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It appears that "activist" investors are turning to banks because they, like many of the rest of us close to the banking sector, think that there will be continued consolidation of the banking industry in the U.S., and what better way to make yourself some hard-earned profits than buying shares in a business and then pushing its board to sell the family farm so you can cash out. Some of you may remember that this model business plan was why the FDIC apparently soured on relying on "private equity" investors to help it clean up the mess after the last banking meltdown.
According to reporters in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "[a]ctivist investors are putting the U.S. banking sector in their crosshairs, betting that headwinds whipping through the industry will accelerate consolidation among lenders." The authors cite the rapid uptick in such "activist campaigns" in the financial sector last year, and observe that the "activists" are turning their attention from insurance companies and other non-bank financial businesses to commercial banks.
Hedge funds such as Ancora Advisors, Clover Partners and Seidman & Associates are buying up stakes in lenders across the U.S., from community banks to large regional lenders.
Driving these investments is the view that ultra-low interest rates, lagging returns on equity and tough regulations will push more banks to merge, with buyers willing to pay a hefty multiple to a bank’s tangible book value. Activist investors interviewed by Reuters say another factor is exposure to energy-related loans, which is driving down the valuations of certain banks and making them all the more vulnerable to a takeover.
“Bigger banks are back in the market doing deals,” said Ralph MacDonald, a partner at law firm Jones Day, who specializes in mergers and acquisitions.
U.S. bank mergers and acquisitions volume rose 58 percent last year to $34.5 billion, according to Thomson Reuters data.
The authors think that Zions and Comerica are likely targets. Both "Systemically Important Financial Institutions" had under performing returns on equity last year. That alone makes them prime targets for "activists."
The firm believes that any bank earning a 12 percent or less return on tangible common equity needs to consider whether it can prosper as an independent institution, PL Capital co-founder Richard Lashley said in an interview.
A bank’s exposure to falling energy prices makes it even more vulnerable, he noted. But another key factor is a bank’s ability to maneuver through a climate where low rates are compressing net interest margins, and stricter regulations are increasing costs.
“Management teams and boards are just exhausted,” said Lashley, who is based in New Jersey. “It’s not fun to run a bank anymore.”
However, the article also contains a quote from a community bank chief that indicates that the trend to consolidate is not just for SIFIs.
“My phones are ringing off the hook with calls coming in from banks wanting to sell,” said Pat Hickman, the CEO of Happy State Bank, a lender in the Texas panhandle. “And one of the primary reasons is regulation.”
Yes, it's not fun to run ANY bank anymore, not just the large ones. Whether your a big bank or a small one, publicly traded or privately held, pressured by "activist" investors or simply by the facts of life: as we said a few weeks ago, 2016 will very likely be the year of the bank merger.
