Organization and Investment Objective

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization and Investment Objective

Organization and Investment Objective

Ellington Financial Inc., formerly known as Ellington Financial LLC, was originally formed as a Delaware limited liability company on July 9, 2007 and commenced operations on August 17, 2007. On February 28, 2019, Ellington Financial LLC filed a certificate of conversion with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the "Secretary") to convert from a Delaware limited liability company to a Delaware corporation (the "Conversion") and change its name to Ellington Financial Inc. The Conversion became effective on March 1, 2019, and upon effectiveness, each of Ellington Financial LLC's existing common shares representing limited liability company interests, no par value, converted into one issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of Ellington Financial Inc. In connection with the Conversion, Ellington Financial Inc.'s Board of Directors (the "Board of Directors") approved Ellington Financial Inc.'s Certificate of Incorporation (which was also filed with the Secretary) and Bylaws.

Ellington Financial Operating Partnership LLC (the "Operating Partnership"), a 98.7% owned consolidated subsidiary of Ellington Financial Inc., was formed as a Delaware limited liability company on December 14, 2012 and commenced operations on January 1, 2013. All of Ellington Financial Inc.'s operations and business activities are conducted through the Operating Partnership. Ellington Financial Inc., the Operating Partnership, and their consolidated subsidiaries are hereafter collectively referred to as the "Company." All intercompany accounts are eliminated in consolidation.

The Company conducts its operations to qualify and be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or "REIT," under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and has elected to be taxed as a corporation effective January 1, 2019. In anticipation of the Company's intended election to be taxed as a REIT under the Code beginning with its 2019 taxable year (the "REIT Election"), the Company implemented an internal restructuring as of December 31, 2018. As part of this restructuring, the Company moved certain of its non-REIT-qualifying investments and financial derivatives to taxable REIT subsidiaries or, "TRSs," and disposed of certain of its investments in non-REIT-qualifying investments and financial derivatives.

The Company invests in a diverse array of financial assets, including residential and commercial mortgage loans, residential mortgage-backed securities, or "RMBS," commercial mortgage-backed securities, or "CMBS," consumer loans and asset-backed securities, or "ABS," including ABS backed by consumer loans, collateralized loan obligations, or "CLOs," non-mortgage- and mortgage-related derivatives, equity investments in loan origination companies, and other strategic investments.

Ellington Financial Management LLC (the "Manager") is an SEC-registered investment adviser that serves as the Manager to the Company pursuant to the terms of its Seventh Amended and Restated Management Agreement (the "Management Agreement"), which was approved by the Board of Directors effective March 13, 2018. The Manager is an affiliate of Ellington Management Group, L.L.C. ("Ellington"), an investment management firm that is registered as both an investment adviser and a commodity pool operator. In accordance with the terms of the Management Agreement, the Manager implements the investment strategy and manages the business and operations on a day-to-day basis for the Company and performs certain services for the Company, subject to oversight by the Board of Directors.