Annaly Shares Gain as It Increases Quarterly Dividend by 7.7%

Core Viewpoint - Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) announced a cash dividend of 70 cents per share for Q1 2025, representing a 7.7% increase from the previous payout, and the stock rose 2.4% following the announcement [1] Dividend Information - The dividend will be paid on April 30, 2025, to shareholders of record as of March 31 [1] - In March 2023, the company reduced its dividend by 26% to 65 cents [2] - Currently, NLY's payout ratio stands at 96% of its earnings, with an annual dividend yield of 12.03% based on a closing price of $21.61 [2] Capital Distribution Activities - On December 31, 2024, the board authorized a share repurchase program allowing up to$1.5 billion in buybacks, but no shares have been repurchased since the announcement [3] Liquidity and Leverage - Annaly is focused on improving liquidity and reducing leverage, with a strong liquidity position as of Q4 2024 [4] - The company has an unencumbered asset portfolio totaling $5.8 billion, which can provide liquidity during adverse market conditions [4] - A strong balance sheet is expected to support sustainable capital distributions [4] Price Performance - Over the past year, NLY shares have increased by 26.7%, outperforming the industry growth of 8.8% [5] Zacks Rank - Annaly currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [7]