Hudson City to Merge With M&T Bank

One of our Buy List stocks is getting married! Hudson City ($HCBK) has decided to merge with M&T Bank ($MTB). Investors can get cash or stock worth 0.08403 of an MTB share. Based on Friday’s close, that comes to $7.2156 per share. Hudson City closed Friday at $6.44 per share.

My advice is to take the MTB shares, and that’s how I’ll adjust the Buy List.

Here’s the press release:

Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. (HCBK) (“Hudson City”) and M&T Bank Corporation (MTB) (“M&T”) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Hudson City will merge into a subsidiary of M&T, expanding the premier community banking franchise in the eastern United States.

Under terms of the agreement, each Hudson City share will receive consideration valued at 0.08403 of an M&T share in the form of either M&T stock or cash, based upon the election of each Hudson City shareholder, subject to proration as specified in the merger agreement (which provides for an aggregate split of total consideration of 60% common stock of M&T and 40% cash). Based on the closing price of M&T stock on August 24, 2012, the transaction is valued at approximately $3.7 billion. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to the combined company’s capital ratios, capital generation and tangible book value per share, as well as its GAAP and operating earnings per share.

“This merger creates tremendous opportunities to build on the successes that each company has achieved individually in its own markets,” said Hudson City Chairman and CEO, Ronald E. Hermance, Jr. “Hudson City recently embarked on a diversification of our product lines and our balance sheet. This transaction accelerates that transformation. As we combine Hudson City’s attractive retail network with M&T’s full service commercial banking suite, our stakeholders will participate in the growth of one of the nation’s strongest and most successful banking franchises.”

“M&T, which was established in 1856, and Hudson City, founded in 1868, have been serving their customers and communities for generations, and we look forward to building on that long history and tradition together in the future,” said Robert G. Wilmers, M&T Chairman and CEO.

M&T will acquire Hudson City’s network of 135 branch offices, which are located in New Jersey (97 branches), downstate New York (29 branches) and Fairfield County, Connecticut (9 branches). M&T’s existing branch network is adjacent to Hudson City’s franchise, with very little overlap. The combined network of 870 branches will stretch from Connecticut to Virginia.

M&T expects to gain approximately $25 billion in deposits and $28 billion in loans from the merger (before acquisition accounting adjustments), giving M&T the fourth largest deposit share in New Jersey.

“To the customers and communities now served by Hudson City, M&T brings a wider array of banking products and services,” continued Wilmers. “As a thrift, Hudson City focused primarily on deposits and mortgages. M&T will build on Hudson City’s loyal customer base to create a comprehensive community banking franchise that provides a full range of checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, home equity loans and other lending options, plus small business and commercial banking services and our premier wealth management and corporate trust solutions through Wilmington Trust.”

Headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., M&T has $80.8 billion in assets. Hudson City, based in Paramus, N.J., currently has $43.6 billion in assets. After the merger is completed, M&T expects to repay approximately $13 billion of Hudson City’s long-term borrowings by liquidating its comparably sized investment portfolio. M&T’s pro forma balance sheet will have then increased by approximately $28 billion.

The merger has been approved by the boards of directors of each company, and is subject to certain conditions, including regulatory approvals and approval by M&T’s and Hudson City’s common shareholders. After the transaction is completed, Mr. Hermance will be appointed to the boards of directors of M&T and its principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank.

J.P. Morgan acted as financial adviser to Hudson City and rendered a fairness opinion in connection with the transaction, and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP acted as its legal adviser. Evercore Partners rendered a fairness opinion to M&T in connection with the transaction, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as its legal adviser.

M&T is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T’s principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia. Trust-related services are provided by M&T’s Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank.

Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. maintains its corporate offices in Paramus, New Jersey. Hudson City Savings Bank, a well-established community financial institution serving its customers since 1868, is the largest thrift institution headquartered in New Jersey. Hudson City Savings Bank currently operates a total of 135 branch offices in the New York metropolitan and surrounding areas.

Posted by on August 27th, 2012 at 8:37 am


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