Private Banking

Client Background

Seeing an opportunity to leverage professional expertise and opportunistic timing, a successful M&A partner at a top law firm, began identifying distressed industrial and manufacturing companies to acquire following the financial downturn in 2008. However, the client initially faced capital challenges due to a negative personal net worth and needed to find a financial partner that was willing to provide the upfront capital. MetCap was able to envision the potential of the client’s entrepreneurial outlook and created an early stage line of credit in which the client could use to make the first investment.

Our client now owns four companies totaling $35MM in revenue and $10MM EBITDA and has looked to MetCap every step of the way for guidance and assistance in growing the platform.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Commercial Banking

MetCap initially provided a line of credit that has now grown to $5.5MM and enabled the client to make each of the four acquisitions. MetCap continues to provide commercial banking needs for the companies and holding company.

Investment Banking

MetCap has completed two key capital raises for the client in which the proceeds from the capital raises were used to exchange the existing preferred equity for preferred debt. The client now owns 100% of the equity in the holding company.

Private Banking

The client is a private banking client and holds personal deposits for himself and family members.

MetCap Network

During each of the capital raises, MetCap was able to turn to its investor network and high networth client base to source the entirety of capital sought. The ability to offer clients proprietary and quality deal flow in addition to a full suite of financial services is a unique differentiator of Universal Banking for small and medium sized businesses.

Client Background

Long standing clients of the bank, two entrepreneurial brothers were looking for strategic add-on acquisitions for their digital media company. In addition, they were seeking investment opportunities that would also serve to diversify their investment holdings. Finding a traditional financial partner that could assist in the sourcing, analyzing and capital facilitation of the investments was a difficult assignment. MetCap’s differentiated position as a Universal Bank for entrepreneurs and deep network of relationships proved to be a perfect match for the brothers.

The length and familiarity of the relationship with MetCap and its full spectrum of financial services allowed the clients to seamlessly work in concert within the Universal Bank to make strategic and timely investments and ultimately grow their investment portfolio.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Commercial Banking

Over the years, MetCap has provided loan facilities to the clients to make investments in the real estate, bar and restaurant and digital media industries. MetCap tailored each loan to allow for the clients to retain as much equity and upside potential as possible. The clients continue to hold deposits and loans with the Commercial Bank for their companies and holdings.

Investment Banking

MetCap provides on-going assistance in evaluating the merits and portfolio alignment of new opportunities as they arise as well as buy and sell-side advisory to complete the transactions. Most recently, MetCap provided due diligence and help with structuring and closing the largest add-on acquisition to date for their digital media platform.

Private Banking

In addition to commercial deposits and loans, the clients individually hold deposits and loans with the bank.

Client Background

Our client, a highly successful entrepreneur and investor, created an online incubator and angel investment platform. Using his experiences as an entrepreneur, he saw value in creating a platform that could connect startups with investors and as well as help entrepreneurs navigate the legal, tax and financial aspects of growing a business.

In order to scale the business, the company needed additional capital to fund the marketing and operations of the business as well as to build out the technology behind the platform. Because the majority of the founder’s assets were concentrated in numerous private investments and the complex nature of his personal balance sheet, banks were unwilling to lend the necessary growth capital without taking an equity stake in his company. Confident that the platform was close to reaching an inflection point in its growth and valuation, the founder was reluctant to raise outside equity that would dilute his upside potential.

Drawing on its ability to provide innovative lending solutions for business owners with non-traditional balance sheets and illiquid assets, Metropolitan Capital helped the company bridge the gap from pre-revenue to monetization without diluting the founder’s equity.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Private Banking

Metcap created two separate loans, one guaranteed by the founder and the other guaranteed by the founder’s venture capital fund, totaling $11 million. Metcap’s willingness to serve as the secondary lender was critical to the success of the transaction.

Commercial Banking

Fourteen months after the initial loans were made, the platform has since transitioned to a subscription-based model and the valuation of the company has increased significantly. Because of the trusted relationship that has developed, Metropolitan Capital was asked to be the exclusive banking partner for the platform and is now serving the unique financial needs of the platform’s high-growth startups and their founders.

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Client Background

When Metcap was first introduced to a company that provides pet boarding and grooming services in 2010, the company had annual revenues of approximately $2 million and operated four locations. The company also had an ownership team with an ambitious vision for growing the operation, all with varying personal financial resources.

In order to achieve its vision, the company would need to form a banking relationship that could provide objective advice and creative solutions to address the challenges and opportunities that come with rapid expansion. On the outset, the company would need to raise additional debt and equity capital to fuel growth while accounting for shareholders’ varying financial position and goals. Additionally, the company would need to consider strategic acquisitions that could accelerate growth and expand the company’s footprint. MetCap’s complete suite of universal banking solutions proved to be an ideal fit for the company and its founders.

In growing from four locations and $2 million in revenue to 14 locations (with a 15th under construction) and more than $16 million in six years, the company has turned to Metropolitan Capital for strategic advice every step of the way.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Private Banking

The relationship began with Metcap making a relatively small loan to the company’s CEO, so that he could contribute additional capital to the company and receive equity credit.

Investment Banking

As the business continued to grow, Metcap helped negotiate and complete an acquisition that tripled the size of its operations. Once the company reached a stage where it made sense to raise additional equity capital, the bank introduced its network of high net-worth individuals and family offices that were eager to invest in the growing company. Since then, Metcap has successfully completed a second equity capital raise for the company.

Commercial Banking

Metcap structured a loan facility that has grown from $300,000 to $4.5 million as the company’s capital needs increased. Additionally, the loan facility includes creative terms to account for shareholder’s varying contributions and allows individuals to invest with a personal guarantee rather than writing an additional check.

Client Background

Our client, the CEO of a digital marketing firm, co-founded the company in his late 20s and successfully grew the business into a multimillion dollar enterprise. The success of the company has created a broad set of challenges and opportunities for the CEO.

In addition to investing in the growth of the company, the CEO used the income to build a portfolio of public equity investments. He also invested in real estate, startups, and other small private investments across the country that were brought to him by friends and family. Evaluating the financial merits of these individual private investments became increasingly challenging for the CEO, whose expertise focused on marketing and business strategy. In addition to assistance in analyzing new opportunities that were brought to him, the CEO wanted to diversify his holdings by getting access to professionally-sourced private equity and real estate investments.

The large number of different private investments held by the CEO meant that he didn’t have visibility into his total net worth and monthly cash flows. This lack of visibility made it difficult for the CEO to build a comprehensive wealth management plan and understand how the various elements of his portfolio could be working together to achieve his longer-term goals.

Utilizing a number of services and capabilities offered through the Universal Banking platform, Metropolitan Capital assisted the client in diversifying his equity holdings and generating a clear picture of his consolidated cash flows and net worth.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Private Banking

Metcap issued a $2 million line of credit for the CEO so that he could increase his investment size threshold and thereby generate greater returns as well as eliminate the need to liquidate his stock holdings to access funds.

Investment Banking

The CEO has access to Metcap’s proprietary deal flow as well as the expertise to help analyze the financial merits of prospective investment opportunities as they arise.

Wealth Consulting

Metropolitan Capital’s consultative approach to private wealth management has helped the CEO gain a clear picture of his comprehensive financial situation and evaluate new private investment opportunities. Acting as the client’s outsourced personal CFO, Metropolitan Capital helps the client analyze any new investments that he is presented with. Metropolitan Capital also has created consolidated financial statements and models that give the client visibility into how various decisions will affect his net worth and future cash flows.

Client Background

In 2013, Goldman Sach referred to MetCap a prospective client who was the CEO of a private, cloud-based technology company in Silicon Valley. The executive needed to access more than $500,000 in personal liquidity to retire an income-tax liability related to the sale of his previous company.

Because the CEO’s compensation was heavily weighted in favor of equity vs. cash income and the majority of his wealth was in the form of stock options, most banks were unwilling to extend a loan of this size because of the illiquid and non-traditional nature of his wealth profile. Adding to the liquidity challenge was the fact that company was majority-owned by a private equity firm and the CEO would need permission to sell any company stock. Further, the CEO’s fiduciary responsibility to his fellow shareholders prevented him from liquidating his shares at a time that would be detrimental to the company’s future.

Drawing on its ability to provide creative lending solutions for individuals with non-traditional balance sheets and illiquid assets, MetCap provided the CEO access to liquidity and a broad array of wealth consulting services.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Private Banking

Metcap structured a $750,000 loan for the executive allowing him to pay off the income tax liability and access additional working capital. The loan was structured so that the options and shares were not used as direct collateral, allowing the CEO to access capital without requiring the company’s consent. At MetCap grew more familiar with the CEO and the company, the loan increased to $1.9 million.

Client Background

A heavily recruited product engineer in Silicon Valley was offered a very lucrative job opportunity at a fully capitalized and high-profile tech startup. The individual held a considerable amount of vested options in his current employer, which was readying to go public. In order to exercise the options, he needed roughly $2.5 million, most of which would be needed to satisfy the tax liability associated with the stock compensation. The compensation package of the new startup was heavily loaded with stock options as well, leaving the individual with a large cash shortfall. One of the members of a venture capital firm supporting the new startup was a client of MetCap and had previously engaged the bank under similar circumstances. An introduction was made and MetCap quickly worked to tailor a loan facility that enabled the individual to exercise his options within the mandated 90 day window from leaving his old firm and enabled him to begin work at the new firm. The major challenges for MetCap in structuring the transaction were the lack of available collateral to underwrite the loan and the individual’s ability to service the monthly interest payments.

Leveraging MetCap’s long-standing relationships with NewCo’s executive team and the sponsors backing the venture, the parties worked hand in hand to craft a solution that would satisfy the collateral requirements and provide the cash flow needed to service the interest payments on the loan.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Private Banking

To underwrite the loan, MetCap structured a put contract on future vested shares of NewCo between the individual and company, listing MetCap as the beneficiary. In case the loan went sideways, the company would be obligated to buy enough shares from the individual to make MetCap whole. In addition, the individual was able negotiate an annual cash bonus that would service the annual interest payments for the life of the loan. Taking these components together, along with a small pledge of an international real estate asset owned by the individual's family, allowed MetCap to gain comfort around the risk and underwrite the loan.

MetCap’s ability to step in and work fluidly with the individual, the executives at the new firm and the sponsors behind the deal to craft a mutually beneficial arrangement was well received by all the parties. Since this transaction, MetCap has been engaged to work with the parties on other various banking assignments.

Client Background

Our client, a successful Real Estate investor, was first introduced to MetCap by a long-term relationship of the firm. As the individual continued to expand his real estate portfolio, the bulk of his wealth was concentrated in non-liquid real estate assets. To fund additional investments, our client needed a banking partner that could provide the necessary capital without the traditional upfront liquidity commitments and constraints. Further, as the wealth profile and financial needs of the client expanded rapidly, MetCap integrated scalable and tailored financial services that best served the clients evolving needs.

Initially providing a non-traditional debt facility for the client, the relationship seamlessly expanded to include a multitude of services for the client under the Universal Banking platform.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Private Banking

MetCap arranged a non-traditional loan facility leveraging personal guarantees and the investor’s successful real estate investment track record that enabled the client to make additional real estate investment plays without prematurely selling or liquidating his existing portfolio.

Wealth Consulting

Due to a recent sizable liquidity event, the Client asked MetCap to find the right investment advisory team for his family office. MetCap arranged the due diligence and hiring process and is still currently retained by the Client to ensure the advisory team is working in concert together and in the Client’s best interests. MetCap has also assisted with the client’s philanthropic activities, helping to formulate the mission and vision of the client’s charitable activities.

Investment Banking

MetCap has completed several capital raise assignments for the client to date and provides on-going assistance and expertise in analyzing the financial merits of prospective private equity and venture capital investment opportunities as they arise.

Client Background

In 2016, MetCap worked with a team of Bay Area investors to finance the acquisition of a bar in San Francisco. Five months later, the lead investor from that group came to MetCap with a new business opportunity and a new challenge.

The investor had teamed up with two other investors to purchase a vacant building in an emerging urban community in Oakland with the intent to renovate it into a 27-unit apartment complex. After purchasing the building and preparing the site for renovation, the lender would not recognize the tenant improvements when assessing the building’s collateral value. As a result, the maximum loan the bank was willing to underwrite was a $1 million short of completing the project.

The team of investors had limited options for securing the necessary funding. Raising outside equity capital was unappealing as it would dilute the investors’ shares and upside potential. Tapping their personal wealth proved challenging as the investors had outstanding margin loans against their most liquid personal assets. They needed to find a financial partner who understood the risks and could create an innovative lending solution that would enable the project to move forward.

Based on its deep experience working with real estate investors and other business owners, MetCap was able to design and underwrite a creative loan structure that allowed the investors to leverage their personal balance sheets and secure the funding needed to finish construction. With the funds from the secondary construction loan in place, the investors completed the project. MetCap has continued to work with the three investors, providing debt financing and creative financial solutions for other real estate-related projects.
 

SOLUTIONS DELIVERED

Private Banking

Using the securities held at the wirehouses as the primary source of collateral, MetCap created a cross-collateralized loan pool that provided the investor group a secondary construction loan. MetCap worked closely with the investors and wirehouses to create triparty agreements that repaid the margin loans and freed up the securities to be pledged as collateral.

Investment Banking

The team of investors came to MetCap again with a unique 49-unit real estate investment opportunity. MetCap was able to underwrite a loan quickly based on its long-standing relationship with the investors and allowed the investors to expedite the closing in lieu of traditional bank loan process. Additionally, the investors asked MetCap to find outside equity investors to participate in the transaction. MetCap was able to exclusively source the additional capital from its existing client network. The ability to quickly match sources and uses of capital within its network is a key component to MetCap’s value proposition.