Chimera Investment Corporation Reports Core EPS for the 4th Quarter 2010 of $0.14 Per Share and for the Year of $0.66 Per Share

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Chimera Investment Corporation (NYSE: CIM) today reported Core Earnings for the quarter ended December 31, 2010, of $136.2 million or $0.14 per average share as compared to Core Earnings for the quarter ended December 31, 2009, of $80.7 million or $0.12 per average share and Core Earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 2010, of $139.0 million or $0.16 per average share. Core Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2010 was $545.9 million or $0.66 per average share as compared to $230.7 million or $0.46 per average share for the year ended December 31, 2009. "Core Earnings" is a non-GAAP measure that approximates distributable income, and is defined as GAAP net income (loss) excluding non-cash equity compensation expense, unrealized gains and losses, realized gains and losses on sales and other items that do not affect realized net income, regardless of whether such items are included in other comprehensive income (loss) or in net income (loss). The Company reported GAAP net income of $156.2 million or $0.16 per average share for the quarter ended December 31, 2010, as compared to GAAP net income of $95.5 million or $0.14 per average share for the quarter ended December 31, 2009, and GAAP net income of $126.4 million or $0.14 per average share for the quarter ended September 30, 2010. GAAP net income for the year ended December 31, 2010 was $532.9 million or $0.65 per average share as compared to $324.0 million or $0.64 per average share for the year ended December 31, 2009.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2010, the Company sold residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) with a carrying value of $590.3 million for realized gains of $7.7 million. During the quarter ended December 31, 2009, the Company sold RMBS, including transactions involving re-securitizations, with a carrying value of $213.0 million for realized gains of $16.2 million. During the quarter ended September 30, 2010, the Company sold RMBS with a carrying value of $206.0 million for realized gains of $2.0 million. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company sold RMBS with a carrying value of $885.4 million for realized gains of $10.1 million. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company sold RMBS, including transactions involving re-securitizations, with a carrying value of $1.8 billion for realized gains of $103.6 million.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2010, the Company financed on a permanent non-recourse basis $165.7 million of AAA-rated fixed rate bonds for net proceeds of $167.8 million in re-securitization transactions which were accounted for as financings in the Company's statement of financial condition. During the quarters ended December 31, 2009 and September 30, 2010, the Company did not record any transactions which were accounted for as financings on a permanent non-recourse basis. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company financed on a permanent non-recourse basis $1.3 billion of AAA-rated fixed rate bonds for net proceeds of $1.3 billion in re-securitization transactions which were accounted for as financings in the Company's statement of financial condition. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company did not record any transactions which were accounted for as financings on a permanent non-recourse basis. Assets, liabilities, interest income and interest expense associated with these transactions are identified throughout the consolidated financial statements as "non-retained" items.

The Company declared common stock dividends of $0.17, $0.17, and $0.18 per share for the quarters ended December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively. The annualized dividend yield on the Company's common stock for the quarter ended December 31, 2010 based on the December 31, 2010 closing price of $4.11 was 16.55%. The Company declared common stock dividends for the year ended December 31, 2010, of $0.69 per share, as compared to $0.43 per share for the year ended December 31, 2009. The dividend yield on the Company's common stock for the year ended December 31, 2010, based on the December 31, 2010 closing price of $4.11 was 16.79%. On a Core Earnings basis, the Company provided an annualized return on average equity of 17.51%, 14.96%, and 19.12% for the quarters ended December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively. On a Core Earnings basis, the Company provided a return on average equity of 20.05% and 15.80% for the years ended December 31, 2010, and December 31, 2009, respectively. On a GAAP basis, the Company provided an annualized return on average equity of 20.09%, 17.69% and 17.39%, for the quarters ended December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively. On a GAAP basis, the Company provided a return on average equity of 19.57% and 22.19% for the years ended December 31, 2010, and December 31, 2009, respectively.

Matthew J. Lambiase, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company, commented on the quarter. "Chimera's results continue to reflect our ability to identify attractive investment opportunities. The fourth quarter results reflect the successful capital raise that settled in November. Looking ahead, the evolving regulatory and policy process will continue to affect the investment landscape. In this environment we remain positive on the relative attractiveness of opportunities we see in our market."

For the quarter ended December 31, 2010, the annualized yield on average earning assets was 8.32% and the annualized cost of funds on the average borrowed funds balance was 4.10% for an interest rate spread of 4.22%. This is a 64 basis point decrease from the 4.86% annualized interest rate spread for the quarter ended December 31, 2009, and a 22 basis point decrease from the 4.44% annualized interest rate spread for the quarter ended September 30, 2010. Leverage was 1.2:1, 1.1:1, and 1.3:1 at December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively. Recourse leverage was 0.5:1, 0.9:1 and 0.5:1 at December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively.

RMBS comprised approximately 96.0%, 92.7%, and 95.1% of the Company's investment portfolio at December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively. The balance of the portfolio was comprised of securitized loans that collateralized the secured debt.

The following table summarizes portfolio information for the Company:


                      December 31, 2010   December 31, 2009   September 30, 2010

Interest earning
assets at             $ 7,651,077         $ 4,559,427         $ 7,173,376
period-end *

Interest bearing
liabilities at        $ 4,054,112         $ 2,365,752         $ 3,844,440
period-end

Leverage at             1.2:1               1.1:1               1.3:1
period-end

Leverage at
period-end              0.5:1               0.9:1               0.5:1
(recourse)

Portfolio
Composition, at
principal value

Non-Agency RMBS         83.4 %              64.6      %         82.8      %

Senior                  4.0 %               37.5      %         5.7       %

Senior, interest        35.7 %              0.0       %         32.2      %
only

Subordinated            29.8 %              22.0      %         29.6      %

Subordinated,           1.8 %               5.1       %         2.0       %
interest only

Senior,                 12.1 %              0.0       %         13.3      %
non-retained

Agency RMBS             12.6 %              23.3      %         12.3      %

Securitized loans       4.0 %               12.1      %         4.9       %

Fixed-rate
percentage of           51.7 %              52.7      %         55.9      %
portfolio

Adjustable-rate
percentage of           48.3 %              47.3      %         44.1      %
portfolio

Annualized yield on
average earning         8.32 %              6.37      %         9.02      %
assets during the
period

Annualized cost of
funds on average        4.10 %              1.51      %         4.58      %
borrowed funds
during the period

* Excludes cash and
cash equivalents



The following table summarizes characteristics for each asset class:


                            December 31, 2010

                            Weighted     Weighted       Weighted
                            Average      Average Fair   Average    Weighted
                            Amortized    Value          Coupon     Average Yield
                            Cost Basis

Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed
Securities

Senior                      $ 99.64      $ 101.56       4.48%      4.65%

Senior, interest only       $ 6.98       $ 5.28         1.74%      14.71%

Subordinated                $ 44.35      $ 43.88        4.11%      16.78%

Subordinated, interest      $ 9.93       $ 10.81        3.03%      27.60%
only

Senior, non-retained        $ 98.51      $ 97.87        5.17%      4.36%

Agency Mortgage-Backed      $ 103.30     $ 104.80       5.05%      4.51%
Securities

Securitized loans

Senior                      $ 101.19     $ 101.19       5.50%      5.54%

Senior, interest only       $ 0.01       $ 0.01         0.41%      100.00%

Subordinated                $ 100.93     $ 100.93       5.36%      2.85%



The Company's portfolio is comprised of RMBS and securitized whole residential mortgage loans. During the quarter ended December 31, 2010, the Company recorded a loan loss provision of $577 thousand as compared to a provision of $1.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2009 and $482 thousand for the quarter ended September 30, 2010.

The Constant Prepayment Rate on the Company's portfolio was 17%, 18%, and 16% as of December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively. The net accretion of discounts was $59.6 million, $10.7 million and $69.1 million for the quarters ended December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively. The total net discount remaining was $2.3 billion, $1.8 billion and $2.3 billion at December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively.

General and administrative expenses, including the management fee and loan loss provision, as a percentage of average interest earning assets were 0.62%, 0.72%, and 0.62% for the quarters ended December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, respectively. At December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009, and September 30, 2010, the Company had a common stock book value per share of $3.23, $3.17, and $3.29, respectively.

On November 2, 2010 the Company announced the sale of 125,000,000 shares of common stock at $3.80 per share for estimated proceeds, less the underwriters' discount and offering expenses, of $474.8 million. In addition, on November 8, 2010, the underwriters exercised the option to purchase up to an additional 18,750,000 shares of common stock to cover over-allotments for proceeds, less the underwriters' discount, of approximately $71.3 million. The sale was completed on November 8, 2010. In all, the Company raised net proceeds of approximately $546.1 million in this offering.

The Company is a specialty finance company that invests in residential mortgage-backed securities, residential mortgage loans, real estate-related securities and various other asset classes. The Company's principal business objective is to generate net income for distribution to investors from the spread between the yields on its investments and the cost of borrowings to finance their acquisition and secondarily to provide capital appreciation. The Company, a Maryland corporation that has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), and is externally managed by Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company.

The Company will hold the fourth quarter 2010 earnings conference call on Thursday, February 10, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. EST. The number to call is 866-843-0890 for domestic calls and 412-317-9250 for international calls and the pass code is 4014079. The replay number is 877-344-7529 for domestic calls and 412-317-0088 for international calls and the pass code is 448264. The replay is available for 48 hours after the earnings call. There will be a web cast of the call on www.chimerareit.com. If you would like to be added to the email distribution list, please visit www.chimerareit.com, click on EMail Alerts, complete the email notification form and click the Submit button. For further information, please contact Investor Relations at 1-866-315-9930 or visit www.chimerareit.com.

This news release and our public documents to which we refer contain or incorporate by reference certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements which are based on various assumptions (some of which are beyond our control) may be identified by reference to a future period or periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "continue," "intend," "should," "may," "would," "will" or similar expressions, or variations on those terms or the negative of those terms. Actual results could differ materially from those set forth in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, our business and investment strategy; our projected financial and operating results; our ability to maintain existing financing arrangements, obtain future financing arrangements and the terms of such arrangements; general volatility of the securities markets in which we invest; the implementation, timing and impact of, and changes to, various government programs; our expected investments; changes in the value of our investments; interest rate mismatches between our investments and our borrowings used to fund such purchases; changes in interest rates and mortgage prepayment rates; effects of interest rate caps on our adjustable-rate investments; rates of default or decreased recovery rates on our investments; prepayments of the mortgage and other loans underlying our mortgage-backed or other asset-backed securities; the degree to which our hedging strategies may or may not protect us from interest rate volatility; impact of and changes in governmental regulations, tax law and rates, accounting guidance, and similar matters; availability of investment opportunities in real estate-related and other securities; availability of qualified personnel; estimates relating to our ability to make distributions to our stockholders in the future; our understanding of our competition; market trends in our industry, interest rates, the debt securities markets or the general economy; our ability to maintain our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We do not undertake, and specifically disclaim all obligations, to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.



CHIMERA INVESTMENT CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

(dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)

                 December 31,    September 30,   June 30,        March 31,       December 31,
                 2010            2010            2010            2010            2009 (1)
                 (unaudited)     (unaudited)     (unaudited)     (unaudited)

Assets:

Cash and cash    $ 7,173         $ 11,949        $ 236,214       $ 44,200        $ 24,279
equivalents

Non-Agency
Mortgage-Backed
Securities, at
fair value

Senior             987,685         1,065,145       817,736         1,429,530       2,022,406

Subordinated       2,210,858       1,866,911       1,465,905       947,963         376,459

Senior,            1,965,418       1,967,812       2,133,486       1,646,087       -
non-retained

Agency
Mortgage-Backed    2,133,584       1,884,193       1,761,732       1,558,795       1,690,029
Securities, at
fair value

Securitized
loans held for
investment, net
of allowance
for loan losses
of $6.6            353,532         389,315         416,504         441,347         470,533
million, $6.0
million, $5.6
million, $4.6
million, and
$4.6 million,
respectively

Receivable for
investments        -               -               -               47,185          -
sold

Accrued
interest           49,088          47,767          45,682          39,637          33,128
receivable

Other assets       1,212           360             923             1,451           1,494

Total assets     $ 7,708,550     $ 7,233,452     $ 6,878,182     $ 6,156,195     $ 4,618,328

Liabilities:

Repurchase       $ 1,808,797     $ 1,568,223     $ 1,337,805     $ 1,538,820     $ 1,716,398
agreements

Repurchase
agreements with    -               -               -               147,417         259,004
affiliates

Securitized        289,236         320,552         342,819         364,665         390,350
debt

Securitized
debt,              1,956,079       1,955,665       2,120,861       1,636,437       -
non-retained

Payable for
investments        127,694         279,649         -               41,822          -
purchased

Accrued
interest           11,641          11,164          12,145          9,691           3,235
payable

Dividends          174,445         158,811         130,420         113,793         113,788
payable

Accounts
payable and        393             810             679             489             472
other
liabilities

Investment
management fees    12,422          11,411          9,357           8,114           8,519
payable to
affiliate

Interest rate
swaps, at fair     9,988           24,820          11,237          -               -
value

Total            $ 4,390,695     $ 4,331,105     $ 3,965,323     $ 3,861,248     $ 2,491,766
liabilities

Stockholders'
Equity:

Common stock:
par value $0.01
per share;
1,500,000,000
shares
authorized,
1,027,034,357,
883,169,403,     $ 10,261        $ 8,822         $ 8,822         $ 6,694         $ 6,693
883,151,028,
670,371,002,
and 670,371,587
shares issued
and
outstanding,
respectively

Additional         3,601,890       3,056,659       3,056,566       2,290,636       2,290,614
paid-in-capital

Accumulated
other              (90,500   )     22,444          673             144,978         (99,754   )
comprehensive
income (loss)

Retained
earnings           (203,796  )     (185,578  )     (153,202  )     (147,361  )     (70,991   )
(accumulated
deficit)

Total
stockholders'    $ 3,317,855     $ 2,902,347     $ 2,912,859     $ 2,294,947     $ 2,126,562
equity

Total
liabilities and  $ 7,708,550     $ 7,233,452     $ 6,878,182     $ 6,156,195     $ 4,618,328
stockholders'
equity

(1) Derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at December 31, 2009.





CHIMERA INVESTMENT CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)

(unaudited)

                      December      September     June 30,      March 31,     December
                      31,           30,           2010          2010          31,
                      2010          2010                                      2009

Net Interest Income:

Interest income       $ 159,967     $ 140,405     $ 133,522     $ 128,984     $ 100,765

Interest expense      12,076        10,527        7,198         7,374         8,530

Interest income,      33,780        58,090        49,829        50,861        -
non-retained

Interest expense,     27,573        32,237        21,421        33,830        -
non-retained

Net interest income   154,098       155,731       154,732       138,641       92,235
(expense)

Other-than-temporary
impairments:

Total
other-than-temporary  (5,596)       (1,314)       (24,746)      (22,687)      (1,480)
impairment losses

Non-credit portion
of loss recognized
in other              3,233         436           17,853        20,143        164
comprehensive income
(loss)

Net
other-than-temporary  (2,363)       (878)         (6,893)       (2,544)       (1,316)
credit impairment
losses

Other gains
(losses):

Unrealized gains
(losses) on interest  14,831        (13,583)      (11,237)      -             -
rate swaps

Realized gains
(losses) on sales of  7,711         2,032         -             342           16,191
investments, net

Realized losses on
principal             (3,593)       (2,517)       (326)         (949)         (195)
write-downs of
non-Agency RMBS

Total other gains     18,949        (14,068)      (11,563)      (607)         15,996
(losses)

Net investment        170,684       140,785       136,276       135,490       106,915
income (loss)

Other expenses:

Management fee        12,229        11,318        9,263         8,114         8,516

Provision for loan    577           482           1,024         606           1,692
losses

General and
administrative        1,648         1,798         1,409         1,160         1,238
expenses

Total other expenses  14,454        13,598        11,696        9,880         11,446

Income (loss) before  156,230       127,187       124,580       125,610       95,469
income taxes

Income taxes          3             752           1             -             -

Net income (loss)     $ 156,227     $ 126,435     $ 124,579     $ 125,610     $ 95,469

Net income (loss)
per share-basic and   $ 0.16        $ 0.14        $ 0.16        $ 0.19        $ 0.14
diluted

Weighted average
number of shares      967,544,377   883,147,726   765,475,340   670,371,022   670,324,435
outstanding-basic
and diluted

Comprehensive income
(loss):

Net income (loss)     $ 156,227     $ 126,435     $ 124,579     $ 125,610     $ 95,469

Other comprehensive
income (loss):

Unrealized gains
(losses) on           (111,189)     20,408        (151,524)     241,581       (31,753)
available-for-sale
securities, net

Reclassification
adjustment for net
losses included in
net income (loss)     2,363         878           6,893         2,544         1,316
for
other-than-temporary
credit impairment
losses

Reclassification
adjustment for
realized losses       (4,118)       485           326           607           (15,996)
(gains) included in
net income (loss)

Other comprehensive   (112,944)     21,771        (144,305)     244,732       (46,433)
income (loss)

Comprehensive income  $ 43,283      $ 148,206     $ (19,726)    $ 370,342     $ 49,036
(loss)

(1) Derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at December 31, 2009.




CHIMERA INVESTMENT CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)

(unaudited)

                                       For the year ended

                                       December 31, 2010   December 31, 2009 (1)

Net Interest Income:

Interest income                        $ 562,878           $ 298,539

Interest expense                         37,175              35,083

Interest income, non-retained            192,560             -

Interest expense, non-retained           115,061             -

Net interest income (expense)            603,202             263,456

Other-than-temporary impairments:

Total other-than-temporary               (54,343     )       (16,264     )
impairment losses

Non-credit portion of loss
recognized in other comprehensive        41,665              6,268
income (loss)

Net other-than-temporary credit          (12,678     )       (9,996      )
impairment losses

Other gains (losses):

Unrealized gains (losses) on             (9,989      )       -
interest rate swaps

Realized gains (losses) on sales of      10,085              103,646
investments, net

Realized losses on principal             (7,385      )       (255        )
write-downs of non-Agency RMBS

Total other gains (losses)               (7,289      )       103,391

Net investment income (loss)             583,235             356,851

Other expenses:

Management fee                           40,924              25,704

Provision for loan losses                2,689               3,102

General and administrative expenses      6,015               4,061

Total other expenses                     49,628              32,867

Income (loss) before income taxes        533,607             323,984

Income taxes                             756                 1

Net income (loss)                      $ 532,851           $ 323,983

Net income (loss) per share-basic      $ 0.65              $ 0.64
and diluted

Weighted average number of shares        822,617,319         507,042,421
outstanding-basic and diluted

Comprehensive income (loss):

Net income (loss)                      $ 532,851           $ 323,983

Other comprehensive income (loss):

Unrealized gains (losses) on             (724        )       260,309
available-for-sale securities, net

Reclassification adjustment for net
losses included in net income (loss)     12,678              9,996
for other-than-temporary credit
impairment losses

Reclassification adjustment for
realized losses (gains) included in      (2,700      )       (103,391    )
net income (loss)

Other comprehensive income (loss)        9,254               166,914

Comprehensive income (loss)            $ 542,105           $ 490,897

(1) Derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at December 31,
2009.




    Source: Chimera Investment Corporation