KBRA Assigns Ratings to Rithm's RMBS
KBRA has assigned preliminary ratings to 10 classes of mortgage-backed notes from the New Residential Mortgage Loan Trust 2025-NQM6, a $494.4 million non-prime RMBS transaction sponsored by Rithm Capital Corp.
The transaction is backed by a pool of 985 residential mortgages, primarily originated by Champions Funding, LLC and NewRez LLC, with a weighted average original credit score of 753 and a loan-to-value ratio of 70.8%.
KBRA's rating process involved a detailed loan-level analysis using its Residential Asset Loss Model (REALM), along with cash flow modeling and assessments of key transaction parties and legal structures.
Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) is a registered credit rating agency recognized in multiple jurisdictions, providing comprehensive ratings and methodologies for various financial instruments, including asset-backed securities.
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- Significant Earnings Growth: Rithm Capital reported earnings available for distribution of $2.35 per diluted share for 2025, reflecting a 12% year-over-year increase, indicating strong performance in asset management and real estate that is likely to attract more investor interest.
- Acquisition-Driven Expansion: The acquisition of Paramount has transformed Rithm Capital's position in the commercial real estate sector, making Paramount the fourth largest office owner in New York City, with a purchase price at a 40% discount to pre-COVID values, enhancing market competitiveness.
- New Business Line Development: The Genesis business originated $4.8 billion in 2025, with earnings up 250%, while NewRez's non-agency originations grew by 147% year-over-year, demonstrating the company's ongoing growth potential in high-demand lending sectors.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Management forecasts a revenue increase of approximately 10% for NewRez in 2026 and emphasizes a cautious strategy in technology investments and capital allocation to ensure sustainable long-term growth.
- Transaction Size: KBRA has assigned preliminary ratings to NRMLT 2026-NQM2, a $508 million non-prime RMBS transaction sponsored by Rithm Capital Corp., indicating increased activity in the non-prime RMBS market that may attract more investor interest.
- Mortgage Pool Characteristics: The transaction is backed by a pool of 882 residential mortgages with a weighted average loan-to-value (LTV) of 72.4%, reflecting relatively high credit quality among borrowers, which could mitigate investment risks.
- Credit Score Analysis: Borrowers in the pool possess a weighted average original credit score of 758, indicating strong overall creditworthiness, which provides confidence to investors and may facilitate the successful issuance of the transaction.
- Rating Methodology: KBRA's rating approach incorporates loan-level analysis through its Residential Asset Loss Model (REALM), alongside third-party due diligence results and cash flow modeling, ensuring accuracy and transparency in ratings, thereby enhancing market trust in the transaction.
- Earnings Beat: Rithm Capital reported Q4 EPS of $0.74, exceeding analyst expectations of $0.58 and rising from $0.54 in Q3, indicating strengthened profitability and operational momentum.
- Revenue Growth: Q4 revenue reached $1.29 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.24 billion and increasing from $1.11 billion in the prior quarter, reflecting positive contributions from recent acquisitions of Crestline Management and Paramount Group.
- Asset Management Expansion: As of December 31, 2025, Sculptor Capital's assets under management grew to $38 billion, up from $37 billion as of September 30, 2025, showcasing the firm's ongoing growth and appeal in the asset management sector.
- Rising Expenses: Despite revenue growth, Rithm Capital's expenses increased to $1.17 billion from $938.9 million in Q3, indicating cost pressures associated with business expansion, which may impact future profitability.
- Earnings Beat: Rithm Capital reported a Q4 EAD of $0.74, surpassing expectations by $0.16, indicating strong profitability despite revenue challenges.
- Significant Revenue Decline: The company’s revenue of $1.29 billion represents a 38.6% year-over-year decline, yet it exceeded forecasts by $50 million, showcasing resilience amid market pressures.
- Stable Book Value: With a book value per common share of $12.66, Rithm Capital demonstrates asset stability, providing a relatively secure investment foundation despite market fluctuations.
- Dividend Appeal: The 8.75% fixed-rate reset preferred IPO from Rithm Capital has garnered investor interest, highlighting the company's ongoing ability to deliver attractive dividends and strengthening its competitive position in the mREIT sector.
- Annual Performance Review: Rithm Capital achieved a net income of $567.2 million in 2025, reflecting a 32.5% increase from 2024, showcasing the company's sustained growth potential across its diversified asset management platform, thereby enhancing its market competitiveness.
- Earnings Per Share Performance: The diluted earnings per share for 2025 was $1.04, down from $1.67 in 2024, yet the earnings available for distribution reached $2.35 per share, demonstrating the company's strong capacity for profit distribution and further solidifying shareholder confidence.
- Asset Management Scale Expansion: By the end of 2025, Rithm Capital's investable assets exceeded $100 billion, bolstered by the acquisitions of Crestline and Paramount Group, which further strengthened its position in the alternative asset management sector, indicating future growth opportunities.
- Strategic Investment Layout: The company's strategic investments across asset management, Newrez, and Genesis provide a solid foundation for growth in 2026, with expectations to leverage its unique market advantages to capture more strategic opportunities for clients and shareholders.
- Earnings Announcement Schedule: Rithm Capital (RITM) is set to announce its Q4 earnings on February 3rd before market open, with investor focus on key metrics such as asset management revenues, mortgage servicing rights, and interest income, with a consensus EPS estimate of $0.58, reflecting a 3.3% year-over-year decline.
- Revenue Expectation Changes: The consensus revenue estimate for RITM stands at $1.24 billion, indicating a significant 41.0% year-over-year drop, while the past three months have seen three upward revisions in EPS and revenue estimates, suggesting cautious optimism about the company's future performance.
- Market Performance Analysis: Ahead of the earnings release, RITM's stock traded 1.28% lower at $10.80 during Monday's session, and currently trades approximately 6% below its 200-day simple moving average, indicating market concerns regarding its short-term performance.
- Insider Trading Dynamics: Over the past three months, RITM insiders have been net buyers, recording three open market purchases against two sell transactions, reflecting management's confidence in the company's future prospects.










