PMT US Equity☆

10-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

Form 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023

Or

For the transition period from to

Commission file number: 001-34416

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

3043 Townsgate Road, Westlake Village, California 91361

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(818) 224-7442

(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

8.50% Senior Note Due 2028 PMTU 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 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. ☐

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 ☒

As of June 30, 2023, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value (“common shares”), held by nonaffiliates was $1,159,710,039based on the closing price as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on that date.

As of February 20, 2024, there were 86,646,365 common shares of the registrant outstanding.

Documents Incorporated By Reference

Document Parts Into Which Incorporated

Definitive Proxy Statement for 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders Part III

PENNYMAC MORTGAGE INVESTMENT TRUST

FORM 10-K

December 31, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 3

PART I 6

Item 1 Business 6

Item 1A Risk Factors 18

Item 1B Unresolved Staff Comments 50

Item 1C Cybersecurity 50

Item 2 Properties 51

Item 3 Legal Proceedings 51

Item 4 Mine Safety Disclosures 51

Item 6 Reserved 52

Item 7A Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 84

Item 8 Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 87

Item 9A Controls and Procedures 87

Item 9B Other Information 90

Item 9C Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 90

PART III 91

Item 10 Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 91

Item 11 Executive Compensation 91

Item 14 Principal Accounting Fees and Services 91

Item 15 Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 92

Signatures

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Report”) contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “potential,” “intend,” “expect,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “approximately,” “believe,” “could,” “project,” “predict,” “continue,” “plan” or other similar words or expressions.

Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions, discuss future expectations, describe future plans and strategies, contain financial and operating projections or state other forward-looking information. Examples of forward-looking statements include the following:

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projections of our revenues, income, earnings per share, capital structure or other financial items;

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descriptions of our plans or objectives for future operations, products or services;

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forecasts of our future economic performance, interest rates, profit margins and our share of future markets; and

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descriptions of assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing expectations regarding the timing of generating any revenues.

Our ability to predict results or the actual effect of future events, actions, plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, our actual results and performance could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There are a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control that could cause actual results to differ significantly from management’s expectations. Some of these factors are discussed below.

You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement and should consider the following uncertainties and risks, as well as the risks and uncertainties discussed elsewhere in this Report and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated include, but are not limited to:

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changes in interest rates and other macroeconomic conditions;

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our ability to comply with various federal, state and local laws and regulations that govern our business;

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changes in our investment objectives or investment or operational strategies, including any new lines of business or new products and services that may subject us to additional risks;

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changes in real estate values, housing prices and housing sales;

•

the degree and nature of our competition;

•

volatility in our industry, the debt or equity markets, the general economy or the real estate finance and real estate markets specifically, whether the result of market events or otherwise;

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events or circumstances which undermine confidence in the financial and housing markets or otherwise have a broad impact on financial and housing markets, such as the sudden instability or collapse of large depository institutions or other significant corporations, terrorist attacks, natural or man-made disasters, or threatened or actual armed conflicts;

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changes in general business, economic, market, employment and domestic and international political conditions, or in consumer confidence and spending habits from those expected;

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the availability of, and level of competition for, attractive risk-adjusted investment opportunities in loans and mortgage-related assets that satisfy our investment objectives;

•

the inherent difficulty in winning bids to acquire loans, and our success in doing so;

•

the concentration of credit risks to which we are exposed;

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•

our dependence on PennyMac Financial Services, Inc., PNMAC Capital Management, LLC and PennyMac Loan Services, LLC, potential conflicts of interest with such entities and their affiliates, and the performance of such entities;

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changes in personnel and lack of availability of qualified personnel at PennyMac Financial Services, Inc., PNMAC Capital Management, LLC and PennyMac Loan Services, LLC, and their affiliates;

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the availability, terms and deployment of short-term and long-term capital;

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the adequacy of our cash reserves and working capital;

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our substantial amount of debt;

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our ability to maintain the desired relationship between our financing and the interest rates and maturities of our assets;

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the timing and amount of cash flows, if any, from our investments;

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our exposure to risks of loss and disruptions in operations resulting from adverse weather conditions, man-made or natural disasters, climate change and pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic;

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unanticipated increases or volatility in financing and other costs, including a rise in interest rates;

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the performance, financial condition and liquidity of borrowers;

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the ability of our servicer, which also provides us with fulfillment services, to approve and monitor correspondent sellers and underwrite loans to investor standards;

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incomplete or inaccurate information or documentation provided by customers or counterparties, or adverse changes in the financial condition of our customers and counterparties;

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our indemnification and repurchase obligations in connection with loans we purchase and later sell or securitize;

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the quality and enforceability of the collateral documentation evidencing our ownership and rights in the assets in which we invest;

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increased rates of delinquency, default and/or decreased recovery rates on our investments;

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the performance of loans underlying mortgage-backed securities in which we retain credit risk;

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our ability to foreclose on our investments in a timely manner or at all;

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the degree to which our hedging strategies may or may not protect us from interest rate volatility;

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the effect of the accuracy of or changes in the estimates we make about uncertainties, contingencies and asset and liability valuations when measuring and reporting upon our financial condition and results of operations;

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our ability to maintain appropriate internal control over financial reporting;

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technology failures, cybersecurity risks and incidents, and our ability to mitigate cybersecurity risks and cyber intrusions;

•

our ability to obtain and/or maintain licenses and other approvals in those jurisdictions where required to conduct our business;

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our ability to detect misconduct and fraud;

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changes in our CRT arrangements and agreements;

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developments in the secondary markets for our loan products;

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legislative and regulatory changes that impact the loan industry or housing market;

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changes in regulations that impact the business, operations or governance of mortgage lenders and/or publicly-traded companies or such changes that increase the cost of doing business with such entities;

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the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and its issued and future rules and the enforcement thereof;

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changes in government support of homeownership;

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our ability to effectively identify, manage and hedge our credit, interest rate, prepayment, liquidity and climate risks;

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changes in government or government-sponsored home affordability programs;

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limitations imposed on our business and our ability to satisfy complex rules for us to qualify as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes and qualify for an exclusion from the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to qualify as REITs or as taxable REIT subsidiaries for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as applicable, and our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to operate effectively within the limitations imposed by these rules;

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changes in governmental regulations, accounting treatment, tax rates and similar matters (including changes to laws governing the taxation of REITs, or the exclusions from registration as an investment company);

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our ability to make distributions to our shareholders in the future;

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our failure to deal appropriately with issues that may give rise to reputational risk; and

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our organizational structure and certain requirements in our charter documents.

Other factors that could also cause results to differ from our expectations may not be described in this Report or any other document. Each of these factors could by itself, or together with one or more other factors, adversely affect our business, results of operations and/or financial condition.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statement was made.

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PART I

Item 1. Business

The following description of our business should be read in conjunction with the information included elsewhere in this Report. This description contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ significantly from the projections and results discussed in the forward-looking statements due to the factors described under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Report. References in this Report to “we,” “our,” “us,” “PMT,” or the “Company” refer to PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated.

Our Company

We are a specialty finance company that invests primarily in mortgage-related assets. We conduct substantially all of our operations, and make substantially all of our investments, through our subsidiary, PennyMac Operating Partnership, L.P. (our “Operating Partnership”) and its subsidiaries. A wholly-owned subsidiary of ours is the sole general partner, and we are the sole limited partner, of our Operating Partnership. Certain of the activities conducted or investments made by us that are described below are conducted or made through a wholly-owned subsidiary that is a taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”) or through other subsidiaries of our Operating Partnership.

The management of our business and execution of our operations are performed on our behalf by subsidiaries of PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. (“PFSI”). PFSI is a specialty financial services firm separately listed on the New York Stock Exchange focused on the production and servicing of loans and the management of investments related to the U.S. mortgage market. Specifically:

•

We are managed by PNMAC Capital Management, LLC (“PCM” or our “Manager”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFSI and an investment adviser registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that specializes in, and focuses on, U.S. mortgage assets.

•

Our loan production and servicing activities (as described below) are performed on our behalf by another wholly-owned PFSI subsidiary, PennyMac Loan Services, LLC (“PLS” or our “Servicer”).

Our investment focus is on residential mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) and mortgage-related assets that we create through our correspondent production activities. Correspondent production activities include purchasing, pooling and selling newly originated prime credit quality residential loans (“correspondent production”). Through our correspondent production activities, we create and hold mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”), non-Agency MBS, credit risk transfer (“CRT”) agreements (“CRT Agreements”), and other CRT securities (together, “CRT arrangements”).

Our business includes four segments: credit sensitive strategies, interest rate sensitive strategies, correspondent production, and corporate.

•

The credit sensitive strategies segment represents our investments in CRT arrangements, subordinate MBS, distressed loans and real estate.

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The interest rate sensitive strategies segment represents our investments in MSRs, excess servicing spread (“ESS”) purchased from PFSI, Agency and senior non-Agency MBS and the related interest rate hedging activities.

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The correspondent production segment represents our operations aimed at serving as an intermediary between lenders and the capital markets by purchasing, pooling and reselling newly originated prime credit quality loans either directly or in the form of MBS, using the services of PCM and PLS.

We primarily sell the loans we acquire through our correspondent production activities to government-sponsored entities (“GSEs”) such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) or to PLS for sale into securitizations guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”). Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae are each referred to as an “Agency” and, collectively, as the “Agencies.”

•

Our corporate segment includes management fee and corporate expense amounts and certain interest income.

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Following is a summary of our segment results for the years presented:

Year ended December 31,

(in thousands)

Net investment income:

Pretax income (loss):

Total assets at year end:

In our correspondent production segment, we purchase Agency-eligible and jumbo loans. A jumbo loan is a loan in an amount that exceeds the maximum loan amount for loans that are eligible for sale to the Agencies under their guidelines. We then either:

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sell Agency-eligible loans meeting the guidelines of the GSEs for sale to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (“GSE-Eligible Loans”) on a servicing-retained basis and retain the related MSRs;

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sell government loans (insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or U.S. Department of Agriculture) and certain GSE-Eligible Loans on a servicing-released basis to PLS, a Ginnie Mae approved issuer and servicer, for which we earn sourcing fees as described in Note 4 – Transactions with Related Parties to the consolidated financial statements included in this Report;

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create and issue structured MBS, retain a portion of the subordinate securities and sell the remaining senior MBS to nonaffiliates; or

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sell loans with certain specified characteristics to banks or other investors, generally on a servicing retained basis.

Our correspondent production segment involves purchases of loans from approved mortgage originators that meet specific criteria related to management experience, financial strength, risk management controls and loan quality. During 2023, we were the largest correspondent aggregator in the United States as ranked by Inside Mortgage Finance. As of December 31, 2023, we had 812 approved sellers with delegated underwriting authority, primarily independent mortgage originators and small banks located across the United States. PLS also serves as a source of correspondent production to us.

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Following is a summary of our correspondent production activities:

Year ended December 31,

(in thousands)

Correspondent loan purchases at fair value:

Home equity lines of credit 102 132 —

Fair value of loans at year ended pending sale to:

Number of approved sellers at year-end (2) 812 722 768

(1)

The Company sells or finances a portion of its GSE-Eligible Loans to or with other investors, including PLS.

(2)

Includes only sellers with delegated underwriting authority.

The sale of loans to nonaffiliates from our correspondent production activities serves as the source of our investments in MSRs, CRT arrangements and subordinate non-Agency MBS which are summarized below:

Year ended December 31,

(in thousands)

Sales of loans acquired for sale:

Investment activities resulting from correspondent production:

(1)

The trusts issuing the securities are consolidated on our consolidated balance sheets. Therefore, our investments in these securities are shown as their underlying assets, Loans at fair value with the securities held by non-affiliates being shown as Asset-backed financings of variable interest entities at fair value.

We also invest in MBS and have historically invested in ESS on MSRs acquired by PLS and distressed mortgage assets (loans and real estate acquired in settlement of loans (“REO”)). We have liquidated our investment in ESS and substantially liquidated our investment in distressed mortgage assets.

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Following is a summary of our acquisitions of other mortgage-related investments:

Year ended December 31,

(in thousands)

ESS, net of sale — — (129,304 )

Our portfolio of mortgage investments was comprised of the following:

December 31,

(in thousands)

Credit sensitive assets:

Subordinate credit-linked mortgage-backed securities 301,180 177,898 —

Interest rate sensitive assets:

(1)

Investments in CRT arrangements include deposits securing CRT arrangements, CRT strips, CRT derivatives and an interest-only security payable.

(2)

Comprised of home equity lines of credit and a small balance commercial loan.

Over time, our targeted asset classes may change as a result of changes in the opportunities that are available in the market, among other factors. We may not continue to invest in certain of the investments described above if we believe those types of investments will not provide us with suitable returns or if we believe other types of our targeted assets provide us with better returns.

Investment Policies

Our board of trustees has adopted the policies set forth below for our investments and borrowings.

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No investment shall be made that would cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

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No investment shall be made that would cause us to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”); and

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With the exception of real estate and housing, no single industry shall represent more than 20% of the investments or total risk exposure in our portfolio.

These investment policies may be changed by a majority of our board of trustees without the approval of, or prior notice to, our shareholders.

We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our trustees, officers, shareholders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. We do not 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 trustees and officers, as well as employees of PFSI and its subsidiaries who

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provide services to us, from engaging in any transaction that involves an actual or apparent conflict of interest with us without the appropriate approval. We also have written policies and procedures for the review and approval of related party transactions, including oversight by designated committees of our board of trustees and PFSI’s board of directors.

Competition

In our correspondent production activities, we compete with large financial institutions, the government-sponsored enterprise cash windows and other independent residential loan producers and servicers such as Mr. Cooper, Rithm Capital Corp., Truist Financial, Western Alliance Bank and Ocwen Financial. We compete on the basis of product offerings, technical knowledge, loan quality, speed of execution, rate and fees.

In the acquisition of mortgage assets, we compete with specialty finance companies, private funds, thrifts, banks, mortgage bankers, insurance companies, mutual funds, institutional investors, investment banking firms, governmental bodies and other mortgage REITs such as Chimera Investment Corporation, Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc., Rithm Capital Corp., MFA Financial, Inc., New York Mortgage Trust, Inc., Redwood Trust Inc. and Two Harbors Investment Corp., all of which may also be focused on acquiring mortgage-related assets, and therefore may increase competition for the available supply of mortgage assets suitable for purchase.

Many of our competitors are significantly larger than we are and have stronger financial positions and greater access to capital and other resources than we have and may have other advantages over us. Such advantages include the ability to obtain lower-cost financing, such as deposits, and operational efficiencies arising from their larger size.

Some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments and may not be subject to the operating constraints associated with REIT tax compliance or maintenance of an exclusion from the Investment Company Act, any of which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments and funding strategies and to establish more relationships with sellers of mortgage assets than we can.

Because the availability of mortgage assets may fluctuate, the competition for assets and sources of financing may increase. Increased competition for assets may result in our accepting lower returns for acquisitions of assets or adversely influence our ability to bid for such assets at levels that allow us to acquire the assets.

To address this competition, we have access to PCM’s professionals and their industry expertise, which we believe provides us with a competitive advantage and helps us assess investment risks and determine appropriate pricing for certain potential investments. We expect this relationship to enable us to compete more effectively for attractive investment opportunities. Furthermore, we believe that our access to PLS servicing expertise provides us with a competitive advantage over other companies with a similar focus. However, we can provide no assurance that we will be able to achieve our business goals or expectations due to the competition and other risks that we face.

Cyclicality and Seasonality

The demand for loan originations is affected by consumer demand for home loans. Demand for home loans generally comes from the demand for loans made to finance the purchase of homes and the demand for loans made to refinance existing loans.

The demand for loans made to finance the purchase of homes is most significantly influenced by the overall strength of the economy, housing prices and availability and societal factors such as household formation and government support for home ownership.

The demand for loans made to refinance existing loans is most significantly influenced by movements in interest rates and to a lesser extent, to changes in property values and employment.

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Financing

Following is a summary of our financing, including borrowings and the assets pledged to secure those borrowings as of December 31, 2023:

Assets financed

(in thousands)

Borrowings

Short term

Mortgage loan participation purchase and sale agreements — — — — — — —

Long term

Interest-only security payable — — — 32,667 — — 32,667

Debt-to-equity ratio:

Excluding non-recourse debt 4.7:1

(1)

Amounts pledged to secure borrowings include pledged servicing advances.

Debt

Our current debt financing strategy is to finance our assets in such a way as to match the term of the liabilities used to finance them to the expected life of the underlying assets where we believe such borrowing is prudent, appropriate and available. Our borrowings are primarily collateralized borrowings in the form of sales of assets under agreements to repurchase, and asset-backed financing in the form of long-term securitized notes, including secured term financing for our MSRs and our CRT arrangements. Terms of our borrowings are summarized in Notes 14 and 15 to our consolidated financial statements included in this Report.

A significant portion of our balance sheet is comprised of longer-lived assets - such as MSRs, servicing advances, CRT arrangements and distressed loans - that have historically been less liquid, and more difficult to finance than our newly originated mortgage loans and MBS. As a result, we have historically relied on shorter-term financing arrangements, primarily sales of the assets under agreements to repurchase, to finance our longer-lived assets. As we have grown, we have financed more of our assets under longer term secured financing arrangements that more closely align the term of the borrowings with the expected life of the corresponding assets. We also rely on unsecured financing arrangements.

Following is a summary of the types of debt we use to finance our investing and operating activities:

Short-term debt

Sales of assets under agreements to repurchase

Our largest source of debt financing is the sale of assets under agreements to repurchase. Under these agreements, we sell assets or participation certificates to a lender under a commitment to repurchase the asset or participation certificate within a specified period - generally ranging from 30 to 90 days for MBS and CRT assets, 60 to 120 days for mortgage loans and two to five years for participation certificates secured by MSRs.

During the period the agreement to repurchase is outstanding, our lender is generally contractually authorized to repledge the assets underlying the repurchase agreement. The repurchase agreements generally contain margin provisions that

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require us to maintain our borrowings at a specified percentage of the fair value of the assets pledged to secure the borrowings. As a result, we are subject to margin calls during the period the repurchase agreements are outstanding and, therefore, may be required to repay a portion of the borrowings before the respective repurchase agreements mature if the fair value (as determined by the applicable lender) of the assets securing those repurchase agreements decreases.

We are exposed to loss in the event a lender makes a margin call to us and we are unable to fund the margin call. In such a circumstance, the lender is contractually allowed to liquidate the assets securing the repurchase agreement and pursue repayment from us for any balance not satisfied through the sale of the collateral. To the extent we finance long-lived assets with repurchase agreements, we are also exposed to the risk of our being unable to refinance these assets under terms that are reasonable to us when the repurchase agreements mature.

Our repurchase agreement facilities include a mix of committed and uncommitted facilities. Committed facilities contractually bind the lender to purchase assets meeting the criteria of the credit facility up to a committed amount, whereas the lender is not required to fund repurchase agreements on uncommitted amounts. We pay a facility commitment fee to maintain committed amounts and endeavor to minimize our borrowing costs while maintaining adequate committed amounts to fund our expected loan inventory levels during the facility commitment period.

Mortgage loan participation purchase and sale agreements

We finance a portion of our inventory of loans acquired for sale using mortgage loan participation purchase and sale agreements. Under mortgage loan participation purchase and sale agreements, we sell participation certificates to a lender, representing undivided beneficial ownership interests in pools of loans deemed eligible to back pass-through MBS issued and guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, while the pools are pending securitization and the sale of the resulting securities. As part of the sale of the participation certificates, we arrange to deliver the resulting securities to the lender, and assign the commitments between us and nonaffiliates to sell the securities.

Mortgage loan participation purchase and sale certificates generally have a term of up to 45 days based on the anticipated delivery date of the related MBS and are repaid when the nonaffiliated investors purchase the securities.

Our mortgage loan participation purchase and sale agreement facilities are both committed and uncommitted facilities. Mortgage loan participation purchase and sale certificates do not contain margin call provisions. However, in the event the purchasers of the securities fail to settle the purchase, we are obligated to purchase the securities from the lender.

Loan and security agreements

We finance our MSRs related to mortgage loans pooled into Freddie Mac securities using a loan and security agreement or similar credit agreements with terms to maturity of two years from their original effective dates. Under the agreements, we borrow amounts collateralized by the MSRs, the fair value of which is determined by the lender or a third-party agent, on a monthly basis, or at the discretion of the lender. The lender makes available both committed and uncommitted amounts, with the maximum maturity of borrowed balances not to exceed the maturity of the agreements.

The agreements include provisions that require us to maintain our borrowings at a level not to exceed a specified percentage of the fair value of the MSRs pledged to secure the borrowings. As a result, we are subject to margin calls during the period if any amount is outstanding under the agreements. We are exposed to loss in the event the lender makes a margin call to us and we are unable to fund the margin call. In such a circumstance, the lender is contractually allowed to liquidate any portion of the MSRs securing the agreements and pursue repayment from us for any balance not satisfied through their subsequent sale of the MSRs.

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Long-term debt

Notes payable secured by CRT arrangements and MSRs

Our notes payable secured by CRT arrangements and MSRs represent long-term financing of our CRT and MSR assets and include:

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$1.0 billion in secured term notes issued to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and syndicated secured term loans issued to banking entities. The term notes are secured by MSR participation certificates on Fannie Mae loans that are pledged to a subsidiary trust that has also issued variable funding notes (“VFNs”) that may be financed with certain lenders in the form of sales of assets under agreements to repurchase. VFNs are typically used to finance a portion of the fair value of MSR participation certificates held by the subsidiary trust in excess of the fair value required to collateralize the secured term notes and term loans. The term notes and term loans include margin call provisions that require us to maintain a certain advance rate based on the fair value of the underlying MSR participation certificates. As the fair value of the underlying MSRs is subject to periodic fluctuation, we may be required to either pledge additional MSR participation certificates or cash to the subsidiary trust when the fair value of the MSR participation certificates decreases even though the borrowings have a long-term maturity.

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$1.1 billion in various credit agreements secured by Freddie Mac MSRs.

•

$748 million of term notes secured by our investment in CRT assets issued to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act. These term notes do not include margin call provisions. However, these term notes must be repaid based on the amortization of the CRT assets that collateralize them. These term notes have maturities ranging from February 2024 through May 2025. A portion of these term notes have terms that provide for optional extensions of two years under conditions provided in the respective agreements.

Asset-backed financings

We have participated in various transactions whereby we invest in subordinate securities issued in loan securitizations. These transactions are sponsored by us or a nonaffiliate. We acquire the loans underlying these loan securitizations through our correspondent lending activities. We then either sell the loans to a nonaffiliate which pools the loans into securities, or we pool the loans into securities issued by one of our subsidiary trusts. We purchase subordinate securities from nonaffiliate sponsored transactions and retain subordinate securities in the transactions we sponsored. Any mortgage servicing rights for the loans underlying these securities are owned by us, and sub-serviced by PLS for the subsidiary trusts issuing the securities.

Because we hold substantially all of the subordinate securities created in these transactions and we or PLS service the underlying loans, we include the assets of the issuing trust on our consolidated balance sheet, in Loans at fair value. We alsoinclude the securities issued to nonaffiliates by the issuing trusts as Asset-backed financings at fair value on our consolidated balance sheet.

This debt is repaid by the issuing trust from the cash flows received on the loans underlying these subordinate securities. Cash flows from those loans represent the sole source of repayment of this debt and the holders of this debt have no recourse to other assets on our consolidated balance sheet. The maturities of these financings are based on the loan(s) with the latest maturity of the loans in the issuing subsidiary trusts.

Interest-only security payable

One of the classes of the securities issued by the trusts relating to our investments in CRT arrangements is an interest-only security that we issued to a nonaffiliate. As discussed in Note 6 – Variable Interest Entities to the consolidated financial statements included in this Report, we consolidate the trusts that issue the securities underlying our investments in the CRT arrangements. As part of the consolidation of the CRT arrangements, we recognize this interest-only security as debt on our consolidated balance sheet.

This debt is repaid by the issuing trust from the cash flows based on the reference loans underlying these securities. Cash flows from those loans represent the sole source of repayment of this security and its holder has no recourse to other assets on our consolidated balance sheet.

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Unsecured senior notes

Exchangeable senior notes

Our subsidiary, PennyMac Corp. (“PMC”), has issued $555 million in outstanding exchangeable senior notes with maturities through March 2026. The exchangeable senior notes are unsecured obligations. The exchangeable senior notes are exchangeable into 40.101 PMT common shares per $1,000 principal amount for the notes maturing on November 1, 2024 and 46.1063 PMT common shares per $1,000 principal amount for the notes maturing on March 15, 2026, subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events. The exchangeable senior notes bear interest at 5.50%.

2023 senior notes

In September 2023, we issued $53.5 million principal amount of unsecured 8.50% senior notes due September 30, 2028. The 2023 senior notes bear interest at a rate of 8.50% per year. The 2023 senior notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by our subsidiary, PMC, including the due and punctual payment of principal and interest on the 2023 senior notes, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

On or after September 30, 2025, we may redeem for cash all or any portion of the 2023 senior notes, at our option, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

Equity

Our shareholders’ equity includes both common and cumulative preferred shares, partially offset by our accumulated deficit as summarized below:

December 31,

(in thousands)

Paid-in capital

We actively manage our equity financing and endeavor to obtain an equity structure that optimizes the returns to our common shareholders. This approach to managing our equity includes supplementing our common shares with issuances of preferred shares and common share repurchase activities. At December 31, 2023, we had $200 million of common shares available for issuance under our at-the-market equity offering program and $73 million authorized for share repurchases.

Following is a summary of our repurchases of common shares:

Year ended December 31, Share repurchases

(in thousands)

Our preferred shares are comprised of three series of $25 par value cumulative preferred shares that have dividend rates ranging from 6.75% to 8.125% of their par values and liquidation preferences totaling $560 million. Our preferred shares have no stated maturity, are not subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption and will remain outstanding indefinitely unless we redeem or repurchase the shares or the shares are converted into common shares in connection with a change of control by the holders of the preferred shares, as provided in the respective articles supplementary establishing the terms of each series of preferred shares. The preferred shares become redeemable between March 15, 2024 and August 24, 2026.

As a REIT, we face limits on our ability to finance our operations and investments with retained earnings, as we are generally required to distribute to our shareholders at least 90% of our taxable income each year for us to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Internal Revenue Code”). To the extent we satisfy the 90% distribution

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requirement but distribute less than 100% of our taxable income, we are subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on our undistributed taxable income. We establish the level of our periodic common share distributions based on this requirement as well as our earnings, our financial condition and such other factors as our board of trustees may deem relevant from time to time.

Operating and Regulatory Structure

Taxation – REIT Qualification

We have elected to be treated as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code beginning with our taxable year ended December 31, 2009. Our qualification as a REIT depends upon our ability to meet on a continuing basis, through actual investment and operating results, various complex requirements under the Internal Revenue Code relating to, among other things, the sources of our gross income, the composition and values of our assets, our distribution levels and the diversity of ownership of our common shares. We believe that we are organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code, and that our manner of operation enables us to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT.

As a REIT, we generally are not subject to U.S. federal income tax on the REIT taxable income we distribute to our shareholders. If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year and do not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates and may be precluded from qualifying as a REIT for the subsequent four taxable years following the year during which we lost our REIT qualification. Accordingly, our failure to qualify as a REIT could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and amounts available for distribution to our shareholders.

Even though we have elected to be taxed as a REIT, we are subject to some U.S. federal, state and local taxes on our income or property. A portion of our business is conducted through, and a portion of our income is earned in, our TRS that is subject to corporate income taxation. In general, a TRS of ours may hold assets and engage in activities that we cannot hold or engage in directly and may engage in any real estate or non-real estate related business. A TRS is subject to U.S. federal, state and local corporate income taxes. To maintain our REIT election, at the end of each quarter no more than 20% of the value of a REIT’s assets may consist of stock or securities of one or more TRSs.

If our TRS generates net income, our TRS can declare dividends to us, which will be included in our taxable income and necessitate a distribution to our shareholders. Conversely, if we retain earnings at the TRS level, no distribution is required and we can increase shareholders’ equity of the consolidated entity. As discussed in Item 1A. of this Report entitled Risk Factors, the combination of the requirement to maintain no more than 20% of our assets in the TRS coupled with the effect of TRS dividends on our income tests creates compliance complexities for us in the maintenance of our qualified REIT status.

The dividends paid deduction of a REIT for qualifying dividends to its shareholders is computed using our taxable income as opposed to net income reported on our financial statements. Taxable income generally differs from net income reported on our financial statements because the determination of taxable income is based on tax laws and regulations and not financial accounting principles.

Compliance and Regulation

Our business is subject to extensive federal, state and local regulation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) was established on July 21, 2010 under Title X of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The CFPB is responsible for ensuring consumers are provided with timely and understandable information to make responsible decisions about financial transactions, federal consumer financial laws are enforced and consumers are protected from unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices and from discrimination. Although the CFPB’s actions may improve consumer protection, such actions also have resulted in a meaningful increase in costs to consumers and financial services companies including mortgage originators and servicers.

Our and our Servicer’s loan production and loan servicing operations are regulated at the state level by state licensing authorities and administrative agencies. Our Servicer’s employees who engage in regulated activities must apply for licensing as a mortgage banker or lender, loan servicer and debt collector pursuant to applicable state law. These state licensing requirements typically require an application process, the payment of fees, background checks and administrative review. Our Servicer’s servicing operations are licensed (or exempt or otherwise not required to be licensed) to service mortgage loans in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. From time to time, we or our Servicer receive requests from states and Agencies and various investors for records, documents and information regarding our policies, procedures and practices regarding our loan production and loan servicing business activities, and undergo periodic examinations by federal and state regulatory agencies.

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The Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (the “SAFE Act”) requires all states to enact laws that require all individuals acting in the United States as mortgage loan originators to be individually licensed or registered if they intend to offer mortgage loan products. These licensing requirements include enrollment in the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, application to state regulators for individual licenses and the completion of pre‐licensing education, annual education and the successful completion of both national and state exams.

We must comply with a number of federal consumer protection laws, including, among others:

•

the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”), and Regulation X thereunder, which require certain disclosures to mortgagors regarding the costs of mortgage loans, the administration of tax and insurance escrows, the transferring of servicing of mortgage loans, the response to consumer complaints, and payments between lenders and vendors of certain settlement services;

•

the Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”), and Regulation Z thereunder, which require certain disclosures to mortgagors regarding the terms of their mortgage loans, notices of sale, assignments or transfers of ownership of mortgage loans, new servicing rules involving payment processing, and adjustable rate mortgage change notices and periodic statements;

•

the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Regulation B thereunder, which prohibit 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 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act and Regulation C thereunder, which require financial institutions to report certain public loan data;

•

the Homeowners Protection Act, which requires the cancellation of private mortgage insurance once certain equity levels are reached, sets disclosure and notification requirements, and requires the return of unearned premiums;

•

the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides, among other things, interest and foreclosure protections for service members on active duty;

•

the Gramm‐Leach‐Bliley Act and Regulation P thereunder, which require us to maintain privacy with respect to certain consumer data in our possession and to periodically communicate with consumers on privacy matters;

•

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

•

the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Regulation V thereunder, which regulate the use and reporting of information related to the credit history of consumers; and

•

the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, which provides for lenders to require borrowers/owners of properties in special flood hazard areas to purchase flood insurance for such properties, or for lenders to purchase flood insurance on behalf of such borrowers/owners.

Many of these laws are further impacted by the SAFE Act and implementation of new rules by the CFPB.

Our Manager and Our Servicer

We are externally managed and advised by PCM pursuant to a management agreement. PCM specializes in and focuses on investments in U.S. mortgage assets.

PCM is responsible for administering our business activities and day-to-day operations, including developing our investment strategies, and sourcing and acquiring mortgage-related assets for our investment portfolio. Pursuant to the terms of the management agreement, PCM provides us with our senior management team, including our officers and support personnel. PCM is subject to the supervision and oversight of our board of trustees and has the functions and authority specified in the management agreement.

We also have a loan servicing agreement with PLS, pursuant to which PLS provides primary and special servicing for our portfolio of residential loans and MSRs. PLS’ loan servicing activities include collecting principal, interest and escrow account payments, accounting for and remitting collections to investors in the loans, responding to customer inquiries, and

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default management activities, including managing loss mitigation, which may include, among other things, collection activities, loan workouts, modifications and refinancings, foreclosures, short sales and sales of REO. Servicing fee rates are based on the delinquency status, activities performed, and other characteristics of the loans serviced and total servicing compensation is established at levels that we believe are competitive with those charged by other primary servicers and specialty servicers. PLS acted as the servicer for loans with an unpaid principal balance totaling approximately $607.2 billion, of which $232.7 billion was subserviced for us as of December 31, 2023.

Human Capital Resources

All of our senior officers are employees of PFSI or its affiliates and we have seven employees. Our long-term growth and success is highly dependent upon PFSI’s employees and PFSI’s ability to maintain a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace representing a broad spectrum of backgrounds, ideas and perspectives. As part of these efforts, PFSI strives to offer competitive compensation and benefits, foster a community where everyone feels a greater sense of belonging and purpose, and provide employees with the opportunity to give back and make an impact in the communities where we live and serve.

PFSI had approximately 3,900 domestic employees as of the end of fiscal year 2023. In addition, as of the end of fiscal year 2023, PFSI’s workforce was 51.8% female and 48.2% male, and the ethnicity of PFSI’s workforce was 44.3% White, 23.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Black or African American, 14.2% Asian and 4.1% other (which includes American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Two or More Races, and Not Specified as defined in its EE0-1 Report filed with the Department of Labor).

Employee Retention and Development

We and PFSI believe in attracting, developing and engaging the best talent, while providing a supportive work environment that prioritizes the health and safety of all. Talent development is a critical component of our and PFSI’s experience and ensures that employees have career growth opportunities, including establishing development networks and relationships and fostering continued growth and learning. Employees receive regular business and compliance training to help further enhance their career development objectives. PFSI also actively manages enterprise-wide and divisional mentoring programs and has partnered with an external vendor to establish a comprehensive, fully integrated wellness program designed to enhance employee productivity.

Compensation and Succession Planning

Our and PFSI’s compensation programs are designed to motivate and reward employees who possess the necessary skills to support our business strategy and create long-term value for our shareholders. PFSI compensation may include base salary, annual cash incentives, and long-term equity incentives, as well as life insurance and 401(k) plan matching contributions. PFSI also offers a comprehensive selection of health and welfare benefits to its employees including emotional well-being support and paid parental leave programs. Succession planning is also critical to our operations and we have established ongoing evaluations of our leadership depth and succession capabilities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We and PFSI believe that building a diverse, equitable and inclusive, high-performing workforce where PFSI’s employees bring varied perspectives and experiences to work every day creates a positive influence in PFSI’s workplace, community and business operations. Our Board of Trustees, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, our Compensation Committee, and our Risk Committee provide regular oversight of our and PFSI’s corporate sustainability program, including our diversity, equity and inclusion programs and initiatives. We and PFSI are also taking proactive measures to strategically and sustainably advance equity in the workplace through Business Resource Groups (“BRGs”), a diversity initiatives, mentorship programs, and external partnerships with organizations such as the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America. We and PFSI also established leadership goals and created customized initiatives that focus on PFSI’s continued effort to increase the number of women and underrepresented minorities in management positions throughout the company and its business divisions. As it relates to PFSI’s inclusive culture, PFSI established the following BRGs to emphasize career growth, networking, and learning opportunities for employees and allies with shared backgrounds and experiences: the BOLD BRG (for Black and African American employees and allies), the HOLA BRG (for Hispanic, Latino and Latinx employees and allies), the InspirASIAN BRG (for Asian American and Pacific Islander employees and allies), the Pennymac PRIDE BRG (for LGBTQIA employees and allies), the SERVE BRG (for veteran and military family employees and allies), and the wEMRG BRG (for women employees and allies). We and PFSI also foster a more inclusive culture through a variety of initiatives, including corporate training, special events, community outreach and corporate philanthropy.

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Community Involvement

PFSI has a corporate philanthropy program that is governed by a philosophy of giving that prioritizes the support of causes and issues that are important in our local communities, and drives a culture of employee engagement and collaboration throughout our and PFSI’s organization. We and PFSI are committed to empowering our employees to be a positive influence in the communities where we live and serve, and believe that this commitment supports our efforts to attract and engage employees and improve retention. PFSI’s philanthropy program consists of three key components: an employee matching gift program, a charitable grants program and a corporate sponsorship program. PFSI’s five philanthropic focus areas are: community development and equitable housing, financial literacy and economic inclusion, human and social services, health and medical research, and environmental sustainability. PFSI has established a separate donor advised fund to facilitate donations to various local and national charitable organizations and has provided funding to several charitable organizations located near our office sites and national organizations that support missions such as sustainable homeownership, mortgage and rental assistance, food insecurity, disaster recovery, family and child advocacy, and community empowerment. We and PFSI also manage our environmental impact by focusing on improving our waste reduction, energy efficiency and water conservation.

Available Information

Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and amendments to those reports filed with or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are available free of charge at www.pennymacmortgageinvestmenttrust.com through the investor relations section of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such material with the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding our filings at www.sec.gov. The above references to our website and the SEC’s website do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on those websites and should not be considered part of this document.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Summary Risk Factors

We are subject to a number of risks that, if realized, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders. Some of our more significant challenges and risks include, but are not limited to, the following, which are described in greater detail below:

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Interest rate fluctuations could significantly decrease our results of operations and cash flows and the fair value of our investments.

•

Difficult conditions in the mortgage, real estate and financial markets and the economy generally may adversely affect the performance and fair value of our investments.

•

A disruption in the MBS market could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

•

We operate in a highly regulated industry and the continually changing federal, state and local laws and regulations could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

•

CFPB and state rules and regulations or more stringent enforcement of existing rules and regulations by the CFPB or state regulators could result in enforcement actions, fines, penalties and reputational harm that results from such actions.

•

We are highly dependent on U.S. government-sponsored entities and government agencies, and any organizational or pricing changes at such entities or their regulators could materially and adversely affect our business, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations.

•

We and/or PLS are required to have various Agency approvals and state licenses in order to conduct our business and there is no assurance we and/or PLS will be able to obtain or maintain those Agency approvals or state licenses.

•

Our or PLS’ inability to meet certain net worth and liquidity requirements imposed by the Agencies could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operation

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•

We have a substantial amount of indebtedness, which may limit our financial and operating activities, expose us to substantial increases in costs due to interest rate fluctuations, expose us to the risk of default under our debt obligations and adversely affect our ability to incur additional debt to fund future needs.

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We finance our investments with borrowings, which may materially and adversely affect our return on our investments and may reduce cash available for distribution to our shareholders.

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We may not be able to raise the debt or equity capital required to finance our assets or grow our business.

•

Hedging against interest rate exposure may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows.

•

Our correspondent production activities could subject us to increased risk of loss.

•

Our correspondent production activities depend, in part, upon PLS’ and other PFSI subsidiaries’ ability to adapt to and implement technological changes and to successfully develop, implement and protect their proprietary technology.

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We are not an approved Ginnie Mae issuer and an increase in the percentage of government loans we acquire could be detrimental to our results of operations.

•

Cybersecurity risks, cyber incidents and technology failures may adversely affect our and our Manager’s business by causing a disruption to our or our Manager’s operations, a compromise or corruption of our or our Manager’s confidential information or personal customer information, and/or damage to our or our Manager’s business relationships, all of which could negatively impact our financial results.

•

Our retention of credit risk underlying loans we sell to the GSEs is inherently uncertain and exposes us to significant risk of loss.

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A portion of our investments is in the form of residential loans, and the loans in which we invest subject us to costs and losses arising from delinquency and foreclosure, as well as the risks associated with residential real estate and residential real estate-related investments, any of which could result in losses to us.

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Our acquisition of mortgage servicing rights exposes us to significant risks.

•

Climate change, adverse weather conditions, man-made or natural disasters, pandemics, terrorist attacks, and other long term physical and environmental changes and conditions could adversely impact properties that we own or that collateralize loans we own or service, as well as geographic areas where we conduct business.

•

We may be materially and adversely affected by risks affecting borrowers or the asset or property types in which our investments may be concentrated at any given time, as well as from unfavorable changes in the related geographic regions.

•

Many of our investments are illiquid and we may not be able to adjust our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions.

•

Fair values of many of our investments are estimates and the realization of reduced values from our recorded estimates may materially and adversely affect periodic reported results and credit availability, which may reduce earnings and, in turn, cash available for distribution to our shareholders.

•

We are required to make servicing advances that can be subject to delays in recovery or may not be recoverable in certain circumstances, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

•

We are dependent upon PCM and PLS and their resources and may not find suitable replacements if any of our service agreements with PCM or PLS are terminated.

•

The management fee structure could cause disincentive and/or create greater investment risk.

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Termination of our management agreement is difficult and costly.

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Certain provisions of Maryland law, our staggered board of trustees and certain provisions in our declaration of trust could each inhibit a change in our control.

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•

Failure to maintain exemptions or exclusions from registration under the Investment Company Act could materially and adversely affect us.

•

Our failure to qualify as a REIT would result in higher taxes and reduced cash available for distribution to our shareholders.

•

Even if we qualify as a REIT, we face tax liabilities that reduce our cash flow, and a significant portion of our income may be earned through TRSs that are subject to U.S. federal income taxation.

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The percentage of our assets represented by a TRS and the amount of our income that we can receive in the form of TRS dividends are subject to statutory limitations that could jeopardize our REIT status.

•

Our and our Manager’s risk management efforts may not be effective.

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.

Risk Factors

In addition to the other information set forth in this Report, you should carefully consider the following factors, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations in future periods. The risks described below are not the only risks that we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations in future periods.

Risks Related to Our Business

Interest rate fluctuations could significantly decrease our results of operations and cash flows and the fair value of our investments.

Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including United States monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political considerations and other macroeconomic conditions such as inflation, consumer confidence and demand. Interest rate fluctuations present a variety of risks to our operations. For example, federal fund rate increases in 2022 and 2023 by the Federal Reserve to address rising inflation negatively impacted our correspondent production business. Our primary interest rate exposures relate to the yield on our investments, their fair values and the financing cost of our debt, as well as any derivative financial instruments that we utilize for hedging purposes. In addition, MBS liquidity and interest rates may be impacted by future sales and reallocations of the Federal Reserve’s MBS portfolio. Changes in interest rates affect our net interest income, which is the difference between the interest income we earn on our interest earning investments and the interest expense we incur in financing these investments. Interest rate fluctuations resulting in our interest expense exceeding interest income may result in operating losses for us. Interest rates in 2022 and 2023 negatively impacted our loan production volumes, and further fluctuations in interest rates could further materially and adversely affect our correspondent production activities.

Changes in the level of interest rates also may affect our ability to make investments, the fair value of our investments (including our pipeline of loan commitments) and any related hedging instruments, the value of newly originated loans acquired through our correspondent production segment, and our ability to realize gains from the disposition of assets. Changes in interest rates may result in margin calls requiring us to post additional collateral, affect borrower default rates and impact our ability to refinance or modify loans and/or to sell REO. Decreasing interest rates may cause a large number of borrowers to refinance, which may result in the loss of mortgage servicing business and write-downs of the associated MSRs. Any such scenario could materially and adversely affect us.

A prolonged economic slowdown, recession or declining real estate values could materially and adversely affect us.

The risks associated with our investments are more acute during periods of economic slowdown or recession, especially if these periods are accompanied by high unemployment and declining real estate values. A prolonged economic slowdown, a recession, high unemployment or declining real estate values significantly increase the likelihood that borrowers may default on their debt service obligations and that we will incur losses on our investments in the event of a default on a particular investment because the fair value of any collateral we foreclose upon may be insufficient to cover the full amount of such investment or may require a significant amount of time to realize.

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A significant deterioration in macroeconomic conditions could also reduce the amount of disposable income consumers have and negatively impact the consumers’ ability to take out new loans and repay existing loans. These factors may also increase the likelihood of re-default rates even after we have completed loan modifications. Any period of increased payment delinquencies, foreclosures or losses could adversely affect the net interest income generated from our portfolio and our ability to make and finance future investments, which would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Difficult conditions in the mortgage, real estate and financial markets and the economy generally may adversely affect the performance and fair value of our investments.

The success of our business strategies and our results of operations are materially affected by current conditions in the mortgage, real estate and financial markets and the economy generally. Continuing concerns over factors including inflation, deflation, unemployment, personal and business income taxes, healthcare, energy costs, domestic political issues, pandemics, climate change, the availability and cost of credit and the mortgage and real estate markets have contributed to increased volatility and unclear expectations for the economy and markets going forward.

Mortgage markets may be affected by changes in the lending landscape, defaults, credit losses and liquidity concerns. A destabilization of the real estate and mortgage markets or deterioration in these markets may adversely affect the performance of our investments, reduce our loan production volume, lower our margins, reduce the profitability of servicing mortgages or adversely affect our ability to sell loans that we acquire, either at a profit or at all. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

A disruption in the MBS market could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

Correspondent production activities include purchasing residential loans from approved mortgage originators, pooling Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans into Agency MBS securities and selling loans. Correspondent production purchases loans from approved mortgage originators that meet specific criteria related to management experience, financial strength, risk management controls and loan quality. The liquidity of the MBS market may be impacted by future sales and reallocations of the Federal Reserve’s MBS portfolio, resulting in wider mortgage-backed security spreads. Any significant disruption or period of illiquidity in the MBS market would directly affect our liquidity because no existing alternative secondary market would likely be able to accommodate on a timely basis the volume of loans that we typically acquire and sell in any given period.

Furthermore, we would remain contractually obligated to fund loans under our outstanding interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”) without being able to sell our existing inventory of mortgage loans. Accordingly, if the MBS market experiences a period of illiquidity, we might be prevented from selling the loans that we produce into the secondary market in a timely manner or at favorable prices and we could be required to hold a larger inventory of loans than we have committed facilities to fund, or we may be required to repay a portion of the debt secured by these assets, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

We operate in a highly regulated industry and the continually changing federal, state and local laws and regulations could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

We are required to comply with a wide array of federal, state and local laws and regulations that regulate, among other things, the manner in which we conduct our loan production and servicing businesses. These regulations directly impact our business and require constant compliance, monitoring and internal and external audits. PLS and the service providers it uses, including outside counsel retained to process foreclosures and bankruptcies, must also comply with these legal requirements.

Our failure or the failure of PLS to operate effectively and in compliance with these laws, regulations and rules could subject us to lawsuits or governmental actions, reputational damages, increased costs of doing business, reduced payments by borrowers, modification of the original terms of loans, permanent forgiveness of debt, foreclosure process

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delays, increased servicing advances, litigation, enforcement actions, and repurchase and indemnification obligations, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

We and PLS must also comply with a number of federal, state and local consumer protection and state foreclosure laws. These statutes apply to loan origination, servicing, debt collection, marketing, use of credit reports, safeguarding of non-public, personally identifiable information about our clients, foreclosure and claims handling, investment of and interest payments on escrow balances and escrow payment features, and mandate certain disclosures and notices to customers.

Because neither we nor PLS is a federally chartered depository institution, we generally do not benefit from federal pre-emption of state mortgage loan banking, loan servicing or debt collection licensing and regulatory requirements and must comply with state licensing and compliance requirements in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other U.S. territories. These state rules and regulations generally provide for, but are not limited to: originator, servicer and debt collector licensing requirements, requirements as to the form and content of contracts and other documentation, employee licensing and background check requirements, fee requirements, interest rate limits, and disclosure and record-keeping requirements.

The failure of our correspondent sellers to comply with any applicable laws, regulations and rules may also result in these adverse consequences. PLS has in place a compliance program designed to assess areas of risk with respect to loans we acquire from such correspondent sellers. However, we may not detect every violation of law and, to the extent any correspondent sellers with which we do business fail to comply with applicable laws or regulations and any of their loans or MSRs become part of our assets, it could subject us, as an assignee or purchaser of the related loans or MSRs, to monetary penalties or other losses. While we may have contractual rights to seek indemnity or repurchase from certain lenders, if they are unable to fulfill their indemnity or repurchase obligations to us to a material extent, our business, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Our service providers and other vendors are also required to operate in compliance with applicable laws, regulations and rules. Our failure to adequately manage service providers and other vendors to mitigate risks of noncompliance with applicable laws may also have these negative results.

Regulatory agencies and consumer advocacy groups are becoming more aggressive in asserting fair lending, fair housing and other claims that the practices of lenders and loan servicers result in a disparate impact on protected classes. Anti-discrimination statutes, such as the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, prohibit creditors from discriminating against loan applicants and borrowers based on certain characteristics, such as race, religion and national origin. Various federal regulatory agencies and departments take the position that these laws apply not only to intentional discrimination, but also to neutral practices that have a “disparate impact” on a group that shares a characteristic that a creditor may not consider in making credit decisions (i.e., creditor or servicing practices that have a disproportionately negative affect on a protected class of individuals).

Federal and state administrations could enact significant policy changes increasing regulatory scrutiny and enforcement actions in our industry. While it is not possible to predict when and whether significant policy or regulatory changes would occur, any such changes on the federal, state or local level could significantly impact, among other things, our operating expenses and the availability of mortgage financing. To the extent that the current government administration takes action by proposing and/or passing regulatory policies that could have a negative impact on our industry, such actions may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders. To the extent any such state regulators impose new minimum net worth, capital ratio and liquidity standards that are overly burdensome, such actions may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

The outcome of the 2024 U.S. Presidential and Congressional elections could result in significant policy changes or regulatory uncertainty in our industry. While it is not possible to predict when and whether significant policy or regulatory changes would occur, any such changes on the federal, state or local level could significantly impact, among other things, our operating expenses, the availability of mortgage financing, interest rates, consumer spending, the economy and the geopolitical landscape. To the extent that any government administration takes action by proposing and/or passing regulatory policies that could have a negative impact on our industry, such actions may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Financial Stability Oversight Council (“FSOC”) and Conference of State Bank Supervisors have been reviewing whether state chartered nonbank mortgage servicers should be subject to “safety and soundness” standards similar

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to those imposed by federal law on insured depository institutions, even though nonbank mortgage servicers do not have any federally insured deposit accounts. On November 3, 2023, FSOC revised its guidance governing the potential designation of nonbank financial companies for supervision by the Federal Reserve Board and application of prudential standards and an “analytic framework” for identifying, assessing, and responding to financial stability risks that could facilitate new nonbank financial company designations. Also, on August 17, 2022, the FHFA and Ginnie Mae announced enhanced minimum net capital and liquidity eligibility requirements for sellers, servicers and issuers that commenced in 2023. To the extent any new minimum net worth, capital ratio and liquidity standards and requirements are overly burdensome, complying with such standards and requirements may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

CFPB and state rules and regulations or more stringent enforcement of existing rules and regulations by the CFPB or state regulators could result in enforcement actions, fines, penalties and reputational harm that results from such actions.

The CFPB and state regulators have regulatory authority over certain aspects of our business as a result of our residential mortgage banking activities, including, without limitation, the authority to conduct investigations, bring enforcement actions, impose monetary penalties, require remediation of practices, pursue administrative proceedings or litigation, and obtain cease and desist orders for violations of applicable federal consumer financial laws. The current CFPB administration has stated its intention to aggressively supervise, investigate and, where it deems appropriate, bring enforcement actions against lenders and servicers the CFPB believes are engaged in activities that violate federal laws and regulations. In addition, examinations by state regulators and enforcement actions in the residential mortgage origination and servicing sectors by state attorneys general have increased and may continue to increase.

Our or PLS’ failure to comply with the laws, rules or regulations to which we are subject, whether actual or alleged, would expose us or PLS to fines, penalties or potential litigation liabilities, including costs, settlements and judgments, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our or PLS’ business, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

We are highly dependent on U.S. government-sponsored entities and government agencies, and any organizational or pricing changes at such entities or their regulators could materially and adversely affect our business, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations.

Our ability to generate revenues through loan sales depends on programs administered by the Agencies and others that facilitate the issuance of MBS in the secondary market. We acquire loans from mortgage lenders through our correspondent production activities that qualify under existing standards for inclusion in mortgage securities backed by the Agencies. We also derive other material financial benefits from these relationships, including the ability to avoid certain loan inventory finance costs through streamlined loan funding and sale procedures and the assumption of credit risk on certain loans. Significant changes in our Agency relationships could impact our ability to finance and sell mortgage loans and materially impact our revenues and profit margin.

Any changes in laws and regulations affecting the relationship between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and their regulators or the U.S. federal government, and any changes in leadership at any of these entities could adversely affect our business and prospects. Any discontinuation of, or significant reduction in, the operation of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or any significant adverse change in their capital structure, financial condition, activity levels in the primary or secondary mortgage markets or underwriting criteria could materially and adversely affect our business, liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Our ability to generate revenues from newly originated loans that we acquire through our correspondent production activities is also highly dependent on the fact that the Agencies have not historically acquired such loans directly from mortgage lenders, but have instead relied on banks and non-bank aggregators such as us to acquire, aggregate and securitize or otherwise sell such loans to investors in the secondary market. To the extent that mortgage lenders choose to sell directly to the Agencies rather than through loan aggregators like us, this reduces the number of loans available for purchase, and it could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Under certain Agency capital rules, loans sourced from loan aggregators, such as ourselves, have higher capital requirements and we may incur higher Agency fees for third-party originated loans that we aggregate and deliver to the

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Agencies as compared to individual loans delivered by third-party mortgage lenders directly to the Agencies’ cash windows without the assistance of a loan aggregator. To the extent the Agencies increase the number of purchases and sales for their own accounts, our business, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

We and/or PLS are required to have various Agency approvals and state licenses in order to conduct our business and there is no assurance we and/or PLS will be able to obtain or maintain those Agency approvals or state licenses.

Because we and PLS are not federally chartered depository institutions, neither we nor PLS benefit from exemptions to state mortgage lending, loan servicing or debt collection licensing and regulatory requirements. Accordingly, PLS is licensed in all state jurisdictions, and for those activities, where it is required to be licensed and believes it is cost effective and appropriate to become licensed.

Our failure or the failure by PLS to maintain any necessary licenses, comply with applicable licensing laws or satisfy the various requirements to maintain them over time could restrict our direct business activities, result in litigation or civil and other monetary penalties, or cause us to default under certain of our lending arrangements, any of which could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

We and PLS are also required to hold the Agency approvals in order to sell loans to the Agencies and service such loans on their behalf. Our failure, or the failure of PLS, to satisfy the various requirements necessary to maintain such Agency approvals over time would also restrict our direct business activities and could adversely impact our business.

We and PLS are subject to periodic examinations by federal, state and Agency auditors and regulators, which can result in increases in our administrative costs, and we or PLS may be required to pay substantial penalties imposed by these regulators due to compliance errors, or we or PLS may lose our licenses. Negative publicity or fines and penalties incurred in one jurisdiction may cause investigations or other actions by regulators in other jurisdictions and could adversely impact our business.

Our or PLS’ inability to meet certain net worth and liquidity requirements imposed by the Agencies could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operation.

We and our servicer are subject to minimum financial eligibility requirements established by the Agencies, as applicable. For example, on August 2022, the FHFA and Ginnie Mae announced enhanced minimum net capital and liquidity eligibility requirements for sellers, servicers and issuers that commenced in 2023. These eligibility requirements align the minimum financial requirements for mortgage sellers/servicers and MBS issuers to do business with the Agencies. These minimum financial requirements include net worth, capital ratio and/or liquidity criteria in order to set a minimum level of capital needed to adequately absorb potential losses and a minimum amount of liquidity needed to service Agency loans and MBS and cover the associated financial obligations and risks.

In order to meet these minimum financial requirements, we and PLS are required to maintain rather than spend or invest, cash and cash equivalents in amounts that may adversely affect our or its business and significantly impede us and PLS, as non-bank mortgage lenders, from growing our respective businesses and place us at a competitive disadvantage in relation to federally chartered banks and other financial institutions. To the extent that such minimum financial requirements are not met, the Agencies may suspend or terminate Agency approval or certain agreements with us or PLS, which could cause us or PLS to cross default under financing arrangements and/or have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

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We have a substantial amount of indebtedness, which may limit our financial and operating activities, expose us to substantial increases in costs due to interest rate fluctuations, expose us to the risk of default under our debt obligations and adversely affect our ability to incur additional debt to fund future needs.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $10.5 billion of total indebtedness outstanding (approximately $9.9 billion of which was secured) and up to $5.9 billion of additional capacity under our secured borrowings and other secured debt financing arrangements. This substantial indebtedness and any future indebtedness we incur could have adverse consequences and, for example, could:

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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of cash flow from operations and investments to the payment of principal and interest on indebtedness, including indebtedness we may incur in the future, thereby reducing the funds available for operations, investments and other general corporate purposes;

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make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to our indebtedness, and any failure to comply with the obligations of any of our debt instruments, including any restrictive covenants, could result in an event of default under the agreements governing our other indebtedness which, if not cured or waived, could result in accelerated repayment of our indebtedness;

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subject us to increased sensitivity to interest rate increases;

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make us more vulnerable to economic downturns, adverse industry conditions or catastrophic events;

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reduce our flexibility in planning for or responding to changing business, industry and economic conditions or restrict our ability to carry on business activity; and/or

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place us at a competitive disadvantage to competitors that have relatively less debt than we have.

In addition, our substantial level of indebtedness could limit our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, or at all, for working capital and general corporate purposes. Our liquidity needs vary significantly from time to time and may be affected by general economic conditions, industry trends, performance and many other factors outside our control.

We finance our investments with borrowings, which may materially and adversely affect our return on our investments and may reduce cash available for distribution to our shareholders.

We currently leverage and, to the extent available, intend to continue to leverage our investments through borrowings, the level of which may vary based on our investment portfolio characteristics and market conditions. We generally finance our investments with relatively short-term facilities until longer-term financing becomes available. As a result, we are subject to the risks that we would not be able to obtain suitable non-recourse long-term financing or otherwise acquire, during the period that any short-term facilities are available, sufficient eligible assets or securities to maximize the efficiency of a securitization. We also bear the risk that we would not be able to obtain new short-term facilities or to renew any short-term facilities after they expire should we need more time to obtain long-term financing or seek and acquire sufficient eligible assets or securities for a securitization. If we are unable to obtain and renew short-term facilities or to consummate securitizations to finance our investments on a long-term basis, we may be required to seek other forms of potentially less attractive financing or to liquidate assets at an inopportune time or unfavorable price.

Specifically, we have financed certain of our investments through repurchase agreements, pursuant to which we may sell securities or loans to lenders (i.e., repurchase agreement counterparties). CRT investments have been financed through term notes and repurchase agreements. Unlike MBS and other investments, we finance under repurchase agreements, our CRT investments are generally more illiquid and subject to greater fluctuations in fair value and the term notes we issue to finance these assets may not be callable and may otherwise prohibit the disposition of the assets securing the financing.

We also currently finance certain of our MSRs under secured financing arrangements. Our Freddie Mac MSRs are pledged to secure borrowings under loan and security agreements, while our Fannie Mae MSRs are pledged to a special purpose entity, which issues variable funding notes and term notes that are secured by such Fannie Mae MSRs and repaid through the cash flows received by the special purpose entity as the lender under a repurchase agreement with PMC. A decrease in the fair value of the pledged collateral can result in a margin call. Any such margin call may require that we liquidate assets at a disadvantageous time or provide that the secured parties may sell the collateral, either of which could

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result in significant losses to us. Each of the secured financing arrangements pursuant to which we finance MSRs is further subject to the terms of an acknowledgement agreement with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, as applicable, pursuant to which our and the secured parties’ rights are subordinate in all respects to the rights of the applicable Agency. Any extinguishment of our and the secured parties’ rights in the related collateral could result in significant losses to us.

We may in the future utilize other sources of borrowings, including term loans, bank credit facilities and structured financing arrangements, among others. The amount of leverage we employ varies depending on the asset class being financed, our available capital, our ability to obtain and access financing arrangements with lenders and the lenders’ and rating agencies’ estimate of, among other things, the stability of our investment portfolio’s cash flow.

Our return on our investments and cash available for distribution to our shareholders may be reduced to the extent that changes in market conditions increase the cost of our financing relative to the income that can be derived from the investments acquired. Our debt service payments also reduce cash flow available for distribution to shareholders. In the event we are unable to meet our debt service obligations, we risk the loss of some or all of our assets to foreclosure or sale to satisfy the obligations.

Our financing agreements contain financial and restrictive covenants that could adversely affect our financial condition and our ability to operate our businesses.

The lenders under our repurchase agreements require us and/or our subsidiaries to comply with various financial covenants, including those relating to tangible net worth, profitability and our ratio of total liabilities to tangible net worth. Our lenders also require us to maintain minimum amounts of cash or cash equivalents sufficient to maintain a specified liquidity position. If we are unable to maintain these liquidity levels, we could be forced to sell additional investments at a loss and our financial condition could deteriorate rapidly.

Our existing financing agreements also contain certain events of default and other financial and non‐financial covenants and restrictions that impact our flexibility to determine our operating policies and investment strategies. If we default on our obligations under a credit or financing agreement, fail to comply with certain covenants and restrictions or breach our representations and are unable to cure, the lender may be able to terminate the transaction or its commitments, accelerate any amounts outstanding, require us to post additional collateral or repurchase the assets, and/or cease entering into any other credit transactions with us.

Because our financing agreements typically contain cross‐default provisions, a default that occurs under any one agreement could allow the lenders under our other agreements to also declare a default, thereby exposing us to a variety of lender remedies, such as those described above, and potential losses arising therefrom. Any losses that we incur on our credit and financing agreements could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

As the servicer of the assets subject to our repurchase agreements, PLS is also subject to various financial covenants, including those relating to tangible net worth, liquidity, profitability and its ratio of total liabilities to tangible net worth. PLS’ failure to comply with any of these covenants would generally result in a servicer termination event or event of default under one or more of our repurchase agreements. Thus, in addition to relying upon PCM to manage our financial covenants, we rely upon PLS to manage its own financial covenants in order to ensure our compliance with our repurchase agreements and our continued access to liquidity and capital. A servicer termination event or event of default resulting from PLS’ breach of its financial or other covenants could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and our ability to make distributions to shareholders.

We may not be able to raise the debt or equity capital required to finance our assets or grow our business.

We require continued access to debt and equity capital that may or may not be available on favorable terms or at the desired times, or at all. In addition, we invest in certain assets, including MSRs, for which financing has historically been difficult to obtain. Our inability to continue to maintain debt financing for MSRs could require us to seek equity capital that may be more costly or unavailable to us.

We are also dependent on a limited number of banking institutions and private equity firms to extend us credit on terms that we have determined to be commercially reasonable. These banking institutions and private equity firms are subject

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to their own risk management frameworks, profitability and risk thresholds and tolerances, any of which may change materially and negatively impact their business strategies, including their extension of credit to us specifically or mortgage lenders and servicers generally. Certain financial firms have already exited the mortgage lending market, and others financial firms may decide to exit the mortgage lending business in the future. Such actions may increase our cost of capital and limit or otherwise eliminate our access to capital, in which case our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.

We can provide no assurance that we will have access to any debt or equity capital on favorable terms or at the desired times, or at all. Our inability to raise such capital or obtain financing on favorable terms could materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and our ability to make distributions to shareholders.

Failures at financial institutions at which we deposit funds or maintain investments could adversely affect us.

We deposit substantial funds in financial institutions and may, from time to time, maintain cash balances at such financial institutions in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insured amounts. We also hold investments and settled funds in accounts at financial institutions acting as brokers or custodians. In addition, we deposit certain funds owned by third parties, such as escrow deposits, in financial institutions. There was significant volatility and instability among banks and financial institutions in 2023 that led to the failure of Silicon Valley Bank. For example, for a period of time, customers of the Silicon Valley Bank did not have access to their funds and there was uncertainty as to when, if at all, customers would have access to funds in excess of federally insured amounts. Should one or more of the financial institutions at which our deposits are maintained fail, there is no guarantee as to the extent that we would recover the funds deposited, whether through FDIC coverage or otherwise, or the timing of any recovery. In the event of any such failure, we also could be held liable for the funds owned by third parties.

We are subject to risks associated with the discontinuation of LIBOR, including its impact on our Series A Preferred Shares and Series B Preferred Shares.

The discontinuation of LIBOR could have a significant impact on our business activities, including, but not limited to, agreements or instruments underlying our financing arrangements, and securities and liabilities with fallback language that seeks to ensure economic equivalence with our financing arrangements and securities prior to the discontinuation of LIBOR. Furthermore, the transition away from widely used benchmark rates like LIBOR has resulted and may continue to result in customers, investors and other market participants challenging the determination of their interest or dividend payments, disputing the interpretations or implementation of contract or instrument “fallback” provisions and other transition related changes, which may result in litigation or legal proceedings that adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

More specifically, as a result of the cessation of representative USD LIBOR and subsequent legislation and rulemaking, the Articles Supplementary for each of our Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest (the “Series A Preferred Shares”) and Series B Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest (the “Series B Preferred Shares”) require that the applicable dividend rate for dividend periods from and after March 15, 2024, in the case of the Series A Preferred Shares, or June 15, 2024, in the case of the Series B Preferred Shares, be calculated at the dividend rate in effect for the immediately preceding dividend period. As a result, the Series A Preferred Shares and Series B Preferred Shares will continue to accumulate dividends from and after March 15, 2024, in the case of the Series A Preferred Shares, or June 15, 2024, in the case of the Series B Preferred Shares, at their fixed rate then in effect and will not transition to floating reference rates. As certain of the investors in the Series A Preferred Shares and Series B Preferred Shares have challenged our interpretation of the Articles Supplementary and applicable law, there can be no assurance that any challenges may not result in litigation or legal proceedings that adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

We are subject to market risk and declines in credit quality and changes in credit spreads, which may adversely affect investment income and cause realized and unrealized losses.

We are exposed to the credit markets and subject to the risk that we will incur losses due to adverse changes in credit spreads. Credit spread is the additional yield on fixed income securities above the risk-free rate (typically referenced as the yield on U.S. Treasury securities) that market participants require to compensate them for assuming credit risks. Adverse

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changes to these spreads may occur due to changes in fiscal policy, the economic climate, the liquidity of a market or market segment, insolvency or financial distress of key market makers or participants, or changes in market perceptions of credit worthiness and/or risk tolerance.

We are subject to risks associated with potential declines in our credit quality, credit quality related to specific issuers or specific industries, and a general weakening in the economy, all of which are typically reflected through credit spreads. Credit spreads vary (i.e., increase or decrease) in response to the market’s changing perception of risk and liquidity in a specific issuer or specific sector and are influenced by the credit ratings, and the reliability of those ratings, published by third-party rating agencies. A decline in the quality of our investment portfolio as a result of adverse economic conditions or otherwise could cause additional realized and unrealized losses on our investments.

A decline in credit spreads could have an adverse effect on our investment income as we invest cash in new investments that may earn less than the yield of the assets that are being replaced. An increase in credit spreads could have an adverse effect on the fair value of our investment portfolio by decreasing the fair values of investments in our investment portfolio that are sensitive to changes in credit spreads. Any such scenario could materially and adversely affect our business.

Hedging against interest rate exposure may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows.

We pursue hedging strategies in a manner that is consistent with the REIT qualification requirements to reduce our exposure to interest rate fluctuations. The strategies are intended to mitigate the effect of interest rate fluctuations on the fair value of the assets at our TRS as well as debt used to acquire or carry real estate assets at entities other than our TRS. To manage this price risk, we use derivative financial instruments acquired with the intention of moderating the risk that changes in market interest rates will result in unfavorable changes in the fair value of our assets, primarily prepayment exposure on our MSR investments as well as IRLCs and our inventory of loans held for sale as well as MBS and CRTs. For example, with respect to our IRLCs and inventory of loans held for sale, we may use MBS forward sale contracts to lock in the price at which we will sell the mortgage loans or resulting MBS, and MBS put options to mitigate the risk of our IRLCs not closing at the rate we expect. In addition, with respect to our MSRs, we may use MBS forward purchase and sale contracts to address exposures to smaller interest rate shifts with Treasury and interest rate swap futures, and use options and swaptions to achieve target coverage levels for larger interest rate shocks.

Our hedging activity will vary in scope based on the risks being mitigated, the level of interest rates, the type of investments held, and market conditions. Hedging instruments involve risk because they often are not traded on regulated exchanges, guaranteed by an exchange or its clearing house, or regulated by any U.S. or foreign governmental authorities, and our interest rate hedging may fail to protect or could adversely affect us because, among other things:

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interest rate hedging can be expensive, particularly during periods of rising and volatile interest rates;

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available interest rate hedging instruments may not correspond directly with the interest rate risk for which protection is sought;

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the duration of the hedge may not match the duration of the related liability or asset;

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the credit quality of the hedging counterparty owing money on the hedge may be downgraded to such an extent that it impairs our ability to sell or assign our side of the hedging transaction;

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the hedging counterparty owing the money in the hedging transaction may default on its obligation to pay;

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the federal tax regulations applicable to REITs limit our hedge activity outside of the TRS to hedging interest rate fluctuations with respect to debt used to acquire or carry real estate assets; and

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we may fail to recalculate, re‐adjust and execute hedges in an efficient manner.

While we may enter into such transactions seeking to reduce interest rate risk, unanticipated changes in interest rates may result in worse overall investment performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. Further, a liquid secondary market may not exist for a hedging instrument purchased or sold, and we may be required to maintain a position until exercise or expiration, which could result in significant losses. In addition, the degree of correlation between price movements of the instruments used in hedging strategies and price movements in the portfolio positions or liabilities being hedged may vary materially. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we may not establish an effective correlation between such hedging instruments and the portfolio positions or liabilities being hedged. Any such ineffective correlation may prevent

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us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss. Numerous regulations currently apply to hedging and any new regulations or changes in existing regulations may significantly increase our administrative or compliance costs. Our derivative agreements generally provide for the daily mark to market of our hedge exposures. If a hedge counterparty determines that its exposure to us exceeds its exposure threshold, it may initiate a margin call and require us to post collateral. If we are unable to satisfy a margin call, we would be in default of our agreement, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. Therefore, any hedging activity, which is intended to limit losses, may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows.

Our correspondent production activities could subject us to increased risk of loss.

In our correspondent production activities, we acquire newly originated loans from mortgage lenders and sell or securitize those loans to or through the Agencies, PLS or other third-party investors. We also sell the resulting securities into the MBS markets. However, there can be no assurance that PLS will continue to be successful in operating this business on our behalf or that we will continue to be able to capitalize on these opportunities on favorable terms or at all. In particular, we have committed, and expect to continue to commit, capital and other resources to this operation. PLS may not be able to continue to source sufficient loan acquisition opportunities to justify the expenditure of such capital and other resources. In the event that PLS is unable to continue to source sufficient opportunities for this operation, there can be no assurance that we would be able to acquire such assets on favorable terms or at all, or that such loans, if acquired, would be profitable to us. In addition, we may be unable to finance the acquisition of these loans and/or may be unable to sell the resulting MBS in the secondary mortgage market on favorable terms or at all. We are also subject to the risk that the fair value of the acquired loans may decrease prior to their disposition. The occurrence of any of these risks could adversely impact our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Our correspondent production activities depend, in part, upon PLS’ and PFSI’s ability to adapt to and implement technological changes and to successfully develop, implement and protect their proprietary technology.

Our success in the mortgage industry is highly dependent upon the ability of PLS and PFSI to adapt to constant technological changes, successfully enhance their current information technology solutions through the use of third-party and proprietary technologies, and introduce new solutions and services that more efficiently address our needs.

Our correspondent production activities are currently dependent, in part, upon the ability of PLS to effectively interface with our mortgage lenders and other third parties and to efficiently process loan fundings and closings. The correspondent production process is becoming more dependent upon technological advancement, and our correspondent sellers expect and require certain conveniences and service levels.

While we anticipate that PLS’ and PFSI’s cloud-based system will increase scalability and produce other efficiencies, there can be no assurance that PLS’ and PFSI’s cloud-based system will prove to be effective or that such correspondent sellers will easily adapt to PLS’ and PFSI’s cloud-based system. Any failure to effectively or timely transition to the new system and meet our expectations and the expectations of our correspondent sellers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The development, implementation and protection of these technologies and becoming more proficient with them may also require significant capital expenditures by PLS and PFSI. As these technological advancements increase in the future, PLS and PFSI will need to further develop and invest in these technological capabilities to remain competitive. Moreover, litigation has become required for PLS and PFSI to protect its technologies and such litigation is time consuming and costly.

Any failure of PLS and other PFSI subsidiaries to develop, implement, execute or maintain its technological capabilities and any litigation costs associated with the protection of its technologies could adversely affect PLS and other PFSI subsidiaries and their ability to effectively perform their loan production and servicing activities on our behalf, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

We are not an approved Ginnie Mae issuer and an increase in the percentage of government loans we acquire could be detrimental to our results of operations.

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Government-insured or guaranteed loans that are typically securitized through the Ginnie Mae program accounted for 47% of our purchases in fiscal year 2023. We are not approved as a Ginnie Mae issuer and rely on PLS to acquire such loans from us. As a result, we are unable to produce or own Ginnie Mae MSRs and we earn significantly less income in connection with our acquisition of government loans as opposed to conventional loans. Further, market demand for government loans over conventional loans may increase or PLS may offer pricing to our approved correspondent sellers for government loans that is more competitive in the market than pricing for conventional loans, the result of which may be our acquisition of a greater proportion of government loans. Any significant increase in the percentage of government loans we acquire could adversely impact our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Cybersecurity risks, cyber incidents and technology failures may adversely affect our and our Manager’s business by causing a disruption to our or our Manager’s operations, a compromise or corruption of our or our Manager’s confidential information or personal customer information, and/or damage to our or our Manager’s business relationships, all of which could negatively impact our financial results.

A cyber incident is considered to be any adverse event that threatens the confidentiality, integrity or availability of our or our Manager’s information resources. These incidents may be an intentional attack or an unintentional event and could involve gaining unauthorized access to our or our Manager’s information systems for purposes of theft of certain personally identifiable information of consumers, misappropriating assets, stealing confidential information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. The result of these incidents may include disrupted operations, misstated or unreliable financial data, liability for stolen assets or information, increased cybersecurity protection and insurance costs, litigation and damage to our investor relationships.