Why did JPMorgan buy First Republic Bank (2024)

The FDIC seized control of First Republic Bank over the weekend and auctioned it off. JPMorgan won that auction, and it’s paying a cool $10.6 billion for it. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

In the wee hours of this morning, JPMorgan Chase finalized its deal with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to buy First Republic Bank.The FDIC had seized control of the bank over the weekend and auctioned it off.JPMorgan won that auction, and it’s paying a cool $10.6 billion for the bank, but not without some guarantees.

JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said the deal to rescue First Republic only modestly benefits his bank.

“They are booking a $2.6 billion gain up front,” said David Chiaverini, a managing director at Wedbush Securities.“And then they are going to be generating 500 million incremental earnings annually going forward.”

The bank also gets a bunch of new affluent customers, said Tiffani Montez, a principal analyst at Insider Intelligence.

“It’s a quick way for JPMorgan Chase to increase their market share,” she said.

On the downside, restructuring will cost JPMorgan Chase about $2 billion, and the bank said it’ll also have to repay $25 billion to other banks that tried to keep First Republic afloat. So for all that, the bank got a deal sweetener.The FDIC agreed to shoulder the bulk of any losses from certain mortgages and commercial loans that would come with First Republic.

“I think it was extremely important to do that,” said David George, senior bank analyst with Baird. He said many of the loans JPMorgan Chase would acquire do not offer attractive returns, and instead would be “Well below market rate.”

Having the FDIC share the burden of losses makes the below market returns more palatable. Patricia McCoy, a professor of law at Boston College Law School, said there may be bigger concerns with the loans themselves. Take commercial loans, for example.

“There’s a lot of talk on the street that commercial loans to finance office space in the future may go into default because there are so many office vacancies,” she said.

McCoy also said a lot of the residential mortgages JPMorgan Chase would take on are interest-only mortgages, where payments suddenly jump after a few years.

“Interest-only mortgages have a much higher default rate than ordinary fixed-rate mortgages,” she said.

If those concerns pan out, having the FDIC shoulder some of that risk would offer substantial protection.

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Why did JPMorgan buy First Republic Bank (2024)

FAQs

Why did J.P. Morgan acquire First Republic Bank? ›

It's a quick way for JPMorgan Chase to increase their market share,” she said. On the downside, restructuring will cost JPMorgan Chase about $2 billion, and the bank said it'll also have to repay $25 billion to other banks that tried to keep First Republic afloat. So for all that, the bank got a deal sweetener.

What was the problem with First Republic Bank? ›

Too Many Uninsured Deposits

Its loan-to-deposit ratio was a staggering 111%, which meant that First Republic had loaned out more money than it sat on. This would make the bank especially vulnerable to a bank run, which happens when too many of a bank's customers lose faith and withdraw their deposits at once.

Is Chase too big to fail? ›

JPMorgan Chase is the largest bank in the U.S. That worries some critics, who see it as "too big to fail." SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Ever since the global financial crisis, there's been a lot of consolidation among banks. Many of them have gotten larger, but one towers over all.

Did the FDIC take over First Republic Bank? ›

On May 1, 2023, CADFPI closed First Republic and appointed the FDIC as receiver of the bank. As of March 31, 2023, First Republic had total deposits of $104.5 billion and total assets of $232.9 billion.

How did First Republic Bank lose money? ›

First Republic had a high level of uninsured deposits. Meanwhile, its loan book and investment portfolio also became less valuable as the U.S. Federal Reserve bank raised interest rates, hampering its chances of a capital raise.

Why did First Republic Bank crash? ›

First Republic's undoing was triggered by the Federal Reserve's rapid series of interest-rate increases, which led depositors to seek better returns elsewhere. That meant it had to pay more to keep them, just when rising rates were battering the value of its mortgage portfolio.

What is the biggest bank collapse in US history? ›

That includes Washington Mutual (WaMu), still the largest bank failure in U.S. history. WaMu had some $307 billion in assets when it collapsed, equivalent to more than $424 billion in today's dollars.

What company owns First Republic Bank? ›

First Republic is now part of JPMorgan Chase.

On May 1, 2023, JPMorgan Chase acquired the substantial majority of assets and assumed the deposits and certain other liabilities of First Republic from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Read the press release.

What is the largest bank failure in US history? ›

The receivership of Washington Mutual Bank by federal regulators on September 26, 2008, was the largest bank failure in U.S. history.

Which banks will never fail? ›

Companies Considered Too Big to Fail

The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. Citigroup Inc. The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. JPMorgan Chase & Co.

What three banks are too big to fail? ›

RBI continues to classify SBI, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank in the category of D-SIBs. But, what are D-SIBs? These are the banks which are so important for the country's economy that the government cannot afford their collapse. Hence, D-SIBs are thought of as “Too Big to Fail” (TBTF) organisations.

Is Bank of America in trouble? ›

Overall, Bank of America appears to be in a relatively healthy financial position and is not currently in imminent danger of collapse.

Is First Republic Bank still safe? ›

JPMorgan Chase acquired First Republic Bank on May 1, 2023. If you had insured or uninsured money in First Republic accounts, your funds are safe and now managed by JPMorgan Chase.

Can I withdraw my money from First Republic Bank? ›

You may only make up to six withdrawals and/or transfers each monthly statement cycle by check (for accounts with check privileges), preauthorized or automatic transfer (e.g., transfers under an agreement to cover overdrafts on a linked checking account, or automatic payments to an insurance company), draft, point-of- ...

Can you still wire money to First Republic Bank? ›

First Republic is now part of JPMorgan Chase.

When it's imperative that funds arrive at a specified time, First Republic offers domestic and international wires to electronically transfer funds between banks quickly, reliably and safely.

When did JPMorgan acquire First Republic Bank? ›

First Republic is now part of JPMorgan Chase.

On May 1, 2023, JPMorgan Chase acquired the substantial majority of assets and assumed the deposits and certain other liabilities of First Republic from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

What happens to FRC stock if bought out? ›

The shareholders are most likely wiped out. The stock has stopped trading as of Monday, and shareholders won't receive stock in JPMorgan, according to a JPMorgan spokesman. The New York Stock Exchange said on Tuesday that it is delisting First Republic's shares.

What happened to First Republic Bank shareholders? ›

When a bank is seized by the government, its common shareholders are wiped out. In this case, First Republic shareholders, along with its debt holders, will not receive anything. JPMorgan Chase said that it would not assume First Republic's corporate debt or preferred stock.

What is Chase doing with First Republic? ›

Effective, May 25, 2024, First Republic deposit accounts will transition to JPMorgan Chase. View our Deposit Accounts FAQ for more information. Other First Republic accounts or features may transfer at different times, and you'll receive separate communications about them, as applicable.

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