Dynex Capital ($DX) Smriti Popenoe on Dividend Strategy, Leadership & the Retail Investor Shift

Dynex Capital Co-CEO & President, Smriti Popenoe breaks down how a 35-year old mortgage REIT is navigating today’s macro volatility. She also shares how disciplined capital management, long-term thinking, and ethical stewardship shape the company’s approach to retail-first public market communication. Highlights: • Why Dynex views its 16% dividend as a risk management tool, and how it preserved positive total return even through the 2020 crisis • How a co-CEO structure creates “two brains”, one operating system to manage both capital allocation and public market communication • Why AI tools and tokenization could accelerate a retail research advantage and what that means for the future of public markets 🔗 Follow Marketopolis Main Site - https://www.marketopolis.com/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/marketopolis/ Twitter/X – https://x.com/marketopolis_ 🎧 Marketopolis ◼️ Listen on Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2zg0uDhKwzX3Eznw0wkbpT ◼️ Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketopolis-from-benzinga-stakeholder-labs/id1844863398 Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Marketopolis 02:46 Introduction to Dynex Capital 03:40 The Journey of Dynex Capital 06:49 Smirthy's Career Path and Philosophy 11:48 A Day in the Life of a Co-CEO 16:23 Balancing Company Operations and Public Markets 19:11 Tracking Stock Performance 21:03 Engaging with the Next Generation of Investors 24:40 Discovering Dynex Capital 27:12 Comparing Dynex with Competitors 30:01 Impact of Macro Trends on REITs 32:47 Personal Investment Philosophy of a CEO 34:34 The Rise of Amateur Analysts 38:55 Closing the Gap with AI Tools 42:14 Communicating with Investors 46:32 Sectors of Interest Beyond Dynex 48:45 Inspiration from Other Companies 50:56 Message to Retail Investors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 💡 Sponsors / Partners Presented by SurfAir Visit https://surfair.com/marketopolis ⚠️SurfAir 17b: https://www.benzinga.com/partner-disclosure/surf-air-mobility-inc-partner-disclosure 🎧 This episode was recorded on September 26, 2025. #Benzinga #Marketopolis #dynex #Fintech #finance #podcast