American Mortgage Faces Margin Calls; Suspends Dividend, Will Seek Options

American Mortgage Acceptance Company said late Friday that it liquidated certain investments to meet a margin call, and that it was “exploring strategic options” as a result. AMAC also cancelled its fourth quarter common dividend, saying the move was “in the interest of preserving the company’s liquidity.” AMAC said it had received margin calls on some of its repurchase facilities and interest rate derivative contracts, and that it had sold the remainder of its Fannie Mae and Ginnie Mae debt securities as well as two commercial mortgage-backed securities in response. The sales generated a $13.5 million loss, forcing the company to withdraw its earnings guidance for the year, it said. “While the credit quality of our portfolio remains stable, severe market volatility continues its negative impact on the value of our assets and our short-term liquidity,â€? said J. Larry Duggins, CEO at AMAC. “We may need to sell additional assets to meet future margin calls and maintain adequate liquidity, which could lead to future losses. Management is exploring all strategic options to protect the value of our company.â€? For more information, visit http://www.americanmortgageco.com.