Method of securitizing a portfolio of at least 30% distressed commercial loans

• US 6,654,727 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lynn Tilton
• Original Assignee: Lynn Tilton
• Inventors: Tilton, Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, Hyung-Sub
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fults, Richard C
• Application Number:
  US10/053,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 705/36, 705/33, 705/35-39, 205/30-31
• US Class Current: 705/36.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A platform and a securitization methodology that provides lenders with an opportunity to maximize the returns on their distressed commercial credit facilities and overcomes the obstacles that have historically precluded the securitization of distressed commercial loans. The present invention is based upon an underlying portfolio of at least 30% distressed commercial loans for securitization that emulates the predictability and regularity of the cash flow and recovery characteristics of a portfolio of generally performing commercial loans, thus eliminating crucial historical barriers to securitization of such distressed commercial loans, such as the absence of predictable and regular cash flows and predictable recoveries. The methodology of the present invention takes a specified mix of distinct classifications of distressed commercial loans with specified characteristics in confluence with structural specifications, such as specific reserves and safeguards, to create a synthetic asset class that emulates the characteristics of a portfolio of performing loans.

Claims

1. A securitization method, comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting loans meeting predetermined performance criteria from a group of commercial loans of one or more lending institutions, each loan having a corresponding borrower and involving at least one obligation of the corresponding borrower to make a payment to the corresponding lending institution;

(b) further selecting loans from among the group of loans selected in step (a) to create a portfolio in which loans comprising at least 30% of (i) the portfolio market value, (ii) the portfolio outstanding principal balance, or (iii) the portfolio commitment amount, are distressed loans which;

(i) have a payment default, or (ii) where payment default is considered likely, by the corresponding institution, said further selecting step analyzing at least one of;

(i) unsecured credit facilities, (ii) borrower diversity, and (iii) loan commitment diversity, of the group of loans selected in step (a);

(c) creating a computerized database model for evaluating the loans in said portfolio individually, in order to provide tabulated information including;

(i) recovery rate information comprising borrower cash flow, projected net payments, and related collateral; and

at least one of the following;

(ii) borrower cash flow information, (iii) loan information including principal amount, interest rate, unfunded commitment amounts, credit information, and amortization information, (iv) loan pricing parameters, (v) loan cash pay rate information, (vi) loan collateral value, (vii) workout parameters including borrower debt capacity and liquidation information, and (viii) loan discounted cash flow valuation;

(d) providing the tabulated information for said portfolio to one or more credit agencies in such form so that said one or more credit agencies independently (i) examines each loan and its corresponding recovery rate information, and (ii) determines the projected performance of the portfolio;

(e) establishing a bankruptcy remote special purpose entity (SPE) as an investment vehicle for said portfolio;

(f) determining a price to be paid to a lending institution for its loans within said portfolio, said price being determined in accordance with the tabulated information from the computerized database model for said portfolio;

(g) providing the tabulated information from the computerized database model for said portfolio to said lending institution; and

(h) forming a capital structure for the SPE for said portfolio, said capital structure including a source of funds and an enforcement mechanism;

(i) modeling cash flows of said capital structure, and providing the modeled cash flows and said tabulated information to said one or more credit agencies in such a form that said one or more credit agencies provides investment grade credit ratings to all of the securities, other than equity or equity-like tranches, issued by the SPE upon completing the creation of the securitization; and

(j) completing the creation of the securitization by (i) the SPE paying the one or more lending institutions the price calculated in step (f) for the lending institution to transfer the portfolio to the SPE, and (ii) the SPE issuing its securities.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said further selecting step analyzes all of:

(i) the maturity date, (ii) the unsecured credit facilities, (iii) the borrower diversity, and (iv) the loan commitment diversity, of the group of loans selected in step (a).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said further selecting step further analyzes industry concentration limits.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said further selecting step further analyzes industry diversification.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans which mature late in the term of the securitization.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans from the portfolio secured only by stock or other equity interests.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans from the portfolio that are denominated in foreign currency.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans from the portfolio that are extended to non-U.S. borrowers.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans from the portfolio extended to borrowers that are tainted by accounting irregularities.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans from the portfolio extended to borrowers that are tainted by environmental problems.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans from the portfolio extended to borrowers that are tainted by protracted litigation.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans from the portfolio extended to borrowers supported by no collateral.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of eliminating loans from the portfolio extended to borrowers supported by minimal restrictive covenants.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of determining the diversity of the borrowers in the portfolio.

15. The process as recited an claim 14, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of selecting loans to meet predetermined borrower diversity criteria of one or more credit rating agencies.

16. The process as recited in claim 15, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of balancing the portfolio so that the number of borrowers is greater than 30.

17. The process as recited in claim 15, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of determining the industry diversity of the borrowers in the portfolio.

18. The process as recited in claim 17, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of selecting the loans so that the portfolio meets the industry diversity criteria of one or more credit rating agencies.

19. The process as recited in claim 18, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of balancing the portfolio so that the selected loans have been extended to borrowers representing at least 12 industries.

20. The process as recited in claim 18, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of determining the ratio of the loan commitments to any one borrower relative to the aggregate loan commitments to all borrowers.

21. The process as recited in claim 20, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of determining the ratio of the aggregate loan commitments to all borrowers in an industry relative to the aggregate loan commitments to all borrowers.

22. The process as recited in claim 21, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of selecting the loans to meet predetermined loan commitment concentration criteria of one or more selected credit racing agencies.

23. The process as recited in claim 22, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of balancing the portfolio so that the loan commitments to any one borrower do not represent more than 5% of the aggregate loan commitments to all borrowers.

24. The process as recited in claim 23, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of selecting loans so that the loan commitment concentration is less than 5% for at least 4 industries.

25. The process as recited in claim 23, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of balancing the portfolio so that the loan commitment concentration is less than 5% for at least 4 industries.

26. The process as recited in claim 24, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of selecting loans so that the loan commitment concentration is greater than or equal to 5% and less than 8% in at most 5 industries.

27. The process as recited in claim 25, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of balancing the portfolio so that the loan commitment concentration is greater than or equal to 5% and less than 8% in at most 5 industries.

28. The process as recited in claim 26, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of selecting loans so that the loan commitment concentration is greater than or equal to 8% and less than 12% in at most 2 industries.

29. The process as recited in claim 27, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of balancing the portfolio so that the loan commitment concentration is greater than or equal to 8% and less than 12% in at most 2 industries.

30. The process as recited in claim 28, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of selecting loans so that the loan commitment concentration is greater than or equal to 12% and less than 16% in at most 1 industry or said at least 4 industries.

31. The process as recited in claim 29, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of balancing the portfolio so that the loan commitment concentration is greater than or equal to 12% and less than 16% in at most 1 industry of said at least 4 industries.

32. The process as recited in claim 30, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of selecting loans so that the loan commitment concentration is less than 16% for each of said at least 4 industries.

33. The process as recited in claim 32, wherein said further selecting step includes the step of rebalancing the portfolio so that the loan commitment concentration is less than 16% for each of said at least 4 industries.

34. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein steps (a)-(j) having been completed, the improvement further comprising the step of the one or more lending institutions that originated all or a portion of the distressed loans in the portfolio obtaining and continuing to own, directly or indirectly through an affiliate, one or more of the investment grace securities issued by the SPE.

35. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein steps (a)-(j) having been completed, the improvement further comprising the step of the SPE collecting payments on its portfolio of loans and making payments on the securities at has issued.