Thomas H. Lee, the Boston-based investor who made a killing by selling HomeSide Lending, is eyeing Fidelity National Financial, Jacksonville, Fla., the nation's largest title insurance firm.According to a report in the The New York Times, Mr. Lee's Thomas H. Lee Partners and another firm, Texas Pacific Group, are contemplating buying a stake in Fidelity or purchasing the company outright. At MortgageWire's deadline, THLP and TPG could not be reached for comment. A Fidelity spokesman declined to comment. One investment banker familiar with Mr. Lee said, "For him to buy a stake must mean he thinks the company is undervalued." Late last year, THLP made a large investment in ResMAE, Brea, Calif., an upstart nonconforming lender founded by three former Long Beach Mortgage executives. (The size of the investment has never been disclosed.) As of Wednesday, Fidelity National (stock symbol: FNF) had a market capitalization of $7.5 billion.
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The massive mortgage business saw a first quarter profit mitigated by nearly $300 million in hedging losses.
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has seen excessive property-inspection charges, fees that loan mods should eliminate and improper line-item labels.
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Michael Tannenbaum, whose experience in the financial services industry spans over 15 years, has a track record of helping companies scale and grow.
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A majority of consumers earning more than $100,000 annually said they were concerned about their own ability to purchase a home, demonstrating how affordability issues are impacting those at many socioeconomic levels, the University of Michigan study found.
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The nonbank's results add to other indications that the first quarter's "higher for longer" rate scenario had an upside for efficient servicing operations.
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The latest rate increases contributed to a 1% drop in purchases from the previous week and 15% annually, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
April 24