Thomas Capasse
Analyst · Christopher Nolan with Ladenburg Thalmann
Thanks, Andrew. Good morning, and thank you to those who have then joined our call this morning. We hope you and your loved ones continue to be safe and healthy. Our third quarter performance, which builds upon the strength of Q2, exemplifies the benefits of our differentiated and diversified business model. Ready Capital's relative outperformance is underscored by the resiliency of core earnings generation in our operating companies, many benefiting from access to government secondary markets. Over the last 2 quarters, we have successfully boosted origination volumes in our 3 capital-light gain on sale businesses, including the SBA, residential mortgage banking and Freddie Mac's small balance multifamily segments. At the same time, we relaunched our capital-intensive small balance commercial, or SBC programs, comprising bridge and fixed direct lending supplemented by SBC portfolio acquisitions for banks. Both were executed alongside efforts to decrease mark-to-market liabilities, increase liquidity and mitigate delinquencies through proactive asset management. In our SBA 7(a) subsidiary, on the heels of PPP, we experienced a resurgence in demand for 7(a) loans, particularly from essential small businesses such as FedEx groups. In the quarter, we originated a record $83 million in SBA 7(a) loans. Demand was driven by small business reopenings post-COVID shutdowns, banks tightening credit for small businesses and the CARES Act, which waived the first 6 months principal and interest on loans funded prior to September 27. Additionally, net premiums on secondary market sales reached a record 15% while averaging 12% in the quarter due to inclusion of SBA 7(a) securities in the TALF program. Although we expect lower fourth quarter volume, we expect a positive trajectory for earnings contribution from our SBA subsidiary from 3 factors: first, elevated demand for SBA 7(a) loans in the post-COVID recovery; second, additional stimulus programs embedded in a likely post-election CARES 2 Act. These include around 2 for PPP and resurrection of an enhanced 7(a) from the GFC, including an increase in the guarantee from 75% to 90% and waivers of the guarantee fee by the SBA. And finally, following our second quarter beta testing, a full rollout of our SBA small loan, so-called Express program, leveraging our investment in fintech over the last 12 months. Historically, only 16% of our origination volume are small loans, which is relatively low compared to the 44% for total SBA originations. As one of only a few active 14 nonbank SBA lenders, our business continues to evidence market leadership with the #1 year-to-date position among all nonbank SBA 7(a) lenders and a top 15 year-to-date position amongst all 7(a) lenders. In our residential mortgage banking segment, historic low mortgage rates and growing nonbank market share boosted industry refi and purchase volume 63% and 27%, respectively. As a result, in the quarter, GMFS originated $1.2 billion at margins averaging over 300 basis points with a similar 72% and 22% increases in refi and purchase volume year-over-year. Additionally, our 33% retention rate on our mortgage servicing rights in the quarter continue to exceed industry averages. Going forward, we expect continued elevated demand. October represented the single highest production month in the company's history, with $425 million in originations and current commitments to originates stand at $738 million. In our Freddie multifamily business, demand for loans on stabilized multifamily collateral has remained strong throughout the last 2 quarters. With Freddie Mac rates as low as 2.8%, originations reached $413 million year-to-date, representing 100% of total 2019 production. In 2020, expanding our agency presence was a key stated strategic objective. The first step was completed in the quarter with the inking of 2 correspondence agreements that allow us to offer a full suite of commercial agency products to our customers. Over the next few quarters, we expect to further add to the existing infrastructure in our agency segment. Finally, in addition to our gain on sale businesses, we are well along the path to normalize operations in our core SBC origination and acquisition businesses. In our origination business, our bridge lending business relaunched in the quarter, closing $17 million in September, and the current money up pipeline has grown to $98 million. Additionally, our fixed rate and money up pipeline now sits at $22 million. Our origination efforts are focused on sectors with low exposure to an extended pandemic, including multifamily and industrial and focusing on sponsors with strong financial health and a history of success in prior downturns. We're actively avoiding bridge-to-bridge cash-outs and unrealistic business plans. On the acquisition front, we continue to leverage our relationships to purchase seasoned performing loans from collapsing CMBS deals at mid-teens deals. In the quarter, we purchased $16 million and have a current pipeline in excess of $242 million. We expect more products to come to market in the first half of 2020 as banks repositioned due to CECL and bid-ask spreads tightened. Ready Capital continues to outperform in terms of post-pandemic credit metrics versus the large balance commercial real estate lenders due to 3 factors. First, SBC is more correlated with housing than large balance commercial real estate. As one metric in terms of 2020 property prices, Street consensus is for a 7% to 10% decline in the Moody's NCREIF large balance index versus our projection of a 0% to 3% decline in SBC property prices against a 5% increase in the Case-Shiller residential index. Second, more conservative underwriting and a lower risk portfolio mix due in part to our less competitive pre-recession SBC niche. And finally, enterprise-wide special servicing capabilities associated with a 13-year track record buying nonperforming loans globally, providing COVID-ready asset management loss mitigation strategies. Our portfolio of first lien assets, which consists of 5,400 SBC and SBA loans is highly diversified across both collateral type and geographies. Within our SBC segment, our focus on conservative underwriting, a proprietary GEOtier model favoring superior markets and the avoidance of underperforming sectors has led to stable performance throughout the last few months. Through the most recent payment date, 1.7% of our originated SBC loans, inclusive of Freddie Mac collateral, are 60 days plus delinquent, which remains stable from Q2 delinquencies and compares favorably to a large balance CMBS at 8%. In our acquired SBC portfolio, which includes many nonperforming loans, 60-day plus delinquencies are 6.1%, down from 6.6% at June 30. Additionally, forbearance is down from the 8% COVID high point to 1.8%. Of loans that have rolled off forbearance, 90% have migrated to current status. Now in terms of the current portfolio, it's important to reiterate a few key factors that highlights its strengths. In the SBC portfolio, exposure to sectors most affected by COVID is low with 4% and 15% in hospitality and retail, respectively. Moreover, we're exposed to the better performing subsectors in hospitality to limited service hotels with a $2.8 million average balance that have experienced nationally 15% declines in RevPAR versus over 50% the luxury hotels. Our retail exposure is also granular with an average loan size of $1.6 million and is collateralized by small multi-tenanted centers that serve local communities. Second, we have minimal single asset or single-tenant exposure with our largest loan representing only 1% of our total portfolio. And finally, our average loan-to-value is 60%, which provides significant headroom when compared to our estimated declines in small balance property prices of approximately 3%. Within our SBA segment, which represents less than 11% of stockholders' equity, exposure to hotel and restaurants comprises 24% of the total SBA portfolio. Delinquencies through the September payment declined to 4.2% from 5.4% at June month end while we do expect slight increases in delinquencies as SBA support through the CARES Act concludes. We expect to offer deferment as necessary and allowed by the SBA to provide small businesses a longer runway to normalized economic conditions. Additionally, future government stimulus is expected to focus on additional support for small businesses, which will directly aid in the performance of the SBA portfolio. So with that, I'll now turn it over to Andrew to discuss financial results.