Home Capital faces possible lawsuit

Article Excerpt

HOME CAPITAL GROUP INC. $17 (Toronto symbol HCG; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 80.3 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.8; Dividend suspended in May 2017; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; www.homecapital.com) is a mortgage lender serving borrowers who fail to meet the stricter standards of Canada’s big banks and other larger, traditional lenders. In June 2017, the company agreed to settle charges by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) that it, along with key executives, failed to disclose concerns that some independent mortgage brokers falsified their clients’ annual incomes on loan applications. As part of the deal with the OSC, Home Capital also agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $29.5 million. However, one investor—hedge fund manager West Face Capital—has opted out of the settlement. It has threatened to sue Home Capital for $70 million in damages. To put that amount in context, Home Capital earned $30.0 million in the third quarter of 2017. That’s a drop of 54.7% from $66.2 million…