Franklin BSP Realty Trust cuts dividend after 2025 results
Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. reported weaker results for the quarter and full year ended December 31, 2025 and announced a reset of its common dividend.
Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. reported weaker results for the quarter and full year ended December 31, 2025 and announced a reset of its common dividend. Full-year GAAP net income was $84.1 million with diluted EPS of $0.64, down from $92.4 million and $0.82 in 2024. Full-year Distributable Earnings were $67.3 million, or $0.49 per fully converted share, versus $100.7 million, or $0.92, in 2024, reflecting realized losses and a softer core lending environment.
For Q4 2025, GAAP net income was $18.4 million and Distributable Earnings were $17.9 million, or $0.12 per fully converted share, compared with a quarterly dividend of $0.355. Book value stood at $14.15 per fully converted share, supported by $820.6 million of liquidity and share repurchases of 1.37 million shares for $14.4 million. Management highlighted a strategic shift: the NewPoint acquisition added agency origination and servicing scale, while the board reduced the quarterly common dividend to $0.20 per share for Q1 2026 to better align distributions with earnings and stabilize book value.
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Insights
Earnings softened and the common dividend was cut to realign payouts with cash generation.
FBRT posted full-year $84.1M GAAP net income and Distributable Earnings of $67.3M, down from $100.7M. Distributable Earnings per fully converted share fell from $0.92 in 2024 to $0.49 in 2025, driven by realized loan and REO losses and higher operating costs.
Q4 2025 Distributable Earnings of $17.9M, or $0.12 per fully converted share, did not cover the $0.355 dividend, and management acknowledged they had been over-distributing capital. The board reset the quarterly common dividend to $0.20 for Q1 2026 to better match earnings power and support a $14.15 per-share book value.
The core loan portfolio remains heavily multifamily at 77.5% of principal, with $4.4B across 169 loans and net debt-to-equity of 2.5x. Non-mark-to-market financing covers 68% of core borrowings, and total liquidity of $820.6M provides flexibility as they work through legacy 2021–2022 assets and seven non-performing loans. The NewPoint acquisition contributed mortgage servicing rights of $212.2M, $20M of 2025 Distributable Earnings and a 2026 DE outlook of $25–33M, adding a fee-based earnings stream alongside the credit portfolio.
8-K Event Classification
FAQ
How did Franklin BSP Realty Trust (FBRT) perform financially in full-year 2025?
Franklin BSP Realty Trust reported 2025 GAAP net income of $84.1 million and diluted EPS of $0.64. Distributable Earnings were $67.3 million, or $0.49 per fully converted share, down from $100.7 million and $0.92 in 2024 as realized losses and higher expenses weighed on results.
What were Franklin BSP Realty Trust’s Q4 2025 earnings and dividend coverage?
In Q4 2025, FBRT generated $18.4 million GAAP net income and $17.9 million Distributable Earnings, or $0.12 per fully converted share. This fell short of the declared $0.355 common dividend, contributing to management’s decision to reset future quarterly dividends to align with earnings.
How has Franklin BSP Realty Trust’s dividend policy changed for 2026?
For the first quarter of 2026, FBRT’s board declared a $0.20 per common share dividend, down from $0.355 in Q4 2025. Management stated the prior level over-distributed capital and that the reset is intended to stabilize book value and better reflect the company’s earnings power.
What is Franklin BSP Realty Trust’s book value and liquidity position at December 31, 2025?
As of December 31, 2025, FBRT reported book value of $14.15 per fully converted share. Total liquidity was $820.6 million, including $167.3 million of cash and cash equivalents and additional capacity tied to its financing facilities and CLO reinvestment availability.
How large is Franklin BSP Realty Trust’s core loan portfolio and what is it composed of?
FBRT’s core portfolio had a principal balance of $4.4 billion across 169 loans at year-end 2025, averaging $26.2 million each. Approximately 77.5% of this exposure is collateralized by multifamily properties, with smaller portions in hospitality, industrial, office and other property types.
What impact did the NewPoint acquisition have on Franklin BSP Realty Trust?
FBRT acquired NewPoint on July 1, 2025, adding an agency lending and servicing platform. NewPoint originated $5.5 billion of 2025 loan commitments, contributed mortgage servicing rights valued at $212.2 million, and delivered $20 million of 2025 Distributable Earnings with a 2026 outlook of $25–33 million.
How leveraged is Franklin BSP Realty Trust and what is the mix of its financing?
At December 31, 2025, FBRT reported net debt-to-equity of 2.5x and recourse net debt-to-equity of 0.8x. About 68% of financing on the core loan book is non-mark-to-market, primarily through collateralized loan obligations, with the remainder from warehouses, repos and unsecured debt.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
| (State or other jurisdiction | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer | ||||||
| of incorporation) | Identification No.) | |||||||
| (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report) | ||||||||
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | |||||
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | |||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | |||||
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | |||||
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
| EXHIBIT INDEX | ||||||||
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
99.1 | Press Release dated February 11, 2026 announcing the Company’s financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2025 | |||||||
99.2 | Supplemental Presentation for the quarter ended December 31, 2025 | |||||||
| 104.1 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | |||||||
FRANKLIN BSP REALTY TRUST, INC. | ||||||||
| By: | /s/ Jerome S. Baglien | |||||||
| Name: | Jerome S. Baglien | |||||||
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer | |||||||





| December 31, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||||||||||
| ASSETS | ||||||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 167,292 | $ | 184,443 | ||||||||||
| Restricted cash | 17,889 | 12,421 | ||||||||||||
| Investment securities, held to maturity(1) | 20,483 | — | ||||||||||||
Commercial mortgage loans, held for investment, net of allowance for credit losses of $38,302 and $78,083 as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively(2) | 4,383,134 | 4,908,667 | ||||||||||||
Commercial mortgage loans, held for sale, measured at fair value(3) | 360,718 | 87,270 | ||||||||||||
Real estate securities, available for sale, measured at fair value, amortized cost of $151,946 and $202,894 as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively(4) | 151,662 | 202,973 | ||||||||||||
| Mortgage servicing rights, net | 212,216 | — | ||||||||||||
| Accrued interest receivable | 41,468 | 42,225 | ||||||||||||
Receivable for loan repayment(5) | 50,619 | 157,582 | ||||||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other assets | 45,112 | 17,526 | ||||||||||||
| Real estate owned, net of depreciation | 99,265 | 113,160 | ||||||||||||
| Real estate owned, held for sale | 198,883 | 222,890 | ||||||||||||
| Equity method investments | 71,682 | 13,395 | ||||||||||||
| Intangible assets, net of amortization | 115,553 | 39,834 | ||||||||||||
| Goodwill | 92,048 | — | ||||||||||||
| Derivative instruments, measured at fair value | 11,315 | — | ||||||||||||
| Loans eligible for repurchase | 17,911 | — | ||||||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 6,057,250 | $ | 6,002,386 | ||||||||||
| LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | ||||||||||||||
| Collateralized loan obligations | $ | 2,735,582 | $ | 3,628,270 | ||||||||||
| Repurchase agreements and revolving credit facilities - commercial mortgage loans | 1,087,087 | 329,811 | ||||||||||||
| Repurchase agreements - real estate securities | 187,371 | 236,608 | ||||||||||||
| Other financings | 12,865 | 12,865 | ||||||||||||
| Unsecured debt | 185,466 | 81,395 | ||||||||||||
| Mortgage note payable | 23,998 | 23,998 | ||||||||||||
| Allowance for loss sharing | 19,484 | — | ||||||||||||
| Accrued compensation | 43,662 | — | ||||||||||||
| Liability for loans eligible for repurchase | 17,911 | — | ||||||||||||
| Interest payable | 16,110 | 12,844 | ||||||||||||
| Distributions payable | 38,935 | 36,237 | ||||||||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 18,892 | 4,081 | ||||||||||||
| Due to affiliates | 12,054 | 14,106 | ||||||||||||
| Derivative instruments, measured at fair value | 6,951 | 713 | ||||||||||||
| Other liabilities | 29,657 | 11,653 | ||||||||||||
| Total liabilities | $ | 4,436,025 | $ | 4,392,581 | ||||||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies | ||||||||||||||
| Redeemable convertible preferred stock: | ||||||||||||||
Redeemable convertible preferred stock Series H, $0.01 par value, 20,000 authorized and 17,950 issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively | $ | 89,748 | $ | 89,748 | ||||||||||
| Total redeemable convertible preferred stock | $ | 89,748 | $ | 89,748 | ||||||||||
| Equity: | ||||||||||||||
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized, 7.5% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series E, 10,329,039 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively | $ | 258,742 | $ | 258,742 | ||||||||||
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 900,000,000 shares authorized, 81,553,982 and 83,066,789 issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively | 808 | 818 | ||||||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 1,593,365 | 1,600,997 | ||||||||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | (284) | 79 | ||||||||||||
| Accumulated deficit | (411,101) | (348,074) | ||||||||||||
| Total stockholders' equity | $ | 1,441,530 | $ | 1,512,562 | ||||||||||
| Non-controlling interest | 89,947 | 7,495 | ||||||||||||
| Total equity | $ | 1,531,477 | $ | 1,520,057 | ||||||||||
| Total liabilities, redeemable convertible preferred stock and equity | $ | 6,057,250 | $ | 6,002,386 | ||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Income | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest income | $ | 430,280 | $ | 526,076 | $ | 552,506 | |||||||||||
| Less: Interest expense | 288,327 | 338,471 | 305,577 | ||||||||||||||
| Net interest income | 141,953 | 187,605 | 246,929 | ||||||||||||||
| Gain/(loss) on sales, including fee-based services, net | 57,599 | 13,125 | 3,917 | ||||||||||||||
| Mortgage servicing rights | 28,570 | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| Servicing revenue, net | 12,516 | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| Gain/(loss) on derivatives | (200) | (211) | 858 | ||||||||||||||
| Revenue from real estate owned | 29,633 | 22,849 | 17,021 | ||||||||||||||
| Total income | $ | 270,071 | $ | 223,368 | $ | 268,725 | |||||||||||
| Expenses | |||||||||||||||||
| Compensation and benefits | $ | 53,739 | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||||||
| Asset management and subordinated performance fee | 24,497 | 25,958 | 33,847 | ||||||||||||||
| Acquisition expenses | 951 | 996 | 1,241 | ||||||||||||||
| Administrative services expenses | 13,346 | 9,707 | 14,440 | ||||||||||||||
| Professional fees | 29,207 | 14,508 | 15,270 | ||||||||||||||
| Other expenses | 45,919 | 21,472 | 11,135 | ||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 9,593 | 5,630 | 7,128 | ||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation | 9,118 | 8,173 | 4,761 | ||||||||||||||
| Total expenses | $ | 186,370 | $ | 86,444 | $ | 87,822 | |||||||||||
| Other income/(loss) | |||||||||||||||||
| (Provision)/benefit for credit losses | $ | 11,850 | $ | (35,699) | $ | (33,738) | |||||||||||
| Realized gain/(loss) on sale of commercial mortgage loans, held for investment | — | 138 | — | ||||||||||||||
| Realized gain/(loss) on sale of commercial mortgage loans, held for sale | (246) | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| Realized gain/(loss) on real estate securities, available for sale | 112 | 143 | 80 | ||||||||||||||
| Realized gain/(loss) on extinguishment of debt | (7,660) | — | 2,201 | ||||||||||||||
| Gain/(loss) on other real estate investments | (3,371) | (7,983) | (7,089) | ||||||||||||||
| Income/(loss) from equity method investments | 3,583 | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| Trading gain/(loss) | — | — | (605) | ||||||||||||||
| Total other income/(loss) | $ | 4,268 | $ | (43,401) | $ | (39,151) | |||||||||||
| Income/(loss) before taxes | 87,969 | 93,523 | 141,752 | ||||||||||||||
| (Provision)/benefit for income tax | (3,884) | (1,120) | 2,757 | ||||||||||||||
| Net income/(loss) | $ | 84,085 | $ | 92,403 | $ | 144,509 | |||||||||||
| Net (income)/loss attributable to non-controlling interest | (1,814) | 3,475 | 706 | ||||||||||||||
| Net income/(loss) attributable to Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. | $ | 82,271 | $ | 95,878 | $ | 145,215 | |||||||||||
| Less: Preferred stock dividends | 26,993 | 26,993 | 26,993 | ||||||||||||||
| Net income/(loss) attributable to common stock | $ | 55,278 | $ | 68,885 | $ | 118,222 | |||||||||||
| Basic earnings per share | $ | 0.65 | $ | 0.82 | $ | 1.42 | |||||||||||
| Diluted earnings per share | $ | 0.64 | $ | 0.82 | $ | 1.42 | |||||||||||
| Basic weighted average shares outstanding | 81,965,156 | 81,846,170 | 82,307,970 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted weighted average shares outstanding | 86,192,595 | 81,846,170 | 82,307,970 | ||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||
| GAAP Net Income (Loss) | $ | 84,085 | $ | 92,403 | $ | 144,509 | ||||||||||||||
| Adjustments: | ||||||||||||||||||||
CLO amortization acceleration(1) | — | — | (5,521) | |||||||||||||||||
Unrealized (gain)/loss on financial instruments(2) | 4,444 | 6,933 | 7,185 | |||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized (gain)/loss - ARMs | — | — | 415 | |||||||||||||||||
| (Reversal of)/provision for credit losses | (11,850) | 35,699 | 33,738 | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-cash compensation expense | 13,070 | 8,173 | 4,762 | |||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization, net | 9,570 | 5,630 | 7,128 | |||||||||||||||||
Subordinated performance fee(3) | (1,080) | (7,551) | 6,171 | |||||||||||||||||
Transaction-related and non-recurring items(4) | 8,818 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
| Realized (gain)/loss on debt extinguishment / CLO call | 7,660 | — | (2,201) | |||||||||||||||||
Loan workout charges/(loan workout recoveries)(5) | — | — | (5,105) | |||||||||||||||||
| Income from mortgage servicing rights | (28,570) | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
| Amortization and write-offs of MSRs | 25,625 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
| Deferred tax adjustment | 3,030 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
| Fair value adjustments on equity investments | (1,707) | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
| Distributable Earnings before Realized Loss | $ | 113,095 | 11309500000.0% | $ | 141,287 | $ | 191,081 | |||||||||||||
| Realized gain / (loss) on debt extinguishment | (7,660) | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
Realized gain/(loss) adjustment on loans and REO(6) | (38,114) | (40,605) | (1,571) | |||||||||||||||||
| Distributable Earnings | $ | 67,321 | $ | 100,682 | $ | 189,510 | ||||||||||||||
| 7.5% series E cumulative redeemable preferred stock dividend | (19,367) | (19,367) | (19,367) | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-controlling interests in joint ventures net (income) / loss | (1,814) | 3,475 | (602) | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-controlling interests in joint ventures adjusted net (income) / loss DE adjustments | (265) | (3,717) | (31) | |||||||||||||||||
| Distributable Earnings to Common | $ | 45,875 | $ | 81,073 | $ | 169,510 | ||||||||||||||
Average common stock & common stock equivalents(7) | 1,354,842 | 1,363,621 | 1,403,558 | |||||||||||||||||
| GAAP net income/(loss) ROE | 4.6 | % | 5.6 | % | 8.9 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Distributable earnings ROE | 3.4 | % | 5.9 | % | 12.1 | % | ||||||||||||||
| GAAP net income/(loss) per share, diluted | $ | 0.64 | $ | 0.82 | $ | 1.42 | ||||||||||||||
GAAP net income/(loss) per share, fully converted(8) | $ | 0.68 | $ | 0.87 | $ | 1.42 | ||||||||||||||
Distributable earnings per share, fully converted(8) | $ | 0.49 | $ | 0.92 | $ | 1.92 | ||||||||||||||
Distributable earnings per share before realized loss, fully converted(6) | $ | 0.99 | $ | 1.38 | $ | 1.93 | ||||||||||||||