GuruFocus - Release Date: October 31, 2024
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Positive Points
- Federal National Mortgage Association Fannie Mae (FNMA) reported a net income of $4 billion for the third quarter, contributing to a net worth increase to $90.5 billion.
- The company provided $106 billion of liquidity to the single-family and multifamily markets, assisting 383,000 households in buying, refinancing, or renting homes.
- FNMA's efforts included supporting 103,000 units of multifamily rental housing, primarily affordable for households earning at or below 120% of area median income.
- The company is actively working to remove obstacles for renters and homebuyers, such as limited credit history and high upfront costs, by using rent payment data to support better outcomes.
- FNMA is exploring new ways to support its mission in the capital markets, including single-family and multifamily social bonds aimed at affordable housing and underserved markets.
- Net income for the third quarter decreased by $440 million compared to the second quarter.
- The benefit for credit losses was down by $273 million, with a $424 million provision for credit losses in the multifamily sector.
- Multifamily property values have declined by 19.5% from their peak in the second quarter of 2022, returning to 2021 levels.
- The single-family serious delinquency rate increased to 52 basis points, with expectations of further increases due to economic conditions and natural disasters.
- Multifamily serious delinquency rate rose to 56 basis points, driven by a portfolio of arm loans that became seriously delinquent.
A: Chryssa C. Halley, Executive Vice President and CFO, explained that the net income for the third quarter was $4 billion, down from $4.5 billion in the second quarter. This decline was primarily due to a decrease in the benefit for credit losses and a provision for credit losses in the multifamily sector, driven by arm loans and modest decreases in forecasted property values.
Q: What are the current trends in the housing market, and how do they affect Fannie Mae's operations?
A: Priscilla Almodovar, President and CEO, noted that despite lower mortgage rates, existing home sales remain low due to housing affordability issues. Home prices have increased by 5.9% since the start of the year, impacting affordability. Fannie Mae is focusing on providing liquidity and supporting affordable housing through various initiatives, including social bonds and rent payment data utilization.
Q: How is Fannie Mae addressing the impact of recent natural disasters on homeowners and renters?
A: Priscilla Almodovar highlighted that Fannie Mae offers resources such as mortgage assistance and forbearance plans for affected homeowners. They also provide personalized help from HUD-approved housing counselors and have options like disaster payment deferral and flex modification to help communities recover and maintain stability.
Q: What are the expectations for the multifamily market in the coming years?
A: Chryssa C. Halley mentioned that multifamily market origination volumes are expected to be around $275 billion in 2024, slightly up from 2023 but significantly down from 2022. Rent growth is projected to remain below historical averages due to elevated new construction completions and high consumer debt levels among renters.
Q: How is Fannie Mae managing credit risk in its single-family and multifamily portfolios?
A: Chryssa C. Halley explained that Fannie Mae executed credit risk transfer transactions to manage risk, transferring a portion of the credit risk on significant unpaid principal balances. The single-family serious delinquency rate remains low, but there is an expectation of a short-term increase due to recent hurricanes and slower economic growth.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.