Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Tables)

v3.3.1.900
FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Schedule of carrying value and estimated fair value of assets and liabilities
The following table summarizes the carrying values and estimated fair values of Newcastle’s financial instruments at December 31, 2015 and 2014:
 
December 31, 2015
December 31, 2014
 
Carrying
Value
 
Estimated
Fair Value
 
Fair Value Method (A)
 
Carrying
Value
 
Estimated
Fair Value
Assets
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Real estate securities, available-for-sale
$
59,034

 
$
59,034

 
Broker/counterparty quotations, pricing services, pricing models
 
$
231,754

 
$
231,754

Real estate securities, pledged as collateral
105,963

 
105,963

 
Broker/counterparty quotations, pricing services
 
407,689

 
407,689

Real estate related and other loans, held-for-sale, net
149,198

 
165,270

 
Broker/counterparty quotations, pricing services, pricing models
 
230,200

 
246,678

Residential mortgage loans, held-for-sale, net
532

 
569

 
Broker/counterparty quotations, pricing models
 
3,854

 
4,076

Subprime mortgage loans subject to call option (B)
380,806

 
380,806

 
(B)
 
406,217

 
406,217

Restricted cash
4,469

 
4,469

 
 
 
15,714

 
15,714

Cash and cash equivalents
45,651

 
45,651

 
 
 
73,727

 
73,727

Non-hedge derivative assets (C)
127

 
127

 
Counterparty quotations, pricing services
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CDO bonds payable (D)
$
92,933

 
$
15,193

 
Pricing models
 
$
227,673

 
$
134,491

Other bonds and notes payable (D)
16,162

 
16,620

 
Pricing models
 
27,069

 
28,102

Repurchase agreements
418,458

 
418,625

 
Counterparty quotations, market comparables
 
441,176

 
441,176

Credit facilities and obligations under capital leases
11,258

 
11,258

 
Pricing models
 
161,474

 
161,474

Financing of subprime mortgage loans subject to call option (B)
380,806

 
380,806

 
(B)
 
406,217

 
406,217

Junior subordinated notes payable
51,225

 
24,649

 
Pricing models
 
51,231

 
28,918

Interest rate swaps, treated as hedges (C)

 

 
Counterparty quotations
 
1,963

 
1,963

Non-hedge derivative liabilities (C)
684

 
684

 
Counterparty quotations, pricing services
 
2,365

 
2,365


(A)
Methods are listed in order of priority. In the case of real estate securities and real estate related and other loans, broker quotations are obtained if available and practicable, otherwise counterparty quotations or pricing service valuations are obtained or, finally, internal pricing models are used. Internal pricing models are only used for (i) securities and loans that are not traded in an active market, and, therefore, have little or no price transparency, and for which significant unobservable inputs must be used in estimating fair value, or (ii) loans or debt obligations which are private and untraded.
(B)
Represents an option, not an obligation, to repurchase loans from Newcastle’s subprime mortgage loan securitizations (Note 6).
(C)
Represents derivative assets and liabilities including interest rate swaps and TBA forward contracts (Note 9).
(D)
Newcastle notes that the unrealized gain on the liabilities within such structures cannot be fully realized. Assets held within CDOs and other non- recourse structures are generally not available to satisfy obligations outside of such financings, except to the extent Newcastle receives net cash flow distributions from such structures. Furthermore, creditors or beneficial interest holders of these structures have no recourse to the general credit of Newcastle. Therefore, Newcastle’s exposure to the economic losses from such structures is limited to its invested equity in them and economically their book value cannot be less than zero. As a result, the fair value of Newcastle’s net investments in these non-recourse financing structures is equal to the present value of their expected future net cash flows.

Schedule of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
The following table summarizes financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2015:
 
 
 
Fair Value
 
Carrying Value
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
 
 
 
Market Quotations
(Observable)
 
Market Quotations (Unobservable)
 
Internal Pricing Models
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Real estate securities, available for sale:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CMBS
$
39,684

 
$

 
$
39,684

 
$

 
$
39,684

Non-Agency RMBS
9,619

 

 
9,619

 

 
9,619

CDO (A)
9,731

 

 

 
9,731

 
9,731

Real estate securities, available for sale total
$
59,034

 
$

 
$
49,303

 
$
9,731

 
$
59,034

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Real estate securities, pledged as collateral:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FNMA/FHLMC
$
105,963

 
$
105,963

 
$

 
$

 
$
105,963

Real estate securities, pledged as collateral
$
105,963

 
$
105,963

 
$

 
$

 
$
105,963

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Derivative assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TBAs, not treated as hedges
$
127

 
$
127

 
$

 
$

 
$
127

Derivative assets total
$
127

 
$
127

 
$

 
$

 
$
127

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Derivative liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TBAs, not treated as hedges
$
684

 
$
684

 
$

 
$

 
$
684

Derivative liabilities total
$
684

 
$
684

 
$

 
$

 
$
684


(A)
Represents non-consolidated CDO securities, excluding eight securities with zero value, which had an aggregate face amount of $116.0 million as of December 31, 2015.
Schedule of quantitative information about significant unobservable inputs
The following table provides quantitative information regarding the significant unobservable inputs used by Newcastle for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2015 This table excludes inputs used to measure fair value that are not developed by Newcastle, such as broker prices and other third-party pricing service valuations.

Asset Type
 
Amortized
Cost
Basis
 
Fair
Value
 
Weighted Average Significant Input
 


Discount
Rate
 
Prepayment Speed
 
Cumulative Default Rate
 
Loss Severity
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CDO
 
$

 
$
9,731

 
10.3
%
 
4.7
%
 
18.5
%
 
32.2
%
Total
 
$

 
$
9,731

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Schedule of change in fair value of Level 3 investments
Newcastle’s investments in instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs changed as follows:
 
Level 3 Assets
 
CMBS
 
Non-Agency RMBS
 
Equity/Other Securities
 
Derivative Transactions
 
Total
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance at December 31, 2013
$
284,469

 
$
57,581

 
$
59,757

 
$
43,662

 
$
445,469

Total gains (losses) (A)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Included in net income (B)
15,384

 
4,165

 
976

 
12,498

 
33,023

Included in other comprehensive income (loss)
(21,154
)
 
2,909

 
5,193

 

 
(13,052
)
Amortization included in interest income
17,184

 
5,218

 
1,924

 

 
24,326

Purchases, sales and settlements
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Purchases

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from sales
(73,252
)
 
(15,787
)
 
(57,053
)
 

 
(146,092
)
Proceeds from repayments
(43,868
)
 
(9,051
)
 
(2,841
)
 
(56,160
)
 
(111,920
)
Balance at December 31, 2014
$
178,763

 
$
45,035

 
$
7,956

 
$

 
$
231,754

Transfers
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Transfer into Level 3

 

 
367

 

 
367

Total gains (losses) (A)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Included in net income (B)
12,038

 
14,826

 
(367
)
 

 
26,497

Included in other comprehensive income (loss)
(18,797
)
 
(12,933
)
 
1,775

 

 
(29,955
)
Amortization included in interest income
6,866

 
2,849

 

 

 
9,715

Purchases, sales and settlements
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Purchases

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from sales
(102,607
)
 
(37,582
)
 

 

 
(140,189
)
Proceeds from repayments
(36,579
)
 
(2,576
)
 

 

 
(39,155
)
Balance at December 31, 2015
$
39,684

 
$
9,619

 
$
9,731

 
$

 
$
59,034


(A)
None of the gains (losses) recorded in earnings during the periods is attributable to the change in unrealized gains (losses) relating to Level 3 assets still held at the reporting dates.
(B)
These gains (losses) are recorded in the following line items in the Consolidated Statements of Operations:
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
Gain on settlement of investments, net
$
28,854

 
$
20,525

Other income, net

 
12,498

OTTI
(2,357
)
 

Total
$
26,497

 
$
33,023

Gain on sale of investments, net, from investments transferred into Level 3 during the period
$

 
$

Schedule of gains losses on fair value of real estate securities
These gains (losses) are recorded in the following line items in the Consolidated Statements of Operations:
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
Gain on settlement of investments, net
$
28,854

 
$
20,525

Other income, net

 
12,498

OTTI
(2,357
)
 

Total
$
26,497

 
$
33,023

Gain on sale of investments, net, from investments transferred into Level 3 during the period
$

 
$

Schedule of fair value for real estate related and other loans and residential mortgage loans held for sale
The following tables summarize certain information for real estate related and other loans as well as for residential mortgage loans held-for-sale as of December 31, 2015:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Significant Input
 
 
 
 
 
 
Range
 
Weighted Average
Loan Type
 
Carrying Value
 
Fair Value
 
Discount Rate
 
Loss Severity
 
Discount Rate
 
Loss Severity
Mezzanine
 
$
19,433

 
$
19,433

 
0.0% - 8.0%
 
0.0% - 100.0%
 
8.0
%
 
47.8
%
Bank Loan
 
129,765

 
145,837

 
0% - 22.5%
 
0.0% - 100.0%
 
22.4
%
 
22.7
%
Total Real Estate Related and Other Loans Held for Sale, Net
 
$
149,198

 
$
165,270

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Significant Input (Weighted Average)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loan Type
 
Carrying Value
 
Fair Value
 
Discount Rate
 
Prepayment Speed
 
Constant Default Rate
 
Loss Severity
Residential Loans
 
$
532

 
$
569

 
62.0
%
 
0.8
%
 
75.7
%
 
22.5
%
Total Residential Mortgage Loans, Held-for-Sale, Net
 
$
532

 
$
569