Countrywide touts safety amid reports of layoffs

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Countrywide Financial Corp CFC.N has sought to reassure customers it is safe to do business with the company, while media reports said the largest U.S. mortgage lender cut 500 jobs to help cope with a credit crunch.

The company, which is being closely monitored by U.S. regulators, took full-page advertisements in Monday editions of The New York Times and other newspapers to tell readers that mortgage market problems do not affect the safety of federally insured deposits at its Countrywide Bank unit, which it said was "well capitalized."

The ads ran as The Wall Street Journal, citing an internal e-mail, early on Monday said Countrywide's Full Spectrum Lending is laying off employees. The unit offers mortgages to people with less than "prime" credit or who cannot fully document income or assets.

About 500 jobs are being eliminated, including layoffs at Full Spectrum and within the subprime lending unit of Countrywide's Wholesale Lending Division, according to a number of media reports late on Monday, citing a prepared company statement.

"Approximately 500 positions have been eliminated across the country. The company will monitor market changes and production levels on an ongoing basis and respond as appropriate," the Associated Press reported, citing a prepared statement from Countrywide.

Countrywide could not immediately be reached for comment, or confirmation of the number of mortgage jobs it has eliminated.

Full Spectrum's sales force on June 30 numbered about 6,785 people, or 38 percent of Countrywide's total sales force of 18,091. Any job cuts would reverse the trend of the first half of 2007, when Countrywide hired nearly 7,000 staff as smaller rivals fell away. It said it ended July with 61,586 employees.

Fear about Countrywide's stability grew after the Calabasas, California-based company last week unexpectedly tapped an entire $11.5 billion credit line to help fund operations. At least two Wall Street analysts said the company could end up in bankruptcy if market conditions worsen.

Customers flocked to Countrywide branches last Thursday and Friday, worried their money was not safe, even with Federal Deposit Insurance Corp backing.

"Top officials here in Washington are monitoring the situation with Countrywide very closely given recent events," Office of Thrift Supervision spokesman William Ruberry said on Monday.

"We're not there every day, but we're there most days," he said. "It changes depending on what is going on, what the examination staff is reviewing, so it's not a static situation."

Like many mortgage lenders, Countrywide has struggled with rising delinquencies and foreclosures, and an unwillingness among bankers to extend credit, and among investors to buy the loans it makes.

Analysts have said difficult market conditions may force Countrywide to reduce mortgage lending.

The company's shares were downgraded on Monday to "underperform" from "market perform" by Frederick Cannon, a Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc analyst.

Cannon said a loss of thrift deposits poses a "meaningful risk" that could reduce profitability and that "the likelihood of a dilutive capital raise or a distressed sale" has risen. He said Countrywide can survive without such actions, but will have an "impaired ability" to compete with large bank rivals.