Rocket Companies Inc

Overview

We are a Detroit‑based fintech company including mortgage, real estate and personal finance business. We are committed to delivering industry-best client experiences through our AI-fueled homeownership strategy. Our full suite of products empowers our clients across financial wellness, personal loans, home search, mortgage finance, title and closing. We believe our widely recognized “Rocket” brand is synonymous with simple, fast, and trusted digital experiences.

Since our inception in 1985, we have consistently demonstrated our ability to launch new consumer experiences, scale and automate operations, and extend our proprietary technologies to partners. Our flagship business, Rocket Mortgage, is an industry leader, having provided over $1.7 trillion in home loans since inception.

Dan Gilbert, our founder and Chairman, purposefully created a strong cultural foundation of core principles, or “ISMs”, as an operating system to guide decision‑making by all our team members. At the heart of the ISMs is a simple, yet powerful, concept: “Love our team members. Love our clients.”

We believe artificial intelligence ("AI") is evolving rapidly and approaching a critical inflection point, where knowledge engineering, machine learning, automation, and personalization will be at the center of how clients buy, sell and finance homes. Rocket is uniquely positioned for the next wave of transformation with generative AI given our vast data assets and technology foundation.

In June 2023, we published our second ESG (environmental, social, governance) report which outlines our ESG impact on all our stakeholders. We take pride in investing in our communities and team members through our For-More-Than-Profit approach.

Rocket Portfolio of Companies

Rocket Companies is a series of connected mortgage, real estate and financial services businesses centered on enabling AI-fueled homeownership.

•Rocket Mortgage. The nation’s largest retail mortgage lender, providing what we believe is the simplest and most convenient way to get a mortgage. Our digital process utilizes automated data retrieval and advanced underwriting technology to deliver fast, tailored solutions to our clients. Our clients leverage the Rocket Mortgage app and website to apply for mortgages, interact with our team members, upload documents, e-sign documents, receive statements, and complete monthly payments.

Rocket Mortgage is both a mortgage originator and a mortgage servicer. Since 2010, Rocket Mortgage has won 21 J.D. Power Awards in total across mortgage origination and mortgage servicing. Our net promoter score was 74 for full year 2023, placing us among companies recognized for best-in-class service.

Our mortgage origination business includes our Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) segment and our Partner Network segment. In the DTC channel, our clients have the ability to interact with Rocket Mortgage online and/or with our mortgage bankers. Our DTC channel markets to potential clients through various brand campaigns and performance marketing channels. Within the Partner Network segment we operate across two channels, Wholesale and Premier Enterprise Partner. In our Wholesale channel, we have partnerships with mortgage brokers through Rocket Pro TPO (third party origination) and offer Rocket Mortgage marketing and technology resources to help our broker partners thrive. In our Premier Enterprise Partner channel, we partner with financial institutions and well-known consumer-focused companies to offer their clients mortgage solutions with our trusted, well-recognized brand.

On December 31 2023, the net client retention rate of our servicing portfolio was 97% on an annual basis. There is a strong correlation between this metric and client lifetime value, and we believe these levels are far superior to others in the mortgage industry and rival subscription-based models across industries such as cable and wireless service companies. Servicing the loans that we originate provides us with an opportunity to build long‑term relationships and continually deliver a seamless experience to our clients. We employ our same client‑centric philosophy and technology cultivated through our origination business towards the servicing of loans to deliver a digital client experience in servicing, specifically designed around the needs and expectations of our clients. Through Rocket Mortgage, clients can view their loan information and activity, obtain insight into their home value and equity, and obtain personalized videos that simplify complex topics such as escrow changes utilizing the clients’ actual loan information and figures. This differentiated servicing experience focuses on client service with positive, regular touchpoints and a better understanding of our clients’ future needs.

•Rocket Homes. Our proprietary home search platform and real estate agent referral network, Rocket Homes provides technology-enabled services to support the home buying and selling experience. The company allows consumers to search for homes, connect with a real estate professional and obtain mortgage approval – through sister company Rocket Mortgage – creating a seamless, fully integrated home buying and selling experience. Rocket Homes also empowers clients to buy or sell properties directly through a streamlined process to create high-impact listings and offers one-on-one support from home selling specialists.

•Rocket Money. Our personal finance app that helps clients manage their financial lives. Rocket Money offers clients a suite of financial wellness services including subscription cancellation, budget management and credit score improvement that save them time and money.

•Rocket Loans. Our personal loan business that offers a simple, fast and intuitive user experience by leveraging a single, automated technology platform, with particular focus on high quality, prime borrowers. Rocket Loans offers personal loans and financing for solar panel purchases.

•Amrock. Our leading provider of title insurance services, property valuation and settlement services, leveraging proprietary technology that integrates seamlessly into the Rocket platform and processes. This provides a digital, seamless experience for our clients with speed and efficiency from their first interaction with Rocket Mortgage through closing.

•Lendesk. Our Canadian software company specializing in a point-of-sale system for mortgage professionals and a loan origination system for private lenders.

•Rocket Mortgage Canada. Our Windsor, Canada based digital mortgage broker that serves the needs of consumers across Canada by leveraging technology to simplify the mortgage experience.

•Core Digital Media. Our online marketing platform, a customer acquisition leader in the mortgage and personal financial product sectors. Core Digital Media enables growth for our broader platform by offering marketing insights and lead generation technology.

Rocket Data and Technology

We aim to continuously improve on delivering speed, certainty and value to our clients through scalable, technology-driven solutions. We believe artificial intelligence will be at the center of how clients buy, sell and finance homes. We have strategically invested in technology for nearly four decades and developed our technology in modules to facilitate agile enhancements. This enables us to effectively scale during market expansion, efficiently onboard partners, and grow into new client segments and channels, with less time and investment than our competitors. This process partitioning has allowed us to identify many areas that could be automated. Our system has been designed to integrate across business functions, continuously monitoring in‑progress transactions and leveraging our proprietary, data‑driven, decision engine to recommend the most efficient task for each team member.

We have data and scale that uniquely positions Rocket to lead the next wave of industry transformation with generative AI. We have 10 petabytes of data in our environments, and thousands of attributes to establish accurate client profiles. We generate over 50 million call logs annually, which help us develop technology and processes to continuously improve upon our client experience. In a single year, we used AI to generate approximately 3.7 billion customer interactions and assessments. We believe AI will transform our business, and in turn, the client experience and the industry, from lead generation and allocation to underwriting, closing, and servicing.

Marketing

We believe our national Rocket brand is a competitive advantage that is difficult to replicate. In our industry, we believe we are the only company of scale with significant digital‑first brand recognition. Our in‑house marketing agency has a long history of creating bold and visible events and campaigns and reaching potential clients through highly targeted marketing strategies. Our scale and data analytics provide distinct advantages in the efficiency of our marketing initiatives. We utilize data gathered from inquiries, applications and ongoing client relationships to optimize digital performance marketing, deliver a unified experience across the Rocket platform and maximize the lifetime value of our clients.

Competition

We compete against a variety of companies offering financial solutions, including large financial institutions, independent mortgage banks, and fintech companies. Competition across our businesses supporting complex personal transactions such as mortgages is intense and can take many forms, including:

•Marketing, client acquisition and distribution channels

•Speed and certainty of obtaining loans

•Client service levels

•Client retention levels

•Reputation and brand recognition

•Variety of loan programs and services being made available

•Interest rates and fees charged for loans, loan terms and amounts

•Access to capital and liquidity

Business Model

We operate a scalable business model underpinned by constant innovation and our competitive strengths, which include our digital-first brand, technology, data insights, client-first culture and partnerships.

We originate mortgage loans that are sold either to government backed entities or to investors in the secondary mortgage market. Since our counterparties are primarily the government-sponsored enterprise (“GSEs”) as well as other diversified sets of investors, we do not need to hold significant capital to grow our origination business.

Mortgage Origination Fees and Profitability

Our mortgage origination business primarily generates revenue and cash flow from the gain on sale of loans, net. The gain on sale of loans, net includes all components related to the origination and sale of mortgage loans, including:

•Net gain on sale of loans, which represents the premium received in excess of the loan principal amount and certain fees charged by investors upon sale of loans into the secondary market;

•Loan origination fees (credits), points and certain costs;

•Provision for or benefit from investor reserves;

•The change in fair value of interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”) and loans held for sale;

•The gain or loss on forward commitments hedging loans held for sale and IRLCs; and

•The fair value of originated mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”).

Mortgage Servicing Fees

We also generate significant income from servicing our clients’ loans. For every mortgage that we service, we receive contractual recurring cash flows for the life of the loan. Cash flows are directly correlated to the balances of outstanding mortgages and can fluctuate based on the volume of loans added or that are paid off in any given period. Additionally, we earn ancillary revenue such as late fees and modification incentives on the loans we service. Subservicing revenue is primarily based on contractual per loan fees.

Title, Services and Other Fee Income

Other income includes revenues from services provided to clients or partners across our platform. Amrock generates revenue as a leading provider of title insurance services, property valuations and settlement services. This business complements our mortgage origination platform with digital appraisal and closing services integrated throughout our Rocket Mortgage technology and processes. Rocket Money earns monthly subscription revenue from premium members, as well as other service-based fees from users. Rocket Homes earns fees from real estate agent referrals, while at the same time matching Rocket Mortgage clients with highly rated agents and improving the certainty of closing. Rocket Loans allows clients to apply for personal loans online and receive same day funding through a proprietary technology stack. Rocket Loans generates fees in a similar fashion to our mortgage business, receiving an origination fee, an investor fee from the end buyer, and an ongoing servicing fee for the work the company performs. Core Digital Media receives fees from the generation and sale of client leads in the mortgage and other industries in additional to promoting growth for our broader ecosystem by offering unique insight into the lead generation market.

Government Regulations

We operate in heavily regulated industries that are highly focused on consumer protection. This extensive regulatory framework we are subject to includes U.S. federal, state and local laws. Governmental authorities and various U.S. federal and state agencies have broad oversight, supervision, and enforcement authority over our business. Because we are not a depository institution, we must comply with state licensing requirements to conduct our business. We incur significant ongoing costs to comply with licensing and other legal requirements under the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (“the SAFE Act”) and the Dodd‑Frank Act, among others. To conduct our residential mortgage origination operations in the United States, we are licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As required by state law, we have additional licenses to enable us to act as a mortgage loan servicer in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and other applicable state licenses to enable us to act as a mortgage broker, real estate brokerage, conduct lead generation activities, and operate our personal loan platform that facilitates loans. The licensing process includes the submission of an application to the relevant state agency, a character and fitness review of key individuals and an administrative review of our business operations. We are also supervised by regulatory agencies under U.S. state laws. In addition, the GSEs and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), Ginnie Mae, Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”), Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”), various investors, non‑agency securitization trustees and others subject us to periodic reviews and audits. This broad and extensive supervisory and enforcement oversight will continue to occur in the future. As a highly regulated business, the regulatory and legal requirements we face can change and may even become more restrictive. In turn, this could make our compliance responsibilities more complex. We are also subject to judicial and administrative decisions that impose requirements and restrictions on our business. Numerous U.S. federal and state regulatory consumer protection laws impact our business.

We are also subject to a variety of regulatory and contractual obligations imposed by credit owners, insurers and guarantors of the loans we originate or facilitate and/or service. This includes, but is not limited to, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, FHFA, the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”), and the FHA/HUD. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), established under the Dodd-Frank Act, directly and significantly influences the regulation of residential mortgage loan originations and servicing. The CFPB has rulemaking authority with respect to many of the federal consumer protection laws applicable to mortgage lenders and servicers, including Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”), Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”), Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The CFPB has been active in supervision and enforcement, and continues to amend rules and regulations within its purview. Furthermore, our expansion of operations into Canada has made us subject to Canadian laws, regulations and rules which have additional and distinct oversight, supervision, and enforcement requirements. We must also adhere to applicable laws and regulations promulgated by the various provinces and territories of Canada where we conduct business. We continue to work diligently to assess and understand the implications of the regulatory environment in which we operate and the regulatory changes that we are facing. We devote substantial resources to regulatory compliance, including operational and system costs, while at the same time striving to meet the needs and expectations of our clients.

Intellectual Property

We use a combination of proprietary and third‑party intellectual property, all of which we believe maintain and enhance our competitive position and protect our products. Such intellectual property includes owned or licensed patents, patent applications, trademarks, and trademark applications. We enter into confidentiality, intellectual property invention assignment and/or non‑competition and non‑solicitation agreements or restrictions with our employees, independent contractors and business partners, and we strictly control access to and distribution of our intellectual property.

We have registered or are in the process of registering several trademarks related to our name, “Rocket”, the names of our affiliated companies, and our “Rocket O” logo. We believe our name and logo are important brand identifiers for our shareholders and clients.

Cyclicality and Seasonality

The demand for financial transactions is affected by consumer demand for home loans and the market for buying, selling, financing and/or refinancing residential real estate, which in turn, is affected by the national economy, regional trends, property valuations, interest rates, and socio‑economic trends and by state and federal regulations and programs which may encourage/accelerate or discourage/slow‑down certain real estate trends.

Human Capital

Rocket Companies invests for the long term and places tremendous value in supporting our team members, clients and hometowns. Our ISMs are our DNA, compass and foundation. Our team members put the ISMs into action every day. The result is an empowered and passionate team aligned in a common mission.

As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately 14,700 team members all of whom are based in the United States and Canada.

As part of our talent strategy, we provide tools and resources to our team members that enable them to reach their full potential, build their own career paths, enhance their well-being and support their financial goals. Our team members have access to training and mentorship opportunities, specialized leadership programs and a variety of educational programs. These programs include ROCK Academy, our tuition assistance program, as well as our internal mobility program, THRIVE. We offer competitive, best in class benefit and wellness offerings that start on day one for all team members. Some of these offerings include a 100% company paid benefit plan, comprehensive mental health support services, and an onsite health care clinic dedicated to improving team members’ health.

In 2022, the Company introduced LinkedIn Learning, an award-wining industry leader in online training with over 8,000 available courses covering a wide range of technical, business, software and creative topics. The Rock Academy provides team members the opportunity to access over 500 online academic programs and certificates from accredited colleges and universities that fit the schedule of working adults with 100% tuition assistance for select programs and up to $5,250 for others. The program provides equitable access to post-secondary education for all eligible team members. Women comprise 65% of enrolled team members in the program and 44% of the team members enrolled are racially/ethnically diverse. As a result, 87% of team members indicated they have access to the learning and development needed to do their job well.

The Company strongly encourages collaboration, connection, and inclusion through participation in our Team Member Resource Networks (“TMRN”). Our TMRNs are a community of team members cultivating a culture of belonging, engagement, and business impact in support of Rocket’s mission, strategic objectives, and goals. Total membership in 2023 exceeded 4,500 team members across our 11 networks. Team Members participated in impactful learning through TMRN programming including technology and coding workshops and finance and home ownership planning featuring our Chief Financial Officer. To understand and improve team member retention and engagement, the Company surveys team members with the assistance of third-party consultants. In 2023, 86% of our team members completed these engagement surveys.

Based on these results, we are building a culture of inclusion where 87% of our team members feel they can be their authentic self at work and 81% feel a sense of belonging at the Company.

We also actively provide and promote opportunities for our team members to share their voice and engage with our community. Based on engagement survey results, approximately 90% of our team members support the various ways the Company contributes to the community. In 2022, 65% of our team members participated in community volunteering or giving events. Also in 2023, Rocket Companies achieved the milestone of one million hours of volunteering in our communities. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and we proactively recruit for and hire diverse talent across a wide range of candidates to achieve the highest performing teams. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team is committed to fostering an inclusive environment built on open doors, open minds and an open culture rooted in trust. As a reflection of our commitment to prioritize our team members, Rocket Companies ranked #11 on Fortune Magazine’s list of 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2023 and has ranked in the top-30 companies on the list for 20 consecutive years. Rocket Companies also ranked #2 on People Magazine’s 100 Companies That Care and #2 on Fortune’s list of the Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance in 2023.

During 2023, the Company offered a voluntary career transition program to certain eligible team members. The career transition program included a compensation package, healthcare coverage, career transition services, and accelerated vesting of certain equity awards, if applicable.

Available Information

Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act are made available free of charge on or through our website at rocketcompanies.com as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The information on our website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, part of this report or incorporated into any other filings we make with the SEC. The reports and the other documents we file with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at sec.gov.

From time to time, we may use our website as a channel of distribution of material information. Financial and other material information regarding the Company is routinely posted on and accessible at rocketcompanies.com. Our ESG report, can be accessed at ir.rocketcompanies.com. The information in our ESG report is not, and shall not be deemed to be, part of this report or incorporated into any other filings we make to the SEC.