| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010 5:14 am |
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Business 
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Washington Mutual could soon be sold Ailing bank Washington Mutual Inc. appeared headed toward a sale Wednesday after a major investor removed a potential stumbling block and nervous banking regulators began approaching the most logical buyers.The New York Times, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter, said an auction of the bank was already under way, and The Wall Street Journal reported Wells Fargo & Co. and Citigroup Inc. expressed interest in a takeover. WaMu, Wells Fargo and Citigroup all declined to comment. A concession by investment firm TPG, which injected $7 billion into WaMu five months ago, may have opened the way to a sale -- or, failing that, made it easier for the bank to raise another round of capital. TPG could have stymied the process because of protection when it bought its stake in April. A clause in its agreement could have required a buyer or another major investor to pay TPG hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in addition to whatever money was injected into WaMu. But TPG agreed to waive the clause after concluding WaMu needs all the help it can get. "It became clear that it would be in the best interests of Washington Mutual and our investors to waive the ... provisions," Fort Worth, Texas-based TPG said in a statement. "Our goal is to maximize the bank's flexibility in this difficult market environment." The efforts to find a buyer, though, were being complicated by uncertainty about the magnitude of losses still lurking in Washington Mutual's home loan portfolio. "No one knows what's in their books," said a person briefed on the talks between regulators and banks, speaking Wednesday on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Citing unidentified sources, the New York Post said the potential buyers include JPMorgan Chase & Co. and HSBC Holdings PLC., as well as Wells Fargo. The banks all declined to comment. Federal regulators would like to sell WaMu to a healthy bank, rather than risk a failure that would drain an already depleted deposit insurance fund. By some estimates, a WaMu failure could cost the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s fund more than $20 billion. At $45.2 billion, the fund is already at a five-year low. |
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(9) - A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood (7)
- Everett rethinks boutique wineries (6)
- Toyota has powerful D.C. friends (5)
- Everett police officers cleared in 2008 shooting death (5)
- 1949 travel aid shows how few places blacks were welcome in Washington (4)
- I-5 bridge joint may give you a jolt, but it isn't damaged (3)
- Cigarette causes life-threatening burns (2)
- ORCA a whale of an improvement for Community Transit (2)
- Large part from 747 falls outside Miami mall; no one hurt (2)
- Edmonds educator, famous announcer dies
- Mill Creek to appeal ruling on annexation
- Through the air, with the greatest of ease
- E-W thriving under new coach
- The path to citizenship
- EUUC puts on ‘Pants & Shoes’
- Wolfpack wins the ‘Battle'
- Lynnwood’s annexation plans OK’d
- Arlington's Cascade Valley Hospital celebrates expansion, national award and 100 years of service
- Business Licences Feb. 2010
- Technology tips for launching your own business
- Business Events Feb. 2010
- Tech Talk: No excuse today for going without a Web site
- State already raising fees and rates that restrict business growth
- Some legislators again targeting people’s initiative petition rights
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