Revises 2007 EPS guidance down by $2.15 per share; expects 2007 EPS of approximately $5.00 per shareMCLEAN, Va., Aug 20, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Capital One Financial
Corporation (NYSE: COF) today announced that it will cease residential
mortgage origination operations at its wholesale mortgage banking unit,
GreenPoint Mortgage, effective immediately. Current conditions in the
secondary mortgage markets create significant near-term profitability
challenges, given the company's "originate and sell" business model. Further,
recent and continuing developments in the mortgage markets reduce the long-
term outlook for profitability in the business, as the company expects markets
for prime, non-conforming mortgage products are likely to remain challenged
for the foreseeable future. GreenPoint Mortgage will cease making new loan
commitments immediately, however, it will continue to meet its contractual
obligations to customers for loan commitments that are in the pipeline with
rates locked.
The company estimated that the total after-tax charge associated with this
closure will be approximately $860 million, or $2.15 per share, the vast
majority of which is expected to be incurred in 2007. Approximately $650
million of these expenses result from the non-cash write-down of goodwill
associated with the acquisition of GreenPoint Mortgage as part of the North
Fork Bancorporation in December 2006. The remaining $210 million of after-tax
charges includes approximately $100 million in after-tax restructuring charges
associated with severance benefits and facilities closure, and approximately
$110 million after-tax valuation adjustments related to ongoing operations in
the third quarter.
As a result of the expected charges, the company is revising 2007 earnings
guidance down by $2.15 per share (diluted). The company now expects 2007
earnings of approximately $5.00 per share (diluted). Without the charges
related to the mortgage banking business, the company would have maintained
its existing earnings guidance. Capital One's other businesses remain on a
solid trajectory, with revenue growth and credit performance in line with
expectations.
"The reductions in demand and pricing in the secondary mortgage markets
make it difficult to operate our wholesale mortgage banking business
profitably," said Gary Perlin, Capital One's Chief Financial Officer. "Beyond
that, Capital One's other businesses are supported by ample liquidity and
funding including deep access to deposits, a "stockpile" of subordinated
credit card funding in place that allows approximately $9 billion of AAA
credit card funding going forward, and a $25 billion portfolio of highly
liquid securities."
GreenPoint Mortgage became a subsidiary of Capital One in December 2006,
as part of the company's acquisition of North Fork Bancorporation.
GreenPoint's focus had long been the prime non-conforming and near-prime
markets, especially the Alt-A mortgage sector.
Capital One Home Loans, based in Overland Park, KS, and Capital One N.A.,
including its 725 local retail bank branch locations in New York, New Jersey,
Connecticut, Texas, and Louisiana, are not directly affected by this decision.
Capital One intends to continue to originate and sell mortgage loans through
Home Loans and its bank branches where it has direct interactions with
customers, rather than brokers, which provides greater control of the
underwriting and origination process.
Capital One will retain a $12.5 billion mortgage portfolio, the vast
majority of which was held-for- investment (HFI) by Hibernia and North Fork
Banks at the time of their acquisition by Capital One in 2005 and 2006.
These loans continue to demonstrate solid credit performance and generally
consist of first liens with relatively low loan-to-value ratios. The portfolio
also includes approximately $680 million of second lien mortgages originated
by GreenPoint Mortgage in late 2006 and early 2007. In addition to the HFI
portfolio, Capital One will retain exposure to GreenPoint Mortgage's held-for-
sale (HFS) mortgage portfolio with $2.6 billion outstandings, the majority of
which is committed for sale under forward flow agreements. The company also
will retain exposure to future repurchases of past GreenPoint production to
meet representation and warranty claims. With the addition of the estimated
$110 million after-tax valuation adjustments referenced above, Capital One
believes that it has adequately reflected the risk associated with these
remaining exposures.
As part of this decision, the company will close GreenPoint's California-
based headquarters along with 31 locations across 19 states. The change will
result in the elimination of approximately 1,900 positions with the vast
majority of these positions being eliminated by the end of the year.
Impacted associates will receive career transition services including one-
on-one counseling and career seminars. All full-time associates will be
eligible for severance packages and will receive outplacement and retraining
assistance.
"Despite the difficult impact of this decision on GreenPoint and its
associates, Capital One remains a strong, diversified institution as we
continue to focus on our core banking and lending businesses," said Capital
One's Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fairbank.
Forward-looking statements
The company cautions that its current expectations in this release and in
its Form 8-K dated August 20, 2007 regarding its ongoing costs and financial
risks, the accounting charges and overall benefits associated with the
decision to discontinue certain mortgage operations, and the company's plans,
objectives, expectations, intentions, and guidance on 2007 financial
performance are forward-looking statements and actual results could differ
materially from current expectations due to a number of factors, including:
the success, timeliness and financial impact of the decision to discontinue
certain mortgage operations, including financial charges and costs; continued
intense competition from numerous providers of products and services that
compete with Capital One's businesses; changes in our aggregate accounts and
balances, and the growth rate and composition thereof; the success of the
company's marketing efforts; general economic conditions affecting interest
rates and consumer income, spending, and savings which may affect consumer
bankruptcies, defaults, charge-offs and deposit activity; economic conditions
in the mortgage industry and in the secondary mortgage markets specifically;
and the company's ability to execute on its strategic and operational plans.
About Capital One
Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One Financial Corporation
(http://www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company, with 725 locations
in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Texas and Louisiana. Its principal
subsidiaries, Capital One Bank, Capital One Auto Finance, Inc., and Capital
One, N.A., offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services to
consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. Capital One's subsidiaries
collectively had $85.7 billion in deposits and $144.2 billion in managed
loans outstanding as of June 30, 2007. Capital One, a Fortune 500 company,
trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included
in the S&P 100 index.
SOURCE Capital One Financial Corporation
Investor Relations, Jeff Norris, +1-703-720-2455, or Media Relations, Tatiana Stead,
+1-703-720-2352
http://www.capitalone.com