- Outstanding Business Volume of $29.8 Billion -
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 9, 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 to provide vital liquidity for American agriculture and rural infrastructure, today announced its results for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2025.
"I'm pleased to report that we delivered another outstanding quarter, surpassing previous records in revenue, net effective spread, and core earnings," said Brad Nordholm, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our first quarter results reflect the strength of our long-term growth strategy and provide a solid foundation to navigate market volatility and evolving credit conditions. Our resilient business model— anchored by diversified revenue streams, a strong capital position, reliable access to markets, and disciplined asset-liability management—not only sets us apart but also enables us to stay focused on our mission while enhancing long-term shareholder returns."
|
$ in thousands, except per share amounts |
Quarter Ended |
||||
| March 31, 2025 |
December 31, 2024 |
March 31, 2024 |
Sequential % Change |
YoY % Change |
|
| Net Change in Business Volume |
$232,313 |
$1,054,727 |
$376,206 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Net Interest Income (GAAP) |
$90,939 |
$93,368 |
$86,368 |
(3)% |
5% |
| Net Effective Spread (Non-GAAP) |
$89,990 |
$87,528 |
$83,044 |
3% |
8% |
| Diluted EPS (GAAP) |
$4.01 |
$4.63 |
$4.28 |
(13)% |
(6)% |
| Core EPS (Non-GAAP) |
$4.19 |
$3.97 |
$3.96 |
6% |
6% |
1 Non-GAAP Measure
The conference call to discuss Farmer Mac's first quarter 2025 financial results will be held beginning at 8:30 a.m. eastern time on Friday, May 9, 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 one week following the conclusion of the call.
More complete information about Farmer Mac's performance for first quarter 2025 is in Farmer Mac's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, 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.
Core Earnings and Core Earnings Per Share
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.
Net Effective Spread
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 "(Losses)/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 February 21, 2025 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 with the SEC on February 21, 2025. 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
Full Press Release and Consolidated Statements