Mortgage REITs

Although interest rates have risen since the pandemic started, they continue at levels that would be considered historically low. Consequently, investors seeking yield or income from their investments are struggling to find any that are paying attractive rates. Most blue-chip dividend growth stocks are trading at extremely high valuations which have driven their yields below what many investors living off their income would need. For example, the 1.42% current yield of the S&P 500 index is one of its lowest since the irrational exuberant period of 1999 and 2000.

Low-interest rates have an impact on the return expectations from both fixed income instruments and equities. When interest rates rise, previously issued fixed income instruments like bonds will drop in value. However, newly issued fixed income becomes more attractive because of its higher rates which more aggressively compete with equities which tends to drive their prices down. Consequently, rising interest rates provide a double edge sword that cut the returns of both fixed income and equities.

Nevertheless, with scant options at their disposal, investors seeking yield can easily be enticed by high-yielding instruments such as mortgage REITs (mREITs). With this video, I am going to cover the top 10 mortgage REITs by market cap and discuss whether their 7% to 9% yields are attractive or too risky. I will further reveal that although statistically, these mortgage REITs appear attractive and even attractively valued, but statistics alone do not tell the whole story.

In the video I will go over Two Harbors Investment (TWO), Apollo Commercial Real Estate (ARI), Arbor Realty Trust (ABR), Chimera Investment Corp (CIM), Hannon Armstrong Sustainable (HASI), Blackstone Mortgage Trust (BXMT), New Residential Investment (NRZ), Starwood Property Trust (STWD), AGNC Investment Corp (AGNC), Annaly Capital Management (NLY).

(Click on image to enlarge)

10 Mortgage REITS

Video length 00:29:01