New Mexico-based First State Bancorporation has completed the sale of its Colorado branches to Great Western Bank, a South Dakota-based subsidiary of National Australia Bank. The terms of the transaction call for the transfer of approximately $385 million in loans, $509 million in deposits, $20 million of premises and equipment and other assets, and the payment of a deposit premium of approximately $30 million.
After the write-off of the core deposit intangible associated with these deposits and transaction costs, First State expects to record a pretax gain of approximately $23 million.
Michael Stanford, President and Chief Executive Officer of First State, said: “This transaction will boost our total risk-based capital ratio at both the bank and holding company levels to above 11.0%, compared to 9.0% at the bank and 8.9% at the holding company as of March 31, 2009, bringing us back to a well-capitalized position under regulatory guidelines at June 30, 2009.
“This transaction has solidified our capital position and is a decisive step to protecting our legacy New Mexico market and our independence. These capital ratios also do not include the more than $55 million that we have in our allowance for loan losses that is not part of the capital calculation, which further insulates our balance sheet from future losses in our loan portfolio,” he added.
