PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust Income Taxes Disclosure
Note 23—Income Taxes
The Company’s effective tax rate was (36.3)% for the year ended December 31, 2025 and (12.9)% for the year ended December 31, 2024. The Company’s TRS recognized a tax benefit of $34.6 million on a pretax loss of $197.1 million while the Company’s consolidated pretax income was $93.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2025. For 2024, the TRS recognized a tax benefit of $18.6 million on pretax loss of $57.9 million while the Company’s reported consolidated pretax income was $142.6 million. The primary difference between the Company’s effective tax rate and the statutory tax rate is generally attributable to nontaxable REIT income resulting from the dividends paid deduction.
The Company assesses the available positive and negative evidence to estimate whether sufficient future taxable income will be generated to permit use of the existing deferred tax assets. On the basis of this evaluation, as of December 31, 2025, the valuation allowance remains zero. The TRS has a significant net deferred tax liability position, which indicates the TRS will utilize all of its deferred tax assets. The amount of deferred tax assets considered realizable could be adjusted in future periods based on future income.
In general, cash dividends declared by the Company will be considered ordinary income to the shareholders for income tax purposes. Some portion of the dividends may be characterized as capital gain distributions or a return of capital. Subject to certain limitations, domestic non-corporate shareholders may be allowed a 20% deduction from taxable income for ordinary REIT dividends.
The following table summarizes the approximate tax characterization of distributions to shareholders for 2025, 2024 and 2023. Distributions included in the table below are based on the tax year to which the distribution is attributed to shareholders in accordance with rules promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code:
Year ended December 31, |
|
Ordinary |
|
|
Qualified dividend income |
|
|
Long term |
|
|
Return of |
|
|
Sec. 199A dividend |
|
|||||
Common Shares |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
2025 |
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
100 |
% |
2024 |
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
27 |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
73 |
% |
2023 |
|
|
19 |
% |
|
|
19 |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
81 |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
Preferred Shares (Classes A, B and C) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
2025 |
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
100 |
% |
2024 |
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
27 |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
73 |
% |
2023 |
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
|
|
— |
% |
The following table details the Company’s (benefit from) provision for income taxes which relates primarily to the TRS for the years presented:
|
|
Year ended December 31, |
|
|||||||||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
|
|
(in thousands) |
|
|||||||||
Current expense: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Federal |
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
1,051 |
|
|
$ |
6 |
|
State |
|
|
5,204 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Total current expense |
|
|
5,204 |
|
|
|
1,051 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
Deferred (benefit) expense: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Federal |
|
|
(42,828 |
) |
|
|
(16,898 |
) |
|
|
32,391 |
|
State |
|
|
3,570 |
|
|
|
(2,489 |
) |
|
|
12,344 |
|
Total deferred (benefit) expense |
|
|
(39,258 |
) |
|
|
(19,387 |
) |
|
|
44,735 |
|
Total (benefit from) provision for income taxes |
|
$ |
(34,054 |
) |
|
$ |
(18,336 |
) |
|
$ |
44,741 |
|
The following table is a reconciliation of the Company’s provision for income taxes at statutory rates to the provision for income taxes at the Company’s effective income tax rate:
|
|
Year ended December 31, |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Rate |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Rate |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Rate |
|
||||||
|
|
(dollars in thousands) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
$ |
19,702 |
|
|
|
21.0 |
% |
|
$ |
29,956 |
|
|
|
21.0 |
% |
|
$ |
51,323 |
|
|
|
21.0 |
% |
|
State and local income taxes, net of federal |
|
|
7,163 |
|
|
|
7.6 |
% |
|
|
(6,169 |
) |
|
|
(4.3 |
)% |
|
|
9,341 |
|
|
|
3.8 |
% |
Nontaxable or Nondeductible Items: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Effect of non-taxable REIT (income) loss |
|
|
(61,098 |
) |
|
|
(65.1 |
)% |
|
|
(42,110 |
) |
|
|
(29.5 |
)% |
|
|
(18,778 |
) |
|
|
(7.7 |
)% |
Convertible debt adjustment |
|
|
411 |
|
|
|
0.4 |
% |
|
|
186 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
% |
|
|
2,444 |
|
|
|
1.0 |
% |
Other |
|
|
(232 |
) |
|
|
(0.2 |
)% |
|
|
(199 |
) |
|
|
(0.2 |
)% |
|
|
411 |
|
|
|
0.2 |
% |
Effective income tax rate |
|
$ |
(34,054 |
) |
|
|
(36.3 |
)% |
|
$ |
(18,336 |
) |
|
|
(12.9 |
)% |
|
$ |
44,741 |
|
|
|
18.3 |
% |
The Company’s components of the (benefit from) provision for deferred income taxes are as follows:
|
Year ended December 31, |
|
|||||||||
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
|
(in thousands) |
|
|||||||||
Net operating loss carryforward |
$ |
(33,044 |
) |
|
$ |
16,801 |
|
|
$ |
3,199 |
|
Mortgage servicing rights |
|
(12,832 |
) |
|
|
(42,893 |
) |
|
|
22,924 |
|
Excess interest expense disallowance |
|
9,010 |
|
|
|
2,675 |
|
|
|
15,114 |
|
Liability for losses under representations and warranties |
|
331 |
|
|
|
4,760 |
|
|
|
3,108 |
|
Real estate valuation loss |
|
52 |
|
|
|
(31 |
) |
|
|
107 |
|
Other |
|
(2,775 |
) |
|
|
(699 |
) |
|
|
283 |
|
Total (benefit from) provision for deferred income taxes |
$ |
(39,258 |
) |
|
$ |
(19,387 |
) |
|
$ |
44,735 |
|
Income taxes paid are summarized below:
|
|
Year ended December 31, |
|
|||||||||
|
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
|
|
(in thousands) |
|
|||||||||
US Federal |
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
3,900 |
|
|
$ |
3,900 |
|
US State and Local: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Maryland |
|
|
715 |
|
|
|
837 |
|
|
|
1,352 |
|
California |
|
|
660 |
|
|
|
1,298 |
|
|
|
50 |
|
Alabama |
|
|
335 |
|
|
|
243 |
|
|
|
267 |
|
New York |
|
|
224 |
|
|
|
548 |
|
|
|
266 |
|
Oregon |
|
|
171 |
|
|
|
172 |
|
|
|
96 |
|
Other |
|
|
226 |
|
|
|
808 |
|
|
|
586 |
|
|
|
|
2,331 |
|
|
|
3,906 |
|
|
|
2,617 |
|
Total income taxes paid |
|
$ |
2,331 |
|
|
$ |
7,806 |
|
|
$ |
6,517 |
|
The components of income taxes payable are as follows:
|
December 31, 2025 |
|
|
December 31, 2024 |
|
||
|
(in thousands) |
|
|||||
Taxes currently receivable |
$ |
(12,211 |
) |
|
$ |
(15,085 |
) |
Deferred income taxes payable |
|
139,687 |
|
|
|
178,946 |
|
Income taxes payable |
$ |
127,476 |
|
|
$ |
163,861 |
|
The tax effects of temporary differences that gave rise to deferred income tax assets and liabilities are presented below:
|
December 31, 2025 |
|
|
December 31, 2024 |
|
||
|
(in thousands) |
|
|||||
Deferred income tax assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Net operating loss carryforward |
$ |
134,897 |
|
|
$ |
101,853 |
|
Excess interest expense disallowance |
|
30,819 |
|
|
|
39,829 |
|
Liability for losses under representations and warranties |
|
1,353 |
|
|
|
1,684 |
|
REO valuation loss |
|
50 |
|
|
|
102 |
|
Other |
|
2,385 |
|
|
|
598 |
|
Gross deferred tax assets |
|
169,504 |
|
|
|
144,066 |
|
Valuation allowance |
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Deferred tax assets after valuation allowance |
|
169,504 |
|
|
|
144,066 |
|
Deferred income tax liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Mortgage servicing rights |
|
309,191 |
|
|
|
322,023 |
|
Other |
|
— |
|
|
|
989 |
|
Gross deferred tax liabilities |
|
309,191 |
|
|
|
323,012 |
|
Net deferred income tax liability |
$ |
139,687 |
|
|
$ |
178,946 |
|
The net deferred income tax liability is recorded in Income taxes payable in the consolidated balance sheets.
The Company has net operating loss carryforwards of $511.2 million and $384.3 million at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. Losses that occurred prior to 2018 expire between 2033 and 2036. Net operating losses arising in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 can be carried forward indefinitely but their use is limited to 80% of taxable income for tax years beginning after December 31, 2020.
We evaluated the deferred tax assets of our TRS and determined a deferred tax valuation allowance is not required based on sufficient TRS GAAP income. In our evaluation, we consider, among other things, taxable loss carryback availability, expectations of sufficient future taxable income, trends in earnings, existence of taxable income in recent years, the future reversal of temporary differences, and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented, if required. We establish valuation allowances based on the consideration of all available evidence using a more-likely-than-not standard.
At December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company had no unrecognized tax benefits and does not anticipate any increase in unrecognized tax benefits. Should the accrual of any interest or penalties relative to unrecognized tax benefits be necessary, it is the Company’s policy to record such accruals in the Company’s income tax accounts. No such accruals existed at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.
The Company files U.S. federal and state income tax returns for both the REIT and the TRS. These federal income tax returns for 2022 and forward are subject to examination. The Company’s state income tax returns are generally subject to examination for 2021 and forward.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 18, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2020 | Feb 26, 2021 | |
About Income Taxes Disclosures
The income tax disclosure reveals how much a company actually pays in taxes versus what the statutory rate would predict. Analysts focus on the effective tax rate (ETR) reconciliation, which breaks down every item driving the gap between the 21% federal rate and the company's reported ETR — including R&D credits, foreign rate differentials, and state taxes. Deferred tax assets (DTAs) and their valuation allowances signal management's confidence in future profitability: a rising allowance suggests the company doubts it can use accumulated tax benefits. Uncertain tax benefit (UTB) reserves quantify exposure to IRS challenges on aggressive positions.
Key signals to watch: sudden ETR drops without clear operational reasons, large increases in valuation allowances, growing UTB balances, and significant unremitted foreign earnings. Post-TCJA, pay attention to GILTI and BEAT provisions that affect multinational tax structures. Compare the cash taxes paid (from the cash flow statement) against the income tax provision to gauge earnings quality.