MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 31, 2007--American Home
Mortgage Investment Corp. (NYSE: AHM) today reported that it is
working diligently to determine how best to resolve the liquidity
issues that have recently developed with respect to its business.
These issues are primarily the result of the unprecedented disruption
now occurring generally in the secondary mortgage market.
American Home Mortgage noted that this disruption has fueled
concerns in the market regarding credit risk, causing many market
participants to suspend the purchase of loans from a variety of
originators including American Home. Accordingly, American Home is
currently experiencing a hindering of access to its traditional credit
facilities. Additionally, American Home's lenders have initiated
margin calls in response to the decline in the collateral value of
certain of the Company's loans and securities held in its portfolio.
The Company has received and paid very significant margin calls in the
last three weeks and has substantial unpaid margin calls pending.
Further pressure on the Company's liquidity presently exists due to
its warehouse lenders effectively reducing, in this environment, their
advance rate on new loans made by the Company.
Based on the foregoing, the Company at present is unable to borrow
on its credit facilities and was unable to fund its lending
obligations yesterday of approximately $300 million. It does not
anticipate funding approximately $450 to $500 million today.
American Home Mortgage emphasized that it is seeking the course of
resolution, in this environment, that is least disruptive to its
business and to the many thousands of home buyers to whom it has
committed to provide mortgages. The Company has retained Milestone
Advisors and Lazard to assist in evaluating its strategic options and
advising with respect to the sourcing of additional liquidity
including the orderly liquidation of its assets.
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are
based upon expectations, estimates, forecasts, projections and
assumptions. Any statement in this news release that is not a
statement of historical fact, including, but not limited to, earnings
guidance and forecasts, projections of financial results and loan
origination volume, expected future financial position, dividend plans
or business strategy, and any other statements of plans, expectations,
objectives, estimates and beliefs, is a forward-looking statement.
Words such as "look forward," "will," "anticipate," "may," "expect,"
"plan," "believe," "intend," "opportunity," "potential," and similar
words, or the negatives of those words, are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are
difficult to predict, and are not guarantees of future performance. As
a result, actual future events may differ materially from any future
results, performance or achievements expressed in or implied by this
news release. Specific factors that might cause such a difference
include, but are not limited to: American Home's limited operating
history with respect to its portfolio strategy; the potential
fluctuations in American Home's operating results; American Home's
potential need for additional capital; the direction of interest rates
and their subsequent effect on the business of American Home and its
subsidiaries; risks associated with the use of leverage; changes in
federal and state tax laws affecting REITs; federal and state
regulation of mortgage banking; and those risks and uncertainties
discussed in filings made by American Home with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are inherently
uncertain, and stockholders must recognize that actual results may
differ from expectations. American Home does not assume any
responsibility, and expressly disclaims any responsibility, to issue
updates to any forward-looking statements discussed in this news
release, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
CONTACT: American Home Mortgage Investment Corp.
Mary M. Feder
Vice President, Investor Relations
631-622-6469
mary.feder@americanhm.com
SOURCE: American Home Mortgage Investment Corp.