Nearly one year after it postponed its initial public offering due to market conditions, loanDepot announced it went a different route to gain capital, closing $150 million in term debt financing on Aug. 9.
This time around the “nation’s second-largest nonbank consumer lender” said it “intends to use the proceeds to further fuel its record-breaking performance with continued investments in technology and product development, and to leverage its balance sheet to hold certain loan assets.”
“Capital investment in consumer lending and in the mortgage industry is very tight and highly selective,” says Anthony Hsieh, chairman and CEO at loanDepot.
“Investors are interested in category leaders with scale who succeed in all credit cycles. This deal confirms the strength of our business model and the positive momentum of our brand. It also signals the competitive advantage loanDepot has in accessing capital in today’s market as we pursue our long-term growth strategy,” he continued.
Back in October of last year, loanDepot announced it filed for an IPO but later withdrew due to volatility in the stock market with other companies that had gone public in 2015.
Hsieh went on record at the time in a company blog saying that the decision to withdraw its IPO was easier than expected.
He explained at the time, “Unlike other IPO candidates, we’re already moving forward with our plans because of our capital reserves and the investor confidence we’ve earned beyond the IPO market. And while an IPO continues to be an option, perhaps one day in the future, it’s not a necessity.”
While there isn’t the company attempting an IPO again, it did stated, “This capital debt financing is the continuation of its capital strategy and commitment to pursue long- term growth plans.”
So far, loanDepot has recorded a strong year, with total fundings for the first half of 2016 up 16% compared to the same time last year. The number of loans funded by loanDepot in the first six months of 2016 increased by 33% compared to the same period last year.
