NLY 2023 Annual Report

Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we provide the following non-GAAP financial measures: • earnings available for distribution (“EAD”); • earnings available for distribution attributable to common stockholders; • earnings available for distribution per average common share; • annualized EAD return on average equity; • economic leverage; • economic capital ratio; • interest income (excluding PAA); • economic interest expense; • economic net interest income (excluding PAA); • average yield on interest earning assets (excluding PAA); • average economic cost of interest bearing liabilities; • net interest margin (excluding PAA); and • net interest spread (excluding PAA). These measures should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures computed in accordance with GAAP. While intended to offer a fuller understanding of our results and operations, non-GAAP financial measures also have limitations. For example, we may calculate our non-GAAP metrics, such as earnings available for distribution, or the PAA, differently than our peers making comparative analysis difficult. Additionally, in the case of non-GAAP measures that exclude the PAA, the amount of amortization expense excluding the PAA is not necessarily representative of the amount of future periodic amortization nor is it indicative of the term over which we will amortize the remaining unamortized premium. Changes to actual and estimated prepayments will impact the timing and amount of premium amortization and, as such, both GAAP and non-GAAP results. These non-GAAP measures provide additional detail to enhance investor understanding of our period-over-period operating performance and business trends, as well as for assessing our performance versus that of industry peers. Additional information pertaining to our use of these non-GAAP financial measures, including discussion of how each such measure may be useful to investors, and reconciliations to their most directly comparable GAAP results are provided below. Earnings Available for Distribution, Earnings Available for Distribution Attributable to Common Stockholders, Earnings Available for Distribution Per Average Common Share and Annualized EAD Return on Average Equity Our principal business objective is to generate net income for distribution to our stockholders and optimize our returns through prudent management of our diversified investment strategies. We generate net income by earning a net interest spread on our investment portfolio, which is a function of interest income from our investment portfolio less financing, hedging and operating costs. Earnings available for distribution, which is defined as the sum of (a) economic net interest income, (b) TBA dollar roll income and CMBX coupon income, (c) net servicing income less realized amortization of MSR, (d) other income (loss) (excluding depreciation and amortization expense on real estate and related intangibles, non-EAD income allocated to equity method investments and other non-EAD components of other income (loss)), (e) general and administrative expenses (excluding transaction expenses and non-recurring items), and (f) income taxes (excluding the income tax effect of non-EAD income (loss) items), and excludes (g) the premium amortization adjustment (“PAA”) representing the cumulative impact on prior periods, but not the current period, of quarter-over-quarter changes in estimated long-term prepayment speeds related to our Agency mortgage-backed securities, is used by management and, we believe, used by analysts and investors to measure our progress in achieving our principal business objective. We seek to fulfill our principal business objective through a variety of factors including portfolio construction, the degree of market risk exposure and related hedge profile, and the use and forms of leverage, all while operating within the parameters of our capital allocation policy and risk governance framework. We believe these non-GAAP measures provide management and investors with additional details regarding our underlying operating results and investment portfolio trends by (i) making adjustments to account for the disparate reporting of changes in fair value where certain instruments are reflected in GAAP net income (loss) while others are reflected in other comprehensive income (loss), and (ii) by excluding certain unrealized, non-cash or episodic components of GAAP net income (loss) in order to provide additional transparency into the operating performance of our portfolio. In addition, EAD serves as a useful indicator for investors in evaluating our performance and ability to pay dividends. Annualized EAD return on average equity, which is calculated by dividing earnings available for distribution over average stockholders’ equity, provides investors with additional detail on the earnings available for distribution generated by our invested equity capital. ANNALY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis 54

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