IndyMac posts loss, halts payments on securities

By Christian Plumb

NEW YORK (Reuters) - IndyMac Bancorp Inc (IMB.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), one of the largest independent U.S. mortgage lenders, posted a steeper-than-expected first-quarter loss on Monday and said it would halt interest and dividend payments on some securities.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded IndyMac's debt, and the company's shares tumbled nearly 11 percent on concern about the lender's capital levels. The lender also said it did not expect to return to profitability this year.

"The deferral on their trust preferred securities is indicative of them being in dire straits," said Jason Arnold, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets. "Certainly their capital levels are quite weak at this point."

IndyMac Chief Executive Michael Perry, in an interview, called the lender "a well capitalized financial institution."

He also said the company was "looking at lots of different things to see if we can raise capital."

Still, he acknowledged that was a challenge.

"In this environment, until things improve, our best bet would be to continue to strengthen our balance sheet a little bit, and raise capital through our direct stock purchase plan," he said, referring to a plan that allows individual investors to buy the company's shares directly.

The worse-than-expected loss, along with the interest payment suspension and a dim outlook sent IndyMac shares down more than 10 percent.