BankUnited opts to remain independent
PROVIDED BY Reuters - 6:03 PM 01/18/2012
Jan 18 (Reuters) - BankUnited Inc (BKU) said it considered strategic alternatives, confirming media reports, but has now opted to stay independent.
The announcement from the Florida bank that went public last year, comes in light of media reports that its private equity owners -- that include Wilbur Ross' WL Ross & Co, Blackstone Group (BX) and Carlyle Group -- had put the bank on sale and had hired Goldman Sachs to run the process.
Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that BB&T Corp (BBT) and Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) were among the suitors in talks to acquire the bank.
BankUnited's (BKU) shares dropped 11 percent in trading after the bell. They earlier closed at $24.95 on Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Brenton Cordeiro in Bangalore; Editing by Supriya Kurane)
