Company Description
Freddie Mac (FMCC), formally known as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, is a federally chartered corporation in the U.S. finance and insurance sector. It is associated with the savings institutions industry and trades on the OTCQB market under the symbol FMCC. According to its public statements, Freddie Mac’s mission is to make home possible for families across the nation by promoting liquidity, stability and affordability in the housing market throughout all economic cycles. The company states that since 1970 it has helped tens of millions of families buy, rent or keep their home.
Core role in housing finance
Freddie Mac describes its role as promoting liquidity, stability and affordability in the U.S. housing market. Liquidity refers to providing funding to the housing finance system, while stability and affordability relate to supporting housing markets through different economic environments. The company’s activities, as reflected in its news releases and SEC filings, are centered on mortgage-related portfolios, securities issuance, and risk management tied to single-family and multifamily housing.
Single-family mortgage activities and credit risk transfer
Freddie Mac’s public disclosures highlight its Single-Family credit risk transfer (CRT) programs. These programs transfer credit risk away from U.S. taxpayers to global private capital via securities and (re)insurance policies. The company reports that it founded the GSE Single-Family CRT market when it issued the first STACR® (Structured Agency Credit Risk) notes in July 2013 and later introduced ACIS® (Agency Credit Insurance Structure®) in November 2013. Through these CRT programs, Freddie Mac indicates that it provides stability, liquidity and affordability to the U.S. housing market by shifting credit exposure on single-family mortgages to private investors and (re)insurers.
Freddie Mac also publishes a Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), which reports average mortgage rates for products such as the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) and the 15-year FRM. The PMMS is described as focusing on conventional, conforming, fully amortizing home purchase loans for borrowers who put 20% down and have excellent credit. These rate releases, issued regularly, illustrate Freddie Mac’s role as a reference source for mortgage rate information in the U.S. housing finance system.
Multifamily housing finance
Freddie Mac Multifamily is described in company news as a national multifamily housing finance leader. The company reports that it issues multifamily securities and securitizes more than 90% of the multifamily loans it purchases, transferring interest-rate risk, liquidity risk and credit risk away from U.S. taxpayers to private investors. Freddie Mac states that historically, more than 90% of the eligible rental units it funds are affordable to families with low-to-moderate incomes earning up to 120% of area median income. Through offerings such as K-Deals®, Multi PCs®, SB-Deals®, M-Deals, ML-Deals, Q-Deals, Multifamily Structured Credit Risk (MSCR) notes and Multifamily Credit Insurance Pool (MCIP) policies, the company indicates that it injects liquidity into the multifamily housing market and supports an increased supply of affordable rental housing around the country.
Investment & Capital Markets and STACR/ACIS programs
Freddie Mac’s Investment & Capital Markets Credit Risk Transfer programs, including STACR and ACIS, are described as transferring credit risk away from U.S. taxpayers to global private capital via securities and (re)insurance policies. According to company disclosures, these programs provide stability, liquidity and affordability to the U.S. housing market. The Single-Family CRT market associated with these programs is noted as attracting institutional investors and (re)insurance companies worldwide. Freddie Mac also references tools such as Clarity Data Intelligence® for specific STACR and ACIS transaction data.
Mortgage-related securities and exchange offers
Freddie Mac issues and manages various mortgage-related securities. Company announcements describe activity in Gold PCs, Giant PCs, mirror securities, TBA-eligible and non-TBA-eligible securities, and UMBS and MBS structures. Freddie Mac has conducted an exchange offer allowing investors to exchange certain eligible Gold PCs and Giant PCs for mirror securities, with options to participate via a dealer using the Dealer Direct® portal or Direct-to-Freddie Mac via Tradeweb. The company notes that investors who participate in the exchange receive float compensation intended to address differences in payment delay between 45-day and 55-day securities.
Regulatory reporting and governance
Freddie Mac files periodic and current reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. Its 8-K filings describe material events such as results of operations for specific quarters, tender offers for STACR notes, and changes in executive leadership or board composition. The company identifies itself in these filings as a federally chartered corporation with a Commission File Number of 001-34139 and an Internal Revenue Service Employer Identification Number of 52-0904874.
Recent 8-K filings describe, for example, the announcement of quarterly results of operations, the commencement of a fixed-price cash tender offer for certain STACR notes, and the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer. These filings also reference memoranda, indemnification agreements and restrictive covenant and confidentiality agreements that apply to executive officers, which are incorporated by reference from prior SEC reports.
Mission and long-term focus
Across its public communications, Freddie Mac consistently reiterates its mission to make home possible for families across the nation. It emphasizes promoting liquidity, stability and affordability in the housing market throughout all economic cycles. The company notes that since 1970 it has helped tens of millions of families buy, rent or keep their home. This mission underpins its activities in single-family and multifamily housing finance, credit risk transfer, mortgage-related securities issuance, and regular publication of mortgage rate information.
Frequently asked questions about Freddie Mac (FMCC)
- What is Freddie Mac?
Freddie Mac, formally the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, is a federally chartered corporation in the U.S. finance and insurance sector. It describes its mission as making home possible for families across the nation by promoting liquidity, stability and affordability in the housing market.
- What is Freddie Mac’s stock symbol and where does it trade?
Freddie Mac’s stock symbol is FMCC. In the company’s news releases, it is identified as trading on the OTCQB market under the symbol FMCC.
- What is Freddie Mac’s stated mission?
Freddie Mac states that its mission is to make home possible for families across the nation. It aims to promote liquidity, stability and affordability in the housing market throughout all economic cycles and reports that since 1970 it has helped tens of millions of families buy, rent or keep their home.
- How does Freddie Mac describe its role in the housing market?
The company describes its role as promoting liquidity, stability and affordability in the U.S. housing market. It does this through activities such as mortgage-related portfolios, securities issuance, and credit risk transfer programs that move risk from U.S. taxpayers to private investors and (re)insurers.
- What are Freddie Mac’s Single-Family Credit Risk Transfer programs?
Freddie Mac’s Single-Family Credit Risk Transfer programs include STACR® notes and ACIS® policies. According to the company, these programs transfer credit risk on single-family mortgages to global private capital via securities and (re)insurance policies, supporting stability, liquidity and affordability in the U.S. housing market.
- What does Freddie Mac Multifamily do?
Freddie Mac Multifamily is described as a national multifamily housing finance leader. The company reports that it securitizes more than 90% of the multifamily loans it purchases, transferring interest-rate risk, liquidity risk and credit risk away from U.S. taxpayers to private investors and supporting an increased supply of affordable rental housing.
- What is the Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS)?
The Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) is a Freddie Mac publication that reports average mortgage rates, including the 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgage. It focuses on conventional, conforming, fully amortizing home purchase loans for borrowers who put 20% down and have excellent credit.
- What types of securities does Freddie Mac issue in the multifamily market?
In its multifamily business, Freddie Mac reports issuing securities such as K-Deals®, Multi PCs®, SB-Deals®, M-Deals, ML-Deals, Q-Deals, Multifamily Structured Credit Risk (MSCR) notes and Multifamily Credit Insurance Pool (MCIP) policies. These offerings are used to transfer various risks to private investors and support liquidity in the multifamily housing market.
- How does Freddie Mac communicate financial results and material events?
Freddie Mac files current reports on Form 8-K with the SEC to disclose material events, such as quarterly results of operations, tender offers for securities, and changes in executive leadership or board membership. It also issues press releases and financial results supplements that are referenced in these filings.
- Is Freddie Mac still active as a public filer?
The presence of recent Forms 8-K describing results of operations, tender offers, and executive appointments indicates that Freddie Mac continues to file reports with the SEC and to communicate material events to investors.