In addition to banks, other financial institutions issue significant amounts of preferred stocks. For example, in 2007 Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae raised $13 billion through two preferred stocks offerings. Similar to banks, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have capital requirements that make preferred stocks an attractive source of capital. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, requires them to maintain a level of “core capital,” comprised of common stock, retained earnings, and perpetual, non-cumulative preferred stock. 3 Other non-bank financial institutions regulated by the SEC – . brokerage firms - are required to.
