New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) faced a tumultuous day on Wednesday, with its stock plummeting by 42% before rebounding significantly following the announcement of a $1 billion capital raise. The bank also underwent a major leadership overhaul, with former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stepping in as one of the new board members.
In a press release issued on Wednesday afternoon, NYCB revealed that it had entered into an agreement with several investment firms, including Liberty Strategic Capital (led by Mnuchin), Hudson Bay Capital, and Reverence Capital Partners, to secure over $1 billion in funding in exchange for equity in the bank. As part of the deal, Mnuchin and Joseph Otting, former comptroller of the currency, were slated to join the board of directors, with Otting assuming the role of CEO.
The market response to these developments was swift and volatile. NYCB’s stock experienced a sharp rebound, with trading temporarily halted as the shares surged by nearly 30% before retracing some gains upon resumption. By the end of the day, the stock closed up over 7% after several trading halts.
These strategic moves by NYCB come in the wake of a challenging period for the bank earlier in the year. In late January, NYCB disclosed a significant increase in its allowance for potential loan losses, primarily stemming from its exposure to commercial real estate. Moody’s Investors Service subsequently downgraded NYCB’s credit rating to junk status, prompting the appointment of former Flagstar Bank CEO Alessandro DiNello as executive chairman.
Recent revelations about material weaknesses in NYCB’s internal loan review controls led to DiNello’s brief stint as CEO before transitioning to a nonexecutive chairman role, as outlined in the press release on Wednesday. These developments echo the struggles faced by other regional banks such as Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic, which faltered in the spring of 2023.
Signature Bank, a prominent crypto bank offering fiat and banking services to crypto startups, was among the casualties, leading to NYCB’s acquisition of a substantial portion of its assets, including deposits and loans totaling nearly $13 billion. The challenges faced by NYCB and other banks underscore the difficulties encountered by financial institutions entangled in the volatile world of cryptocurrencies.
In a separate incident, Heartland Tri-State Bank in Elkhart, Kansas, was forced to cease operations after its CEO fell victim to a cryptocurrency scam, resulting in losses amounting to millions of dollars. The bank’s insolvency prompted an investigation by the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner, leading to its closure on July 28 and the FDIC estimating a $54 million loss from its insurance fund to safeguard depositors.
The collapse of Heartland adds to the string of failures among major US lenders last year, including Silvergate Bank, Signature Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, and First Republic Bank. The demise of Silvergate and Signature was partly linked to the crypto market meltdown of 2022, underscoring the risks associated with financial institutions heavily involved in cryptocurrencies.