- Announces 7% Dividend Increase -
- Outstanding Business Volume of $29.5 Billion -
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 21, 2025 — The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac; NYSE: AGM and AGM.A), the nation's secondary market provider that increases the accessibility of financing for American agriculture and rural infrastructure, today announced its results for the fiscal quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.
"We are very pleased with our 2024 results, and believe we are well-positioned to deliver on our multiyear strategy as we head into 2025 with good momentum, strong liquidity and capital levels, a diversified business mix, highly effective risk management practices, and most importantly, a talented team of dedicated professionals," said President and Chief Executive Officer, Brad Nordholm. "Through our work, we strengthen the economic framework that supports rural America and enables families, businesses, and entire communities to thrive. We are optimistic about the future and will maintain our singular focus on fulfilling our mission efficiently, innovatively, and profitably."
|
$ in thousands, except per share amounts |
Quarter Ended Year Ended |
|||||
| December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
YoY % Change |
December 31, 2024 |
December 31, 2023 |
YoY % Change |
|
| Net Change in Business Volume |
$1,054,727 |
$819,013 |
N/A |
$1,052,006 |
$2,548,942 |
N/A |
| Net Interest Income (GAAP) |
$93,368 |
$82,169 |
14% |
$353,867 |
$327,547 |
8% |
| Net Effective Spread (Non-GAAP) |
$87,528 |
$84,551 |
4% |
$339,564 |
$326,980 |
4% |
| Diluted EPS (GAAP) |
$4.63 |
$3.73 |
24% |
$16.44 |
$15.81 |
4% |
| Core EPS (Non-GAAP) |
$3.97 |
$4.10 |
(3)% |
$15.64 |
$15.65 |
—% |
1 Non-GAAP Measure
On February 20, 2025, Farmer Mac's Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $1.50 per share on all three classes of common stock – Class A voting common stock (NYSE: AGM.A), Class B voting common stock (not listed on any exchange), and Class C non-voting common stock (NYSE: AGM). This quarterly dividend, which represents an increase of 7% in Farmer Mac's quarterly dividend rate on a year- over-year basis, will be payable on March 31, 2025 to holders of record of common stock as of March 14, 2025. This is the fourteenth consecutive year that Farmer Mac has increased its quarterly common stock dividend, and this increase is supported by Farmer Mac's earnings potential and overall capital position.
Farmer Mac's Board of Directors also declared a dividend on each of Farmer Mac's four classes of preferred stock. The quarterly dividend of $0.35625 per share of 5.700% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D (NYSE: AGM.PR.D), $0.359375 per share of 5.750% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E (NYSE: AGM.PR.E), $0.328125 per share of 5.250% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F (NYSE: AGM.PR.F), and $0.3046875 per share of 4.875% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G (AGM.PR.G), is for the period from but not including January 17, 2025 to and including April 17, 2025. The preferred dividends will be payable on April 17, 2025 to holders of record as of April 1, 2025.
The conference call to discuss Farmer Mac's fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results will be held beginning at 8:30 a.m. eastern time on Friday, February 21, 2025, and can be accessed by telephone or live webcast as follows:
Telephone (Domestic): (800) 836-8184
Telephone (International): (646) 357-8785
Webcast: https://www.farmermac.com/investors/events-presentations/
When dialing in to the call, please ask for the "Farmer Mac Earnings Conference Call." The call can be heard live and will also be available for replay on Farmer Mac’s website for two weeks following the conclusion of the call.
More complete information about Farmer Mac's performance for 2024 is in Farmer Mac's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed today with the SEC.
In the accompanying analysis of its financial information, Farmer Mac uses "non-GAAP measures," which are measures of financial performance that are not presented in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, Farmer Mac uses the following non-GAAP measures: "core earnings," "core earnings per share," and "net effective spread." Farmer Mac uses these non-GAAP measures to measure corporate economic performance and develop financial plans because, in management's view, they are useful alternative measures in understanding Farmer Mac's economic performance, transaction economics, and business trends. The non-GAAP financial measures that Farmer Mac uses may not be comparable to similarly labeled non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by other companies. Farmer Mac's disclosure of these non-GAAP measures is intended to be supplemental in nature and is not meant to be considered in isolation from, as a substitute for, or as more important than, the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.
The main difference between core earnings and core earnings per share (non-GAAP measures) and net income attributable to common stockholders and earnings per common share (GAAP measures) is that those non-GAAP measures exclude the effects of fair value fluctuations. These fluctuations are not expected to have a cumulative net impact on Farmer Mac's financial condition or results of operations reported in accordance with GAAP if the related financial instruments are held to maturity, as is expected. Another difference is that these two non-GAAP measures exclude specified infrequent or unusual transactions that we believe are not indicative of future operating results and that may not reflect the trends and economic financial performance of Farmer Mac's core business. For example, in third quarter 2024, we excluded the loss on the retirement of the Series C Preferred Stock from core earnings and core earnings per share, which is consistent with Farmer Mac's historical treatment of any losses on the retirement of preferred stock.
Farmer Mac uses net effective spread to measure the net spread Farmer Mac earns between its interest- earning assets and the related net funding costs of those assets. As further explained below, net effective spread differs from net interest income and net interest yield by excluding certain items from net interest income and net interest yield and including certain other items that net interest income and net interest yield do not contain.
Farmer Mac excludes from net effective spread the interest income and interest expense associated with the consolidated trusts and the average balance of the loans underlying these trusts to reflect management's view that the net interest income Farmer Mac earns on the related Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities owned by third parties is effectively a guarantee fee. Accordingly, the excluded interest income and interest expense associated with consolidated trusts is reclassified to guarantee and commitment fees in determining Farmer Mac's core earnings. Farmer Mac also excludes from net effective spread the fair value changes of financial derivatives and the corresponding assets or liabilities designated in fair value hedge accounting relationships because they are not expected to have an economic effect on Farmer Mac's financial performance, as we expect to hold the financial derivatives and corresponding hedged items to maturity.
Net effective spread also differs from net interest income and net interest yield because it includes the accrual of income and expense related to the contractual amounts due on financial derivatives that are not designated in hedge accounting relationships ("undesignated financial derivatives"). Farmer Mac uses interest rate swaps to manage its interest rate risk exposure by synthetically modifying the interest rate reset or maturity characteristics of certain assets and liabilities. The accrual of the contractual amounts due on interest rate swaps designated in hedge accounting relationships is included as an adjustment to the yield or cost of the hedged item and is included in net interest income. For undesignated financial derivatives, Farmer Mac records the income or expense related to the accrual of the contractual amounts due in "Gains on financial derivatives" on the consolidated statements of operations. However, the accrual of the contractual amounts due for undesignated financial derivatives are included in Farmer Mac's calculation of net effective spread.
Net effective spread also differs from net interest income and net interest yield because it includes the net effects of terminations or net settlements on financial derivatives, which consist of: (1) the net effects of cash settlements on agency forward contracts on the debt of other GSEs and U.S. Treasury security futures that we use as short-term economic hedges on the issuance of debt; and (2) the net effects of initial cash payments that Farmer Mac receives upon the inception of certain swaps. The inclusion of these items in net effective spread is intended to reflect our view of the complete net spread between an asset and all of its related funding, including any associated derivatives, whether or not they are designated in a hedge accounting relationship.
More information about Farmer Mac’s use of non-GAAP measures is available in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Results of Operations" in Farmer Mac's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed today with the SEC. For a reconciliation of Farmer Mac's net income attributable to common stockholders to core earnings and of earnings per common share to core earnings per share, and net interest income and net interest yield to net effective spread, see "Reconciliations" below.
Management's expectations for Farmer Mac's future necessarily involve assumptions, estimates, and the evaluation of risks and uncertainties. Various factors or events, both known and unknown, could cause Farmer Mac's actual results to differ materially from the expectations as expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this release, including uncertainties about:
Other risk factors are discussed in "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A in Farmer Mac's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed today with the SEC. Considering these potential risks and uncertainties, no undue reliance should be placed on any forward-looking statements expressed in this release. The forward-looking statements contained in this release represent management's expectations as of the date of this release. Farmer Mac undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of revisions to any forward-looking statements included in this release to reflect new information or any future events or circumstances, except as otherwise required by applicable law. The information in this release is not necessarily indicative of future results.
Farmer Mac is driven by its mission to increase the accessibility of financing to provide vital liquidity for American agriculture and rural infrastructure. Our secondary market provides liquidity to our nation’s agricultural and infrastructure businesses, supporting a vibrant and strong rural America. We offer a wide range of solutions to help meet financial institutions’ growth, liquidity, risk management, and capital relief needs across diverse markets, including agriculture, agribusiness, broadband infrastructure, power and utilities, and renewable energy. We are uniquely positioned to facilitate competitive access to financing that fuels growth, innovation, and prosperity in America’s rural and agricultural communities. Additional information about Farmer Mac (including the Annual Report on Form 10-K referenced above) is available on our website at www.farmermac.com.
CONTACT: Jalpa Nazareth, Investor Relations
Lisa Meyer, Media Inquiries
(202) 872-7700
See Full Press Release and Consolidated Balance Sheets