Walker & Dunlop Reports Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

SECOND QUARTER 2024 HIGHLIGHTS

• Total transaction volume of $8.4 billion, flat from Q2’23
• Total revenues of $270.7 million, down 1% from Q2’23
• Net income of $22.7 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.67, both down 18% from Q2’23
• Adjusted EBITDA⁽¹⁾ of $80.9 million, up 15% from Q2’23
• Adjusted core EPS⁽²⁾ of $1.23, up 26% from Q2’23
• Servicing portfolio of $132.8 billion as of June 30, 2024, up 5% from June 30, 2023
• Declared quarterly dividend of $0.65 per share for the third quarter 2024

YEAR-TO-DATE 2024 HIGHLIGHTS

• Total transaction volume of $14.8 billion, down 2% from 2023
• Total revenues of $498.7 million, down 2% from 2023
• Net income of $34.5 million and diluted earnings per share of $1.02, down 36% and 37%, respectively, from 2023
• Adjusted EBITDA⁽¹⁾ of $155.1 million, up 12% from 2023
• Adjusted core EPS⁽²⁾ of $2.39, up 12% from 2023

Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (NYSE: WD) (the “Company,” “Walker & Dunlop,” or “W&D”) reported quarterly total transaction volume of $8.4 billion, in line with last year’s second quarter, which drove total revenues of $270.7 million, down 1% year over year. Net income for the second quarter of 2024 was $22.7 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, both down 18% year over year. Adjusted EBITDA increased 15% to $80.9 million, reflecting the strength of the Company’s recurring revenue streams and recovery in transaction volumes. Adjusted core EPS, which removes primarily non-cash revenues and expenses, was up 26% year over year to $1.23. The Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.65 per share for the third quarter 2024.

"The second quarter of 2024 was the first quarter in almost two years with consistent rates and the ability for commercial real estate owners to transact, pushing Walker & Dunlop's total transaction volume up 32% from Q1'24 to $8.4 billion,” commented Walker & Dunlop Chairman and CEO Willy Walker. “Increased transaction volumes, combined with our durable, recurring revenue streams from servicing and asset management, generated 3% growth in adjusted core EPS and 9% growth in adjusted EBITDA from the first quarter, evident of the momentum building in the market.”

Mr. Walker continued, “It is clear that rate stability and the need to deploy, and recycle, capital is driving increased transaction volumes from owners of commercial real estate, and Walker & Dunlop is extremely well positioned to outperform and take advantage of that growth.”

DISCUSSION OF QUARTERLY RESULTS:

• Debt financing volume and total transaction volume increased less than 1% in the second quarter of 2024. The increase in brokered volume was primarily offset by the decline in our transaction volume with Fannie Mae, largely reflective of Fannie Mae’s decline in debt financing volume.
• The 16% increase in brokered volume was primarily the result of increased demand for capital, coupled with an increased supply of capital from life insurance companies, banks, CMBS and other private capital providers year over year.
• Principal lending and investing volume, which represents originations for our investment management business, Walker & Dunlop Investment Partners (“WDIP”), increased primarily as a result of an increased supply of capital from new and existing funds managed by WDIP as well as an increase in market demand. Transaction activity was still limited in the second quarter of 2023 as the market was adjusting to a volatile rate environment and declining fundamentals for some asset classes.

DISCUSSION OF QUARTERLY RESULTS:

• Our servicing portfolio continues to expand with the addition of GSE debt financing volumes. Although debt financing volumes have been lower than in previous years, higher interest rates and lower levels of scheduled maturities have contributed to fewer loan payoffs within our servicing portfolio.
• During the second quarter of 2024, we added $0.8 billion of net loans to our servicing portfolio, and over the past 12 months, we added $6.1 billion of net loans to our servicing portfolio, 92% of which were GSE or HUD (collectively, “Agency”) loans.
• $11.0 billion of Agency loans in our servicing portfolio are scheduled to mature over the next two years. These loans, with a lower weighted-average servicing fee of 20.1 basis points, represent only 9% of the total Agency loans in our portfolio.
• The mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”) associated with our servicing portfolio had a fair value of $1.4 billion as of both June 30, 2024 and 2023.
• Assets under management as of June 30, 2024 consisted of $15.2 billion of low-income housing tax credit (“LIHTC”) funds, $1.5 billion of debt funds, and $0.9 billion of equity funds managed by WDIP.

DISCUSSION OF QUARTERLY RESULTS:

• Net income and diluted EPS both decreased 18% in the second quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, primarily driven by lower non-cash MSR revenues from lower Fannie Mae loan originations year over year, and a higher provision for loan losses. The 22% decrease in income from operations was partially offset by a lower estimated annual effective tax rate in the second quarter of 2024 than the second quarter of 2023 due to the timing of executive bonus compensation expense. The deductibility of executive compensation is limited for income tax purposes.
• Adjusted EBITDA increased 15% year over year largely due to higher servicing fees, and placement fees and other interest income, partially offset by an increase in other operating expenses. Additionally, there were no net write-offs in the second quarter of 2024 compared to net writes-offs of $6.0 million in the second quarter of 2023.
• Adjusted core EPS, which excludes, among other items, the impacts of non-cash MSR revenues and amortization, the provision for credit losses, and acquisition-related costs, such as amortization of intangible assets, was $1.23 in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 26% year over year.
• Operating margin decreased primarily due to changes in our non-cash activity, including: (i) a decline of MSR income due to lower Fannie Mae volume, and (ii) a change from a small benefit for credit losses in 2023 to a provision for credit losses in 2024. Additionally, other operating expenses increased year over year.
• Return on equity declined primarily due to the 18% decrease in net income, partially offset by a less than 1% decrease in stockholders’ equity year over year.

DISCUSSION OF QUARTERLY RESULTS:

• Our at-risk servicing portfolio, which is comprised of loans subject to a defined risk-sharing formula, increased primarily due to the level of Fannie Mae loans added to the portfolio during the past 12 months. We take credit risk exclusively on loans backed by multifamily assets and have no credit exposure to losses in any other sector of the commercial real estate lending market.
• As of June 30, 2024, five at-risk loans were in default with an aggregate unpaid principal balance (“UPB”) of $48.6 million compared to two at-risk loans with an aggregate UPB of $37.0 million that were in default as of June 30, 2023. The collateral-based reserve on defaulted loans was $5.6 million and $3.5 million as of June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023, respectively. The approximately 3,000 other loans in the at-risk servicing portfolio continue to exhibit strong credit quality, with very low levels of delinquencies and strong operating performance of the underlying properties in the portfolio.
• During the first quarter of 2024, we repurchased a Fannie Mae loan for $13.5 million in cash. We have an immaterial reserve for credit losses related to this loan. In 2023, we received repurchase requests from Freddie Mac related to two loans with UPBs of $11.4 million and $34.8 million, respectively. We entered into a forbearance and indemnification agreement with Freddie Mac that, among other things, delayed the repurchases of these loans for six and 12 months, respectively, and transferred the risk of loss for both loans from Freddie Mac to Walker & Dunlop in the first quarter of 2024. As of June 30, 2024, our estimate of the fair value of the indemnification agreements was $4.6 million, an increase of $2.6 million from March 31, 2024, which is included in the provision for credit losses for the second quarter of 2024.

SECOND QUARTER 2024

FINANCIAL RESULTS BY SEGMENT

Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity. The following details explain the changes in these expense items at a consolidated corporate level:

• Interest expense on corporate debt increased 5% from the second quarter of 2023, primarily as a result of an increase in interest rates year over year, as our term loan carries a floating interest rate.
• Income tax expense decreased $2.6 million, or 25%, from the second quarter of 2023, primarily as a result of the 22% decrease in income from operations, as well as a decrease in the effective tax rate from 29% to 28% year over year.

CAPITAL MARKETS - DISCUSSION OF QUARTERLY RESULTS:

The Capital Markets segment includes our Agency lending, debt brokerage, property sales, appraisal and valuation services, investment banking, and housing market research businesses.

• The decreases in our MSR income and MSR rate were primarily attributable to the 32% decrease in Fannie Mae debt financing volume. Fannie Mae volume as a percentage of total transaction volume decreased from 27% in the second quarter of 2023 to 18% in the second quarter of 2024. Additionally, the weighted-average duration of Fannie Mae loans decreased year over year due to the continued high interest rate environment. Partially offsetting these factors was an increase in the weighted-average servicing fee (“WASF”) on Fannie Mae loans. Fannie Mae loans have higher WASF than our other products, producing higher MSR income than our other product types.
• There were no other significant changes from the second quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024.

SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT - DISCUSSION OF QUARTERLY RESULTS:

The Servicing & Asset Management segment includes loan servicing, principal lending and investing, management of third-party capital invested in tax credit equity funds focused on the affordable housing sector and other commercial real estate, and real estate-related investment banking and advisory services.

• The $6.1 billion net increase in the servicing portfolio over the past 12 months was the principal driver of the growth in servicing fees year over year, partially offset by a slight decrease in the servicing portfolio’s WASF.
• Investment management fees decreased primarily as a result of a decline in revenue from our Principal Investing funds due to lower asset sales year over year.
• Placement fees and other interest income increased primarily as a result of higher placement fees earned on escrow deposits related to higher short-term interest rates.
• Other revenues primarily decreased as a result of lower syndication revenues related to lower equity syndication volume year over year.
• The provision for credit losses in 2024 was primarily attributable to losses related to the forbearance and indemnification agreement with Freddie Mac as noted above. The benefit for credit losses in 2023 was driven by an update in our collateral-based reserve for a property that was settled with Fannie Mae.
• Other operating expenses decreased primarily as a result of decreased miscellaneous expenses year over year, largely from our affordable operations.

CORPORATE - DISCUSSION OF QUARTERLY RESULTS:

The Corporate segment consists of corporate-level activities including accounting, information technology, legal, human resources, marketing, internal audit, and various other corporate groups (“support functions”). The Company does not allocate costs from these support functions to its other segments in presenting segment operating results.

• The increase in personnel expense was primarily driven by increases in variable compensation arrangements, including our subjective bonus compensation expense.
• Other operating expenses increased primarily due to increases in travel and entertainment costs, as we held an all company retreat in the second quarter of 2024, something we did not do in 2023. The retreat is an important part of the Walker & Dunlop community and corporate culture. Annual increases in multi-year software and data contracts used throughout our business also contributed to the increase in other operating expenses.

YEAR-TO-DATE 2024

CONSOLIDATED OPERATING RESULTS

Interest expense on corporate debt is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s use of that corporate debt. Income tax expense is determined at a consolidated corporate level and allocated to each segment proportionally based on each segment’s income from operations, except for significant, one-time tax activities, which are allocated entirely to the segment impacted by the tax activity. The following details explain the changes in these expense items at a consolidated corporate level:

• Interest expense on corporate debt increased $3.2 million, or 10%, from the second quarter of 2023, primarily as a result of an increase in interest rates year over year, as our term loan carries a floating interest rate.
• Income tax expense decreased $6.9 million, or 39%, from the second quarter of 2023, primarily as a result of the 41% decrease in income from operations.

DISCUSSION OF YEAR-TO-DATE-RESULTS:

• The decrease in total transaction volume was primarily driven by a 22% decrease in Agency debt financing volume and a 21% decrease in property sales volume, partially offset by the 26% increase in brokered debt financing volume.
• The 36% decrease in Walker & Dunlop net income was primarily a result of a 41% decrease in income from operations driven by: (i) a decline in non-cash MSR revenues from lower Agency financing volume; (ii) higher provision for loan loss expense in 2024 compared to a net benefit in 2023; (iii) a write-off of debt premium related to the payoff of fixed-rate debt in 2023 with no comparable activity in 2024; and (iv) lower investment banking revenues year over year as we closed the largest investment banking transaction in our history in 2023 with no similar transaction this year. These were partially offset by an increase in losses allocated to noncontrolling interests.
• The increase in adjusted EBITDA was primarily the result of increased placement fees and other interest income, higher servicing fees, and decreased personnel expenses, partially offset by decreases in origination fees, investment banking revenues, and an increase in other operating expenses. Additionally, there were no net write offs in 2024 compared to $6.0 million in 2023.
• Diluted EPS decreased 37% year over year, compared to a 12% increase in our adjusted core EPS year over year. As explained above, the decrease in income from operations year over year was driven largely by reductions in non-cash revenues or atypical transaction related drivers, like a debt refinancing, which are removed from adjusted core EPS. Diluted EPS incorporates the impact of those items and decreased year over year, while adjusted core EPS excludes those items and reflects the year over year growth of our recurring revenue streams.
• Operating margin decreased primarily due to changes in our non-cash activity, including: (i) a decline of MSR income due to lower Fannie Mae volume, and (ii) a change from a large benefit for credit losses in 2023 to a provision for credit losses in 2024. Additionally, other operating expenses increased year over year.
• Return on equity declined due to a 36% decrease in net income, partially offset by a less than 1% decrease in stockholders’ equity year over year.

CAPITAL MARKETS - DISCUSSION OF YEAR-TO-DATE-RESULTS:

• The decrease in origination fees was primarily the result of a change in the mix of our debt financing volume, driven by an increase in brokered debt financing volume as a percentage of total debt financing volume and a decrease in Fannie Mae volume as a percentage of total debt financing volume, partially offset by an increase in overall debt financing volume. The change in the mix of our debt financing volume also led to the drop in the origination fee margin. Fannie Mae debt financing is our most-profitable product, while brokered debt financing is our least profitable.
• The decrease in MSR income is primarily attributable to a 33% decrease in Fannie Mae debt financing volume. Additionally, the weighted-average duration of Fannie Mae loans decreased year over year due to the continued high interest rate environment. Partially offsetting these factors was an increase in the WASF on Fannie Mae loans.
• The decrease in other revenues was primarily related to the closing of the largest investment banking deal in the Company’s history, a $7.5 million transaction, which closed in the first quarter of 2023, with no comparable activity in 2024.
• Personnel expenses decreased primarily due to a decrease in commission costs on lower origination and property sales broker fees, combined with a decrease in other personnel costs due to lower headcount. Our lower headcount was due to a workforce reduction undertaken in the second quarter of 2023.

SERVICING & ASSET MANAGEMENT - DISCUSSION OF YEAR-TO-DATE-RESULTS:

• The $6.1 billion net increase in the servicing portfolio over the past 12 months was the principal driver of the growth in servicing fees year over year, partially offset by a decrease in the servicing portfolio’s weighted-average servicing fee.
• Investment management fees decreased primarily as a result of a decline in revenue from our LIHTC funds due to fewer dispositions year over year.
• Placement fees and other interest income increased largely as a result of higher placement fees earned on those escrow deposits due to higher short-term interest rates.
• The provision for credit losses in 2024 was primarily attributable to the estimated fair value of the liability related to the forbearance and indemnification agreements with Freddie Mac noted above, partially offset by a small benefit for risk-sharing obligations resulting from an update to our historical loss rate and forecast-period loss rate. The benefit for credit losses in 2023 was primarily due to the annual update of our historical loss rate and forecast-period loss rates that resulted in a decrease to the calculated expected credit losses.

CORPORATE - DISCUSSION OF YEAR-TO-DATE-RESULTS:

• Total revenues increased as a result of higher interest income earned on our corporate and fund cash balances due to the elevated short-term interest rate environment, combined with an increase in income from equity-method investments.
• The increase in personnel expense was primarily related to increases in variable compensation, including our subjective bonus compensation expense, partially offset by decreases in salaries and benefits and stock compensation expenses, driven by lower headcount as a result of our workforce reduction undertaken in the second quarter of 2023 and the departure of two executives.
• The increase in other operating expenses was primarily the result of increased travel and entertainment, software, and miscellaneous expenses year over year.

CAPITAL SOURCES AND USES

On August 7, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.65 per share for the third quarter of 2024. The dividend will be paid on September 6, 2024, to all holders of record of the Company’s restricted and unrestricted common stock as of August 22, 2024.

In May 2024, the Company entered into a second amendment to the existing credit agreement that, among other things, decreased the interest rate of the incremental $200 million borrowing by 0.75% per annum, to Term SOFR plus 2.25% per annum, and combined the incremental term loan with the initial term loan to create a single fungible $800 million senior secured term loan.

On February 14, 2024, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $75.0 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock over a 12-month period ending February 23, 2025 (“2024 Share Repurchase Program”). We have not repurchased any shares of common stock under the 2024 Share Repurchase Program.

Any purchases made pursuant to the 2024 Share Repurchase Program will be made in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, from time to time, as permitted by federal securities laws and other legal requirements. The timing, manner, price and amount of any repurchases will be determined by the Company in its discretion and will be subject to economic and market conditions, stock price, applicable legal requirements and other factors. The repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Listeners can access the Company’s quarterly conference call for more information regarding our financial results via the dial-in number and webcast link below. Presentation materials related to the conference call will be posted to the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website prior to the call. An audio replay will also be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, along with the presentation materials.

ABOUT WALKER & DUNLOP

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) is one of the largest commercial real estate finance and advisory services firms in the United States. Our ideas and capital create communities where people live, work, shop, and play. The diversity of our people, breadth of our brand and technological capabilities make us one of the most insightful and client-focused firms in the commercial real estate industry.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

To supplement our financial statements presented in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), the Company uses adjusted EBITDA, adjusted core net income, and adjusted core EPS, which are non-GAAP financial measures. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. When analyzing our operating performance, readers should use adjusted EBITDA, adjusted core net income, and adjusted core EPS in addition to, and not as an alternative for, net income and diluted EPS.

Adjusted core net income and adjusted core EPS represent net income adjusted for amortization and depreciation, provision (benefit) for credit losses, net write-offs, the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net, the income statement impact from periodic revaluation and accretion associated with contingent consideration liabilities related to acquired companies, and other one-time adjustments, such as goodwill impairment. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before income taxes, interest expense on our corporate debt, and amortization and depreciation, adjusted for provision (benefit) for credit losses, net write-offs, stock-based compensation expense, the fair value of expected net cash flows from servicing, net, the write-off of the unamortized balance of premium associated with the repayment of a portion of our corporate debt, goodwill impairment, and contingent consideration liability fair value adjustments when the fair value adjustment is a triggering event for a goodwill impairment assessment. Furthermore, adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for our management's discretionary use, as it does not reflect certain cash requirements such as tax and debt service payments. The amounts shown for adjusted EBITDA may also differ from the amounts calculated under similarly titled definitions in our debt instruments, which are further adjusted to reflect certain other cash and non-cash charges that are used to determine compliance with financial covenants. Because not all companies use identical calculations, our presentation of adjusted EBITDA, adjusted core net income and adjusted core EPS may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

We use adjusted EBITDA, adjusted core net income, and adjusted core EPS to evaluate the operating performance of our business, for comparison with forecasts and strategic plans and for benchmarking performance externally against competitors. We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when read in conjunction with the Company's GAAP financial information, provide useful information to investors by offering:

• the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of the Company's on-going operating results;
• the ability to better identify trends in the Company's underlying business and perform related trend analyses; and
• a better understanding of how management plans and measures the Company's underlying business.

We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with the Company's results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that these non-GAAP financial measures should only be used to evaluate the Company's results of operations in conjunction with the Company’s GAAP financial information. For more information on adjusted EBITDA, adjusted core net income, and adjusted core EPS, refer to the section of this press release below titled “Adjusted Financial Measure Reconciliation to GAAP” and “Adjusted Financial Measure Reconciliation to GAAP By Segment.”

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, projections, plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans, or intentions.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect our current views about future events and are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or contemplated in any forward-looking statement.

While forward-looking statements reflect our good faith projections, assumptions and expectations, they are not guarantees of future results. Furthermore, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, data or methods, future events or other changes, except as required by applicable law. Factors that could cause our results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: (1) general economic conditions and multifamily and commercial real estate market conditions, (2) changes in interest rates, (3) regulatory and/or legislative changes to Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae or HUD, (4) our ability to retain and attract loan originators and other professionals, (5) success of our various investments funded with corporate capital, and (6) changes in federal government fiscal and monetary policies, including any constraints or cuts in federal funds allocated to HUD for loan originations.

For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or contemplated in any forward-looking statements, see the section titled “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any updates or supplements in subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our other filings with the SEC. Such filings are available publicly on our Investor Relations web page at www.walkerdunlop.com.