CUSIP No. 43785V102

Page 1 of 9 Pages

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D/A

(Amendment No. 4)

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Name of Issuer)

(Title of Class of Securities)

(CUSIP Number)

Charles W. Griege, Jr.

Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management, L.P.

8115 Preston Road, Suite 550
Dallas, TX  75225-6307

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person

Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

- with copies to-

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §240.13d-1(e), §240.13d-1(f) or §240.13d-1(g), check the following box £.

Item 1.

Security and Issuer

This amended and restated Schedule 13D (this “Schedule 13D”) relates to the common stock, no par value (the “Common Stock”), of HomeStreet, Inc., a Washington corporation (the “Issuer”).  The address of the principal executive offices of the Issuer is 601 Union Street, Suite 2000, Seattle, Washington 98101.

 

As of the date of this Schedule 13D, the Reporting Persons (as defined below) held in the aggregate 1,468,809 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer, which represents 5.46% of the outstanding Common Stock.

 

Item 2.

Identity and Background

(a)

This Schedule 13D is being filed jointly by (1) Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management, L.P., a Texas limited partnership (“Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management”); and (2) Charles W. Griege, Jr., the managing member of Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management (collectively, the “Reporting Persons”). The Reporting Persons are filing a joint Schedule 13D.  The joint filing agreement of the Reporting Persons was attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the initial Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 20, 2017.

 

Roaring Blue Lion, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, is the General Partner of Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management.  Mr. Griege is the sole member of Roaring Blue Lion, LLC.  Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management and Roaring Blue Lion, LLC are referred to herein as the “Roaring Blue Lion Entities.”

 

(b)-(c)

The principal business address of the Roaring Blue Lion Entities and Mr. Griege is 8115 Preston Road, Suite 550, Dallas, Texas 75225-6307.

 

The principal business of Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management is to serve as an investment manager or adviser to various pooled investment vehicles, including, among other entities, BLOF II LP, Blue Lion Capital Master Fund, LP and Blue Lion Opportunity Master Fund, LP, and separately managed accounts (collectively, the “Advisory Clients”).  Roaring Blue Lion, LLC is the General Partner of Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management.  The principal occupation of Mr. Griege is investment management through his ownership and control over the affairs of the Roaring Blue Lion Entities.  Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management and Mr. Griege have sole voting and dispositive power over the Common Stock held by the Advisory Clients.

 

(d)	During the last five years, none of the Roaring Blue Lion Entities, nor Mr. Griege, has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).

 

(e)

During the last five years, none of the Roaring Blue Lion Entities, nor Mr. Griege, has been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and, as a result of such proceeding, was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

 

(f)	Mr. Griege is a citizen of the United States of America.

 

Item 3.

Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration

In aggregate, Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management and Mr. Griege have sole voting and dispositive power over 1,468,809 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer acquired at an aggregate cost of $40,795,151, excluding brokerage commissions.  These shares were acquired using the Advisory Clients’ available working capital.  The Roaring Blue Lion Entities and Mr. Griege do not own any shares of Common Stock of the Issuer directly.

 

From time to time, the Reporting Persons may purchase Common Stock on margin provided by banking institutions or brokerage firms on such firms’ usual terms and conditions.  All or part of the shares of Common Stock held by the Reporting Persons may from time to time be pledged with one or more banking institutions or brokerage firms as collateral for loans made by such entities.  Such loans, if any, generally bear interest at a rate based upon the federal funds rate plus a margin.  Such indebtedness, if any, may be refinanced with other banks or broker-dealers.  Other than the foregoing margin arrangements, as of the date of this filing, none of the Reporting Persons have loans secured by Common Stock.

 

Item 4.

Purpose of Transaction

In the aggregate, the Reporting Persons hold 5.46% of the Issuer’s Common Stock, based upon the Issuer’s outstanding shares as of November 1, 2017.

 

The Reporting Persons purchased the Common Stock for investment purposes.  Their intent is to influence the policies of the Issuer and assert shareholder rights, with a goal of maximizing the value of the Common Stock for all shareholders.

 

Consistent with its investment purpose, the Reporting Persons have engaged and will continue to engage in communications with one or more officers of the Issuer and/or one or more members of the board of directors of the Issuer (the “Board”), and/or one or more representatives of the Issuer regarding the Issuer, including, but not limited to its business, management, operations, assets, capitalization, financial condition, governance, strategy and future plans.  The Reporting Persons have discussed and will continue to discuss ideas that, if effectuated, may result in any of the following: changes in the Board or management of the Issuer and/or a sale or transfer of a material amount of assets of the Issuer.

 

On January 23, 2018, the Reporting Persons issued a press release, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.6.

 

On January 17, 2018, Mr. Griege wrote a letter to the Issuer, which was attached as Exhibit 99.5 to the amended Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 17, 2018.

 

On December 21, 2017, the Reporting Persons met with the Board and provided the presentation attached as Exhibit 99.4 to the amended Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 27, 2017.

 

On November 29, 2017, Mr. Griege wrote a letter to the Issuer, which was attached as Exhibit 99.3 to the amended Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 1, 2017.

 

 

On November 20, 2017, Mr. Griege wrote a letter to the Issuer that was attached as Exhibit 99.2 to the initial Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 20, 2017.

 

The Reporting Persons may purchase, sell or transfer Common Stock beneficially owned by them from time to time in public transactions depending on economic considerations and, subject to the below considerations, the results of such communications.  Any such transactions may be effected at any time or from time to time subject to any applicable limitations imposed on the sale of the Common Stock by applicable law.

 

Unless otherwise noted in this Schedule 13D, no Reporting Person has any plans or proposals which relate to, or would result in, any of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a) through (j), inclusive, of the instructions to Item 4 of Schedule 13D.  The Reporting Persons intend to review their investment in the Issuer on a regular basis and, as a result thereof, may at any time or from time to time determine, either alone or as a group (i) to acquire additional securities of the Issuer, through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise (although they have no present intention of increasing their aggregate holdings above 9.999% of the Issuer’s outstanding Common Stock), (ii) to dispose of all or a portion of the securities of the Issuer owned by them in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions, in one or more registered private offerings or otherwise, or (iii) to take any other available course of action, which could involve one or more of the types of transactions or have one or more of the results referenced in this Item 4.

 

Item 5.

Interest in Securities of the Issuer

(a) - (b) As of the date of this Schedule 13D, the Reporting Persons held in the aggregate 1,468,809 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer, which represents 5.46% of the outstanding Common Stock.  The percentages used in this Schedule 13D are calculated based upon 26,888,287.6 outstanding shares of Common Stock as of November 1, 2017.  This amount is based upon the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock reported in the Issuer’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed on November 3, 2017.

 

 

 

Because Mr. Griege is the managing member of Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management, he is deemed to share voting power and dispositive power over the shares of Common Stock held by Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management on behalf of the Advisory Clients.

 

 

Mr. Griege has not effected any transactions in the Common Stock directly in his name.

 

 

 

 

Item 6.

Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer

Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management is the investment manager on behalf of the Advisory Clients.  Each of the Advisory Clients has granted Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management the sole and exclusive authority to vote and dispose of the shares of Common Stock held on their behalf pursuant to a management agreement, and this grant of discretion is not terminable within 60 days.  Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management is entitled to a fee for managing and advising these Advisory Clients, generally based upon a percentage of the Advisory Clients’ capital.  Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management, or a wholly owned subsidiary of Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management, serves as general partner of various partnerships.  For serving as the general partner of these partnerships, Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management, or the subsidiary, is entitled to an allocation of a portion of net profits, if any, generated by the partnerships.

 

Other than the foregoing arrangements and relationships, and the Joint Filing Agreement attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the initial Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 20, 2017, there are no contracts, arrangements, understandings or relationships among the persons named in Item 2 hereof and between such persons and any person with respect to any securities of the Issuer.

 

Item 7.

Material to be Filed as Exhibits

SIGNATURES

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of their knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

 

Dated:  January 23, 2018

Blue Lion Capital Expresses Disappointment with HomeStreet's Fourth Quarter Results and Suggests Questions for Analysts and Investors to Ask on Today's HomeStreet Earnings Call

 

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Blue Lion Capital

12:00 ET

 

 

HomeStreet released fourth quarter and full-year 2017 earnings last night and is conducting a conference call today at 1:00 pm Eastern Time with analysts and investors to discuss those results.

 

BLC is disappointed with yet another earnings period in which HomeStreet failed to execute on a strategy that would enable the Bank to reach its full potential or generate earnings and cash flow commensurate with its assets and opportunity.  

 

The mortgage segment was unprofitable for the fourth time in the past five quarters, despite its supposed restructuring.  The commercial and consumer banking segment sold significantly more commercial real estate loans than it originated during the quarter, generating a one-time boost to earnings of more than 11 cents per share.  Further, despite significant new loan growth, the Bank did not take a loan loss provision.  In fact, in 2017, the increase in the provision for loan losses was a mere $750,000, despite $680 million of net loan growth and a $4.1 million increase in the loan loss provision in 2016. 

 

BLC believes analysts and investors in HomeStreet should want answers to some critical questions during today's conference call.  BLC encourages HomeStreet's management to proactively address these questions during the call, or, failing that, for analysts and investors to ask management these questions during the time allotted for questions and answers:

 

 

·

After adjusting for the high volume of sales of commercial real estate loans during the quarter (and the 11 cents per share boost to earnings from those sales) as well as a reasonable provision for loan losses (another 5 cents per share), HomeStreet missed consensus earnings estimates by 15 cents per share or 35% (see reconciliation below). Is a mere 27 cents per share the true, sustainable earnings power of this Bank or did the management team fail to execute on the Bank's full opportunity?

 

·

The Bank's efficiency ratio was 1,000 basis points higher than its peers in the Pacific Northwest and 1,800 basis points higher than its peers in California (collectively, the "Peers"). Has the management team of HomeStreet done everything it is capable of to streamline the Bank's cost structure? If not, why hasn't management already made the Bank more efficient?

 

·

During 2017, HomeStreet's commercial and consumer banking segment had net loan growth of more than $680 million. The Bank took a loan loss provision of $750,000 or 11 basis points on those loans. Further, HomeStreet's allowance for loan losses currently sits at 90 basis points of originated loans (down from 100 basis points a year ago) while its Peers average 123 basis points. Should investors and regulators expect the commercial business to experience just 11 basis points in losses or has the Bank under-reserved for its future losses on these loans? Is the Bank adequately reserved across its loan book even though it has substantially lower allowances than its Peers?

 

 

 

 

·

The Bank realized losses of approximately $534,000 on its securities portfolio during the quarter while the portfolio's duration (and risk) continued to increase. What are the embedded losses in that portfolio today? The duration of this portfolio increased from 3.6 years to 5.7 years over the past three quarters; which is optimal, the 3.6 year duration or the 5.7 year duration? Why did management so radically change the duration in just three quarters?

 

·

Despite large restructuring charges and promises of improvements in the mortgage segment, HomeStreet missed its most recent guidance for mortgage loan lock volume, closed loan volume, profitability and efficiency ratio. Is management satisfied with the performance of the mortgage business or are further adjustments required? If further adjustments are required, why has there been a delay in taking those actions? When will shareholders earn an adequate return in the mortgage business and when will management meet its guidance in this segment?

 

·

HomeStreet already has the highest commercial real estate exposure of any of its Peer banks, as a percentage of total capital. And, the Bank is already above the risk thresholds as outlined by the Federal Reserve. Despite this, during the fourth quarter, HomeStreet had $283 million of new construction loan commitments. Given the existing over-exposure to this high-risk loan category, is management intentionally growing this portion of the loan book further or is the outsized growth the result of a lack of discipline?

 

BLC further notes that HomeStreet generated just 27 cents of normalized, sustainable earnings during the quarter, as shown in the table below:

 

 

 

 

 

Participants in Solicitation
The following persons are participants in the planned solicitation from the Company's shareholders of proxies in favor of the Nominees: Mr. Griege, Roaring Blue Lion Capital Management, L.P., and the Nominees.  The participants may have interests in the solicitation, including as a result of holding shares of the Company's common stock.  Information regarding the participants and their interests may currently be found in the amended Schedule 13D, dated January 17, 2018, as filed with the SEC on January 17, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

SOURCE Blue Lion Capital