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.
-
Even with the positive news when it came to income, two of the big four underwriters had their earnings outlook slashed, while a third received an upgrade.
6h ago -
AD Mortgage's news survey finds 82% expect AI to transform the industry, and relationship skills will decide who wins in 2027.
6h ago -
An acquisition this year could be one in a line of other future deals, potentially involving lenders or commercial real estate firms, Ellington executives said.
7h ago -
If the deal is completed, the companies will form the sixth-largest publicly traded homebuilder in the U.S. with about $6.6 billion in combined revenue.
7h ago -
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's oversight chief said that he's displeased with a report that these builders have retreated from serving first-time buyers.
10h ago -
The economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, but the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1% all the same. The development could embolden both hawks and doves at the central bank.
August 7








