NYT-
The CIT Group, a lender to small and midsize businesses run by John A. Thain, said on Tuesday that it had agreed to acquire the parent company of OneWest Bank for $3.4 billion in cash and stock.
The deal will bolster CIT’s lending abilities by more than doubling its deposit base. OneWest currently manages $15 billion in deposits, as well as $23 billion in assets, including commercial and home mortgages.
It will merge with CIT’s own bank, creating a commercial bank with $28 billion in deposits and $67 billion in assets — putting it above the $50 billion threshold for increased regulatory oversight of banks deemed systemically important.