Regulators Seize Republic First, a Troubled Philadelphia Financial institution

Regulators late Friday seized Republic First Bancorp, a troubled Philadelphia lender, within the first U.S. financial institution failure this yr.

Republic First Bancorp, referred to as Republic Financial institution, had about $4 billion in deposits on the finish of January and property price $6 billion, the Federal Deposit Insurance coverage Company stated in an announcement.

“Considerably all” of its deposits can be assumed by Fulton Financial institution of Lancaster, Pa., the F.D.I.C. stated, with Republic First’s 32 branches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York reopening as quickly as Saturday as Fulton Financial institution branches.

Based in 1988, Republic First was smaller than the midsize banks that collapsed final yr — together with First Republic Financial institution and Silicon Valley Financial institution, whose property every topped $200 billion. The F.D.I.C. expects the associated fee to the Deposit Insurance coverage Fund to be $667 million.

The failure comes amid persevering with concern in regards to the well being of regional banks. In a presentation for traders in July, Republic First stated that deposits had been declining and that the financial institution’s mortgage lending enterprise had turn out to be much less priceless as rates of interest elevated.

It had deliberate to exit the mortgage enterprise and refocus on client deposits. It was delisted by Nasdaq in August, after it did not file its annual report with the Securities and Change Fee, and an anticipated $35 million funding within the financial institution was scuttled this yr, as reported by Banking Dive.

Feddie Strickland, a financial institution analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott, stated that Republic First’s failure was more likely to be an remoted incident and that the general banking sector is secure.

“I feel small banks are in good condition,” Mr. Strickland stated. “A number of the failures we noticed final yr had been actually banks with a sure specialization. I feel there’s an significance of being diversified.”

Mr. Strickland referred to as Fulton, which is taking up Republic First’s deposits, “a boring financial institution in one of the simplest ways,” calling the industrial financial institution “cautious” and “good operators.”

“Depositors ought to really feel secure with Fulton,” he added.

Maureen Farrell contributed reporting.