GSEs Remain Profitable, G-Fees Drive Net Income in First Quarter
May 8, 2015
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reported continued profitability in the first quarter of 2015 with net earnings of $1.9 billion and $524 million respectively. Both GSEs have been profitable for at least 13 consecutive quarters, but Fannie's earnings were down from the $5.3 billion in the first quarter of last year. Fannie said one factor was a $1.9 billion derivative loss in the first quarter, which is a jump from the $1.2 billion derivative loss in the first quarter of 2014. Freddie reported $2.4 billion in losses from derivatives and noted in its earnings statement that $1.8 billion of the charges were related to fair value changes. “The company’s use of derivatives reduces exposure to interest-rate risk on an economic basis; however, this can....