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M&A transactions in a post-reform marketplace Implications and ...

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M&A <strong>transactions</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />

a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> <strong>marketplace</strong><br />

<strong>Implications</strong> <strong>and</strong> opportunities<br />

for the bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />

The July 2010 passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street<br />

Reform <strong>and</strong> Consumer Protection Act, coupled with<br />

proposed Basel III <strong>reform</strong>s of capital <strong>and</strong> liquidity<br />

requirements, hold considerable implications for U.S.<br />

bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry M&A activity. How might the various<br />

phases of an M&A transaction be impacted by recent<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ancial regulatory <strong>reform</strong>? Has <strong>reform</strong> generated M&A<br />

opportunities as well as challenges? From strategy to due<br />

diligence <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegration, here are some important issues<br />

<strong>and</strong> challenges that bank<strong>in</strong>g organizations should consider<br />

when contemplat<strong>in</strong>g a merger, acquisition, or divestiture <strong>in</strong><br />

today’s chang<strong>in</strong>g regulatory environment.<br />

Dodd-Frank, Basel III highlights <strong>and</strong> impacts<br />

Although the Dodd-Frank legislation (Pub.L. 111-203,<br />

H.R. 4173, also known as F<strong>in</strong>ancial Regulatory Reform) is<br />

complex, its primary purpose is two-fold:<br />

• “De-risk” the f<strong>in</strong>ancial system by constra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />

organizations’ risk-tak<strong>in</strong>g activities <strong>and</strong> captur<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

broader set of organizations <strong>in</strong> the regulatory net (e.g.,<br />

the so-called “shadow” bank<strong>in</strong>g system that historically<br />

has resided outside the regulators’ reach).<br />

• Provide greater consumer protections across both credit<br />

<strong>and</strong> debit services while cover<strong>in</strong>g a significantly broader<br />

group of participants.<br />

M&A Industry Advantage<br />

Bank<strong>in</strong>g<br />

From an M&A perspective, Dodd-Frank provides<br />

guidel<strong>in</strong>es on restrict<strong>in</strong>g/limit<strong>in</strong>g certa<strong>in</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>esses of<br />

bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>stitutions, which could <strong>in</strong>crease divestitures<br />

or sp<strong>in</strong>-offs of non-traditional bank operations, such as<br />

over-the-counter derivatives <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestment management<br />

bus<strong>in</strong>esses. Of particular note is the so-called “Volcker<br />

Rule,” which requires federal “regulators to implement<br />

regulations for banks, their affiliates, <strong>and</strong> hold<strong>in</strong>g<br />

companies to prohibit proprietary trad<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong>,<br />

<strong>and</strong> sponsorship of hedge funds <strong>and</strong> private equity funds,<br />

<strong>and</strong> to limit relationships with hedge funds <strong>and</strong> private<br />

equity funds.” 1 (There is a de m<strong>in</strong>imus exception where<strong>in</strong><br />

banks could cont<strong>in</strong>ue to <strong>in</strong>vest up to three percent of their<br />

Tier 1 capital <strong>in</strong> private equity <strong>and</strong> hedge funds, not to<br />

exceed three percent of any s<strong>in</strong>gle fund’s total ownership<br />

<strong>in</strong>terest.)<br />

As a consequence of Volcker Rule restrictions, banks<br />

<strong>and</strong> bank-related entities will need to quickly explore tax<br />

<strong>and</strong> divestiture plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> strategy options related to<br />

restructur<strong>in</strong>g or dispos<strong>in</strong>g of exist<strong>in</strong>g proprietary trad<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>and</strong> hedge <strong>and</strong> private equity fund operations. Although<br />

banks have a number of years <strong>in</strong> which to divest these<br />

assets — via closures, sp<strong>in</strong>-offs or sales — <strong>and</strong> push<br />

them off balance sheet, some large banks already have<br />

begun tak<strong>in</strong>g action, a signal that this process may not be<br />

someth<strong>in</strong>g that organizations should wait to address.<br />

1 “Brief Summary of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform <strong>and</strong><br />

Consumer Protection Act,” http://bank<strong>in</strong>g.senate.gov/public/_<br />

files/070110_Dodd_Frank_Wall_Street_Reform_comprehensive_<br />

summary_F<strong>in</strong>al.pdf. Accessed September 14, 2010


Additionally, the shift<strong>in</strong>g of proprietary trad<strong>in</strong>g activities<br />

to permitted entities <strong>and</strong> the restriction from engag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />

certa<strong>in</strong> trad<strong>in</strong>g activities could generate tension around<br />

the utilization of capital losses <strong>in</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g entities, as well<br />

as create potentially <strong>in</strong>efficient tax characterization if<br />

conducted <strong>in</strong> special purpose vehicles.<br />

The Dodd-Frank legislation also provides for <strong>in</strong>creased<br />

regulatory scrut<strong>in</strong>y to identify <strong>and</strong> address systemic<br />

risks posed by large, complex companies, products, <strong>and</strong><br />

activities, 2 <strong>and</strong> limits certa<strong>in</strong> M&A activities of F<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

Hold<strong>in</strong>g Companies (FHCs) <strong>and</strong> Bank Hold<strong>in</strong>g Companies<br />

(BHCs), <strong>in</strong> an effort to keep these entities well-capitalized<br />

<strong>and</strong> well-managed. Among the restrictions:<br />

• FHCs must get approval from the Federal Reserve (Fed)<br />

before acquir<strong>in</strong>g a non-bank company or f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

company with consolidated assets <strong>in</strong> excess of $25B.<br />

• For BHCs to acquire a bank located outside of the BHC’s<br />

home state, the result<strong>in</strong>g bank must be well-capitalized<br />

<strong>and</strong> well-managed.<br />

• BHCs with assets of $50B or more <strong>and</strong> systemically<br />

important non-bank f<strong>in</strong>ancial companies must obta<strong>in</strong> prior<br />

Fed approval to acquire companies with consolidated<br />

assets of $10B or more engaged <strong>in</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial activities<br />

made permissible by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.<br />

• The law prohibits merg<strong>in</strong>g or acquir<strong>in</strong>g another company<br />

if the total consolidated deposit liabilities of the acquir<strong>in</strong>g<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ancial company exceed 10 percent of the liabilities of<br />

all f<strong>in</strong>ancial companies <strong>in</strong> the U.S.<br />

In addition to the U.S. f<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>reform</strong> legislation, the Basel<br />

Committee on Bank<strong>in</strong>g Supervision announced September<br />

13, 2010, that the m<strong>in</strong>imum Tier 1 capital ratio would 2<br />

rise from 4 percent to 4.5 percent by 2013, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>crease<br />

to 6 percent <strong>in</strong> 2019. Banks also would have to keep a<br />

“conservation buffer” of 2.5 percent. 3 Banks <strong>in</strong> compliance<br />

with the m<strong>in</strong>imum ratios but fail<strong>in</strong>g to keep Tier 1<br />

capital above the “conservation buffer” 4 are encouraged<br />

to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> “prudent earn<strong>in</strong>g retention policies” <strong>and</strong>,<br />

therefore, could need to curtail payouts, such as dividends<br />

<strong>and</strong> bonuses. 5 Basel III also limits the def<strong>in</strong>ition of what<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments qualify as Tier 1 capital, result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> many<br />

hybrid capital <strong>in</strong>struments no longer receiv<strong>in</strong>g Tier 1<br />

treatment. Those capital <strong>in</strong>struments that no longer qualify<br />

will be excluded from Tier 1 capital effective January 1,<br />

2013, or will be permitted to be phased out over a 10-year<br />

horizon beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g January 1, 2013, for <strong>in</strong>struments that<br />

meet certa<strong>in</strong> conditions. 6<br />

The new capital requirements may cause f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutions to issue additional capital. For certa<strong>in</strong> smaller<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutions, issu<strong>in</strong>g significant m<strong>in</strong>ority equity ownership<br />

to <strong>in</strong>vestors such as private equity firms could cause such<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutions to undergo an “ownership change” for tax<br />

purposes, thereby potentially limit<strong>in</strong>g the entity’s ability to<br />

use its tax losses <strong>and</strong> other tax attributes to offset future<br />

taxable <strong>in</strong>come.<br />

<strong>Implications</strong> for Bank<strong>in</strong>g Industry M&A activity<br />

As the Dodd-Frank legislation <strong>and</strong> Basel III <strong>reform</strong>s are<br />

translated <strong>in</strong>to regulation over the com<strong>in</strong>g months <strong>and</strong><br />

years, Deloitte anticipates significant changes <strong>in</strong> future<br />

bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry M&A activity. As mentioned earlier,<br />

limitations on derivatives activities <strong>and</strong> new restrictions<br />

on non-traditional bank<strong>in</strong>g operations <strong>in</strong> bank <strong>in</strong>stitutions<br />

imposed by the Volcker Rule may lead banks to divest<br />

these bus<strong>in</strong>esses.<br />

In addition to the more str<strong>in</strong>gent def<strong>in</strong>ition of Tier 1 capital<br />

<strong>and</strong> the heightened requirements, new rules will likely<br />

lead to substantial <strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong> regulatory compliance <strong>and</strong><br />

costs, which may have a more dramatic impact on smaller<br />

banks. As such, consolidation of more traditional bank<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutions may cont<strong>in</strong>ue, to take advantage of scale <strong>and</strong><br />

synergies.<br />

2 Ibid<br />

3 “Group of Governors <strong>and</strong> Heads of Supervision announces higher<br />

global m<strong>in</strong>imum capital st<strong>and</strong>ards,” press release, Basel Committee<br />

on Bank<strong>in</strong>g Supervision, September 12, 2010, http://www.bis.org/<br />

press/p100912.htm. Accessed October 21, 2010<br />

4 Ibid<br />

5 Ibid<br />

6 Ibid<br />

M&A <strong>transactions</strong> <strong>in</strong> a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> <strong>marketplace</strong> 2


As used <strong>in</strong> this document,<br />

“Deloitte” means Deloitte &<br />

Touche LLP, Deloitte Consult<strong>in</strong>g<br />

LLP, Deloitte F<strong>in</strong>ancial Advisory<br />

Services LLP, <strong>and</strong> Deloitte Tax LLP,<br />

which are separate subsidiaries<br />

of Deloitte LLP. Please see<br />

www.deloitte.com/us/about for<br />

a detailed description of the legal<br />

structure of Deloitte LLP <strong>and</strong> its<br />

subsidiaries.<br />

Those <strong>in</strong>stitutions largely unaffected by the new regulatory<br />

changes — <strong>in</strong>vestment management firms, exchanges,<br />

nonbank broker dealers, <strong>and</strong> private equity funds — may<br />

be well-positioned to purchase the assets shed by banks<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>crease market share <strong>and</strong> scale. Particularly appeal<strong>in</strong>g<br />

to private equity funds may be <strong>in</strong>vestment management<br />

operations, which <strong>in</strong> addition to be<strong>in</strong>g cash-rich, are not as<br />

capital-<strong>in</strong>tensive or as regulated as other l<strong>in</strong>es of bus<strong>in</strong>ess.<br />

Cont<strong>in</strong>ued fallout from the U.S. f<strong>in</strong>ancial crisis is also<br />

expected to drive bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry M&A over the<br />

next two-to-four years. The crisis has forced everyone<br />

to conserve capital, focus on liquidity, cash, <strong>and</strong> risk<br />

management. More than 800 banks rema<strong>in</strong> on the FDIC’s<br />

troubled or watch lists; stronger, healthier banks may<br />

decide to buy weaker, at-risk <strong>in</strong>stitutions whose share<br />

prices are languish<strong>in</strong>g, capital levels are low, or who are<br />

not sizeable or strong enough to rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>dependent.<br />

However, even though distressed organizations may offer<br />

an unprecedented opportunity to purchase a bank at<br />

a good price, the size of the <strong>in</strong>stitutions on the list are<br />

believed to be smaller than a year ago, mak<strong>in</strong>g them less<br />

appeal<strong>in</strong>g franchises to acquire given their lack of scale <strong>and</strong><br />

deep client footpr<strong>in</strong>t. Also, some of the federal f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

Figure 1: M&A Lifecycle<br />

Key<br />

phases<br />

Synergy capture<br />

Strategy<br />

Performance<br />

improvement<br />

Target screen<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Integration <strong>and</strong> divestiture<br />

...that expedites <strong>in</strong>tegration <strong>and</strong> drives value<br />

Customers <strong>and</strong><br />

markets<br />

Due diligence<br />

Benefit<br />

rationalization<br />

Legal entity<br />

rationalization<br />

<strong>and</strong> tax <strong>in</strong>centives are go<strong>in</strong>g or have gone away, so the<br />

deals could appear less attractive than they were <strong>in</strong> 2009<br />

<strong>and</strong> early 2010. Another reason: Strong strategic buyers<br />

(primarily large banks) may be more <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> M&A<br />

<strong>transactions</strong> that build out their franchise, products, <strong>and</strong>/<br />

or geographic reach. F<strong>in</strong>ally, mid-tier banks — the 120 or<br />

so organizations that comprise about a third of total U.S.<br />

bank<strong>in</strong>g assets, may look to consolidate to <strong>in</strong>crease their<br />

critical mass, economies of scale, <strong>and</strong> market presence.<br />

Manag<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> M&A life cycle<br />

The bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry may see a short-term period of<br />

reduced, large-scale M&A activity until the big banks digest<br />

Dodd-Frank <strong>and</strong> Basel III <strong>and</strong> get comfortable with their<br />

capital levels. The top four banks are also approach<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

10% cap noted earlier, so M&A activity would likely need<br />

to come from banks 5-50, particularly those with exist<strong>in</strong>g<br />

excess capital levels.<br />

Because the F<strong>in</strong>ancial Reform <strong>and</strong> Basel committee<br />

changes may impact all stages of the M&A lifecycle —<br />

Strategy, Target Screen<strong>in</strong>g, Due Diligence, Transaction<br />

Execution, Integration, <strong>and</strong> Divestiture — banks of all sizes<br />

should consider adopt<strong>in</strong>g a multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary, <strong>in</strong>tegrated<br />

approach to plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> implementation across an entire<br />

transaction (Figure 1).<br />

Transaction execution<br />

Target<br />

Implementation Plann<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Merger<br />

Implement-<br />

Screen<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Synergy <strong>and</strong><br />

Clos<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong><br />

Buy side Strategy<br />

Prelim<strong>in</strong>ary<br />

Negotiation<br />

Sell side<br />

ation <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong><br />

Value Driver<br />

Execution of<br />

Develop-<br />

Due<br />

of Letter<br />

Transaction<br />

Identifi- Strategy <strong>and</strong> target identification Quantifi-<br />

Def<strong>in</strong>itive Negotiation Realiz<strong>in</strong>g value Implement-<br />

The<br />

ment<br />

Diligence<br />

of Intent F<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

Clos<strong>in</strong>g<br />

M&A process cation is grounded <strong>in</strong> discipl<strong>in</strong>ed strategy cation <strong>and</strong> target selection<br />

Due Value of F<strong>in</strong>al optimization<br />

ation Plan<br />

Model<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Preparation<br />

Diligence Transaction<br />

Objectives • Carve-out<br />

Key areas of due diligence<br />

• Divestitures • Recommended<br />

Due diligence should focus on key value drivers <strong>and</strong> risk<br />

• Sp<strong>in</strong>-off<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestment<br />

Board or Steer<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Completed letter Term Executed<br />

F<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>and</strong> tax Commercial Regulatory <strong>and</strong> compliance<br />

• Recapitalization considerations<br />

Transfer of<br />

Committee approval<br />

of <strong>in</strong>tent sheet<br />

• Jo<strong>in</strong>t ventures •purchase<br />

Information ownership/<br />

• Quality of earn<strong>in</strong>gs<br />

• Market perspectives • Fraud <strong>and</strong> corruption risk<br />

agreement memor<strong>and</strong>um clos<strong>in</strong>g<br />

• Asset quality<br />

• Operational<br />

• Background <strong>in</strong>vestigation<br />

• Valuation documentation<br />

• Structur<strong>in</strong>g alternative<br />

performance • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)<br />

• Reverse due diligence<br />

• Tax diligence <strong>and</strong> structur<strong>in</strong>g • Customer analysis • Anti-money launder<strong>in</strong>g (AML)<br />

• Account<strong>in</strong>g policy<br />

• Market<strong>in</strong>g<br />

• Import/export controls (OFAC, ITAR)<br />

• Pension/benefits<br />

• Intellectual property • Hart-Scott-Rod<strong>in</strong>o<br />

• Environmental <strong>and</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />

• Regulatory<br />

Decision framework<br />

...which gets synthesized <strong>in</strong> to a decision framework<br />

• Fairness op<strong>in</strong>ions<br />

Underperform<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />

Objectives • Performance<br />

• Restructur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> improvement<br />

turnaround recommendations<br />

• Bankruptcy <strong>and</strong> • Cost structure analysis<br />

reorganization • Liquidity management<br />

• Dispute resolution assistance<br />

• Asset dispositions<br />

Sell side<br />

advisory<br />

• Accretion/dilution analysis<br />

• Purchase account<strong>in</strong>g —<br />

SFAS 141(R)<br />

• Strutur<strong>in</strong>g<br />

• Synergy analysis<br />

Deal model <strong>and</strong> valuation<br />

bus<strong>in</strong>ess case M&A<br />

community <strong>and</strong> board<br />

communication<br />

• Deal pric<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> terms<br />

(SPA)<br />

• Negotiat<strong>in</strong>g strategy<br />

• Communication strategy<br />

recommendations<br />

• Debt restructur<strong>in</strong>g<br />

advice<br />

Integrated risk<br />

management<br />

Divestiture<br />

Integration<br />

M&A <strong>transactions</strong> <strong>in</strong> a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> <strong>marketplace</strong> 3


A bank’s <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> M&A strategy may depend,<br />

<strong>in</strong> part, on where it falls <strong>in</strong> the f<strong>in</strong>ancial spectrum.<br />

If it is a diversified f<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>in</strong>stitution, we believe<br />

trategy<br />

that its strategy should be to “reset the ship” so<br />

it is most effectively positioned to take advantage<br />

of divestiture opportunities <strong>in</strong> a more regulated<br />

environment. This means preserv<strong>in</strong>g capital, rationaliz<strong>in</strong>g<br />

the balance sheet, <strong>and</strong> comply<strong>in</strong>g with the various f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

<strong>reform</strong> acts by divest<strong>in</strong>g non-core bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>and</strong> assets.<br />

Strategy<br />

In contrast, we believe that smaller (mid-tier) banks<br />

with strong capital ratios (many of whom have been<br />

accumulat<strong>in</strong>g capital over the last 18 months) should<br />

consider ways to build their franchise <strong>and</strong> deposit footpr<strong>in</strong>t<br />

strategically through M&A. Good values abound relative<br />

to historic valuation multiples, both via open market <strong>and</strong><br />

FDIC-driven <strong>transactions</strong>, <strong>and</strong> these banks may be able to<br />

take advantage of acquisition opportunities while there is<br />

less competition from larger <strong>in</strong>stitutions.<br />

F<strong>in</strong>ancial Regulatory Reform almost encourages a bank<br />

to clean house, to divest itself of low-marg<strong>in</strong> lend<strong>in</strong>g<br />

operations <strong>and</strong> non-traditional bank<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>esses, to<br />

determ<strong>in</strong>e what area of bank<strong>in</strong>g it wants to focus on<br />

— geography, products, a particular customer segment<br />

— <strong>and</strong> to home <strong>in</strong> on that. This “back to basics” strategy<br />

also encourages bank executives to ask strategic questions<br />

such as: What is it we want to be? Are we go<strong>in</strong>g to be a<br />

bank operation or a non-bank operation? Given the new<br />

regulations, what is our plan to grow? Will that growth<br />

be organic, franchised, a merger of equals? Will we be a<br />

player <strong>in</strong> FDIC auctions? Each bank should consider where<br />

its profit potential will be <strong>and</strong> realign its M&A strategy <strong>in</strong><br />

accordance with the new regulations.<br />

Target screen<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Logically, a bank’s <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> M&A strategy should<br />

drive the target screen<strong>in</strong>g process. For example, if an<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitution’s growth strategy <strong>in</strong>cludes pursu<strong>in</strong>g acquisitions<br />

via FDIC auctions, it is imperative to consider early <strong>in</strong> the<br />

screen<strong>in</strong>g process how a target bus<strong>in</strong>ess operates, its<br />

growth potential, <strong>and</strong> its liabilities. This assessment should<br />

be conducted promptly <strong>and</strong> efficiently, as the FDIC auction<br />

process itself is quite fast. (In a non-FDIC transaction a<br />

potential buyer typically has more time to evaluate the<br />

market, its competitors, <strong>and</strong> various aspects of the target<br />

bus<strong>in</strong>ess).<br />

Deloitte has observed that there is often more than one<br />

prospective buyer evaluat<strong>in</strong>g FDIC purchases. Because of<br />

high levels of <strong>in</strong>terest, banks look<strong>in</strong>g to buy should beg<strong>in</strong><br />

to screen potential c<strong>and</strong>idates before they are placed<br />

on the FDIC’s sale list. This <strong>in</strong>cludes review<strong>in</strong>g media<br />

coverage, f<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>and</strong> regulatory materials, <strong>and</strong> other<br />

publicly published reports that may provide <strong>in</strong>formation to<br />

better position the buyer <strong>in</strong> the bidd<strong>in</strong>g process.<br />

One task to consider <strong>in</strong> the screen<strong>in</strong>g process — for both<br />

traditional bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry M&A <strong>transactions</strong> as well as<br />

FDIC deals — is to underst<strong>and</strong> the target’s capital picture<br />

<strong>in</strong> the context of the <strong>post</strong>-clos<strong>in</strong>g comb<strong>in</strong>ed enterprise.<br />

Some of the requirements emerg<strong>in</strong>g from Basel III make<br />

certa<strong>in</strong> low-marg<strong>in</strong> bank bus<strong>in</strong>esses less attractive, given<br />

the potential deterioration of the overall enterprise capital<br />

picture, <strong>and</strong> others more attractive; careful scrut<strong>in</strong>y of<br />

all f<strong>in</strong>ancials may be necessary. Also, the account<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>and</strong> tax ramifications of a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> M&A transaction<br />

can be onerous. Underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g key triggers <strong>in</strong> the deal<br />

before gett<strong>in</strong>g too far down the path is likely important.<br />

Indemnification <strong>and</strong> other deal-related asset valuations<br />

can be confus<strong>in</strong>g, especially <strong>in</strong> a loss-shar<strong>in</strong>g scenario<br />

for distressed <strong>transactions</strong>, so pro forma the balance<br />

sheet <strong>and</strong> regulatory capital. Also, an underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g of<br />

the part(s) of the target bank the buyer doesn’t want to<br />

keep <strong>and</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g a strategy for carv<strong>in</strong>g them out or<br />

divest<strong>in</strong>g them <strong>post</strong>-acquisition should be considered.<br />

M&A <strong>transactions</strong> <strong>in</strong> a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> <strong>marketplace</strong> 4<br />

Target screeni


Due diligence<br />

Due diligence<br />

In addition to evaluat<strong>in</strong>g a target acquisition’s f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

strength by underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g the quality of its assets,<br />

consideration should be given dur<strong>in</strong>g the due diligence<br />

process to underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g the organization’s penetration<br />

<strong>in</strong>to specific customer segments <strong>and</strong> its share of wallet<br />

that may be of <strong>in</strong>terest to the buyer. Cont<strong>in</strong>uation of client<br />

base is often important, so what is the value of the bank’s<br />

clients? How “sticky” are its deposits? Also, what are the<br />

projected run rate revenues <strong>and</strong> expenses <strong>in</strong> the <strong>post</strong>clos<strong>in</strong>g<br />

environment?<br />

Answer<strong>in</strong>g such questions can help to quantify the<br />

potential profitability of the bus<strong>in</strong>ess under a new<br />

corporate umbrella. It also can help to determ<strong>in</strong>e whether<br />

a particular bus<strong>in</strong>ess offers long-term value. Some banks<br />

are rush<strong>in</strong>g to purchase divested or distressed operations<br />

because current prices are low; however, the due diligence<br />

process may reveal that an operation might not be<br />

commercially viable <strong>and</strong> should be shut down rather than<br />

sold.<br />

The follow<strong>in</strong>g bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry lead<strong>in</strong>g practices may help<br />

potential buyers to navigate a transaction’s due diligence<br />

phase. Suggestions <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />

• Identify<strong>in</strong>g items that could potentially have a cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g<br />

significant impact (positive or negative) on future<br />

earn<strong>in</strong>gs, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g nonrecurr<strong>in</strong>g or one-time revenue or<br />

expense items;<br />

• Review<strong>in</strong>g the target’s valuation methodologies,<br />

reflect<strong>in</strong>g the effects of the proposed transaction under<br />

the applicable account<strong>in</strong>g st<strong>and</strong>ards (e.g., U.S. GAAP,<br />

IFRS, etc.), as well as assess<strong>in</strong>g recorded assets to obta<strong>in</strong><br />

an underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g of their related impact on future<br />

earn<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>and</strong> cash flows that might be significant;<br />

• Underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g the type, amount <strong>and</strong> tim<strong>in</strong>g of potential<br />

operat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> non-operat<strong>in</strong>g cash flows that could<br />

have a significant cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g impact on future earn<strong>in</strong>gs<br />

or liquidity, as well as significant liabilities that may<br />

be triggered as a result of the proposed transaction,<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the impact of employment benefit programs<br />

offered by the target;<br />

• Evaluat<strong>in</strong>g the target’s credit underwrit<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> risk<br />

mitigation policies, processes, controls <strong>and</strong> procedures,<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g perform<strong>in</strong>g a loan file review of a sample of<br />

the portfolio;<br />

• Gaug<strong>in</strong>g significant taxes that the target may be<br />

subject to, estimat<strong>in</strong>g the effective <strong>in</strong>come tax rate, <strong>and</strong><br />

dist<strong>in</strong>guish<strong>in</strong>g significant book/tax differences;<br />

• Exam<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the target’s IT <strong>in</strong>frastructure <strong>and</strong> the level of<br />

technology employed, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g capacity for growth <strong>and</strong><br />

future projects;<br />

• Exam<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g regulatory compliance/exposures, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Anti-money Launder<strong>in</strong>g (AML) <strong>and</strong> Office of Foreign<br />

Assets Control (OFAC) issues, as well as underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

the m<strong>in</strong>imum regulatory capital requirements of the local<br />

markets <strong>and</strong> any implicit seasonality or volatility.<br />

Transaction execution<br />

Bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry M&A <strong>transactions</strong> — particularly<br />

larger ones — will likely attract more regulatory<br />

scrut<strong>in</strong>y <strong>in</strong> a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> era. In addition, the Office of<br />

Thrift Supervision’s (OTS) traditional role of approv<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>transactions</strong> is be<strong>in</strong>g transitioned to the Office of the<br />

Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which will result<br />

<strong>in</strong> some banks hav<strong>in</strong>g to deal with a new regulator.<br />

Therefore, effective contract negotiations — whether the<br />

deal is with the FDIC or an open market transaction — are<br />

a critical part of transaction execution.<br />

For traditional open market deals, a well-def<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

transaction agreement is particularly important for<br />

carve-out <strong>transactions</strong>, given that the seller’s parent<br />

rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>post</strong>-close, which provides an ongo<strong>in</strong>g enterprise<br />

to give strength to any <strong>in</strong>demnities per the agreement.<br />

Additionally, a clear transaction agreement provides<br />

greater protection when us<strong>in</strong>g cont<strong>in</strong>gent consideration as<br />

part of the purchase price, whether it <strong>in</strong>volves an earn-out<br />

or escrow<strong>in</strong>g a portion of the proceeds based upon a<br />

certa<strong>in</strong> acquired asset pool’s performance. It may also<br />

be important to consider early <strong>in</strong> the process transition<br />

services so that the buyer can successfully operate the<br />

enterprise on Day 1 <strong>and</strong> is not forced to rely on the seller<br />

or another vendor at the 11th hour, possibly result<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />

less-than-optimal pric<strong>in</strong>g for those services.<br />

In FDIC deals, underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g terms of the transaction<br />

related to loss shar<strong>in</strong>g agreements, asset disposal, <strong>and</strong> loan<br />

modifications, is an important consideration. Additionally,<br />

a buyer should be m<strong>in</strong>dful of potential f<strong>in</strong>ancial terms<br />

beyond the clos<strong>in</strong>g consideration, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g claw backs,<br />

first loss tranches, <strong>and</strong> equity appreciation rights.<br />

M&A <strong>transactions</strong> <strong>in</strong> a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> <strong>marketplace</strong> 5<br />

execution


Integra The current bank<strong>in</strong>g market may offer better<br />

accessibility to M&A opportunities than ever<br />

before; however, it also may present banks<br />

with the potential risk of los<strong>in</strong>g customers<br />

<strong>and</strong> employee talent — particularly dur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

<strong>in</strong>tegration phase of an M&A transaction — as the<br />

dust from the transaction settles <strong>and</strong> the economy<br />

beg<strong>in</strong>s to recover. Therefore, banks engag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> an M&A<br />

transaction should be cognizant to protect br<strong>and</strong> value,<br />

shareholder value, personnel, <strong>and</strong> customers, particularly<br />

dur<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>tegration phase.<br />

Integration<br />

Bank customer loyalty has been deteriorat<strong>in</strong>g steadily<br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry-wide. Customers cite poor service (often the result<br />

of reduced frontl<strong>in</strong>e staff), added fees, credit restrictions,<br />

<strong>and</strong> higher borrower <strong>in</strong>terest rates as areas of discontent.<br />

To forestall additional, <strong>post</strong>-transaction customer erosion,<br />

banks might consider establish<strong>in</strong>g comprehensive Day<br />

1 programs to seamlessly connect with customers<br />

via enhanced communication, education, <strong>and</strong> loyalty<br />

<strong>in</strong>centives.<br />

F<strong>in</strong>ancial Regulatory Reform is likely to generate other<br />

<strong>in</strong>tegration-related challenges. Every bank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>stitution<br />

will be subject to greater scrut<strong>in</strong>y under <strong>reform</strong>, which<br />

can add pressure to the process of comb<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g two<br />

organizations Customer, employee <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestor compla<strong>in</strong>ts<br />

might be more closely tracked, as might executive pay,<br />

general ledger (GL) report<strong>in</strong>g, legal entity report<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

<strong>and</strong> overall risk to the system. To properly manage this<br />

<strong>in</strong>creased regulatory oversight, bank personnel should<br />

work to thoroughly underst<strong>and</strong> the customer, operations,<br />

<strong>and</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial data associated with the <strong>in</strong>s-<strong>and</strong>-outs of<br />

daily bus<strong>in</strong>ess. As a result, data track<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> management<br />

likely will <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> importance, as well as streaml<strong>in</strong>ed,<br />

transparent, <strong>and</strong> recognizable accountability to<br />

accommodate the new regulations.<br />

It is possible that the <strong>in</strong>dustry may see more divestitures<br />

<strong>post</strong>-acquisition, a consideration that may impact the<br />

<strong>in</strong>tegration phase. For example, a bank may want to buy<br />

a particular c<strong>and</strong>idate (e.g., a broker-dealer), but it has<br />

a piece of bus<strong>in</strong>ess (e.g., proprietary trad<strong>in</strong>g/PE) that will<br />

have <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> punitive value from a regulatory capital<br />

usage perspective. In this case, the purchas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>stitution<br />

may consider develop<strong>in</strong>g a Day 1 plan for its divestiture.<br />

Divestitures<br />

Banks seek<strong>in</strong>g to divest an asset — whether it is troubled,<br />

low-marg<strong>in</strong> or a non-traditional bank<strong>in</strong>g operation that<br />

must be shed due to new regulatory requirements — have<br />

an opportunity to achieve three important objectives:<br />

improve their liquidity, shr<strong>in</strong>k their balance sheet to more<br />

easily meet new capital requirements, <strong>and</strong> narrow their<br />

focus to the products, geographies <strong>and</strong>/or segments that<br />

offer more profit potential.<br />

Similar to the acquisition process, decid<strong>in</strong>g whether or<br />

not to divest part or all of an operation requires bank<br />

executives to ask some fundamental questions: What<br />

k<strong>in</strong>d of <strong>in</strong>stitution do we want to be? What is important<br />

to our customer base? Does this bus<strong>in</strong>ess support our<br />

growth strategies? How do we want to position our<br />

br<strong>and</strong>? How will a divestiture impact our overall legal <strong>and</strong><br />

regulatory structure? Once these <strong>and</strong> related questions<br />

have been answered, the bank should decide if it wants<br />

to completely divest the bus<strong>in</strong>ess or just move to a more<br />

limited <strong>in</strong>volvement (e.g., keep a m<strong>in</strong>ority stake of the<br />

management company <strong>and</strong> general partnership of an<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestment management subsidiary to be divested).<br />

The difference between a prepared or unprepared seller as<br />

the market stabilizes <strong>and</strong> beg<strong>in</strong>s to turn can significantly<br />

impact the price, terms, <strong>and</strong> execution of a divestiture.<br />

A prepared seller conducts its own assessment of the<br />

bus<strong>in</strong>ess be<strong>in</strong>g carved-out from the buyer’s perspective<br />

to better identify key issues that could affect valuation<br />

<strong>and</strong> the ability to close the deal. Also, the seller should<br />

carve-out the bus<strong>in</strong>ess’s assets <strong>and</strong> operations — its<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ancials, people, <strong>and</strong> processes — <strong>and</strong> anticipate<br />

the buyer’s needs for st<strong>and</strong>alone operations, ongo<strong>in</strong>g<br />

transition support, <strong>and</strong> regulatory requirements. Specific<br />

areas of preparation often <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />

• Assess<strong>in</strong>g the trend of historical regulatory <strong>and</strong> work<strong>in</strong>g<br />

capital <strong>and</strong> their related impact on a st<strong>and</strong>alone basis;<br />

• Conduct<strong>in</strong>g sell-side due diligence to identify issues with<br />

<strong>and</strong> gaps <strong>in</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial, tax, <strong>and</strong> operat<strong>in</strong>g data that will<br />

need to be addressed dur<strong>in</strong>g the buyer’s due diligence<br />

process;<br />

• Evaluat<strong>in</strong>g the need for <strong>and</strong> prepar<strong>in</strong>g carve-out<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ancials to satisfy regulatory <strong>and</strong> f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g<br />

requirements;<br />

• Demonstrat<strong>in</strong>g how to operate the carve-out without its<br />

current parent company;<br />

• Provid<strong>in</strong>g detailed analysis around the current IT<br />

environment, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the current cost structure,<br />

expected future capital expenditures, <strong>and</strong> any<br />

dependencies on systems <strong>and</strong> personnel at the parent<br />

organization, as well as across divisions <strong>and</strong> geographic<br />

locations;<br />

• Del<strong>in</strong>eat<strong>in</strong>g the current employment benefits offered by<br />

the bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>and</strong> the result<strong>in</strong>g impact of the proposed<br />

transaction;<br />

• Provid<strong>in</strong>g a detailed analysis of any regulatory<br />

compliance/exposures <strong>and</strong> capital requirements.<br />

M&A <strong>transactions</strong> <strong>in</strong> a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> <strong>marketplace</strong> 6


Tax-related considerations for divestitures<br />

Alter<strong>in</strong>g or sell<strong>in</strong>g exist<strong>in</strong>g legal entities will trigger<br />

tax consequences <strong>and</strong> potentially expose f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />

<strong>in</strong>stitutions to one-off costs <strong>and</strong> tax technical<br />

challenges. However, realign<strong>in</strong>g the organizational<br />

configuration <strong>and</strong> legal entity structure also<br />

presents opportunities that could reduce overall<br />

operat<strong>in</strong>g complexity <strong>and</strong> potentially provide tax<br />

benefits. Tax matters that may present themselves<br />

when <strong>in</strong>stitutions divest non-core bus<strong>in</strong>esses <strong>and</strong><br />

rationalize their legal entity structure <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />

• Transaction-related issues such as qualification<br />

of the transaction as a tax-free sp<strong>in</strong>-off or other<br />

tax-free reorganization, <strong>and</strong> tax issues regard<strong>in</strong>g<br />

loss on sale of subsidiary stock;<br />

• Tax attribute preservation <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g tax<br />

attributes of divested bus<strong>in</strong>esses, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g E&P<br />

<strong>and</strong> tax basis;<br />

• Income tax account<strong>in</strong>g carve-out issues;<br />

• Tax-efficient deployment <strong>and</strong> repatriation of<br />

capital <strong>and</strong> other <strong>in</strong>ternational structur<strong>in</strong>g;<br />

• Transfer pric<strong>in</strong>g policies, which may be under<br />

<strong>in</strong>creased scrut<strong>in</strong>y via the <strong>in</strong>creased regulatory<br />

m<strong>and</strong>ates. At the same time, rationalization<br />

<strong>and</strong> rebalanc<strong>in</strong>g of global capital comb<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

with enhanced regulation <strong>and</strong> report<strong>in</strong>g<br />

will likely require new <strong>in</strong>tercompany pric<strong>in</strong>g<br />

methodologies <strong>and</strong> support<strong>in</strong>g documentation;<br />

• Multistate tax consequences stemm<strong>in</strong>g from<br />

both <strong>in</strong>ternal restructur<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>and</strong> external<br />

<strong>transactions</strong>;<br />

• Treatment of transaction costs;<br />

• Tax shar<strong>in</strong>g issues, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g who is responsible<br />

for historical tax exposures;<br />

• Day 1 tax read<strong>in</strong>ess of divested <strong>and</strong> realigned<br />

bus<strong>in</strong>esses, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>post</strong>-transaction<br />

preparedness with regard to transaction taxes,<br />

such as sales <strong>and</strong> use, VAT, <strong>and</strong> customs excises.<br />

Conclud<strong>in</strong>g thoughts<br />

Mitigat<strong>in</strong>g the challenges <strong>and</strong> maximiz<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

opportunities aris<strong>in</strong>g from the Dodd-Frank Act, Basel III,<br />

<strong>and</strong> other <strong>reform</strong> legislation may prompt banks to be more<br />

agile, flexible, <strong>and</strong> strategic than ever before.<br />

Currently, bank executives’ focus should be on<br />

underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g F<strong>in</strong>ancial Regulatory Reform <strong>and</strong> its<br />

potential implications (e.g., smaller balance sheets, legal<br />

entity rationalization, decisions on non-bank operations,<br />

such as private equity <strong>and</strong> hedge funds, etc.) <strong>and</strong> on<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestigat<strong>in</strong>g which types of divestitures <strong>and</strong> acquisitions<br />

would be most accretive or create the most value under<br />

the new regulatory constra<strong>in</strong>ts. In this way, banks can<br />

more favorably position their organization to compete <strong>in</strong><br />

the <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scape.<br />

In addition, executives should underst<strong>and</strong> their<br />

organization’s growth objectives, what it is try<strong>in</strong>g to<br />

become, <strong>and</strong> how M&A can help to strengthen the<br />

bank’s presence <strong>in</strong> certa<strong>in</strong> products, segments, <strong>and</strong>/or<br />

geographies. Sometimes it is helpful to have an outside<br />

source look at the bank’s capabilities <strong>and</strong> its ability to<br />

execute <strong>transactions</strong> overall.<br />

F<strong>in</strong>ancial Regulatory Reform offers well-capitalized banks<br />

<strong>and</strong> other f<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>in</strong>stitutions unprecedented M&A<br />

opportunities. However, once the FDIC auction process for<br />

attractive franchises subsides <strong>and</strong> non-traditional bank<strong>in</strong>g<br />

assets are divested, it may be years — even decades —<br />

before this volume of entic<strong>in</strong>g properties are aga<strong>in</strong> on<br />

the market. Reform will require a leanness that enables<br />

organizations to deal with all phases of the M&A process<br />

smoothly <strong>and</strong> effectively — no matter their size.<br />

M&A <strong>transactions</strong> <strong>in</strong> a <strong>post</strong>-<strong>reform</strong> <strong>marketplace</strong> 7


Please visit the onl<strong>in</strong>e merger <strong>and</strong> acquisition library<br />

which showcases the best current th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g about<br />

mergers, acquisitions <strong>and</strong> divestitures. If you’re look<strong>in</strong>g<br />

for guidance on how to tackle the toughest issues <strong>in</strong><br />

M&A today, we th<strong>in</strong>k you’ll f<strong>in</strong>d this a great place to<br />

start. Visit us at www.deloitte.com/us/MAlibrary.<br />

To receive a free subscription to the latest M&A-related<br />

thoughtware, newsletters, <strong>and</strong> events visit us at www.<br />

deloitte.com/us/MAsubscribe<br />

These materials <strong>and</strong> the <strong>in</strong>formation conta<strong>in</strong>ed here<strong>in</strong> are provided by Deloitte LLP <strong>and</strong> are <strong>in</strong>tended to provide general <strong>in</strong>formation on a particular<br />

subject or subjects <strong>and</strong> are not an exhaustive treatment of such subject(s). Accord<strong>in</strong>gly, the <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>in</strong> these materials is not <strong>in</strong>tended to<br />

constitute account<strong>in</strong>g, tax, legal, <strong>in</strong>vestment, consult<strong>in</strong>g or other professional advice or services. Before mak<strong>in</strong>g any decision or tak<strong>in</strong>g any action<br />

that might affect your personal f<strong>in</strong>ances or bus<strong>in</strong>ess, you should consult a qualified professional advisor.<br />

Copyright © 2010 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.<br />

Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited<br />

Authors<br />

Thomas Kaylor<br />

Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal<br />

Valuation Services<br />

Deloitte F<strong>in</strong>ancial Advisory Services LLP<br />

+1 212 436 2409<br />

Tkaylor@deloitte.com<br />

Paul Legere<br />

Pr<strong>in</strong>cipal<br />

M&A Consult<strong>in</strong>g Services<br />

Deloitte Consult<strong>in</strong>g LLP<br />

+1 312 486 2289<br />

plegere@deloitte.com<br />

Tom Rollauer<br />

Director<br />

Regulatory & Capital Markets Consult<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Deloitte & Touche LLP<br />

+1 212 436 4802<br />

trollauer@deloitte.com<br />

Jay Langan<br />

Partner<br />

M&A Transaction Services<br />

Deloitte & Touche LLP<br />

+1 212 436 2646<br />

jalangan@deloitte.com<br />

Anthony Passalaqua<br />

Director<br />

M&A Transaction Services<br />

Deloitte Tax LLP<br />

+1 212 436 5501<br />

apassalaqua@deloitte.com<br />

Andy Wilson<br />

Partner<br />

M&A Transaction Services<br />

Deloitte & Touche LLP<br />

+1 312 486 3587<br />

<strong>and</strong>wilson@deloitte.com

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