Project Normandy: Sabadell Sells NPL Portfolio To Oaktree

9 January 2017 – Catalunya Press

Oaktree, the US fund has won the latest auction of problem assets by Banco Sabadell, as part of Project Normandy. The US fund will pay €250 million for a portfolio of overdue real estate loans worth €950 million.

Oaktree will acquire the assets for a discount of between 25% and 30%, however, the finishing touches still need to be agreed for the operation, which means that it may not be formalised for another month or so.

Oaktree will absorb 500 loans to property developers, amongst others, than Sabadell inherited when it purchased CAM. The loans are secured by property developments, retail premises and land, but their borrowers ran aground following the outbreak of the crisis. Two different strategies are now being pursued: restructure the loan in exchange for a reduction below the price paid (above 25-30%); and/or acquire the assets by legal means and join forces with local property developers (in some cases the same developers whose assets are being repossessed) to carry out the project.

Thanks to Project Normandy, Sabadell has cleaned up more than €8,000 million of problem assets from its balance sheet, whereby reducing the balance from €26,000 million to less than €18,000 million.

In addition to Banco Sabadell, other entities such as Sareb have also closed divestments in recent weeks.

Original story: Catalunya Press

Translation: Carmel Drake

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