Edgar Filing: BIMINI CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.

bmnm10k20151231.htm

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015

Commission File Number: 001-32171

Bimini Capital Management, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Maryland		72-1571637
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

3305 Flamingo Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32963

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(772) 231-1400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Title of Each Class

Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ¨ No ý

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No ý

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý No ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ý

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer ¨ Accelerated filer ¨ Non-accelerated filer ¨ Smaller Reporting Company ý

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ¨ No ý

State the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of June 30, 2015:

Title of each Class	Shares held by non-affiliates		Aggregate market value held by non-affiliates
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value		8,803,025	$	24,600,000	(a)
Class B Common Stock, $0.001 par value		20,760	$	1,000	(b)
Class C Common Stock, $0.001 par value		31,938	$	1,500	(b)

(a) The aggregate market value was calculated by using the last sale price of the Class A Common Stock as of June 30, 2015.

(b) The market value of the Class B and Class C Common Stock is an estimate based on their initial purchase price.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the Registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:

Title of each Class	Latest Practicable Date	Shares Outstanding
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value	March 22, 2016		12,631,627
Class B Common Stock, $0.001 par value	March 22, 2016		31,938
Class C Common Stock, $0.001 par value	March 22, 2016		31,938

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for its 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Registrant are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

BIMINI CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.

INDEX

PART I
ITEM 1. Business.			3
ITEM 1A. Risk Factors			14
ITEM 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.			34
ITEM 2. Properties.			34
ITEM 3. Legal Proceedings.			34
ITEM 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.			35
PART II
ITEM 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.			36
ITEM 6. Selected Financial Data.			37
ITEM 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.			37
ITEM 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.			68
ITEM 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.			69
ITEM 9. Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.			103
ITEM 9A. Controls and Procedures.			103
ITEM 9B. Other Information.			104
PART III
ITEM 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.			105
ITEM 11. Executive Compensation.			105
ITEM 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.			105
ITEM 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.			105
ITEM 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.			105
PART IV
ITEM 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.			106

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

We make forward-looking statements in this annual report that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. When we use the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “should,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” or similar expressions, or the negative of these words, we intend to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the following subjects are forward-looking by their nature:

·	our business and investment strategy;

·	our expected operating results;

·	our ability to acquire investments on attractive terms;

·	the effect of actual or proposed actions of the U.S. Federal Reserve with respect to monetary policy or interest rates;

·	the effect of rising interest rates on unemployment, inflation and mortgage supply and demand;

·	the effect of increased prepayment rates on the value of our assets;

·	our ability to access the capital markets;

·	our ability to obtain future financing arrangements;

·	our ability to successfully hedge the interest rate risk and prepayment risk associated with our portfolio;

·	the federal conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and related efforts, along with any changes in laws and regulations affecting the relationship between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the U.S. Government;

·	our ability to make distributions to our stockholders in the future;

·	mortgage loan modification programs and future legislative action;

·	our understanding of our competition and our ability to compete effectively;

·	our ability to quantify risk based on historical experience;

·	the termination of our status as a Real Estate Investment Trust for federal income tax purposes effective January 1, 2015 and our ability to use net operating loss (“NOLs”)carryforwards to reduce our taxable income;

our ability to forecast our tax attributes, which are based upon various facts and assumptions, and our ability to protect and use our NOLs to offset future taxable income, including whether our recently adopted shareholder rights plan will be effective in preventing an ownership change that would significantly limit our ability to utilize such losses;

·	our ability to maintain our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act;

·	market trends;

·	expected capital expenditures; and

·	the impact of technology on our operations and business.

The forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our future performance, taking into account all information currently available to us. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us. Some of these factors are described under the caption ‘‘Risk Factors’’ in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict those events or how they may affect us. Except as required by law, we are not obligated to, and do not intend to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

Year 2015 Significant Events

Bimini Capital Management, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Bimini Capital” and, collectively with its subsidiaries, the “Company,” “we”, “us” or “our”), has historically been organized, operated and taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As of December 31, 2014, our corporate structure included two taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS”), and until its deconsolidation on December 31, 2014, a separately taxed REIT subsidiary, Orchid Island Capital, Inc. (“Orchid”).

Certain trends and events experienced during 2015 have caused Bimini Capital to no longer meet the Code’s rules and regulations to be taxed as a REIT, effective January 1, 2015. In particular, additional offerings of common stock by Orchid in 2015 increased revenue attributable to management fees received from Orchid. In addition, payments that have been and will be made by Bimini Capital pursuant to a litigation settlement agreement entered into in 2015 have reduced and may continue to reduce the value of Bimini Capital’s assets and the amount of revenues generated by our mortgage-backed securities portfolio. Consequently, the value of our two TRSs has increased in relation to the value of Bimini Capital’s assets to a level that exceeds the limits permitted for a REIT under the Code.

The failure to qualify as a REIT subjects Bimini Capital’s taxable income to federal and state corporate income taxes at regular corporate rates. However, Bimini Capital and its subsidiaries have NOL carryforwards that we believe will be available to offset taxable income, if any, in 2015 and in future periods. Management is implementing certain internal restructuring transactions that would maximize its ability to utilize the existing federal NOL carryforwards.

In addition, the termination of our REIT status eliminates the income, asset, distribution, and stock ownership requirements applicable to REITs, which will provide us with more flexibility in executing our business strategy. Specifically, because we are no longer required to derive a significant portion of our income from mortgage or other real estate related investments, we will have greater flexibility to invest in other types of assets as part of our principal investing activity, subject to maintaining compliance with our exclusion from regulation as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). In addition, because we will no longer be subject to the REIT distribution requirement, we will have greater flexibility to retain our earnings to fund future growth.

Overview

Bimini Capital is a specialty finance company that primarily invests in mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”). The principal and interest payments of these MBS are guaranteed by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, (“Freddie Mac”) or the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae” and, collectively with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, “GSEs”) and are backed primarily by single-family residential mortgage loans. We refer to these types of MBS as Agency MBS. Our investment strategy focuses on, and our portfolio consists of, two categories of Agency MBS: (i) traditional pass-through Agency MBS and (ii) structured Agency MBS, such as collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), interest only securities (“IOs”), inverse interest only securities (“IIOs”) and principal only (“POs”), among other types of structured Agency MBS. Bimini Capital’s website is located at http://www.biminicapital.com. Information on our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Beginning in 2013, and as further described below, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, also began to serve as the external manager of Orchid, and from this arrangement the Company receives management fees and expense reimbursements. In addition, the Company receives dividends from its investment in Orchid common shares. The Company is self-managed and self-advised.

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As used in this document, references to “Bimini Capital,” the parent company, and to or the general management of Bimini Capital’s portfolio of MBS refer to Bimini Capital Management, Inc. Orchid completed an initial public offering ("IPO") of its common stock effective February 20, 2013. After that date, and until December 31, 2014, Orchid continued to be consolidated as a variable interest entity (“VIE”) as described below. As used in this document, discussions related to REIT qualifying activities include the MBS portfolios of both Bimini Capital and Orchid through December 31, 2014. References to Bimini Capital’s taxable REIT subsidiaries or non-REIT eligible assets refer to Bimini Advisors, Inc., and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bimini Advisors, LLC (together as “Bimini Advisors”) and to MortCo TRS, LLC and its consolidated subsidiaries (collectively, “MortCo”).

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Bimini Capital, Bimini Advisors and MortCo. The accounts of Orchid are included in the consolidated statements of operations, equity and cash flows until December 31, 2014. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated from the consolidated financial statements.

Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 810, Consolidation (“ASC 810”), requires the consolidation of a VIE by an enterprise if it is deemed the primary beneficiary of the VIE. Further, ASC 810 requires a qualitative assessment to determine the primary beneficiary of a VIE, an ongoing assessment of whether an enterprise is the primary beneficiary of a VIE, and additional disclosures for entities that have variable interests in VIEs.

From the effective date of Orchid’s IPO and until December 31, 2014, management concluded pursuant to ASC 810 that Orchid was a VIE. As a result, subsequent to Orchid’s IPO and until December 31, 2014, the Company consolidated Orchid in its financial statements. The results of operations of Orchid are included in the Company’s 2014 consolidated statements of operations and cash flows, however, net income attributable to Bimini Capital stockholders did not include the portion of net income attributable to noncontrolling interests.

In December 2014, management re-evaluated the conditions resulting in the consolidation of Orchid and concluded that, due to Bimini’s decreased percentage ownership interest in Orchid, there was no longer a variable interest requiring consolidation. As a result, in accordance with ASC 810, the Company has deconsolidated Orchid from the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014. However, as a VIE which was deconsolidated on December 31, 2014, Orchid’s results of operations were included in the consolidated statements of operations, equity and cash flows through December 31, 2014, and are excluded in subsequent periods.

Our Investment and Capital Allocation Strategy

Investment Strategy

Our business objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted total returns to our investors over the long term through a combination of capital appreciation and the payment of regular monthly distributions. We intend to achieve this objective by investing in and strategically allocating capital between pass-through Agency MBS and structured Agency MBS. We seek to generate income from (i) the net interest margin on our leveraged pass-through Agency MBS portfolio and the leveraged portion of our structured Agency MBS portfolio, and (ii) the interest income we generate from the unleveraged portion of our structured Agency MBS portfolio. We also seek to minimize the volatility of both the net asset value of, and income from, our portfolio through a process which emphasizes capital allocation, asset selection, liquidity and active interest rate risk management.

We fund our pass-through Agency MBS and certain of our structured Agency MBS, such as fixed and floating rate tranches of CMOs and POs, through repurchase agreements. However, we generally do not employ leverage on our structured Agency MBS that have no principal balance, such as IOs and IIOs. We may pledge a portion of these assets to increase our cash balance, but we do not intend to invest the cash derived from pledging the assets. Otherwise, we do not use leverage in these instances because the securities contain structural leverage.

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Our target asset categories and principal assets in which we intend to invest are as follows:

Pass-through Agency MBS

We invest in pass-through securities, which are securities secured by residential real property in which payments of both interest and principal on the securities are generally made monthly. In effect, these securities pass through the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on the mortgage loans that underlie the securities, net of fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of the securities. Pass-through certificates can be divided into various categories based on the characteristics of the underlying mortgages, such as the term or whether the interest rate is fixed or variable.

The payment of principal and interest on mortgage pass-through securities issued by Ginnie Mae, but not the market value, is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the federal government. Payment of principal and interest on mortgage pass-through certificates issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but not the market value, is guaranteed by the respective agency issuing the security.

A key feature of most mortgage loans is the ability of the borrower to repay principal earlier than scheduled. This is called a prepayment. Prepayments arise primarily due to sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure. Prepayments result in a return of principal to pass-through certificate holders. This may result in a lower or higher rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. This is generally referred to as prepayment uncertainty. If a security purchased at a premium prepays at a higher-than-expected rate, then the value of the premium would be eroded at a faster-than-expected rate. Similarly, if a discount mortgage prepays at a lower-than-expected rate, the amortization towards par would be accumulated at a slower-than-expected rate. The possibility of these undesirable effects is sometimes referred to as “prepayment risk.”

In general, declining interest rates tend to increase prepayments, and rising interest rates tend to slow prepayments. Like other fixed-income securities, when interest rates rise, the value of Agency MBS generally declines. The rate of prepayments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of Agency MBS and may shorten or extend the effective maturity of the security beyond what was anticipated at the time of purchase. If interest rates rise, our holdings of Agency MBS may experience reduced spreads over our funding costs if the borrowers of the underlying mortgages pay off their mortgages later than anticipated. This is generally referred to as “extension” risk.

The mortgage loans underlying pass-through certificates can generally be classified into the following three categories:

Fixed-Rate Mortgages. Fixed-rate mortgages are those where the borrower pays an interest rate that is constant throughout the term of the loan. Traditionally, most fixed-rate mortgages have an original term of 30 years. However, shorter terms (also referred to as “final maturity dates”) have become common in recent years. Because the interest rate on the loan never changes, even when market interest rates change, there can be a divergence between the interest rate on the loan and current market interest rates over time. This in turn can make fixed-rate mortgages price-sensitive to market fluctuations in interest rates. In general, the longer the remaining term on the mortgage loan, the greater the price sensitivity to movements in interest rates and, therefore, the likelihood for greater price variability.

ARMs. ARMs are mortgages for which the borrower pays an interest rate that varies over the term of the loan. The interest rate usually resets based on market interest rates, although the adjustment of such an interest rate may be subject to certain limitations. Traditionally, interest rate resets occur at regular intervals (for example, once per year). We refer to such ARMs as “traditional” ARMs. Because the interest rates on ARMs fluctuate based on market conditions, ARMs tend to have interest rates that do not deviate from current market rates by a large amount. This in turn can mean that ARMs have less price sensitivity to interest rates and, consequently, are less likely to experience significant price volatility.

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Hybrid Adjustable-Rate Mortgages. Hybrid ARMs have a fixed-rate for the first few years of the loan, often three, five, seven or ten years, and thereafter reset periodically like a traditional ARM. Effectively, such mortgages are hybrids, combining the features of a pure fixed-rate mortgage and a traditional ARM. Hybrid ARMs have price sensitivity to interest rates similar to that of a fixed-rate mortgage during the period when the interest rate is fixed and similar to that of an ARM when the interest rate is in its periodic reset stage. However, because many hybrid ARMs are structured with a relatively short initial time span during which the interest rate is fixed, even during that segment of its existence, the price sensitivity may be high.

Structured Agency MBS

We also invest in structured Agency MBS, which include CMOs, IOs, IIOs and POs. The payment of principal and interest, as appropriate, on structured Agency MBS issued by Ginnie Mae, but not the market value, is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the federal government. Payment of principal and interest, as appropriate, on structured Agency MBS issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but not the market value, is guaranteed by the respective agency issuing the security. The types of structured Agency MBS in which we invest are described below.

CMOs. CMOs are a type of MBS the principal and interest of which are paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued directly by or under the auspices of Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. CMOs are structured into multiple classes, with each class bearing a different stated maturity. Monthly payments of principal, including prepayments, are first returned to investors holding the shortest maturity class. Investors holding the longer maturity classes receive principal only after the first class has been retired. Generally, fixed-rate mortgages are used to collateralize CMOs. However, the CMO tranches need not all have fixed-rate coupons. Some CMO tranches have floating rate coupons that adjust based on market interest rates, subject to some limitations. Such tranches, often called “CMO floaters,” can have relatively low price sensitivity to interest rates.

IOs. IOs represent the stream of interest payments on a pool of mortgages, either fixed-rate mortgages or hybrid ARMs. Holders of IOs have no claim to any principal payments. The value of IOs depends primarily on two factors, which are prepayments and interest rates. Prepayments on the underlying pool of mortgages reduce the stream of interest payments going forward, hence IOs are highly sensitive to prepayment rates. IOs are also sensitive to changes in interest rates. An increase in interest rates reduces the present value of future interest payments on a pool of mortgages. On the other hand, an increase in interest rates has a tendency to reduce prepayments, which increases the expected absolute amount of future interest payments.

IIOs. IIOs represent the stream of interest payments on a pool of mortgages, either fixed-rate mortgages or hybrid ARMs. Holders of IIOs have no claim to any principal payments. The value of IIOs depends primarily on three factors, which are prepayments, London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and term interest rates. Prepayments on the underlying pool of mortgages reduce the stream of interest payments, making IIOs highly sensitive to prepayment rates. The coupon on IIOs is derived from both the coupon interest rate on the underlying pool of mortgages and 30-day LIBOR. IIOs are typically created in conjunction with a floating rate CMO that has a principal balance and which is entitled to receive all of the principal payments on the underlying pool of mortgages. The coupon on the floating rate CMO is also based on 30-day LIBOR. Typically, the coupon on the floating rate CMO and the IIO, when combined, equal the coupon on the pool of underlying mortgages. The coupon on the pool of underlying mortgages typically represents a cap or ceiling on the combined coupons of the floating rate CMO and the IIO. Accordingly, when the value of 30-day LIBOR increases, the coupon of the floating rate CMO will increase and the coupon on the IIO will decrease. When the value of 30-day LIBOR falls, the opposite is true. Accordingly, the value of IIOs are sensitive to the level of 30-day LIBOR and expectations by market participants of future movements in the level of 30-day LIBOR. IIOs are also sensitive to changes in interest rates. An increase in interest rates reduces the present value of future interest payments on a pool of mortgages. On the other hand, an increase in interest rates has a tendency to reduce prepayments, which increases the expected absolute amount of future interest payments.

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POs. POs represent the stream of principal payments on a pool of mortgages. Holders of POs have no claim to any interest payments, although the ultimate amount of principal to be received over time is known, equaling the principal balance of the underlying pool of mortgages. The timing of the receipt of the principal payments is not known. The value of POs depends primarily on two factors, which are prepayments and interest rates. Prepayments on the underlying pool of mortgages accelerate the stream of principal repayments, making POs highly sensitive to the rate at which the mortgages in the pool are prepaid. POs are also sensitive to changes in interest rates. An increase in interest rates reduces the present value of future principal payments on a pool of mortgages. Further, an increase in interest rates has a tendency to reduce prepayments, which decelerates, or pushes further out in time, the ultimate receipt of the principal payments. The opposite is true when interest rates decline.

Our investment strategy consists of the following components:

·	investing in pass-through Agency MBS and certain structured Agency MBS, such as fixed and floating rate tranches of CMOs and POs, on a leveraged basis to increase returns on the capital allocated to this portfolio;

investing in certain structured Agency MBS, such as IOs and IIOs, generally on an unleveraged basis in order to (i) increase returns due to the structural leverage contained in such securities, (ii) enhance liquidity due to the fact that these securities will be unencumbered or, when encumbered, the cash from such borrowings may be retained and (iii) diversify portfolio interest rate risk due to the different interest rate sensitivity these securities have compared to pass-through Agency MBS;

·	investing in Agency MBS in order to minimize credit risk;

·	investing in assets that will cause us to maintain our exclusion from regulation as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.

Our management makes investment decisions based on various factors, including, but not limited to, relative value, expected cash yield, supply and demand, costs of hedging, costs of financing, liquidity requirements, expected future interest rate volatility and the overall shape of the U.S. Treasury and interest rate swap yield curves. We do not attribute any particular quantitative significance to any of these factors, and the weight we give to these factors depends on market conditions and economic trends.

Over time, we will modify our investment strategy as market conditions change to seek to maximize the returns from our investment portfolio. We believe that this strategy will enable us to provide attractive long-term returns to our stockholders.

Capital Allocation Strategy

The percentage of capital invested in our two asset categories will vary and will be managed in an effort to maintain the level of income generated by the combined portfolios, the stability of that income stream and the stability of the value of the combined portfolios. Typically, pass-through Agency MBS and structured Agency MBS exhibit materially different sensitivities to movements in interest rates. Declines in the value of one portfolio may be offset by appreciation in the other, although we cannot assure you that this will be the case. Additionally, we will seek to maintain adequate liquidity as we allocate capital.

We allocate our capital to assist our interest rate risk management efforts. The unleveraged portfolio does not require unencumbered cash or cash equivalents to be maintained in anticipation of possible margin calls. To the extent more capital is deployed in the unleveraged portfolio, our liquidity needs will generally be less.

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During periods of rising interest rates, refinancing opportunities available to borrowers typically decrease because borrowers are not able to refinance their current mortgage loans with new mortgage loans at lower interest rates. In such instances, securities that are highly sensitive to refinancing activity, such as IOs and IIOs, typically increase in value. Our capital allocation strategy allows us to redeploy our capital into such securities when and if we believe interest rates will be higher in the future, thereby allowing us to hold securities the value of which we believe is likely to increase as interest rates rise. Also, by being able to re-allocate capital into structured Agency MBS, such as IOs, during periods of rising interest rates, we may be able to offset the likely decline in the value of our pass-through Agency MBS, which are negatively impacted by rising interest rates.

Financing Strategy

We borrow against our Agency MBS and certain of our structured Agency MBS using short-term repurchase agreements. Our borrowings currently consist of short-term repurchase agreements. We may use other sources of leverage, such as secured or unsecured debt or issuances of preferred stock. We do not have a policy limiting the amount of leverage we may incur. However, we generally expect that the ratio of our total liabilities compared to our equity, which we refer to as our leverage ratio, will be less than 12 to 1. Our amount of leverage may vary depending on market conditions and other factors that we deem relevant.

We allocate our capital between two sub-portfolios. The pass-through Agency MBS portfolio will be leveraged generally through repurchase agreement funding. The structured Agency MBS portfolio generally will not be leveraged. The leverage ratio is calculated by dividing our total liabilities by total stockholders’ equity at the end of each period. The amount of leverage will be a function of the capital allocated to the pass-through Agency MBS portfolio and the amount of haircuts required by our lenders on our borrowings. When the capital allocation to the pass-through Agency MBS portfolio is high, the leverage ratio will be high since more capital is being explicitly leveraged and less capital is un-leveraged. If the haircuts required by our lenders on our borrowings are higher, all else being equal, our leverage will be lower since our lenders will lend less against the value of the capital deployed to the pass-through Agency MBS portfolio. The allocation of capital between the two portfolios will be a function of several factors:

·	The relative durations of the respective portfolios — We generally seek to have a combined duration at or near zero. If our pass-through securities have a longer duration, we will allocate more capital to the structured security portfolio to achieve a combined duration close to zero.

The relative attractiveness of pass-through securities versus structured securities — To the extent we believe the expected returns of one type of security are higher than the other, we will allocate more capital to the more attractive securities, subject to the caveat that its combined duration remains at or near zero.

Liquidity — We seek to maintain adequate cash and unencumbered securities relative to our repurchase agreement borrowings well in excess of anticipated price or prepayment related margin calls from our lenders. To the extent we feel price or prepayment related margin calls will be higher/lower, we will allocate less/more capital to the pass-through Agency MBS portfolio. Our pass-through Agency MBS portfolio likely will be our only source of price or prepayment related margin calls because we generally will not apply leverage to our structured Agency MBS portfolio. From time to time we may pledge a portion of our structured securities and retain the cash derived so it can be used to enhance our liquidity.

Risk Management

We invest in Agency MBS to mitigate credit risk. Additionally, our Agency MBS are backed by a diversified base of mortgage loans to mitigate geographic, loan originator and other types of concentration risks.

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Interest Rate Risk Management

We believe that the risk of adverse interest rate movements represents the most significant risk to the value of our portfolio. This risk arises because (i) the interest rate indices used to calculate the interest rates on the mortgages underlying our assets may be different from the interest rate indices used to calculate the interest rates on the related borrowings, and (ii) interest rate movements affecting our borrowings may not be reasonably correlated with interest rate movements affecting our assets. We attempt to mitigate our interest rate risk by using the techniques described below:

Agency MBS Backed by ARMs. We seek to minimize the differences between interest rate indices and interest rate adjustment periods of our Agency MBS backed by ARMs and related borrowings. At the time of funding, we typically align (i) the underlying interest rate index used to calculate interest rates for our Agency MBS backed by ARMs and the related borrowings and (ii) the interest rate adjustment periods for our Agency MBS backed by ARMs and the interest rate adjustment periods for our related borrowings. As our borrowings mature or are renewed, we may adjust the index used to calculate interest expense, the duration of the reset periods and the maturities of our borrowings.

Agency MBS Backed by Fixed-Rate Mortgages. As interest rates rise, our borrowing costs increase; however, the income on our Agency MBS backed by fixed-rate mortgages remains unchanged. We may seek to limit increases to our borrowing costs through the use of interest rate swap or cap agreements, options, put or call agreements, futures contracts, forward rate agreements or similar financial instruments to effectively convert our floating-rate borrowings into fixed-rate borrowings.

Agency MBS Backed by Hybrid ARMs. During the fixed-rate period of our Agency MBS backed by hybrid ARMs, the security is similar to Agency MBS backed by fixed-rate mortgages. During this period, we may employ the same hedging strategy that we employ for our Agency MBS backed by fixed-rate mortgages. Once our Agency MBS backed by hybrid ARMs convert to floating rate securities, we may employ the same hedging strategy as we employ for our Agency MBS backed by ARMs.

Derivative Instruments. We enter into derivative instruments to economically hedge against the possibility that rising rates may adversely impact the value of our repurchase agreement liabilities. The principal instruments that the Company has used to date are Eurodollar and Treasury Note (“T-Note”) futures contracts and options to enter into interest rate swaps (“interest rate swaptions”), but may enter into other transactions in the future.

Interest rate swaptions provide us the option to enter into an interest rate swap agreement for a predetermined notional amount, stated term and pay and receive interest rates in the future. We may enter into swaption agreements that provide us the option to enter into a pay fixed rate interest rate swap ("payer swaption"), or swaption agreements that provide us the option to enter into a receive fixed interest rate swap ("receiver swaptions").

Additionally, our structured Agency MBS generally exhibit sensitivities to movements in interest rates different than our pass-through Agency MBS. To the extent they do so, our structured Agency MBS may protect us against declines in the market value of our combined portfolio that result from adverse interest rate movements, although we cannot assure you that this will be the case.

We may purchase a portion of our Agency RMBS through forward settling transactions, including “to-be-announced” (“TBA”) securities transactions. We account for TBA securities as derivative instruments if either the TBA securities do not settle in the shortest period of time possible or if we cannot assert that it is probable at the inception of the TBA transaction, and throughout its term, that we will take physical delivery of the Agency RMBS for a long position, or make delivery of the Agency RMBS for a short position, upon settlement of the trade. However, we have not entered into these TBA securities transactions as a hedge of our interest rate risk.

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Prepayment Risk Management

The risk of mortgage prepayments is another significant risk to our portfolio. When prevailing interest rates fall below the coupon rate of a mortgage, mortgage prepayments are likely to increase. Conversely, when prevailing interest rates increase above the coupon rate of a mortgage, mortgage prepayments are likely to decrease.

When prepayment rates increase, we may not be able to reinvest the money received from prepayments at yields comparable to those of the securities prepaid. Also, some ARMs and hybrid ARMs which back our Agency MBS may bear initial “teaser” interest rates that are lower than their fully-indexed interest rates. If these mortgages are prepaid during this “teaser” period, we may lose the opportunity to receive interest payments at the higher, fully-indexed rate over the expected life of the security. Additionally, some of our structured Agency MBS, such as IOs and IIOs, may be negatively affected by an increase in prepayment rates because their value is wholly contingent on the underlying mortgage loans having an outstanding principal balance.

A decrease in prepayment rates may also have an adverse effect on our portfolio. For example, if we invest in POs, the purchase price of such securities will be based, in part, on an assumed level of prepayments on the underlying mortgage loan. Because the returns on POs decrease the longer it takes the principal payments on the underlying loans to be paid, a decrease in prepayment rates could decrease our returns on these securities.

Prepayment risk also affects our hedging activities. When an Agency MBS backed by a fixed-rate mortgage or hybrid ARM is acquired with borrowings, we may cap or fix our borrowing costs for a period close to the anticipated average life of the fixed-rate portion of the related Agency MBS. If prepayment rates are different than our projections, the term of the related hedging instrument may not match the fixed-rate portion of the security, which could cause us to incur losses.

Because our business may be adversely affected if prepayment rates are different than our projections, we seek to invest in Agency MBS backed by mortgages with well-documented and predictable prepayment histories. To protect against increases in prepayment rates, we invest in Agency MBS backed by mortgages that we believe are less likely to be prepaid. For example, we invest in Agency MBS backed by mortgages (i) with loan balances low enough such that a borrower would likely have little incentive to refinance, (ii) extended to borrowers with credit histories weak enough to not be eligible to refinance their mortgage loans, (iii) that are newly originated fixed-rate or hybrid ARMs or (iv) that have interest rates low enough such that a borrower would likely have little incentive to refinance. To protect against decreases in prepayment rates, we may also invest in Agency MBS backed by mortgages with characteristics opposite to those described above, which would typically be more likely to be refinanced. We may also invest in certain types of structured Agency MBS as a means of mitigating our portfolio-wide prepayment risks. For example, certain tranches of CMOs are less sensitive to increases in prepayment rates, and we may invest in those tranches as a means of hedging against increases in prepayment rates.

Liquidity Management Strategy

Because of our use of leverage, we manage liquidity to meet our lenders’ margin calls by maintaining cash balances or unencumbered assets well in excess of anticipated margin calls; and making margin calls on our lenders when we have an excess of collateral pledged against our borrowings.

We also attempt to minimize the number of margin calls we receive by:

·	Deploying capital from our leveraged Agency MBS portfolio to our unleveraged Agency MBS portfolio;

Investing in Agency MBS backed by mortgages that we believe are less likely to be prepaid to decrease the risk of excessive margin calls when monthly prepayments are announced. Prepayments are declared, and the market value of the related security declines, before the receipt of the related cash flows. Prepayment declarations give rise to a temporary collateral deficiency and generally result in margin calls by lenders;

·	Obtaining funding arrangements which defer or waive prepayment-related margin requirements in exchange for payments to the lender tied to the dollar amount of the collateral deficiency and a predetermined interest rate; and

·	Reducing our overall amount of leverage.

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To the extent we are unable to adequately manage our interest rate exposure and are subjected to substantial margin calls, we may be forced to sell assets at an inopportune time which in turn could impair our liquidity and reduce our borrowing capacity and book value.

Management of Orchid

Upon completion of its initial public offering, Orchid became externally managed and advised by Bimini Advisors and its MBS investment team pursuant to the terms of a management agreement. As Manager, Bimini Advisors is responsible for administering Orchid’s business activities and day-to-day operations. Pursuant to the terms of the management agreement, Bimini Advisors provides Orchid with its management team, including its officers, along with appropriate support personnel. Bimini Advisors is at all times subject to the supervision and oversight of Orchid’s board of directors, of which a majority of the members are independent, and is only permitted to perform such functions delegated by Orchid’s Board. Bimini Advisors’ authority to act on behalf of Orchid is at all times limited by the oversight of the Orchid board of directors and has only such functions and authority as delegated to it.

Bimini Advisors receives a monthly management fee in the amount of:

·	One-twelfth of 1.5% of the first $250 million of the Orchid’s equity, as defined in the management agreement,

·	One-twelfth of 1.25% of the Orchid’s equity that is greater than $250 million and less than or equal to $500 million, and

·	One-twelfth of 1.00% of the Orchid’s equity that is greater than $500 million.

Orchid is obligated to reimburse Bimini Advisors for any direct expenses incurred on its behalf. In addition, Bimini Advisors began allocating to Orchid its pro rata portion of certain overhead costs set forth in the management agreement commencing with the calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2014. Should Orchid terminate the management agreement without cause, it shall pay to Bimini Advisors a termination fee equal to three times the average annual management fee, as defined in the management agreement, before or on the last day of the initial term or automatic renewal term.

Tax Status

As a REIT from inception through December 31, 2014, Bimini Capital was not subject to corporate income tax to the extent we currently distributed our taxable income to our shareholders, and complied with other Code requirements for REITs. However, Bimini Capital’s subsidiaries, which were TRSs through December 31, 2014, were subject to corporate income tax on their income. Bimini Capital and its subsidiaries have NOL carryforwards that, subject to various expiration dates, are available to offset any 2015 or future taxable income. See Note 13, Income Taxes.

Bimini Capital’s status as a REIT terminated effective as of January 1, 2015. The failure to qualify as a REIT subjects Bimini Capital’s taxable income to federal and state corporate income taxes at regular corporate rates. However, we believe the NOL carryforwards of Bimini Capital and its subsidiaries will be available to offset taxable income, if any, in 2015 and in future periods. Because the REIT-based ownership restrictions in Bimini Capital’s articles of incorporation no longer apply, Bimini Capital may be more likely to experience an “ownership change” under Code Sections 382 and 383, which could severely limit its ability to utilize the remaining NOL carry-forwards against future taxable income. Management is implementing certain internal restructuring transactions that would maximize its ability to utilize the existing federal NOL carryforwards. Also, Bimini Capital is prohibited from again electing to be taxed as a REIT until 2020.

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In addition, the loss of Bimini Capital’s REIT status eliminates the income, asset, distribution, and stock ownership requirements applicable to REITs, which will provide the Company with more flexibility in executing its business strategy. Specifically, because Bimini Capital is no longer required to derive a significant portion of its income from mortgage or other real estate related investments, the Company will have greater flexibility to invest in other types of assets as part of its investing strategy, subject to maintaining compliance with its exclusion from regulation as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. In addition, because Bimini Capital will no longer be subject to the REIT distribution requirement, the Company will have greater flexibility to retain earnings to fund future growth.

Investment Company Act Exemption

We operate our business so that we are exempt from registration under the Investment Company Act. We rely on the exemption provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act, which applies to companies in the business of purchasing or otherwise acquiring mortgages and other liens on, and interests in, real estate. In order to rely on the exemption provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C), we must maintain at least 55% of our assets in qualifying real estate assets. For the purposes of this test, structured Agency MBS are non-qualifying real estate assets. We monitor our portfolio periodically and prior to each investment to confirm that we continue to qualify for the exemption. To qualify for the exemption, we make investments so that at least 55% of the assets we own consist of qualifying mortgages and other liens on and interests in real estate, which we refer to as qualifying real estate assets, and so that at least 80% of the assets we own consist of real estate-related assets, including our qualifying real estate assets.

We treat whole-pool pass-through Agency MBS as qualifying real estate assets based on no-action letters issued by the staff of the SEC. In August 2011, the SEC, through a concept release, requested comments on interpretations of Section 3(c)(5)(C). To the extent that the SEC or its staff publishes new or different guidance with respect to these matters, we may fail to qualify for this exemption. We manage our pass-through Agency MBS portfolio such that we have sufficient whole-pool pass-through Agency MBS to ensure we maintain our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act. At present, we generally do not expect that our investments in structured Agency MBS will constitute qualifying real estate assets but will constitute real estate-related assets for purposes of the Investment Company Act.

Employees

As of December 31, 2015, we had 7 full-time employees.

Competition

Our net income largely depends on our ability to acquire Agency MBS at favorable spreads over our borrowing costs. When we invest in Agency MBS and other investment assets, we compete with a variety of institutional investors, including mortgage REITs, insurance companies, mutual funds, pension funds, investment banking firms, banks and other financial institutions that invest in the same types of assets, the Federal Reserve Bank and other governmental entities or government sponsored entities. Many of these investors have greater financial resources and access to lower costs of capital than we do. The existence of these competitive entities, as well as the possibility of additional entities forming in the future, may increase the competition for the acquisition of mortgage related securities, resulting in higher prices and lower yields on assets.

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Available Information

Our investor relations website is www.biminicapital.com. We make available on the website under "Financial Information/SEC filings," free of charge, our annual report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on Form 8-K and any other reports (including any amendments to such reports) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file or furnish such materials to the SEC. Information on our website, however, is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. All reports filed with the SEC may also be read and copied at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Further information regarding the operation of the public reference room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, all of our filed reports can be obtained at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS.

You should carefully consider the risks described below and all other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our annual consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto, before making an investment decision regarding our common stock. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be harmed by any of these risks. Similarly, these risks could cause the market price of our common stock to decline and you might lose all or part of your investment. Our forward-looking statements in this annual report are subject to the following risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated by our forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors below.

Risks Related to Our Business

Increases in interest rates may negatively affect the value of our investments and increase the cost of our borrowings, which could result in reduced earnings or losses and materially adversely affect our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Under a normal yield curve, an investment in Agency MBS will decline in value if interest rates increase. In addition, net interest income could decrease if the yield curve becomes inverted or flat. While Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae guarantees of the principal and interest payments related to the Agency MBS we own, these guarantees do not protect us from declines in market value caused by changes in interest rates. Declines in the market value of our investments may ultimately result in losses to us, which may reduce earnings and negatively affect our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Significant increases in both long-term and short-term interest rates poses a substantial risk associated with our investment in Agency MBS. If long-term rates were to increase significantly, the market value of our Agency MBS would decline, and the duration and weighted average life of the investments would increase. We could realize a loss if the securities were sold. At the same time, an increase in short-term interest rates would increase the amount of interest owed on our repurchase agreements used to finance the purchase of Agency MBS, which would decrease cash available for distribution to our stockholders. Using this business model, we are particularly susceptible to the effects of an inverted yield curve, where short-term rates are higher than long-term rates. Although rare in a historical context, many countries in Europe have experienced inverted yield curves in recent months. Given the volatile nature of the U.S. economy since the end of the third round of quantitative easing (“QE3”), and the Federal Reserve’s recent increase in short-term interest rates, there can be no guarantee that the yield curve will not become and/or remain inverted. If this occurs, it could result in a decline in the value of our Agency MBS, our business, financial position and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders could be materially adversely affected.

An increase in interest rates may also cause a decrease in the volume of newly issued, or investor demand for, Agency MBS, which could materially adversely affect our ability to acquire assets that satisfy our investment objectives and our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Rising interest rates generally reduce the demand for consumer credit, including mortgage loans, due to the higher cost of borrowing. A reduction in the volume of mortgage loans may affect the volume of Agency MBS available to us, which could affect our ability to acquire assets that satisfy our investment objectives. Rising interest rates may also cause Agency MBS that were issued prior to an interest rate increase to provide yields that exceed prevailing market interest rates. If rising interest rates cause us to be unable to acquire a sufficient volume of Agency MBS or Agency MBS with a yield that exceeds our borrowing costs, our ability to satisfy our investment objectives and to generate income and pay dividends, our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders may be materially adversely affected.

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Interest rate mismatches between our Agency MBS and our borrowings may reduce our net interest margin during periods of changing interest rates, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Our portfolio includes Agency MBS backed by ARMs, hybrid ARMs and fixed-rate mortgages, and the mix of these securities in the portfolio may be increased or decreased over time. Additionally, the interest rates on ARMs and hybrid ARMs may vary over time based on changes in a short-term interest rate index, of which there are many.

We finance our acquisitions of pass-through Agency MBS with short-term financing. During periods of rising short-term interest rates, the income we earn on these securities will not change (with respect to Agency MBS backed by fixed-rate mortgage loans) or will not increase at the same rate (with respect to Agency MBS backed by ARMs and hybrid ARMs) as our related financing costs, which may reduce our net interest margin or result in losses.

Adverse developments in the broader residential mortgage market may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

The residential mortgage market in the United States has experienced a variety of difficulties and changed economic conditions, including defaults, credit losses and liquidity concerns over the past several years. In addition, certain commercial banks, investment banks and insurance companies have announced extensive losses from exposure to the residential mortgage market. These losses have reduced financial industry capital, leading to reduced liquidity for some institutions. These factors have impacted investor perception of the risk associated with real estate-related assets, including Agency MBS. As a result, values for MBS, including some Agency MBS and other AAA-rated MBS assets, have been negatively impacted at times. Further increased volatility and deterioration in the broader residential mortgage and MBS markets may adversely affect the performance and market value of the Agency MBS in which we invest.

We rely on our Agency MBS as collateral for our financings. Any decline in their value, or perceived market uncertainty about their value, would likely make it difficult for us to obtain financing on favorable terms or at all or maintain our compliance with terms of any financing arrangements already in place. Additionally, we have elected to account for our investment in MBS under the fair value option and, therefore, such investment will be reported on our consolidated financial statements at fair value with unrealized gains or losses included in earnings. If market conditions result in a decline in the value of our Agency MBS, our business, financial position and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders could be materially adversely affected.

We invest in structured Agency MBS, including CMOs, IOs, IIOs and POs. Although structured Agency MBS are generally subject to the same risks as our pass-through Agency MBS, certain types of risks may be enhanced depending on the type of structured Agency MBS in which we invest.

The structured Agency MBS in which we invest are securitizations (i) issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or Ginnie Mae, (ii) collateralized by Agency MBS and (iii) divided into various tranches that have different characteristics (such as different maturities or different coupon payments). These securities may carry greater risk than an investment in pass-through Agency MBS. For example, certain types of structured Agency MBS, such as IOs, IIOs and POs, are more sensitive to prepayment risks than pass-through Agency MBS. If we were to invest in structured Agency MBS that were more sensitive to prepayment risks relative to other types of structured Agency MBS or pass-through Agency MBS, we may increase our portfolio-wide prepayment risk.

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Separate legislation has been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress, which would, among other things, revoke the charters of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which could materially adversely affect us if these proposed laws were enacted. We cannot predict the impact, if any, on our earnings or cash available for distribution to our stockholders of the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (the “FHFA”) proposed revisions to Fannie Mae’s, Freddie Mac’s and Ginnie Mae’s existing infrastructures to align the standards and practices of the three entities.

While the two bills that have been introduced are distinguishable in many respects, they have some notable commonalities. Both bills call for the revocation of the charters of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and seek to increase the opportunities for private capital to participate in, and consequently bear the risk of loss in connection with, government-guaranteed mortgage back securities. Both bills also have considerable support in their respective houses of Congress, which suggests that efforts to reform and possibly eliminate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may be gaining momentum.

The passage of any new legislation affecting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may create market uncertainty and reduce the actual or perceived credit quality of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government through a new or existing successor entity to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. If the charters of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were revoked, it is unclear what effect, if any, this would have on the value of the existing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Agency MBS. It is also possible that the above-referenced proposed legislation, if made law, could adversely impact the market for securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government and the spreads at which they trade. The foregoing could materially adversely affect the pricing, supply, liquidity and value of our target assets and otherwise materially adversely affect our business, operations and financial condition.

On May 13, 2014, the FHFA released its updated whitepaper titled 2014 Strategic Plan for the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which set forth three goals for the next phase of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conservatorships. These three goals are to (i) maintain foreclosure prevention activities and credit availability for new and refinanced mortgages, (ii) reduce taxpayer risk through increasing the role of private capital in the mortgage market, and (iii) build a new single-family securitization infrastructure for use by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and adaptable for use by other participants in the secondary market in the future. The FHFA refers to such an infrastructure as a common securitization platform, or CSP.

In September 2015, the FHFA released an update on the CSP, detailing progress made in the development of a new infrastructure for the securitization of single-family mortgages by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The update includes details on the organizational structure of Common Securitization Solutions, LLC, a joint venture company that was established by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to lead the work on this project. In addition, the update looks ahead to the anticipated announcement in 2016 of an implementation date for the initial software release that will allow use of the CSP by Freddie Mac, followed by the second software release that will enable both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to use the CSP to issue single mortgage-backed securities.

Furthermore, in October 2014, FHFA director Watt announced a number of general policy initiatives by the FHFA, including restoring a program that allows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to guarantee loans with down payments as low as 3%. Director Watt also said that the FHFA was taking steps to bring certainty to the circumstances under which Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will require originators to repurchase defaulted mortgages that were later discovered to have underlying defects. We cannot predict the likelihood for the enactment, timing or final content of housing reform legislation.

The FHFA recognizes that there are a number of impediments to their goals which may or may not be surmountable, such as the absence of any significant secondary mortgage market mechanisms beyond Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae, and that their proposals are in the formative stages. As a result, it is unclear if the proposals will be enacted. If such proposals are enacted, it is unclear how closely what is enacted will resemble the proposals from the FHFA or what the effects of the enactment will be in terms of our net asset value, earnings or cash available for distribution to our stockholders.

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Increased levels of prepayments on the mortgages underlying our Agency MBS might decrease net interest income or result in a net loss, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

In the case of residential mortgages, there are seldom any restrictions on borrowers’ ability to prepay their loans. Prepayment rates generally increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. Prepayment rates also may be affected by other factors, including, without limitation, conditions in the housing and financial markets, governmental action, general economic conditions and the relative interest rates on ARMs, hybrid ARMs and fixed-rate mortgage loans. With respect to PT Agency MBS, faster-than-expected prepayments could also materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders in various ways, including the following:

A portion of our PT Agency MBS backed by ARMs and hybrid ARMs may initially bear interest at rates that are lower than their fully indexed rates, which are equivalent to the applicable index rate plus a margin. If a PT MBS backed by ARMs or hybrid ARMs is prepaid prior to or soon after the time of adjustment to a fully-indexed rate, we will have held that Agency MBS while it was less profitable and lost the opportunity to receive interest at the fully-indexed rate over the remainder of its expected life.

·	If we are unable to acquire new Agency MBS to replace the prepaid Agency MBS, our returns on capital may be lower than if we were able to quickly acquire new Agency MBS.

When we acquire structured Agency MBS, we anticipate that the underlying mortgages will prepay at a projected rate, generating an expected yield. When the prepayment rates on the mortgages underlying our structured Agency MBS are higher than expected, our returns on those securities may be materially adversely affected. For example, the value of our IOs and IIOs are extremely sensitive to prepayments because holders of these securities do not have the right to receive any principal payments on the underlying mortgages. Therefore, if the mortgage loans underlying our IOs and IIOs are prepaid, such securities would cease to have any value, which, in turn, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

While we seek to minimize prepayment risk, we must balance prepayment risk against other risks and the potential returns of each investment. No strategy can completely insulate us from prepayment or other such risks.

A decrease in prepayment rates on the mortgages underlying our Agency MBS might decrease net interest income or result in a net loss, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Certain of our structured Agency MBS may be adversely affected by a decrease in prepayment rates. For example, because POs are similar to zero-coupon bonds, our expected returns on such securities will be contingent on our receiving the principal payments of the underlying mortgage loans at expected intervals that assume a certain prepayment rate. If prepayment rates are lower than expected, we will not receive principal payments as quickly as we anticipated and, therefore, our expected returns on these securities will be adversely affected, which, in turn, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

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Interest rate caps on the ARMs and hybrid ARMs backing our Agency MBS may reduce our net interest margin during periods of rising interest rates, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

ARMs and hybrid ARMs are typically subject to periodic and lifetime interest rate caps. Periodic interest rate caps limit the amount an interest rate can increase during any given period. Lifetime interest rate caps limit the amount an interest rate can increase through the maturity of the loan. Our borrowings typically are not subject to similar restrictions. Accordingly, in a period of rapidly increasing interest rates, our financing costs could increase without limitation while caps could limit the interest we earn on the ARMs and hybrid ARMs backing our Agency MBS. This problem is magnified for ARMs and hybrid ARMs that are not fully indexed because such periodic interest rate caps prevent the coupon on the security from fully reaching the specified rate in one reset. Further, some ARMs and hybrid ARMs may be subject to periodic payment caps that result in a portion of the interest being deferred and added to the principal outstanding. As a result, we may receive less cash income on Agency MBS backed by ARMs and hybrid ARMs than necessary to pay interest on our related borrowings. Interest rate caps on Agency MBS backed by ARMs and hybrid ARMs could reduce our net interest margin if interest rates were to increase beyond the level of the caps, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Failure to procure adequate repurchase agreement financing, or to renew or replace existing repurchase agreement financing as it matures, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.

We intend to maintain master repurchase agreements with several counterparties. We cannot assure you that any, or sufficient, repurchase agreement financing will be available to us in the future on terms that are acceptable to us. Any decline in the value of Agency MBS, or perceived market uncertainty about their value, would make it more difficult for us to obtain financing on favorable terms or at all, or maintain our compliance with the terms of any financing arrangements already in place. We may be unable to diversify the credit risk associated with our lenders. In the event that we cannot obtain sufficient funding on acceptable terms, our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders may be materially adversely effected.

Furthermore, because we intend to rely primarily on short-term borrowings to fund our MBS, our ability to achieve our investment objective will depend not only on our ability to borrow money in sufficient amounts and on favorable terms, but also on our ability to renew or replace on a continuous basis our maturing short-term borrowings. If we are not able to renew or replace maturing borrowings, we will have to sell some or all of our assets, possibly under adverse market conditions. In addition, if the regulatory capital requirements imposed on our lenders change, they may be required to significantly increase the cost of the financing that they provide to us. Our lenders also may revise their eligibility requirements for the types of assets they are willing to finance or the terms of such financings, based on, among other factors, the regulatory environment and their management of perceived risk.

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Adverse market developments could cause our lenders to require us to pledge additional assets as collateral. If our assets were insufficient to meet these collateral requirements, we might be compelled to liquidate particular assets at inopportune times and at unfavorable prices, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Adverse market developments, including a sharp or prolonged rise in interest rates, a change in prepayment rates or increasing market concern about the value or liquidity of one or more types of Agency MBS, might reduce the market value of our portfolio, which might cause our lenders to initiate margin calls. A margin call means that the lender requires us to pledge additional collateral to re-establish the ratio of the value of the collateral to the amount of the borrowing. The specific collateral value to borrowing ratio that would trigger a margin call is not set in the master repurchase agreements and not determined until we engage in a repurchase transaction under these agreements. Our fixed-rate Agency MBS generally are more susceptible to margin calls as increases in interest rates tend to more negatively affect the market value of fixed-rate securities. If we are unable to satisfy margin calls, our lenders may foreclose on our collateral. The threat or occurrence of a margin call could force us to sell either directly or through a foreclosure our Agency MBS under adverse market conditions. Because of the significant leverage we expect to have, we may incur substantial losses upon the threat or occurrence of a margin call, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Hedging against interest rate exposure may not completely insulate us from interest rate risk and could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

We may enter into interest rate cap or swap agreements or pursue other hedging strategies, including the purchase of puts, calls or other options and futures contracts in order to hedge the interest rate risk of our portfolio. In general, our hedging strategy depends on our view of our entire portfolio consisting of assets, liabilities and derivative instruments, in light of prevailing market conditions. We could misjudge the condition of our investment portfolio or the market. Our hedging activity will vary in scope based on the level and volatility of interest rates and principal prepayments, the type of Agency MBS we hold and other changing market conditions. Hedging may fail to protect or could adversely affect us because, among other things:

·	hedging can be expensive, particularly during periods of rising and volatile interest rates;

·	available interest rate hedging may not correspond directly with the interest rate risk for which protection is sought;

·	the duration of the hedge may not match the duration of the related liability;

·	certain types of hedges may expose us to risk of loss beyond the fee paid to initiate the hedge;

·	the credit quality of the counterparty on the hedge may be downgraded to such an extent that it impairs our ability to sell or assign our side of the hedging transaction; and

·	the counterparty in the hedging transaction may default on its obligation to pay.

There are no perfect hedging strategies, and interest rate hedging may fail to protect us from loss. Alternatively, we may fail to properly assess a risk to our investment portfolio or may fail to recognize a risk entirely, leaving us exposed to losses without the benefit of any offsetting hedging activities. The derivative financial instruments we select may not have the effect of reducing our interest rate risk. The nature and timing of hedging transactions may influence the effectiveness of these strategies. Poorly designed strategies or improperly executed transactions could actually increase our risk and losses. In addition, hedging activities could result in losses if the event against which we hedge does not occur.

Because of the foregoing risks, our hedging activity could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

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Our use of certain hedging techniques may expose us to counterparty risks.

To the extent that our hedging instruments are not traded on regulated exchanges, guaranteed by an exchange or its clearinghouse, or regulated by any U.S. or foreign governmental authorities, there may not be requirements with respect to record keeping, financial responsibility or segregation of customer funds and positions. Furthermore, the enforceability of agreements underlying hedging transactions may depend on compliance with applicable statutory and commodity and other regulatory requirements and, depending on the domicile of the counterparty, applicable international requirements. Consequently, if any of these issues causes a counterparty to fail to perform under a derivative agreement we could incur a significant loss.

For example, if a counterparty under an interest rate swaption agreement that we enter into as part of our hedging strategy cannot perform under the terms of the interest rate swaption agreement, we may not receive payments due under that agreement, and, thus, we may lose any potential benefit associated with the interest rate swaption. Additionally, we may also risk the loss of any collateral we have pledged to secure our obligations under these swaption agreements if the counterparty becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy. Similarly, if an interest rate swaption counterparty fails to perform under the terms of the interest rate swaption agreement, in addition to not being able to exercise or otherwise cash settle the agreement, we could also incur a loss for the premium paid for that swaption.

We rely on analytical models and other data to analyze potential asset acquisition and disposition opportunities and to manage our portfolio. Such models and other data may be incorrect, misleading or incomplete, which could cause us to purchase assets that do not meet our expectations or to make asset management decisions that are not in line with our strategy.

We rely on analytical models and other data supplied by third parties. These models and data may be used to value assets or potential asset acquisitions and dispositions and in connection with our asset management activities. If our models and data prove to be incorrect, misleading or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon could expose us to potential risks.

Our reliance on models and data may induce us to purchase certain assets at prices that are too high, to sell certain other assets at prices that are too low or to miss favorable opportunities altogether. Similarly, any hedging activities that are based on faulty models and data may prove to be unsuccessful.

Some models, such as prepayment models, may be predictive in nature. The use of predictive models has inherent risks. For example, such models may incorrectly forecast future behavior, leading to potential losses. In addition, the predictive models used by us may differ substantially from those models used by other market participants, resulting in valuations based on these predictive models that may be substantially higher or lower for certain assets than actual market prices. Furthermore, because predictive models are usually constructed based on historical data supplied by third parties, the success of relying on such models may depend heavily on the accuracy and reliability of the supplied historical data, and, in the case of predicting performance in scenarios with little or no historical precedent (such as extreme broad-based declines in home prices, or deep economic recessions or depressions), such models must employ greater degrees of extrapolation and are therefore more speculative and less reliable.

All valuation models rely on correct market data input. If incorrect market data is entered into even a well-founded valuation model, the resulting valuations will be incorrect. However, even if market data is inputted correctly, “model prices” will often differ substantially from market prices, especially for securities with complex characteristics or whose values are particularly sensitive to various factors. If our market data inputs are incorrect or our model prices differ substantially from market prices, our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders could be materially adversely affected.

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Valuations of some of our assets are inherently uncertain, may be based on estimates, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may differ from the values that would have been used if a ready market for these assets existed. As a result, the values of some of our assets are uncertain.

While in many cases our determination of the fair value of our assets is based on valuations provided by third-party dealers and pricing services, we can and do value assets based upon our judgment, and such valuations may differ from those provided by third-party dealers and pricing services. Valuations of certain assets are often difficult to obtain or are unreliable. In general, dealers and pricing services heavily disclaim their valuations. Additionally, dealers may claim to furnish valuations only as an accommodation and without special compensation, and so they may disclaim any and all liability for any direct, incidental or consequential damages arising out of any inaccuracy or incompleteness in valuations, including any act of negligence or breach of any warranty. Depending on the complexity and illiquidity of an asset, valuations of the same asset can vary substantially from one dealer or pricing service to another. The valuation process during times of market distress can be particularly difficult and unpredictable and during such time the disparity of valuations provided by third-party dealers can widen.

Our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders could be materially adversely affected if our fair value determinations of these assets were materially higher than the values that would exist if a ready market existed for these assets.

Because the assets that we acquire might experience periods of illiquidity, we might be prevented from selling our Agency MBS at favorable times and prices, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Agency MBS generally experience periods of illiquidity. Such conditions are more likely to occur for structured Agency MBS because such securities are generally traded in markets much less liquid than the PT Agency MBS market. As a result, we may be unable to dispose of our Agency MBS at advantageous times and prices or in a timely manner. The lack of liquidity might result from the absence of a willing buyer or an established market for these assets as well as legal or contractual restrictions on resale. The illiquidity of Agency MBS could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Our use of leverage could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Under normal market conditions, we generally expect our leverage ratio to be less than 12 to 1, although at times our borrowings may be above this level. We incur this indebtedness by borrowing against a substantial portion of the market value of our PT Agency MBS and a portion of our structured Agency MBS. Our total indebtedness, however, is not expressly limited by our policies and will depend on our prospective lenders’ estimates of the stability of our portfolio’s cash flow. As a result, there is no limit on the amount of leverage that we may incur. We face the risk that we might not be able to meet our debt service obligations or a lender’s margin requirements from our income and, to the extent we cannot, we might be forced to liquidate some of our Agency MBS at unfavorable prices. Our use of leverage could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders. For example, our repurchase agreement borrowings are secured by our PT Agency MBS and may be secured by a portion of our structured Agency MBS under repurchase agreements. A decline in the market value of the PT Agency MBS or structured Agency MBS used to secure these debt obligations could limit our ability to borrow or result in lenders requiring us to pledge additional collateral to secure our borrowings. In that situation, we could be required to sell Agency MBS under adverse market conditions in order to obtain the additional collateral required by the lender. If these sales are made at prices lower than the carrying value of the Agency MBS, we would experience losses.

If we experience losses as a result of our use of leverage, such losses could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.

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Our use of repurchase agreements may give our lenders greater rights in the event that either we or any of our lenders file for bankruptcy, which may make it difficult for us to recover our collateral in the event of a bankruptcy filing.

Our borrowings under repurchase agreements may qualify for special treatment under the bankruptcy code, giving our lenders the ability to avoid the automatic stay provisions of the bankruptcy code and to take possession of and liquidate our collateral under the repurchase agreements without delay if we file for bankruptcy. Furthermore, the special treatment of repurchase agreements under the bankruptcy code may make it difficult for us to recover our pledged assets in the event that any of our lenders files for bankruptcy. Thus, the use of repurchase agreements exposes our pledged assets to risk in the event of a bankruptcy filing by either our lenders or us. In addition, if the lender is a broker or dealer subject to the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, or an insured depository institution subject to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, our ability to exercise our rights to recover our investment under a repurchase agreement or to be compensated for any damages resulting from the lender’s insolvency may be further limited by those statutes.

If we fail to maintain our relationship with AVM, L.P. or if we do not establish relationships with other repurchase agreement trading, clearing and administrative service providers, our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders could be materially adversely affected.

We have engaged AVM, L.P. to provide us with certain repurchase agreement trading, clearing and administrative services. If we are unable to maintain our relationship with AVM, L.P. or we are unable to establish successful relationships with other repurchase agreement trading, clearing and administrative service providers, our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders could be materially adversely affected.

If our lenders default on their obligations to resell the Agency MBS back to us at the end of the repurchase transaction term, or if the value of the Agency MBS has declined by the end of the repurchase transaction term or if we default on our obligations under the repurchase transaction, we will lose money on these transactions, which, in turn, may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

When we engage in a repurchase transaction, we initially sell securities to the financial institution under one of our master repurchase agreements in exchange for cash, and our counterparty is obligated to resell the securities to us at the end of the term of the transaction, which is typically from 24 to 90 days but may be up to 364 days or more. The cash we receive when we initially sell the securities is less than the value of those securities, which is referred to as the haircut. Many financial institutions from which we may obtain repurchase agreement financing have increased their haircuts in the past and may do so again in the future. If these haircuts are increased, we will be required to post additional cash or securities as collateral for our Agency MBS. If our counterparty defaults on its obligation to resell the securities to us, we would incur a loss on the transaction equal to the amount of the haircut (assuming there was no change in the value of the securities). We would also lose money on a repurchase transaction if the value of the underlying securities had declined as of the end of the transaction term, as we would have to repurchase the securities for their initial value but would receive securities worth less than that amount. Any losses we incur on our repurchase transactions could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

If we default on one of our obligations under a repurchase transaction, the counterparty can terminate the transaction and cease entering into any other repurchase transactions with us. In that case, we would likely need to establish a replacement repurchase facility with another financial institution in order to continue to leverage our portfolio and carry out our investment strategy. There is no assurance we would be able to establish a suitable replacement facility on acceptable terms or at all.

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We have issued long-term debt to fund our operations which can increase the volatility of our earnings and stockholders’ equity.

In October 2005, Bimini Capital completed a private offering of trust preferred securities of Bimini Capital Trust II, of which $26.8 million are still outstanding. The Company must pay interest on these junior subordinated notes on a quarterly basis at a rate equal to current three month LIBOR rate plus 3.5%. To the extent the Company’s does not generate sufficient earnings to cover the interest payments on the debt, our earnings and stockholders’ equity may be negatively impacted.

The Company considers the junior subordinated notes as part of its long-term capital base. Therefore, for purposes of all disclosure in this report concerning our capital or leverage, the Company considers both stockholders’ equity and the $26.8 million of junior subordinated notes to constitute capital.

The Company has also elected to account for its investments in MBS under the fair value option and, therefore, will report MBS on our financial statements at fair value with unrealized gains and losses included in earnings. Changes in the value of the MBS do not impact the outstanding balance of the junior subordinated notes but rather our stockholders’ equity. Therefore, changes in the value of our MBS will be absorbed solely by our stockholders’ equity. Because our stockholders equity is small in relation to our total capital, such changes may result in significant changes in our stockholders’ equity.

Clearing facilities or exchanges upon which some of our hedging instruments are traded may increase margin requirements on our hedging instruments in the event of adverse economic developments.

In response to events having or expected to have adverse economic consequences or which create market uncertainty, clearing facilities or exchanges upon which some of our hedging instruments, such as Eurodollar futures contracts, are traded may require us to post additional collateral against our hedging instruments. In the event that future adverse economic developments or market uncertainty result in increased margin requirements for our hedging instruments, it could materially adversely affect our liquidity position, business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may change our investment strategy, investment guidelines and asset allocation without notice or stockholder consent, which may result in riskier investments.

Our Board of Directors has the authority to change our investment strategy or asset allocation at any time without notice to or consent from our stockholders. To the extent that our investment strategy changes in the future, we may make investments that are different from, and possibly riskier than, the investments described in this annual report. A change in our investment strategy may increase our exposure to interest rate and real estate market fluctuations. Furthermore, a change in our asset allocation could result in our allocating assets in a different manner than as described in this annual report.

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Competition might prevent us from acquiring Agency MBS at favorable yields, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

We operate in a highly competitive market for investment opportunities. Our net income largely depends on our ability to acquire Agency MBS at favorable spreads over our borrowing costs. In acquiring Agency MBS, we compete with a variety of institutional investors, including mortgage REITs, investment banking firms, savings and loan associations, banks, insurance companies, mutual funds, other lenders, other entities that purchase Agency MBS, the Federal Reserve, other governmental entities and government-sponsored entities, many of which have greater financial, technical, marketing and other resources than we do. Some competitors may have a lower cost of funds and access to funding sources that may not be available to us, such as funding from the U.S. Government. Additionally, many of our competitors are required to maintain an exemption from the Investment Company Act. In addition, some of our competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments. Furthermore, competition for investments in Agency MBS may lead the price of such investments to increase, which may further limit our ability to generate desired returns. As a result, we may not be able to acquire sufficient Agency MBS at favorable spreads over our borrowing costs, which would materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

We are highly dependent on communications and information systems operated by third parties, and systems failures could significantly disrupt our business, which may, in turn, adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

Our business is highly dependent on communications and information systems that allow us to monitor, value, buy, sell, finance and hedge our investments. These systems are operated by third parties and, as a result, we have limited ability to ensure their continued operation. In the event of a systems failure or interruption, we will have limited ability to affect the timing and success of systems restoration. Any failure or interruption of our systems could cause delays or other problems in our securities trading activities, including Agency MBS trading activities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

We depend primarily on two individuals to operate our business, and the loss of one or both of such persons could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

We depend substantially on two individuals, Robert E. Cauley, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and G. Hunter Haas, our President, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to manage our business. We depend on the diligence, experience and skill of Mr. Cauley and Mr. Haas in managing all aspects of our business, including the selection, acquisition, structuring and monitoring of securities portfolios and associated borrowings. Although we have entered into contracts and compensation arrangements with Mr. Cauley and Mr. Haas that encourage their continued employment, those contracts may not prevent either Mr. Cauley or Mr. Haas from leaving our company. The loss of either of them could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

If we issue debt securities, our operations may be restricted and we will be exposed to additional risk.

If we decide to issue debt securities in the future, it is likely that such securities will be governed by an indenture or other instrument containing covenants restricting our operating flexibility. Additionally, any convertible or exchangeable securities that we issue in the future may have rights, preferences and privileges more favorable than those of our Class A Common Stock. We, and indirectly our stockholders, will bear the cost of issuing and servicing such securities. Holders of debt securities may be granted specific rights, including but not limited to, the right to hold a perfected security interest in certain of our assets, the right to accelerate payments due under the indenture, rights to restrict dividend payments, and rights to approve the sale of assets. Such additional restrictive covenants and operating restrictions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

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Adoption of the Basel III standards and other proposed supplementary regulatory standards may negatively impact our access to financing or affect the terms of our future financing arrangements.

In response to various financial crises and the volatility of financial markets, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, an international body comprised of senior representatives of bank supervisory authorities and central banks from 27 countries, including the United States, adopted the Basel III standards several years ago. The final package of Basel III reforms was approved by the G20 leaders in November 2010. In January 2013, the Basel Committee agreed to delay implementation of the Basel III standards and expanded the scope of assets permitted to be included in a bank's liquidity measurement. In 2014, the Basel Committee announced that it would propose additional changes to capital requirements for banks over the next few years. U.S. regulators have elected to implement substantially all of the Basel III standards. These new standards, including the Supplementary Leverage Ratio imposed by the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which will be fully phased in by 2019, will require banks to hold more capital, predominantly in the form of common equity, than under the current capital framework. These increased bank capital requirements may constrain our ability to obtain attractive future financings and increase the cost of such financings if they are obtained.

In April 2014, U.S. regulators adopted rules requiring enhanced supplementary leverage ratio standards beginning in January 2018, which would impose capital requirements more stringent than those of the Basel III standards for the most systematically significant banking organizations in the U.S. Adoption and implementation of the Basel III standards and the supplemental regulatory standards adopted by U.S. regulators may negatively impact our access to financing or affect the terms of our future financing arrangements.

The termination of our management agreement with Orchid could significantly reduce our revenues.

Upon completion of its initial public offering, Orchid became externally managed and advised by Bimini Advisors. As Manager, Bimini Advisors is responsible for administering Orchid’s business activities and day-to-day operations. Pursuant to the terms of the management agreement, Bimini Advisors provides Orchid with its management team, including its officers, along with appropriate support personnel.

In exchange for these services, Bimini Advisors receives a monthly management fee. In addition, Orchid is obligated to reimburse Bimini Advisors for any direct expenses incurred on its behalf and Bimini Advisors allocates to Orchid its pro rata portion of certain overhead costs. If Orchid were to terminate the management agreement without cause, it would be obligated to pay to Bimini Advisors a termination fee equal to three times the average annual management fee, as defined in the management agreement, before or on the last day of the initial term or automatic renewal term. The loss of these revenues, if it were to occur, would have a severe and immediate impact on the Company.

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Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure

Loss of our exemption from regulation under the Investment Company Act would negatively affect the value of shares of our common stock and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

We have operated and intend to continue to operate our business so as to be exempt from registration under the Investment Company Act, because we are “primarily engaged in the business of purchasing or otherwise acquiring mortgages and other liens on and interests in real estate.” Specifically, we invest and intend to continue to invest so that at least 55% of the assets that we own on an unconsolidated basis consist of qualifying mortgages and other liens and interests in real estate, which are collectively referred to as “qualifying real estate assets,” and so that at least 80% of the assets we own on an unconsolidated basis consist of real estate-related assets (including our qualifying real estate assets). We treat Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae whole-pool residential mortgage pass-through securities issued with respect to an underlying pool of mortgage loans in which we hold all of the certificates issued by the pool as qualifying real estate assets based on no-action letters issued by the SEC. To the extent that the SEC publishes new or different guidance with respect to these matters, we may fail to qualify for this exemption.

If we fail to qualify for this exemption, we could be required to restructure our activities in a manner that, or at a time when, we would not otherwise choose to do so, which could negatively affect the value of shares of our common stock and our ability to distribute dividends. For example, if the market value of our investments in CMOs or structured Agency MBS, neither of which are qualifying real estate assets for Investment Company Act purposes, were to increase by an amount that resulted in less than 55% of our assets being invested in pass-through Agency MBS, we might have to sell CMOs or structured Agency MBS in order to maintain our exemption from the Investment Company Act. The sale could occur during adverse market conditions, and we could be forced to accept a price below that which we believe is acceptable.

Alternatively, if we fail to qualify for this exemption, we may have to register under the Investment Company Act and we could become subject to substantial regulation with respect to our capital structure (including our ability to use leverage), management, operations, transactions with affiliated persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act), portfolio composition, including restrictions with respect to diversification and industry concentration, and other matters.

We may be required at times to adopt less efficient methods of financing certain of our securities, and we may be precluded from acquiring certain types of higher yielding securities. The net effect of these factors would be to lower our net interest income. If we fail to qualify for an exemption from registration as an investment company or an exclusion from the definition of an investment company, our ability to use leverage would be substantially reduced, and we would not be able to conduct our business as described in this prospectus. Our business will be materially and adversely affected if we fail to qualify for and maintain an exemption from regulation pursuant to the Investment Company Act.

Failure to obtain and maintain an exemption from being regulated as a commodity pool operator could subject us to additional regulation and compliance requirements and may result in fines and other penalties which could materially adversely affect our business and financial condition.

The Dodd-Frank Act established a comprehensive new regulatory framework for derivative contracts commonly referred to as “swaps.” As a result, any investment fund that trades in swaps may be considered a “commodity pool,” which would cause its operators (in some cases the fund’s directors) to be regulated as “commodity pool operators,” (“CPOs”). Under new rules adopted by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, (the “CFTC”), those funds that become commodity pools solely because of their use of swaps must register with the National Futures Association (the “NFA”). Registration requires compliance with the CFTC’s regulations and the NFA’s rules with respect to capital raising, disclosure, reporting, recordkeeping and other business conduct.

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We use hedging instruments in conjunction with our investment portfolio and related borrowings to reduce or mitigate risks associated with changes in interest rates, mortgage spreads, yield curve shapes and market volatility. These hedging instruments may include interest rate swaps, interest rate futures and options on interest rate futures. We do not currently engage in any speculative derivatives activities or other non-hedging transactions using swaps, futures or options on futures. We do not use these instruments for the purpose of trading in commodity interests, and we do not consider the Company or its operations to be a commodity pool as to which CPO registration or compliance is required.

The CFTC has substantial enforcement power with respect to violations of the laws over which it has jurisdiction, including their anti-fraud and anti-manipulation provisions. For example, the CFTC may suspend or revoke the registration of or the no-action relief afforded to a person who fails to comply with commodities laws and regulations, prohibit such a person from trading or doing business with registered entities, impose civil money penalties, require restitution and seek fines or imprisonment for criminal violations. In the event that the CFTC asserts that we are not entitled to the no-action letter relief claimed, we may be obligated to furnish additional disclosures and reports, among other things. Further, a private right of action exists against those who violate the laws over which the CFTC has jurisdiction or who willfully aid, abet, counsel, induce or procure a violation of those laws. In the event that we fail to comply with statutory requirements relating to derivatives or with the CFTC’s rules thereunder, including the no-action letter described above, we may be subject to significant fines, penalties and other civil or governmental actions or proceedings, any of which could have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our Rights Plan could inhibit a change in our control that would otherwise be favorable to our stockholders.

In December 2015, our Board of Directors adopted a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Plan”) in an effort to protect against a possible limitation on our ability to use our net operating losses “(NOLs”) and net capital losses (“NCLs”) by discouraging investors from aggregating ownership of our Class A Common Stock and triggering an “ownership change” for purposes of Sections 382 and 383 of the Code. Under the terms of the Rights Plan, in general, if a person or group acquires ownership of 4.9% or more of the outstanding shares of our Class A Common Stock without the consent of our Board of Directors (an “Acquiring Person”), all of our other stockholders will have the right to purchase securities from us at a discount to such securities’ fair market value, thus causing substantial dilution to the Acquiring Person. As a result, the Rights Plan may have the effect of inhibiting or impeding a change in control not approved by our Board of Directors and, notwithstanding its purpose, could adversely affect our shareholders’ ability to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price for our common stock in connection with such a transaction. In addition, because our Board of Directors may consent to certain transactions, the Rights Plan gives our Board of Directors significant discretion over whether a potential acquirer’s efforts to acquire a large interest in us will be successful. There can be no assurance that the Rights Plan will prevent an “ownership change” within the meaning of Sections 382 and 383 of the Code, in which case we may lose all or most of the anticipated tax benefits associated with our prior losses.

Certain provisions of applicable law and our charter and bylaws may restrict business combination opportunities that would otherwise be favorable to our stockholders.

Our charter and bylaws and Maryland law contain provisions that may delay, defer or prevent a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders, including business combination provisions, supermajority vote and cause requirements for removal of directors, provisions that vacancies on our Board of Directors may be filled only by the remaining directors, for the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred, the power of our Board of Directors to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of stock or the number of shares of any class or series of stock, to cause us to issue additional shares of stock of any class or series and to fix the terms of one or more classes or series of stock without stockholder approval, the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock and advance notice requirements for director nominations and stockholder proposals. These provisions, along with the restrictions on ownership and transfer contained in our charter and certain provisions of Maryland law described below, could discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or make it more difficult for a third party to gain control of us, which could adversely affect the market price of our securities.

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Our rights and the rights of our stockholders to take action against our directors and officers are limited, which could limit your recourse in the event of actions not in your best interests.

Our charter limits the liability of our directors and officers to us and our stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from:

·	actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services; or

·	a final judgment based upon a finding of active and deliberate dishonesty by the director or officer that was material to the cause of action adjudicated.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that obligate us to indemnify them to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. In addition, our charter authorizes the Company to obligate itself to indemnify our present and former directors and officers for actions taken by them in those and other capacities to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. Our bylaws require us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify each present and former director or officer in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service to us. In addition, we may be obligated to advance the defense costs incurred by our directors and officers. As a result, we and our stockholders may have more limited rights against our directors and officers than might otherwise exist absent the provisions in our charter, bylaws and indemnification agreements or that might exist with other companies.

Certain provisions of Maryland law could inhibit changes in control.

Certain provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law ( the “MGCL”), may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making a proposal to acquire us or impeding a change of control under circumstances that otherwise could provide our stockholders with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price of our common stock, including:

“business combination” provisions that, subject to limitations, prohibit certain business combinations between us and an “interested stockholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock or an affiliate or associate of ours who, at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of our then-outstanding stock) or an affiliate of an interested stockholder for five years after the most recent date on which the stockholder became an interested stockholder, and thereafter require two supermajority stockholder votes to approve any such combination; and

“control share” provisions that provide that a holder of “control shares” of the Company (defined as voting shares of stock which, when aggregated with all other shares of stock owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), entitle the acquiror to exercise one of three increasing ranges of voting power in electing directors) acquired in a “control share acquisition” (defined as the direct or indirect acquisition of ownership or control of issued and outstanding “control shares,” subject to certain exceptions) generally has no voting rights with respect to the control shares except to the extent approved by our stockholders by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares.

We have elected to opt-out of these provisions of the MGCL, in the case of the business combination provisions, by resolution of our Board of Directors (provided that such business combination is first approved by our Board of Directors, including a majority of our directors who are not affiliates or associates of such person), and in the case of the control share provisions, pursuant to a provision in our bylaws. However, our Board of Directors may by resolution elect to repeal the foregoing opt-out from the business combination provisions of the MGCL, and we may, by amendment to our bylaws, opt in to the control share provisions of the MGCL in the future.

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We may be subject to adverse legislative or regulatory changes that could reduce the market price of our common stock.

At any time, laws or regulations, or the administrative interpretations of those laws or regulations, that impact our business and Maryland corporations may be amended. In addition, the markets for MBS and derivatives, including interest rate swaps, have been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent months. We cannot predict when or if any new law, regulation or administrative interpretation, or any amendment to any existing law, regulation or administrative interpretation, will be adopted or promulgated or will become effective. Additionally, revisions to these laws, regulations or administrative interpretations could cause us to change our investments. We could be materially adversely affected by any such change to any existing, or any new, law, regulation or administrative interpretation, which could reduce the market price of our common stock.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Risks

An investment in our common stock has various income tax risks.

This summary of certain tax risks is limited to the tax risks addressed below. Additional risks or issues may exist that are not addressed in this Form 10-K and that could affect the federal and state tax treatment of us or our stockholders. This is not intended to be used and cannot be used by any stockholder to avoid penalties that may be imposed on stockholders under the Code. Management strongly urges shareholders to seek advice based on their particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor concerning the effects of federal, state and local income tax law on an investment in our common stock.

Our ability to use net operating loss carryovers and net capital loss carryovers to reduce our taxable income may be limited.

We must have taxable income or net capital gains to benefit from these net operating loss and net capital loss carryovers, as well as certain other tax attributes. Although we believe that a significant portion of our NOLs will be available to use to offset the future taxable income of Bimini Capital and MortCo, no assurance can be provided that we will have taxable income or gains in the future to apply against our remaining NOLs and NCLs.

In addition, our NOL and NCL carryovers may be limited by Sections 382 and 383 of the Code if we undergo an “ownership change.” Generally, an “ownership change” occurs if certain persons or groups increase their aggregate ownership in our company by more than 50 percentage points looking back over the relevant testing period. If an ownership change occurs, our ability to use our NOLs and NCLs to reduce our taxable income in a future year would be limited to a Section 382 limitation equal to the fair market value of our stock immediately prior to the ownership change multiplied by the long-term tax-exempt interest rate in effect for the month of the ownership change. In the event of an ownership change, NOLs and NCLs that exceed the Section 382 limitation in any year will continue to be allowed as carryforwards for the remainder of the carryforward period and such losses can be used to offset taxable income for years within the carryforward period subject to the Section 382 limitation in each year. However, if the carryforward period for any NOL or NCL were to expire before that loss had been fully utilized, the unused portion of that loss would be lost. The carryforward period for NOLs is 20 years from the year in which the losses giving rise to the NOLs were incurred, and the carryforward period for NCL is five years from the year in which the losses giving rise to the NCL were incurred. Our use of new NOLs or NCLs arising after the date of an ownership change would not be affected by the Section 382 limitation (unless there were another ownership change after those new losses arose).

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Based on our knowledge of our stock ownership, we do not believe that an ownership change has occurred since our losses were generated. Accordingly, we believe that at the current time there is no annual limitation imposed on our use of our NOLs and NCLs to reduce future taxable income. The determination of whether an ownership change has occurred or will occur is complicated and depends on changes in percentage stock ownership among stockholders. We adopted the Rights Plan described above in order to discourage or prevent an ownership change. However, there can be no assurance that the Rights Plan will prevent an ownership change. In addition, we have not obtained, and currently do not plan to obtain, a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, regarding our conclusion as to whether our losses are subject to any such limitations. Furthermore, we may decide in the future that it is necessary or in our interest to take certain actions that could result in an ownership change. Therefore, no assurance can be provided as to whether an ownership change has occurred or will occur in the future.

Preserving the ability to use our NOLs and NCLs may cause us to forgo otherwise attractive opportunities.

Limitations imposed by Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code may discourage us from, among other things, redeeming our stock or issuing additional stock to raise capital or to acquire businesses or assets. Accordingly, our desire to preserve our NOLs and NCLs may cause us to forgo otherwise attractive opportunities.

Failure to qualify as a REIT in prior years could subject us to federal income tax consequences.

Prior to our 2015 tax year, we operated in a manner that was intended to cause us to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. However, the tax laws governing REITs are extremely complex, and interpretations of the tax laws governing qualification as a REIT are limited. Qualifying as a REIT required us to meet numerous income and other tests. Given the highly complex nature of the rules governing REITs, the ongoing importance of factual determinations, and the possibility of changes in our circumstances, no assurance can be given that we qualified for any particular year.

If we failed to qualify as a REIT prior to our 2015 tax year and we do not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, we would have to pay federal income tax on our taxable income, if any, for the year of the failure and for the following four years.

If we make distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, those distributions will be treated as a return of capital, which will reduce the adjusted basis of your stock, and to the extent such distributions exceed your adjusted basis, you may recognize a capital gain.

Unless you are a tax-exempt entity, distributions that we make to you generally will be subject to tax as ordinary income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits as determined for federal income tax purposes. If the amount we distribute to you exceeds your allocable share of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of your adjusted basis in your stock. This will reduce your basis in your stock but will not be subject to tax. If the amount we distribute to you exceeds both your allocable share of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and your adjusted basis, this amount will be treated as a gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset.

Bimini Capital may recognize excess inclusion income that would increase the tax liability of its stockholders.

If Bimini Capital recognize excess inclusion income and that is allocated to its stockholders, this income cannot be offset by net operating losses of its stockholders. If the stockholder is a tax-exempt entity, then this income would be fully taxable as unrelated business taxable income under Section 512 of the Code. If the stockholder is a foreign person, such income would be subject to federal income tax withholding without reduction or exemption pursuant to any otherwise applicable income tax treaty. In addition, to the extent Bimini Capital’s stock is owned by tax-exempt "disqualified organizations," such as government-related entities that are not subject to tax on unrelated business taxable income, although Treasury regulations have not yet been drafted to clarify the law, it may incur a corporate level tax at the highest applicable corporate tax rate on the portion of our excess inclusion income that is allocable to such disqualified organizations.

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Excess inclusion income could result if Bimini Capital holds a residual interest in a real estate mortgage investment conduit, or REMIC. Excess inclusion income also could be generated if Bimini Capital were to issue debt obligations with two or more maturities and the terms of the payments on these obligations bore a relationship to the payments received on its mortgage-related securities securing those debt obligations (i.e., if Bimini Capital were to own an interest in a taxable mortgage pool). Bimini Capital does not expect to acquire significant amounts of residual interests in REMICs, other than interests already owned by its subsidiary, which is treated as a separate taxable entity for these purposes. Bimini Capital intends to structure borrowing arrangements in a manner designed to avoid generating significant amounts of excess inclusion income. Bimini Capital does, however, expect to enter into various repurchase agreements that have differing maturity dates and afford the lender the right to sell any pledged mortgaged securities if Bimini Capital should default on its obligations.

Risks Related to Conflicts of Interest in Our Relationship with Orchid

Bimini Capital and Orchid may compete for opportunities to acquire assets, which are allocated in accordance with the Investment Allocation Agreement by and among Orchid and Bimini Advisors.

From time to time we may seek to purchase for Bimini Capital the same or similar assets that we seek to purchase for Orchid. In such an instance, we may allocate such opportunities in a manner that preferentially favors Orchid. We will make available to either Bimini Capital or Orchid opportunities to acquire assets that we determine, in our reasonable and good faith judgment, based on the objectives, policies and strategies, and other relevant factors, are appropriate for either entity in accordance with the Investment Allocation Agreement among Bimini Capital, Orchid and Bimini Advisors.

Because many of Bimini Capital’s targeted assets are typically available only in specified quantities and because many of our targeted assets are also targeted assets for Orchid, we may not be able to buy as much of any given asset as required to satisfy the needs of both Bimini Capital and Orchid. In these cases, the Investment Allocation Agreement will require the allocation of such assets to both accounts in proportion to their needs and available capital. The Investment Allocation Agreement will permit departure from such proportional allocation when (i) allocating purchases of whole-pool Agency MBS, because those securities cannot be divided into multiple parts to be allocated among various accounts, and (ii) such allocation would result in an inefficiently small amount of the security being purchased for an account. In that case, the Investment Allocation Agreement allows for a protocol of allocating assets so that, on an overall basis, each account is treated equitably.

There are conflicts of interest in our relationships with Orchid, which could result in decisions that are not in the best interests of Bimini Capital’s stockholders.

We are subject to conflicts of interest arising out of Bimini Advisors relationship as Manager of Orchid. All of our executive officers may have conflicts between their duties to Bimini Capital and their duties to Orchid as its Manager.

Bimini Capital may acquire or sell assets in which Orchid may have an interest. Similarly, Orchid may acquire or sell assets in which Bimini Capital has or may have an interest. Although such acquisitions or dispositions may present conflicts of interest, we nonetheless may pursue and consummate such transactions. Additionally, Bimini Capital may engage in transactions directly with Orchid, including the purchase and sale of all or a portion of a portfolio asset.

Our officers devote as much time to Bimini Capital and to Orchid as they deem appropriate. However, these officers may have conflicts in allocating their time and services among Bimini Capital and Orchid. During turbulent conditions in the mortgage industry, distress in the credit markets or other times when we will need focused support and assistance from employees, Orchid and other entities for which we may act as manager in the future will likewise require greater focus and attention, placing personnel resources in high demand. In such situations, Bimini Capital may not receive the necessary support and assistance it requires or would otherwise receive if it were not acting as manager of one or more other entities.

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We, directly or through Orchid, may obtain confidential information about the companies or securities in which we have invested or may invest. If we possess confidential information about such companies or securities, there may be restrictions on our ability to dispose of, increase the amount of, or otherwise take action with respect to the securities of such companies. Our management of other accounts could create a conflict of interest to the extent our officers are aware of material non-public information concerning potential investment decisions. We have implemented compliance procedures and practices designed to ensure that investment decisions are not made while in possession of material non-public information. We cannot assure you, however, that these procedures and practices will be effective. In addition, this conflict and these procedures and practices may limit the freedom of our officers to make potentially profitable investments, which could have an adverse effect on Bimini Capital’s operations. These limitations imposed by access to confidential information could therefore materially adversely affect Bimini Capital’s business, financial condition and results of operations and its ability to make distributions to Bimini Capital’s stockholders.

Mr. Cauley, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our Board of Directors, also serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Orchid and owns shares of common stock of Orchid at the time of this filing and may continue to hold shares in the future. Mr. Haas, our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer and President, is a member of the Board of Directors of Orchid, serves as the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Treasurer of Orchid and owns shares of common stock of Orchid at the time of this filing and may continue to hold shares in the future. Mr. Dwyer and Mr. Jaumot, the two independent members of our Board of Directors, own shares of common stock of Orchid at the time of this filing and may continue to own shares in the future. Accordingly, Messrs. Cauley, Haas, Dwyer and Jaumot may have a conflict of interest with respect to actions by Bimini Capital’s Board of Directors that relate to Orchid as its Manager.

Bimini continues to hold an investment in the common stock of Orchid. In evaluating opportunities for ourselves and Orchid, this may lead us to emphasize certain asset acquisition, disposition or management objectives over others, such as balancing risk or capital preservation objectives against return objectives. This could increase the risks or decrease the returns of your investment in our common stock.

Bimini Capital incurred considerable cost in sponsoring the initial public offering of Orchid. It did so in return for the ability to earn management fees and share a portion of our overhead costs in the future. If the independent board of Orchid elected to not renew or to cancel the management agreement with Bimini Advisors, Bimini Capital may not be able to recoup the costs incurred in bringing Orchid to market. Even if Orchid elected not to renew the management agreement without cause, and would be required to pay Bimini Advisors a substantial termination fee, this fee, in conjunction with any management fees collected or overhead costs shared prior to the early termination of the agreement, may not be sufficient to recoup the costs Bimini Capital incurred in bringing Orchid to market.

Orchid may elect not to renew the management agreement, even without cause. The initial term of our management agreement was automatically renewed in accordance with the terms of the agreement on February 20, 2016. Upon the expiration of any automatic renewal term, with the consent of the majority of their independent directors, and upon providing 180-days’ prior written notice, Orchid may elect not to renew the management agreement. If Orchid elects to not renew the agreement because of a decision by its Board of Directors that the management fee is unfair, Bimini Advisors will have the right to renegotiate a mutually agreeable management fee. If Orchid elects to not renew the management agreement without cause, it is required to pay Bimini Advisors a termination fee equal to three times the average annual management fee incurred during the prior 24-month period immediately preceding the most recently completed calendar quarter prior to the effective date of termination. While these provisions may increase the effective cost of electing to not renew the management agreement, the fee may be insufficient to recoup the costs Bimini Capital incurred in bringing Orchid to market and completing its initial public offering.

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Risks Related to Our Common Stock

Investing in our common stock may involve a high degree of risk.

The investments we make in accordance with our investment objectives may result in a high amount of risk when compared to alternative investment options and volatility or loss of principal. Our investments may be highly speculative and aggressive, and therefore an investment in our common stock may not be suitable for someone with lower risk tolerance.

There is a limited market for our Class A Common Stock.

Since November 5, 2007, our Class A Common Stock has traded on the OTC bulletin board under the symbol “BMNM”. We may apply to list our Class A Common Stock on a national securities market in the future; however, even if listed on a national securities market, the ability to buy and sell our Class A Common Stock may be limited due to our small public float, and significant sales may depress or result in a decline in the market price of our Class A Common Stock. Additionally, until such time that our Class A Common Stock is approved for listing on another national securities market, our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional securities may be limited. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to:

· the likelihood that an actual market for our common stock will develop, or be continued once developed;

· the liquidity of any such market;

· the ability of any holder to sell shares of our common stock; or

· the prices that may be obtained for our common stock.

We have not made distributions to our stockholders since 2011.

Our Board of Directors have no authorized the payment of any cash dividends to our stockholders since 2011. All distributions will be made at the discretion of our Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor and will depend on our earnings, our financial condition and such other factors as our Board of Directors may deem relevant from time to time. As a result of the termination of our REIT status effective as of January 1, 2015, we may retain any available funds and future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to make distributions to our stockholders in the future, or if the ability to make distributions exists, that any will be made.

Future offerings of debt securities, which would be senior to our common stock upon liquidation, or equity securities, which would dilute our existing stockholders and may be senior to our common stock for the purposes of distributions, may harm the value of our common stock.

In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by making additional offerings of debt or equity securities, including commercial paper, medium-term notes, senior or subordinated notes and classes of preferred stock or common stock, as well as warrants to purchase shares of common stock or convertible preferred stock. Upon the liquidation of the Company, holders of our debt securities and shares of preferred stock and lenders with respect to other borrowings will receive a distribution of our available assets prior to the holders of our common stock. Additional equity offerings by us may dilute the holdings of our existing stockholders or reduce the market value of our common stock, or both. Our preferred stock, if issued, would have a preference on distributions that could limit our ability to make distributions to the holders of our common stock. Furthermore, our Board of Directors may, without stockholder approval, amend our charter to increase the aggregate number of our shares or the number of shares of any class or series that we have the authority to issue, and to classify or reclassify any unissued shares of common stock or preferred stock. Because our decision to issue securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of our future offerings. Our stockholders are therefore subject to the risk of our future securities offerings reducing the market price of our common stock and diluting their common stock.

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The market value of our common stock may be volatile.

The market value of shares of our common stock may be highly volatile and subject to wide price fluctuations. In addition, the trading volume in our common stock may fluctuate and cause significant price variations to occur. Some of the factors that could negatively affect the share price or trading volume of our common stock include:

·	actual or anticipated variations in our operating results or distributions;

·	changes in our earnings estimates or publication of research reports about us or the real estate or specialty finance industry;

·	increases in market interest rates that affect the value of our MBS portfolios;

·	changes in market valuations of similar companies;

·	adverse market reaction to any increased indebtedness we incur in the future;

·	departures of key management personnel;

·	actions by institutional stockholders;

·	speculation in the press or investment community; and

·	general market and economic conditions.

We cannot make any assurances that the market price of our common stock will not fluctuate or decline significantly in the future.

Shares of our common stock eligible for future sale may harm our share price.

We cannot predict the effect, if any, of future sales of shares of our common stock, or the availability of shares for future sales, on the market price of our common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock, or the perception that these sales could occur, may harm prevailing market prices for our common stock. The 2011 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan provides for grants of up to an aggregate of 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock (on a fully diluted basis) at the time of the award, subject to a maximum aggregate number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2011 Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan of 4,000,000 shares of common stock.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.

None.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES.

Our executive offices and principal administrative offices are located at 3305 Flamingo Drive, Vero Beach, Florida, 32963, in an office building which we own. This facility is shared with our subsidiaries and Orchid. This property is suitable and adequate for our business as currently conducted.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

The Company may from time to time be involved in various lawsuits and claims, both pending and threatened, including some that it has asserted against others, in which monetary and other damages are sought. These lawsuits and claims relate primarily to contractual disputes arising out of the ordinary course of the Company’s business. The outcome of such lawsuits and claims, as well as the costs to defend them, is inherently unpredictable, and management may choose to settle certain matters based on a cost-benefit analysis.

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A complaint by a note-holder in Preferred Term Securities XX (“PreTSL XX”) was filed on July 16, 2010 in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, against Bimini Capital, the Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY Mellon”) and Hexagon Securities LLC (“Hexagon”) and nominal defendants BNY Mellon and Preferred Term Securities XX, Ltd. (“PreTSL XX”), captioned Hildene Capital Management, LLC, et al. v. The Bank of New York Mellon, et. al. The complaint, filed by Hildene Capital Management, LLC and Hildene Opportunities Fund, Ltd. (“Hildene”), alleged that Hildene suffered losses as a result of Bimini Capital’s repurchase of all outstanding fixed/floating rate capital securities of Bimini Capital Trust II for less than par value from PreTSL XX in October 2009. Hildene alleged claims against BNY Mellon for breach of the Indenture, breach of fiduciary duties and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and claims against Bimini Capital for tortious interference with contract, aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment and “rescission/illegality.” Hildene also alleged derivative claims brought in the name of Nominal Defendant BNY Mellon. (Subsequently, Hexagon and Nominal Defendant PreTSL XX were voluntarily dismissed without prejudice by Hildene.) PreTSL XX, Ltd. moved to intervene as an additional plaintiff in the action, and Bimini and BNY Mellon opposed that motion. The court granted PreTSL XX, Ltd.’s motion to intervene and the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed that decision. In May 2013, Hildene voluntarily dismissed its purported derivative claims brought in the name of BNY Mellon, including its claim for “rescission/illegality.” On April 14, 2014 and May 18, 2014, Stipulations of Partial Discontinuance were filed with the court that dismissed all claims between and among Hildene and BNY Mellon, and PreTSL XX and BNY Mellon.

On May 15, 2015, Hildene and Bimini Capital agreed to settle the case, and on July 10, 2015, a Stipulation of Discontinuance was filed dismissing all claims and counterclaims between and among Hildene and Bimini Capital. In connection with the settlement and in accordance with GAAP, a loss of $3.5 million was accrued at March 31, 2015 and has been charged to operations for the year ended December 31, 2015. At December 31, 2015, $1.25 million of the settlement remains unpaid in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

Not Applicable.

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PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.

Market Information

Our Class A Common Stock is traded over-the-counter under the symbol “BMNM.OB”. As of February 18, 2016, we had 12,631,627 shares of Class A Common Stock issued and outstanding, which were held by 400 shareholders of record and 1,672 beneficial owners whose shares were held in “street name” by brokers and depository institutions.

The following table is a summary of historical prices of our Class A Common Stock.

	High		Low		Close		Dividends Declared
2015
First quarter	$	1.90	$	1.48	$	1.75	$	-
Second quarter		2.98		1.51		2.80		-
Third quarter		2.94		1.21		1.33		-
Fourth quarter		1.45		0.66		0.80		-
2014								.
First quarter	$	0.75	$	0.25	$	0.56	$	-
Second quarter		0.92		0.45		0.83		-
Third quarter		1.86		0.79		1.45		-
Fourth quarter		1.90		1.32		1.90		-

As of December 31, 2015, we had 31,938 shares of Class B Common Stock outstanding, which were held by 2 holders of record and 31,938 shares of Class C Common Stock outstanding, which were held by one holder of record. There is no established public trading market for our Class B Common Stock or Class C Common Stock.

Dividend Distribution Policy

Our ability to make distributions to our stockholders will depend upon the performance of our investment portfolio and the application of available net operating loss carryforwards. We have not made a distribution to stockholders since 2011, and we cannot assure you of our ability to make distributions to our stockholders in the future. Any distributions we make will be authorized by and at the discretion of our Board of Directors based upon a variety of factors deemed relevant by our directors, which may include:

·	actual results of operations;

·	our financial condition;

·	our level of retained cash flows;

·	our capital requirements;

·	any debt service requirements;

·	our taxable income;

·	the availability of tax net operating loss carryforwards;

·	applicable provisions of Maryland law; and

·	other factors that our Board of Directors may deem relevant.

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Our charter authorizes us to issue preferred stock that could have a preference over our common stock with respect to distributions. We currently have no intention to issue any preferred stock, but if we do, the distribution preference on the preferred stock could limit our ability to make distributions to the holders of our common stock.

Securities Authorized For Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

On August 12, 2011, Bimini Capital’s shareholders approved the 2011 Long Term Compensation Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is intended to permit the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), stock awards, performance units and other equity-based and incentive awards up to an aggregate of 4,000,000 shares, subject to adjustments and limitations as provided in the Plan. The following table provides information as of December 31, 2015 concerning shares of our common stock authorized for issuance under the Plan.

Number of securities

remaining available for

Total number of securities

Weighted-average

future issuance under

to be issued upon exercise

exercise price of

equity compensation plans

of outstanding options,

(excluding securities

warrants and rights

reflected in column (a))

Plan Category

(a)

(b)

Equity compensation plans approved by

by security holders

77,500

2,872,500

(2)

Equity compensation plans not approved

by security holders(1)

Total

77,500

2,872,500

(1)	We do not have any equity compensation plans that have not been approved by our stockholders.

(2)	Represents the maximum number of shares remaining available for future issuance under the terms of the Incentive Plan.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company issued 33,928 and 14,975 shares of Class A Common Stock to Robert J. Dwyer and Frank E. Jaumot, respectively, in consideration for their service on the Company’s Board of Directors and on certain committees of the Board of Directors. The shares were issued pursuant to the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, contained in Section 4(a)(2) thereof.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The Company did not repurchase any shares of its stock during the three months ended December 31, 2015.

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA.

Not Applicable.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes to those statements included in Item 8 of this Form 10-K. The discussion may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are those that are not historical in nature. As a result of many factors, such as those set forth under “Risk Factors” in this Form 10-K, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements.

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Year 2015 Significant Events

Bimini Capital Management, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Bimini Capital” and, collectively with its subsidiaries, the “Company,” “we”, “us” or “our”), has historically been organized, operated and taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and as of December 31, 2014, our corporate structure included two taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS”), and until its deconsolidation on December 31, 2014, a separately taxed REIT subsidiary, Orchid Island Capital, Inc. (“Orchid”).

Overview

Bimini Capital was formed in September 2003 to invest primarily in residential mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) issued and guaranteed by a federally chartered corporation or agency (“Agency MBS”). Our investment strategy focuses on, and our portfolio consists of, two categories of Agency MBS: (i) traditional pass-through Agency MBS (“PT MBS”) and (ii) structured Agency MBS, such as collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), interest only securities (“IOs”), inverse interest only securities (“IIOs”) and principal only securities (“POs”), among other types of structured Agency MBS. Beginning in 2013, and as further described below, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, also began to be an external manager of the portfolio of Orchid, and from this arrangement the Company receives management fees and expense reimbursements. In addition, the Company receives dividends from its investment in Orchid common shares. The Company treats its junior subordinated notes as an equity capital equivalent. The Company is self-managed and self-advised.

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Management of Orchid

Upon completion of its initial public offering, Orchid became externally managed and advised by Bimini Advisors pursuant to the terms of a management agreement. As Manager, Bimini Advisors is responsible for administering Orchid’s business activities and day-to-day operations. Pursuant to the terms of the management agreement, Bimini Advisors provides Orchid with its management team, including its officers, along with appropriate support personnel. Bimini Advisors is at all times subject to the supervision and oversight of Orchid’s board of directors and has only such functions and authority as delegated to it.

Factors that Affect our Results of Operations and Financial Condition

A variety of industry and economic factors may impact our results of operations and financial condition. These factors include:

·	interest rate trends;

·	the difference between Agency MBS yields and our funding and hedging costs;

·	competition for investments in Agency MBS;

·	actions taken by the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury;

·	prepayment rates on mortgages underlying our Agency MBS, and credit trends insofar as they affect prepayment rates; and

·	other market developments.

In addition, a variety of factors relating to our business may also impact our results of operations and financial condition. These factors include:

·	our degree of leverage;

·	our access to funding and borrowing capacity;

·	our borrowing costs;

·	our hedging activities;

·	the market value of our investments; and

·	the requirements to qualify for a registration exemption under the Investment Company Act.

·	the termination of our status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes effective as of January 1, 2015 and our ability to use net operating loss carryforwards and net capital loss carryforwards to reduce our taxable income.

Consolidation of Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

Subsequent to Orchid’s IPO and until December 31, 2014, management concluded that Orchid was a VIE, as defined in generally accepted accounting principles, because Orchid’s equity holders lacked the ability through voting rights to make decisions about the activities that have a significant effect on the success of Orchid. Management also concluded that Bimini Capital was the primary beneficiary of Orchid because, under the management agreement between Bimini Advisors and Orchid, Bimini Capital had the power to direct the activities of Orchid that most significantly impact its economic performance. As a result, subsequent to Orchid’s IPO and until December 31, 2014, the Company continued to consolidate Orchid in its consolidated financial statements.

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In December 2014, management of Bimini Capital re-evaluated the conditions resulting in the consolidation of Orchid and concluded that, due to Bimini Capital’s decreased percentage ownership interest in Orchid, there was no longer a variable interest requiring consolidation. As a result, in accordance with ASC 810, the Company deconsolidated Orchid from the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014. However, as a VIE which was deconsolidated on December 31, 2014, Orchid’s results of operations were included in the consolidated statements of operations, equity and cash flows through December 31, 2014, and are excluded in subsequent periods. During the period of time in which Orchid was a VIE, the net income of Orchid has been allocated to the noncontrolling interests and to Bimini Capital in proportion to their relative ownership interests in Orchid.

The consolidation of Orchid’s assets and liabilities with those of Bimini Capital and its wholly-owned subsidiaries during the period of time in which Orchid was a VIE gave the appearance of a much larger organization. However, the assets recognized as a result of consolidating Orchid did not represent additional assets that could be used to satisfy claims against Bimini Capital’s assets, nor did they represent amounts that are available to be distributed to Bimini Capital’s stockholders. Conversely, liabilities recognized as a result of consolidating Orchid did not represent additional claims on Bimini Capital’s assets; rather, they represented claims against the assets of Orchid.

Impact of Consolidation on Period-to-Period Comparisons

The discussion and tables set forth below present information as of certain dates and for certain periods of time in which Orchid was consolidated as a VIE. In particular, unless stated otherwise balance sheet data as of March 31, 2014, June 30, 2014 and September 30, 2014 and statement of operations data for the year ended December 31, 2014 and each quarter of 2014 reflect the consolidation of Orchid as a VIE.

The discussion and tables set forth below also present information as of certain dates and for certain periods of time in which Orchid was not consolidated as a VIE. Unless stated otherwise, balance sheet data as of December 31, 2014, March 31, 2015, June 30, 2015, September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2015, statement of operations data for the year ended December 31, 2015, and the statement of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2015 do not reflect the consolidation of Orchid as a VIE.

Certain discussion and tables below provide period-to-period comparisons in which Orchid was consolidated on the first date or period and deconsolidated on the second date or period. The changes reflected in those period-to-period comparisons are due in large part to the consolidation (or deconsolidation) of Orchid.

Dividends To Stockholders

Prior to January 1, 2015, in order to maintain its qualification as a REIT, Bimini Capital was required (among other provisions in the Code) to annually distribute dividends to its stockholders in an amount at least equal to, generally, 90% of Bimini Capital’s REIT taxable income. REIT taxable income is a term that describes Bimini Capital’s operating results calculated in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Code. Effective January 1, 2015, with the termination of Bimini Capital’s REIT status, any dividends that may be paid to stockholders are no longer deductible by Bimini Capital in computing taxable income.

During the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, Bimini Capital made no dividend declarations. All distributions are made at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors and will depend on the Company’s results of operations, financial conditions, availability of net operating losses and other factors that may be deemed relevant.

Results of Operations

Described below are the Company’s results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2015, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2014.

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Net Income Summary

Consolidated net income for the year ended December 31, 2015 was $59.2 million, or $4.77 basic and diluted income per share of Class A Common Stock, as compared to consolidated net income of $7.7 million, or $0.63 basic and diluted income per share of Class A Common Stock, for the year ended December 31, 2014. The increase in net income was due primarily to the reversal of a valuation allowance on deferred tax assets in connection with the termination of Bimini Capital’s REIT status. The comparability of the results of operations for 2015 and 2014 are affected by the inclusion of the activities of Orchid for the year ended December 31, 2015 prior to the deconsolidation date.

The components of net income for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, along with the changes in those components are presented in the table below:

(in thousands)
	2015			2014			Change
Net portfolio interest income	$	3,887		$	31,157		$	(27,270	)
Interest expense on junior subordinated notes		(998	)		(985	)		(13	)
(Losses) gains on MBS and derivative instruments		(3,400	)		1,160			(4,560	)
Net portfolio (deficiency) income		(511	)		31,332			(31,843	)
Other income		6,947			3,882			3,065
Expenses		(9,655	)		(7,220	)		(2,435	)
(Loss) income before income tax benefit		(3,219	)		27,994			(31,213	)
Income tax benefit		(62,450	)		(1,877	)		(60,573	)
Net income		59,231			29,871			29,360
Less: Income attributable to noncontrolling interests		-			22,126			(22,126	)
Net income attributable to Bimini Capital Management, Inc.	$	59,231		$	7,745		$	51,486

GAAP and Non-GAAP Reconciliation

Economic Interest Expense and Economic Net Interest Income

To date, the Company has used derivatives, specifically interest rate futures contracts, such as Eurodollar and Treasury Note (“T-Note”) futures contracts, and interest rate swaptions, to hedge a portion of the interest rate risk on its repurchase agreements and junior subordinate notes in a rising rate environment. Each interest rate futures contract covers a specific three month period, but the Company typically has many contracts in place at any point in time — usually covering several years in the aggregate. We currently have Eurodollar futures contracts in place. We previously entered into interest rate swaptions agreements through Orchid that gave us the option to enter into swaps covering future periods.

The Company has not elected to designate its derivative holdings for hedge accounting treatment under the Financial Accounting Standards Board, (the “FASB”), Accounting Standards Codification, (“ASC”), Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. Changes in fair value of these instruments are presented in a separate line item in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and not included in interest expense. As such, for financial reporting purposes, interest expense and cost of funds are not impacted by the fluctuation in value of the derivative instruments. In the future, the Company may use other derivative instruments to hedge its interest expense and/or elect to designate its derivative holdings for hedge accounting treatment.

For the purpose of computing economic net interest income and ratios relating to cost of funds measures, GAAP interest expense has been adjusted to reflect the realized gains or losses on specific derivative instruments that pertain to each period presented. As of December 31, 2015, the Company has Eurodollar futures contracts in place through 2018. Adjusting our interest expense for the periods presented by the gains or losses on all derivative instruments would not accurately reflect our economic interest expense for these periods.

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For each period presented, the Company has combined the effects of the derivative financial instruments in place for the respective period with the actual interest expense incurred on repurchase agreements and junior subordinated notes to reflect total expense for the applicable period. Interest expense, including the effect of derivative instruments for the period, is referred to as economic interest expense. Net interest income, when calculated to include the effect of derivative instruments for the period, is referred to as economic net interest income.

However, because the Company has not elected hedging treatment under ASC Topic 815, the gains or losses on all of the Company’s derivative instruments held during the period are reflected in our consolidated statements of operations. This presentation includes gains or losses on all contracts in effect during the reporting period, including those covering both the current period as well as future periods.

The Company believes that economic interest expense and economic net interest income provides meaningful information to consider, in addition to the respective amounts prepared in accordance with GAAP. The non-GAAP measures help the Company to evaluate its financial position and performance without the effects of certain transactions and GAAP adjustments that are not necessarily indicative of its current investment portfolio or operations. The realized and unrealized gains or losses presented in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations are not necessarily representative of the total interest rate expense that the Company will ultimately realize. This is because as interest rates move up or down in the future, the gains or losses the Company ultimately realizes, and which will affect the Company’s total interest rate expense in future periods, may differ from the unrealized gains or losses recognized as of the reporting date.

The Company’s presentation of the economic value of its hedging strategy has important limitations. First, other market participants may calculate economic interest expense and economic net interest income differently than the Company calculates them. Second, while the Company believes that the calculation of the economic value of our hedging strategy described above helps to present our financial position and performance, it may be of limited usefulness as an analytical tool. Therefore, the economic value of the Company’s investment strategy should not be viewed in isolation and is not a substitute for interest expense and net interest income computed in accordance with GAAP.

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The tables below present a reconciliation of the adjustments to interest expense shown for each period relative to our derivative instruments, and the consolidated statements of operations line item, gains (losses) on derivative instruments, calculated in accordance with GAAP for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 and for each quarter during 2015 and 2014.

Gains (Losses) on Derivative Instruments - Recognized in Consolidated Statement of Operations (GAAP)
(in thousands)
				Junior
	Repurchase			Subordinated
Three Months Ended	Agreements			Debt			Total
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	426		$	197		$	623
September 30, 2015		(676	)		(315	)		(991	)
June 30, 2015		7			(1	)		6
March 31, 2015		(687	)		(328	)		(1,015	)
December 31, 2014		(9,719	)		(287	)		(10,006	)
September 30, 2014		3,257			149			3,406
June 30, 2014		(5,757	)		(117	)		(5,874	)
March 31, 2014		(1,693	)		(24	)		(1,717	)
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	426		$	197		$	623
September 30, 2015		(676	)		(315	)		(991	)
June 30, 2015		7			(1	)		6
March 31, 2015		(687	)		(328	)		(1,015	)
December 31, 2014		(158	)		(287	)		(445	)
September 30, 2014		200			149			349
June 30, 2014		(29	)		(117	)		(146	)
March 31, 2014		-			(24	)		(24	)

(in thousands)
				Junior
	Repurchase			Subordinated
Years Ended	Agreements			Debt			Total
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	(930	)	$	(447	)	$	(1,377	)
December 31, 2014		(13,912	)		(279	)		(14,191	)
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	(930	)	$	(447	)	$	(1,377	)
December 31, 2014		13			(279	)		(266	)

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Gains (Losses) on Derivative Instruments - Attributed to Current Period (Non-GAAP)
(in thousands)
				Junior
	Repurchase			Subordinated
Three Months Ended	Agreements			Debt			Total
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	(31	)	$	(80	)	$	(111	)
September 30, 2015		(20	)		(74	)		(94	)
June 30, 2015		(9	)		(64	)		(73	)
March 31, 2015		(1	)		(54	)		(55	)
December 31, 2014		(145	)		(136	)		(281	)
September 30, 2014		(24	)		(141	)		(165	)
June 30, 2014		(3	)		(127	)		(130	)
March 31, 2014		(136	)		(109	)		(245	)
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	(31	)	$	(80	)	$	(111	)
September 30, 2015		(20	)		(74	)		(94	)
June 30, 2015		(9	)		(64	)		(73	)
March 31, 2015		(1	)		(54	)		(55	)
December 31, 2014		-			(136	)		(136	)
September 30, 2014		-			(141	)		(141	)
June 30, 2014		-			(127	)		(127	)
March 31, 2014		(106	)		(109	)		(215	)

(in thousands)
				Junior
	Repurchase			Subordinated
Years Ended	Agreements			Debt			Total
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	(61	)	$	(272	)	$	(333	)
December 31, 2014		(308	)		(513	)		(821	)
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	(61	)	$	(272	)	$	(333	)
December 31, 2014		(106	)		(513	)		(619	)

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Gains (Losses) on Derivative Instruments - Attributed to Future Periods (Non-GAAP)
(in thousands)
				Junior
	Repurchase			Subordinated
Three Months Ended	Agreements			Debt			Total
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	457		$	277		$	734
September 30, 2015		(656	)		(241	)		(897	)
June 30, 2015		16			63			79
March 31, 2015		(686	)		(274	)		(960	)
December 31, 2014		(9,574	)		(151	)		(9,725	)
September 30, 2014		3,281			290			3,571
June 30, 2014		(5,754	)		10			(5,744	)
March 31, 2014		(1,557	)		85			(1,472	)
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	457		$	277		$	734
September 30, 2015		(656	)		(241	)		(897	)
June 30, 2015		16			63			79
March 31, 2015		(686	)		(274	)		(960	)
December 31, 2014		(158	)		(151	)		(309	)
September 30, 2014		199			290			489
June 30, 2014		(29	)		10			(19	)
March 31, 2014		106			85			191

(in thousands)
				Junior
	Repurchase			Subordinated
Years Ended	Agreements			Debt			Total
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	(869	)	$	(175	)	$	(1,044	)
December 31, 2014		(13,604	)		234			(13,370	)
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	(869	)	$	(175	)	$	(1,044	)
December 31, 2014		118			234			352

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Economic Net Portfolio Interest Income
(in thousands)
			Interest Expense on Repurchase Agreements
					Gains
					(Losses) on
					Derivative
					Instruments					Net Portfolio
					Attributed					Interest Income
	Interest		GAAP		to Current			Economic		GAAP		Economic
Three Months Ended	Income		Basis		Period(1)			Basis(2)		Basis		Basis
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	1,035	$	120	$	(31	)	$	151	$	915	$	884
September 30, 2015		996		107		(20	)		127		889		869
June 30, 2015		1,074		98		(9	)		107		976		967
March 31, 2015		1,207		100		(1	)		101		1,107		1,106
December 31, 2014		13,168		1,213		(145	)		1,358		11,955		11,810
September 30, 2014		10,035		886		(24	)		910		9,149		9,125
June 30, 2014		7,119		728		(3	)		731		6,391		6,388
March 31, 2014		4,116		454		(136	)		590		3,662		3,526
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	1,035	$	120	$	(31	)	$	151	$	915	$	884
September 30, 2015		996		107		(20	)		127		889		869
June 30, 2015		1,074		98		(9	)		107		976		967
March 31, 2015		1,207		100		(1	)		101		1,107		1,106
December 31, 2014		1,022		87		-			87		935		935
September 30, 2014		749		67		-			67		682		682
June 30, 2014		530		52		-			52		478		478
March 31, 2014		333		43		(106	)		149		290		184

(in thousands)
			Interest Expense on Repurchase Agreements
					Gains
					(Losses) on
					Derivative
					Instruments					Net Portfolio
					Attributed					Interest Income
	Interest		GAAP		to Current			Economic		GAAP		Economic
Years Ended	Income		Basis		Period(1)			Basis(2)		Basis		Basis
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	4,312	$	425	$	(61	)	$	486	$	3,887	$	3,826
December 31, 2014		34,438		3,281		(308	)		3,589		31,157		30,849
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	4,312	$	425	$	(61	)	$	486	$	3,887	$	3,826
December 31, 2014		2,634		249		(106	)		355		2,385		2,279

(1)	Reflects the effect of derivative instrument hedges for only the period presented.

(2)	Calculated by subtracting the effect of derivative instrument hedges attributed to the period presented from GAAP interest expense.

(3)	Calculated by adding the effect of derivative instrument hedges attributed to the period presented to GAAP net portfolio interest income.

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Economic Net Interest Income
(in thousands)
	Net Portfolio				Interest Expense on Junior Subordinated Notes
	Interest Income						Effect of					Net Interest Income
	GAAP		Economic		GAAP		Non-GAAP			Economic		GAAP		Economic
Three Months Ended	Basis		Basis(1)		Basis		Hedges(2)			Basis(3)		Basis		Basis
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	915	$	884	$	255	$	(80	)	$	335	$	660	$	549
September 30, 2015		889		869		252		(74	)		326		637		543
June 30, 2015		976		967		248		(64	)		312		728		655
March 31, 2015		1,107		1,106		243		(54	)		297		864		809
December 31, 2014		11,955		11,810		248		(136	)		384		11,707		11,426
September 30, 2014		9,150		9,126		248		(141	)		389		8,902		8,737
June 30, 2014		6,391		6,388		245		(127	)		372		6,146		6,016
March 31, 2014		3,662		3,526		243		(109	)		352		3,419		3,174
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	915	$	884	$	255	$	(80	)	$	335	$	660	$	549
September 30, 2015		889		869		252		(74	)		326		637		543
June 30, 2015		976		967		248		(64	)		312		728		655
March 31, 2015		1,107		1,106		243		(54	)		297		864		809
December 31, 2014		935		935		248		(136	)		384		687		551
September 30, 2014		682		682		248		(141	)		389		434		293
June 30, 2014		478		478		245		(127	)		372		233		106
March 31, 2014		290		184		243		(109	)		352		47		(168	)

(in thousands)
	Net Portfolio				Interest Expense on Junior Subordinated Notes
	Interest Income						Effect of					Net Interest Income
	GAAP		Economic		GAAP		Non-GAAP			Economic		GAAP		Economic
Years Ended	Basis		Basis(1)		Basis		Hedges(2)			Basis(3)		Basis		Basis
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	3,887	$	3,826	$	998	$	(272	)	$	1,270	$	2,889	$	2,556
December 31, 2014		31,158		30,850		984		(513	)		1,497		30,174		29,353
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	3,887	$	3,826	$	998	$	(272	)	$	1,270	$	2,889	$	2,556
December 31, 2014		2,385		2,279		984		(513	)		1,497		1,401		782

(1)	Calculated by adding the effect of derivative instrument hedges attributed to the period presented to GAAP net portfolio interest income.

(2)	Reflects the effect of derivative instrument hedges for only the period presented.

(3)	Calculated by subtracting the effect of derivative instrument hedges attributed to the period presented from GAAP interest expense.

(4)	Calculated by adding the effect of derivative instrument hedges attributed to the period presented to GAAP net interest income.

Net Portfolio Income

During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company generated $3.9 million of net portfolio interest income, consisting of $4.3 million of interest income from MBS assets offset by $0.4 million of interest expense on repurchase liabilities. For the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company generated $31.2 million of net portfolio interest income, consisting of $34.4 million of interest income from MBS assets offset by $3.3 million of interest expense on repurchase liabilities. The $30.1 million decrease in interest income and $2.9 million decrease in interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2015 primarily reflects the deconsolidation of Orchid’s assets and liabilities from the balance sheet beginning December 31, 2014 and the effect this had on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.

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The Company’s economic interest expense on repurchase liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $0.5 million and $3.6 million, respectively, resulting in $3.8 million and $30.8 million of economic net portfolio interest income, respectively.

The discussion above and in the following sections related to the Company’s net portfolio income during the year ended December 31, 2014 includes the activities of Orchid as a VIE. Orchid’s activities are not included for the year December 31, 2015. During the year ended December 31, 2015, Bimini Capital generated $3.9 million of net portfolio interest income, consisting of $4.3 million of interest income from MBS assets offset by $0.4 million of interest expense on repurchase liabilities. For the comparable period ended December 31, 2014, Bimini Capital generated $2.4 million of net portfolio interest income, consisting of $2.6 million of interest income from MBS assets offset by $0.2 million of interest expense on repurchase liabilities.

Bimini’s economic interest expense on repurchase liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $0.5 million and $0.4 million, respectively, resulting in $3.8 million and $2.3 million of economic net portfolio interest income, respectively.

The tables below provide consolidated information on our portfolio average balances, interest income, yield on assets, average repurchase agreement balances, interest expense, cost of funds, net interest income and net interest rate spread for each quarter in 2015 and 2014 and for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 on both a GAAP and economic basis.

($ in thousands)
	Average				Yield on			Average		Interest Expense				Average Cost of Funds
	MBS		Interest		Average			Repurchase		GAAP		Economic		GAAP			Economic
Three Months Ended	Held(1)		Income(2)		MBS			Agreements(1)		Basis		Basis(2)		Basis			Basis(3)
Consolidated
December 31, 2015	$	103,551	$	1,035		4.00	%	$	95,456	$	119	$	151		0.50	%		0.63	%
September 30, 2015		115,437		996		3.45	%		107,442		108		127		0.40	%		0.47	%
June 30, 2015		111,674		1,074		3.85	%		103,750		98		107		0.38	%		0.41	%
March 31, 2015		116,709		1,207		4.14	%		108,129		100		101		0.37	%		0.37	%
December 31, 2014		1,466,048		13,168		3.59	%		1,442,905		1,213		1,358		0.34	%		0.38	%
September 30, 2014		1,108,367		10,035		3.62	%		1,096,611		886		910		0.32	%		0.33	%
June 30, 2014		882,591		7,119		3.23	%		783,323		728		731		0.37	%		0.37	%
March 31, 2014		601,441		4,116		2.74	%		533,008		454		590		0.34	%		0.44	%
Bimini Capital Only
December 31, 2015	$	103,551	$	1,035		4.00	%	$	95,456	$	119	$	151		0.50	%		0.63	%
September 30, 2015		115,437		996		3.45	%		107,442		108		127		0.40	%		0.47	%
June 30, 2015		111,674		1,074		3.85	%		103,750		98		107		0.38	%		0.41	%
March 31, 2015		116,709		1,207		4.14	%		108,129		100		101