Irvine-based New Century Financial Corp. saw its stock plunge 70% in trading Monday, with analysts predicting a possible liquidation or bankruptcy for the struggling subprime mortgage lender.
The stock collapse resulted from another disclosure of bad news from New Century, which funds loans made to borrowers with shaky credit.
The company said late Friday that that a federal prosecutor and the New York Stock Exchange were conducting investigations into trading in the company’s stock. The company also said it was in violation of several billion dollars’ worth of debt owed with many of its largest lenders.
New Century’s shares were off about 70% in trading Monday, and now trade at about $4.20. Shares were trading in the low $30s early last month, and have been as high as $51.97 in the past year.
Some analysts fear the worst for New Century following the latest news.
“New Century is more likely to enter the death spiral we had feared, as filing delays, financial difficulties, likely restricted liquidity and regulatory/criminal investigations could conspire to limit its options outside of bankruptcy,” Merrill Lynch analysts said in a research report early Monday.
The company said in a filing on late Friday that on Feb. 28 it received a letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California saying the office was conducting a criminal inquiry in connection with trades of the company’s stock. It is also investigating accounting errors regarding New Century’s allowance for repurchase losses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is requesting voluntary assistance by New Century, which the company said it has agreed to provide.
The New York Stock Exchange is also investigating trading made prior to an early February disclosure by New Century that the company would be restating earnings. New Century said it received the stock exchange’s letter on Feb. 22.
New Century also said it was out of compliance with debts owed to 11 of its 16 lenders, which in total fund $17.4 billion in loans.
Waivers have been given from six of those 11 lenders. The company is currently in talks with the other lenders.
