The fourth-quarter was a difficult one for UMW, the second-biggest non-bank mortgage lender in America. In the fourth quarter, UMW reported a net financial loss of $14.2 million. The main contributors to the decline were elevated origination costs due to higher compensation expenses, along with a seasonal slowdown in the mortgage loan refinance volume, as well as increasing competition. Further, UMW’s processor services and technology business struggled, due to decreased fee income related to market conditions and decreased loan volume.
Nevertheless, there were some positive signs in the fourth quarter. UMW’s volume increased on a year-over-year basis by 2.7%, while its funding volume increased by 1.5%. The origination cost as a percentage of loan volume also improved from 6.1% to 5.7%.
Despite the challenging fourth quarter, UMW is optimistic about the current quarter and full year. According to the company, it expects to have a higher margin in the first quarter and continued improvement into the full year, driven by improvements in technology, processing services and better profitability in its mortgage channels on a more normalized basis. It is looking to increase its market share, improve unique product offerings and focus on pricing and cost improvements in order to meet its margin goals.
UWM is looking to continue to improve its market position by focusing on providing quality service and efficient operations. It is confident that its strategy of providing superior service and utilizing technology will help it to become a strong player in the mortgage market. Despite the financial loss reported in the fourth quarter, UMW is optimistic that its strategies will help to bring it back on track in the current quarter and the year ahead.
You can read this full article at: https://www.housingwire.com/articles/uwm-reports-financial-loss-in-q4-but-expects-margins-to-rise-in-q1/(subscription required)
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