FHFA-IG White Paper Questions Fannie, Freddie Profits
March 27, 2015
A recent white paper by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General highlights the precariousness of GSE profitability. The IG questions whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has the muscle to withstand adverse market conditions or other changes and uncertainties that could lead to additional losses.“The enterprises’ conditions have stabilized and market conditions have improved since 2008. They returned to profitability in 2012; however, the level of earnings they experienced in 2013 and 2014 is not sustainable over the long term,” the paper said. Record-breaking profits of a combined $132.6 billion were reported in 2013 for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That number dropped significantly the following year to $21.9 billion.