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Investing.com - Citizens JMP analyst Trevor Cranston downgraded Two Harbors Investment (NYSE:TWO) from Market Outperform to Market Perform on Thursday, citing uncertainty regarding potential damages in an ongoing lawsuit against the company’s former external manager. The mortgage REIT, currently trading at $11.02 with a market capitalization of $1.15 billion, has maintained dividend payments for 17 consecutive years, currently yielding an impressive 14.68%. InvestingPro data reveals several additional key insights about the company’s financial health and prospects.
The downgrade reflects concerns about the final level of damages that could be determined in the lawsuit, with the company having already reserved a contingent liability of $199 million. This reserve includes a $140 million termination fee Two Harbors believes would have been payable to its manager for termination based on unfair compensation, plus accrued interest.
Citizens JMP noted that the actual damages could still be determined at trial to be a different amount, and the firm does not have a reasonable way to estimate the likelihood or amount of additional potential damages. This uncertainty has led the firm to move to the sidelines on the stock.
The research firm now views Two Harbors shares as fairly valued at 0.87 times current estimated book value, compared to an Agency MREIT peer median of 0.98 times. Despite the downgrade, Citizens JMP continues to view the shares as attractive relative to current book value when adjusted for the $199 million contingent liability. According to InvestingPro’s Fair Value analysis, the stock appears slightly undervalued at its current price-to-book ratio of 0.74, with analyst price targets ranging from $11 to $15. For deeper insights into Two Harbors’ valuation and comprehensive analysis, investors can access the detailed Pro Research Report, one of 1,400+ available on InvestingPro.
Citizens JMP indicated it would revisit its rating if the $199 million contingent liability proves to be the final outcome of the lawsuit, suggesting potential for a future upgrade if legal uncertainties are resolved favorably. The company’s overall Financial Health Score stands at FAIR, according to InvestingPro analysis, with analysts anticipating the company will return to profitability this year despite projected sales decline.
In other recent news, Two Harbors Investment Corp reported a challenging first quarter for 2025, with earnings per share (EPS) of $0.24, which fell short of the expected $0.41. The company also missed revenue forecasts, posting -$20.33 million against the anticipated -$12.86 million. Despite these financial setbacks, Two Harbors completed a $115 million senior notes offering, with the notes set to mature in 2030. Additionally, analysts from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered the company’s stock price target from $13.25 to $11, reflecting a decline in book value and anticipated lower economic returns. The company announced a $198.9 million charge related to ongoing litigation, which has impacted its book value. Moreover, there is an expectation of a dividend reduction from $0.45 to $0.38. The company also noted that its book value per share increased to $14.66, indicating some asset growth amidst these developments.
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