AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ: AGNC) is in the limelight with the Federal Reserve's decision to begin an interest rate cut this month. The Fed has kept its influential lending rate at its highest level at 5.25-5.50% since 2001 to tame inflation. The inflation has been gradually cooling down.
On Aug. 23, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell stated that the central bank has "ample room" to maneuver as policy enters its next phase. He stressed that the timing and speed of reduction will "depend on incoming data." With this, as per the CME Fedwatch tool, the market participants are now predicting a 61% chance of a 50 basis point rate cut this month compared with a 26% chance predicted a month ago.
AGNC is one of the mortgage real estate investment trust (mREIT) stocks burdened by the higher-interest-rate environment. With an improving market scenario and rate cut around the corner, investors are turning optimistic about AGNC stock. In the past six months, the shares of AGNC stock have rallied 15.5% compared with the industry's growth of 6%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The stock is also trading above the 50-day SMA, representing a bullish trend.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In the current situation, should investors scoop up AGNC Investment stock? Before making any hasty decision, it would be prudent to take a look at the reasons behind the surge, the stock's growth prospects as well as risks (if any).
How Rate Cut Benefits AGNC?
AGNC's financials have been adversely impacted since early 2022, when the Fed first began its interest rate hiking cycle. The negative return and falling profitability raised concerns about the company's Investment's capacity to sustain its high-yielding payment.
At the end of the six months ended June 30, 2024, AGNC's interest income grew 54% compared with the six months ended June 30, 2022, thanks to higher rates on its MBS portfolio. However, its borrowing costs rose significantly, as interest expenses ballooned from $107 million to $1.4 billion during the same period. As a result, this mREIT had a net interest loss of $33 million at the end of six months ended June 30, 2024, against $763 ...
