UBS Wealth, OppenheimerFunds Take Financial Hit From Puerto Rico Muni Bonds

Even though UBS Wealth Management Americas (UBS) has been generating record revenue, the financial firm saw its profits drop upon reporting that had it put aside $44 million for litigation costs primarily related to Puerto Rico bond fraud cases. UBS’s second quarter earnings of $238 million are 3% lower than last year.

Already, UBS clients have filed hundreds of arbitration cases and a number of securities class action lawsuits contending that the brokerage firm put investors’ money in highly leveraged and unsuitable Puerto Rico municipal bond funds that dropped in value last year. These funds begun to lose value again recently.

OppenheimerFunds Inc. (OPY), which is the biggest mutual fund to hold Puerto Rico debt, has also taken a financial hit. Bloomberg reports that in the past year, the firm has seen a loss of close to a third of its funds’ assets. For example, the Oppenheimer Rochester Maryland Municipal Fund (ORMDX) directed approximately 35% of its holdings to the islands as of the end of June. As of August 4, its assets had dropped to $64.9 million. At this time last year, the fund had $96.1 million in assets.

On Thursday, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa) and creditors arrived at a deal that will give the public agency time to restructure. Prepa will appoint a chief restructuring officer and must come up with a five-year business plan. The agreement will allow the Puerto Rican power authority to utilize $280 million that was in a construction fund to cover capital improvements and current costs. Prepa had until yesterday to extend its credit line with banks or restructure around $9 billion in debt.

Last month, the power authority arrived at deals with Citigroup (C), Bank of Novia Scotia (BNS) and other banks, which has allowed it to delay about $671 million in payments that it owed them. Standard & Poor’s has lowered the utility bonds’ ratings into junk territory.

Puerto Rico lawmakers recently approved legislation that would let a number of public agencies overhaul their finances. Public utilities can work out deals with bondholders to reduce their debt load. Oppenheimer Funds and Franklin Templeton (BEN) have since gone to court to challenge the constitutionality of the law. Their investment funds hold approximately $1.6 billion in Prepa bonds.

The firms believe that the power authority can fulfill its obligations without having to restructure. Puerto Rico wants the judge to dismiss the lawsuit. BlueMountain Capital Management LLC., which holds over $400 million in Prepa-issued bonds, has also filed a lawsuit.

At Shepherd Smith Edwards and Kantas, LTD LLP, our Puerto Rico Bond fraud lawyers have already filed dozens of securities fraud claims against UBS and other brokerage firms related to Puerto Rico bonds or mutual funds holding Puerto Rico Bonds. We represent investors in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. Please call us for a fee, no obligation, consultation if you or someone you know has lost money investing in Puerto Rico Bonds or funds tied to the Puerto Rico bond market.

 

 

Puerto Rico debt depresses UBS Wealth earnings, InvestmentNews, July 29, 2014

OppenheimerFunds Sees Some Funds Shrink 33% on Puerto Rico Bonds, Bloomberg, August 5, 2014

Puerto Rico PREPA Utility Announces Creditor Agreement, Extension, Barron’s, August 14, 2014

More Blog Posts:
Investors Pursue UBS’s Puerto Rico Brokerage Over Closed-End Bond Funds, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, July 23, 2014

OppenheimerFunds, Franklin Templeton Sue Over Puerto Rican Debt Law, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, July 2, 2014

Hedge Funds Are Moving in on Municipal Debt, Including Puerto Rico Debt, Institutional Investor Securities Blog, November 15, 2013