FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORP

In the accompanying analysis of its financial information, Farmer Mac uses "non-GAAP measures," which are measures of financial performance that are not presented in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, Farmer Mac uses the following non-GAAP measures: "core earnings," "core earnings per common share," and "net effective spread." Farmer Mac uses these non-GAAP measures to measure corporate economic performance and develop financial plans because, in management's view, they are useful alternative measures in understanding Farmer Mac's economic performance, transaction economics, and business trends.

The non-GAAP financial measures that Farmer Mac uses may not be comparable to similarly labeled non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by other companies. Farmer Mac's disclosure of these non-GAAP measures is intended to be supplemental in nature and is not meant to be considered in isolation from, as a substitute for, or as more important than, the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Core Earnings and Core Earnings Per Common Share

The main difference between core earnings and core earnings per common share ("Core EPS"), which are non-GAAP measures, and net income attributable to common stockholders and earnings per common share ("EPS"), which are GAAP measures, is that those non-GAAP measures exclude the effects of fair value fluctuations. These fluctuations are not expected to have a cumulative net impact on Farmer Mac's financial condition or results of operations reported in accordance with GAAP if the related financial instruments are held to maturity, as is expected. Another difference is that these two non-GAAP measures exclude specified infrequent or unusual transactions that we believe are not indicative of future operating results and that may not reflect the trends and economic financial performance of Farmer Mac's core business. For example, in third quarter 2024, we excluded the loss on the retirement of the Series C Preferred Stock from core earnings and Core EPS, which is consistent with Farmer Mac's historical treatment of any losses on the retirement of preferred stock. For a reconciliation of Farmer Mac's net income attributable to common stockholders to core earnings and of EPS to Core EPS, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Results of Operations."

Net Effective Spread

Farmer Mac uses net effective spread to measure the net spread Farmer Mac earns between its interest-earning assets and the related net funding costs of those assets. As further explained below, net effective spread differs from net interest income by excluding certain items from net interest income and including certain other items that net interest income does not contain.

Net effective spread excludes the interest income and interest expense associated with consolidated trusts with beneficial interests owned by third parties (single-class) and the average balance of the loans underlying these trusts to reflect management's view that the net interest income earned on the related Farmer Mac Guaranteed Securities owned by third parties is effectively a guarantee fee. Accordingly, the excluded interest income and interest expense associated with consolidated trusts is reclassified to guarantee and commitment fees in determining Farmer Mac's core earnings. Net effective spread also excludes the fair value changes of financial derivatives and the corresponding average balances of assets or liabilities designated in fair value hedge accounting relationships because they are not expected to have an economic effect on Farmer Mac's financial performance, as we expect to hold the financial derivatives and corresponding hedged items to maturity.

Farmer Mac uses net effective spread to show the complete net spread between its interest-earning assets and all related net funding costs, including any associated derivatives, whether or not they are designated in a hedge accounting relationship. Accordingly, the net effective spread includes the accrual of income and expense related to the contractual amounts due on financial derivatives that are not designated in hedge accounting relationships ("undesignated financial derivatives"). For undesignated financial derivatives, Farmer Mac records the income or expense related to the accrual of the contractual amounts due in "Losses on financial derivatives" on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Net effective spread also differs from net interest income because it includes the net effects of terminations or net settlements on undesignated financial derivatives, which consist of: (1) the net effects of cash settlements on agency forward contracts on the debt of other GSEs and U.S. Treasury security futures that we use as short-term economic hedges on the issuance of debt; and (2) the net effects of initial cash payments that Farmer Mac receives upon the inception of certain swaps.

For a reconciliation of net interest income to net effective spread, see Table 10 in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Results of Operations—Net Interest Income."