Higher interest rates took a bite out of Angel Oak Mortgage’s profits in the fourth quarter, but its non-QM originations continue to remain strong. The firm also plans to maintain regular issuance of MBS.

The firm boosted its originations of non-QMs during the fourth quarter, though company officials suggested loan production in the first quarter could decline.

Six expanded-credit MBS hit the market in the past two weeks, including the largest deal since COVID upended the sector. Activity is much slower in the space for prime jumbos and GSE-eligible investment-property loans.

A look at the performance of investment-property loans reveals some differences between GSE-eligible loans and non-agency mortgages. Performance also differed from owner-occupied prime jumbos and non-QMs.

UWM offering bank statement mortgages; Spring EQ expands HEL guidelines; Toorak issues bridge loan securitization; non-QM impairments steady in January; new law to help with LIBOR-linked legacy deals.

The expanded-credit market got back on its feet in 2021 after being knocked down by the coronavirus. Originations were close to pre-pandemic levels and Angel Oak expects its production to double this year. (Includes data chart.)

While delinquencies on non-QMs spiked in the early days of the pandemic, many of those borrowers returned to making payments or cured their debt without the loan holders suffering large losses.

Aggregation of non-agency mortgages isn’t generating the types of returns seen in 2021, but it’s still a good business, according to officials at MFA Financial.

AG Mortgage Investment Trust acquired $2.5 billion of non-agency loans last year, about half of them during the fourth quarter. The REIT is targeting returns of around 15% from non-agency MBS issuance.

Western Asset Mortgage Capital took a third consecutive loss during the October-December period as it works to shift its investment focus to non-QMs and other non-agency products.