Finance
Rescuing First Republic May Leave Bank Stockholders Stranded
- Bank’s tangible book value is far underwater, analysts say
- Wedbush’s Chiaverini sees ‘no residual value for shareholders’
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Whatever plan emerges to preserve First Republic Bank might not leave much for shareholders of the troubled California lender.
That’s because the bank’s tangible book value is far underwater, according to Wall Street analysts, creating a capital gap of as much as $13.5 billion — a sum that may help explain why no savior appears to have stepped forward. While a government-aided deal could emerge and leave the bank standing, the same won’t necessarily be true for stockholders.