Ocwen Financial Corporation Announces Third Quarter Results


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 8, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Ocwen Financial Corporation (NYSE:OCN) today reported a pre-tax loss in the third quarter of 2001 of $(7.9) million. This was reduced from a pre-tax loss of $(10.9) million reported in the second quarter of 2001. The Company also announced that it was recording a non-cash provision of $65 million to increase the Company's valuation allowance on its deferred tax asset, which resulted in a net loss for its third quarter ended September 30, 2001 of $(72.9) million or $(1.08) per share compared to a net loss of $(0.7) million or $(0.01) per share for the 2000 third quarter. For the nine months ended September 30, 2001, the Company reported a net loss of $(117.9) million vs. a net loss of $(7.2) million for the 2000 nine-month period, or $(1.75) and $(0.11) per share, respectively.

Chairman and CEO William C. Erbey stated, "While third quarter results were hurt by the additional tax reserve, our net deferred tax asset has been reduced to $12.9 million, and we do not anticipate a need for further reserves in the foreseeable future. When the Company returns to profitability the reserve can be reversed into income. Our focus is on improving operating results. We intend to do this by continuing to make progress towards our three goals of growing our servicing businesses, making OTX profitable and selling our non-core assets. A number of developments during the third quarter marked further progress towards these goals:


 --  For the second consecutive quarter, the combined results of our
     core fee businesses, Servicing and OTX, were profitable.
 
 --  The volume of loans boarded and serviced for others continued to
     grow, reaching $21.4 billion at the end of the third quarter as
     compared to $15.4 million at the end of the second quarter. The
     growth in loans serviced reflects the successful completion of
     the transfer of the New Century servicing portfolio, our largest
     transfer to date.
 
 --  The volume of orders processed on REALTrans(r) in the third
     quarter grew by 15% over the second quarter. Transaction volume
     in the month of October showed dramatic growth of over 67% as
     compared to the third quarter monthly average. Further, an
     additional two of the top thirty mortgage lenders in the country
     signed up to use REALTrans.
 
 --  We also made progress in reducing our operating expenses.
     Excluding the Servicing business, and adjusted for reserves and
     certain non-recurring items in both periods, operating expenses
     decreased by $13.9 million, or 15% in the nine months ended
     September 30, 2001 as compared to the same period in 2000.
     Servicing has achieved a 23.4% unit cost reduction through the
     first nine months of 2001 compared to the fourth quarter of 2000.
 
 --  We reduced our exposure to those non-core assets that remain to
     be sold by approximately $118 million or 15% from $792 million at
     the end of the second quarter to $674 million at the end of the
     third quarter. Third quarter Commercial asset sales were
     adversely impacted by the September 11 tragedy as a number of
     transactions had been scheduled to close at the end of the
     quarter. However, fourth quarter activity to date has been
     strong, with sales of approximately $68.1 million.

As we have noted in the past, our focus on accelerating the disposition of our remaining non-core assets means that near-term earnings pressures may continue. Nevertheless, we believe that our equity of $386.1 million and cash and equivalents of $328.7 million provide us with the requisite financial strength and liquidity to achieve our objectives."

The Servicing business reported net income for the third quarter of 2001 of $5.6 million vs. $2.0 million in the 2000 third quarter, an increase of 176%. On a year to date basis, Servicing reported net income of $16.2 million compared to $8.5 million in 2000, an increase of 91%. The unpaid principal balance of loans serviced for others grew to $21.4 billion as of September 30, 2001 compared to $10.5 billion as of December 31, 2000.

Net losses at OTX were $(4.8) million in the 2001 third quarter compared to $(5.8) million in the same period of 2000. For the nine months ended September 30, 2001, net losses amounted to $(18.2) million vs. $(15.5) million in 2000. The improvement in the third quarter of 2001 is primarily due to cost reduction initiatives undertaken earlier in 2001. The nine month increase in losses in 2001 compared to the same period in 2000 primarily reflects $4.7 million of pre-tax costs in 2001 associated with one time events, including a payment related to the acquisition of an OTX subsidiary in 1998.

The Residential Discount Loan business recorded net income of $2.1 million in the 2001 third quarter, primarily as a result of the sale of $63.6 million of discount loans, resulting in a net gain of $3.1 million after considering reductions in the loan loss allowance. The amount of loans and REO remaining on the books at September 30, 2001 totaled $68.4 million, down $81.1 million or 54% from June 30, 2001. Reserves on the remaining balances remain at the highest level ever recorded.

Losses for the third quarter of 2001 in the Commercial loan business amounted to $(5.0) million, largely due to additional loss reserves of $4.3 million provided during the third quarter. These provisions reflect changes in projected sales proceeds upon disposition of the remaining assets, as well as changes in the credit quality of the underlying assets. Total commercial loans, investments in real estate and REO totaled $388.3 million at September 30, 2001, reduced by $18.6 million or 5% from June 30, 2001. As noted above, third quarter sales that were planned for the end of the quarter were adversely impacted by the tragedy of September 11. However, fourth quarter sales-to-date have been strong at approximately $68.1 million.

The Unsecured Collections business posted a loss of $(0.8) million in the third quarter of 2001, vs. $(2.2) million in the 2000 third quarter. For the nine-month period in 2001, net losses were $(3.5) million as compared to $(6.6) million for the same period of 2000. This business, which is accounted for on a cost recovery basis, has recorded diminishing losses in 2001 because the remaining assets have been largely either collected or reserved. At September 30, 2001, the remaining net book value of unsecured collection receivables totaled only $0.8 million.

The Affordable Housing business posted a net loss of $(3.4) million in the 2001 third quarter compared to a loss of $(2.4) million in the 2000 third quarter. Affordable Housing results include additional non-cash reserves of approximately $3.7 million during the third quarter reflecting revisions in completion cost estimates as well as modification to projected sales results. Of the remaining properties of $108 million in this business, $64.8 million are subject to sales contracts that have not yet satisfied all of the accounting criteria for sales treatment.

Ongoing efforts to dispose of the remaining assets in the inactive Subprime Lending business resulted in net income of $1.8 million for the 2001 third quarter, primarily due to a pre-tax gain of $1.4 million associated with a third quarter sale of subprime residual trading securities. The Company's total portfolio of non-investment grade securities, which consists largely of subprime residuals, was reduced from $88.0 million at the end of the second quarter to $81.7 million at the end of the third quarter.

Third quarter 2001 results did not include an extraordinary gain on debt repurchases, while gains of $2.6 million were recorded in the 2000 third quarter. Even though no such transactions were recorded during the third quarter of 2001, due to pricing levels, the Company continues to evaluate additional debt repurchases.

Income tax expense for the third quarter of 2001 included a non-cash provision to increase the Company's valuation allowance on its deferred tax asset by $65 million. For the nine months ended September 30, 2001, the company recorded $83 million of such provisions. No such provisions were recorded in the third quarter or nine-month period of 2000.

Ocwen Financial Corporation is a financial services company headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Company's primary business is the servicing and special servicing of nonconforming, subperforming and nonperforming residential and commercial mortgage loans. Ocwen also specializes in the development of related loan servicing technology and software for the mortgage and real estate industries. Additional information about Ocwen Financial Corporation is available at www.ocwen.com.

Certain statements contained herein may not be based on historical facts and are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period(s) or by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "continue," "will," "believe," "estimate," "largely," "further," "near term," "achieve," "project," "future," "realize," future or conditional verb tenses, similar terms, variations on such terms or negatives of such terms. Actual results could differ materially from those indicated in such statements due to risks, uncertainties and changes with respect to a variety of factors, including changes in market conditions as they exist on the date hereof, applicable economic environments, government fiscal and monetary policies, prevailing interest or currency exchange rates, effectiveness of interest rate, currency and other hedging strategies, laws and regulations affecting financial institutions and real estate operations (including regulatory fees, capital requirements, income and property taxation and environmental compliance), uncertainty of foreign laws, competitive products, pricing and conditions, credit, prepayment, basis, default, subordination and asset/liability risks, loan servicing effectiveness, the ability to identify acquisitions and investment opportunities meeting OCN's investment strategy, satisfaction or fulfillment of agreed upon terms and conditions of closing or performance, timing of transaction closings, software integration, development and licensing effectiveness, change or damage to the Company's computer equipment and the information stored in its data centers, availability of adequate and timely sources of liquidity, dependence on existing sources of funding, ability to repay or refinance indebtedness (at maturity or upon acceleration), availability of servicing rights for purchase, size of, nature of and yields available with respect to the secondary market for mortgage loans, financial, securities and securitization markets in general, allowances for loan losses, geographic concentrations of assets, changes in real estate conditions (including valuation, revenues and competing properties), adequacy of insurance coverage in the event of a loss, the market prices of the common stock of OCN, other factors generally understood to affect the real estate acquisition, mortgage, servicing and leasing markets, securities investments and the software and technologies industries, and other risks detailed from time to time in OCN's reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its periodic reports on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K, including Exhibit 99.1 attached to OCN's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000.



 Interest Income and Expense

                           Three Months              Nine Months
 For the periods 
 ended September 30,     2001        2000         2001         2000

 (Dollars in 
   thousands)
 Interest income:
  Federal funds 
   sold and
   repurchase 
   agreements       $   1,942    $   2,544    $   6,040    $   5,118
  Trading 
   securities           4,601           --       14,474           --
  Securities 
   available
   for sale                --       12,831           --       42,508
  Loans available
   for sale                76          450          440        2,174
  Investment 
   securities and 
   other                   41          352          638        1,181
  Loan portfolio        1,577        4,651        5,079       13,956
  Match funded 
   loans and 
   securities           2,655        2,611        7,875        8,874
  Discount loan 
   portfolio            7,702       21,848       34,083       70,021
                    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------
                       18,594       45,287       68,629      143,832
                    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------
 Interest expense:
  Deposits             13,789       25,852       48,168       75,330
  Securities sold 
   under
   agreements to 
   repurchase             244        2,761          244       10,685
  Bonds - match 
   funded
   agreements           1,391        2,948        6,099        9,095
  Obligations 
   outstanding
   under lines of 
   credit               1,871        4,371        4,327       11,783
  Notes, 
   debentures and
   other interest 
   bearing
   obligations          5,012        8,501       15,077       26,598
                    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------
                       22,307       44,433       73,915      133,491
                    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------
  Net interest 
   income 
   (expense) 
   before
   provision for 
   loan losses      $  (3,713)   $     854    $  (5,286)   $  10,341
                    =========    =========    =========    =========
 
 
 Net (Loss) Income by Business Segment
 
                            Three Months            Nine Months
 For the periods 
  ended 
  September 30,          2001        2000         2001         2000
 (Dollars in 
   thousands)
  Residential 
   discount loans   $   2,112    $   4,149    $  (1,794)   $  11,605
  Commercial  
   loans               (5,022)      (4,010)     (12,349)      (2,570)
  Residential loan 
   servicing            5,612        2,031       16,165        8,463
  Affordable 
   Housing             (3,445)      (2,357)     (11,679)      (1,136)
  OTX                  (4,813)      (5,756)     (18,180)     (15,502)
  Commercial Real  
   Estate                 510        9,489          909       12,187
  Subprime lending      1,789       (4,832)       5,229      (12,740)
  Unsecured 
   collections           (799)      (2,235)      (3,490)      (6,599)
  Ocwen Realty 
   Advisors                51         (292)         266           (2)
  Corporate items 
   and other          (68,927)       3,133      (92,966)        (883)
                    ---------    ---------    ---------    ---------
                    $ (72,932)   $    (680)   $(117,889)   $  (7,177)
                    =========    =========    =========    =========
 
 Non-Core Assets
 
 The following table presents a summary of the Company's
 non-core assets that remain to be sold. This table excludes assets
 subject to completed sale transactions that have not met accounting
 criteria for sales treatment.
 
                                                       As of
                                             September 30,   June 30,
                                                  2001         2001
 (Dollars in thousands)
 Total loans                                   $294,171     $388,497
 Total investments in real estate               132,967      135,826
 REO, net                                       121,865      129,042
 Residual and subordinate
  trading securities                             81,698       88,050
 Affordable Housing properties                   43,299       50,611
                                               --------     --------
     Total non-core assets to be sold          $674,000     $792,026
                                               ========     ========
 
 
             OCWEN FINANCIAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
               (Dollars in thousands, except share data)
 
                                   Three Months          Nine Months
                                   ------------          -----------
  For the periods
   ended September 30,           2001       2000       2001       2000
  --------------------           ---------------       ---------------
  Net interest income:
 
   Income                  $  18,594  $  45,287  $  68,629  $ 143,832
   Expense                    22,307     44,433     73,915    133,491
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
   Net interest
    income (expense)
     before provision
      for loan
      losses                  (3,713)       854     (5,286)    10,341
      Provision for
       loan losses              (388)     6,861     18,029     12,604
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
   Net interest
    income (expense)
     after provision
      for loan losses        (3,325)    (6,007)   (23,315)    (2,263)
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
 
  Non-interest income:
   Servicing and
    other fees                35,952     25,318    100,809     72,043
    Gain (loss) on
     interest earning
      assets, net             (1,851)     1,453     (3,260)    17,717
   Gain on trading
    and match funded
     securities, net           3,394     (2,406)    13,133     (2,406)
   Impairment charges
    on securities
     available for sale           --         --         --    (11,597)
   Loss on real
    estate owned, net           (715)    (5,011)    (3,804)   (15,760)
   Gain (loss) on other
    non interest earning
     assets, net                (414)    16,682       (933)    21,864
   Net operating gains
    (losses) on
     investments in
      real estate             (1,196)     9,543      2,068     23,894
 
   Amortization of
    excess of net
     assets acquired
      over purchase
       price                   4,583      2,995     13,749      8,788
   Other income                1,989        962      6,472      3,172
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
                              41,742     49,536    128,234    117,715
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
 Non-interest expense:
   Compensation and
    employee benefits         21,531     22,134     63,775     61,114
   Occupancy and
    equipment                  3,055      3,141      9,322      9,356
   Technology and
    communication costs        5,675      6,344     21,379     17,718
   Loan expenses               4,192      3,583     11,262     10,500
   Net operating losse
    on investments in
     certain low-income
      housing tax credit
       interests               4,005      3,691     11,823      6,030
   Amortization of
    excess of purchase
     price over net
      assets
      acquired                   778        778      2,334      2,346
   Professional services
    and regulatory fees        3,882      2,425     11,632      9,016
   Other operating
    expenses                   1,484      2,604      6,787      8,538
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
                              44,602     44,700    138,314    124,618
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
 
 Distributions on
  Company-obligated,
   mandatorily redeemable
    securities of subsidiary
     trust holding solely
      junior subordinated
       debentures of the
        Company                1,663      2,730      5,413      8,842
 Equity in income (losses)
  of investments in
   unconsolidated entities       (84)      (893)       100     (4,965)
                             --------   --------   --------   --------
 Loss before income
  taxes and extraordinary
   gain                       (7,932)    (4,794)   (38,708)   (22,973)
 
 Income tax (expense)
  benefit                    (65,000)     1,486    (81,587)     7,122
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
 Loss before
  extraordinary gain         (72,932)    (3,308)  (120,295)   (15,851)
 Extraordinary gain on
  repurchase of debt,
   net of taxes                   --      2,628      2,406      8,674
                            --------   --------   --------   --------
 Net loss                 $  (72,932)  $  (680) $ (117,889) $  (7,177)
                            ========   ========   ========   ========

 Earnings (loss)
  per share:
   Basic:
    Loss before
     extraordinary gain   $    (1.08)  $ (0.05) $    (1.79) $   (0.24)
    Extraordinary gain            --      0.04        0.04       0.13
                           ---------  --------    --------   --------
    Net loss              $    (1.08)  $ (0.01) $    (1.75) $   (0.11)
                           =========  =========   ========   ========
 
   Diluted:
    Loss before
     extraordinary gain   $    (1.08)  $ (0.05) $    (1.79) $   (0.24)
    Extraordinary gain           --      0.04        0.04       0.13
                            --------  --------    --------   --------
    Net loss              $    (1.08)  $ (0.01) $    (1.75) $   (0.11)
                            ========= ========    ========   ========
 
   Weighted average
    common shares
     outstanding:
    Basic                 67,269,343 67,152,363 67,206,688 67,519,428
                          ========== ========== ========== ==========
    Diluted               67,269,343 67,152,363 67,206,688 67,519,428
                          ========== ========== ========== ==========
 
 
             OCWEN FINANCIAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
            CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
               (Dollars in thousands, except share data)
 
                              September 30, 2001     December 31, 2000
                              ------------------     -----------------
 Assets:
 Cash and amounts due
  from depository
   institutions                 $         23,172      $         18,749
 Interest earning deposits                18,564               134,987
 Federal funds sold and
  repurchase agreements                  287,000                    --
 Trading securities,
  at fair value:
  Collateralized mortgage
   obligations (AAA-rated)               143,318               277,595
  Subordinates, residuals
   and other securities                   81,698               112,647
 Loans available for sale,
  at lower of cost or market               1,339                10,610
 Real estate held for sale                33,588                22,670
 Low-income housing tax
  credit interests held
   for sale                               27,618                87,083
 Investment in real estate                99,379               122,761
 Investments in low-income
  housing tax credit interests            80,496                55,729
 Investment securities, at cost            4,659                13,257
 Loan portfolio, net                      73,650                93,414
 Discount loan portfolio, net            219,182               536,028
 Match funded loans and
  securities, net                         82,315               116,987
 Investments in unconsolidated
  entities                                   773                   430
 Real estate owned, net                  121,865               146,419
 Premises and equipment, net              44,472                43,152
 Income taxes receivable                  28,551                30,261
 Deferred tax asset, net                  12,919                95,991
 Advances on loans and loans
  serviced for others                    303,089               227,055
 Mortgage servicing rights                90,368                51,426
 Other assets                             62,393                52,169
                                        --------              --------
                                    $  1,840,408          $  2,249,420
                                    ============          ============
 Liabilities and
  Stockholders' Equity
 
  Liabilities:
  Deposits                          $    806,539          $  1,202,044
  Escrow deposits on loan
   and loans serviced
    for others                            92,344                56,316
  Securities sold under
   agreements to repurchase               66,434                    --
  Bonds - match funded
   agreements                             73,660               107,050
  Obligations outstanding
   under lines of credit                 110,573                32,933
  Notes, debentures and
   other interest bearing
    obligations                          169,130               173,330
  Accrued interest payable                20,178                22,096
  Excess of net assets
   acquired over purchase
    price                                 22,916                36,665
  Accrued expenses, payables
   and other liabilities                  31,391                36,030
                                        --------              --------
     Total liabilities                 1,393,165             1,666,464
                                        --------              --------
 
 Company obligated, mandatorily
  redeemable securities of
   subsidiary trust holding
    solely junior subordinated
     debentures of the Company            61,159                79,530
 
  Stockholders' equity:
   Preferred stock, $.01 par
    value; 20,000,000 shares
     authorized; 0 shares issued
      and outstanding                         --                    --
 
   Common stock, $.01 par value;
    200,000,000 shares authorized;
     67,283,460 and 67,152,363
      shares issued and outstanding
       at September 30, 2001, and
        December 31, 2000,
         respectively                        673                   672
 
   Additional paid-in capital            224,089               223,163
   Retained earnings                     161,306               279,194
   Accumulated other comprehensive
    (loss) income, net of taxes:
    Net unrealized foreign currency
     translation (loss) gain                  16                   397
                                        --------              --------
   Total stockholders' equity            386,084               503,426
                                        --------              --------
                                    $  1,840,408          $  2,249,420
                                    ============          ============


            

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