Countrywide Reclaims Top Spot

Countrywide Financial Corp., Calabasas, Calif., originated more home loans than any other lender in the fourth quarter, company chairman and chief executive officer Angelo Mozilo told investors Tuesday on a conference call.Countrywide produced $76 billion of home loans in the fourth quarter, edging out industry rivals Wells Fargo and Washington Mutual. Mr. Mozilo has long cited regaining the top market share as a goal. Moreover, he's not done setting ambitious targets. He said Countrywide aims to have a 30% market share in the loan origination business by 2008, and the company also hopes to service $1.5 trillion of home loans by that time. Mr. Mozilo said Countrywide already has created the technology infrastructure to manage a portfolio of that size. The company has used the refinancing boom as an opportunity "to build lasting foundations for future growth," he said.