Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

DEBT OBLIGATIONS

v2.4.0.6
DEBT OBLIGATIONS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Debt Obligations  
DEBT OBLIGATIONS
8. DEBT OBLIGATIONS

The following table presents certain information regarding Newcastle’s debt obligations and related hedges:

 

    December 31, 2011     December 31, 2010  
                                            Collateral                    

Debt
Obligation/
Collateral

  Month
Issued
  Outstanding
Face
Amount
    Carrying
Value
    Final
Stated
Maturity
  Unhedged
Weighted
Average
Funding
Cost (A)
  Weighted
Average
Funding
Cost (B)
  Weighted
Average
Maturity
(Years)
    Face
Amount
of
Floating
Rate
Debt
    Outstanding
Face
Amount (C)
    Amortized
Cost

Basis (C)
    Carrying
Value (C)
    Weighted
Average
Maturity
(Years)
    Floating
Rate
Face
Amount (C)
    Aggregate
Notional
Amount
of
Current
Hedges (D)
    Outstanding
Face
Amount
    Carrying
Value
 

CDO Bonds Payable

                               

CDO IV (E)

  Mar
2004
  $ 106,645      $ 106,454      Mar
2039
  1.85%   4.90%     2.3      $ 95,292      $ 208,164      $ 196,396      $ 180,853        2.6      $ 63,027      $ 95,292      $ 285,907      $ 285,211   

CDO V (F)

  Sep
2004
    N/A        N/A      Sep
2039
  N/A   N/A     N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A        N/A        360,689        359,603   

CDO VI (E)

  Apr
2005
    91,141        91,141      Apr
2040
  0.94%   5.35%     3.3        88,253        246,967        127,304        151,326        3.7        58,546        88,253        90,717        90,717   

CDO VIII

  Nov
2006
    577,133        575,736      Nov
2052
  0.88%   2.16%     2.9        569,533        729,929        530,674        540,439        3.2        443,088        155,796        618,313        617,611   

CDO IX

  May
2007
    480,125        482,329      May
2052
  0.68%   0.68%     2.8        480,125        684,680        556,552        554,313        3.1        393,321        -          480,125        484,172   

CDO X

  Jul
2007
    1,150,000        1,147,945      Jul
2052
  0.65%   3.54%     4.6        1,150,000        1,257,084        942,487        933,084        4.8        187,662        833,271        1,175,000        1,173,554   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
      2,405,044        2,403,605          2.76%     3.7        2,383,203        3,126,824        2,353,413        2,360,015        3.8        1,145,644        1,172,612        3,010,751        3,010,868   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other Bonds and Notes Payable

                               

MH Loans Portfolio I (G)

  Apr
2010
    70,109        69,256      Jul
2035
  5.42%   5.42%     3.1        -          135,209        112,316        112,316        7.5        1,320        -          86,352        85,071   

MH Loans Portfolio II (G)

  May
2011
    126,856        125,630      Dec
2033
  3.83%   3.83%     3.5       
-  
  
    178,603        175,120        175,120        5.9        30,861        -          171,972        171,738   

Residential Mortgage Loans (H)

  Aug
2006
    5,491        5,491      Dec
2034
  LIBOR

+0.90%

  1.20%     7.0        5,491        56,377        40,380        40,380        6.9        56,377        -          4,356        4,356   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
      202,456        200,377          4.31%     3.5        5,491        370,189        327,816        327,816        6.6        88,558        -          262,680        261,165   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Repurchase Agreements

                               

Real estate securities, loans and properties (I)

  Dec
2011
    8,728        8,728      Jun
2012
  LIBOR

+1.75%

  2.05%     0.5        8,728        -          -          -          -          -          -          18,732        18,732   

FNMA/FHLMC securities (J)

  Various     231,012        231,012      Feb
2012
  0.43%   0.43%     0.2        231,012        232,355        244,916        244,916        4.6        232,355        N/A        N/A        N/A   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
      239,740        239,740          0.49%     0.2        239,740        232,355        244,916        244,916        4.6        232,355        -          18,732        18,732   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Corporate

                               

Junior
subordinated
notes
payable

  Mar
2006
    51,004        51,248      Apr
2035
  7.57%(L)   7.41%     23.3        -          -          -          -          -          -          -          51,004        51,253   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
      51,004        51,248          7.41%     23.3        -          -          -          -          -          -          -          51,004        51,253   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Subtotal debt obligations

      2,898,244        2,894,970          2.76%     3.7      $ 2,628,434      $ 3,729,368      $ 2,926,145      $ 2,932,747        4.1      $ 1,466,557      $ 1,172,612      $ 3,343,167      $ 3,342,018   
   

 

 

   

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Financing on subprime mortgage loans subject to call option

  (K)     406,217        404,723                              406,217        403,793   
   

 

 

   

 

 

                         

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total debt obligations

    $ 3,304,461      $ 3,299,693                            $ 3,749,384      $ 3,745,811   
   

 

 

   

 

 

                         

 

 

   

 

 

 

(A) Weighted average, including floating and fixed rate classes and including the amortization of deferred financing costs.

(B) Including the effect of applicable hedges.

(C) Including restricted cash available for reinvestment in CDOs.

(D) Including a $36.4 million notional amount of interest rate cap agreements in CDO X, and $95.3 million and $88.3 million of interest rate swap agreements in CDOs IV and VI, respectively, which were economic hedges not designated as hedges for accounting purposes.

(E) These CDOs were not in compliance with their applicable over collateralization tests as of December 31, 2011. Newcastle is not receiving cash flows from these CDOs (other than senior management fees and cash flows on senior classes of bonds that were repurchased), since net interest is being used to pay debt, and expects these CDOs to remain out of compliance for the foreseeable future.

(F) Deconsolidated on June 17, 2011.

(G) Excluding $36.9 million and $17.0 million face amount of other bonds payable relating to MH loans Portfolio I and Portfolio II, respectively, and $49.4 million face amount of notes payable relating to residential mortgage loans sold to certain Newcastle CDOs, which were eliminated in consolidation.

(H) Notes payable issued to CDO V, that are no longer eliminated since the deconsolidation of CDO V.

(I) The counterparty of this repurchase agreement is Bank of America. It is secured by $29.1 million face amount of notes issued by Newcastle CDO VI, which is eliminated on consolidation. The maximum recourse to Newcastle is $2.2 million.

(J) The counterparties on these repurchase agreements are Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. Interest rates on these repurchase agreements are fixed, but will be reset on a short-term basis.

(K) Issued in April 2006 and July 2007. See Note 5 regarding the securitizations of Subprime Portfolios I and II.

(L) LIBOR + 2.25% after April 2016.

 

Certain of the debt obligations included above are obligations of consolidated subsidiaries of Newcastle which own the related collateral. In some cases, including the CDO and Other Bonds Payable, such collateral is not available to other creditors of Newcastle.

CDO Bonds Payable

Each CDO financing is subject to tests that measure the amount of over collateralization and excess interest in the transaction. Failure to satisfy these tests would cause the principal and/or interest cashflow that would otherwise be distributed to more junior classes of securities (including those held by Newcastle) to be redirected to pay down the most senior class of securities outstanding until the tests are satisfied. As a result, our cash flow and liquidity are negatively impacted upon such a failure. As of December 31, 2011, CDOs IV and VI were not in compliance with their applicable over collateralization tests.

During 2009, Newcastle repurchased $246.7 million of CDO bonds for $29.9 million and recorded a gain of $215.3 million. During 2010, Newcastle repurchased $483.7 million of CDO bonds for $215.8 million and recorded a gain of $265.7 million. During 2011, Newcastle repurchased $167.5 million face amount of CDO bonds for $102.0 million and recorded a gain of $65.0 million.

In December 2010, Newcastle, together with one or more of its wholly owned subsidiaries, completed a series of transactions whereby it repurchased approximately $257 million current principal balance of Newcastle CDO VI Class I-MM notes at a price of 67.5% of par. The purchased notes represent all of the outstanding Class I-MM notes of Newcastle CDO VI (the “notes”). Newcastle purchased the notes using a combination of restricted cash, unrestricted cash and proceeds from a new repurchase facility, entered into in connection with the purchase of a portion of the notes. The repurchase facility matures in June 2012 and bears interest at a rate of LIBOR + 1.75%. In accordance with GAAP, Newcastle recorded an $82 million gain on the extinguishment of debt and $24 million of mark-to-market loss on the related interest rate swap agreement. As of December 31, 2011, the repurchase agreement had an outstanding balance of $8.7 million, which was secured by $29.1 million current principal balance of the notes. Although the repurchase facility contains mark to market provisions that require margin to be posted in the event that the value of the notes decreases, the recourse to Newcastle is limited to twenty-five percent of the then-outstanding balance of the repurchase facility, which was approximately $2.2 million as of December 31, 2011.

In late 2009, CDO VII failed additional over collateralization tests. The consequences of failing these tests are that an event of default has occurred and Newcastle may be removed as the collateral manager under the documentation governing CDO VII. As a result of this failure and upon the adoption of the new accounting guidance on consolidation, CDO VII was deconsolidated effective January 1, 2010.

In April 2011, Newcastle entered into an agreement to sell its retained interests in Newcastle CDO VII. Pursuant to the agreement, the buyer of the retained interests liquidated CDO VII in June 2011 and paid Newcastle total consideration of approximately $3.9 million. As a result, Newcastle recorded a gain of approximately $3.4 million in the second quarter of 2011, representing the excess of the sales proceeds over the carrying value of Newcastle’s retained interests.

In June 2011, Newcastle deconsolidated a non-recourse financing structure, CDO V. Newcastle determined that it does not currently have the power to direct the relevant activities of CDO V as an event of default had occurred and Newcastle may be removed as the collateral manager by a single party. So long as the event of default continues, Newcastle will not be permitted to purchase or sell any collateral in CDO V. If Newcastle is removed as the collateral manager of CDO V, it would no longer receive the senior management fees from such CDO. As of February 29, 2012, Newcastle has not been removed as collateral manager. Newcastle does not expect the failure of these additional tests to have a material negative impact on its cash flows, business, results of operations or financial condition.

As of February 17, 2012, CDOs IV and VI were not in compliance with their applicable over collateralization tests and, consequently, Newcastle was not receiving cash flows from these CDOs currently (other than senior management fees and interest distributions from senior classes of bonds Newcastle owns). Based upon Newcastle’s current calculations, Newcastle expects these two portfolios to remain out of compliance for the foreseeable future. Moreover, given current market conditions, it is possible that all of Newcastle’s CDOs could be out of compliance with their over collateralization tests as of one or more measurement dates within the next twelve months.

 

Other Bonds Payable

On April 15, 2010, Newcastle completed a securitization transaction to refinance its Manufactured Housing Loans Portfolio I (the “Portfolio”). Newcastle sold approximately $164.1 million outstanding principal balance of manufactured housing loans to Newcastle MH I LLC (the “2010 Issuer”). The 2010 Issuer issued approximately $134.5 million aggregate principal amount of asset-backed notes, of which $97.6 million was sold to third parties and $36.9 million was sold to certain CDOs managed and consolidated by Newcastle. At the closing of the securitization transaction, Newcastle used the gross proceeds received from the issuance of the Notes to repay the previously existing financing on this portfolio in full, terminate the related interest rate swap contracts, pay the related transaction costs and increase its unrestricted cash by approximately $14 million. Under the applicable accounting guidance, the securitization transaction is accounted for as a secured borrowing. As a result, no gain or loss is recorded for the transaction. Newcastle continues to recognize the portfolio of manufactured housing loans as pledged assets, which have been classified as loans held for investment at securitization, and records the notes issued to third parties as a secured borrowing. The associated assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses are presented in the non-recourse financing structure sections of the consolidated financial statements.

On May 4, 2011, Newcastle completed a securitization transaction to refinance its Manufactured Housing Loans Portfolio II. Newcastle sold approximately $197.0 million outstanding principal balance of manufactured housing loans to Newcastle Investment Trust 2011-MH 1 (the “2011 Issuer”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Newcastle. The 2011 Issuer issued approximately $159.8 million aggregate principal amount of investment grade notes, of which $142.8 million was sold to third parties and $17.0 million was sold to one of the CDOs managed and consolidated by Newcastle. In addition, Newcastle retained the below investment grade notes and residual interest. As a result, Newcastle invested approximately $20.0 million of its unrestricted cash in the new securitization structure. The notes issued to third parties have an average expected maturity of 3.8 years and bear interest at an average rate of 3.23% per annum. At the closing of the securitization transaction, Newcastle used the gross proceeds received from the issuance of the notes to repay the previously existing debt in full, terminate the related interest rate swap contracts and pay the related transaction costs. Under the applicable accounting guidance, the securitization transaction is accounted for as a secured borrowing. As a result, no gain or loss is recorded for the transaction. Newcastle continues to recognize the portfolio of manufactured housing loans as pledged assets, which have been classified as residential mortgage loans held-for-investment at securitization, and records the notes issued to third parties as a secured borrowing. The associated assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses are presented in the non-recourse financing structure sections of the consolidated financial statements.

Junior Subordinated Notes Payable

In March 2006, Newcastle completed the placement of $100 million of trust preferred securities through its wholly owned subsidiary, Newcastle Trust I (the “Preferred Trust”). Newcastle owned all of the common stock of the Preferred Trust. The Preferred Trust used the proceeds to purchase $100.1 million of Newcastle’s junior subordinated notes. These notes represented all of the Preferred Trust’s assets. The terms of the junior subordinated notes were substantially the same as the terms of the trust preferred securities.

On April 30, 2009, Newcastle entered into an exchange agreement with several collateralized debt obligations managed by a third party pursuant to which Newcastle agreed to exchange newly issued junior subordinated notes due in 2035 with an initial aggregate principal amount of $101.7 million (the “Notes”) for $100 million in aggregate liquidation amount of trust preferred securities that were previously issued by a subsidiary of Newcastle (the “TRUPs”) and were owned by the third party. The Notes accrued interest at a rate of 1.0% per year, beginning on February 1, 2009, and the rate reverted to 7.574% on February 1, 2010 in connection with the preferred stock exchange (Note 9). In conjunction with the exchange, the TRUPs were cancelled. Under the provisions of ASC 470-60, “Troubled Debt Restructurings by Debtors”, this exchange was considered a troubled debt restructuring which required Newcastle to account for the effect of the interest modification prospectively and to record the expenses related to the modification immediately through earnings.

On January 29, 2010, Newcastle entered into an Exchange Agreement (the “Exchange Agreement”) with Taberna Capital Management, LLC and certain of its affiliates (collectively, “Taberna”), pursuant to which Newcastle and Taberna agreed to exchange (the “Exchange”) approximately $52.1 million aggregate principal amount of junior subordinated notes due 2035 for approximately $37.6 million face amount of previously issued CDO securities and approximately $9.7 million of cash held by Newcastle. In other words, $52.1 million face amount of Newcastle’s debt, in the form of junior subordinated notes payable, was repurchased and extinguished for GAAP purposes in exchange for (i) the payment of $9.7 million of cash and (ii) the reissuance of $37.6 million face amount of CDO bonds payable (which had previously been repurchased by Newcastle). In connection with the Exchange, Newcastle paid or reimbursed $0.6 million of expenses incurred by Taberna, various indenture trustees and their respective advisors in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Agreement.

 

Newcastle accounted for this exchange as a troubled debt restructuring involving the partial repayment of debt. As a result, Newcastle recorded no gain or loss. The following table presents certain information regarding the exchange, as of the date of the exchange:

 

           Consideration  
     Repurchased junior
subordinated notes
        Cash              Reissued CDO    
    bonds    
        Total      
         

Outstanding face amount

     $ 52,094      $ 9,715       $ 37,625      $ 47,340   

Weighted average coupon

     7.574%  (A)      N/A         LIBOR + 0.66%  (B)   

Maturity

     April 2035           June 2052     

Collateral

     General credit of Newcastle          

 

Assets within the

respective CDOs

  

  

 

 

  (A) LIBOR + 2.25% after April 2016
  (B) Weighted average effective interest rate of approximately LIBOR+0.35% after the Exchange.

The fair value of the consideration paid approximated the fair value of the repurchased junior subordinated notes of $16.7 million.

Maturity Table

Newcastle’s debt obligations (gross of $4.8 million of discounts at December 31, 2011) have contractual maturities as follows:

 

         Nonrecourse              Recourse              Total           

2012

     $ 6,546         $ 233,194         $ 239,740      

2013

     -           -           -        

2014

     -           -           -        

2015

     -           -           -        

2016

     -           -           -        

Thereafter

     3,013,717         51,004         3,064,721      
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

Total

     $     3,020,263         $     284,198         $     3,304,461      
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

Debt Covenants

Newcastle’s non-CDO financings contain various customary loan covenants. Newcastle was in compliance with all of the covenants in its non-CDO financings as of February 29, 2012.