Note 7 - Use of Special Purpose Entities and Variable Interest Entities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Use Of Special Purpose Entities And Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]  
Use Of Special Purpose Entities And Variable Interest Entities [Text Block]

7.                Use of Special Purpose Entities and Variable Interest Entities


A Special Purpose Entity (“SPE”) is an entity designed to fulfill a specific limited need of the company that organized it.  SPEs are often used to facilitate transactions that involve securitizing financial assets or re-securitizing previously securitized financial assets.  The objective of such transactions may include obtaining non-recourse financing, obtaining liquidity or refinancing the underlying securitized financial assets on improved terms.  Securitization involves transferring assets to an SPE to convert all or a portion of those assets into cash before they would have been realized in the normal course of business through the SPE’s issuance of debt or equity instruments.  Investors in an SPE usually have recourse only to the assets in the SPE and depending on the overall structure of the transaction, may benefit from various forms of credit enhancement, such as over-collateralization in the form of excess assets in the SPE, priority with respect to receipt of cash flows relative to holders of other debt or equity instruments issued by the SPE, or a line of credit or other form of liquidity agreement that is designed with the objective of ensuring that investors receive principal and/or interest cash flow on the investment in accordance with the terms of their investment agreement.


The Company has evaluated its CMBS investments in Freddie Mac-sponsored K-Series securitizations to determine whether they are VIEs.  In addition, the Company also evaluated its financings transactions, such as its Residential CDOs completed in 2005, its multi-family CMBS re-securitization transaction completed in May 2012, its collateralized recourse financing transactions completed in November 2012 and November 2013 and its distressed residential mortgage loan securitization transactions completed in December 2012, July 2013 and September 2013 (each a “Financing VIE” and collectively, the “Financing VIEs”) and concluded that the entities created to facilitate each of the transactions are VIEs.


The Company then completed an analysis of whether the VIEs should be consolidated by the Company, based on consideration of its involvement in each of the VIEs, including the design and purpose of the SPE, and whether its involvement reflected a controlling financial interest that resulted in the Company being deemed the primary beneficiary of the VIEs.  In determining whether the Company would be considered the primary beneficiary, the following factors were assessed:


 

whether the Company has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE; and


 

whether the Company has a right to receive benefits or absorb losses of the entity that could be potentially significant to the VIE.


The Company has determined that it has a variable interest in the Consolidated K-Series for which it is the primary beneficiary and has a controlling financial interest and, accordingly, has consolidated their assets, liabilities, income and expenses in the accompanying consolidated financial statements (see Notes 2 and 6).


Also, based on its evaluation of the factors discussed above, including its involvement in the purpose and design of the entity, the Company determined that the Financing VIEs met the criteria for consolidation and, accordingly, consolidated the Financing VIEs created to facilitate these transactions.


The following table presents a summary of the assets and liabilities of these consolidated Financing VIEs.  Intercompany balances have been eliminated for purposes of this presentation.


Assets and Liabilities of consolidated Financing VIEs as of December 31, 2013 (dollar amounts in thousands):


   

Financing VIEs

 
   

Multi-family CMBS re-securitization(1)

   

Collateralized Recourse Financings(2)

   

Distressed Residential Mortgage Loan Securitization

   

Residential Mortgage Loan Securitizations

   

Total

 

Investment securities available for sale, at fair value held in securitization trusts

  $ 29,289     $ 63,289     $     $     $ 92,578  

Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts (net)

                      163,237       163,237  

Distressed residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts (net)

                254,721             254,721  

Multi-family loans held in securitization trusts, at fair value

    1,234,084       6,876,938                   8,111,022  

Receivables and other assets

    5,241       27,198       10,072       1,760       44,271  

Total assets

  $ 1,268,614     $ 6,967,425     $ 264,793     $ 164,997     $ 8,665,829  
                                         

Residential collateralized debt obligations

  $     $     $     $ 158,410     $ 158,410  

Multi-family collateralized debt obligations, at fair value

    1,195,637       6,675,383                   7,871,020  

Securitized debt

    27,240       107,853       169,871             304,964  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

    4,640       25,315       981       15       30,951  

Total liabilities

  $ 1,227,517     $ 6,808,551     $ 170,852     $ 158,425     $ 8,365,345  

(1)

The Company classified the multi-family CMBS issued by two K-Series securitizations and held by this Financing VIE as available for sale securities as the purpose is not to trade these securities.  The Financing VIE consolidated one K-Series securitization that issued certain of the multi-family CMBS owned by the Company, including its assets, liabilities, income and expenses, in its financial statements, as based on a number of factors, the Company determined that it was the primary beneficiary and has a controlling financial interest in this particular K-Series securitization (see Note 6).


(2)

The multi-family CMBS serving as collateral under the collateralized recourse financings are comprised of securities issued from seven separate Freddie Mac-sponsored multi-family K-Series securitizations.  The Financing VIE classified the multi-family CMBS issued by the two K-Series securitizations and held by the Financing VIE as available for sale securities as the purpose is not to trade these securities.  The Financing VIE consolidated five of the K-Series securitizations, including their assets, liabilities, income and expenses, in its financial statements as based on a number of factors, the Company determined that it was the primary beneficiary and has a controlling financial interest in such K-Series securitizations (see Note 6).


Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated VIEs as of December 31, 2012 (dollar amounts in thousands):


   

Financing VIEs

   

Non-financing VIEs

         
   

Multi-family CMBS re-securitization(1)

   

Collateralized Recourse

Financing(2)

   

Distressed

Residential Mortgage

Loan Securitization

   

Residential Mortgage Loan Securitizations

   

Multi-family

CMBS(3)

   

Total

 

Investment securities available for sale, at fair value held in securitization trusts

  $ 22,611     $ 48,548     $     $     $     $ 71,159  

Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts (net)

                      187,229             187,229  

Distressed residential mortgage loans held in securitization trust (net)

                60,459                   60,459  

Multi-family loans held in securitization trusts, at fair value

    1,335,862       2,610,276                   1,496,768       5,442,906  

Receivables and other assets

    5,372       11,797       3,187       1,425       3,035       24,816  

Total assets

  $ 1,363,845     $ 2,670,621     $ 63,646     $ 188,654     $ 1,499,803     $ 5,786,569  
                                                 

Residential collateralized debt obligations

  $     $     $     $ 180,979     $     $ 180,979  

Multi-family collateralized debt obligations, at fair value

    1,306,760       2,547,015                   1,465,798       5,319,573  

Securitized debt

    26,891       52,000       38,700                   117,591  

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

    4,706       10,609       259       15       2,918       18,507  

Total liabilities

  $ 1,338,357     $ 2,609,624     $ 38,959     $ 180,994     $ 1,468,716     $ 5,636,650  

(1)

The Company classified the multi-family CMBS issued by two K-Series securitizations and held by the Financing VIE as available for sale securities as the purpose is not to trade these securities.  The Financing VIE consolidated one K-Series securitization that issued certain of the multi-family CMBS owned by the Company, including its assets, liabilities, income and expenses, in its financial statements, as based on a number of factors, the Company determined that it was the primary beneficiary and has a controlling financial interest in this particular K-Series securitization (see Note 6).


(2)

The multi-family CMBS serving as collateral under the collateralized recourse financing are comprised of securities issued from four separate Freddie Mac-sponsored multifamily K-Series securitizations.  The Financing VIE classified the multi-family CMBS issued by two K-Series securitizations and held by the Financing VIE as available for sale securities as the purpose is not to trade these securities.  The Financing VIE consolidated two of the K-Series securitizations, including their assets, liabilities, income and expenses, in its financial statements as based on a number of factors, the Company determined that it was the primary beneficiary and has a controlling financial interest in such K-Series securitizations (see Note 6).


(3)

One of the four Freddie Mac-sponsored multi-family K-Series securitizations included in the Consolidated K-Series was not subject to any Financing VIE as of December 31, 2012.


The following table summarizes the Company’s securitized debt collateralized by multi-family CMBS and distressed residential mortgage loans (dollar amounts in thousands):


   

Multi-family CMBS

Re-securitization (1)

   

Collateralized

Recourse Financings (2)

   

Distressed

Residential Mortgage

Loan Securitizations (3)

 
                         

Original Face amount of Notes issued by the VIE and purchased by 3rd party investors

  $ 35,000     $ 107,853     $ 176,970  

Principal Amount at December 31, 2013

  $ 34,508     $ 107,853     169,871  

Principal Amount at December 31, 2012

  $ 35,000     $ 52,000     $ 38,700  

Carrying Value at December 31, 2013 (4)

  $ 27,240     $ 107,853     $ 169,871  

Carrying Value at December 31, 2012 (4)

  $ 26,891     $ 52,000     $ 38,700  

Pass-through rate of Notes issued

    5.35 %  

One-month LIBOR plus 5.25% - 6.50%

      4.25% - 4.85%  

(1)

The Company engaged in the re-securitization transaction primarily for the purpose of obtaining non-recourse financing on a portion of its multi-family CMBS portfolio. As a result of engaging in this transaction, the Company remains economically exposed to the first loss position on the underlying multi-family CMBS transferred to the Consolidated VIE. The holders of the Note have no recourse to the general credit of the Company, but the Company does have the obligation, under certain circumstances, to repurchase assets upon the breach of certain representations and warranties. The Company will receive all remaining cash flow, if any, through its retained ownership.


(2)

The Company entered into CMBS Master Repurchase Agreements with a three-year term for the purpose of financing a portion of its multi-family CMBS portfolio. In connection with these transactions, the Company agreed to guarantee the due and punctual payment of its wholly-owned subsidiary's obligations under the CMBS Master Repurchase Agreements.


(3)

The Company engaged in these transactions for the purpose of financing distressed residential mortgage loans acquired by the Company. The distressed residential mortgage loans serving as collateral for the financings are comprised of performing, re-performing and to a lesser extent non-performing, fixed and adjustable-rate, fully-amortizing, interest only and balloon, seasoned mortgage loans secured by first liens on one to four family properties. Two of the four securitization transactions provide for a revolving period of one to two years from the date of the respective financing (“Revolving Period”) where no principal payments will be made on the note. All cash proceeds generated by the distressed residential mortgage loans and received by the respective securitization trust during the Revolving Period, after payment of interest on the note, reserve amounts and certain other transaction expenses, will be available for the purchase by the trust of additional mortgage loans that satisfy certain eligibility criteria.     


(4)

Classified as securitized debt in the liability section of the Company’s accompanying consolidated balance sheets.


The following table presents contractual maturity information about the Financing VIEs’ securitized debt as of December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively:


Scheduled Maturity (principal amount)

 

December 31, 2013

   

December 31, 2012

 

(Dollar amount in thousands)

               

Within 24 months

  $ 90,700     $  

Over 24 months to 36 months

    187,024       90,700  

Over 36 months

    34,507       35,000  

Total

    312,231       125,700  

Discount

    (7,267 )     (8,109 )

Carrying value

  $ 304,964     $ 117,591  

There is no guarantee that the Company will receive any cash flows from these securitization trusts.


Residential Mortgage Loan Securitization Transaction


The Company has completed four residential mortgage loan securitizations (other than the distressed residential mortgage loan securitizations discussed above) since inception; the first three were accounted for as permanent financings and have been included in the Company’s accompanying consolidated financial statements.


Unconsolidated VIEs


The Company has evaluated its Multi-family CMBS investments in four Freddie Mac-sponsored K-Series securitizations and its mezzanine loan, preferred equity and other equity investments to determine whether they are VIEs and should be consolidated by the Company.  Based on a number of factors, the Company determined that it does not have a controlling financial interest and is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs. The following table presents the classification and carrying value of unconsolidated VIEs as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 (dollar amounts in thousands):


   

December 31, 2013

   

December 31, 2012

 
   

Investment

securities available for sale, at fair value, held

in securitization

trusts

   

Receivables and other Assets

   

Total

   

Investment

securities available for sale, at fair value, held

in securitization

trusts

   

Receivables and other Assets

   

Total

 

Multi-Family CMBS

  $ 92,578     $ 183     $ 92,761     $ 71,159     $ 188     $ 71,347  

Mezzanine loan and equity investments

          28,058       28,058             3,522       3,522  

Total assets

  $ 92,578     $ 28,241     $ 120,819     $ 71,159     $ 3,710     $ 74,869  

Our maximum loss exposure on the Multi-Family CMBS investments, mezzanine loan and equity investments is approximately $120.8 million and $74.9 million at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The Company’s maximum exposure does not exceed the carrying value of its investments.