Securitization Transactions (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Securitization Transactions [Abstract]

Securitization Transactions [Table Text Block]

The following table details the Company’s investments in notes issued by the Ellington-sponsored CLO Securitizations:

CLO Issuer(1)	CLO Pricing Date	CLO Closing Date	Total Face Amount of Notes Issued		Face Amount of Notes Initially Purchased			Aggregate Purchase Price		Notes Held(2) as of
										September 30, 2018			December 31, 2017
			(In thousands)		(In thousands)					(In thousands)
CLO I Issuer(3)(4)	5/17	6/17	$	373,550	$	36,606	(5)	$	35,926	$	—		$	24,299	(6)
CLO I Issuer(4)	8/18	8/18	461,840		36,579		(5)	25,622		22,109		(6)	—
CLO II Issuer	12/17	1/18	452,800		18,223		(7)	16,621		16,537		(6)	13,395		(6)
CLO III Issuer	6/18	7/18	407,100		35,480		(7)	32,394		22,992		(8)	—

(1) The Company does not have the power to direct the activities of the CLO Issuers that most significantly impact their economic performance.

(2) Included on the Company's Consolidated Condensed Schedule of Investments in Collateralized Loan Obligations.

(3) Excludes the Company's equity investment in the CLO I Risk Retention Vehicle, as discussed above.

(4) In August 2018, the notes originally issued by the CLO I Issuer in 2017 were fully redeemed, and the CLO I Issuer simultaneously issued new notes in conjunction with this full redemption.

(5) The Company purchased secured and unsecured subordinated notes.

(6) Includes secured and unsecured subordinated notes.

(7) The Company purchased secured senior and secured and unsecured subordinated notes.

(8) Includes secured senior and secured and unsecured subordinated notes.

Schedule of Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated Securitization Trusts [Table Text Block]

The following table details the assets and liabilities of the consolidated securitization trust included in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Equity as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017:

	As of
(In thousands)	September 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	—	$	333
Investments, at fair value	94,965		132,424
Interest and dividends receivable	37		—
Liabilities:
Interest and dividends payable	37		333
Other secured borrowings, at fair value	89,569		125,105