v3.25.4
Debt Securities
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]  
Debt Securities Debt Securities
The Company holds investments in various classes of non-agency RMBS, CMBS and other holdings. The Company designates its investments in RMBS as AFS, HTM and as RMBS investments in beneficial interests, based on the Company’s intent and ability to hold each security to maturity. Beneficial interests are the residual interest of the Company’s investments in securitization trusts holding pools of residential mortgage loans. The Company carries its RMBS AFS debt securities at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in other comprehensive income in the period in which they occur. The Company carries its RMBS HTM and beneficial interests at amortized cost, net of any required allowance for credit losses. Beneficial interests may be trust certificates and/or subordinated notes depending on the structure of the securitization.

The Company adopted the fair value option for its investments in CMBS and any changes in fair value are recorded in earnings in the period incurred. Interest income on CMBS is recognized using the effective interest method. The Company adopted the fair value option as its Manager believes it is the appropriate measure of accounting for securities as it transitions the balance sheet away from residential mortgage loans.

The Company’s investments in RMBS are investments in unconsolidated VIEs, and the Company’s maximum exposure to loss is limited to the amount of its investment.
The Company’s investments in RMBS HTM represent the 5.01% the Company is required to retain under the European risk retention rules for the Company’s secured bonds payable (the “EU Retained Interest”). Under the European risk retention rules, the Company must hold at least 5.0% of the nominal value of each class of securities offered or sold to investors, and the Company is prohibited from selling, transferring or otherwise surrendering all or part of the EU Retained Interest until all such classes are paid in full or redeemed.

The Company’s RMBS AFS and HTM all have stated maturities of more than 10 years. The securities are subject to prepayments on the underlying collateral and varying call provisions held by the majority certificate holders. The Company is not a majority certificate holder and cannot influence the timing of any call provisions.

During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company reported $(8.7) million and $0.1 million, respectively, of fair value gains (losses) in current period earnings on securities carried at fair value of which $(3.6) million was reclassified from other comprehensive loss to realized loss due to the sale of RMBS AFS with par of $20.7 million in the first quarter of 2025. The changes in unrealized gains and losses are recorded in other income (loss) in the consolidated statements of operations. There were no sales of RMBS in the year ended December 31, 2024.

During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company acquired $49.1 million and $255.9 million in par of CMBS, respectively.

The following table presents information regarding the Company’s investments in debt securities:
($ in thousands)
As of December 31, 2025
Basis(1)
Gross unrealized gainsGross unrealized lossesFair value
Commercial mortgage-backed securities, at fair value
$273,421 $596 $(234)$273,783 
RMBS available-for-sale, at fair value48,810 648 (218)49,240 
Debt securities held-to-maturity at amortized cost, net of allowance for credit losses of $0
41,528 — (1,210)40,318 
Investment in beneficial interests at amortized cost, net of allowance for credit losses of $0
99,179 9,327 (42,257)66,249 
Residential mortgage-backed securities189,517 9,975 (43,685)155,807 
Total debt securities$462,938 $10,571 $(43,919)$429,590 
(1)Basis amount is net of amortized discount, principal paydowns and interest receivable on CMBS, RMBS AFS and HTM before any fair value adjustment.


($ in thousands)
As of December 31, 2024
Basis(1)
Gross unrealized gainsGross unrealized lossesFair value
Commercial mortgage-backed securities, at fair value
$245,540 $1,074 $— $246,614 
RMBS available-for-sale, at fair value68,226 273 (6,330)62,169 
Debt securities held-to-maturity at amortized cost, net of allowance for credit losses of $0
46,043 8 (2,104)43,947 
Investment in beneficial interests at amortized cost, net of allowance for credit losses of $9,082
89,704 1,001 (23,661)67,044 
Residential mortgage-backed securities203,973 1,282 (32,095)173,160 
Total debt securities$449,513 $2,356 $(32,095)$419,774 
(1)Basis amount is net of amortized discount, principal paydowns and interest receivable on CMBS, RMBS AFS and HTM before any fair value adjustment.
The following table presents a breakdown of the Company’s gross unrealized gains and losses on its investments in RMBS AFS grouped by due date:

($ in thousands)
As of December 31, 2025
Step-up date(s)(1)
Basis(2)
Gross unrealized gainsGross unrealized lossesFair value
RMBS due March 2060n/a$3,916 $67 $— $3,983 
RMBS due January 2061(3)
n/a5,268 — (68)5,200 
RMBS due June 2061n/a8,833 154 — 8,987 
RMBS due October 2061(3)
April 20295,389 — (77)5,312 
RMBS due March 2062(3)
May 20295,789 — (73)5,716 
RMBS due July 2062February 20308,915 256 — 9,171 
RMBS due October 2062October 20264,389 32 — 4,421 
RMBS due May 2063July 20306,311 139 — 6,450 
RMBS Available-for-Sale, at Fair Value$48,810 $648 $(218)$49,240 
(1)When applicable, the step-up date is the date at which the coupon interest rate on the security increases.
(2)Basis amount is net of any realized amortized costs, accrued interest and principal paydowns or additional investment into security.
(3)These securities have been in an unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer.
($ in thousands)
As of December 31, 2024
Step-up date(s)(1)
Basis(2)
Gross unrealized gainsGross unrealized lossesFair value
RMBS due March 2060(3)
February 2025$3,825 $— $(362)$3,463 
RMBS due December 2060(3)
July 20297,521 — (3,133)4,388 
RMBS due January 2061(3)
n/a4,886 — (384)4,502 
RMBS due June 2061(3)
January 2025/February 20258,674 — (762)7,912 
RMBS due October 2061(3)
April 20296,015 — (371)5,644 
RMBS due March 2062(3)
May 20299,397 — (585)8,812 
RMBS due July 2062(3)
February 203012,081 — (733)11,348 
RMBS due October 2062October 20264,673 221 — 4,894 
RMBS due May 2063July 203011,154 52 — 11,206 
RMBS Available-for-Sale, at Fair Value$68,226 $273 $(6,330)$62,169 
(1)When applicable, the step-up date is the date at which the coupon interest rate on the security increases.
(2)Basis amount is net of any realized amortized costs, accrued interest and principal paydowns or additional investment into security.
(3)These securities have been in an unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer.

The following table presents accretable interest income on debt securities and accretable yield on beneficial interests recognized for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:
($ in thousands)
Year ended December 31,
20252024
Interest income on CMBS$16,585 $4,476 
Interest income on RMBS AFS and HTM5,530 7,611 
RMBS Beneficial interests6,540 5,178 
$28,655 $17,265 

The Company generally recognizes accretable yield on its beneficial interests and increases and decreases in the net present value of expected cash flows in earnings in the period in which they occur.
Under CECL, an expense is recorded to increase the allowance for expected credit losses when there is a reduction in the Company’s expected future cash flows compared to contractual amounts due. Income is recognized if there is an increase in expected future cash flows to the extent an allowance has been recorded against the beneficial interest or RMBS HTM. If there is no allowance for expected credit losses recorded against a beneficial interest or RMBS HTM, any increase in expected cash flows is recognized prospectively as a change in yield. Management assesses the credit quality of the portfolio and the adequacy of loss reserves on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary.

During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company had no activity and no balance related to the allowance for expected credit losses for investments in RMBS HTM.

The following table presents the activity in the allowance for expected credit losses for beneficial interests:
($ in thousands)
Year ended December 31,
20252024
Allowance for expected credit losses, beginning balance$(9,082)$(6,880)
Credit loss expense(388)— 
Reclassification to non-credit discount from the allowance for changes in payment expectations2,467 1,773 
Net change in the allowance for credit losses7,003 (3,975)
Allowance for expected credit losses, ending balance$— $(9,082)