a rate of Adjusted Term SOFR plus 145 basis points.
Agency Warehouse Facility #6:
During 2021, we entered into an agreement with a national bank to establish Agency Warehouse Facility #6. The facility has a $150.0 million committed borrowing capacity and provides us with the ability to fund Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, and FHA loans under the facility. The facility is scheduled to mature on March 5, 2022. Advances are made at 100% of the loan balance, and the borrowings under the warehouse agreement bear interest at a rate of 30-day LIBOR plus 140 basis points with a 30-day LIBOR floor of 25 basis points. The agreement also provides $100.0 million of uncommitted borrowing capacity that bears interest at the same rate as the committed facility.
Agency Warehouse Facility #7:
During 2021, we entered into an agreement to establish Agency Warehouse Facility #7. The warehouse facility has a $150.0 million maximum committed borrowing capacity, provides us with the ability to fund Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, and FHA loans, and matures on August 24, 2022. Advances are made at 100% of the loan balance, and the borrowings under the warehouse agreement bear interest at a rate of 30-day LIBOR plus 130 basis points. In addition to the committed borrowing capacity, the agreement provides $50.0 million of uncommitted borrowing capacity that bears interest at the same rate as the committed facility.
Uncommitted Agency Warehouse Facility:
We have a $1.5 billion uncommitted facility with Fannie Mae under its ASAP funding program. After approval of certain loan documents, Fannie Mae will fund loans after closing and the advances are used to repay the primary warehouse line. Fannie Mae will advance 99% of the loan balance. There is no expiration date for this facility.
Interim Warehouse Facilities
To assist in funding loans held for investment under the Interim Loan Program, we have four warehouse facilities with certain national banks in the aggregate amount of $0.5 billion as of December 31, 2021 (“Interim Warehouse Facilities”). Consistent with industry practice, three of these facilities are revolving commitments we expect to renew annually or bi-annually, and one is a commitment that matures according to the maturity date of the underlying loan it finances. Our ability to originate loans held for investment depends upon our ability to secure and maintain these types of short-term financings on acceptable terms. An outline of the affirmative and negative covenants contained within the warehouse agreements and a summary of the amendments we executed during 2021 are detailed in NOTE 6 in the consolidated financial statements.
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Interim Warehouse Facility #1:
We have a $135.0 million committed warehouse line agreement that is scheduled to mature on May 14, 2022. The facility provides us with the ability to fund first mortgage loans on multifamily real estate properties for periods of up to three years, using available cash in combination with advances under the facility. Borrowings under the facility are full recourse to the Company and bear interest at 30-day LIBOR plus 190 basis points, with a 30-day LIBOR floor of zero basis points. Repayments under the credit agreement are interest-only, with principal repayments made upon the earlier of the refinancing of an underlying mortgage or the maturity of an advance under the credit agreement.
Interim Warehouse Facility #2:
We have a $100.0 million committed warehouse line agreement that is scheduled to mature on December 13, 2023. The agreement provides us with the ability to fund first mortgage loans on multifamily real estate properties for periods of up to three years, using available cash in combination with advances under the facility. Borrowings under the facility are full recourse to the Company. All borrowings originally bear interest at 30-day LIBOR plus 165 to 200 basis points (“the spread”) as of December 31, 2021. The spread varies according to the type of asset the borrowing finances. The lender retains a first priority security interest in all mortgages funded by such advances on a cross-collateralized basis. Repayments under the credit agreement are interest-only, with principal repayments made upon the earlier of the refinancing of an underlying mortgage or the maturity of an advance under the credit agreement.
Interim Warehouse Facility #3:
We have a $200.0 million repurchase agreement with a national bank that is scheduled to mature on September 29, 2022. The agreement provides us with the ability to fund first mortgage loans on multifamily real estate properties for periods of up to three years, using available cash in combination with advances under the facility. Borrowings under the facility are full recourse to the Company. The borrowings under the agreement bear interest at a rate of 30-day LIBOR plus 175 to 325 basis points (“the spread”). The spread varies according to the type of asset the borrowing finances. Repayments under the credit agreement are interest-only, with principal repayments made upon the earlier of the refinancing of an underlying mortgage or the maturity of an advance under the credit agreement.
Interim Warehouse Facility #4:
We have a $19.8 million committed warehouse loan and security agreement with a national bank that funds one specific loan. The agreement provides for a maturity date to coincide with the earlier of the maturity date for the underlying loan or the stated maturity date of October 1, 2022. Borrowings under the facility are full recourse and bear interest at 30-day LIBOR plus 300 basis points, with a floor of 450 basis points. Repayments under the credit agreement are interest-only, with principal repayments made upon the earlier of the refinancing of an underlying mortgage or the maturity of an advance under the credit agreement. The committed warehouse loan and security agreement has only two financial covenants, both of which are similar to the other Interim Warehouse Facilities. We may request additional capacity under the agreement to fund specific loans.
The warehouse agreements above contain cross-default provisions, such that if a default occurs under any of our warehouse agreements, generally the lenders under our other warehouse agreements could also declare a default. As of December 31, 2021, we were in compliance with all of our warehouse line covenants.
We believe that the combination of our capital and warehouse facilities is adequate to meet our loan origination needs.
Alliant Warehouse Facility
During December 2021, we acquired Alliant and assumed the liabilities of Alliant and its subsidiaries, including a warehouse line of credit with a national bank that is used to fund our Committed investments in tax credit equity before transferring them to a tax credit fund that we asset-manage. The warehouse facility is a revolving commitment that we expect to renew annually.
The credit agreement is scheduled to mature on April 30, 2022. The facility provides us with up to $30.0 million in committed borrowing capacity to fund investments in tax credit equity that also secure the borrowings. Borrowings under this facility bear interest at Daily LIBOR plus 300 basis points with a Daily LIBOR floor of 150 basis points. The warehouse agreement contains certain affirmative and negative covenants which are outlined in NOTE 6 in the consolidated financial statements.
As of December 31, 2021, the outstanding balance was $8.3 million.
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Notes Payable
Term Loan
On December 16, 2021, we entered into a senior secured term loan credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) that provided for a $600.0 million term loan (the “Term Loan”). The Credit Agreement replaces our $300.0 million term loan agreement (the “Prior Term Loan”), which was governed by that certain amended and restated credit agreement, dated as November 7, 2018. The Term Loan was issued at a 0.25% discount, has a stated maturity date of December 16, 2028 (or, if earlier, the date of acceleration of the Term Loan pursuant to the term of the Credit Agreement), and bears interest at Adjusted Term SOFR plus 225 basis points with a floor of 50 basis points. At any time, we may also elect to request one or more incremental term loan commitments not to exceed the lesser of $230.0 million and 100% of trailing four-quarter Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, provided that total indebtedness would not cause the leverage ratio to exceed 3.00 to 1.00.
We are obligated to repay the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan in consecutive quarterly installments equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount of the Term Loan on the last business day of each of March, June, September, and December commencing on March 31, 2022. The Term Loan also requires certain other prepayments in certain circumstances pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement.
Our obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Walker & Dunlop Multifamily, Inc., Walker & Dunlop, LLC, Walker & Dunlop Capital, LLC, W&D BE, Inc., and Walker & Dunlop Investment Sales, LLC, each of which is a direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (together with the Company, the “Loan Parties”), pursuant to the Amended and Restated Guarantee and Collateral Agreement entered into on December 16, 2021 among the Loan Parties and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (the “Guarantee and Collateral Agreement”). Subject to certain exceptions and qualifications contained in the Credit Agreement, the Company is required to cause any newly created or acquired subsidiary, unless such subsidiary has been designated as an Excluded Subsidiary (as defined in the Credit Agreement) by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement, to guarantee the obligations of the Company under the Credit Agreement and become a party to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. The Company may designate a newly created or acquired subsidiary as an Excluded Subsidiary, so long as certain conditions and requirements provided for in the Credit Agreement are met.
The Credit Agreement contains certain affirmative and negative covenants that are binding on the Loan Parties, including, but not limited to, restrictions (subject to specified exceptions and qualifications) on the ability of the Loan Parties to incur indebtedness, to create liens on their property, to make investments, to merge, consolidate, or enter into any similar combination, or enter into any asset disposition of all or substantially all assets, or liquidate, wind-up or dissolve, to make asset dispositions, to declare or pay dividends or make related distributions, to enter into certain transactions with affiliates, to enter into any negative pledges or other restrictive agreements, and to engage in any business other than the business of the Loan Parties as of the date of the Credit Agreement and business activities reasonably related or ancillary thereto, or to amend certain material contracts. The Credit Agreement contains only one financial covenant, which requires the Company not to permit its asset coverage ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) to be less than 1.50 to 1.00.
The Credit Agreement contains customary events of default (which are, in some cases, subject to certain exceptions, thresholds, notice requirements and grace periods), including, but not limited to, non-payment of principal or interest or other amounts, misrepresentations, failure to perform or observe covenants, cross-defaults with certain other indebtedness or material agreements, certain change in control events, voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy proceedings, failure of the Credit Agreements or other loan documents to be valid and binding, or certain ERISA events and judgments.
As of December 31, 2021, the outstanding principal balance of the note payable was $600.0 million. The note payable and the warehouse facilities are senior obligations of the Company. As of December 31, 2021, we were in compliance with all covenants related to the Credit Agreement.
Alliant Note Payable
Through our acquisition of Alliant, we assumed Alliant’s note payable, which has an outstanding balance of $145.2 million as of December 31, 2021 and bears interest at a fixed rate of 4.75%. The note has a stated maturity of January 15, 2035. The note requires quarterly payments of principal, interest, and other required priority items shortly after the beginning of each quarter. The note is collateralized by specific legal rights to receive a formulaic portion of future cash flows from Alliant’s LIHTC operations. These cash flows are deposited into a collection account and used to make a minimum principal payment that is based on a defined amortization schedule. If funds remain after making the minimum principal payment, an amount based on a defined percentage of the remaining funds may be used to make an additional principal payment. If the funds in the collection account are insufficient to cover the minimum principal payment, the entire balance of the collection account is used to pay down the principal balance. We may elect to make principal payments in addition to the amount required by the note agreement. The balance of the collection account is included in Restricted cash on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
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Credit Quality and Allowance for Risk-Sharing Obligations
The following table sets forth certain information useful in evaluating our credit performance.
| | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | December 31, | | |||||
| (dollars in thousands) | 2021 | 2020 | |||||
| Key Credit Metrics | | | | | | | |
| Risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae Full Risk | | $ | 45,581,476 | | $ | 39,835,534 | |
| Fannie Mae Modified Risk | | 7,807,853 | | 8,948,472 | | ||
| Freddie Mac Modified Risk | | 33,195 | | 37,018 | | ||
| Total risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 53,422,524 | | $ | 48,821,024 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio: | | | | | | | |
| Fannie Mae No Risk | | $ | 12,127 | | $ | 34,180 | |
| Freddie Mac No Risk | | 37,105,641 | | 37,035,568 | | ||
| GNMA - HUD No Risk | | 9,889,289 | | 9,606,506 | | ||
| Brokered | | 15,035,438 | | 11,419,372 | | ||
| Total non-risk-sharing servicing portfolio | | $ | 62,042,495 | | $ | 58,095,626 | |
| Total loans serviced for others | | $ | 115,465,019 | | $ | 106,916,650 | |
| Interim loans (full risk) servicing portfolio | | 235,543 | | 295,322 | | ||
| Total servicing portfolio unpaid principal balance | | $ | 115,700,562 | | $ | 107,211,972 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Interim Program JV Managed Loans (1) | | | 848,196 | | | 558,161 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| At risk servicing portfolio (2) | | $ | 49,573,263 | | $ | 44,483,676 | |
| Maximum exposure to at risk portfolio (3) | | 10,056,584 | | 9,032,083 | | ||
| Defaulted loans | | 78,659 | | 48,481 | | ||
| | | | | | | | |
| Defaulted loans as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | % | | 0.16 | % | | 0.11 | % |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio | | | 0.13 | | | 0.17 | |
| Allowance for risk-sharing as a percentage of maximum exposure | | | 0.62 | | | 0.83 | |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (1) | As of December 31, 2021, this balance consists entirely of Interim Program JV managed loans. As of December 31, 2020, this balance consists of $73.3 million of loans serviced directly for the Interim Program JV partner and $484.8 million of Interim Program JV managed loans. We indirectly share in a portion of the risk of loss associated with Interim Program JV managed loans through our 15% equity ownership in the Interim Program JV. We have no exposure to risk of loss for the loans serviced directly for the Interim Program JV partner. The balance of this line is included as a component of assets under management in the Supplemental Operating Data table above. |
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (2) | At-risk servicing portfolio is defined as the balance of Fannie Mae DUS loans subject to the risk-sharing formula described below, as well as a small number of Freddie Mac loans on which we share in the risk of loss. Use of the at-risk portfolio provides for comparability of the full risk-sharing and modified risk-sharing loans because the provision and allowance for risk-sharing obligations are based on the at-risk balances of the associated loans. Accordingly, we have presented the key statistics as a percentage of the at-risk portfolio. |
For example, a $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing has the same potential risk exposure as a $7.5 million loan with full DUS risk sharing. Accordingly, if the $15 million loan with 50% risk-sharing were to default, we would view the overall loss as a percentage of the at-risk balance, or $7.5 million, to ensure comparability between all risk-sharing obligations. To date, substantially all of the risk-sharing obligations that we have settled have been from full risk-sharing loans.
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
|---|---|
| (3) | Represents the maximum loss we would incur under our risk-sharing obligations if all of the loans we service, for which we retain some risk of loss, were to default and all of the collateral underlying these loans was determined to be without value at the time of settlement. The maximum exposure is not representative of the actual loss we would incur. |
Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing obligations are based on a tiered formula and represent substantially all of our risk-sharing activities. The risk-sharing tiers and the amount of the risk-sharing obligations we absorb under full risk-sharing are provided below. Except as described in the following paragraph, the maximum amount of risk-sharing obligations we absorb at the time of default is generally 20% of the origination unpaid principal balance (“UPB”) of the loan.
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| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk-Sharing Losses | Percentage Absorbed by Us | | |
| First 5% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 100% | |
| Next 20% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 25% | |
| Losses above 25% of UPB at the time of loss settlement | | 10% | |
| Maximum loss | 20% of origination UPB | |
Fannie Mae can double or triple our risk-sharing obligation if the loan does not meet specific underwriting criteria or if a loan defaults within 12 months of its sale to Fannie Mae. We may request modified risk-sharing at the time of origination, which reduces our potential risk-sharing obligation from the levels described above.
We use several techniques to manage our risk exposure under the Fannie Mae DUS risk-sharing program. These techniques include maintaining a strong underwriting and approval process, evaluating and modifying our underwriting criteria given the underlying multifamily housing market fundamentals, limiting our geographic market and borrower exposures, and electing the modified risk-sharing option under the Fannie Mae DUS program.
The “Business” section of “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contains a discussion of the risk-sharing caps we have with Fannie Mae.
We regularly monitor the credit quality of all loans for which we have a risk-sharing obligation. Loans with indicators of underperforming credit are placed on a watch list, assigned a numerical risk rating based on our assessment of the relative credit weakness, and subjected to additional evaluation or loss mitigation. Indicators of underperforming credit include poor financial performance, poor physical condition, poor management, and delinquency. A specific reserve is recorded when it is probable that a risk-sharing loan will foreclose or has foreclosed, and a reserve for estimated credit losses and a guaranty obligation are recorded for all other risk-sharing loans.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, our allowance for risk-sharing obligations was $62.6 million and $75.3 million, respectively, or 13 basis points and 17 basis points of the at risk balance, respectively. The allowance for risk-sharing obligations as of December 31, 2021 was substantially comprised of the aforementioned CECL reserve.
The calculated CECL reserve for our at-risk Fannie Mae servicing portfolio as of December 31, 2021, which excludes collateral-based reserves, was $52.3 million compared to $67.0 million as of December 31, 2020. The significant decrease in the CECL reserve was principally related to a reduction in our loss forecast due to the improvements in the unemployment statistics and overall health of the multifamily market.
As of December 31, 2021, three at-risk loans with an aggregate UPB of $78.7 million were in default compared to two loans with an aggregated UPB of $48.5 million as of December 31, 2020. The collateral-based reserve on defaulted loans were $10.3 million and $8.3 million as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. We had a benefit for risk-sharing obligations of $12.7 million and a provision for risk-sharing obligations of $33.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
For the year ended December 31, 2021, we had a benefit for risk-sharing obligations of $12.7 million and a provision for risk-sharing obligations of $33.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.
For the ten-year period from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2021, we recognized net write-offs of risk-sharing obligations of $23.4 million, or an average of less than two basis points annually of the average at risk Fannie Mae portfolio balance.
We have never been required to repurchase a loan.
New/Recent Accounting Pronouncements
NOTE 2 in the consolidated financial statements in Item 15 of Part IV in this Annual Report on Form 10-K contains a description of the accounting pronouncements that the Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued and that have the potential to impact us but have not yet been adopted by us. There were no other accounting pronouncements issued during 2021 that have the potential to impact our consolidated financial statements.