SEATTLE & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WMIH Corp. (NASDAQ: WMIH) and Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc. (NYSE: NSM) with its flagship brand Mr. Cooper® today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement.
Nationstar combines mortgage servicing with a fully integrated loan originations platform, supported by its Xome® business, which provides services spanning the real estate and mortgage markets. With more than three million customers, Nationstar has made significant investments in its team, new technology and processes to ensure customers have a caring, transparent and seamless experience. As the largest non-bank servicer in the U.S., under its Mr. Cooper brand, Nationstar is uniquely positioned for growth in a highly addressable and extremely healthly housing market.
WMIH Corp. is a publicly-traded company focused on identifying and consummating an accretive acquisition transaction across a broad array of industries, with a primary focus on the financial institutions sector. In addition to certain legacy reinsurance assets and non-recourse run-off liabilities, WMIH has approximately $600 million in cash and cash equivalents and federal net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $6.0 billion that are not subject to any annual use limitation and will not begin to expire until 2032. WMIH’s shareholders include a number of institutional investors, the largest of which is KKR.
“Nationstar aligns perfectly with our acquisition strategy and has a strong track record of providing mortgage servicing and loan and real estate offerings in various market conditions,” said Bill Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer of WMIH. “Nationstar’s talented and experienced management team, best-in-class servicing platform, and continued investments in customer education and self-service position it for growth across channels and services. We look forward to working with Nationstar’s talented team to build on the Company’s strong foundation to drive growth, expand the platform and create shareholder value. The combined company is expected to benefit from WMIH’s platform and financial attributes, which are expected to enhance free cash flow available to support business growth and be accretive to shareholders’ equity.”
Jay Bray, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Nationstar, said, “We expect this merger to create value for our shareholders in both the near and long-term, including immediate accretion on a cash EPS basis and a cash premium for those of our stockholders who elect to receive the cash merger consideration. I am passionately committed to continuing and accelerating our growth and investment as a leader in our industry, leveraging our best-in-class integrated servicing and originations platform. The Nationstar Board and management team have taken considerable steps to make homeownership simpler and more rewarding for our three million customers and we look forward to identifying additional opportunities to enhance value for the combined company’s shareholders.”
Integration Details
The operating business will retain the Nationstar Mortgage name and Dallas Headquarters and, at least initially, be traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “WMIH”. Nationstar’s operations will continue as normal and its valued employees will join the combined enterprise. Nationstar’s senior leadership team will lead the combined company.
Upon completing the transaction, the combined company’s Board of Directors will comprise 7 members, including 3 from WMIH and 4 from Nationstar.
Details of the Transaction
Under the terms of the agreement, Nationstar shareholders may elect to receive $18.00 in cash or 12.7793 shares of WMIH common stock for each share of Nationstar common stock they own, subject to an overall proration to ensure that 32% of the total outstanding Nationstar shares are exchanged for the stock consideration. Upon completion of the transaction, Nationstar shareholders will own approximately 36% of the combined company and WMIH shareholders will own approximately 64%.
The aggregate consideration payable to Nationstar shareholders will consist of $1.2 billion in cash and WMIH shares currently anticipated to be valued at approximately $702 million1. In addition, approximately $1.9 billion of Nationstar’s existing senior unsecured notes will be refinanced at closing. WMIH has secured $2.75 billion of financing commitments in connection with the transaction.
Upon closing the Transaction, all outstanding WMIH Series B Preferred Stock and all outstanding warrants to purchase shares of WMIH common stock will be converted into common stock of WMIH. The shares issued pursuant to these conversions are included in the pro forma ownership percentages referenced above. Holders of WMIH’s Series B 5% Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series B Stock”) will receive approximately 444 million shares of common stock following the mandatory conversion of the Series B Stock at a fixed conversion price of $1.35 per share. Between signing and closing of the transaction, we expect that holders of the Series B Stock will receive approximately 21 million shares of common stock in accordance with the terms of the Series B Stock. Finally, upon closing of the transaction, holders of the Series B Stock also will receive a special distribution of approximately 11 million shares of common stock. As a result, upon consummating the transaction, and on a pro forma basis, holders of the Series B Stock will be expected to own approximately 477 million shares of common stock or approximately 43% of the combined company.
Roadmap to Completion
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is subject to approval by the shareholders of both companies, as well as regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. An entity owned by investment funds managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC, holding approximately 68% of Nationstar’s voting shares, has contractually agreed to support the transaction and elect cash consideration for approximately 34 million shares, subject to proration. KKR, which owns 24% of WMIH’s voting shares, has also agreed to support the transaction.
The transaction is anticipated to close in the second half of 2018.
Advisors
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a Stifel company, and KKR Capital Markets LLC (“KCM”) acted as financial advisors for WMIH. KCM also acted as placement agent in connection with debt financing for the transaction. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as counsel for WMIH in connection with the transaction. Citi, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Houlihan Lokey are serving as financial advisors to Nationstar, with Debevoise & Plimpton LLP serving as legal counsel. PJT Partners LP advised the special committee of Nationstar’s board, with Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP serving as legal counsel.
About WMIH Corp.
WMIH Corp.’s (NASDAQ: WMIH), formerly known as Washington Mutual, Inc., operations consist primarily of WM Mortgage Reinsurance Company, Inc. ("WMMRC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company that is domiciled in Hawaii. The Company's primary business is a legacy reinsurance business that is currently operated in runoff mode by WMMRC. Additional information regarding WMIH may be found at www.wmih-corp.com.
About Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc.
Based in Dallas, Texas, Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc. (NYSE: NSM) provides quality servicing, origination and transaction-based services related principally to single-family residences throughout the United States. Nationstar is a recognized leader in the mortgage industry with more than two decades of experience, and its flagship brand, Mr. Cooper, is the largest non-bank mortgage servicer in the nation.
