UWM lines up record $2.05B Ishbia–Oaktree capital raise as it posts Q2 loss

UWM Holdings Corp. is pairing the announcement of a record $2.05 billion strategic capital partnership with its second-quarter 2026 results, which show the nation’s largest mortgage lender is still leaning into growth despite higher leverage and moving into the red.

In an internal memo to employees reviewed by HousingWire, chairman, president and CEO Mat Ishbia told staff that UWM has “just finalized the largest capital raise in mortgage industry history, totaling more than $2 billion.” 

Ishbia said he is personally investing through the Ishbia family’s new vehicle, SFS Group Capital, alongside Oaktree Capital Management, and calls the transaction “a powerful endorsement from both me and one of the world’s premier investment firms.” 

The move comes as UWM lost its bid to acquire Two Harbors Investment Corp. to CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM), when its leverage was pointed out as an issue by analysts. Ishbia framed the investment as giving UWM “even more strength to keep investing in our people, technology, innovation and the opportunities ahead.”

The public announcement of the capital raise was released on Wednesday in conjunction with UWM’s second-quarter 2026 earnings. The company is also announcing a suspension of its common dividend “to prioritize debt reduction and balance-sheet strength.”

Second quarter earnings 

UWM reported loan origination volume of $39.7 billion in Q2, flat year over year and down from $44.9 billion in the first quarter. Total gain-on-sale margin was at 133 basis points, up from 123 bps in the first quarter and 113 bps in the second quarter of 2025

Despite stable volume and a higher gain-on-sale margin, UWM reported a net loss of $451.9 million for the quarter, compared with a profit of $170.4 million in the first quarter and $314.5 million in the second quarter of 2025. 

“We saw a net loss of $451.9 million primarily driven by a unique hedge-related event tied to the anticipated Two Harbors MSR transaction. It was a quarter-specific mark-to-market impact and does not reflect the underlying strength of UWM’s core business,” a UWM spokesperson said.

On the servicing side, UWM’s MSR portfolio unpaid principal balance grew to $247.6 billion with a weighted average coupon of 5.93%, up from $229.5 billion and 5.90% as of March 31. UWM ended the second quarter with roughly $1.3 billion in available liquidity, including $498.4 million in cash and available borrowing capacity under secured and unsecured credit lines.

The earnings release shows equity nearly halved to $985.3 million over the past year and non-funding leverage more than tripling to 6.13 times, explaining why UWM moved to raise permanent capital, suspend the dividend and prioritize deleveraging.

Strategic moves 

UWM is bringing in $1.65 billion of preferred equity at closing from the Ishbia family and Oaktree, with an additional $400 million targeted through a rights offering for Class A shareholders, if needed. Investors will receive warrants in connection with the transaction, further linking returns to future performance.

The company will suspend its quarterly common dividend and focus on debt reduction and balance-sheet strength, with a stated goal of using earnings and manageable leverage to pay down the preferred equity over time.

Proceeds will be used on “balance sheet fortification, including repayment of existing debt, repayment of MSR financing facilities and support for general corporate purposes.”

UWM’s board has also agreed to add an Oaktree representative and has given the firm the right to nominate one additional independent director, adding a large institutional credit investor to its governance mix.

“We are thrilled to partner with Mat and the UWM team at a pivotal time for the mortgage industry,” Nick Basso, co-Head of North America for Oaktree’s Global Opportunities Group, said a statement.

“Mat has built an exceptional business, and Oaktree’s commitment reflects our conviction in UWM’s differentiated platform, market leadership and long-term growth potential. We look forward to leveraging our experience in the mortgage sector and serving as a strategic partner to the Company and its stakeholders.”

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as financial adviser to UWMC in connection with the transaction and Wells Fargo Securities is serving as financial adviser to Oaktree.

This article was written by Flávia Furlan Nunes and generated with the assistance of HousingWire Automation, then reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication.