EFC US Equity☆

efc-20251231

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025

OR

For the transition period from to

Commission file number 001-34569

Ellington Financial Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

53 Forest Avenue

Old Greenwich, Connecticut, 06870

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(203) 698-1200

(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class Trading Symbol(s) Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share EFC The New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐No☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large Accelerated Filer ☒ Accelerated Filer ☐

Non-Accelerated Filer ☐ Smaller Reporting Company ☐

Emerging Growth Company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ̈

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ̈

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ̈

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No x

As of the last business day of the Registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of the Registrant's common shares held by non-affiliates was $1,333,824,255 based on the closing price as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on that date.

Number of shares of the Registrant's common stock outstanding as of February 27, 2026: 124,649,023

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Registrant's definitive Proxy Statement with respect to its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed not later than April 30, 2026 are incorporated by reference into Part III hereof as noted therein.

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ELLINGTON FINANCIAL INC.

INDEX

Item No. Form 10-K Report Page

PART I

1. Business 4

1A. Risk Factors 18

1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 75

1C. Cybersecurity 75

2. Properties 78

3. Legal Proceedings 78

4. Mine Safety Disclosures 78

PART II

6. [Reserved] 80

7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 119

8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 123

9A. Controls and Procedures 220

9B. Other Information 220

9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 220

PART III

10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 221

11. Executive Compensation 221

14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 221

PART IV

15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 222

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PART I

Item 1. Business

Except where the context suggests otherwise, references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to "EFC," "we," "us," and "our" refer to Ellington Financial Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, including Ellington Financial Operating Partnership LLC, our operating partnership subsidiary, which we refer to as our "Operating Partnership." References in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to (1) "common shares" refer to shares of our common stock, $0.001 par value per share and (2) "common stockholders" refer to holders of shares of our common stock. We conduct all of our operations and business activities through our Operating Partnership. Our "Manager" refers to Ellington Financial Management LLC, our external manager, "Ellington" refers to Ellington Management Group, L.L.C. and its affiliated investment advisory firms, including our Manager, and "Manager Group" refers collectively to officers and directors of EFC, and partners and affiliates of Ellington (including families and family trusts of the foregoing). In certain instances, references to our Manager and services to be provided to us by our Manager may also include services provided by Ellington and its other affiliates from time to time.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

When used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, in future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the "SEC," or in press releases or other written or oral communications, statements which are not historical in nature, including those containing words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "plan," "continue," "intend," "should," "would," "could," "goal," "objective," "will," "may," "seek," or similar expressions or their negative forms or references to strategy, plans or intentions, are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the "Securities Act," and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the "Exchange Act," and, as such, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and assumptions.

Forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions, and expectations of our future operations, business strategies, performance, financial condition, liquidity and prospects, taking into account information currently available to us. These beliefs, assumptions, and expectations are subject to risks and uncertainties and can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and strategies may vary materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements. The following factors are examples of those that could cause actual results to vary from our forward-looking statements: changes in interest rates and the market value of our securities or our investments; market volatility; changes in the prepayment rates on the mortgage loans owned by us, or underlying the securities owned by us; increased rates of default and/or decreased recovery rates on our assets; our ability to borrow to finance our assets and the available terms for such borrowings; changes in government regulations affecting our business; our ability to maintain our exclusion from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"); our ability to maintain our qualification as a real estate investment trust ("REIT"); and risks associated with investing in real estate assets, including changes in business conditions and the general economy such as changes to fiscal or monetary policy, heightened inflation, slower growth or recession, and currency fluctuations. These and other risks, uncertainties and factors, including the risk factors described under Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, could cause our actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward-looking statements we make. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. New risks and uncertainties arise over time, and it is not possible to predict those events or how they may affect us. Except as required by law, we are not obligated to, and do not intend to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Our Company

We are a Delaware corporation operating as a real estate investment trust ("REIT") and are listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") under the symbol “EFC.” We were formed in July 2007 and became a publicly traded company following our initial public offering in October 2010.

We employ a credit-focused investment strategy and manage a diversified portfolio totaling approximately $4.9 billion as of December 31, 2025. Our primary objective is to generate attractive risk-adjusted total returns for our stockholders by making investments that we believe appropriately compensate us for the risks we assume. Our strategic focus is on residential and commercial mortgage loan investments, sourced through a diverse array of loan origination channels, including certain affiliated loan originators. We opportunistically invest in both loans and securities. Through Longbridge Financial LLC (“Longbridge”), a wholly-owned and consolidated subsidiary of our Operating Partnership, we are also in the business of originating, servicing, and investing in reverse mortgage loans.

We are externally managed and advised by our Manager, an affiliate of Ellington, which is responsible for administering our business activities and day-to-day operations. Pursuant to a services agreement between our Manager and Ellington, our Manager relies on Ellington’s personnel and infrastructure to support our operations. Most members of our executive management team also serve as officers of our Manager and Ellington.

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We intend to maintain our qualification to be taxed as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Provided that we maintain our qualification as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal, state, and local income tax on our REIT taxable income that is currently distributed to our stockholders, so long as we distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (excluding net capital gains) to our stockholders by prescribed dates and comply with various other requirements. Any taxes paid by a taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”) will reduce the cash available for distribution to our stockholders.

We acquire and manage mortgage-related, consumer-related, corporate-related, and other financial assets, including those listed below. For a more detailed description of our targeted asset classes, see Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Our Targeted Asset Classes."

•Agency RMBS, including (i) whole pool pass-through certificates; (ii) partial pool pass-through certificates; and (iii) agency collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs"), including interest only securities ("IOs"), principal only securities ("POs"), and inverse interest only securities ("IIOs");

•CMBS and Commercial Mortgage Loans, including (i) CMBS; (ii) CLOs backed by commercial mortgage loans ("CRE CLOs"); and (iii) commercial mortgage loans and other commercial real estate debt;

•Consumer Loans and ABS, including (i) consumer loans; (ii) ABS backed by consumer loans; (iii) ABS backed by Small Business Administration ("SBA") loans, including IOs backed by SBA loans; and (iv) retained tranches from securitizations to which we have contributed assets;

•Corporate CLOs, including (i) corporate CLO debt and equity tranches; and (ii) investments in CLO loan accumulation facilities;

•Mortgage-Related Derivatives, including (i) To-Be-Announced mortgage pass-through certificates ("TBAs"); (ii) credit default swaps ("CDS") on individual RMBS, on the CMBX and other mortgage-related indices; and (iii) other mortgage-related derivatives;

•Non-Agency RMBS, including: (i) RMBS backed by prime jumbo, Alt-A, non-QM, manufactured housing, and subprime mortgages; (ii) RMBS backed by fixed rate mortgages, Adjustable rate mortgages ("ARMs"), Option-ARMs, and Hybrid ARMs; (iii) RMBS backed by mortgages on single-family-rental properties; (iv) RMBS backed by first-lien and second-lien mortgages; (v) RMBS backed by performing and non-performing mortgages; (vi) investment grade and non-investment grade securities; (vii) senior and subordinated securities; (viii) IOs, POs, IIOs, and inverse floaters; (ix) collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"); (x) RMBS backed by European residential mortgages ("European RMBS"); (xi) retained tranches from securitizations in which we have participated; and (xi) credit risk transfer securities ("CRTs");

•Residential mortgage loans, including: (i) residential mortgage loans that are not deemed "qualified mortgage" loans under the rules of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("non-QM loans"); (ii) residential "transition loans," such as residential bridge loans and residential "fix-and-flip" loans; (iii) residential non-performing mortgage loans ("NPLs"); (iv) re-performing loans ("RPLs"), which generally are loans that were modified and/or formerly NPLs where the borrower has resumed making payments in some form or amount; (v) residential mortgage loans that meet the criteria for inclusion in an Agency securitization ("Agency-eligible residential mortgage loans"); (vi) retained tranches from securitizations to which we have contributed assets; (vii) reverse mortgage loans; (viii) closed-end second lien mortgage loans; and (ix) home equity line of credit loans ("HELOCs");

•Strategic investments, including strategic equity and/or debt investments in loan originators, loan servicers, and mortgage-related entities;

•Other investments, including: (i) Mortgage servicing rights ("MSRs") and MSR-related investments; (ii) real estate, including commercial and residential real property; (iii) corporate debt and equity securities and corporate loans; (iv) non-mortgage-related derivatives; and (v) IO strips backed by small business administration loans.

Our loan investments include performing, non-performing, and sub-performing loans. We also invest in the debt and/or equity of other entities engaged in loan-related businesses, such as loan originators and mortgage-related entities. In connection with our investments in loan originators, we may enter into flow agreements that will allow us to purchase loans from those originators in accordance with the parameters set forth in the applicable flow agreement.

In addition, we may from time to time acquire real property.

We also opportunistically utilize derivatives and other hedging instruments to hedge our interest rate risk, yield spread risk, credit risk, and foreign currency risk.

We have two reportable operating segments, which we refer to as the Investment Portfolio Segment and the Longbridge Segment.

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Longbridge is primarily engaged in the business of originating, purchasing, selling and servicing reverse mortgage loans, including home equity conversion mortgage loans, or "HECM loans." Longbridge maintains its corporate office in Paramus, New Jersey, with branch offices in multiple states. Longbridge is approved as a Title II, non-supervised direct endorsement mortgagee with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or "HUD." In addition, Longbridge is an approved issuer of Ginnie Mae HECM-backed securities, or "HMBS." Longbridge also originates and services non-FHA guaranteed proprietary reverse mortgage loan products, typically jumbo loans (i.e., loans with balances exceeding FHA limits), and other loan products.

On December 14, 2023, we completed the merger between Arlington Asset Investment Corp., a Virginia corporation ("Arlington"), and our subsidiary EF Merger Sub Inc. (the "Arlington Merger"), through which we increased our capital base and added a portfolio of investments and borrowings that we believe were complementary to our existing investment portfolio and liability structure.

Our Manager and Ellington

We are externally managed and advised by our Manager, an affiliate of Ellington, pursuant to a management agreement. Our Manager was formed solely to serve as our manager and does not have any other clients. In addition, our Manager currently does not have any employees and instead relies on the employees of Ellington to perform its obligations to us. Ellington is an investment management firm and registered investment advisor with an over 30-year history of investing in a broad spectrum of mortgage-backed securities, or "MBS," and related derivatives.

The members of our management team include Michael Vranos, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ellington, who serves as our Co-Chief Investment Officer; Laurence Penn, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Ellington, who serves as our Chief Executive Officer and President and a member of our Board of Directors; Mark Tecotzky, Vice Chairman - Co-Head of Credit Strategies of Ellington, who serves as our Co-Chief Investment Officer; JR Herlihy, a Managing Director of Ellington, who serves as our Chief Financial Officer; Christopher Smernoff, who serves as our Chief Accounting Officer; Daniel Margolis, General Counsel of Ellington, who serves as our General Counsel; Vincent Ambrico, who serves as our Controller; and Alaael-Deen Shilleh, Associate General Counsel of Ellington, who serves as our Associate General Counsel and Secretary. Each of these individuals is an officer of our Manager.

Our Manager is responsible for administering our business activities and day-to-day operations and, pursuant to a services agreement between our Manager and Ellington, relies on the resources of Ellington to support our operations. Ellington has well-established portfolio management resources for our targeted asset classes and an established infrastructure supporting those resources. Through our relationship with our Manager, we benefit from Ellington's highly analytical investment processes, broad-based deal flow, extensive relationships in the financial community, financial and capital structuring skills, investment surveillance database, and operational expertise. For example, Ellington's analytic approach to the investment process involves the collection of substantial amounts of data regarding historical performance of MBS collateral and MBS market transactions. Ellington analyzes this data to identify possible relationships and trends and develops financial models used to support our investment and risk management process. In addition, over its long investing history, Ellington has developed strong relationships with a wide array of dealers and other market participants, providing it with access to a broad range of trading opportunities and market information. As a result, Ellington provides us with access to a wide variety of asset acquisition and disposition opportunities and information that assist us in making asset management decisions across our targeted asset classes, which we believe provides us with a significant competitive advantage. We also benefit from Ellington's finance, accounting, operational, legal, compliance, and administrative functions.

As of December 31, 2025, Ellington had over 170 employees and had assets under management of approximately $20.1 billion.

Our Strategy

We utilize an opportunistic strategy to seek to generate attractive, risk-adjusted returns. We pursue value across various types of mortgage-related, consumer-related, corporate-related, and other financial assets, through investments primarily in loans and securities.

Our strategy is adaptable to changing market environments, subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes and maintaining our exclusion from registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. As a result, although we currently focus on the targeted assets described in the section captioned "Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Our Targeted Asset Classes," our acquisition and management decisions depend on prevailing market conditions and our targeted asset classes may vary over time in response to market conditions. We may engage in a high degree of trading volume as we implement our strategy. Our Manager is authorized to follow very broad investment guidelines and, as a result, we cannot predict our portfolio composition. We expect to continue to hold certain of our assets through one or more domestic taxable REIT subsidiaries, or "TRSs." As a

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result, a portion of the income from such assets will be subject to U.S. federal and state corporate income tax. We may change our strategy and policies without a vote of our stockholders. Moreover, although our independent directors may periodically review our investment guidelines and our portfolio, they generally do not review our proposed asset acquisitions or asset management decisions.

We believe that Ellington's capabilities allow our Manager to identify attractive assets, value these assets, monitor and forecast the performance of these assets, and opportunistically hedge our risk with respect to these assets. Ellington's continued emphasis on and development of proprietary credit, interest rate, and prepayment models, as well as other proprietary research and analytics, underscores the importance it places on a disciplined and analytical approach to fixed income investing. In addition, Ellington's analytical and financial resources can help support the loan origination companies in which we have strategic investments. For example, we can provide these companies with a reliable outlet for their production, help enhance their underwriting guidelines, help improve the terms and stability of their financing sources, and help boost their overall visibility in the marketplace. In these ways, we leverage Ellington's skills and resources to seek to meet our investment objectives.

With respect to structured products including MBS, Ellington seeks investments across a wide range of sectors without any restriction as to ratings, structure, or position in the capital structure. Over time and through market cycles, opportunities will present themselves in varying sectors and in varying forms. By rotating between and allocating among various sectors of the structured product markets and, subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, adjusting the extent to which it hedges, Ellington believes that it is able to capitalize on the disparities between these sectors as well as on overall trends in the marketplace, and therefore provide better and more consistent returns for its investors. Disparities between sectors vary from time to time and are driven by a combination of factors. For example, as various structured product sectors fall in and out of favor, the relative yields that the market demands for those sectors may vary. In addition, Ellington's performance projections for certain sectors may differ from those of other market participants and such disparities will naturally cause us, from time to time, to gravitate towards certain sectors and away from others. Disparities between structured product sectors and individual securities within such sectors may also be driven by differences in collateral performance (for example, loans originated during certain periods of time when underwriting standards were generally stricter may on average perform better than loans originated during other times) and in the structure of particular investments (for example, in the timing of cash flows or the level of credit enhancement), and our Manager may believe that other market participants are overestimating or underestimating the value of these differences. Furthermore, we believe that risk management, including opportunistic portfolio hedging and prudent financing and liquidity management, is essential for consistent generation of attractive, risk-adjusted total returns across market cycles.

With respect to loans, we have tended to focus on underserved, niche market segments where inefficiencies exist, and where the segment's size or complexity could present a barrier to entry. Ellington uses its deep network of industry relationships, including the loan originators in which we have invested, to source new loan investments. These relationships have generated a regular flow of investment opportunities from diversified sources, including flow agreements with certain loan originators, including those in which we have invested. By investing opportunistically in both loans and securities, as well as in loan originators, we believe that we are able to achieve attractive diversification and can take advantage of relative value across investment classes.

We believe that our Manager is uniquely qualified to implement our strategy. Our strategy is consistent with Ellington's investment approach, which is based on its distinctive strengths in sourcing, analyzing, trading, and hedging complex structured products and loans. Furthermore, we believe that Ellington's extensive experience in buying, selling, analyzing, and structuring fixed income securities and loans, coupled with its broad access to market information and trading flows, provides us with a steady flow of opportunities to acquire assets with favorable trade executions.

In executing our strategies, subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, we employ a wide variety of hedging instruments and derivative contracts. See "—Risk Management" below.

Investment Process

Our investment process benefits from the resources and professionals of our Manager and Ellington. The process is managed by an investment and risk management committee, which includes, among others, the following three officers of our Manager: Mr. Vranos, Mr. Penn, and Mr. Tecotzky. These officers of our Manager also serve as our Co-Chief Investment Officer, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Chief Investment Officer, respectively. The investment and risk management committee operates under investment guidelines and meets periodically to develop a set of preferences for the composition of our portfolio. The primary focus of the investment and risk management committee, as it relates to us, is to review and approve our investment policies and our portfolio holdings and related compliance with our investment policies and guidelines, and to give guidance and oversight to the various investment teams that make our day-to-day investment decisions. The investment and risk management committee has authority delegated by our Board of Directors to authorize transactions consistent with our

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investment guidelines.

Ellington has focused investment teams for many of our targeted asset classes. Our asset acquisition process includes sourcing and screening of asset acquisition opportunities, credit analysis, due diligence, structuring, financing, and hedging, each as appropriate, to seek attractive total returns commensurate with our risk tolerance. Our asset acquisition process is also informed by our objective to maintain our exclusion from registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, and to maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Valuation of Assets

Our Manager's valuation committee directs our valuation process, which is also subject to the oversight of our independent directors. See Note 2 of the notes to consolidated financial statements included in this report for a discussion of our valuation process.

Risk Management

Risk management is a cornerstone of Ellington's portfolio management process. Ellington's risk management infrastructure system includes "ELLiN," a proprietary portfolio management system used by all departments at Ellington, including trading, research, risk management, finance, operations, accounting, and compliance. We benefit from Ellington's comprehensive risk management infrastructure and ongoing assessment of both portfolio and operational risks. In addition, we utilize derivatives and other hedging instruments to opportunistically hedge our credit risk, yield spread risk, interest rate risk, and foreign currency risk.

Interest Rate Hedging

We opportunistically hedge our interest rate risk by using various hedging strategies to mitigate such risks, subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT and our exclusion from registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. The interest rate hedging instruments that we use and may use in the future include, without limitation:

•To-Be-Announced mortgage pass-through certificates, or "TBAs";

•interest rate swaps (including floating-to-fixed, fixed-to-floating, or more complex swaps such as floating-to-inverse floating, callable or non-callable);

•collateralized mortgage obligations, or "CMOs";

•U.S. Treasury securities;

•swaptions, caps, floors, and other derivatives on interest rates;

•futures and forward contracts; and

•options on any of the foregoing.

Credit Risk Hedging

Subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT, we enter into credit-hedging positions in order to protect against adverse credit events with respect to certain of our credit assets. Our credit hedging portfolio can vary significantly from period to period, and can encompass a wide variety of financial instruments, including corporate debt or equity-related instruments, RMBS or CMBS-related instruments, or instruments involving other markets. Our hedging instruments can include both "single-name" instruments (i.e., instruments referencing one underlying entity or security) and hedging instruments referencing indices. We also opportunistically overlay our credit hedges with certain relative value long/short positions involving the same or similar instruments.

Foreign Currency Hedging

To the extent we hold instruments denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars, we may enter into transactions to offset the potential adverse effects of changes in currency exchange rates, subject to maintaining our qualification as a REIT. In particular, we may use currency forward contracts and other currency-related derivatives to mitigate this risk.

Our Financing Strategies and Use of Leverage

We finance our assets with what we believe to be a prudent amount of leverage, the level of which varies from time to time based upon the particular characteristics of our portfolio, availability of financing, and market conditions. As of December 31, 2025, the majority of our recourse borrowings consisted of repurchase agreements, or "repos." Currently, the majority of our repos are collateralized by residential mortgage loans. In a repo, we sell an asset to a counterparty at a discounted value, or the "Loan Amount," and simultaneously agree to repurchase the same asset from such counterparty at a specified later date at a price equal to the Loan Amount plus an interest charge. Despite being legally structured as sales and

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subsequent repurchases, repos are accounted for as collateralized borrowings under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or "U.S. GAAP." During the term of a repo, we generally receive the income and other payments distributed with respect to the underlying assets, and pay interest to the counterparty. While the proceeds of our repo financings are often used to purchase the assets subject to the transaction, our financing arrangements do not restrict our ability to use proceeds from these arrangements to support our other liquidity needs. Our repo arrangements on securities are documented under the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association's, or "SIFMA's," standard form master repurchase agreement with the ability for both parties to demand margin (i.e., to demand that the other party post additional collateral or repay a portion of the funds advanced) should the value of the underlying assets and posted collateral change. Our repo arrangements on loans are governed by master repurchase agreements that are negotiated and customized facilities, with customized terms governing such matters as termination/principal amortization, advance rates, calculation of market value, and the rules for margin demands or declines in advance rates. As the value of our collateral fluctuates, under most of our master repurchase agreements, we and our repo counterparties are required to post additional collateral to each other from time to time as part of the normal course of our business. Our repo financing counterparties generally have the right, to varying degrees, to determine the value of the underlying collateral for margining purposes, subject to the terms and conditions of our agreement with the counterparty.

In addition to using repos to finance many of our assets, we have also entered into securitization transactions and secured borrowing facilities to finance other assets. For those secured financings, other than repos, for which the associated transfer of assets is not accounted for as a sale, the associated borrowings are included under the captions Other secured borrowings and Other secured borrowings, at fair value, on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. In addition, we have issued senior notes, or "Senior Notes," that are unsecured and are effectively subordinated to our secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness.

Finally, we have also raised equity capital to finance acquisitions of our assets, including through public offerings of our common and preferred stock, and as a result of the Arlington Merger, where we issued additional shares of our common and preferred stock in exchange for Arlington common and preferred shares.

We may utilize other types of borrowings in the future, including more complex financing structures. We also may raise capital by issuing additional debt securities, additional preferred or common stock, warrants, or other securities.

Our use of leverage, especially in order to increase the amount of assets supported by our capital base, may have the effect of increasing losses when these assets underperform. Our investment policies require no minimum or maximum leverage, and our Manager's investment and risk management committee has the discretion, without the need for further approval by our Board of Directors, to change both our overall leverage and the leverage used for individual asset classes. Because our strategy is flexible, dynamic, and opportunistic, our overall leverage will vary over time. As a result, we do not have a targeted debt-to-equity ratio.

Management Agreement

We entered into a management agreement with our Manager upon our inception in August 2007, pursuant to which our Manager provides for the day-to-day management of our operations.

The management agreement, as amended, requires our Manager to manage our assets, operations, and affairs in conformity with the policies and investment guidelines that are approved and monitored by our Board of Directors. Our Manager is under the supervision and direction of our Board of Directors. Our Manager is responsible for:

•the selection, purchase, and sale of assets in our portfolio;

•our financing and risk management activities;

•providing us with advisory services; and

•providing us with a management team, inclusive of a partially dedicated Chief Financial Officer and appropriate support personnel as necessary.

Our Manager is responsible for our day-to-day operations and performs (or causes to be performed) such services and activities relating to the management, operation, and administration of our assets and liabilities, and business as may be appropriate.

Under the management agreement, we pay our Manager a management fee quarterly in arrears, which includes a "base" component and an "incentive" component, and we reimburse certain expenses of our Manager.

The management agreement provides that 10% of each incentive fee payable to our Manager is to be paid in common shares, with the balance paid in cash; provided, however, that our Manager may, in its sole discretion, elect to receive a greater

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percentage of any incentive fee in the form of common shares by providing our Board of Directors with written notice of its election to receive a greater percentage of its incentive fee in common shares before the first day of the last calendar month in the quarter to which such incentive fee relates. The management agreement further provides that our Manager may not elect to receive common shares as payment of its incentive fee, other than in accordance with all applicable securities exchange rules and securities laws (including prohibitions on insider trading). The number of our common shares to be received by our Manager is based on the fair market value of those common shares, which is determined based on the average of the closing prices of our common shares as reported by the NYSE during the last calendar month of the quarter to which such incentive fee relates. Common shares delivered as payment of the incentive fee are immediately vested, provided that our Manager has agreed not to sell such common shares prior to one year after the date they are issued to our Manager, provided further, however, that this transfer restriction will immediately lapse if the management agreement is terminated.

Base Management Fees, Incentive Fees, and Reimbursement of Expenses

Base Management Fees

Under the management agreement, we pay our Manager a base management fee quarterly in arrears in an amount equal to 1.50% per annum of the total equity of the Operating Partnership (calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP) as of the end of each fiscal quarter (before deductions for base management and incentive fees payable with respect to such fiscal quarter), provided that the equity of the Operating Partnership is adjusted to exclude one-time events pursuant to changes in U.S. GAAP, as well as non-cash charges after discussion between our Manager and our independent directors, and approval by a majority of our independent directors in the case of non-cash charges.

Incentive Fees

In addition to the base management fee, with respect to each fiscal quarter we pay our Manager an incentive fee equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the product of (A) 25% and (B) the excess of (1) our Adjusted Net Income (as defined below) for the Incentive Calculation Period (which means such fiscal quarter and the immediately preceding three fiscal quarters) over (2) the sum of the Hurdle Amounts (described below) for the Incentive Calculation Period, over (ii) the sum of the incentive fees already paid or payable for each fiscal quarter in the Incentive Calculation Period preceding such fiscal quarter.

For purposes of calculating the incentive fee, "Adjusted Net Income" for the Incentive Calculation Period means the net increase/(decrease) in equity resulting from operations of the Operating Partnership (or such equivalent U.S. GAAP measure based on the basis of presentation of our consolidated financial statements), after all base management fees but before any incentive fees for such period, and excluding any non-cash equity compensation expenses for such period, as reduced by any Loss Carryforward (as described below) as of the end of the fiscal quarter preceding the Incentive Calculation Period. Adjusted Net Income will be adjusted to exclude one-time events pursuant to changes in U.S. GAAP, as well as non-cash charges after discussion between our Manager and our independent directors and approval by a majority of our independent directors in the case of non-cash charges.

For purposes of calculating the incentive fee, the "Loss Carryforward" as of the end of any fiscal quarter is calculated by determining the excess, if any, of (1) the Loss Carryforward as of the end of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter over (2) the net increase in equity resulting from operations of the Operating Partnership (expressed as a positive number) or the net decrease in equity resulting from operations of the Operating Partnership (expressed as a negative number) for such fiscal quarter (or such equivalent U.S. GAAP measures as may be appropriate depending on the basis of presentation of our consolidated financial statements), as the case may be, calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, adjusted to exclude one-time events pursuant to changes in U.S. GAAP, as well as non-cash charges after discussion between our Manager and our independent directors and approval by a majority of our independent directors in the case of non-cash charges.

For purposes of calculating the incentive fee, the “Hurdle Amount” for any fiscal quarter is equal to the product of (i) the total members’ equity of the Operating Partnership, calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP as of the end of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter, adjusted to exclude the effects of one-time events resulting from changes in U.S. GAAP, as well as non-cash charges, in each case after discussion between the Manager and the Company’s independent directors and, in the case of non-cash charges, approval by a majority of the Company’s independent directors, and (ii) one-fourth of the Hurdle Rate. For purposes of the Management Agreement, the “Hurdle Rate” means the greater of (A) 9% and (B) 3% plus the 10-year U.S. Treasury rate for such fiscal quarter. The Hurdle Amount is appropriately adjusted for any issuances or repurchases of shares of common stock during the applicable fiscal quarter.

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Reimbursement of Expenses

Other than with respect to our subsidiary Longbridge, we do not maintain an office or employ personnel, but rather we rely on the facilities and resources of our Manager to conduct our operations. We pay all of our direct operating expenses, except those specifically required to be borne by our Manager under the management agreement. Under the management agreement, we are required to reimburse our Manager for certain operating expenses that it incurs on our behalf in the performance of its duties, including, among other things, our allocable portion of the costs incurred by our Manager for certain dedicated or partially dedicated personnel, based on the portion of their working time and efforts spent on our matters and subject to approval of the reimbursed amounts by the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors. These dedicated and partially dedicated personnel include a chief financial officer, one or more controllers, an in-house legal counsel, internal audit staff in connection with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance initiatives and certain other personnel performing duties for us, including certain personnel involved in the implementation of our more operationally intensive strategies, such as personnel involved in loan acquisition and loan management.

Term and Termination

The management agreement has a current term that expires on December 31, 2026, and will automatically renew for a one year term on each anniversary date thereafter unless notice of non-renewal is delivered by either party to the other party no earlier than 270 days and no later than 180 days prior to the expiration of the then current term. Our independent directors review our Manager's performance annually, and the management agreement may be terminated annually upon the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of our independent directors, or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common shares, based upon unsatisfactory performance by our Manager that is materially detrimental to us or a determination that the fees payable to our Manager are not fair, subject to our Manager's right to prevent such a fee-based termination by agreeing to a mutually acceptable reduction of its fees. In the event we terminate the management agreement without cause or elect not to renew the management agreement, we will be required to pay our Manager a termination fee equal to the amount of three times the sum of (i) the average annual base management fees paid or payable to our Manager, and (ii) the average annual incentive fees paid or payable to our Manager, in each case calculated by reference to the two most recent 12-month periods ending on the last day of the most recently completed fiscal quarter prior to the date of the notice of termination or non-renewal.

We may also terminate the management agreement, without payment of the termination fee, upon 30 days' prior written notice from our Board of Directors to our Manager (and, where applicable, following any applicable cure period) for cause, which is defined as:

•our Manager's continued material breach of any provision of the management agreement following a period of 30 days after written notice of such breach;

•our Manager's fraud, misappropriation of funds, or embezzlement against us;

•our Manager's gross negligence in performance of its duties under the management agreement;

•the occurrence of certain events with respect to the bankruptcy or insolvency of our Manager, including, but not limited to, an order for relief in an involuntary bankruptcy case or our Manager authorizing or filing a voluntary bankruptcy petition;

•the dissolution of our Manager; and

•the occurrence of certain changes of control of our Manager, including but not limited to, the departure of Mr. Vranos from senior management of Ellington, whether through resignation, retirement, withdrawal, disability, death or termination of employment with or without cause or for any other reason.

Our Manager may terminate the management agreement effective upon 60 days prior written notice of termination to us in the event that we or the Operating Partnership default in the performance or observance of any material term, condition or covenant in the management agreement and the default continues for a period of 30 days after written notice to us or the Operating Partnership, as applicable, specifying such default and requesting that the same be remedied in such 30-day period. In the event our Manager terminates the management agreement due to our default in the performance or observance of any material term, condition, or covenant in the management agreement, we will be required to pay our Manager the termination fee in accordance with the management agreement. Our Manager may also terminate the management agreement in the event we become regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, with such termination deemed to occur immediately prior to such event; provided, however, that in the case of such termination, if our Manager was not at fault for our becoming regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we will be required to pay the termination fee.

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Conflicts of Interest; Equitable Allocation of Opportunities

Ellington manages, and expects to continue to manage, other funds, accounts, and vehicles that have strategies that are similar to, or that overlap with, our strategy; as of December 31, 2025, these other funds, accounts, and vehicles, represented approximately $20.1 billion of assets under management (including $10.6 billion of accounts that do not employ financial leverage). Ellington makes available to our Manager all opportunities to acquire assets that it determines, in its reasonable and good faith judgment, based on our objectives, policies and strategies, and other relevant factors, are appropriate for us in accordance with Ellington's written investment allocation policy, it being understood that we might not participate in each such opportunity, but will equitably participate with Ellington's other accounts in all such opportunities on an overall basis. Ellington's Investment and Risk Management Committee and its Compliance Committee (headed by its Chief Compliance Officer) are responsible for monitoring the administration of, and facilitating compliance with, Ellington's investment allocation procedures and policies.

Because many of our targeted assets are typically available only in specified quantities and are also targeted assets for other Ellington accounts, Ellington often is not able to buy as much of any given asset or group of assets as would be required to satisfy the needs of all of Ellington's accounts. In these cases, Ellington's investment allocation procedures and policies typically allocate such assets to multiple accounts in proportion to their needs and available capital. Ellington may at times allocate opportunities on a preferential basis to accounts that are in a "start-up" or "ramp-up" phase. The policies permit departure from such proportional allocation under certain circumstances, including, for example, when such allocation would result in an inefficiently small amount of the security or assets being purchased for an account. In that case, the policies allow for a protocol of allocating assets so that, on an overall basis, each account is treated equitably. In addition, as part of these policies, we may be excluded from specified allocations of assets for tax, regulatory, risk management, or similar reasons.

Other policies of Ellington that our Manager applies to the management of our company include controls for:

•Cross Transactions—defined as transactions between us or one of our subsidiaries, on the one hand, and an account (other than us or one of our subsidiaries) managed by Ellington or our Manager, on the other hand. It is Ellington's policy to engage in a cross transaction only when the transaction is in the best interests of, and is consistent with the objectives and policies of, both accounts involved in the transaction. Pursuant to the terms of the management agreement, Ellington or our Manager may enter into cross transactions where it acts both on our behalf and on behalf of the other party to the transaction. Although we believe such restrictions on our Manager's ability to engage in cross transactions on our behalf mitigate many risks, cross transactions, even at market prices, may potentially create a conflict of interest between our Manager's and our officers' duties to and interests in us and their duties to and interests in the other party. Upon written notice to our Manager, we may at any time revoke our consent to our Manager's executing cross transactions. Additionally, unless approved in advance by a majority of our independent directors or pursuant to and in accordance with a policy that has been approved by a majority of our independent directors, all cross transactions must be effected at the then-prevailing market prices. Pursuant to our Manager's current policies and procedures, assets for which there are no readily observable market prices may be purchased or sold in cross transactions (i) at prices based upon third-party bids received through auction, (ii) at the average of the highest bid and lowest offer quoted by third-party dealers, or (iii) according to another pricing methodology approved by our Manager's Chief Compliance Officer.

•Principal Transactions—defined as transactions between Ellington or our Manager (or any related party of Ellington or our Manager, which includes employees of Ellington and our Manager and their families), on the one hand, and us or one of our subsidiaries, on the other hand. Certain cross transactions may also be considered principal transactions whenever our Manager or Ellington (or any related party of Ellington or our Manager, which includes employees of Ellington and our Manager and their families) have a substantial ownership interest in one of the transacting parties. Our Manager is only authorized to execute principal transactions with the prior approval of a majority of our independent directors and in accordance with applicable law. Such prior approval includes approval of the pricing methodology to be used, including with respect to assets for which there are no readily observable market prices.

•Investment in Other Ellington Accounts—pursuant to the management agreement, if we invest at issuance in the equity of any collateralized debt obligation, or "CDO," that is managed, structured, or originated by Ellington or one of its affiliates, or if we invest in any other investment fund or other investment for which Ellington or one of its affiliates receives management, origination, or structuring fees, then, unless agreed otherwise by a majority of our independent directors, the base management and incentive fees payable by us to our Manager will be reduced by (or our Manager will otherwise rebate to us) an amount equal to the applicable portion (as described in the management agreement) of any such management, origination or structuring fees.

•Split Price Executions—pursuant to the management agreement, our Manager is authorized to combine purchase or sale orders on our behalf together with orders for other accounts managed by Ellington, our Manager or their affiliates and allocate the securities or other assets so purchased or sold, on an average price basis or other fair and consistent

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basis, among such accounts.

Our Manager is authorized to follow very broad investment guidelines. Our independent directors will periodically review our investment guidelines and our portfolio. However, our independent directors generally will not review our proposed asset acquisitions, dispositions, or other management decisions. In addition, in conducting periodic reviews, our independent directors will rely primarily on information provided to them by our Manager. Furthermore, our Manager may arrange for us to use complex strategies or to enter into complex transactions that may be difficult or impossible to unwind by the time they are reviewed by our independent directors. Our Manager has great latitude within our broad investment guidelines to determine the types of assets it may decide are proper for purchase by us. The management agreement with our Manager does not restrict the ability of its officers and employees from engaging in other business ventures of any nature, whether or not such ventures are competitive with our business. We may acquire assets from entities affiliated with our Manager, even where the assets were originated by such entities. Affiliates of our Manager may also provide services to entities in which we have invested. In addition, affiliates of Ellington have purchased loans from certain of our loan originator affiliates, and we have entered into and may in the future enter into securitization transactions alongside other funds managed by Ellington or its affiliates.

Our executive officers and the officers and employees of our Manager are also officers and employees of Ellington, and we compete with other Ellington accounts for access to these individuals. We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders, or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any asset to be acquired or disposed of by us or any of our subsidiaries or in any transaction to which we or any of our subsidiaries is a party or has an interest, nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. However, our code of business conduct and ethics contains a conflicts of interest policy that prohibits our directors, officers, and employees, as well as employees of our Manager who provide services to us, from engaging in any transaction that involves an actual or apparent conflict of interest with us, absent approval by the Board of Directors or except as expressly set forth above or as provided in the management agreement between us and our Manager. In addition, nothing in the management agreement binds or restricts our Manager or any of its affiliates, officers, or employees from buying, selling, or trading any securities or commodities for their own accounts or for the accounts of others for whom our Manager or any of its affiliates, officers, or employees may be acting.

Competition

In acquiring our assets, we compete with other mortgage REITs, specialty finance companies, loan originators and servicers, banks, mortgage bankers, insurance companies, mutual funds, institutional investors, investment banking firms, financial institutions, governmental bodies, private equity and private credit firms, and other entities. Many of our competitors are significantly larger than us, have greater access to capital and other resources, and may have other advantages over us. Some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources that may not be available to us, such as funding from the government. Additionally, many of our competitors are not subject to REIT tax compliance or required to maintain an exemption from the Investment Company Act. Our competitors also include other investment vehicles managed by Ellington or its affiliates. In addition to existing competitors, other companies may be organized for similar purposes in the future, including companies focused on purchasing mortgage assets. A proliferation of such companies may increase the competition for equity capital and thereby adversely affect the market price of our common or preferred stock. An increase in the competition for sources of funding could adversely affect the availability and cost of financing, and thereby adversely affect the market price of our common or preferred stock. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of assets, or pay higher prices, than we can.

In the face of this competition, we have access to our Manager's and Ellington's professionals and their industry expertise, which may provide us with a competitive advantage and help us assess risks and determine appropriate pricing for certain potential assets. In addition, we believe that these relationships, along with our strategic equity investments in loan originators, enable us to compete more effectively for attractive asset acquisition opportunities. However, we may not be able to achieve our business goals or expectations due to the competitive risks that we face.

Operating and Regulatory Structure

Tax Requirements

We elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or "the Code," commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2019. Since January 1, 2019, we have been organized in conformity with, and have operated in a manner that has enabled us to meet, the requirements for qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Provided that we maintain our qualification as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our REIT taxable income that is currently distributed to our stockholders. REITs are subject to a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement that they currently distribute at least 90% of their annual REIT taxable income excluding net capital gains. We cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with such requirements. Failure to

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maintain our qualification as a REIT in any taxable year would cause us to be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our taxable income at regular corporate rates (and any applicable state and local taxes). Even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we may be subject to certain U.S. federal, state, local, and non-U.S. taxes on our income. For example, any income generated by our domestic TRSs will be subject to U.S. federal, state, and local income tax. Any taxes paid by a TRS will reduce the cash available for distribution to our stockholders.

Investment Company Act Exclusions

Most of our business is conducted through various wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries in a manner such that neither we nor our subsidiaries are subject to registration under the Investment Company Act. Under Section 3(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act, a company is deemed to be an "investment company" if:

•it is, or holds itself out as being, engaged primarily, or proposes to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting, or trading in securities (Section 3(a)(1)(A)); or

•it is engaged or proposes to engage in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding, or trading in securities and does own or proposes to acquire "investment securities" having a value exceeding 40% of the value of its total assets (excluding U.S. government securities and cash) on an unconsolidated basis, or "the 40% Test" (Section 3(a)(1)(C)). "Investment securities" excludes U.S. government securities and securities of majority-owned subsidiaries that are not themselves investment companies and are not relying on the exception from the definition of investment company for private funds under Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act.

We believe that we and our Operating Partnership, and a holding company subsidiary of our Operating Partnership, or the "Holding Subsidiary," will not be considered investment companies under Section 3(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act, because we and they satisfy the 40% Test and because we and they do not engage primarily (or hold ourselves or themselves out as being engaged primarily) in the business of investing, reinvesting, or trading in securities. Rather, through wholly-owned or majority-owned subsidiaries, we, our Operating Partnership, and the Holding Subsidiary are primarily engaged in the non-investment company businesses of these subsidiaries.

Our Operating Partnership currently has several subsidiaries that rely on the exclusion provided by Section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act, each a "3(c)(7) subsidiary." In addition, the Holding Subsidiary currently has several 3(c)(7) subsidiaries and several subsidiaries that rely on the exclusion provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act, each a "3(c)(5)(C) subsidiary." While investments in 3(c)(7) subsidiaries are considered investment securities for the purposes of the 40% Test, investments in 3(c)(5)(C) subsidiaries are not considered investment securities for the purposes of the 40% Test, nor are investments in subsidiaries that rely on the exclusion provided by Section 3(a)(1)(C).

Therefore, our Operating Partnership's investments in its 3(c)(7) subsidiaries and its other investment securities cannot exceed 40% of the value of our Operating Partnership's total assets (excluding U.S. government securities and cash) on an unconsolidated basis. In addition, the Holding Subsidiary's investment in its 3(c)(7) subsidiaries and its other investment securities cannot exceed 40% of the value of our Holding Subsidiary's total assets (excluding U.S. government securities and cash) on an unconsolidated basis.

Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act is designed for entities primarily engaged in the business of "purchasing or otherwise acquiring mortgages and other liens on and interests in real estate." This exclusion generally requires that at least 55% of the entity's assets on an unconsolidated basis consist of qualifying real estate assets and at least 80% of the entity's assets on an unconsolidated basis consist of qualifying real estate assets or real estate-related assets. Both the 40% Test and the requirements of the Section 3(c)(5)(C) exclusion limit the types of businesses in which we may engage and the types of assets we may hold, as well as the timing of sales and purchases of assets.

On August 31, 2011, the SEC published a concept release entitled "Companies Engaged in the Business of Acquiring Mortgages and Mortgage Related Instruments" (Investment Company Act Rel. No. 29778). This release notes that the SEC is reviewing the Section 3(c)(5)(C) exclusion relied upon by companies similar to us that invest in mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities. There can be no assurance that the laws and regulations governing the Investment Company Act status of companies similar to ours, or the guidance from the Division of Investment Management of the SEC regarding the treatment of assets as qualifying real estate assets or real estate-related assets, will not change in a manner that adversely affects our operations as a result of this review. To the extent that the SEC staff provides more specific guidance regarding any of the matters bearing upon our exclusion from the need to register under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to adjust our strategy accordingly. Any additional guidance from the SEC staff could provide additional flexibility to us, or it could further inhibit our ability to pursue the strategies that we have chosen. Furthermore, although we intend to monitor the assets of our 3(c)(5)(C) subsidiaries regularly, there can be no assurance that any such subsidiary will be able to maintain this exclusion from registration. In that case, our investment in any such subsidiary would be classified as an investment security, and we might not be able to maintain our overall exclusion from registering as an investment company under the Investment Company

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Act.

If we or our subsidiaries were required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we would become subject to substantial regulation with respect to our capital structure (including our ability to use leverage), management, operations, transactions with affiliated persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act), and portfolio composition, including restrictions with respect to diversification and industry concentration and other matters. Compliance with the restrictions imposed by the Investment Company Act would require us to make material changes to our strategy which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders. Accordingly, to avoid that result, we may be required to adjust our strategy, which could limit our ability to make certain investments or require us to sell assets in a manner, at a price or at a time that we otherwise would not have chosen. This could negatively affect the value of our common or preferred stock, the sustainability of our business model and our ability to make distributions. See "Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure—Maintenance of our exclusion from registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act imposes significant limitations on our operations."

Investment Advisers Act of 1940

Both Ellington and our Manager are registered as investment advisers under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and are subject to the regulatory oversight of the Division of Investment Management of the SEC.

Regulations Applicable to Longbridge

Longbridge is subject to extensive regulation by federal, state, and local authorities and a variety of statutes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures in numerous jurisdictions throughout the United States. These laws and regulations include, but are not limited to:

•the Truth in Lending Act, or "TILA," which regulates mortgage loan origination activities, requires certain disclosures be made to mortgagors regarding terms of mortgage financing and regulates certain mortgage servicing activities;

•the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which regulates the use and reporting of information related to the credit history of consumers;

•the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race and certain other characteristics in the extension of credit;

•the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, sex, national origin, and certain other characteristics;

•the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, or "RESPA," which governs certain mortgage loan origination activities and practices and the actions of servicers related to transfers, lender-placed insurance, loss mitigation, error resolution, and other customer communications;

•the Homeowners Protection Act, the CARES Act, and similar state laws;

•laws that require and govern communications with consumers or reporting of public data, such as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which requires initial and periodic communication with consumers on privacy matters and the maintenance of privacy regarding certain consumer data in our possession, and the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act / Regulation C, which requires reporting of certain public loan data;

•state and federal restrictions on marketing activities conducted by telephone, mail, email, mobile device or the internet, including the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, state telemarketing laws, and federal and state privacy laws;

•the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing and the Federal Trade Commission Act, together with their accompanying regulations and guidelines;

•federal and state laws requiring company, branch and individual licensing for the solicitation of or brokering of consumer loans, including the SAFE Act;

•federal and state laws relating to identity theft;

•the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which regulates the timing and content of communications on debt collections;

•the California Consumer Privacy Act, which provides California consumers with additional privacy rights and increases the privacy and security obligations of entities handling certain personal information of such consumers;

•the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act;

•the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act, including the USA Patriot Act, which require non-bank lenders to monitor for, detect, and report suspicious activity to the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network;

•the prohibition on unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices (“UDAAP”) under the Dodd-Frank Act, which authorizes the CFPB to take enforcement action against entities engaging in practices that are unfair, deceptive, or abusive in connection with consumer financial products or services;

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•the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (“UETA”) and related federal and state electronic signature laws, which validate the use of electronic records and signatures in commercial and consumer transactions and impose requirements on the use, retention, and enforceability of electronic documentation in connection with mortgage loan origination and servicing activities;

•regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) governing the origination, servicing, and securitization of Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (“HECMs”), including eligibility, counseling, disclosure, underwriting, and documentation requirements applicable to FHA-insured reverse mortgage products.

•restrictions imposed by the rules promulgated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control; and

•restrictions imposed by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the “Dodd-Frank Act”, and current or future rules promulgated thereunder, including, but not limited to, limitations on fees charged by mortgage lenders, mortgage broker disclosures and rules promulgated by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or the “CFPB,” which was created under the Dodd-Frank Act.

The CFPB’s jurisdiction includes those persons or entities originating, brokering or servicing residential mortgage loans and those persons or entities performing loan modification or foreclosure relief services in connection with such loans. As a result, the CFPB directly impacts the regulation of residential mortgage loan originations and servicing in several ways. First, the CFPB has rulemaking authority with respect to many of the federal consumer protection laws applicable to mortgage servicers, including TILA and RESPA. Second, the CFPB has supervision, examination and enforcement authority over consumer financial products and services offered by certain non-depository institutions, such as Longbridge. The CFPB also has authority, under the Dodd-Frank Act, to prevent unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices in connection with the offering of consumer financial products. The Dodd-Frank Act authorizes the CFPB to establish certain minimum standards for the origination of residential mortgages. The CFPB continues to take a very active role in the mortgage industry, and its rule-making and regulatory agenda relating to loan servicing and origination continues to evolve.

Many individual states have also been active regulators, as have other regulatory organizations such as the Multistate Mortgage Committee, a multistate coalition of various mortgage banking regulators. In addition to their traditional focus on licensing and examination matters, certain regulators make observations, recommendations or demands with respect to areas such as corporate governance, safety and soundness and risk and compliance management. The CFPB and state regulators have also focused on other issues, such as the use and adequacy of technology in the mortgage servicing industry, privacy concerns, communications from debt collectors, and the ability of borrowers to repay mortgage loans.

Furthermore, in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Longbridge became subject to additional regulations and requirements. These include the CARES Act as well as multiple forbearance programs, various foreclosure and eviction moratoriums, and other programs implemented by states, agencies and regulators. The CFPB also promulgated certain amendments to RESPA (Regulation X) with respect to loss mitigation, early intervention call requirements, and initiating new foreclosures. These federal protections for borrowers expired on January 1, 2022; however, certain states and localities have implemented additional foreclosure-related requirements or borrower protection measures that may affect the timing and administration of foreclosure proceedings.

In recent years, the general trend among federal, state and local legislative bodies and regulatory agencies, as well as state attorneys general, has been toward increasing laws, regulations, investigative proceedings and enforcement actions relating to residential mortgage lenders and servicers.

Human Capital Resources

Other than with respect to our subsidiary Longbridge, we have no employees and all of our executive officers, and our dedicated or partially dedicated personnel, which include our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, controller, accounting staff, in-house legal counsel, internal audit staff, and other personnel providing services to us are employees of Ellington or one or more of its affiliates. See "—Management Agreement" above. As of December 31, 2025, Longbridge had approximately 500 employees.

Additional Information

A copy of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to such reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are available, free of charge, on our internet website at www.ellingtonfinancial.com. All of these reports are made available on our internet website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and the charters of the Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees of our Board of Directors are also available at www.ellingtonfinancial.com and are available in print to any stockholder upon request in writing to Ellington Financial Inc., c/o Investor Relations, 53 Forest

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Avenue, Old Greenwich, CT 06870. The information on our website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this report or incorporated into any other filing we make with the SEC.

In addition, all of our reports filed with or furnished to the SEC can be obtained at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

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Item 1A. Risk Factors

Summary of Risk Factors

Risks Related To Our Investments and Investment Activities

•Difficult conditions in the mortgage, real estate, and financial markets, including economic downturns, inflation, elevated interest rates, declining property values, and tightening credit availability, could adversely affect the value of our investments and our financial performance. Market volatility and economic instability may lead to increased borrower delinquencies, declining liquidity, and reduced availability of financing, all of which could negatively impact our returns.

•Regulatory changes affecting Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae could materially impact mortgage market liquidity and valuations. Any changes in their government backing, capital requirements, or underwriting guidelines could disrupt the market for Agency RMBS and impact the pricing of our mortgage-related assets. Additionally, federal or state-level government intervention, such as mortgage modification programs, foreclosure moratoriums, or new regulations affecting loan servicing, could reduce the value of our assets or delay our ability to recover on defaulted loans.

•We are exposed to significant credit risks through our investments in residential and commercial mortgage loans, MBS, CRTs, and CLOs. Borrower delinquencies, defaults, and declining collateral values may result in losses, particularly in residential and commercial mortgage loans, non-Agency RMBS, CRTs, and loans with lower underwriting standards. Second-lien loans are especially vulnerable, as they are subordinate to first-lien loans and may suffer complete loss in foreclosure scenarios.

•Certain mortgage-backed securities and whole loans we acquire may have been underwritten with less stringent credit standards. Loans originated with reduced documentation requirements, high loan-to-value ratios, or weak borrower credit profiles pose a higher risk of delinquency and default, which may reduce the performance of non-Agency RMBS and CRT securities in which we invest. Additionally, sellers of mortgage loans we acquire may be unable or unwilling to repurchase defective loans, resulting in additional losses.

•We depend on service providers, including mortgage servicers, for a variety of services related to many of our assets, including MSRs, RMBS, CRTs, securitizations, and loan pools. If servicers fail to perform effectively, including loss mitigation efforts or foreclosure processing, we may experience increased delinquencies, reduced cash flows, and reputational harm. We may also be affected by deficiencies in foreclosure practices by third parties, which could cause delays and additional legal risks.

•Interest rate mismatches between our assets and liabilities could negatively impact our net interest income, particularly in periods of rising interest rates. Additionally, certain assets, such as adjustable-rate mortgages and hybrid ARMs, are subject to interest rate caps that may limit our ability to pass on higher interest costs, reducing profitability.

•We rely heavily on analytical models and third-party data for pricing, risk assessment, and portfolio management. If these models fail to accurately predict borrower behavior, prepayments, or credit performance, we could make suboptimal investment decisions that negatively affect our financial condition.

•Fluctuations in interest rates impact the performance of our assets. Rising rates can lead to higher borrowing costs, reduce demand for refinancing, and increase the risk of defaults on adjustable-rate loans. Conversely, falling rates may accelerate mortgage prepayments, reducing the expected cash flows from RMBS and MSRs. Interest rate mismatches between our assets and liabilities may also compress margins and impact profitability.

•The valuation of our investments is inherently uncertain, as many of our assets are illiquid and lack transparent pricing. The values we assign to these assets may fluctuate significantly due to market volatility, changing credit conditions, and external factors beyond our control.

Risks Related to Our Financing, Hedging, and Derivative Activities

•We use leverage to enhance returns, but this approach increases the magnitude of potential losses during adverse market conditions. Rising interest rates or liquidity constraints could limit our ability to obtain financing on favorable terms, forcing us to sell assets at inopportune times or reduce our investment activity.

•Our access to financing depends on the creditworthiness of our collateral and the willingness of lenders to provide credit. Disruptions in capital markets or changes in repo financing terms could restrict our ability to fund investments, subject us to margin calls, or force deleveraging at unfavorable prices.

•Hedging strategies, including interest rate swaps and other derivatives, may not fully protect us from market fluctuations. These instruments carry counterparty risk, and regulatory changes could impact their availability, cost, or effectiveness, potentially increasing our exposure to interest rate and credit risk.

Risks Related to Our Corporate Loans and CLOs

•We invest in corporate loans and CLOs, which expose us to credit and default risks. CLO structures involve leveraged investments in pools of corporate loans, and performance is dependent on the creditworthiness of the underlying borrowers. A rise in corporate defaults or economic downturns could impair cash flows to CLO securities and reduce their market value.

•The performance of our CLO investments is influenced by the actions of the applicable collateral managers, over whom we have limited control. Poor reinvestment decisions, excessive leverage, or adverse economic conditions could negatively impact CLO returns.

•Corporate borrowers in CLO portfolios are often highly leveraged, making them more susceptible to financial distress. Deterioration in credit markets or rising borrowing costs may increase defaults, reducing cash flows and increasing losses on our CLO investments.

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Risks Related to Certain MSR Investments

•Our MSR-related investments depend on the performance of third-party mortgage servicers. Servicing failures, regulatory penalties, or operational disruptions could negatively impact the value and cash flows associated with these assets.

•The value of MSRs is highly sensitive to interest rates. Falling rates may accelerate mortgage prepayments, reducing future servicing income and decreasing MSR valuations.

•We may be required to fund servicing advances on delinquent loans, which could create liquidity demands, particularly during market downturns or periods of increased borrower distress.

Risks Related to our Loan Origination and Servicing Businesses

•Our loan origination and servicing businesses require substantial capital, and our ability to operate depends on access to financing and compliance with regulatory requirements. Changes in funding sources or capital requirements could impact profitability.

•The performance of our Longbridge business is highly dependent on government-backed reverse mortgage programs. Changes to FHA, or Ginnie Mae policies could disrupt origination volumes, increase costs, or limit the availability of government insurance for HECM loans.

•We rely on third-party subservicers and service providers for compliance, loan administration, and operational support. Failures or deficiencies in their performance could expose us to financial, operational, and reputational risks.

Other Business Risks

•We may change our investment strategy, investment guidelines, hedging strategy, operating and/or management policies, or REIT election without stockholder approval, which could impact our business model and future distributions.

•We operate in a competitive market for mortgage and structured finance investments. Competition for attractive investment opportunities may limit our ability to deploy capital efficiently or generate expected returns.

•Climate change and regulatory initiatives related to environmental risk may impact the properties underlying our mortgage investments, potentially increasing insurance costs or affecting real estate values in certain regions.

Risks Related to our Relationship with our Manager and Ellington

•We are dependent on Ellington and its personnel for investment management. The loss of key personnel or termination of our management agreement could materially impact operations and financial performance.

•Ellington manages multiple investment accounts, which may create conflicts of interest in allocating investment opportunities and resources.

•Our Manager’s incentive-based fee structure may encourage investments that carry higher risk, which may not align with the interests of our stockholders.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock and Preferred Stock

•Stockholders may not receive dividends or dividends may decline over time. Our stock price may be volatile, and the market for our common stock may have limited liquidity. Market fluctuations, interest rate changes, and broader economic trends may affect stock performance.

•Future issuances of debt or equity securities could dilute existing stockholders, reduce cash flow to our existing common stockholders and/or to service debt, increase leverage, or impact dividend distributions.

Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure

•Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that may discourage acquisition bids or stockholder activism, potentially limiting opportunities for stockholders to realize value.

•To maintain our REIT status, we are subject to ownership restrictions and limitations on stock transferability, which may impact stockholder rights and liquidity.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Risks

•Failure to maintain REIT qualification would subject us to significant corporate tax liabilities, reducing cash available for distributions and potentially impacting stockholder returns.

•Changes in tax laws or regulatory rulings could alter the tax treatment of REITs, negatively affecting our financial position, investment strategy, and distributions to stockholders.

•Complying with our election to be treated as REIT may cause us to forgo or liquidate otherwise attractive investments and/or may limit our ability to hedge efficiently.

The above list is not exhaustive, and we face additional challenges and risks. Please carefully consider all of the information in this Report, including the matters set forth below in this Item 1A.

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If any of the following risks occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or not presently deemed material by us, may also impair our operations and performance. In connection with the forward-looking statements that appear in our periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K, our Current Reports on Form 8-K, our press releases and our other written and oral communications, stockholders should also carefully review the cautionary statements referred to in such reports and other communications referred to under "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements."

Risks Related To Our Investments and Investment Activities

Difficult conditions in the mortgage and residential and commercial real estate markets as well as general market concerns may adversely affect the value of the assets in which we invest.

Our business is materially affected by conditions in the residential and commercial mortgage markets, the residential and commercial real estate markets, the financial markets, and the economy, including inflation, interest rates, energy costs, unemployment, geopolitical issues, tariffs, advancements in tools that harness generative artificial intelligence and other machine learning techniques (such tools, collectively, “AI”), concerns over the creditworthiness of governments worldwide and the stability of the global banking system. In particular, the residential and commercial mortgage markets in the U.S. and Europe have experienced a variety of difficulties and challenging economic conditions in the past, including defaults, credit losses, and liquidity concerns. Certain commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, loan origination companies and mortgage-related investment vehicles incurred extensive losses from exposure to the residential and commercial mortgage markets as a result of these difficulties and conditions. These factors have impacted, and may in the future impact, investor perception of the risks associated with residential and commercial mortgage loans, MBS, other real estate-related securities and various other asset classes in which we may invest. As a result, values for residential and commercial mortgage loans, MBS, other real estate-related securities and various other asset classes in which we may invest have experienced, and may in the future experience, significant volatility. Any deterioration of the mortgage market and investor perception of the risks associated with residential and commercial mortgage loans, MBS, other real estate-related securities, and various other assets that we acquire could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

The federal conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and related efforts, along with any changes in laws and regulations affecting the relationship between Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae and the U.S. Government, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

The payments we receive on our Agency RMBS depend upon a steady stream of payments on the underlying mortgages and such payments are guaranteed by the Federal National Mortgage Association, or "Fannie Mae," the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, or "Freddie Mac," or GNMA. In addition, Longbridge originates and services HECMs, which are insured by FHA, and which are eligible for inclusion in Ginnie Mae-guaranteed HMBS. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored enterprises, or "GSEs," but their guarantees are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Ginnie Mae, which guarantees MBS backed by federally insured or guaranteed loans primarily consisting of loans insured by FHA, or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its guarantees are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Finally, cash flows from our MSR-related investments depend on the performance of the underlying loans.

In September 2008, in response to the deteriorating financial condition of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the U.S. Government placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into the conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, or "FHFA," their federal regulator, pursuant to its powers under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. Under this conservatorship, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are required to reduce the amount of mortgage loans they own or for which they provide guarantees on Agency RMBS. In addition to the FHFA becoming the conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the U.S. Treasury entered into Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements ("PSPAs") with the FHFA and has taken various actions intended to provide Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with additional liquidity in an effort to ensure their financial stability. In January 2025, the FHFA and the U.S. Treasury announced modifications to the PSPAs intended to support an orderly approach to any eventual release of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from conservatorship and to reflect certain existing practices. FHFA also indicated that it would solicit public input, before releasing either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac from conservatorship, regarding the potential impacts on the housing market.

Statements, policy proposals, and regulatory initiatives regarding housing finance reform, including proposals relating to the structure, capitalization, government support, or conservatorship status of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as leadership and policy direction at FHFA, could create significant uncertainty in the housing finance system. These developments and any future initiatives (including the potential efforts to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and end their

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federal conservatorship), could reduce or eliminate the availability of government guarantees, reduce liquidity in the Agency RMBS market, increase mortgage rates, widen yield spreads, exacerbate market uncertainty, and adversely affect valuations of Agency RMBS and other mortgage-related assets. Additionally, proposed leadership changes at the FHFA and shifts in regulatory priorities may further impact the guarantees provided by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae, increasing market volatility and credit risk, and could materially adversely affect our investments, financing capabilities, and overall financial condition.

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae could be dissolved, and the U.S. Government could determine to stop providing liquidity support of any kind to the mortgage market. If Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae were eliminated, or their structures were to change radically, or if the U.S. Government significantly reduced its support for any or all of them, the value of our currently held Agency RMBS could drop significantly, and we may be unable or significantly limited in our ability to acquire Agency RMBS, which, in turn, could materially adversely affect our ability to maintain our exclusion from registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act and our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT. Such changes could also materially adversely affect Longbridge, including its ability to originate HECMs and securitize them through HMBS. With respect to HECM loans that are insured by FHA, the extent of the insurance is limited, and there are situations where the servicer will not recoup all cash outlays. In instances where the servicer is unable to liquidate the underlying REO property within certain timeframes and guidelines, FHA insurance proceeds will be determined relative to an appraised value of the subject property. If the eventual sale price of the related REO property is lower than the appraisal, the servicer will be exposed to an additional loss.

Moreover, any changes to the nature of the guarantees provided by, or laws affecting, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae could materially adversely affect the credit quality of the guarantees, increase the risk of loss on purchases of Agency RMBS issued by these GSEs (or MSRs with underlying loans guaranteed by these GSEs) and have broad adverse market implications for the Agency RMBS they currently guarantee. Any action that affects the credit quality of the guarantees provided by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae could materially adversely affect the value of our Agency RMBS and our Forward MSR-related investments. In addition, any market uncertainty that arises from such proposed changes could have a similar impact on us and our Agency RMBS and our Forward MSR-related investments.

In addition, we rely on our Agency RMBS as collateral for our financings under our repos. Any decline in their value, or perceived market uncertainty about their value, could make it more difficult for us to obtain financing on our Agency RMBS on acceptable terms or at all, or to maintain compliance with the terms of any financing transactions.

Mortgage loan modification programs and future legislative action may adversely affect the value of, and the returns on, our assets.

The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Treasury, FHA, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or "FDIC," has at various points in time, including in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and may again in the future, implement programs designed to provide homeowners with assistance in avoiding mortgage loan foreclosures or otherwise mitigating mortgage delinquencies and defaults, particularly during periods of economic stress or market disruption. These programs may involve, among other things, the modification of mortgage loans to reduce the principal amount of the loans or the rate of interest payable on the loans, or to extend the payment terms of the loans, the implementation of foreclosure moratoriums, payment deferral programs, or other relief initiatives.

Loan modification and refinance programs may adversely affect the performance of Agency and non-Agency RMBS, residential mortgage loans and MSRs. In the case of non-Agency RMBS, residential mortgage loans, and MSRs, loan modifications, including those related to principal forgiveness and coupon reduction, would generally be expected to negatively impact the realized yields and cash flows on such assets. See also "—Prepayment rates can change, adversely affecting the performance of our assets."

In addition, the U.S. Congress and various state and local legislatures may enact mortgage-related legislation, and governmental authorities may implement mitigation or consumer relief initiatives. We cannot predict whether or in what form these changes may be enacted and how they may affect our business or whether any such legislation will require us to change our practices or adjust our portfolio. Such changes could include expanded loan modification programs, amendments to bankruptcy laws, changes to refinancing eligibility standards for loans associated with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae, forbearance or deferral programs, foreclosure prevention measures, tenant protections, judicial modifications of loan principal in bankruptcy, changes to escrow requirements, increased consumer protection enforcement relating to mortgage origination, servicing, loss mitigation, or foreclosure practices, or the imposition of assignee liability for origination-related violations. These actions could increase compliance costs, expose us to litigation, repurchase or indemnification obligations, extend delinquency resolution timelines, alter cash flows, reduce asset valuations or returns, and materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

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The principal and interest payments on our residential mortgage whole loans, non-Agency RMBS and CRTs are not guaranteed by any entity, including any government entity or GSE, and therefore are subject to increased risks, including credit risk.

Our portfolio includes residential mortgage whole loans that do not conform to the Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac underwriting guidelines, as well as non-Agency RMBS and CRT which are backed by, or reference, such mortgage loans. Examples of such mortgage loans include subprime, manufactured housing, Alt-A, prime jumbo, non-QM, and single-family-rental mortgage loans. Consequently, the principal and interest on such mortgage loans, non-Agency RMBS and CRT securities are not guaranteed by GSEs such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or, in the case of Ginnie Mae, the U.S. Government.

A residential mortgage loan is typically secured by single-family residential property and is subject to risks of delinquency and foreclosure and risk of loss. The ability of a borrower to repay a loan secured by a residential property is dependent upon the income or assets of the borrower. A number of factors, including a general economic downturn, high unemployment, high energy costs, acts of God, pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, war or other geopolitical conflict, terrorism, elevated inflation, tariffs, social unrest, and civil disturbances, may impair borrowers' abilities to repay their mortgage loans. In periods following home price declines, "strategic defaults" (decisions by borrowers to default on their mortgage loans despite having the ability to pay) also may become more prevalent. Additionally, these risks are exacerbated with respect to second-lien mortgage loans (including HELOCs and closed-end second lien loans), which are especially vulnerable to borrower distress and defaults, as they are subordinate to first-lien loans and only recover value after the first-lien obligations have been satisfied. As a result, losses on second-lien mortgage loans tend to be higher in foreclosure scenarios, and recovery prospects are significantly weaker, especially in declining real estate markets or economic downturns. Further, the recent period of elevated interest rates has led to significant higher monthly costs for homeowners who have purchased their homes more recently, while also slowing prepayments on older, lower-rate mortgages, each of which could contribute to higher defaults on the mortgage loans underlying many of our investments.

In the event of the bankruptcy of a mortgage loan borrower, the mortgage loan to such borrower will be deemed to be secured only to the extent of the value of the underlying collateral at the time of bankruptcy (as determined by the bankruptcy court), and the lien securing the mortgage loan will be subject to the avoidance powers of the bankruptcy trustee or debtor-in-possession to the extent the lien is unenforceable under state law. We may also be exposed to a reduction in a borrower's mortgage debt by a bankruptcy court. Foreclosure of a mortgage loan can be an expensive and lengthy process which could have a substantial negative effect on our anticipated return on the foreclosed mortgage loan. In many jurisdictions, legislation has been enacted that has the effect of making the foreclosure process more difficult, lengthier, and more expensive, and additional such legislation may be enacted in the future.

Residential mortgage loans are also subject to property damage caused by hazards, such as earthquakes, fires or environmental hazards, not covered by standard property insurance policies, or "special hazard risk." Special hazard-related risks also include the risk of rising property insurance costs, the risk of insurers cancelling or non-renewing insurance coverage, and the risk of increased climate-related losses, particularly in regions affected by hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, and flooding. In addition, certain claims may be assessed against us on account of our position as a mortgage holder or property owner, including assignee liability, environmental hazards, and other liabilities, including property taxes, each of which may further increase potential losses on certain of our investments. In some cases, these liabilities may be "recourse liabilities" or may otherwise lead to losses in excess of the purchase price of the related mortgage or property.

Non-Agency RMBS and CRTs are subject to many of the risks of the respective underlying mortgage loans. If borrowers default on the mortgage loans backing our non-Agency RMBS or CRTs and we are unable to recover any resulting loss through the foreclosure process, it could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

Less stringent underwriting guidelines and the resultant potential for delinquencies or defaults on certain mortgage loans could lead to losses on many of the non-Agency RMBS and European RMBS that we hold.

Some of the non-Agency RMBS in which we invest are collateralized by Alt-A and subprime mortgage loans, which are mortgage loans that were originated using less stringent underwriting guidelines than those used in underwriting prime mortgage loans (mortgage loans that generally conform to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac underwriting guidelines). In addition, we have acquired, and may acquire in the future, European RMBS, including retained tranches from European RMBS securitizations in which we have participated. These European RMBS are backed by residential mortgage loans that were typically originated using less stringent underwriting guidelines than those used in underwriting prime mortgage loans in the United States. The underwriting guidelines for the mortgage loans that collateralize many of the non-Agency RMBS and European RMBS in which we invest are more permissive as to borrower credit history or credit score, borrower debt-to-income ratio, loan-to-value ratio, and/or as to documentation (such as whether and to what extent borrower income was required to be disclosed or verified). In addition, even when specific underwriting guidelines are represented by loan originators as having

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been used in connection with the origination of mortgage loans, there can be no assurance that these guidelines have actually been followed, and/or will be followed in the future, as a result of aggressive lending practices, fraud (including borrower or appraisal fraud), or other factors. Mortgage loans that are underwritten pursuant to less stringent or looser underwriting guidelines, or that are poorly underwritten to their stated guidelines, have experienced, and should be expected to experience in the future, substantially higher rates of delinquencies, defaults, and foreclosures than those experienced by mortgage loans that are underwritten in a manner more consistent with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac guidelines. These risks may be heightened for loans originated outside of the GSE underwriting framework, including certain non-QM or other expanded-credit products, particularly where borrower repayment capacity is more sensitive to changes in interest rates, home prices, employment conditions or consumer liquidity.

As a result of the higher delinquency rates and losses associated with Alt-A, subprime mortgage loans and European mortgage loans, the performance of RMBS backed by Alt-A, subprime mortgage loans, and European mortgage loans that we may acquire could be negatively affected, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders, particularly during periods of economic stress, rising interest rates, reduced borrower liquidity, or declining residential property values.

We have invested and may in the future invest in securities in the CRT sector that are subject to mortgage credit risk.

We have invested and may in the future invest in credit risk transfer securities, or "CRTs." CRTs are designed to transfer a portion of the mortgage credit risk of a pool of insured or guaranteed mortgage loans from the insurer or guarantor of such loans to CRT investors. In a CRT transaction, interest and/or principal of the CRT is written off following certain credit events, such as delinquencies, defaults, and/or realized losses, on the underlying mortgage pool. To date, the vast majority of CRTs consist of risk sharing transactions issued by the GSEs, namely Fannie Mae's Connecticut Avenue Securities program, or "CAS," and Freddie Mac's Structured Agency Credit Risk program, or "STACR." These securities have historically been unsecured and subject to the credit risk of the underlying mortgage pool.

We rely on analytical models and other data to analyze potential asset acquisition and disposition opportunities and to manage our portfolio. Such models and other data may be incorrect, misleading or incomplete, which could cause us to purchase assets that do not meet our expectations or to make asset management decisions that are not in line with our strategy.

We rely on our Manager and our Manager relies on the analytical models (both proprietary and third-party models) of Ellington and information and data supplied by Ellington itself and by third parties. These models and data may be used to value assets or potential asset acquisitions and dispositions and also in connection with our asset management activities. If Ellington's models (including the data utilized by the models) and/or third-party data prove to be incorrect, misleading, or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon could expose us to potential risks. Our Manager's reliance on Ellington's models and data could lead to us purchasing certain assets at prices that are too high, to sell certain other assets at prices that are too low, or to miss favorable opportunities altogether. Similarly, any hedging activities that are based on faulty models and data may prove to be unsuccessful.

Some of the risks of relying on analytical models and third-party data include the following:

•collateral cash flows and/or liability structures may be incorrectly modeled in all or only certain scenarios, or may be modeled based on simplifying assumptions that lead to errors;

•asset, collateral or MBS information (including information related to historical prepayments, defaults, cash flows, etc.) may be incorrect, incomplete, misleading, or subject to interpretation (e.g., different MBS issuers may report delinquency and default statistics based on different definitions of what constitutes a delinquent or defaulted loan); and

•models may not appropriately capture the impact of evolving market conditions, policy changes, legal or regulatory developments, or structural changes in mortgage products, borrower behavior or servicing practices.

Some models, such as prepayment models or default models, may be predictive in nature. The use of predictive models has inherent risks. For example, such models may incorrectly forecast future behavior, leading to potential losses. In addition, the predictive models used by our Manager may differ substantially from those models used by other market participants, which may result in valuations that diverge materially from actual market prices. Furthermore, because predictive models are usually constructed based on historical data supplied by third parties, the success of relying on such models may depend heavily on the accuracy and reliability of the supplied historical data, and, in the case of predicting performance in scenarios with little or no historical precedent (such as extreme broad-based declines in home prices, deep economic recessions or depressions), such models must employ greater degrees of extrapolation and are therefore more speculative and of more limited reliability.

All valuation models rely on correct market data inputs. If incorrect market data is entered into even a well-founded valuation model, the resulting valuations will be incorrect. However, even if market data is input correctly, "model prices" will often differ substantially from market prices, especially for securities with complex characteristics or whose values are

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particularly sensitive to various factors. If our market data inputs are incorrect or our model prices differ substantially from market prices, our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders could be materially adversely affected.

Prepayment rates can change, adversely affecting the performance of our assets.

The frequency at which prepayments (including both voluntary prepayments by borrowers and liquidations due to defaults and foreclosures) occur on mortgage loans, including those underlying our RMBS and Forward MSR-related investments, is affected by a variety of factors, including the prevailing level of interest rates as well as economic, demographic, tax, social, legal, and other factors. Generally, borrowers tend to prepay their mortgages when prevailing mortgage rates fall below the interest rates on their mortgage loans. When borrowers prepay their mortgage loans at rates that are faster or slower than expected, it results in prepayments that are faster or slower than expected on such loans or the related RMBS, Forward MSR-related investments or reverse MSRs. These faster or slower than expected payments may adversely affect our profitability.

We may purchase securities or loans that have a higher interest rate than the then-prevailing market interest rate. In exchange for this higher interest rate, we may pay a premium to par value to acquire the security or loan. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, we amortize this premium as an expense over the expected term of the security or loan based on our prepayment assumptions. If a security or loan is prepaid in whole or in part at a faster than expected rate, however, we must expense all or a part of the remaining unamortized portion of the premium that was paid at the time of the purchase, which will adversely affect our profitability.

We also may purchase securities or loans that have a lower interest rate than the then-prevailing market interest rate. In exchange for this lower interest rate, we may pay a discount to par value to acquire the security or loan. We accrete this discount as income over the expected term of the security or loan based on our prepayment assumptions. If a security or loan is prepaid at a slower than expected rate, however, we must accrete the remaining portion of the discount at a slower than expected rate. This will extend the expected life of our investment portfolio and result in a lower-than-expected yield on securities and loans purchased at a discount to par.

Prepayment rates generally increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. Since many RMBS, especially fixed rate RMBS, will be discount securities when interest rates are high, and will be premium securities when interest rates are low, these RMBS may be adversely affected by changes in prepayments in any interest rate environment. Prepayments may also result from borrowers’ desire to monetize a portion of the equity in their homes (“cash-out” refinancing); since higher home values (and therefore also homeowners' equity) are often correlated with lower interest rates, higher cash-out refinancing activity is also often correlated with lower interest rates. In addition, in periods of elevated interest rates, the “lock-in” effect, whereby borrowers with below-market mortgage rates are less likely to refinance or relocate, may reduce borrower mobility and refinancing activity, which may reduce prepayments relative to expectations. Prepayment rates are also affected by factors not directly tied to interest rates or home values, and these factors are difficult to predict. Prepayments can also occur when borrowers sell their properties or when borrowers default on their mortgages and the mortgages are prepaid from the proceeds of a foreclosure sale of the underlying property and/or from the proceeds of a mortgage insurance policy or other guarantee. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will generally, among other conditions, purchase mortgages that are 120 days or more delinquent from the Agency RMBS pools that they have issued when the cost of guaranteed payments to security holders, including advances of interest at the security coupon rate, exceeds the cost of holding the non-performing loans in their portfolios. Consequently, prepayment rates also may be affected by conditions in the housing and financial markets, which may result in increased delinquencies on mortgage loans. Prepayment rates can also be affected by actions of the GSEs and their cost of capital, general economic conditions, and the relative interest rates on fixed and adjustable rate loans. Additionally, changes in the GSEs' decisions as to when to repurchase delinquent loans can materially impact prepayment rates on Agency RMBS.

The adverse effects of prepayments may impact us in various ways. First, particular investments may experience outright losses, as in the case of interest only securities, or "IOs," and inverse interest only securities, or "IIOs," in an environment of faster actual or anticipated prepayments. Second, particular investments may underperform relative to any hedges that our Manager may have constructed for these assets, resulting in a loss to us. In particular, prepayments (at par) may limit the potential upside of many RMBS to their principal or par amounts, whereas their corresponding hedges often have the potential for unlimited loss. Furthermore, to the extent that faster prepayment rates are due to lower interest rates, the principal payments received from prepayments will tend to be reinvested in lower-yielding assets, which may reduce our income in the long run.

Prepayments also significantly affect the value of MSRs because an MSR entitles the holder to receive a monthly servicing fee equal to a percentage of the unpaid principal balance of the mortgage loans, as well as other cash flows, for so long as the underlying loans are outstanding. To the extent the underlying mortgage loan principal balances are prepaid or expected to be prepaid at a faster rate, the expected future cash flows from servicing would be lower and the value of our MSR would decline. Actual prepayment rates differing from anticipated prepayment rates could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

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In addition to the foregoing, prepayment risk and reinvestment risk also apply to our CLO investments. As part of the ordinary management of its portfolio, a CLO will typically generate cash flow from asset repayments and sales that is reinvested into substitute assets, subject to compliance with its investment tests and certain other conditions. If the CLO collateral manager causes the CLO to purchase substitute assets at a lower yield than those initially acquired, the excess interest-related cash flow available for distribution to the CLO equity tranches would decline. Furthermore, in most CLO transactions, CLO debt investors are subject to the risk that the holders of a majority of the equity tranche can direct a call or refinancing of a CLO, causing such CLO’s outstanding CLO debt securities to be repaid at par earlier than expected. Such early repayments could adversely affect the investment performance of our CLO debt investments and thereby our overall profitability, similar to the effects of mortgage prepayments on our mortgage-related investments.

Draw Rates on reverse mortgages can change in ways that adversely affect the value of reverse mortgages pools, IOs and MSRs.

Reverse mortgage borrowers often have an undrawn line of credit entitling the borrower to demand future draws from the servicer. A substantial portion of reverse MSR values comes from the expectation that while the servicer funds such future draws at par, it will be able to securitize and sell such future draws at a premium. However, recent interest rate volatility, elevated interest rates, and ongoing policy uncertainty could significantly impact reverse mortgage draw rates, affecting the value of reverse mortgage loans, residual tranches, and MSRs.

Elevated interest rates may discourage borrowers from drawing on their reverse mortgage lines of credit, which could reduce expected future cash flows for servicers. Additionally, if liquidity conditions tighten or securitization markets weaken, our ability to sell future draws at a premium could be impaired, further reducing reverse MSR values. Any regulatory changes affecting reverse mortgage lending, including potential CFPB or HUD actions, could also introduce additional risks to draw rate expectations and securitization economics. Therefore, lower than expected borrower draw rates may have a negative impact on the value of reverse MSRs, loans, and residual tranches. Conversely, draw rates may increase more rapidly than expected, which could require servicers (and us) to fund draws earlier or in greater amounts than anticipated and could adversely affect financing costs, liquidity needs, and securitization execution.

Valuations of many of our assets are inherently uncertain, may be based on estimates, may fluctuate over short periods of time, and may differ from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these assets existed.

The values of many of the assets in our portfolio are not readily determinable with precision. We value the vast majority of our assets monthly at fair value, as determined in good faith by our Manager, subject to the oversight of our Manager's valuation committee. The determination of fair value and, consequently, the amount of unrealized gains and losses in our portfolio, are to a certain degree subjective. Because such valuations are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time, especially during periods of elevated market volatility, and may be based on estimates, our Manager's determinations of fair value may differ from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these assets existed or from the prices at which trades occur. Furthermore, we may not obtain third-party valuations for all of our assets. Changes in the fair value of our assets directly impact our net income and book value through recording unrealized appreciation or depreciation of our investments and derivative instruments, and so our Manager's determination of fair value has a material impact on our net income.

While in many cases our Manager's determination of the fair value of our assets is based on valuations provided by third-party dealers and pricing services, our Manager can and does value assets based upon its judgment and such valuations may differ from those provided by third-party dealers and pricing services. Valuations of certain assets are often difficult to obtain or are unreliable and certain of our credit and MSR interests, including our Forward MSR-related investments and our HMBS MSR Equivalent, trade infrequently and are illiquid. In general, dealers and pricing services heavily disclaim their valuations. Additionally, dealers and pricing services may claim to furnish valuations only as an accommodation and without special compensation, and so they may disclaim any and all liability for any direct, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of any inaccuracy or incompleteness in valuations, including any act of negligence or breach of any warranty. Depending on the complexity and illiquidity of an asset, valuations of the same asset can vary substantially from one dealer or pricing service to another. Higher valuations of our assets have the effect of increasing the amount of base management fees and incentive fees we pay to our Manager. Therefore, conflicts of interest exist because our Manager is involved in the determination of the fair value of our assets.

Market-based inputs are generally the preferred source of values for purposes of measuring the fair value of our assets under U.S. GAAP. However, the markets for our investments have experienced, and could in the future experience, extreme volatility, reduced transaction volume and liquidity, and disruption as a result of certain events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the regional banking crisis in 2023, ongoing geopolitical tensions, tariffs, uncertainty in the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve (and other central banks), which has made, and could in the future make, it more difficult for our Manager, and for the third-party dealers and pricing services that we use, to rely on market-based inputs in connection with the valuation of our assets under U.S. GAAP. Furthermore, in determining the fair value of our assets, our Manager uses proprietary models that

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require the use of a significant amount of judgment and the application of various assumptions including, but not limited to, assumptions concerning future prepayment rates, interest rates, default rates and loss severities. These assumptions may be impacted by the unpredictability of interest rate movements, driven by inflation dynamics and shifting guidance from the Federal Reserve (and other central banks) and these assumptions might be especially difficult to project accurately during periods of economic disruption. The fair value of certain of our investments may fluctuate over short periods of time, and our Manager’s determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these investments existed. Investors purchasing our securities based on an overstated book value per share may pay a higher price than the intrinsic value of our portfolio supports. Conversely, investors selling shares during a period in which our book value per share understates the value of our investments may receive a lower price for their shares than the intrinsic value of our portfolio would justify.

Our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders could be materially adversely affected if our Manager's fair value determinations of these assets were materially different from the values that would exist if a ready market existed for these assets.

We depend on service providers, including mortgage servicers, for a variety of services related to our MSRs, MBS, CRTs, European assets, securitizations, and whole mortgage loans and loan pools. We are, therefore, subject to the risks associated with service providers, particularly third-party service providers that we do not control.

We depend on a variety of services provided by service providers related to our MSRs, MBS, CRTs, European assets, securitizations, and whole mortgage loans and loan pools. We rely on the mortgage servicers who service the mortgage loans backing certain of our assets, including our MSRs, MBS, CRTs, our European assets, our securitizations, as well as the mortgage loans and loan pools that we own directly, to, among other things, collect principal and interest payments on the underlying mortgages and perform loss mitigation services.

Mortgage servicers and other service providers, such as trustees, bond insurance providers, due diligence vendors, and custodians, may not always act in a manner that promotes our interests. In addition, legislation that has been enacted or that may be enacted in order to reduce or prevent foreclosures through, among other things, loan modifications, may reduce the value of our MSRs or the mortgage loans backing our MBS, CRTs, or whole mortgage loans that we acquire. Mortgage servicers may be incentivized by U.S. federal, state, or local governments to pursue such loan modifications, as well as forbearance plans and other actions intended to prevent foreclosure, even if such loan modifications and other actions are not in the best interests of the beneficial owners of the mortgage loans.

In addition to legislation that creates financial incentives for mortgage loan servicers to modify loans and take other actions that are intended to prevent foreclosures, legislation and related regulatory actions may provide servicers with safe harbors from certain liabilities and may delay or restrict the initiation or completion of foreclosure proceedings, or otherwise limit actions that may be essential to preserve the value of such loans. Any such limitations are likely to cause delayed or reduced collections from mortgagors and generally increase servicing costs. In addition, state and local foreclosure mitigation or other protection measures may further delay foreclosure timelines and increase costs.

Additionally, our MSRs, MBS, CRTs, European assets, securitizations, and whole mortgage loans and loan pools could also be materially and adversely affected if the mortgage servicer is unable to service the underlying mortgage loans due to a failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations or as a result of new legislative actions, failure to perform its loss mitigation duties, a downgrade in its servicer rating, the failure to perform adequately in its external audits, or a failure in or performance of its operational systems or infrastructure (including cybersecurity incidents, data breaches, or other technology disruptions).

Further, economic disruptions may result in liquidity pressures on servicers and other vendors that we rely upon. Servicers and certain other parties are responsible for dealing with delinquent borrowers, and are responsible in certain capital markets securitization transactions for funding advances with respect to delinquent payments of principal and interest. Therefore, the more delinquent mortgagors there are, the more likely it is that servicers and other parties will experience increased expenses in dealing with delinquent borrowers and increased difficulties funding principal and interest advances. Financial strain on servicers, including as a result of rising delinquency rates, declining mortgage origination activity, industry consolidation, and/or margin compression, could increase counterparty risk and reduce the effectiveness of servicing, and could result in transfers of servicing that me be disruptive, costly, or value-impairing.

The negative impact of an economic disruption on the business and operations of such servicers or other parties responsible for funding such advances could be significant.

Most of our service providers are third parties that we do not control, and in those cases, the foregoing risks may be exacerbated. If our service providers, including mortgage servicers, do not perform as expected or act in our interests, our business, financial condition and results of operations, and ability to pay dividends to our stockholders could be materially

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adversely affected. See "—Our investments in MSR related assets expose us to additional risk of loss if our counterparty were unable to satisfy its obligation to us" and "—Risks Related to Our Loan Origination and Servicing Businesses—Longbridge relies on subservicers and other service providers to perform reverse mortgage servicing functions, which presents us with a number of risks."

We rely on mortgage servicers to service effectively, including loss mitigation efforts, and we also may engage in our own loss mitigation efforts with respect to whole mortgage loans that we own directly and such loss mitigation efforts may be unsuccessful or not cost effective.

Both default frequency and default severity of mortgage loans are highly dependent on the quality of the mortgage servicer. We depend on the effectiveness of servicing, including loss mitigation efforts of mortgage servicers and in some cases "special servicers," which are mortgage servicers who specialize in servicing non-performing loans. If mortgage servicers are not vigilant in encouraging borrowers to make their monthly payments, the borrowers are far less likely to make those payments. Additionally, servicers can perform loan modifications, which could potentially impact the value of our securities. The failure of servicers to effectively service the mortgage loans underlying the securities in our investment portfolio could negatively impact the value of our investments and our performance. In addition, for the whole mortgage loans that we own directly, we may engage in our own loss mitigation efforts over and beyond the efforts of the mortgage servicers, including more hands-on mortgage servicer oversight and management, borrower refinancing solicitations, as well as other efforts. Our and our mortgage servicers' loss mitigation efforts may be unsuccessful in limiting delinquencies, defaults, and losses, or may not be cost effective, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders. Our ability to accomplish such loss mitigation may also be limited by the tax rules governing REITs.

Servicer quality and effectiveness are of particular importance in the performance of non-agency loans and MBS. If a servicer is performing inadequately or goes out of business, the transfer of servicing to a new servicer takes time, and loans may become delinquent because of confusion or lack of attention. Recent regulatory scrutiny and enforcement actions against mortgage servicers, including increased penalties for noncompliance with consumer protection laws and fair servicing requirements, could impact servicer performance and increase costs associated with regulatory compliance. Additionally, disruptions in the servicing industry pose a risk to timely loan processing, payment collection, and loss mitigation efforts. Further, ongoing industry consolidation among mortgage servicers has led, and could continue to lead, to servicing transfer related disruptions. We have already experienced the adverse effects related to servicing transfers on certain of our mortgage loans. When servicing is transferred, the prior servicer’s advances (e.g., of delinquent interest, principal, taxes, or insurance) are often not recaptured efficiently by the new servicer, which in the case of securitized loans may have an adverse effect on non-agency MBS credit support. In the case of securitized loans, servicers may be required to advance interest on delinquent loans to the extent the servicer deems those advances recoverable. However, in the event the servicer does not advance such funds, interest may be interrupted, even on more senior securities. Servicers may also advance more than is in fact recoverable once a defaulted loan is disposed, and the loss to the securitization trust may be greater than the outstanding principal balance of that loan (i.e., greater than 100% loss severity). Finally, an increase in servicing costs, including as a result of an increase in the difficulty of or the costs related to loss mitigation efforts, would lower our yield on the relevant assets and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

We may be affected by deficiencies in foreclosure practices of third parties, as well as related delays in the foreclosure process.

One of the biggest risks affecting the residential mortgage loan, non-Agency RMBS, and European RMBS markets has been uncertainty around the timing and ability of servicers to foreclose on defaulted loans, so that they can liquidate the underlying properties and ultimately pass the liquidation proceeds through to RMBS holders. In response to well-publicized failures of many servicers to follow proper foreclosure procedures, mortgage servicers are being held to much higher foreclosure-related documentation standards than they previously were. However, because many mortgages have been transferred and assigned multiple times (and by means of varying assignment procedures) throughout the origination, warehouse, and securitization processes, mortgage servicers have had in the past, and may have in the future, much more difficulty furnishing the requisite documentation to initiate or complete foreclosures.

Delays in the foreclosure process may occur, both by operation of law and by delays in the judicial system. These delays lead to stalled or suspended foreclosure proceedings, and ultimately additional foreclosure-related costs. Foreclosure-related delays also tend to increase ultimate loan loss severities as a result of property deterioration, amplified legal and other costs, and other factors. Many factors delaying foreclosure, such as borrower lawsuits and judicial backlog and scrutiny, are outside of a servicer's control and have delayed, and will likely continue to delay, foreclosure processing in both judicial states (where foreclosures require court involvement) and non-judicial states. Furthermore, rising delinquency rates, particularly among lower-credit borrowers, may lead to an increase in foreclosure filings, further straining judicial and servicer capacity.

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The concerns about deficiencies in foreclosure practices of servicers and related delays in the foreclosure process may impact our loss assumptions and have affected and may continue to affect the values of, and our returns on, our investments in RMBS and residential whole loans.

To the extent that due diligence is conducted on potential assets, such due diligence may not reveal all of the risks associated with such assets and may not reveal other weaknesses in such assets, which could lead to losses.

Before committing to an investment, our Manager may decide to conduct (either directly or using third parties) certain due diligence. There can be no assurance that our Manager will conduct any specific level of due diligence, or that, among other things, our Manager's due diligence processes will uncover all relevant facts or that any purchase will be successful, any such failure could result in losses on these assets and which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

Sellers of the mortgage loans that we acquire, or that underlie the non-Agency RMBS or European RMBS in which we invest, may be unable to repurchase defective mortgage loans, which could have a material adverse effect on the value of our loans, or the loans held by the trust that issued the RMBS, and could cause shortfalls in the payments due on the RMBS or losses on the mortgage loans.

Sellers of mortgage loans that we acquire, or that are sold to the trusts that issued the non-Agency RMBS or European RMBS in which we invest, make various representations and warranties related to the mortgage loans sold by them to us or the trusts that issued the RMBS. If a seller fails to cure a material breach of its representations and warranties with respect to any mortgage loan in a timely manner, then we, or the trustee or the servicer of the loans, may have the right to require that the seller repurchase the defective mortgage loan (or in some cases substitute a performing mortgage loan). It is possible, however, that for financial or other reasons, the seller either may not be willing or able to repurchase defective mortgage loans, or may dispute the validity of or otherwise resist its obligation to repurchase defective mortgage loans. In addition, repurchase claims may be subject to contractual limitations, statutes of limitations, cure periods, litigation risk, or other defenses that may delay, limit, or eliminate recoveries. The inability or unwillingness of a seller to repurchase defective mortgage loans from us or from a non-Agency RMBS trust or European RMBS trust in which we invest would likely cause higher rates of delinquencies, defaults, and losses for the mortgage loans we hold, or the mortgage loans backing such non-Agency RMBS or European RMBS, and ultimately greater losses for our investment in such assets. These risks may become more acute as we acquire mortgage loans from a larger number of third-party sellers, increase our volume of loan acquisitions from outside sellers, or have exposure to sellers with differing financial strength, business models, or concentrations, any of which could increase the likelihood that one or more sellers may be unable or unwilling to honor their repurchase obligations.

Our assets include subordinated and lower-rated securities that generally have greater risk of loss than senior and higher-rated securities.

Certain securities that we acquire are deemed by rating agencies to have substantial vulnerability to default in payment of interest and/or principal. Other securities we acquire have the lowest quality ratings or are unrated. Many securities that we acquire are subordinated in cash flow priority to other more "senior" securities of the same securitization. Certain subordinated securities ("first loss securities") absorb all losses from default before any other class of securities is at risk. Such securities are therefore considered to be highly speculative investments.

In the case of CRTs and subordinated RMBS and CMBS, the risk of defaults on the underlying mortgages and/or declining real estate values is amplified (particularly in light of the distress in certain real estate sectors, such as the office sector), as are the risks associated with possible changes in the market's perception of any entity issuing or guaranteeing such securities, or by changes in government regulations and tax policies. In the case of CLOs, the risk of economic recession and declining creditworthiness of corporate borrowers would be amplified by rising corporate default rates, tightening credit conditions, and potential credit downgrades in leveraged loan markets. Accordingly, the subordinated and lower-rated (or unrated) securities in which we invest may experience significant price and performance volatility and are subject to greater risk of loss than more senior and/or higher-rated securities, which, if realized, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.

Increases in interest rates could negatively affect the value of our assets and increase the risk of default on our assets.

Our fixed-rate investments, especially most fixed-rate mortgage loans, fixed-rate MBS, and most MBS backed by fixed-rate mortgage loans, generally decline in value when long-term interest rates increase. Even in the case of Agency RMBS, the guarantees provided by GSEs do not protect us from declines in market value caused by changes in interest rates. In the case of RMBS backed by adjustable-rate mortgages, or "ARMs," increases in interest rates can lead to increases in delinquencies and defaults as borrowers become less able to make their mortgage payments following interest payment resets. Elevated interest rates (including mortgage rates) may contribute to lower housing affordability, increased borrower payment shocks upon ARM interest rate resets, a slowdown in (or reversal of) home price appreciation, and declines in commercial real estate prices, which

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could adversely impact borrower credit performance of both our residential and commercial mortgage loans.

Additionally, an increase in short-term interest rates would increase the amount of interest owed on our repo borrowings, for which see "—Interest rate mismatches between our assets and our borrowings may reduce our income during periods of changing interest rates, and increases in interest rates could adversely affect the value of our assets." See also "— Certain actions by the Federal Reserve could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders.”

Changes in market conditions may cause a decrease in the issuance volumes of certain of our targeted assets, which could adversely affect our ability to acquire assets that satisfy our investment objectives, and which could adversely affect the loan originators in which we invest.

Rising interest rates, elevated interest rate volatility and/or elevated yield spreads generally reduce the demand for mortgage loans due to the higher cost of borrowing. A reduction in the volume of mortgage loans originated may affect the volume of targeted assets available to us, which could adversely affect our ability to acquire assets that satisfy our investment objectives, and could also adversely affect the mortgage loan originators in which we are invested, whose businesses depend on demand from borrowers for mortgage loans. In addition, constrained housing supply, reduced housing affordability and the “lock-in” effect may reduce mortgage origination and refinancing activity, which could further reduce issuance volumes of certain targeted assets and of the loan originators in which we are invested. If changes in market conditions cause us to be unable to acquire a sufficient volume of our targeted assets with a yield that is above our borrowing cost, or adversely impact Longbridge and other loan originators in which we invest, our ability to satisfy our investment objectives and to generate income and pay dividends to our stockholders may be materially and adversely affected.

Interest rate mismatches between our assets and our borrowings may reduce our income during periods of changing interest rates, and increases in interest rates could adversely affect the value of our assets.

Some of our assets are fixed rate or have a fixed-rate component (including non-QM loans, residential transition loans, and RMBS backed by hybrid ARMs). This means that the interest we earn on these assets will not vary over time based upon changes in a short-term interest rate index. Although the interest we earn on our ARMs, our RMBS backed by ARMs, and many of our CLO investments generally will adjust for changing interest rates, such interest rate adjustments may not occur as quickly as the interest rate adjustments to any related borrowings, and such interest rate adjustments will generally be subject to interest rate caps, which potentially could cause such assets to acquire many of the characteristics of fixed rate assets during periods of rising or high interest rates. We generally fund our assets with borrowings whose interest rates reset frequently, and as a result we generally have an interest rate mismatch between our assets and liabilities, which could cause our net interest margin (the spread between the average yield on our assets and our average borrowing costs) to compress, or even become negative. While our interest rate hedges are intended to mitigate a portion of this mismatch, the use of interest rate hedges also introduces the risk of other interest rate mismatches and exposures, as does the use of other financing techniques. In addition, periods of elevated interest rate volatility may increase the costs and complexity of hedging and financing our portfolio.

Additionally, to the extent cash flows from RMBS we hold are reinvested in new RMBS, the spread between the yields of the new RMBS and available borrowing rates may also compress or become negative. If our net interest margin compresses or becomes negative, our business, cash flow, financial condition, results of operations, and ability to pay dividends to our stockholders could be materially affected. In fact, in 2022, 2023 and 2024, which saw periods of rising interest rates, we experienced compressed, and in some cases negative, net interest margin on many of our assets.

Fixed-income assets, including many RMBS, typically decline in value if interest rates increase. If long-term rates were to increase significantly, such as we observed during 2022 and parts of 2023 and 2024, not only would the market value of these assets be expected to decline, but these assets could lengthen in duration because borrowers would be less likely to prepay their mortgages.

Interest rates can change quickly and are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary and tax policies, domestic and international economic and political considerations, and other factors beyond our control. Moreover, concerns over the United States’ debt ceiling and budget-deficit have increased the possibility of downgrades by rating agencies to the U.S. government’s credit rating, which could cause interest rates and borrowing costs to rise substantially. Interest rate movements are highly uncertain and notoriously difficult to predict. For example, during 2022 and parts of 2023 and 2024, short-term and long-term interest rates increased significantly.

While we opportunistically hedge our exposure to changes in interest rates, such hedging may be limited by our intention to remain qualified as a REIT, and we can provide no assurance that our hedges will be successful, or that we will be able to enter into or maintain such hedges. As a result, interest rate fluctuations can cause significant losses, reductions in income, and can limit the cash available to pay dividends to our stockholders.

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Interest rate caps on ARMs and hybrid ARMs, including those that back our RMBS, may reduce our net interest margin during periods of rising or high interest rates.