PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation (the “Company”) (NYSE: WMC) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.04 per share for the first quarter of 2022. Today’s dividend is payable on April 26, 2022 to common shareholders of record as of April 4, 2022, with an ex-dividend date of April 1, 2022.
“The Company, in conjunction with its Board of Directors, has decided to reset the quarterly dividend to better reflect the earnings power of the portfolio during the transition of our primary investment focus towards the residential real estate sector and away from commercial real estate,” said Bonnie Wongtrakool, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “As the transition progresses, we will reassess the level of the dividend based on a number of factors, including the future earnings power of the portfolio and the expected level of taxable income.”
In addition, the Company estimates that its GAAP book value per share, as of February 28, 2022, was approximately $3.22. The February 28, 2022 estimated GAAP book value is unaudited, has not been verified or reviewed by any third party and is subject to normal quarterly reconciliation and other procedures. Further, the estimated book value is as of February 28, 2022 and does not include the dividend announced today. GAAP book value will fluctuate with market conditions, the results of the Company’s operations and other factors. The Company’s current GAAP book value may be materially different from the February 28, 2022 estimated GAAP book value.
ABOUT WESTERN ASSET MORTGAGE CAPITAL CORPORATION
Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation is a real estate investment trust that invests in, acquires and manages a diverse portfolio of assets, with a focus on residential real estate related investments, including non-qualified mortgage loans, non-agency RMBS and other related investments. The Company’s investment strategy may change, subject to the Company’s stated investment guidelines, and is based on its manager Western Asset Management Company, LLC's perspective of which mix of portfolio assets it believes provide the Company with the best risk-reward opportunities at any given time. The Company is externally managed and advised by Western Asset Management Company, LLC, an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. Please visit the Company’s website at www.westernassetmcc.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" For these statements, the Company claims the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in such sections. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the Company’s control. In particular, it is difficult to fully assess the impact of COVID-19 at this time due to, among other factors, uncertainty regarding the severity and duration of the outbreak domestically and internationally and the effectiveness of federal, state and local governments’ efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and respond to its direct and indirect impact on the U.S. economy and economic activity. Other factors are described in Risk Factors section of the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2020 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.