Earnings Call Contradictions: Assessing Dividend Coverage, Loan Sale Impacts, and Freddie Mac Volume

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macroeconomic impact on CRE and multifamily sectors:
- While the recovery in the CRE market has been affected by tariffs and increased recession risks, the impact on the core multifamily sector has been muted.
- Deliveries peaked in 2024, resulting in a 1% increase in rents in Q1 2025, indicating strong fundamentals in the multifamily sector.
- The resilience of the multifamily sector is due to its relative outperformance compared to the broader macroeconomic trends, supported by excess demand and peak deliveries.

Portfolio repositioning and asset liquidations:
- Ready Capital initiated a defensive late cycle posture and stabilized book value per share by liquidating non-core assets and completing targeted liquidations.
- The company liquidated $51 million in non-core bridge loans at a 102% premium, reducing the non-core portfolio by 6% to $740 million.
- The liquidation strategy aims to improve the net interest margin and reinvest in the core portfolio to enhance earnings and stabilize the balance sheet.

Dividend profile and outlook:
- Ready Capital maintained its dividend at the current level, with earnings per share affected by lower interest income and asset reductions.
- The company anticipates accretion in earnings from liquidation proceeds and expects the dividend to remain stable until the earnings profile warrants an increase.
- The decision to maintain the dividend is based on the potential for lower short or long rates, quicker Portland asset stabilization, and faster implementation of SBA changes.

SBA business performance and outlook:
- First quarter SBA volumes remained high at $343 million, with a 12-month default rate of 3.2%, below the industry average.
- Despite policy changes, Ready Capital anticipates SBA volumes below $1.5 billion for the year due to capital constraints and administrative delays in processing loans.
- The company remains optimistic about its long-term SBA business, supported by policy updates and increased SBA loan caps.