UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 8, 2026

ELLINGTON FINANCIAL INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

001-34569

26-0489289

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

53 Forest Avenue

Old Greenwich, CT 06870

(Address and zip code of principal executive offices)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (203) 698-1200

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:


☐			Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)


☐			Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)


☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))


☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

EFC

The New York Stock Exchange

6.750% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

EFC PR A

The New York Stock Exchange

6.250% Series B Fixed-Rate Reset

Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

EFC PR B

The New York Stock Exchange

8.625% Series C Fixed-Rate Reset

Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

EFC PR C

The New York Stock Exchange

7.00% Series D Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Stock

EFC PRD

The New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Item 8.01. Other Events

On January 8, 2026, Ellington Financial Inc. (the "Company") issued a press release announcing that its Board of Directors has declared a monthly dividend of $0.13 per share of common stock, payable on February 27, 2026 to common stockholders of record as of January 30, 2026.

A copy of the press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 to this current report on Form 8-K and the information related to the dividend is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits. The following exhibit is being furnished herewith this Current Report on Form 8-K.

99.1 Press release dated January 8 , 202 6

104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

ELLINGTON FINANCIAL INC.

Date:

January 8, 2026

By:

/s/ JR Herlihy

JR Herlihy

Chief Financial Officer

Ellington Financial Inc. 8-K