loanDepot, Inc. (LDI)

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion provides an analysis of the Company's financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations from management's perspective and should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes included under Part I. Item 1 of this report. The results of operations described below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future periods. This discussion includes forward-looking information that involves risks and assumptions which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from management’s expectations. See our cautionary language at the beginning of this report under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and for a more complete discussion of the factors that could affect our future results refer to Part I, Item 1A "Risk Factors" and Part II, Item 7 “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our 2025 Form 10-K and elsewhere in our filings with the SEC. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in our Form 10-K.

Overview

We are a customer-centric, technology-empowered residential mortgage platform. Our goal is to be the lender of choice for consumers and the employer of choice by being a company that operates on sound principles of exceptional value, ethics, and transparency. Since our inception we have significantly expanded our origination platform as well as developed an in-house servicing platform. Our primary sources of revenue are derived from the origination of conventional and government mortgage loans, servicing conventional and government mortgage loans, and providing ancillary services.

Key Factors Influencing Our Results of Operations

The residential real estate market and associated mortgage loan origination volumes are influenced by economic factors such as interest rates, housing prices, and unemployment rates. Purchase mortgage loan origination volume can be subject to seasonal trends as home sales typically rise during the spring and summer seasons and decline in the fall and winter seasons. This is somewhat offset by purchase loan originations sourced from our joint ventures which typically experience their highest level of activity during November and December as home builders focus on completing and selling homes prior to year-end. Seasonality has less of an impact on mortgage loan refinancing volumes, which are primarily driven by fluctuations in mortgage loan interest rates.

Increases in interest rates may affect affordability and the ability for potential home buyers to qualify for a mortgage loan. As interest rates increase, rate and term refinancings become less attractive to consumers. However, rising interest rates during periods of inflationary pressures can make real assets, including real estate, an attractive investment. Demand for real estate may result in ongoing support for purchase mortgages and home price appreciation creating borrower equity that could result in opportunities for cash-out refinancings, home equity lines of credit, or closed-end seconds.

Our mortgage loan refinancing volumes (and to a lesser degree, our purchase volumes), balance sheet, and results of operations are influenced by changes in interest rates and how we effectively manage the related interest rate risk. The majority of our assets are subject to interest rate risk, including LHFS, LHFI, IRLCs, trading securities, servicing rights, forward sales contracts, interest rate swap futures and put options. We refer to such forward sales contracts, interest rate swap futures and put options collectively as “Hedging Instruments.” As interest rates increase, our LHFS, LHFI and IRLCs generally decrease in value while our Hedging Instruments utilized to hedge against interest rate risk typically increase in value. Rising interest rates cause our expected mortgage loan servicing revenues to increase due to a decline in mortgage loan prepayments which extends the average life of our servicing portfolio and increases the value of our servicing rights. Conversely, as interest rates decrease, our LHFS, LHFI and IRLCs generally increase in value while our Hedging Instruments decrease in value. In a declining interest rate environment, borrowers tend to refinance their mortgage loans, which increases prepayment speeds and causes expected mortgage loan servicing revenues to decrease. This reduces the average life of our servicing portfolio and decreases the value of our servicing rights. Changes in fair value of our servicing rights are recorded as unrealized gains and losses in change in fair value of servicing rights, net, in our consolidated statements of operations.

During the first half of 2026, mortgage rates remained elevated and, according to FHLMC Primary Mortgage Market Survey, reached a one-year high of 6.66% at the end of July 2026, partly due to geopolitical tensions stemming from the conflict in Iran and higher energy prices driving inflation concerns. The rate environment continued to negatively affect housing affordability and loan qualification of homebuyers, contributed to the “lock-in” effect of borrowers that secured lower long-

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term interest rates during 2020 and 2021 giving rise to a lack of supply of homes available for sale, and decreased demand for refinancing, taken together resulting in lower demand for mortgage loans.

In April 2026 we announced our partnership with Figure Technology Solutions (“Figure”) as part of our strategy to meaningfully accelerate our digital transformation and as a component of our planned return to a market leading position. As part of the partnership, we integrated Figure’s proprietary credit and loan underwriting engine into our own proprietary mello® technology platform and point of sale system, enabling us to seamlessly offer a variety of innovative express path home loan products to our customers. Our 5x5 HomeLoan powered by Figure, which delivers approval in as little as five minutes and funding in as few as five days, brings real value to those seeking smart, seamless, and convenient solutions to their financing needs. Integrating this platform across our channels, helped to lower our cost of production, improve the customer experience, close more loans more quickly and contributed to a 26% increase in total unit volume compared to the second quarter of 2025.

Key Performance Indicators

We manage and assess the performance of our business by evaluating a variety of metrics. Selected key performance metrics include loan originations and sales and servicing metrics.

Loan Origination and Sales

Loan originations and sales by volume and units are a measure of how successful we are at growing sales of mortgage loan products and a metric used by management in an attempt to isolate how effectively we are performing. We believe that originations and sales are an indicator of our market penetration in mortgage loans and that this provides useful information because it allows investors to better assess the strength of our core business. Loan originations and sales include brokered loan originations not funded by us. We enter into IRLCs to originate loans, at specified interest rates, with customers who have applied for a mortgage and meet certain credit and underwriting criteria. We believe the volume of our IRLCs is another measure of our overall market share.

Gain on sale margin represents the total of (i) gain on origination and sale of loans, net, and (ii) origination income, net, divided by loan origination volume during period.

Pull-through weighted gain on sale margin represents the total of (i) gain on origination and sale of loans, net, and (ii) origination income, net, divided by the pull-through weighted rate lock volume. Pull-through weighted rate lock volume is the principal balance of loans subject to interest rate lock commitments, net of a pull-through factor for the loan funding probability.

Servicing Metrics

Servicing metrics include the unpaid principal balance of our servicing portfolio and servicing portfolio units, which represent the number of mortgage loan customers we service. We believe that the net additions to our portfolio and number of units are indicators of the growth of our mortgage loans serviced and our servicing income, but may be offset by sales of servicing rights.

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(1)Original principal balance.

(2)The UPB of loans that are 60 or more days past due as of the dates presented, according to the contractual due date, or are in foreclosure.

(3)Amount represents the fair value of servicing rights, net of servicing liabilities, which are included in accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

(4)Excludes Non-Agency products.

(5)Amounts represent the fair value of servicing rights, net, divided by the weighted average annualized servicing fee.

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Results of Operations

Three Months Ended June 30, 2026 Compared to Three Months Ended June 30, 2025

The following table sets forth our consolidated financial statement data for the three months ended June 30, 2026 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2025.

[Excerpt truncated for page length; source filing is linked above.]

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

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes included under Part II. Item 8 of this report. The results of operations described below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future periods. This discussion includes forward-looking information that involves risks and assumptions which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from management’s expectations. See our cautionary language at the beginning of this report under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and for a more complete discussion of the factors that could affect our future results refer to Part I. “Item IA. Risk Factors”

Overview

We are a customer-centric, technology-empowered residential mortgage platform. Our goal is to be the lender of choice for consumers and the employer of choice by being a company that operates on sound principles of exceptional value, ethics, and transparency. Since our inception, we have significantly expanded our origination platform as well as developed an in-house servicing platform. Our primary sources of revenue are derived from the origination of conventional and government mortgage loans, servicing conventional and government mortgage loans, and providing ancillary services.

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Residential Real Estate Market

The residential real estate market and associated mortgage loan origination volumes are influenced by economic factors such as interest rates, housing prices, and unemployment rates. Purchase mortgage loan origination volume can be subject to seasonal trends as home sales typically rise during the spring and summer seasons and decline in the fall and winter seasons. This is somewhat offset by purchase loan originations sourced from our joint ventures which typically experience their highest level of activity during November and December as home builders focus on completing and selling homes prior to year-end. Seasonality has less of an impact on mortgage loan refinancing volumes, which are primarily driven by fluctuations in mortgage loan interest rates.

Increases in interest rates may affect affordability and the ability for potential home buyers to qualify for a mortgage loan. As interest rates increase, rate and term refinancings become less attractive to consumers. However, rising interest rates during periods of inflationary pressures can make real assets, including real estate, an attractive investment. Demand for real estate may result in ongoing support for purchase mortgages and home price appreciation creating borrower equity that could result in opportunities for cash-out refinancings, home equity lines of credit, or closed end seconds.

Our mortgage loan refinancing volumes (and to a lesser degree, our purchase volumes), balance sheet, and results of operations are influenced by changes in interest rates and how we effectively manage the related interest rate risk. The majority of our assets are subject to interest rate risk, including LHFS, LHFI, IRLCs, trading securities, servicing rights, forward sales contracts, interest rate swap futures and put options. We refer to such forward sales contracts, interest rate swap futures and put options collectively as “Hedging Instruments.” As interest rates increase, our LHFS, LHFI and IRLCs generally decrease in value while our Hedging Instruments utilized to hedge against interest rate risk typically increase in value. Rising interest rates cause our expected mortgage loan servicing revenues to increase due to a decline in mortgage loan prepayments which extends the average life of our servicing portfolio and increases the value of our servicing rights. Conversely, as interest rates decrease, our LHFS, LHFI and IRLCs generally increase in value while our Hedging Instruments decrease in value. In a declining interest rate environment, borrowers tend to refinance their mortgage loans, which increases prepayment speeds and causes expected mortgage loan servicing revenues to decrease. This reduces the average life of our servicing portfolio and decreases the value of our servicing rights. Changes in fair value of our servicing rights are recorded as unrealized gains and losses in changes in fair value of servicing rights, net, in our consolidated statements of operations.

During 2024 and 2025, the U.S. residential mortgage market continued to experience the impact of geopolitical risks and inflation. While the Federal Reserve lowered the Federal Funds rate three times in 2025, market concerns regarding, among other things, the long-term impacts of tariff policy and inflation resulted in long-term rates remaining elevated. The heightened rate environment negatively affected the affordability and loan qualification of homebuyers, contributed to the “lock-in” effect of borrowers that secured lower long-term interest rates during 2020 and 2021 giving rise to a lack of supply of homes available for sale and decreased demand for refinancing, shrinking mortgage loan origination volumes.

Actions taken by the Federal Reserve to impact short-term interest rates do not always have a corresponding impact on long-term interest rates, which more significantly influence the price of a fixed-rate mortgages. Despite the Federal Reserve reducing the Federal Funds rate to a range of 3.50% to 3.75%, the 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States as reported by the St. Louis Fed remained above 6% during all of 2025.

Strategy

We believe in our diversified business model, with robust origination capabilities across multiple channels that provide access to purchase, refinance and home equity lending opportunities across market cycles. These origination capabilities are complemented by our in-house servicing platform and recapture capabilities, all of which are enhanced by our technology assets and our nationally-recognized brand, which we believe gives us a distinct advantage in new customer acquisition.

Our strategic plan rests on four primary objectives:

1.Investing in the business through growth, operational efficiency and infrastructure. We intend to continue investing in recruiting and hiring sales talent across all origination channels. We also plan to further leverage technology to improve the customer experience and manufacturing processes. Finally, we expect to make additional investments in critical hardware and data upgrades which we believe will position us for future growth opportunities and to better mitigate risk.

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2.Becoming a Best-in-Class Mortgage Banker. Our goals are simple: find another loan, close it faster, produce it cheaper, and maintain superior loan quality. We plan to do this by utilizing our scale and marketing prowess, leveraging our multi-channel origination strategy, investing in technology, and improving our processes.

3.Growing profitable market share. By hiring and training sales professionals in our direct channel, recruiting and attracting loan officers that have existing relationships with real estate professionals in our retail channel, and partnering with national and regional homebuilders in our joint venture channel, we plan to grow our origination capacity to capture profitable market share growth across refinance, resale and new home loans.

4.Returning to profitability. By investing in our origination and new customer acquisition capabilities, growing our servicing portfolio, improving our recapture rates, growing our brand and marketing, and increasing our operating leverage, we believe we can return to consistent profitability and create shareholder value.

Key Performance Indicators

We manage and assess the performance of our business by evaluating a variety of metrics. Selected key performance metrics include loan originations and sales and servicing metrics.

Loan Origination and Sales

Loan originations and sales by volume and units are a measure of how successful we are at growing sales of mortgage loan products and a metric used by management in an attempt to isolate how effectively we are performing. We believe that originations and sales are an indicator of our market penetration in mortgage loans and that this provides useful information because it allows investors to better assess the strength of our core business. Loan originations and sales include brokered loan originations not funded by us. We enter into IRLCs to originate loans, at specified interest rates, with customers who have applied for a mortgage and meet certain credit and underwriting criteria. We believe the volume of our IRLCs is another measure of our overall market share.

Gain on sale margin represents the total of (i) gain on origination and sale of loans, net, and (ii) origination income, net, divided by loan origination volume during period.

Pull through weighted gain on sale margin represents the total of (i) gain on origination and sale of loans, net, and (ii) origination income, net, divided by the pull through weighted rate lock volume. Pull through weighted rate lock volume is the principal balance of loans subject to interest rate lock commitments, net of a pull-through factor for the loan funding probability.

Servicing Metrics

Servicing metrics include the unpaid principal balance of our servicing portfolio and servicing portfolio units, which represent the number of mortgage loan customers we service. We believe that the net additions to our portfolio and number of units are indicators of the growth of our mortgage loans serviced and our servicing income, but may be offset by sales of servicing rights.

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[Excerpt truncated for page length; the complete text is on the linked full-MD&A page.]