Houston-based Green Bancorp Inc., the parent holding company of Green Bank N.A., has entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger to acquire Plano-based SP Bancorp Inc., the parent holding company of SharePlus Bank, for $46.2 million in cash, or $29.55 per share. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. The sale is expected to close in third quarter 2014. Green Bank had $1.7 billion in total assets and $1.45 billion in total deposits as of Dec. 31, 2013, while SharePlus Bank had $304 million in total assets and $261 million in total deposits.
The combined banking operation will have 16 locations operating as Green Bank. The expansion and merger will bring together Green Bank’s 12 offices in Dallas, Houston and Austin with SharePlus Bank’s three Dallas-area branches and Louisville, Ken., location. Green Bank entered the Dallas-area market in 2010 with a Preston Center branch acquisition and a commercial lending office. During the next three years, new branches were opened in Uptown and Addison, and Opportunity Bank in Richardson was acquired. “We pride ourselves on our strong community banking presence; the addition of SharePlus Bank strengthens our relationship and capabilities with our Dallas-based customers,” said Geoff Greenwade, president and CEO of Green Bank.
SharePlus was founded as a credit union in 1958 and became a publicly traded entity in 2010. In December 2013, SharePlus Bank converted its federal thrift charter to a state chartered, full-service bank. It shares trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SPBC.” Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP serves as legal counsel to Green Bancorp Inc. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Haynes and Boone LLP are serving as legal counsel and Commerce Street Capital LLC served as financial adviser to SP Bancorp. Mercer Capital rendered a fairness opinion to SP Bancorp in connection with the proposed transaction.
Betty Dillard bdillard@bizpress.net