Western Alliance to acquire Western Liberty Bancorp

Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL) and Western Liberty Bancorp (WLBC) announced that they have signed a definitive agreement pursuant to which Western Alliance Bancorporation will acquire Western Liberty Bancorp. Immediately following the completion of the acquisition, Western Liberty’s principal operating subsidiary, Service1st Bank of Nevada, will merge with and into Bank of Nevada, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Western Alliance Bancorporation. The Agreement provides that each shareholder of Western Liberty Bancorp may elect to receive either $4.02 in cash or 0.4341 of a share of Western Alliance Bancorporation for each Western Liberty share owned (based on existing shares of Western Liberty stock outstanding as of the date hereof and assuming the conversion of outstanding restricted stock units), subject to certain collar and proration provisions. The exchange is expected to be tax free, to the extent shareholders receive shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation. In aggregate, the transaction is valued at approximately $55M.