FLAGSTAR BANK CLOSES ON THE SALE OF ITS MORTGAGE SERVICING AND THIRD-PARTY ORIGINATION BUSINESS TO MR. COOPER

Rhea-AI Summary

Flagstar Bank has completed the sale of its residential mortgage servicing/sub-servicing business, mortgage servicing rights, and third-party origination platform to Mr. Cooper Group for approximately $1.3 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to boost the Company's CET1 capital ratio by about 60 basis points. This strategic move aligns with Flagstar's transformation into a regional bank focused on Retail Banking, Commercial and Private Banking, and Commercial Real Estate lending. The bank will maintain residential mortgage products through retail origination channels and Private Bank services.

Positive

• Sale transaction valued at $1.3 billion in cash
• Expected increase in CET1 capital ratio by 60 basis points
• Strategic simplification of business model
• Strong financial position with $114.4 billion in assets
• Extensive network of 400+ branches and 90 private banking teams

Negative

• Divestment of significant revenue-generating mortgage servicing business
• Reduction in business diversification

Insights

Financial Analyst

The $1.3 billion sale of Flagstar's mortgage servicing business to Mr. Cooper marks a strategic pivot toward traditional banking operations. This transaction significantly strengthens Flagstar's capital position, boosting the CET1 ratio by 60% basis points - a important metric for bank stability and regulatory compliance.

The deal streamlines Flagstar's business model by divesting non-core operations while retaining retail mortgage capabilities. With $114.4 billion in assets and $83.0 billion in deposits, this strategic realignment positions Flagstar to focus on its core strengths in retail, commercial and private banking. The substantial cash injection provides additional flexibility for potential growth initiatives or capital returns to shareholders.

Banking Industry Specialist

This divestment aligns with broader industry trends where regional banks are streamlining operations to enhance profitability and reduce exposure to volatile mortgage servicing revenues. The strategic focus on high-net-worth banking through 90 private banking teams positions Flagstar in more stable, fee-based revenue streams.

The retention of retail mortgage origination while divesting servicing operations demonstrates a balanced approach - maintaining customer-facing mortgage capabilities while reducing back-office complexity and regulatory burden. This transformation could lead to more predictable earnings and potentially higher valuation multiples typical of regional banking peers.

HICKSVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagstar Bank, N.A. (the "Bank"), the bank subsidiary of Flagstar Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FLG) (the "Company") announced today that it has closed the previously announced sale of its residential mortgage servicing/sub-servicing business, mortgage servicing rights, and the third-party origination platform to Mr. Cooper Group Inc. ("Mr. Cooper"), for approximately $1.3 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to increase the Company's CET1 capital ratio by approximately 60 basis points on a proforma basis as of September 30, 2024.

Commenting on the transaction, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Joseph M. Otting said, "We are very pleased to announce the successful sale of our mortgage serving business and third-party origination platform to Mr. Cooper. The completion of this sale reflects another significant milestone toward our strategy to simplify our business model and transform Flagstar into a regional bank focused on the core business of Retail Banking, Commercial and Private Banking, and Commercial Real Estate lending. The Bank will continue to provide residential mortgage products through our retail origination channels and the Private Bank, with particular focus on serving our branch and private banking customers."

About Flagstar Financial, Inc.

Flagstar Financial, Inc. is the parent company of Flagstar Bank, N.A., one of the largest regional banks in the country. The Company is headquartered in Hicksville, New York. At September 30, 2024, the Company had $114.4 billion of assets, $73.0 billion of loans, deposits of $83.0 billion, and total stockholders' equity of $8.6 billion.

Flagstar Bank, N.A. operates over 400 branches, including a significant presence in the Northeast and Midwest and locations in high growth markets in the Southeast and West Coast.  In addition, the Bank has approximately 90 private banking teams located in over 10 cities in the metropolitan New York City region and on the West Coast, which serve the needs of high-net worth individuals and their businesses.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release may include forward‐looking statements by the Company and our authorized officers pertaining to such matters as our goals, beliefs, intentions, and expectations regarding (a) revenues, earnings, loan production, asset quality, liquidity position, capital levels, risk analysis, divestitures, acquisitions, and other material transactions, among other matters; (b) the future costs and benefits of the actions we may take; (c) our assessments of credit risk and probable losses on loans and associated allowances and reserves; (d) our assessments of interest rate and other market risks; (e) our ability to execute on our strategic plan, including the sufficiency of our internal resources, procedures and systems; (f) our ability to attract, incentivize, and retain key personnel and the roles of key personnel; (g) our ability to achieve our financial and other strategic goals, including those related to our merger with Flagstar Bancorp, Inc., which was completed on December 1, 2022, our acquisition of substantial portions of the former Signature Bank through an FDIC-assisted transaction, and our ability to fully and timely implement the risk management programs institutions greater than $100 billion in assets must maintain; (h) the effect on our capital ratios of the approval of certain proposals approved by our shareholders during our 2024 annual meeting of shareholders; (i) the conversion or exchange of shares of the Company's preferred stock; (j) the payment of dividends on shares of the Company's capital stock, including adjustments to the amount of dividends payable on shares of the Company's preferred stock; (k) the availability of equity and dilution of existing equity holders associated with amendments to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; (l) the effects of the reverse stock split; and (m) transactions relating to the sale of our mortgage business and mortgage warehouse business.

Forward‐looking statements are typically identified by such words as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "should," "confident," and other similar words and expressions, and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Additionally, forward‐looking statements speak only as of the date they are made; the Company does not assume any duty, and does not undertake, to update our forward‐looking statements. Furthermore, because forward‐looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in our statements, and our future performance could differ materially from our historical results.

Our forward‐looking statements are subject to, among others, the following principal risks and uncertainties: general economic conditions and trends, either nationally or locally; conditions in the securities, credit and financial markets; changes in interest rates; changes in deposit flows, and in the demand for deposit, loan, and investment products and other financial services; changes in real estate values; changes in the quality or composition of our loan or investment portfolios, including associated allowances and reserves; changes in future allowance for credit losses, including changes required under relevant accounting and regulatory requirements; the ability to pay future dividends; changes in our capital management and balance sheet strategies and our ability to successfully implement such strategies; recent turnover in our Board of Directors and our executive management team; changes in our strategic plan, including changes in our internal resources, procedures and systems, and our ability to successfully implement such plan; changes in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non‐financial institutions; changes in legislation, regulations, and policies; the imposition of restrictions on our operations by bank regulators; the outcome of pending or threatened litigation, or of investigations or any other matters before regulatory agencies, whether currently existing or commencing in the future; the success of our blockchain and fintech activities, investments and strategic partnerships; the restructuring of our mortgage business; our ability to recognize anticipated expense reductions and enhanced efficiencies with respect to our recently announced strategic workforce reduction; the impact of failures or disruptions in or breaches of the Company's operational or security systems, data or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including as a result of cyberattacks or campaigns; the impact of natural disasters, extreme weather events, military conflict (including the Russia/Ukraine conflict, the conflict in Israel and surrounding areas, the possible expansion of such conflicts and potential geopolitical consequences), terrorism or other geopolitical events; and a variety of other matters which, by their nature, are subject to significant uncertainties and/or are beyond our control. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to the following principal risks and uncertainties with respect to our merger with Flagstar Bancorp, which was completed on December 1, 2022, and our acquisition of substantial portions of the former Signature Bank through an FDIC-assisted transaction: the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transactions will not be realized when expected or at all; the possibility of increased legal and compliance costs, including with respect to any litigation or regulatory actions related to the business practices of acquired companies or the combined business; diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the possibility that the Company may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in or as a result of the transactions within the expected timeframes or at all; and revenues following the transactions may be lower than expected. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the Community Benefits Agreement entered into with NCRC, which was contingent upon the closing of the Company's merger with Flagstar Bancorp, Inc., will achieve the results or outcome originally expected or anticipated by us as a result of changes to our business strategy, performance of the U.S. economy, or changes to the laws and regulations affecting us, our customers, communities we serve, and the U.S. economy (including, but not limited to, tax laws and regulations).

More information regarding some of these factors is provided in the Risk Factors section of our Annual Report on Form 10‐K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, Quarterly Report on Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024 and in other SEC reports we file. Our forward‐looking statements may also be subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those we may discuss in this news release, on our conference call, during investor presentations, or in our SEC filings, which are accessible on our website and at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.

Investor Contact: 

Salvatore J. DiMartino
(516) 683-4286

Media Contact:    

Steven Bodakowski
(248) 312-5872

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SOURCE Flagstar Financial, Inc.

FAQ

How much did Flagstar Bank (FLG) sell its mortgage servicing business for?

Flagstar Bank sold its mortgage servicing business and third-party origination platform to Mr. Cooper Group for approximately $1.3 billion in cash.

What is the expected impact on Flagstar's (FLG) CET1 capital ratio from the Mr. Cooper deal?

The transaction is expected to increase Flagstar's CET1 capital ratio by approximately 60 basis points on a proforma basis as of September 30, 2024.

What will be Flagstar Bank's (FLG) main focus after selling its mortgage servicing business?

After the sale, Flagstar will focus on being a regional bank specializing in Retail Banking, Commercial and Private Banking, and Commercial Real Estate lending.

What are Flagstar Bank's (FLG) current assets as of September 2024?

As of September 30, 2024, Flagstar Bank had $114.4 billion in assets, $73.0 billion in loans, $83.0 billion in deposits, and $8.6 billion in total stockholders' equity.