EFC

Ellington Financial Inc.

A specialty finance company and real estate investment trust that invests in residential mortgages, mortgage-backed securities, and other credit, and also owns Longbridge Financial, which makes reverse mortgages. It was formed in 2007 by Ellington Management Group, a firm started in 1994 by Mike Vranos, a former leader of one of Wall Street's largest mortgage-trading groups at Kidder, Peabody. Its "Ellington" name is licensed from that parent manager, and its right to use it is tied to its management agreement.