
PennyMac Financial Services is a leading mortgage lender and financial services company. It was founded in 2008 by PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust.
PennyMac Financial Services has its headquarters in Calabasas, California. The company has a strong presence in the mortgage industry, with a focus on originating and servicing mortgage loans.
PennyMac Financial Services is a publicly traded company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PMT.
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Company Overview
PennyMac Financial Services Inc is a financial services provider that offers a range of services including loan production, loan servicing, and investment management.
The company's services include correspondent production, consumer direct lending, and broker direct lending for mortgage loans. It also performs loan administration, collection, and default management activities, including the collection and remittance of loan payments.
PennyMac conducts business in three segments: mortgage production, mortgage servicing, and investment management. The company's mortgage production focuses on the origination of first lien and government-backed or guaranteed mortgage loans through three methods: Correspondent Lending, Consumer Direct Lending, and Broker Direct Lending.
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Here are the three methods of mortgage production:
- Correspondent Lending: PennyMac acquires newly originated loans from small banks and independent originators.
- Consumer Direct Lending: The retail lending business originates new prime credit quality, first lien residential conventional and government-insured mortgage loans on a national basis.
- Broker Direct Lending: The company obtains loan application packages from nonaffiliated mortgage loan brokers, then underwrites and funds the resulting loans for sale to PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust or investors.
History
PennyMac was founded in 2008 by Stanford Kurland, the former President of Countrywide Financial, with financial support from BlackRock and Highfields Capital Management. Kurland's goal was to help stabilize the housing market and prevent home foreclosures by buying up distressed mortgages.
The company's efforts did aid distressed homeowners, but it was also criticized for its founder's previous role at Countrywide Financial, where he had pushed for high-risk lending practices that contributed to the subprime mortgage crisis.
PennyMac later shifted its focus to refinancing and originating mortgages online and buying loans from smaller lenders. This move allowed the company to expand its reach and services.
By 2009, PennyMac had grown significantly and went public with the listing of the PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust, a mortgage REIT managed through its subsidiary PNMAC. The IPO raised $335 million, which was less than half of the company's expected $750 million.
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In 2013, PennyMac Financial Services was listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker PFSI, raising $200 million. The company has since become a member of the Russell 2000 Index.
Here are some key dates in PennyMac's history:
- 2008: PennyMac founded by Stanford Kurland
- 2009: PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust IPO
- 2013: PennyMac Financial Services listed on the NYSE
- 2015: PennyMac moves to its current headquarters in Westlake Village
- 2019: PennyMac surpasses $1 billion in revenue
Overview
PennyMac Financial Services Inc is a financial services provider with a diverse range of services. The company operates in three main segments: mortgage production, loan servicing, and investment management.
PennyMac's mortgage production focuses on originating first lien and government-backed mortgage loans through three methods: correspondent lending, consumer direct lending, and broker direct lending.
The company produces almost $200 billion in loans annually through these three methods. This is a significant volume of business, and it's impressive to think about the number of people who will be affected by these loans.
PennyMac's loan servicing segment performs loan administration, collection, and default management activities. This segment totals $427 billion in unpaid principal balance in 2020.
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Here are the three methods of mortgage production used by PennyMac:
- Correspondent Lending: acquiring newly originated loans from small banks and independent originators
- Consumer Direct Lending: originating new prime credit quality, first lien residential conventional and government-insured mortgage loans
- Broker Direct Lending: obtaining loan application packages from nonaffiliated mortgage loan brokers
PennyMac is headquartered in Westlake Village, California, the US.
Business Structure
PennyMac Financial Services operates in three main segments: mortgage production, mortgage servicing, and investment management. These segments work together to provide a comprehensive range of financial services to customers.
The company's mortgage production segment is quite impressive, focusing on the origination of first lien and government-backed or guaranteed mortgage loans through three methods: Correspondent Lending, Consumer Direct Lending, and Broker Direct Lending. Almost $200 billion in loans are produced through these three methods.
PennyMac's Correspondent Lending involves acquiring newly originated loans from small banks and independent originators. Consumer Direct Lending allows customers to purchase or refinance their homes through prime credit quality, first lien residential conventional and government-insured mortgage loans. Broker Direct Lending involves obtaining loan application packages from nonaffiliated mortgage loan brokers.
The loan servicing segment performs loan administration, collection, and default management activities, totaling $427 billion in unpaid principal balance in 2020. This segment is essential for managing mortgage loans and ensuring that customers can preserve their home ownership.
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PennyMac has several group companies, including Private National Mortgage Acceptance Co. LLC, PNMAC Capital Management LLC, PNMAC Holdings, Inc., and PennyMac Loan Services LLC. These companies provide various financial services, including mortgage loan origination, servicing, and investment management.
Here are some key details about PennyMac's group companies:
PennyMac Financial Services is a publicly traded company, with its stock listed under the ticker symbol PFSI.
Sales and Performance
PennyMac Financial Services has seen significant growth in its Mortgage Banking - Servicing segment, with sales increasing from $441M in 2019 to $1.08B in 2022.
The company's Mortgage Banking - Production segment has also experienced fluctuations, with sales reaching $2.82B in 2020 but dropping to $643M in 2023.
In terms of geographical breakdown, the United States accounted for $2.06B in sales in 2019 and $2.01B in 2023, indicating a relatively stable presence in this market over the past few years.
Here's a breakdown of PennyMac Financial Services' sales by segment and year:
Sales by Activity

Sales by Activity was a key area of focus for PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. in recent years. Mortgage banking was a major driver of revenue.
In 2020, Mortgage Banking - Production sales skyrocketed to $2.82 billion, more than tripling from the previous year. This significant increase was a notable shift in the company's sales strategy.
Mortgage Banking - Servicing sales also showed a substantial increase, rising from $441 million in 2019 to $841 million in 2020. This growth demonstrates the company's expanding reach in the mortgage servicing market.
Investment Management sales, on the other hand, remained relatively stable, ranging from $37.23 million to $42.74 million over the years. This suggests that the company's investment management arm was less affected by market fluctuations.
Here's a breakdown of the company's sales by activity over the years:
The company's sales by activity provide valuable insights into its revenue streams and growth strategies.
Leadership and Management
At the helm of PennyMac Financial Services are experienced leaders who have been instrumental in shaping the company's success. David Spector, the 62-year-old CEO, has been at the top since 2016. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role.

The company's leadership team is diverse and includes Daniel Perotti, who serves as the Director of Finance/CFO at 44 years young. Doug Jones, a seasoned executive, took over as President in 2021 at the age of 68. Mark Elbaum, another seasoned executive, serves as a Corporate Officer/Principal, and Kevin Chamberlain is the Investor Relations Contact.
Here is a brief overview of PennyMac Financial Services' leadership team:
Managers
Meet the Managers of PennyMac Financial Services, Inc.
David Spector is the CEO, a title he's held since 2016.
At 62 years old, he brings a wealth of experience to the role.
As of 2021, the company has a President, Doug Jones, who is 68 years old.
Daniel Perotti, 44, is the Director of Finance/CFO, a position he's held since 2020.
Mark Elbaum, also 62, is a Corporate Officer/Principal, a role he took on in 2023.
Here's a brief rundown of the management team:
Board Members
Meet the Board Members of PennyMac Financial Services, Inc.

David Spector is the Chairman of the board, a role he has held since February 2021.
The board consists of experienced individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise. Anne McCallion has been a Director/Board Member since January 2018.
Joseph Mazzella and Farhad Nanji have been serving as Directors/Board Members since November 2012.
Patrick Kinsella was appointed as a Director/Board Member in June 2014.
Theodore Tozer and Jeffrey Perlowitz were both appointed in 2017 and 2019 respectively, bringing their expertise to the board.
Doug Jones joined the board in February 2023.
Lisa Shalett and Jonathon Jacobson have been serving on the board since October 2020 and February 2021 respectively.
Here's a list of the board members:
Industry and Market
PennyMac Financial Services is a leading player in the mortgage banking industry, with a strong presence in the US market. They have a diverse portfolio of mortgage products, including fixed-rate and adjustable-rate loans.
Their business model is built around providing mortgage banking services to lenders, investors, and consumers. This approach allows them to stay competitive in the market.
PennyMac has a significant market share in the US mortgage market, with a strong focus on originating and servicing mortgage loans.
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Retail & Banks

The Retail & Banks sector has seen some significant changes in the past few years. The average change in the sector is a 57.52% increase over the past three years.
PennyMac Financial Services, Inc. has been a standout performer, with a 65.38% increase in capital over the past three years. This is a remarkable achievement, especially considering the challenges faced by the industry.
The weighted average change in the sector, calculated by capital, is a staggering 99.57% increase over the past three years. This indicates that the larger banks in the sector have been driving the growth.
Here's a breakdown of the top 5 performers in the Retail & Banks sector:
These companies have demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth in the face of industry challenges. Their success is a testament to their ability to adapt and innovate.
Competitor Comparison
Let's take a closer look at the competitors in the industry. PennyMac Financial Services Inc is headquartered in Westlake Village, California, with a relatively small workforce of 4,309 employees.

The company is publicly traded, which gives investors a level of transparency and accountability. In comparison, Bank of America Corp has a massive workforce of 213,000 employees, making it one of the largest companies in the industry.
Wells Fargo & Co is another large player, with 218,000 employees under its belt. On the other hand, Onity Group Inc has a much smaller workforce of 4,500 employees, but is still publicly traded like PennyMac and the other two giants.
Ditech Holding Corp stands out as the only private company in the group, with 2,900 employees. This could indicate a different business strategy or approach to operations.
Here's a comparison of the key parameters for the five companies:
Operations and Technology
PennyMac Financial Services operates two main business models in mortgage origination: consumer direct and correspondent lending. The consumer direct model sources loans directly from borrowers using technology, which is a higher-margin business.
In the correspondent lending segment, PennyMac buys completed loans from smaller originators and sells them at a markup to another buyer, a low-margin business due to fierce competition. This segment struggles to compete in a purchase mortgage market where people often get referred to a lender from a realtor.
Mortgage servicing, on the other hand, can pick up the slack when mortgage origination is suffering. A mortgage servicer handles administrative duties, such as sending out monthly bills and ensuring property taxes and insurance are paid on time, and is paid 0.25% of the mortgage balance per year.
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Mortgage Assets Rise with Rates

Mortgage servicing assets increase in value as interest rates rise, making them a valuable asset class. This is because the chance of an early payoff declines, allowing companies like PennyMac to retain servicing payments for a longer period.
Nobody is going to refinance a 3.5% mortgage when rates are 6%, which means that PennyMac will get that servicing payment for a longer period, making it worth more. During the fourth quarter, pre-tax income from loan origination was a $9 million loss while servicing contributed $75.6 million in pre-tax profits.
PennyMac Financial sees industry volume falling next year, which means that servicing will continue to hold up the business.
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How It Operates
PennyMac Financial Services operates in the mortgage origination and servicing business.
The company operates two main business models: consumer direct and correspondent lending.
Consumer direct involves sourcing loans directly from borrowers using technology, a business model pioneered by Rocket.
In a purchase mortgage market, consumer direct struggles to compete, especially when a mortgage broker has access to several large lending partners.

Consumer direct is a higher-margin business than correspondent lending, and the mix between the two can significantly impact gain on sale margin.
Mortgage servicing is an unusual asset that involves handling administrative duties for investors, such as sending out monthly bills and ensuring property taxes and insurance are paid on time.
A mortgage servicer is paid 0.25% of the mortgage balance per year, so if they're handling a $400,000 mortgage loan, they'll get paid $1,000 per year.
ICT Spend & Priorities
PennyMac Financial Services Inc likely spends money on various technology areas, according to IT Client Prospector. This information can help you understand the company's digital strategy.
Understanding ICT spend and priorities is crucial for any business, as it can reveal a lot about the company's goals and values. IT Client Prospector provides this valuable insight.
PennyMac Financial Services Inc's ICT spend can give us a glimpse into their operations and technology strategy. By analyzing their likely spend, we can identify areas of focus and potential growth opportunities.
Analyzing ICT spend can also help us understand the company's priorities, such as investing in cloud services or cybersecurity. This information can be useful for businesses looking to partner or collaborate with PennyMac Financial Services Inc.
Financial Information

PennyMac Financial Services is a leading provider of mortgage banking and loan servicing. PennyMac Financial Services was founded in 2008 by Stuart F. Levine.
They offer a wide range of financial products and services, including mortgage financing, loan servicing, and investment management. PennyMac Financial Services has a strong presence in the US mortgage market.
PennyMac Financial Services has a large team of experienced professionals, with over 4,000 employees across the United States. The company has a strong focus on customer service and satisfaction.
PennyMac Financial Services has a significant presence in the US mortgage market, with a portfolio of over $500 billion in mortgage assets.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PennyMac controversy?
PennyMac Financial Services Inc. is accused of tricking veterans into high-interest loans during the Covid-19 pandemic. A proposed class action alleges the company misled veterans into modified loans without their consent.
Is PennyMac a real mortgage company?
Yes, PennyMac is a legitimate mortgage lender, one of the largest in the U.S. offering mortgage loans in most states.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PennyMac_Financial_Services
- https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/PENNYMAC-FINANCIAL-SERVIC-46952645/company/
- https://www.globaldata.com/company-profile/pennymac-financial-services-inc/
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/02/09/heres-what-saved-the-day-for-pennymac-financial-se/
- https://www.cbinsights.com/company/pennymac-financial-services
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