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If you’ve got expended any amount of money of time on the lookout for stocks that fork out significant dividends, you’ve got in all probability run throughout AGNC Investment ( AGNC 1.10% ). At the minute, shares of this authentic estate expenditure believe in (REIT) offer an eye-popping 11.5% yield.
When an ultra-higher-payout stock like AGNC Investment decision displays up on your radar, it can be tempting to hit obtain now and fear about the facts afterwards. Just before pulling any triggers, though, there are a number of matters about this business and its dividend that you ought to know.

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1. AGNC Investment decision is a mortgage loan REIT
REITs are well-known with income-looking for investors nearing retirement due to the fact they are the polar opposite of development shares. By structure, REITs will not will need to shell out cash flow taxes as long as they share practically everything they get paid with their shareholders in the form of dividends.
AGNC Financial commitment is a specialised REIT that won’t even purchase authentic estate. It’s a property finance loan REIT, or mREIT, that borrows at rather minimal brief-term costs to invest in heaps of household property finance loan-backed securities that are confirmed by the U.S. federal government.
2. Now is a historically challenging time to be a mortgage loan REIT
AGNC Investment’s selling price has been sinking since the Federal Reserve is pressuring the mREIT business from two sides. Rising the benchmark desire fee will generate up the firm’s expense of cash. At the very same time, the Fed is hammering the sector value of home loan-backed securities by telling absolutely everyone it designs to cease buying them in bulk.

Mortgage loan-Backed Securities Held by All Federal Reserve Banks details by YCharts
In March of 2020, the Fed commenced getting mortgage loan-backed securities with each arms, and it really is been inflating its balance sheet ever considering the fact that. The Fed has been signaling an conclusion to these asset purchases, but, as you can see, the amount of property finance loan-backed securities on its publications is however soaring.
There are a lot of ins and outs when it comes to valuing home loan-backed securities, but considerably less desire typically sales opportunities to lower price ranges. At the time the Fed’s steps truly match its text, the value of assets on AGNC’s harmony sheet could drop noticeably alongside with its stock selling price.
3. Rising fascination premiums are not essentially poor
Tapering asset buys could trigger AGNC Investment’s e book price to tumble in the in close proximity to time period. Savvy money traders will buy some shares of AGNC Financial commitment now, and extra if it dips, because increased curiosity premiums can also perform in the company’s favor about the extended operate.

30 Yr Property finance loan Fee data by YCharts
AGNC Investment’s charges of cash are increasing, but home finance loan costs seem like they are climbing even more rapidly. Nobody needs to refinance though costs are mounting, so we can count on less prepaid home loans and, in convert, additional predictable money flows in the several years forward. Better fees can also give a wider gap among AGNC’s limited-term borrowing expenditures and the returns it gets on new mortgage loan-backed securities.
Shares of AGNC Financial commitment could tumble difficult when it studies to start with-quarter earnings if the Fed’s tapering resulted in shrinking asset values. Of study course, the stock could also increase sharply if the Fed’s bark was worse than its chunk. A single way or an additional, investors can expect a large amount of volatility ahead.
This article represents the belief of the writer, who may perhaps disagree with the “official” suggestion situation of a Motley Fool quality advisory assistance. We’re motley! Questioning an investing thesis – even a person of our have – assists us all believe critically about investing and make conclusions that assistance us turn into smarter, happier, and richer.