Quarterlytics / Financial Services / Financial - Mortgages / Impac Mortgage Holdings

Impac Mortgage Holdings

imh · AMEX Financial Services
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Ticker imh
Exchange AMEX
Sector Financial Services
Industry Financial - Mortgages
Employees 201-500
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FY2006 Annual Report · Impac Mortgage Holdings
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⇒  Standing Out    ⇐
impac mortgage holdings, inc. 
2006  
annual report

Navigating the Market (p2) 

Creating Tools for Performance (p6) 

Preparing for Growth (p10) 

ABOUT IMPAC: Impac Mortgage 
Holdings, Inc. (“Impac” or “the 
Company”) is a mortgage real 
estate investment trust (“REIT”). 
Impac (NYSE: IMH) manages a  
long-term investment portfolio 
with $21.1 billion in assets 
nationwide. A public company 
since 1995, Impac helped pioneer 
the market for non-conforming 

alternative-A (“Alt-A”) residential 
mortgage loans. While Alt-A 
mortgages remain our main focus, 
we are building our portfolio  
with a growing emphasis on  
small-balance commercial loans  
to enhance stockholder value. 
As part of our diversified 
strategy, Impac operates four 
core businesses. Our Long-Term 

Investment Operations invests 
primarily in Alt-A residential 
mortgage loans and to a lesser 
extent in small-balance commercial 
loans. Our Mortgage Operations, 
Impac Funding Corporation 
(“IFC”), acquires, originates, sells 
and securitizes primarily Alt-A 
loans. Our Warehouse Lending 
Operations, Impac Warehouse 

Lending Group (“IWLG”), provides 
short-term repurchase facilities to 
mortgage loan originators. Finally, 
our Commercial Operations,  
Impac Commercial Capital 
Corporation (“ICCC”), originates 
small-balance commercial and 
multi-family loans for sale to the 
Long-Term Investment Operations 
or third parties.

 
⇒ 

  Standing Out   

  ⇐

In the highly cyclical mortgage industry, one thing is certain: maximizing 
performance requires expertise, persistence and a disciplined approach 
to managing risk. In this type of market, the best companies stand out by 
emerging from each market cycle better and stronger. In 2006, Impac’s 
experienced leadership proved its ability to make prudent choices to keep 
the Company on course and protect stockholder value while pursuing 
opportunities for longer-term growth and profitability.

 
 
impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

2

⇒    Navigating the Market     ⇐

Navigating  through  the  cycles  of  the  mortgage  industry  requires  
the  ability  to  move  quickly  in  shifting  conditions.  In  2006,  Impac 
adjusted its strategy to preserve liquidity while remaining focused on 
long-term  profitability.  We  adhered  to  our  core  philosophies  despite 
market pressures from competition and increased borrowing costs. 

Early in 2006, we identified a downward trend in credit quality, as the 
housing market cooled and home-price appreciation returned to more 
normal levels. As a result, we made a conscious decision to reduce our 
production volumes and invest more selectively. 

We  chose  to  build  the  balance  sheet  with  longer  duration, Alt-A 
residential  and  small-balance  commercial  loans  that  have  historically 
demonstrated  superior  performance. Our  foresight  in  a  challenging 
market  allowed  us  to  pay  consistent  dividends  throughout  the  year  
and reduce our exposure to less desirable mortgage assets.

sec 01 Navigating the Market

3

impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

4

The Capital Markets Group:  In 2006, we established a Capital Markets group to broaden our ability to manage the balance sheet 
and enhance our competitive advantage. Led by Impac’s new Chief Investment Officer, Andrew McCormick, and based just outside of 
Washington, D.C., the group positions Impac to evaluate a wider array of investment opportunities. By diversifying our portfolio,  
we believe we can minimize interest rate volatility and reduce credit risk.

from left to right: Norman Frey, Senior Vice President, Asset Liability, IFC; Andrew McCormick, Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer; 
Nancy Pollard, Executive Vice President, Secondary Marketing, IFC; James Malloy, Senior Vice President, Secondary Marketing, IFC

sec 01 Navigating the Market

5

Impac  remains  well-capitalized,  centralized  and  diversified  among  its  business 
segments in order to withstand extended market cycles. Most importantly, we 
have  the  expertise  to  manage  through  the  current  lending  environment.  Our 
executive team is willing to make tough choices to protect stockholder value. We 
believe our Company is adequately prepared to weather the challenging market.

Focusing on credit quality: After years of minimal 
credit losses, credit quality became a greater issue 
industry-wide in 2006. While some of our peers 
widened their underwriting guidelines to capture 
more business, we did the opposite. Instead of growing 
for growth’s sake, we decided to pursue reduced but 
more profitable production, with a notable reduction 
in volume in the first half of the year. This meant 
tightening our underwriting guidelines and adjusting 
pricing on loans that we acquired or originated.

At the same time, we maintained our credit 

quality in the loans we held for investment. At the end of 
2006, the long term investment portfolio had a weighted 
average credit score of 698 with 99.8 percent of the 
Alt-A residential mortgage loans defined as “A” credit 
quality, which the Company defines as loans with credit 
scores above 620. We also grew our high-performing 
commercial investment portfolio to $1.7 billion at year 
end, up 42 percent from the end of 2005.
Maximizing returns: Last year, our experience as a 
seasoned issuer of structured transactions enabled us to 
maximize our return on equity while preserving our 
liquidity. To minimize risk and conserve our capital, 
we sold more than half of our originations, primarily 
Option Adjustable Rate Mortgages and second trust 
deeds, or $6.3 billion in principal balance of mortgages 
for gains. The whole-loan sales of these products to  
third parties generally offer more attractive economic 
results than including them in our mortgage-backed 
security transactions.

We also issued $5.8 billion of mortgages as 

consolidated Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit 
(REMIC) transactions. In addition, we sold $834.0 
million of mortgages as un-consolidated REMICs to 
third parties, of which $29.8 million in residual interest 
was retained by the Long-Term Investment Operations. 
The REMIC strategy offers us attractive returns while 
providing more liquidity than other kinds of mortgage-
backed securities. 
Widening margins: We reached a turning point in 
June 2006, when the Federal Reserve paused after 
raising short-term interest rates 17 times during the 
previous two years. With short-term interest rates 
holding steady, our borrowing costs – which are tied 
to the one-month London InterBank Offered Rate 
(LIBOR) – stabilized. This enabled our adjusted net 
interest margins to improve slightly as the coupons on 
adjustable mortgages adjusted upwards over the last half 
of the year. 

In the third and fourth quarters, we took  

advantage of the more favorable interest rate environ-
ment and reduced competition to increase both  
production and investment. At the same time, we 
continued to adhere to vigilant underwriting standards, 
tools and processes to manage risk. We ended 2006  
with a long-term investment portfolio of $21.1 billion, 
down from a record high of $24.7 billion at the end 
of 2005. While our portfolio was smaller, it consisted 
primarily of Alt-A residential and small-balance 
commercial loans that we believe offer superior credit 
quality and loan duration.

 
 
 
impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

6

⇒    Creating Tools for Performance     ⇐

Impac  has  long  been  a  technology  leader  in  the  mortgage  industry. 
In 2006, we deployed more robust and sophisticated Enterprise Risk 
Management  tools  to  make  more  informed  decisions.  Leveraging 
proprietary  and  third-party  technology  platforms,  we  enhanced 
strategies, standards and processes to manage risk prudently.

Our  data-driven  strategy  has  helped  us  better  define  the  credit  risk 
exposure in our existing portfolio. More importantly, we are targeting 
precisely the loans we want to acquire and originate going forward. 

We  are  concentrating  on  areas  with  the  strongest  home-price 
appreciation and solid employment. With industry-leading analytical 
capabilities, we are growing our business while building even stronger 
relationships with our customers. 

sec 02 Creating Tools for Performance

7

impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

8

The ERM Group: Since it was formed in 2005, the Enterprise Risk Management Group has brought a new level of innovation to Impac. 
With industry-leading tools and technologies, we are better positioned to assess risk, adjust our underwriting guidelines and grow  
our business. This group has impacted everything from product development to securitization strategies, enabling us to make the  
best decision on each individual loan.

from left to right: James Dickinson, Vice President Business Reporting & Data Integrity; Lily Van, Senior Project Manager;  
Ankush Chawla, Senior Vice President, Director of Enterprise Risk Management

sec 02 Creating Tools for Performance

9

Comprehensive  data  means  more  targeted  marketing.  Utilizing  proprietary 
analytics, we have identified the top performing markets for Alt-A residential 
loan originations in terms of credit worthiness and loan duration. We have 
expanded our sales and marketing efforts with a laser focus based on market 
area performance. 

Building our business: Today, we are using a risk-
based approach to acquire and originate higher credit 
quality loans, while providing even greater value to our 
customers. A key example is the Impac Market Analysis 
Platform (iMAP), a proprietary tool we developed 
exclusively for our correspondent and broker customers. 

Launched in May 2006, iMAP gives our 

customers macroeconomic data such as unemployment, 
home price appreciation and loan delinquencies. iMAP 
provides customers with a comprehensive credit risk 
analysis of each metropolitan area. The Web-based 
platform enables them to make better risk-adjusted 
decisions that result in higher approval ratios and better 
credit quality loans. 

Our correspondents, who generated 68 

percent of our loan production in 2006, are long-term 
players who care about the quality of their loans. With 
iMAP and third-party loan level assessment tools, we 
are helping them deliver higher-credit quality, better 
performing loans to Impac while building our business 
at the same time. 
Managing risk: Internally, we have deployed a 
proprietary profitability ranking system that helps us 
acquire and originate loans with higher credit quality. 
Our comprehensive decision-support system covers  
more than 320 metropolitan areas. We assess each loan’s 
credit risk by evaluating macroeconomic data along 
with individual characteristics such as the borrower’s 
credit score, the loan-to-value ratio, the property’s 
history and more. 

In addition to developing our own proprietary 
technology solutions, we partner with a number of  
the industry’s top vendors to improve loan level risk. 
In 2006, the Company implemented LoanSafe™,  
a third-party tool from First American, CoreLogic™,  
that analyzes the three main components of loan 
transactions – the borrower, the collateral and the 
mortgage broker.  To screen out potentially fraudulent 
loans, a key element of LoanSafe™ is the property 
segment which measures the property-based risk score 
based on home appreciation, foreclosure rates and f lip 
activity. At year end 2006, we also began utilizing 
IncomePro™,  an income validation tool that is used  
in conjunction with LoanSafe™ for the assessment of 
stated income loans.
Optimizing our investments: We are integrating our 
analytics and technology to optimize pricing and 
selectively invest in loans. Using our technology 
advantage, we can gain insight into areas with the 
slowest prepayments and strongest job markets. By 
working with our secondary marketing group, we are 
in a position to identify a profitable exit strategy at the 
point of loan origination. 

Overall, we have implemented a robust 

infrastructure designed to improve loan level 
forecasting, portfolio analysis and overall profitability. 
Looking ahead, we plan to use our Enterprise Risk 
Management expertise to build business partnerships 
with our customers by helping them to optimize 
their sales strategies. At the same time, we are helping 
our wholesale lending platforms originate better 
performing loans. At Impac, it’s all part of creating 
tools for performance.

 
 
 
 
impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

10

⇒    Preparing for Growth     ⇐

Market corrections are often the point of differentiation for identifying 
companies with experienced management, a solid business and a strong 
balance sheet to manage through a decidedly challenging environment.

At Impac, we continue to believe that the fundamentals of this business 
are sound and that we are positioned to successfully navigate through 
this cycle. 

To focus more on strategic initiatives and opportunities available to the 
Company, we strengthened our executive management team. With this 
expertise, we believe we are better positioned to evaluate a wider array 
of investment opportunities. Further, we continue to evaluate strategic 
acquisitions of well-established, profitable companies to complement 
our thriving wholesale channels and leverage our liquidity. 

sec 03

Preparing for Growth

11

impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

12

The Executive Management Team:  In 2006, Impac strengthened its executive management team to pursue prospects for  
targeted investment and growth. We repositioned long-time Impac executives and created a new position of Chief Investment Officer.  
Our organizational changes reflect the extensive experience and contributions of our leadership team, while positioning  
the Company for growth opportunities ahead.

back row from left to right: Ronald Morrison, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary;  
Andrew McCormick, Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer; Gretchen Verdugo, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer;  
Richard Johnson, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer; seated from left to right: William Ashmore, Director, President; 
Joseph Tomkinson, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

sec 04

Letter to Stockholders

13

Dear Fellow Stockholders: For Impac, 2006 was an important year of transition, 
stabilization  and  innovation.  Despite  challenging  market  conditions,  we 
successfully  preserved  our  liquidity,  maintained  our  dividend  and  enhanced 
our  technological  advantage  to  manage  risk.  We  also  expanded  our  already  
significant management expertise to help prepare to take advantage of growth 
opportunities ahead.

The  year  presented  challenges  for  Impac  and  the  mortgage  industry  as  a 
whole.  Declining  credit  quality  produced  the  least  attractive  vintage  of 
loans in recent years. Ahead of many of its peers, Impac saw the need to pull 
back  significantly  on  loan  volume,  cut  costs  and  ride  out  the  market  cycle.  
At  the  same  time,  we  focused  on  growing  higher-margin  areas  of  our  
diversified business, such as warehouse lending and our Alt-A and small-balance  
commercial wholesale platforms.

We  also  faced  a  highly  competitive  mortgage  industry  and  an  unfavorable 
yield  curve,  particularly  in  the  first  half  of  the  year.  In  2006,  the  Federal  
Reserve increased short-term interest rates 100 basis points before pausing in 
June for the remainder of the year – a welcome respite from the steady drumbeat 
of  rising  interest  rates  over  the  previous  two  years.  Compressed  for  most  
of  the  year,  our  adjusted  net  interest  margins  began  to  widen  in  the  fourth 
quarter.  Our  margins  improved  as  our  borrowing  costs  stabilized  and  the  
adjustable-rate mortgages in our securitized portfolio reset at higher rates.

Last  year  our  leadership  team  effectively  navigated  through  a  difficult 
environment.  We  ended  the  year  well-capitalized,  with  a  large  long-term 
investment portfolio that generates the majority of our taxable income. Once 
market  conditions  become  more  favorable,  we  believe  Impac  will  be  well 
positioned to achieve long-term, profitable growth.

A NEW OPPORTUNITY: In early 
2007, we formed a partnership 
with Arch Bay, L.L.C., a group 
of mortgage industry leaders 
who have significant 
experience acquiring  
non-performing loans at  

deep discounts, and then 
restructuring and remarketing 
them. By combining our 
partners’ expertise with 
Impac’s infrastructure and 
experience, we plan to 
acquire, restructure and sell 

these loans for attractive 
returns. With the dramatic 
increase in loan defaults in 
recent months, the significant 
number of variable-rate and 
interest-only mortgages that 
are resetting and pressure by 

warehouse lenders on  
their mortgage clients, we 
believe this is a promising 
opportunity for Impac.

impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

14

In  2006,  credit  quality  in  our  investment  portfolio  remained  high.  At  
year  end,  99.8  percent  of  the  Alt-A  residential  loans  held  as  securitized  
mortgage  collateral  were  “A”  credit  quality  mortgages,  as  defined  by  the 
Company.  To  minimize  risk,  we  continued  to  invest  primarily  in  first-
lien  residential  mortgages  for  owner-occupied  properties  and  purchase  
transactions.  At  year  end,  the  original  credit  score  was  697  for  residential 
loans and 730 for commercial loans backing our portfolio.

2006 results: In 2006, the Company reported a net 
loss of $75.3 million or $1.18 per diluted common 
share, as compared to net earnings of $270.3 million or 
$3.35 per diluted common share for 2005. Meanwhile, 
our estimated taxable income, which we believe to 
be an important indicator of the Company’s overall 
performance, was $79.5 million or $1.05 per diluted 
common share in 2006, as compared to taxable income  
of $142.9 million or $1.87 per diluted common share  
for 2005. 

As a REIT, the Company is required to 

distribute at least 90 percent of its taxable income in 
the form of dividends. Our taxable income decreased 
during the year for several reasons – one, we reduced 
our loan production to better manage risk; two, our 
long-term investment portfolio declined as we invested 
more selectively and older loans seasoned and were paid 
off; and three, higher borrowing costs narrowed our net 
interest margins for much of the year. As a result, we  
paid a common stock dividend of $0.95 per share in 
2006, as compared to $1.95 per share in 2005. 

Early on, we saw that new originations were 

not performing as well as other vintages and reduced 
our residential production accordingly. As a result, we 
acquired or originated approximately $11.6 billion of 
primarily non-conforming Alt-A mortgages during 
2006, as compared to $22.3 billion for 2005. 

Meanwhile, we increased our production of 

small-balance commercial and multi-family loans, which 
have demonstrated superior performance. We acquired or 
originated approximately $983.4 million of commercial 
and multi-family loans during 2006, as compared to 
$798.5 million in 2005. 

During 2006, we securitized approximately 

$6.9 billion of primarily Alt-A loans and retained 
approximately $5.8 billion of those for investment, as 

compared to securitizing $14.0 billion and retaining 
approximately $13.4 billion in 2005. In 2006, we 
securitized and retained $672.4 million of commercial 
loans, as compared to $683.1 million in 2005. 

At December 31, 2006, the Company’s  

long-term investment portfolio totaled $21.1 billion, 
down from its record high of $24.7 billion at December 
31, 2005. Although the portfolio was smaller at year-end,  
in many ways it was stronger, backed by loans that  
have historically demonstrated higher credit quality  
and longer duration. 
Accomplishments: Despite these challenges, Impac 
maintained its quarterly common stock dividend in 2006, 
in fact raising its fourth quarter 2005 dividend from 
$0.20 per share to $0.25 per share for 2006. Our adjusted 
net interest margins began to show signs of rebounding 
in the fourth quarter, as short-term interest rates and 
prepayment speeds stabilized. We also benefited from 
our hedging strategy, which helped to mitigate interest 
margin volatility and provide significant cash f low.

At year end 2006, the Company held 
approximately $179.8 million in cash and cash 
equivalents. We carefully preserved our liquidity to 
manage through the challenging environment as well 
as to capture future long-term opportunities for the 
Company. We sold nearly half of our loan production 
during the year for gains, primarily utilizing whole-
loan sales. Like many in the industry, we experienced 
increased repurchase activity during the year. Our 
mortgage loan buybacks were up from recent historic 
lows, primarily the result of record loan production levels 
and whole loans sales principally related to the last half  
of 2005 and the beginning of 2006.

 
 
 
 
 
 
sec 04

Letter to Stockholders

15

To minimize future repurchase liability, 

based on a loan-level analysis during 2005 and 2006, 
we aggressively tightened our underwriting criteria and 
pricing guidelines. Although these changes significantly 
decreased our loan production in 2006, they resulted 
in a higher concentration of primarily longer duration 
products, which have demonstrated better historical 
performance. We believe our repurchase reserves, which 
totaled $15.3 million as of December 31, 2006, remained 
adequate at year end.

Meanwhile, during the year we selectively 

added loans to the balance sheet, while remaining focused 
on credit quality and performance. At year end, our long-
term portfolio was invested 70 percent in longer-duration 
loans, defined as loans with fixed interest-rate periods of 
three years or greater. 

To further improve our return on equity while 
preserving liquidity, we utilized REMIC securitizations. 
REMICs offer benefits similar to CMOs; however,  
their cash-f low structures offer more attractive returns 
for commercial loans while at the same time the residual 
created provides more readily available liquidity for  
the organization. 
Strategies for growth: In 2006, Impac implemented 
strategies designed to grow our business and improve 
stockholder value. Strengthening our executive 
management team, we promoted Richard Johnson to 
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer 
and Gretchen Verdugo to Executive Vice President and 
Chief Financial Officer. William Ashmore continues 
to lead the organization as President and Director of 
the Company, leveraging his substantial expertise and 
leadership to focus more on strategic initiatives and 
opportunities available to the Company. We also 
welcomed Andrew McCormick to the newly  
created role of Executive Vice President and Chief 
Investment Officer.

A 24-year veteran of the mortgage industry, 

Mr. McCormick now oversees all balance-sheet 
investment decisions for Impac. He also leads our Capital 
Markets group based just outside of Washington, D.C., 

which is evaluating a wider array of prudent investment 
opportunities. By diversifying our portfolio, we believe 
we can reduce interest margin volatility and credit risk.
During 2006, our Enterprise Risk 
Management group deployed innovative analytical tools 
to acquire and originate loans with higher credit quality. 
Leveraging our proprietary platforms, we adjusted our 
sales strategy to more precisely account for credit and 
market risk. We used third-party tools to minimize 
potential fraudulent loans, while integrating analytical 
technology to optimize pricing and selectively invest  
in loans. 

Also during 2006, our commercial operations 

expanded its presence in the mountain and southwest 
regions. We believe small-balance commercial mortgages 
are an attractive investment because they typically offer 
higher credit scores, lower loan-to-value ratios and longer 
average-life-to-payoff than Alt-A mortgages. 

Throughout the year, we continued to evaluate 

potential acquisitions of profitable, well-established 
companies to complement our existing wholesale Alt-A 
and commercial lending platforms.
Positive outlook: In a challenging and changing market, 
Impac will benefit from a large balance sheet that is 
primarily invested in high credit quality mortgages. 
With our strong liquidity, we believe that we are well 
positioned to weather continuing consolidation in the 
marketplace, as overall mortgage industry production is 
expected to decline. 

While home price appreciation has slowed, 

the economy is still solid. Today, Impac is poised to 
benefit from a steeper yield curve, increased wholesale 
distribution through strategic acquisitions, or both. 

In closing, we would like to thank our 

employees for their dedication and commitment, and 
you, our stockholders, for your support. We believe our 
Company will emerge from a difficult industry cycle 
stronger and better. We look forward to updating you 
as we work to build the balance sheet, diversify the 
portfolio and strengthen the business in the year ahead. 

Respectfully yours,

Joseph R. Tomkinson
Chairman of the Board and  
Chief Executive Officer

William S. Ashmore
Director, President

 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

16

Statement of Operations Data
(amounts in thousands, except per share data)

For the year ended December 31, 

2006 

2005 
restated 

2004 
restated 

2003(1) 
restated 

2002
restated

Net interest income: 
Interest income 
Interest expense 
  Net interest income (expense) 

  Provision for loan losses 
  Net interest income (expense) after 

  provision for loan losses 

Non-interest income: 
  Gain on sale of loans 
  Other income 
  Realized gain (loss) from derivative 

$ 1,276,713 
  1,311,405 
(34,692) 
47,326 

$ 1,251,960 
  1,047,209 
204,751 
30,563 

$ 755,616 
  412,533 
  343,083 
30,927 

$ 385,716 
  209,009 
  176,707 
24,853 

$ 230,267
  127,801
   102,466
    19,848

(82,018) 

174,188 

  312,156 

  151,854 

82,618

1,805 
27,003 

39,509 
13,770 

24,729 
11,666 

37,523 
12,329 

—
1,671

instruments 

204,435 

22,595 

(91,881) 

(47,847) 

(28,361)

  Change in fair value of derivative 

instruments 

  Equity in net earnings of IFC 
  Total non-interest income (expense) 
Non-interest expense: 
  Personnel expense 
  Other expense 
  General and administrative and 

  other expense 

  Total non-interest expense 
(Loss) Earnings before income taxes 
Income tax (benefit) expense 

Net (loss) earnings 
Net (loss) earnings per share: 
  Basic 
  Diluted 
Dividends declared per share 

Balance Sheet Data
As of December 31, 
Securitized mortgage collateral and 
  mortgages held-for-investment 
Finance receivables 
Mortgages held-for-sale 
Investments in and advances to IFC(1) 
Total assets 
Securitized mortgage borrowings 
Reverse repurchase agreements 
Total liabilities 
Total stockholders’ equity 

(113,017) 
— 
120,226 

65,082 
30,389 

144,932 
— 
220,806 

77,508 
24,321 

96,575 
— 
41,089 

60,420 
15,329 

31,826 
11,537 
45,368 

25,250 
11,072 

19,867 
115,338 
(77,130) 
(1,857) 
(75,273) 

25,384 
127,213 
267,781 
(2,477) 
$  270,258 

17,097 
92,846 
  260,399 
2,762 
$ 257,637 

7,660 
43,982 
  153,240 
4,261 
$ 148,979 

(1.18) 
(1.18) 
0.95 

$ 
$ 
$ 

3.38 
3.35 
1.95 

$ 
$ 
$ 

3.79 
3.72 
2.90 

$ 
$ 
$ 

2.94 
2.88 
2.05 

$ 

$ 
$ 
$ 

(22,141)
11,299
(37,532)

1,856
1,898

985
4,739
40,347
—
$  40,347

$ 
$ 
$ 

1.01
0.99
1.76

2006 

2005 

2004 

2003(1) 

2002

$ 21,052,709 
306,294 
  1,561,919 
— 
   23,598,955 
   20,526,369 
    1,880,395 
   22,589,425 
    1,009,530 

$ 24,654,360  $ 21,895,592  $  9,296,893 
630,030 
397,618 
— 
   10,577,957 
    8,489,853 
   1,568,807 
   10,105,170 
 472,787 

350,217 
  2,052,694 
— 
   27,720,379 
   23,990,430 
    2,430,075 
   26,553,432 
    1,166,947 

471,820 
587,745 
— 
   23,815,767 
   21,206,373 
    1,527,558 
   22,771,692 
    1,044,075 

$ 5,215,731
664,021
—
531,032
  6,540,339
  5,019,934
  1,168,029
  6,256,814
283,525

(1) On July 1, 2003, IMH purchased 100 percent of the outstanding shares of common stock of IFC. The purchase of IFC’s common stock combined 
with IMH’s ownership of 100 percent of IFC’s preferred stock resulted in the consolidation of IFC from July 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003. 
Prior to July 1, 2003, IFC was a non-consolidated subsidiary of IMH and 99 percent of the net earnings of IFC were ref lected in IMH’s financial 
statements as “Equity in net earnings of IFC.”

Operating Data
As of and for the year ended December 31, 
Mortgage acquisitions and originations 

for the year 

Master servicing portfolio at year-end 
Servicing portfolio at year-end 

2006 

2005 

2004 

2003 

2002

$ 12,560,163 
  31,515,823 
  1,498,253 

$ 22,310,603  $ 22,213,104  $  9,525,121 
  13,919,694 
  28,404,008 
  28,448,507 
  1,402,100 
  1,690,800 
  2,208,433 

$ 5,945,498
  8,694,474
  2,653,414

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
sec 04

Selected   Data

17

Estimated Taxable Income available to IMH Common Stockholders
Estimated taxable income available to IMH common stockholders excludes net earnings from IFC and its subsidiaries and 
the elimination of intercompany loan sale transactions. The following schedule reconciles net earnings to estimated taxable 
income available to common stockholders of the REIT.

For the year ended December 31, 

Net (loss) earnings 
Adjustments to net (loss) earnings:(2)
  Loan loss provision(3) 
  Tax deduction for actual loan losses(3) 
   GAAP earnings on REMICs(4) 
   Taxable income on REMICs(4) 
   Change in fair value of derivatives(5) 
   Dividends on preferred stock 
   Net loss (earnings) of taxable REIT subsidiaries(6) 
   Dividend from taxable REIT subsidiaries(7) 
   Elimination of inter-company loan sales transactions(8) 
   Net miscellaneous adjustments 
Estimated taxable income available to common stockholders(9) 
Estimated taxable income per diluted common share(9) 
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 

2006(1) 

2005 

2004

$ (75,273) 

$ 270,258 

$ 257,637

  43,054 
  (27,157) 
  (16,822) 
  34,297 
 114,490 
  (14,698) 
  25,994 
  7,400 
  (11,913) 
166 
$ 79,538 
$  1.05 
  76,110 

  30,563 
  (16,004) 
— 
— 
 (155,695) 
  (14,530) 
  (14,968) 
  32,850 
  10,429 
— 
$ 142,903 
$ 
1.87 
  76,277 

  30,927
  (16,252)
—
—
 (103,724)
(3,750)
  (42,944)
  37,000
  44,048
—
$ 202,942
$ 
2.97
  68,244

(1) Estimated taxable income includes estimates of book to tax adjustments which can differ from actual taxable income as calculated when we file 
our  annual  corporate  tax  return.  Since  estimated  taxable  income  is  a  non-GAAP  financial  measurement,  the  reconciliation  of  estimated  taxable 
income available to common stockholders to net (loss) earnings is intended to meet the requirements of Regulation G as promulgated by the SEC for 
the presentation of non-GAAP financial measurements. To maintain our REIT status, we are required to distribute a minimum of 90 percent of our 
annual taxable income to our stockholders.

(2) Certain adjustments are made to net (loss) earnings in order to calculate taxable income due to differences in the way revenues and expenses are 
recognized under the two methods.

(3)  To  calculate  estimated  taxable  income,  actual  loan  losses  are  deducted.  For  the  calculation  of  net  earnings,  GAAP  requires  a  deduction  for 
estimated losses inherent in our mortgage portfolios in the form of a provision for loan losses, which are not deductible for tax purposes. Therefore, as 
the estimated losses provided for under GAAP are actually realized, the losses will negatively and may materially effect future taxable income.

(4) Includes GAAP to tax differences related to the ISAC REMIC 2005-2, ISAC REMIC 2006-1, ISAC REMIC 2006-3, ISAC REMIC 2006-4, 
and ISAC REMIC 2006-5 securitizations, which were treated as secured borrowings for GAAP purposes and sales for tax purposes. The REMIC 
GAAP income excludes the provision for loan losses recorded that may relate to the REMIC collateral included in securitized mortgage collateral. 
The Company does not have any specific valuation allowances recorded as an offset to the REMIC collateral.

(5)  The  mark-to-market  change  for  the  valuation  of  derivatives  at  IMH  is  income  or  expense  for  GAAP  financial  reporting  purposes  but  is  not 
included as an addition or deduction for taxable income calculations until realized.

(6) Represents net (loss) earnings of IFC and ICCC, our taxable REIT subsidiaries (TRS), which may not necessarily equal taxable income. Starting 
January 1, 2006, the Company elected to convert ICCC from a qualified REIT subsidiary to a TRS.

(7) Any dividends paid to IMH by the TRS in excess of their cumulative undistributed earnings and profits taxable income minus taxes paid would 
be recognized as a return of capital by IMH to the extent of IMH’s capital investment in the TRS. Distributions from the TRS to IMH may not equal 
the TRS net earnings, however, IMH can only recognize dividend distributions received from the TRS as taxable income to the extent that the TRS 
distributions are from current or prior period undistributed earnings and profits taxable income minus taxes paid. Any distributions by the TRS in 
excess of IMH’s capital investment in the TRS would be taxed as capital gains.

(8) Includes the effects to taxable income associated with the elimination of gains from inter-company loan sales and other inter-company transactions 
between IFC, ICCC, and IMH, net of tax and the related amortization of the deferred charge.

(9) Excludes the deduction for common stock cash dividends paid and the availability of a deduction attributable to net operating loss carry-forwards. 
As of December 31, 2006, the Company has estimated federal net operating loss carry-forwards of $8.2 million that are expected to be utilized prior 
to their expiration in the year 2020.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

18

Impac 2006 Annual Report Q&A

Q. What kind of mortgage lender is Impac?
A. Impac is an Alt-A lender. Substantially all of the mortgages we originate or acquire are Alt-A loans. We define Alt-A 
loans as mortgages made to borrowers whose credit is generally within Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines, but have 
loan characteristics that make them non-conforming under those guidelines. As of  December 31, 2006, 99.8 percent 
of the loans held in our portfolio had a credit grade of A or A-, which means that the credit rating exceeded 620, with 
a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of 74 percent. As of  December 31, 2006, the weighted average credit score of 
the Alt-A loans in our portfolio (i.e. the long-term investment operations) was 697. The major credit rating agencies, 
mortgage bond investors and our industry identify the Company as an Alt-A lender.

Q. Why does Impac invest in Alt-A residential mortgages?
A. We believe that Alt-A mortgages provide an attractive net earnings profile by producing higher yields without  
commensurately higher credit losses than other types of mortgages. We believe Alt-A mortgages are normally subject to 
lower rates of loss and delinquency than subprime mortgages. 

Q. What are the key differences between Alt-A and subprime loans?
A. In general, Alt-A loans have stricter underwriting guidelines than subprime loans. For example, to qualify for an  
Alt-A loan, a borrower must have established at least five trade lines of credit, which might include credit cards or a car 
loan, and each trade line of credit must be consistent for a minimum of 24 months. Meanwhile, subprime borrowers in 
general can have between zero and three trade lines depending on the loan-to-value ratio, and each trade line must be 
consistent for a minimum of six months. In addition, Alt-A borrowers must not have a bankruptcy within 24 months 
prior to loan approval, whereas there is no minimum elapsed time for subprime borrowers. To qualify for an Alt-A loan, 
borrowers must have no rolling mortgage lates, whereas subprime loans allow rolling 30 days lates within the last 12 
months, up to 90 days late.

Q. What is Impac’s exposure to subprime loans?
A. Virtually none. We generally do not acquire or retain subprime mortgages. As of December 31, 2006, subprime 
mortgages  represented  0.4  percent  of  acquisitions  and  0.2  percent  of  the  ending  securitized  mortgage  collateral. 
We define subprime mortgages made to borrowers with credit ratings less than 620, or other characteristics that increase 
the credit risk. 

Q. What are Impac’s key underwriting strategies?
A. Our strict underwriting strategies enable us to maintain a high-quality long-term investment portfolio. For a very 
high percentage of loans, employment is provided and verified for at least two years. Most of our loans require either 
full documentation or stated income and verified assets. In addition, any loans with a loan-to-value ratio of more than 
80 percent have either borrower- or lender-paid mortgage insurance. We proactively adjust our underwriting guidelines 
based on market conditions and actual loan performance.

Q. What is Impac’s leverage strategy?
A. We employ a leverage strategy to finance assets in our long-term mortgage portfolio primarily with securitized 
mortgage borrowings and reverse repurchase agreements. We retain Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) and Fixed Rate 
Mortgages (FRMs) that are acquired from the mortgage and commercial operations and finance the acquisition of these 
mortgages, during the accumulation period with reverse repurchase agreements. After accumulating a pool of mortgages, 
we securitize the mortgages in the form of Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs), or Real Estate Mortgage 
Investment Conduits (REMICs), or we sell mortgages in whole loan sale transactions.

Q. What is a Collateralized Mortgage Obligation or CMO?
A.  A CMO is a series of bonds (each called a “tranche”) with varying maturities and coupons. CMOs are a form of 
collateralized borrowing where the cash flows  from the  assets  supporting  the debt are the repayment source. The 
advantages of the CMO include: financing which allows the Company to secure permanent financing without the risk of 
margin calls and a relatively small investment of capital. 

sec 04
sec 04

Questions & Answers
Letter to Stockholders

19

Q. What is a Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit or REMIC?
A. REMIC securitizations, similar to a CMO,  assemble mortgages into pools and issue multi-class bonds to the secondary 
market. REMIC’s which offer the same advantages of CMOs  can be structured as financing whereby the net interest 
income is recognized over the life of the mortgage loans. REMICs can also be offered as a sale of assets to third parties 
whereby the sale provides a contribution to income as a gain on sale and an ongoing return on any residual interest retained. 

Q. Does Impac have suff icient f inancing under its reverse repurchase agreements?
A. Reverse repurchase agreements are entered into to finance the Company’s warehouse lending operations and to fund the 
closing and purchase of mortgages by the mortgage and commercial operations. As of  December 31, 2006, these facilities 
amounted to $5.7 billion, of which $1.9 billion was outstanding. 

Q. What is a repurchase liability?
A. The liability for mortgage repurchases is maintained for the purpose of purchasing previously sold mortgages, for various 
reasons, including early payment defaults or breach of representations or warranties, which may be subsequently sold at a 
loss. In 2006, we increased our repurchase reserve to $15.3 million, up 47 percent over 2005. To minimize future repurchase 
liability, the Company aggressively tightened our underwriting criteria and changed pricing guidelines which has resulted 
in improved credit and duration characteristics. As of December 31, 2006, the Company believes the repurchase reserve is 
adequate.

Q. What is the effect of the Company’s restatements for 2004-2005?
A. Our restatements related to 2004-2005 have no effect on the Company’s net earnings, cash position, stockholders’ 
equity or taxable income. As previously described in our Form 8-K filed on February 23, 2007, we had discovered errors 
in previously reported Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Earnings. These errors related to the 
presentation of deferred charge as a non-interest expense amount compared to the restated presentation as a component 
of income tax expense. We also reported restated amounts in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows to eliminate 
certain non-cash items related to inter-company transactions and the re-designation of loans from held-for-sale to held-for-
investment. We present these corrections in the 2006 consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on 
Form 10-K. 

Q. What is the primary indicator for common stock dividends?
A. Estimated taxable income is the primary indicator for common stock dividends. During 2006, the Company had estimated 
taxable income of $79.5 million, or $1.05 per diluted common share. During 2006, we paid common stock dividends of 
$72.3 million, or $0.95 per diluted common share.

Q. What and when is the ex-dividend date?
A. The ex-dividend date is important in determining whether a stockholder qualifies for the Company’s dividends. If 
an investor buys the stock before the ex-dividend date, they will receive the declared dividend. The ex-dividend date is 
two business days before the record date. The Company currently declares dividends on a quarterly basis and at that time 
the Board of Directors will declare the amount, payment date and the record date, which sets the ex-dividend date. The 
tentative dividend calendar is available on our website at www.impaccompanies.com, link to Financial Reports, Dividend 
History. Please note that the Board of Directors has the right to change the dividend and schedule at any time, and without 
prior notice.

impac mortgage holdings, inc.

 2006

annual report

20

Glossary of Financial and Operational Terms

Accretion of Loan Discounts and Amortization of Premium Securitization Costs represent an adjustment to the yield 
on our securitized mortgage collateral and borrowings. 

Adjusted Net Interest Margin on mortgage assets is calculated by subtracting interest expense on total borrowings on 
mortgage assets, accretion of loan discounts and net cash receipts (payments) on derivatives from interest income on 
total mortgage assets and dividing by total mortgage assets. Adjusted net interest margin is a non-Generally Accepted 
Accounting  Principle  (GAAP)  financial  measurement.  We  believe  it  is  useful  information  to  our  investors  as  it  
represents the economics of net interest margin on mortgage assets. For a reconciliation, please refer to the yield table 
analysis of mortgage assets in the filing of our Annual Report on Form 10-K under item 7, Financial Condition and 
Results of Operations.

Allowance for Loan Loss is a valuation allowance established to provide for credit losses inherent in the long term 
investment portfolio as of the balance sheet date. The allowance for loan losses is evaluated by management on a 
periodic basis and is determined by applying expected loss factors to loans outstanding such as loan aging, historical 
default rates, loss percentages of comparable loans, market conditions and estimates of collateral value. This evaluation 
is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revisions as factors change or as more 
information becomes available.

Net Cash Receipts (Payments) on Derivatives,  also  referred  to  as  realized  gain  (loss)  from  derivative  instruments, 
are reported in the current period revenue or expense on our consolidated financial statements and are included in 
the calculation of taxable income. During 2006, the Company primarily acquired swaps to synthetically convert its 
floating rate borrowings into fixed rate borrowings. In an interest rate swap, we pay a fixed interest rate and receive a 
floating rate indexed to one-month LIBOR which offsets changes in interest expense on our adjustable rate securitized 
mortgage borrowings also indexed to one-month LIBOR.

Net Interest Margin on mortgage assets is calculated by subtracting interest expense on total borrowings on mortgage 
assets from interest income on mortgage assets and then dividing by total mortgage assets.

Prepayments occur when borrowers pay all or part of their mortgage debt before it is due. Prepayments typically 
increase in low interest rate and/or high home price appreciation environments where lower cost mortgage loans  
and/or available equity encourage borrowers to refinance for better rates and/or terms.

Provision for Loan Losses is recorded to maintain an adequate allowance for loan loss. The Company evaluates loan 
loss expectations and records a provision for loan losses. 

Reconciliation of Net Earnings to Estimated Taxable Income includes certain adjustments made to net earnings in 
order to calculate taxable income due to differences in the way revenues and expenses are recognized under the two 
methods. For example, to calculate estimated taxable income, actual loan losses are deducted; however, the calculation 
of net earnings under GAAP, requires a deduction for estimated losses inherent in our mortgage portfolio in the form 
of a provision for loan losses. For a reconciliation, please refer to the table in our Annual Report on Form 10-K under 
Item 7, Taxable Income. 

Yield Curve is the relationship between the interest rate (cost of borrowing or yield) and the maturity of debt. A steep 
yield curve occurs when the yield on longer duration debt is substantially higher than that of the yield of shorter duration 
debt. A flat yield curve is apparent when all maturities have similar yields. An inverted yield curve is when long term yields 
fall below short term yields.

Corporate Information

Annual Stockholders’ Meeting
The Fairmont Hotel
4500 MacArthur Blvd.
Newport Beach, CA 92660
June 5, 2007
9:00 am (Pacific Time)

Form 10-K
A copy of the Company’s annual report on Form 
10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission is available to stockholders without 
charge by contacting the Company’s investor 
relations department or by accessing our Website.

CERTIFICATIONS

After the fiscal 2006 Annual Meeting of 
Stockholders, the Company intends to file with 
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) the CEO 
certification regarding its compliance with the 
NYSE’s corporate governance listing standards 
as required by NYSE Rule (303)A.12. Last year, 
the Company filed this CEO certification with 
the NYSE.

William E. Rose
Director, 
Managing Director, 
HBK Investments LP

James Walsh
Director, 
Managing Director, 
Sherwood Trading &  
Consulting Corporation

CORPORATE INFORMATION

The Impac Companies
19500 Jamboree Rd. 
Irvine, CA 92612 
Telephone: 800.597.4101

Common Stock Listing
New York Stock Exchange 
Symbol: IMH

Transfer Agent
American Stock Transfer Agent 
59 Maiden Lane 
New York, NY 10038 
800.937.5449

Investor Relations
Tania Jernigan 
Vice President, Investor Relations 
tjernigan@impaccompanies.com 
949.475.3722

Website
www.impaccompanies.com

CORPORATE OFFICERS & DIRECTORS

Joseph R. Tomkinson
Chairman of the Board,  
Chief Executive Officer

William S. Ashmore
Director, President

Richard J. Johnson
Executive Vice President,  
Chief Operating Officer

Ronald M. Morrison
Executive Vice President,  
General Counsel and  
Corporate Secretary

Gretchen D. Verdugo
Executive Vice President, 
Chief Financial Officer

Andrew C. McCormick
Executive Vice President, 
Chief Investment Officer

Leigh J. Abrams
Director, 
Chief Executive Officer and President, 
Drew Industries Inc.

Frank P. Filipps
Director, 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 
Clayton Holdings Inc.

Stephan R. Peers
Director

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements, some of which are based on various assumptions and events that are beyond our control may be 
identified by reference to a future period or periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “likely,” 
“should,” “could,” “anticipate,” or similar terms or variations on those terms or the negative of those terms. The forward-looking statements are based 
on management expectations. Actual results may differ materially as a result of several factors, including, but not limited to, failure to achieve projected 
earnings and taxable income levels; unexpected or greater than anticipated increases in credit and bond spreads; the ability to generate sufficient 
liquidity; uncertainty in the secondary market and the inability to sell or securitize loans; unexpected decrease in value of loans underlying finance 
facilities due to oversupply of mortgage loans or other market conditions; continued ability to access the securitization markets or other funding sources; 
the availability of financing, including the renewal of finance facilities, and, if available, the terms of any financing; lenders’ unwillingness to provide 
further financing based on general market conditions; failure to comply with our existing finance facilities; continued increase in price competition; 
risks of delays in raising, or the inability to raise on acceptable terms, additional capital, either through equity offerings, lines of credit or otherwise; 
the ability to generate taxable income and to pay dividends;  the failure to sell non-performing loans in the secondary market due to economic or other 
conditions; interest rate fluctuations on our assets that unexpectedly differ from those on our liabilities; unanticipated interest rate fluctuations; changes 
in expectations of future interest rates; unexpected increase in our loan repurchase obligations; unexpected increase in prepayment rates on our 
mortgages; changes in assumptions regarding estimated loan losses or an increase in loan losses; continued ability to access the securitization markets 
or other funding sources, the availability of financing and, if available, the terms of any financing; changes in markets which the Company serves, such as 
mortgage refinancing activity and housing price appreciation; the adoption of new laws that affect our business or the business of people with whom we 
do business; changes in laws that affect our products and our business; and other general market and economic conditions.

For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking 
statements, see Item 1A “Risk Factors” and Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the 
Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.  This document speaks only as of its date and we do not undertake, and specifically  
disclaim any obligation, to publicly release the results of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence 
of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

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The Impac Companies
19500 Jamboree Road
Irvine, CA 92612