ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Basis of Accounting	Basis of Accounting The accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP").
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, FIDAC, FIDAC FSI, FIDAC Europe, Merganser, RCap, Shannon, Charlesfort, the Fund and CXS Acquisition. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Cash flows from RCap are reported as operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Cash and Cash Equivalents	Cash and Cash Equivalents - Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and cash held in money market funds on an overnight basis. RCap is a member of various clearing organizations with which it maintains cash required for the conduct of its day-to-day clearance activities. Cash and securities deposited with clearing organizations are carried at cost, which approximates fair value, which was $377.8 million and $424.6 million at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The Company also maintains collateral in the form of cash on margin with a counterparty to its interest rate swaps of $87.9 million and $102.9 million at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements	Reverse Repurchase Agreements - RCap enters into reverse repurchase agreements as part of the Company’s matched book trading activity. Reverse repurchase agreements are recorded on trade date at the contract amount and are collateralized by mortgage-backed or other securities. Margin calls are made by the Company as necessary based on the daily valuation of the underlying collateral as compared to the contract price. The Company generates income from the spread between what is earned on the reverse repurchase agreements and what is paid on the matched repurchase agreements. The Company’s policy is to obtain possession of collateral with a market value in excess of the principal amount loaned under reverse repurchase agreements. To ensure that the market value of the underlying collateral remains sufficient, collateral is valued daily, and the Company will require counterparties to deposit additional collateral, when necessary. All reverse repurchase activities are transacted under master repurchase agreements that give the Company the right, in the event of default, to liquidate collateral held and to offset receivables and payables with the same counterparty.
Securities borrowed and loaned transactions	Securities borrowed and loaned transactions – RCap records securities borrowed and loaned transactions as collateralized financings. Securities borrowed transactions require RCap to provide the counterparty with collateral in the form of cash, or other securities. RCap receives collateral in the form of cash or other securities for securities loaned transactions in an amount generally in excess of the fair value of the securities loaned. RCap monitors the fair value of the securities borrowed and loaned on a daily basis, with additional collateral obtained or refunded as necessary. Securities borrowed and securities loaned transactions are recorded at contract value. For these transactions, the rebates accrued by the Company are recorded as interest income or expense.
U.S. Treasury Securities	U.S. Treasury Securities – RCap trades in U.S. Treasury securities for its proprietary portfolio, which consists of long and short positions on U.S Treasury notes and bonds. U.S. Treasury securities are classified as trading investments and are recorded on the trade date at cost. Changes in fair value are reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). Generally the Company does not hold the U.S. Treasury notes and bonds to maturity and realizes gains and losses from trading those positions. Interest income or expense on U.S. Treasury notes and bonds is accrued based on the outstanding principal amount of those investments and their stated terms.
Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities and Agency Debentures	Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities and Agency Debentures – The Company invests primarily in mortgage pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations and other mortgage-backed securities representing interests in or obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans, and certificates guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae (collectively, “Agency mortgage-backed securities”). The Company also invests in Agency debentures issued by Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”), Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae.
Investment Securities	Investment Securities – Agency mortgage-backed securities, Agency debentures, and corporate debt are referred to herein as “Investment Securities.” Although the Company generally intends to hold most of its Investment Securities until maturity, it may, from time to time, sell any of its Investment Securities as part of its overall management of its portfolio. Investment Securities classified as available-for-sale are reported at fair values estimated by management that are compared to independent sources for reasonableness, with unrealized gains and losses reported as a component of stockholders’ equity. Investment Securities transactions are recorded on the trade date. Realized gains and losses on sales of Investment Securities are determined using the average cost method. The Company’s investments in corporate debt are designated as held for investment, and are carried at their principal balance outstanding plus any premiums or discounts less allowances for loan losses. No allowance for loan losses was deemed necessary as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012. On April 1, 2011, the Company elected the fair value option for Agency interest-only mortgage-backed securities acquired on or after such date. Interest-only securities and inverse interest-only securities are collectively referred to as “interest-only securities.” These Agency interest-only mortgage-backed securities represent the Company’s right to receive a specified proportion of the contractual interest flows of specific Agency mortgage-backed securities. Agency interest-only mortgage-backed securities acquired on or after April 1, 2011 are measured at fair value through earnings in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. The interest-only securities are included in Agency mortgage-backed securities at fair value on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Interest income from coupon payments is accrued based on the outstanding principal amount of the Investment Securities and their contractual terms. Premiums and discounts associated with the purchase of the Investment Securities are amortized into interest income over the projected lives of the securities using the interest method. The Company’s policy for estimating prepayment speeds for calculating the effective yield is to evaluate historical performance, consensus prepayment speeds, and current market conditions. Adjustments are made for actual prepayment activity.
Equity Securities	Equity Securities – The Company invests in equity securities that are classified as available-for-sale or trading. Equity securities classified as available-for-sale are reported at fair value, based on market quotes, with unrealized gains and losses reported as a component of stockholders’ equity. Equity securities classified as trading are reported at fair value, based on market quotes, with unrealized gains and losses reported in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). Dividends are recorded in earnings based on the declaration date.
Other-Than-Temporary Impairment	Other-Than-Temporary Impairment – Management evaluates available-for-sale securities for other-than-temporary impairment at least quarterly, and more frequently when economic or market concerns warrant such evaluation. The Company determines if it (1) has the intent to sell the securities, (2) is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the securities before recovery, or (3) does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost basis of the securities. Further, the security is analyzed for credit loss (the difference between the present value of cash flows expected to be collected and the amortized cost basis). The credit loss, if any, will then be recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss), while the balance of losses related to other factors will be recognized as a component of stockholders’ equity. There was no other-than-temporary impairment for the quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.
Derivative Instruments	Derivative Instruments – The Company accounts for interest rate swaps at fair value as either assets or liabilities on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Changes in the fair value of interest rate swaps are recognized in earnings. The Company uses interest rate swaps to manage its exposure to changing interest rates on its repurchase agreements. Net payments on interest rate swaps are included in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as a component of operating activities. The Company elected to net, by counterparty, the fair value of interest rate swap contracts. These contracts contain legally enforceable provisions that allow for netting or setting off swap receivables and payables with each counterparty and, therefore, the fair value of those swap contracts are netted by counterparty. The credit support annex provisions of the Company’s interest rate swap contracts allow the parties to mitigate their credit risk by requiring the party which is out of the money to post collateral. As the Company elects to net by counterparty the fair value of interest rate swap contracts, it also nets by counterparty any collateral exchanged as part of the interest rate swap contracts. Substantially all collateral is non-cash collateral under these contracts. In addition, the Company’s agreements with certain of its counterparties with whom it has both interest rate swap contracts and master repurchase agreements contain legally enforceable provisions that allow for netting or setting off on an aggregate basis all receivables, payables and collateral postings required under both the interest rate swap contract and the master repurchase agreement with respect to each such counterparty. The Company may from time to time also use a variety of derivative instruments to economically hedge some of its exposure to market risks, including interest rate and prepayment risk. Any such hedging transactions could take a variety of forms, including the use of derivative instruments such as interest rate swap agreements, interest rate swaptions or forward contracts. The Company may also purchase or sell To-Be-Announced (“TBA”) securities, purchase or write put or call options on TBA securities or invest in other types of mortgage derivative securities. RCap enters primarily into U.S. Treasury, Eurodollar, federal funds, U.S. equity index and currency futures and options contracts. RCap maintains a margin account which is settled daily with futures and options commission merchants. Changes in the unrealized gains or losses on the futures and options contracts as well as any foreign exchange gains and losses are reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). Unrealized gains (losses) are excluded from net income (loss) in arriving at cash flows from operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Credit Risk	Credit Risk – The Company has limited its exposure to credit losses on its portfolio of Agency mortgage-backed securities by only purchasing securities issued by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae or Ginnie Mae and Agency debentures issued by the FHLB, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The payment of principal and interest on the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Agency mortgage-backed securities are guaranteed by those respective agencies, and the payment of principal and interest on Ginnie Mae Agency mortgage-backed securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Principal and interest on Agency debentures are guaranteed by the agency issuing the debenture. Substantially all of the Company’s Investment Securities have an actual or implied “AAA” rating. The Company faces credit risk on the portions of its portfolio which are not Agency mortgage-backed securities and Agency debentures. The Company will have credit risk on commercial loans and securities.
Market Risk	Market Risk - Weakness in the mortgage market may adversely affect the performance and market value of the Company’s investments. This could negatively impact the Company’s net book value. Furthermore, if many of the Company’s lenders are unwilling or unable to provide additional financing, the Company could be forced to sell its Investment Securities at an inopportune time when prices are depressed. The Company does not anticipate having difficulty converting its assets to cash or extending financing terms due to the fact that its Agency mortgage-backed securities and Agency debentures have an actual or implied “AAA” rating and principal payment is guaranteed by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, or Ginnie Mae.
Counterparty Credit Risk	Counterparty Credit Risk – The Company is exposed to risk of loss if an issuer or a counterparty fails to perform its obligations under contractual terms. The Company has established policies and procedures for mitigating credit risk, including reviewing and establishing limits for credit exposure, limiting transactions with specific counterparties, maintaining qualifying collateral and continually assessing the creditworthiness of counterparties.
Repurchase Agreements	Repurchase Agreements - The Company finances the acquisition of a significant portion of its Agency mortgage-backed securities with repurchase agreements. The Company examines each of the specified criteria in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 860, Transfers and Servicing, at the inception of each transaction and has determined that each of the financings meet the specified criteria in this guidance. None of the Company’s repurchase agreements are accounted for as components of linked transactions. As a result, the Company separately accounts for the financial assets and related repurchase financings in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Reverse repurchase agreements and repurchase agreements with the same counterparty and the same maturity are presented net in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition when the terms of the agreements permit netting. The Company reports cash flows on repurchase agreements as financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The Company reports cash flows on repurchase agreements entered into by RCap and Shannon as operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Convertible Senior Notes	Convertible Senior Notes – The Company records the 4% Convertible Senior Notes and 5% Convertible Senior Notes (collectively, the “Convertible Senior Notes”) at their contractual amounts, adjusted by the effects of a beneficial conversion feature and a contingent beneficial conversion feature (collectively, the “Conversion Features”). This Conversion Features’ intrinsic value is included in “Additional paid-in capital” on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and reduces the recorded liability amount associated with the Convertible Senior Notes. The Convertible Senior Notes have a conversion price adjustment feature that is evaluated at the time of the conversion price adjustment. A contingent beneficial conversion feature may be recognized as a result of adjustments to the conversion price for dividends declared. The Company determined the intrinsic value of a contingent beneficial conversion feature on its 4% Convertible Senior Notes.
Income Taxes	Income Taxes - The Company has elected to be taxed as a REIT and intends to comply with the provisions of the Code, with respect thereto. Accordingly, the Company will not be subjected to federal income tax to the extent of its distributions to shareholders and as long as certain asset, income and stock ownership tests are met. The Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, FIDAC, Merganser and RCap, have made separate joint elections to treat these subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries. As such, each of the taxable REIT subsidiaries are taxable as a domestic C corporation and subject to federal, state and local income taxes based upon their taxable income. FIDAC Europe was located in Europe and was not required to pay United States income taxes. FIDAC Europe was sold by the Company in December 2012. The provisions of FASB ASC 740, Income Taxes, clarify the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in financial statements and prescribe a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. ASC 740 also requires that interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits be recognized in the financial statements. The Company does not have any unrecognized tax benefits that would affect its financial position. Thus, no accruals for penalties and interest were necessary as of March 31, 2013.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	Goodwill and Intangible Assets - The Company’s acquisitions of FIDAC and Merganser and FIDAC Europe’s acquisition of certain assets were accounted for using the acquisition method. Under the acquisition method, net assets and results of operations of acquired companies are included in the consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition. The costs of FIDAC and Merganser were allocated to the assets acquired, including identifiable intangible assets and the liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. The excess of purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired was recognized as goodwill. In addition, FIDAC Europe acquired a customer relationship after its formation. Goodwill and intangible assets are periodically (but not less frequently than annually) reviewed for potential impairment. Intangible assets with an estimated useful life are amortized over the expected life. During the quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, there were no impairment losses recognized related to goodwill and intangible assets.
Stock Based Compensation	Stock Based Compensation - The Company is required to measure and recognize in the consolidated financial statements the compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions. The Company recognizes compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates - The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. All assets classified as trading or available-for-sale and interest rate swaps are reported at their estimated fair value, based on market prices. The Company’s policy is to obtain fair values from one or more independent sources to compare to internal prices for reasonableness. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Balance Sheet (ASC 210)	Balance Sheet (ASC 210) On December 23, 2011, FASB released ASU 2011-11 Balance Sheet: Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. Under this update, the Company will be required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The scope would include derivatives, sale and repurchase agreements and reverse sale and repurchase agreements and securities borrowing and securities lending arrangements. This disclosure is intended to enable financial statement users to understand the effect of such arrangements on the Company’s financial position. In January 2013, FASB released ASU 2013-01 Balance Sheet: Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities, which served solely to clarify the scope of financial instruments included in ASU 2011-11 as there was concern about diversity in practice. The objective of these updates is to support further convergence of US GAAP and IFRS requirements. The updates are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013 and did not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.
Comprehensive Income (ASC 220)	Comprehensive Income (ASC 220) On December 23, 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12, Comprehensive Income: Deferral of Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income In ASU No. 2011-05, which defers those changes in ASU 2011-05 that relate to the presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated OCI. This was done to allow the FASB time to re-deliberate the presentation on the face of the financial statements the effects of reclassifications out of accumulated OCI on the components of net income and OCI. No other requirements under ASU 2011-05 are affected by ASU 2011-12. FASB tentatively decided not to require presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the face of the financial statements and to propose new disclosures instead. In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-02 Comprehensive Income: Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. This update addresses the disclosure issue left open at the deferral under ASU 2011-12. This update requires the provision of information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated OCI by component. In addition, it requires presentation, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated OCI by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, a cross-reference must be provided to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. This update is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012. Adoption of ASU 2013-02 did not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.
Financial Services - Investment Companies (ASC 946)	Financial Services – Investment Companies (ASC 946) In October 2011, the FASB issued a proposed ASU 2011-20, Financial Services-Investment Companies: Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements, which would amend the criteria in ASC 946 for determining whether an entity qualifies as an investment company. As proposed, this ASU would affect the measurement, presentation and disclosure requirements for Investment Companies, as defined, amend the investment company definition in ASC 946, and remove the current exemption for Real Estate Investment Trusts from this topic. If promulgated in its current form, this proposal may result in a material modification to the presentation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements. On December 12, 2012, the FASB agreed that the accounting for real estate investments should be considered in a second phase of the Investment Companies project and that all REITs should be exempted from conclusions reached in phase I of the project. The FASB has not yet agreed on the scope of phase II of the project. The Company is monitoring developments related to this proposal and is evaluating the effects it would have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

The accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP").

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, FIDAC, FIDAC FSI, FIDAC Europe, Merganser, RCap, Shannon, Charlesfort, the Fund and CXS Acquisition. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Cash flows from RCap are reported as operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents - Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and cash held in money market funds on an overnight basis. RCap is a member of various clearing organizations with which it maintains cash required for the conduct of its day-to-day clearance activities. Cash and securities deposited with clearing organizations are carried at cost, which approximates fair value, which was $377.8 million and $424.6 million at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The Company also maintains collateral in the form of cash on margin with a counterparty to its interest rate swaps of $87.9 million and $102.9 million at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

Reverse Repurchase Agreements - RCap enters into reverse repurchase agreements as part of the Company’s matched book trading activity. Reverse repurchase agreements are recorded on trade date at the contract amount and are collateralized by mortgage-backed or other securities. Margin calls are made by the Company as necessary based on the daily valuation of the underlying collateral as compared to the contract price. The Company generates income from the spread between what is earned on the reverse repurchase agreements and what is paid on the matched repurchase agreements. The Company’s policy is to obtain possession of collateral with a market value in excess of the principal amount loaned under reverse repurchase agreements. To ensure that the market value of the underlying collateral remains sufficient, collateral is valued daily, and the Company will require counterparties to deposit additional collateral, when necessary. All reverse repurchase activities are transacted under master repurchase agreements that give the Company the right, in the event of default, to liquidate collateral held and to offset receivables and payables with the same counterparty.

Securities borrowed and loaned transactions

Securities borrowed and loaned transactions – RCap records securities borrowed and loaned transactions as collateralized financings. Securities borrowed transactions require RCap to provide the counterparty with collateral in the form of cash, or other securities. RCap receives collateral in the form of cash or other securities for securities loaned transactions in an amount generally in excess of the fair value of the securities loaned. RCap monitors the fair value of the securities borrowed and loaned on a daily basis, with additional collateral obtained or refunded as necessary. Securities borrowed and securities loaned transactions are recorded at contract value. For these transactions, the rebates accrued by the Company are recorded as interest income or expense.

U.S. Treasury Securities

U.S. Treasury Securities – RCap trades in U.S. Treasury securities for its proprietary portfolio, which consists of long and short positions on U.S Treasury notes and bonds. U.S. Treasury securities are classified as trading investments and are recorded on the trade date at cost. Changes in fair value are reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). Generally the Company does not hold the U.S. Treasury notes and bonds to maturity and realizes gains and losses from trading those positions. Interest income or expense on U.S. Treasury notes and bonds is accrued based on the outstanding principal amount of those investments and their stated terms.

Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities and Agency Debentures

Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities and Agency Debentures – The Company invests primarily in mortgage pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations and other mortgage-backed securities representing interests in or obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans, and certificates guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae (collectively, “Agency mortgage-backed securities”). The Company also invests in Agency debentures issued by Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”), Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae.

Investment Securities

Investment Securities – Agency mortgage-backed securities, Agency debentures, and corporate debt are referred to herein as “Investment Securities.” Although the Company generally intends to hold most of its Investment Securities until maturity, it may, from time to time, sell any of its Investment Securities as part of its overall management of its portfolio. Investment Securities classified as available-for-sale are reported at fair values estimated by management that are compared to independent sources for reasonableness, with unrealized gains and losses reported as a component of stockholders’ equity. Investment Securities transactions are recorded on the trade date. Realized gains and losses on sales of Investment Securities are determined using the average cost method. The Company’s investments in corporate debt are designated as held for investment, and are carried at their principal balance outstanding plus any premiums or discounts less allowances for loan losses. No allowance for loan losses was deemed necessary as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012.

On April 1, 2011, the Company elected the fair value option for Agency interest-only mortgage-backed securities acquired on or after such date. Interest-only securities and inverse interest-only securities are collectively referred to as “interest-only securities.” These Agency interest-only mortgage-backed securities represent the Company’s right to receive a specified proportion of the contractual interest flows of specific Agency mortgage-backed securities. Agency interest-only mortgage-backed securities acquired on or after April 1, 2011 are measured at fair value through earnings in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. The interest-only securities are included in Agency mortgage-backed securities at fair value on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Interest income from coupon payments is accrued based on the outstanding principal amount of the Investment Securities and their contractual terms. Premiums and discounts associated with the purchase of the Investment Securities are amortized into interest income over the projected lives of the securities using the interest method. The Company’s policy for estimating prepayment speeds for calculating the effective yield is to evaluate historical performance, consensus prepayment speeds, and current market conditions. Adjustments are made for actual prepayment activity.

Equity Securities

Equity Securities – The Company invests in equity securities that are classified as available-for-sale or trading. Equity securities classified as available-for-sale are reported at fair value, based on market quotes, with unrealized gains and losses reported as a component of stockholders’ equity. Equity securities classified as trading are reported at fair value, based on market quotes, with unrealized gains and losses reported in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). Dividends are recorded in earnings based on the declaration date.

Other-Than-Temporary Impairment

Other-Than-Temporary Impairment – Management evaluates available-for-sale securities for other-than-temporary impairment at least quarterly, and more frequently when economic or market concerns warrant such evaluation. The Company determines if it (1) has the intent to sell the securities, (2) is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the securities before recovery, or (3) does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost basis of the securities. Further, the security is analyzed for credit loss (the difference between the present value of cash flows expected to be collected and the amortized cost basis). The credit loss, if any, will then be recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss), while the balance of losses related to other factors will be recognized as a component of stockholders’ equity. There was no other-than-temporary impairment for the quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012.

Derivative Instruments

Derivative Instruments – The Company accounts for interest rate swaps at fair value as either assets or liabilities on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Changes in the fair value of interest rate swaps are recognized in earnings. The Company uses interest rate swaps to manage its exposure to changing interest rates on its repurchase agreements. Net payments on interest rate swaps are included in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as a component of operating activities.

The Company elected to net, by counterparty, the fair value of interest rate swap contracts. These contracts contain legally enforceable provisions that allow for netting or setting off swap receivables and payables with each counterparty and, therefore, the fair value of those swap contracts are netted by counterparty. The credit support annex provisions of the Company’s interest rate swap contracts allow the parties to mitigate their credit risk by requiring the party which is out of the money to post collateral. As the Company elects to net by counterparty the fair value of interest rate swap contracts, it also nets by counterparty any collateral exchanged as part of the interest rate swap contracts. Substantially all collateral is non-cash collateral under these contracts. In addition, the Company’s agreements with certain of its counterparties with whom it has both interest rate swap contracts and master repurchase agreements contain legally enforceable provisions that allow for netting or setting off on an aggregate basis all receivables, payables and collateral postings required under both the interest rate swap contract and the master repurchase agreement with respect to each such counterparty.

The Company may from time to time also use a variety of derivative instruments to economically hedge some of its exposure to market risks, including interest rate and prepayment risk. Any such hedging transactions could take a variety of forms, including the use of derivative instruments such as interest rate swap agreements, interest rate swaptions or forward contracts. The Company may also purchase or sell To-Be-Announced (“TBA”) securities, purchase or write put or call options on TBA securities or invest in other types of mortgage derivative securities.

RCap enters primarily into U.S. Treasury, Eurodollar, federal funds, U.S. equity index and currency futures and options contracts. RCap maintains a margin account which is settled daily with futures and options commission merchants. Changes in the unrealized gains or losses on the futures and options contracts as well as any foreign exchange gains and losses are reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). Unrealized gains (losses) are excluded from net income (loss) in arriving at cash flows from operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Credit Risk

Credit Risk – The Company has limited its exposure to credit losses on its portfolio of Agency mortgage-backed securities by only purchasing securities issued by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae or Ginnie Mae and Agency debentures issued by the FHLB, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The payment of principal and interest on the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Agency mortgage-backed securities are guaranteed by those respective agencies, and the payment of principal and interest on Ginnie Mae Agency mortgage-backed securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Principal and interest on Agency debentures are guaranteed by the agency issuing the debenture. Substantially all of the Company’s Investment Securities have an actual or implied “AAA” rating. The Company faces credit risk on the portions of its portfolio which are not Agency mortgage-backed securities and Agency debentures. The Company will have credit risk on commercial loans and securities.

Market Risk

Market Risk - Weakness in the mortgage market may adversely affect the performance and market value of the Company’s investments. This could negatively impact the Company’s net book value. Furthermore, if many of the Company’s lenders are unwilling or unable to provide additional financing, the Company could be forced to sell its Investment Securities at an inopportune time when prices are depressed. The Company does not anticipate having difficulty converting its assets to cash or extending financing terms due to the fact that its Agency mortgage-backed securities and Agency debentures have an actual or implied “AAA” rating and principal payment is guaranteed by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, or Ginnie Mae.

Counterparty Credit Risk

Counterparty Credit Risk – The Company is exposed to risk of loss if an issuer or a counterparty fails to perform its obligations under contractual terms.

The Company has established policies and procedures for mitigating credit risk, including reviewing and establishing limits for credit exposure, limiting transactions with specific counterparties, maintaining qualifying collateral and continually assessing the creditworthiness of counterparties.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase Agreements - The Company finances the acquisition of a significant portion of its Agency mortgage-backed securities with repurchase agreements. The Company examines each of the specified criteria in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 860, Transfers and Servicing, at the inception of each transaction and has determined that each of the financings meet the specified criteria in this guidance. None of the Company’s repurchase agreements are accounted for as components of linked transactions. As a result, the Company separately accounts for the financial assets and related repurchase financings in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Reverse repurchase agreements and repurchase agreements with the same counterparty and the same maturity are presented net in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition when the terms of the agreements permit netting. The Company reports cash flows on repurchase agreements as financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The Company reports cash flows on repurchase agreements entered into by RCap and Shannon as operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Convertible Senior Notes

Convertible Senior Notes – The Company records the 4% Convertible Senior Notes and 5% Convertible Senior Notes (collectively, the “Convertible Senior Notes”) at their contractual amounts, adjusted by the effects of a beneficial conversion feature and a contingent beneficial conversion feature (collectively, the “Conversion Features”). This Conversion Features’ intrinsic value is included in “Additional paid-in capital” on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and reduces the recorded liability amount associated with the Convertible Senior Notes.

The Convertible Senior Notes have a conversion price adjustment feature that is evaluated at the time of the conversion price adjustment. A contingent beneficial conversion feature may be recognized as a result of adjustments to the conversion price for dividends declared. The Company determined the intrinsic value of a contingent beneficial conversion feature on its 4% Convertible Senior Notes.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes - The Company has elected to be taxed as a REIT and intends to comply with the provisions of the Code, with respect thereto. Accordingly, the Company will not be subjected to federal income tax to the extent of its distributions to shareholders and as long as certain asset, income and stock ownership tests are met. The Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, FIDAC, Merganser and RCap, have made separate joint elections to treat these subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries. As such, each of the taxable REIT subsidiaries are taxable as a domestic C corporation and subject to federal, state and local income taxes based upon their taxable income. FIDAC Europe was located in Europe and was not required to pay United States income taxes. FIDAC Europe was sold by the Company in December 2012.

The provisions of FASB ASC 740, Income Taxes, clarify the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in financial statements and prescribe a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. ASC 740 also requires that interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits be recognized in the financial statements. The Company does not have any unrecognized tax benefits that would affect its financial position. Thus, no accruals for penalties and interest were necessary as of March 31, 2013.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets - The Company’s acquisitions of FIDAC and Merganser and FIDAC Europe’s acquisition of certain assets were accounted for using the acquisition method. Under the acquisition method, net assets and results of operations of acquired companies are included in the consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition. The costs of FIDAC and Merganser were allocated to the assets acquired, including identifiable intangible assets and the liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. The excess of purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired was recognized as goodwill. In addition, FIDAC Europe acquired a customer relationship after its formation. Goodwill and intangible assets are periodically (but not less frequently than annually) reviewed for potential impairment. Intangible assets with an estimated useful life are amortized over the expected life. During the quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, there were no impairment losses recognized related to goodwill and intangible assets.

Stock Based Compensation

Stock Based Compensation - The Company is required to measure and recognize in the consolidated financial statements the compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions. The Company recognizes compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates - The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. All assets classified as trading or available-for-sale and interest rate swaps are reported at their estimated fair value, based on market prices. The Company’s policy is to obtain fair values from one or more independent sources to compare to internal prices for reasonableness. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Balance Sheet (ASC 210)

On December 23, 2011, FASB released ASU 2011-11 Balance Sheet: Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. Under this update, the Company will be required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The scope would include derivatives, sale and repurchase agreements and reverse sale and repurchase agreements and securities borrowing and securities lending arrangements. This disclosure is intended to enable financial statement users to understand the effect of such arrangements on the Company’s financial position. In January 2013, FASB released ASU 2013-01 Balance Sheet: Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities, which served solely to clarify the scope of financial instruments included in ASU 2011-11 as there was concern about diversity in practice. The objective of these updates is to support further convergence of US GAAP and IFRS requirements. The updates are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013 and did not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Comprehensive Income (ASC 220)

On December 23, 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12, Comprehensive Income: Deferral of Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income In ASU No. 2011-05, which defers those changes in ASU 2011-05 that relate to the presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated OCI. This was done to allow the FASB time to re-deliberate the presentation on the face of the financial statements the effects of reclassifications out of accumulated OCI on the components of net income and OCI. No other requirements under ASU 2011-05 are affected by ASU 2011-12. FASB tentatively decided not to require presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the face of the financial statements and to propose new disclosures instead.

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-02 Comprehensive Income: Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. This update addresses the disclosure issue left open at the deferral under ASU 2011-12. This update requires the provision of information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated OCI by component. In addition, it requires presentation, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated OCI by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, a cross-reference must be provided to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. This update is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012. Adoption of ASU 2013-02 did not have a significant impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Financial Services - Investment Companies (ASC 946)

Financial Services – Investment Companies (ASC 946)

In October 2011, the FASB issued a proposed ASU 2011-20, Financial Services-Investment Companies: Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements, which would amend the criteria in ASC 946 for determining whether an entity qualifies as an investment company. As proposed, this ASU would affect the measurement, presentation and disclosure requirements for Investment Companies, as defined, amend the investment company definition in ASC 946, and remove the current exemption for Real Estate Investment Trusts from this topic. If promulgated in its current form, this proposal may result in a material modification to the presentation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

On December 12, 2012, the FASB agreed that the accounting for real estate investments should be considered in a second phase of the Investment Companies project and that all REITs should be exempted from conclusions reached in phase I of the project. The FASB has not yet agreed on the scope of phase II of the project.

The Company is monitoring developments related to this proposal and is evaluating the effects it would have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.