SAN DIEGO and RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Bank of Southern California, N.A. (OTC Pink: BCAL) and CalWest Bancorp (OTCBB: CALW ), today announced the signing of a definitive agreement and plan of merger (the "Agreement") whereby CalWest Bank will merge with and into Bank of Southern California. The merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of all regulatory approvals and the approval of the shareholders of CALW and BCAL. According to the terms of the agreement, BCAL’s all-cash offer of 0.43 cents per CALW share values the transaction at approximately $32 million. The merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020.
The merger combines two Southern California franchises with similar core operating philosophies and cultures. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Bank of Southern California currently operates eleven branch locations and one production office in San Diego County, the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County. CalWest Bank is headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, with three branches located in Orange County and one office located in Redlands. The proposed merger with CalWest Bank follows Bank of Southern California’s acquisition of four-branch Glendale, CA based Americas United Bank in July 2018, providing Bank of Southern California with its first expansion opportunity into the desirable Los Angeles market.
CalWest Bank offers an attractive footprint in the Orange County market, providing Bank of Southern California with the opportunity to continue its strategic expansion in Southern California. Bank of Southern California currently operates one regional branch location in Orange County. Upon completion of the transaction, the combined organization will have pro forma assets of approximately $1.1 billion and combined capital of approximately $120 million.
Commenting on the announcement, Nathan Rogge, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Southern California, said, "The combined bank offers a highly attractive franchise for us in the dynamic Orange County market and furthers Bank of Southern California’s vision of expanding our market share in Southern California. CalWest Bank is a well-managed community business bank with a strong relationship banking culture, making it a great fit for us. Bank of Southern California recently expanded into Los Angeles in July 2018, and in Orange County in December 2017, so this opportunity allows us to continue to execute the next natural extension of our planned growth. We believe this transaction allows the bank to better serve the clients […]