Regulator: GSEs Unlikely to Fully Repay Bailout

From the WSJ: GSEs Unlikely to Repay U.S. in Full

… “My view is that some assets in the senior preferred will have to be left behind as they come out of conservatorship,” Federal Housing Finance Agency Director James B. Lockhart said Thursday in response to a question at a panel discussion in Washington. “That will mean that some of the losses will never be repaid.”

The Treasury has agreed to pump $200 billion into each company in order to keep them solvent. In exchange, the government receives senior preferred stock that pays a 10% dividend. So far, it has injected $85 billion in total into the companies, but Lockhart said that figure was likely to rise in the coming months.

Fannie and Freddie together own or guarantee $5.4 trillion in mortgages. …

Mr. Lockhart said Fannie and Freddie would likely see their reserves continue to decline next year, but could return to strong profits in two to three years.

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