Organization and Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]


Note 1 - Organization and Basis of Presentation

Organization

Ocwen Financial Corporation (NYSE: OCN) (Ocwen, OFC, we, us and our) is a non-bank mortgage servicer and originator providing solutions to homeowners, investors and others through its primary operating subsidiary, PHH Mortgage Corporation (PMC). We are headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida with offices and operations in the United States (U.S.), the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), India and the Philippines. Ocwen is a Florida corporation organized in February 1988.

Ocwen directly or indirectly owns all of the outstanding common stock of its operating subsidiaries, including PMC since its acquisition on October 4, 2018, Ocwen Financial Solutions Private Limited (OFSPL) and Ocwen USVI Services, LLC (OVIS). Effective May 3, 2021, Ocwen holds a 15% equity interest in MAV Canopy HoldCo I, LLC (MAV Canopy) that invests in mortgage servicing assets through its licensed mortgage subsidiary MSR Asset Vehicle LLC (MAV). See Note 10 - Investment in Equity Method Investee for additional information.

We perform servicing activities related to our own MSR portfolio (primary) and on behalf of other servicers (subservicing), the largest being New Residential Investment Corp. (NRZ), and investors (primary and master servicing), including the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively referred to as GSEs), the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae, and together with the GSEs, the Agencies) and private-label securitizations (PLS, or non-Agency). As a subservicer or primary servicer, we may be required to make advances for certain property tax and insurance premium payments, default and property maintenance payments and principal and interest payments on behalf of delinquent borrowers to mortgage loan investors before recovering them from borrowers. Most, but not all, of our subservicing agreements provide for us to be reimbursed for any such advances by the owner of the servicing rights. Advances made by us as primary servicer are generally recovered from the borrower or the mortgage loan investor. As master servicer, we collect mortgage payments from primary servicers and distribute the funds to investors in the mortgage-backed securities. To the extent the primary servicer does not advance the scheduled principal and interest, as master servicer we are responsible for advancing the shortfall, subject to certain limitations.

We source our servicing portfolio through multiple channels, including retail, wholesale, correspondent, flow MSR purchase agreements, the Agency Cash Window programs and bulk MSR purchases. We originate, sell and securitize conventional (conforming to the underwriting standards of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac; collectively referred to as Agency or GSE) loans and government-insured (Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)) forward mortgage loans, generally with servicing retained. The GSEs or Ginnie Mae guarantee these mortgage securitizations. We originate and purchase Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loans, or reverse mortgages, that are mostly insured by the FHA and we are an approved issuer of Home Equity Conversion Mortgage-Backed Securities (HMBS) that are guaranteed by Ginnie Mae.

We had a total of approximately 5,200 employees at September 30, 2021 of which approximately 3,200 were located in India and approximately 400 were based in the Philippines. Our operations in India and the Philippines primarily provide internal support services, principally to our loan servicing business and our corporate functions. Of our foreign-based employees, approximately 67% were engaged in supporting our loan servicing operations as of September 30, 2021.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the instructions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to Form 10-Q and SEC Regulation S-X, Article 10, Rule 10-01 for interim financial statements. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) for complete financial statements. In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation. The results of operations and other data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the year ending December 31, 2021. The unaudited consolidated financial statements presented herein should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

In August 2020, Ocwen implemented a reverse stock split of its shares of common stock in a ratio of one-for-15. The number of shares, loss per share amounts, repurchase price per share amounts, and Common stock and Additional paid-in capital balances have been retroactively adjusted for all periods presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to give effect to the reverse stock split as if it occurred at the beginning of the first period presented. See Note 14 – Equity for additional information.

Use of Estimates and Assumptions

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires that management make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Such estimates and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those that relate to fair value measurements, income taxes and the provision for losses that may arise from contingencies including litigation proceedings. In developing estimates and assumptions, management uses all available information; however, actual results could materially differ from those estimates and assumptions.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Income Taxes (ASC Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12)

The FASB issued this ASU to Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 740, Income Taxes, as part of its overall simplification initiative to reduce costs and complexity of applying accounting standards while maintaining or improving the usefulness of the information provided to users of financial statements. Amendments include the removal of certain exceptions to the general principles of ASC Topic 740 in such areas as intraperiod tax allocation, year to date losses in interim periods and deferred tax liabilities related to outside basis differences. Amendments also include simplification in other areas such as interim recognition of enactment of tax laws or rate changes and accounting for a franchise tax (or similar tax) that is partially based on income.

Our adoption of this standard on January 1, 2021 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity's Own Equity—Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity (ASU 2020-06)

The amendments in this ASU simplify the accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity by reducing the number of accounting models for convertible debt and convertible preferred stock instruments. In addition, this ASU amended the derivative guidance for the “own stock” scope exception and certain aspects when calculating earnings per share. The amendments in this ASU affect entities that issue convertible instruments and/or contracts in an entity’s own equity.

The amendments in this ASU are effective on January 1, 2022, with early adoption permitted on January 1, 2021. Our early adoption of this standard on January 1, 2021 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Investments—Equity Securities (ASC Topic 321), Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (ASC Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (ASC Topic 815) (ASU 2020-01)

The amendments in this ASU affect all entities that apply the guidance in ASC Topics 321, 323, and 815 and (1) elect to apply the measurement alternative or (2) enter into a forward contract or purchase an option to purchase securities that, upon settlement of the forward contract or exercise of the purchased option, would be accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The amendments clarify that forward or option contracts to purchase investments that will be accounted for using the equity method that do not meet the definition of a derivative under ASC Topic 815 are in the scope of ASC Topic 321. Therefore, when the purchase contract is considered a forward or option contract in the scope of this guidance, the investor would account for changes in the contract’s fair value prior to closing through earnings, unless the contract qualifies for the measurement alternative and it is elected. If the measurement alternative is elected, the change in the fair value of the contract would be reflected in earnings upon closing. In addition, if there are observable transactions or impairments before closing, the guidance would require remeasurement of the contract to fair value.

The guidance in this ASU also specifies that when applying the measurement alternative in ASC Topic 321, observable

transactions include those transactions by the investor that result in the application or discontinuation of the equity method

of accounting.

The amendments under this ASU are effective prospectively. Our adoption of this standard on January 1, 2021 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Standards Issued but Not Yet Adopted

Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Debt—Modifications and Extinguishments (Subtopic 470-50), Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718), and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Issuer’s Accounting for Certain Modifications or Exchanges of Freestanding Equity-Classified Written Call Options (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force) (ASU 2021-04)

The amendments in this ASU provide the following guidance for a modification or an exchange of a freestanding equity-classified written call option that is not within the scope of another Topic: (1) treat a modification of the terms or conditions or an exchange of a freestanding equity-classified written call option that remains equity classified after modification or exchange as an exchange of the original instrument for a new instrument, (2) measure the effect of a modification or an exchange of a freestanding equity-classified written call option that remains equity classified after modification or exchange and (3) recognize the effect of a modification or an exchange of a freestanding equity-classified written call option to compensate for goods or services in accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 718. In a multiple-element transaction (for example, one that includes both debt financing and equity financing), the total effect of the modification should be allocated to the respective elements in the transaction.

The amendments in this ASU are effective for us on January 1, 2022. We do not anticipate that the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.