The Federal Reserve's decision to loosen restrictions that have prevented some private equity firms from investing in US banks is not likely to precipitate a rapid inflow of private capital into the sector.
Under the new guidelines, private equity firms will now be able to own up to a third of a bank, rather than the earlier 25 per cent, without triggering the additional restrictions and commitments that are required of "bank holding companies".
Groups that are not regulated bank holding companies can also now take voting interests in a bank of up to 15 per cent, and will be allowed to take one seat, and in some cases two, on the boards of banks in which they invest. Minority investors have also been freed to more directly advocate their positions to banks' boards of directors.
But dealmakers say most buy-out firms are looking for still more control, particularly when it comes to the management of institutions that are failing because of bad decisions and a willingness to grow over-exposed to risk.
"It doesn't change a whole lot," one banker said. "It wasn't what the private equity guys wanted."
"More funds will be inclined to look at an opportunity if they can get a board seat," another banker said. "But I can't imagine a whole slew of deals will happen at 33 [per cent] that wouldn't have happened at 25."
The US banking sector has remained capital-constrained for months, while a range of private equity firms have suffered from the opposite problem – an inability to find ways to put their piles of capital to use that do not require significant amounts of unobtainable leverage.
To encourage private capital infusions into the US banking sector, the Fed has been considering for months whether to make it easier for buy-out firms to take larger stakes in banks without having to register as bank holding companies. The rules were put in place decades ago to limit private investors' influence.
Various private equity firms have been searching this year for ways to buy full or partial stakes in banks without surrendering the control they need to generate returns by making changes to the business.
Interested investors include both those who have long specialised in investing in financial institutions as well as more broad-based firms, including Carlyle, KKR, Blackstone and TPG.