#ILC – Federal Financial Analytics

28 08, 2023

M082823

Max Camateros-Mann2023-08-29T16:55:58-04:00August 28th, 2023|6- Client Memo|

What Happens When a Bank’s Parent Goes Up in Smoke

I recently bemoaned the Fed’s failure before and after SVB’s collapse to demand source-of-strength backstops from the parent holding company. That these would have materially reduced the FDIC’s cost and thus that of the large banks picking up this tab is still more obvious by the fact that it took the Justice Department to bar big pay-outs to the parent company’s executives. Clearly, there’s still money to be made, just not for anyone else. However, the source-of-strength question takes on still more immediate importance in light of the highly worrisome case of Hawaii Electric. It owns American Savings Bank (ASB), a $9.6 billion insured depository. Some parent-company investors somehow think ASB will bail out the beleaguered Maui electric utility, redefining who is the source of strength. ASB can’t, but that doesn’t mean the insured depository is safe and sound. Without downstreamed parent-company cash in hand to protect it from the utility’s travails, the insured depository and thus the FDIC are sure to suffer.

m082823.pdf…

28 08, 2023

Karen Petrou: What Happens When a Bank’s Parent Goes Up in Smoke

Arezou Rafikian2023-08-28T12:31:01-04:00August 28th, 2023|The Vault|

I recently bemoaned the Fed’s failure before and after SVB’s collapse to demand source-of- strength backstops from the parent holding company. That these would have materially reduced the FDIC’s cost and thus that of the large banks picking up this tab is still more obvious by the fact that it took the Justice Department to bar big pay-outs to the parent company’s executives. Clearly, there’s still money to be made, just not for anyone else. However, the source-of-strength question takes on still more immediate importance in light of the highly worrisome case of Hawaii Electric. It owns American Savings Bank (ASB), a $9.6 billion insured depository. Some parent-company investors somehow think ASB will bail out the beleaguered Maui electric utility, redefining who is the source of strength. ASB can’t, but that doesn’t mean the insured depository is safe and sound. Without downstreamed parent-company cash in hand to protect it from the utility’s travails, the insured depository and thus the FDIC are sure to suffer.

Yet another formidable post on the Bank Reg Blog lays out the history of how it came to be that an public utility owns an insured depository. Barriers between banking and commerce that Congress didn’t close for BHCs in 1956 were shuttered in 1970 and 1987, leaving only industrial loan companies and unitary thrift holding companies (i.e., parent companies such as Hawaii Electric) as the only ones allowed to own insured depositories. Unitary thrifts were prospectively barred in 1999 and several large grandfathered ones did themselves …

27 06, 2023

FedFin on: Failed-Bank Compensation, Resolution

Arezou Rafikian2023-06-27T16:13:11-04:00June 27th, 2023|The Vault|

The Senate Banking Committee has overwhelmingly approved bipartisan legislation to reform executive compensation following larger insured-depository institution (IDI) failures, with parent-company executive compensation also at risk in some circumstances. Unlike previous bipartisan claw-back legislation, this measure is targeted to incentive compensation, not salary, expressly exempts “white knights,” institution-affiliated persons and directors, and gives the FDIC discretion also to allow senior officers to retain affected compensation in certain other circumstances…

The full report is available to retainer clients. To find out how you can sign up for the service, click here and here.poor management practice.

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27 06, 2023

COMPENSATION37

Eliza Allen2023-06-27T16:00:07-04:00June 27th, 2023|1- Financial Services Management|

Failed-Bank Compensation, Resolution

The Senate Banking Committee has overwhelmingly approved bipartisan legislation to reform executive compensation following larger insured-depository institution (IDI) failures, with parent-company executive compensation also at risk in some circumstances. Unlike previous bipartisan claw-back legislation, this measure is targeted to incentive compensation, not salary, expressly exempts “white knights,” institution-affiliated persons and directors, and gives the FDIC discretion also to allow senior officers to retain affected compensation in certain other circumstances. Also unlike the prior bill, this measure would make it more difficult for the FDIC to resolve a failing IDI as it did for First Republic via an assisted acquisition by JPMorgan despite the overall prohibition on any U.S. institution holding more than ten percent of national deposits. The Senate bill also mandates that IDIs and parent companies adopt governance standards that give the firm power to claw back compensation in the event of weak condition or poor management practice.

COMPENSATION37.pdf…

11 04, 2023

FedFin Assessment: Top Brainard, Gruenberg Regulatory Rewrites

Arezou Rafikian2023-04-11T16:52:14-04:00April 11th, 2023|The Vault|

In this report, we drill down on prior forecasts (see Client Report REFORM219) of near-term regulatory action to identify the revisions sure to be prioritized as NEC Director Brainard and FDIC Chairman Gruenberg seek to reverse rules finalized over their objections when they were in the minority. Ms. Brainard does not have a direct role dictating what the Fed will do given central-bank independence, but she has a good deal of influence as evidenced most recently by the White House action list. Acting Comptroller Hsu was not casting formal votes over these years, but he was an influential staff leader in this area and clearly has his own list – see for example his efforts on bank merger and resolution policy (see FSM Report RESOLVE48). We expect he will concur with Vice Chairman Barr and Mr. Gruenberg if they all advance the rewrites to the tailoring rules to which Ms. Brainard and Mr. Gruenberg so strongly objected….

The full report is available to retainer clients. To find out how you can sign up for the service, click here and here.…

11 04, 2023

REFORM220

Eliza Allen2023-04-11T10:41:47-04:00April 11th, 2023|5- Client Report|

FedFin Assessment: Top Brainard, Gruenberg Regulatory Rewrites

In this report, we drill down on prior forecasts (see Client Report REFORM219) of near-term regulatory action to identify the revisions sure to be prioritized as NEC Director Brainard and FDIC Chairman Gruenberg seek to reverse rules finalized over their objections when they were in the minority. Ms. Brainard does not have a direct role dictating what the Fed will do given central-bank independence, but she has a good deal of influence as evidenced most recently by the White House action list. Acting Comptroller Hsu was not casting formal votes over these years, but he was an influential staff leader in this area and clearly has his own list – see for example his efforts on bank merger and resolution policy (see FSM Report RESOLVE48). We expect he will concur with Vice Chairman Barr and Mr. Gruenberg if they all advance the rewrites to the tailoring rules to which Ms. Brainard and Mr. Gruenberg so strongly objected.

REFORM220.pdf…

6 12, 2022

DAILY120622

Eliza Allen2022-12-06T16:40:03-05:00December 6th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

FSB Again Ratifies Focus on Crypto, Climate, Macro Risks

Following its meeting today, the FSB Plenary announced 2023 priorities to be finalized in January. Focus will center on heightened monitoring of financial stability risks, enhanced NBFI and CCP resilience, work on the global crypto regulatory framework, cross-border payments reform, cyber and operational resilience, and financial risks from climate change.

FinCEN Targets De-Risking Compliance

Pointing to possible enforcement actions, Treasury Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes Elizabeth Rosenberg today noted FinCEN concerns with the extent to which institutions apply a rules-based approach to de-risking rather than a risk-based one, leaving it vulnerable to fast-changing risks and without access to valuable suspicious activity information.

Warren, GOP Senators Put Silvergate On FTX Hotseat

Reflecting at least some bipartisan agreement on the need for new crypto standards, Sens. Warren (D-MA), Kennedy (R-LA), and Marshall (R-KS) late yesterday sent a letter to the CEO of Silvergate Bank demanding detailed information regarding its relationship with FTX and FTX affiliates.

GOP Threatens Woke Asset Managers With BHC Designation

The Senate Banking GOP report today on ESG asset management contains an interesting aside about the extent to which passive ownership of banking organizations could make the three largest asset managers de facto BHCs.

Brown Fires First Shot in 2023 ILC Wars

Putting down a market for the next Congress, Senate Banking Chairman Brown and two Democratic colleagues today introduced their bill end bar ILC charters for nonbank parents.

Daily120622.pdf…

5 08, 2022

Al080822

Eliza Allen2023-01-04T13:17:39-05:00August 5th, 2022|3- This Week|

An Unquiet August

As is all too evident, campaign season is roaring and Democrats are doing all they can to persuade Americans that allowing them to retain Congressional control is the best way to ensure a better economic outcome than pretty much anyone else thinks possible. As of this writing, the “Inflation Reduction Act” is moving forward, with the Senate thus set for a “vote-a-rama” in which all sorts of extraneous issues appear seemingly out of nowhere as appendages to a must-pass measure. We are watching this closely and will advise clients as soon as we identify legislation with financial-sector strategic impact. And, while August is indeed vacation season, federal regulators remain very busy in part because several cherished initiatives are at grave risk should Republicans gain control of both the House and Senate. As we have noted, the CFPB is less frightened of Congress because it’s less scrupulous about the niceties of administrative action, but it will use August’s seeming quiet to drop some high-impact initiatives.

Al080822.pdf…

24 06, 2022

DAILY062422

Eliza Allen2023-01-25T15:43:05-05:00June 24th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

ILC, Overdraft Bills Face Tough Path to Passage

The vote is now out on H.R. 5912, Rep. Garcia’s (D-IL) bill to circumscribe ILC charters (see FSM Report ILC13). As we noted during the mark-up, the final bill includes modified grandfather language designed to protect existing parent companies without giving them future protection from BHC-like standards. The bill passed narrowly – 28-25 – and is likely to face a still more challenging time on the House floor.

HFSC Wants Tough New Broker-Dealer Standards

HFSC’s investigative report today on the meme-stock crisis takes a strikingly different approach than the SEC’s pending rule. While the Commission is focused on circumscribing payment for order flow and other market practices, HFSC principally targets broker-dealer resilience and the role of the DTCC and other critical market infrastructure. It thus calls on Congress, the SEC, the DTCC, and the NSCC to create a new emergency-liquidity facility for clearing brokers and lays out an array of safety-and-soundness standards it wants the SEC and FINRA to mandate.

GOP Targets Thompson

Picking up their complaints about HFSC’s housing focus from Wednesday’s mark-up, Committee Republicans today called on Chairwoman Waters (D-CA) to bring FHFA Director Thompson before the panel. They are concerned about the safety and soundness of the housing finance system amid increasing recession forecasts, highlighting the urgent pressures of higher mortgage rates and declining household income.

Daily062422.pdf…

22 06, 2022

DAILY062222

Eliza Allen2023-01-25T15:55:01-05:00June 22nd, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

Treasury Issues Stern Sanctions Warning to Foreign Banks

In remarks today to UAE bankers, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo warned that foreign financial institutions are subject to possible sanction if transactions touch sanctioned entities via any U.S.-domiciled point.

CFBP Follows Threats with Credit-Card Action Plan

Consistent with its promises as recently as last week, the CFPB today released an ANPR examining ways to govern what it calls excessive late fees charged by credit-card issuers and announced broader initiatives in this sector.

CBDC Authorizing Legislation Takes Shape

Building on his HFSC subcommittee’s CBDC hearing record (see Client Report CBDC13), Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) today released a white paper outlining legislation he plans to advance to authorize and define CBDC for the United States.

House Set to Report Revised ILC Reform Bill

As anticipated, HFSC seems likely to report H.R. 5912, ILC-reform legislation introduced by Rep. Chuy García (D-IL) (see FSM Report ILC13). The measure subjects ILCs to bank regulation, rolling back the FDIC’s rule during the Trump Administration providing these charters with unique regulatory advantages (see FSM Report ILC15).

Daily062222.pdf…