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Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap
                             MSF Enterprises, LLC
                                                                               ABSTRACT
Inside Story:
                             Although the economy continues to recover from the recession (2007-2009), a number of
                             economic factors have been slow to improve and credit has remained largely restricted.
                             While prime interest rates have been pushed to historic lows, small-to-medium sized
  INSIDE STORY:
                             businesses and consumers with poor credit have been unable to take advantage. Traditional
                             banks have tightened lending standards and have demonstrated a general unwillingness to
  Introduction         p.1
                             extend credit to higher risk consumers. Specialty finance firms, which provide access to
                             capital outside the traditional banking system, have been responsible for filling a portion of
  Role of
                             the credit gap left behind by major banks. In this setting, specialty finance plays a critical
  Specialty Finance    p.2
                             role in the broader financial system by extending credit and stimulating growth through
                             consumers and businesses. Given the characteristics of the market, the specialty finance
  Public Specialty
                             segment features a number of attractive investment opportunities and can provide high
  Finance Companies p.4
                             yield potential in a low interest rate environment.
  Enterprise
  Specialty Finance    p.5

  Consumer
  Specialty Finance    p.6

  Conclusion           p.9




                                                    Expected 5 Yr Loan Rate Based on Credit Quality
                                 25%

                                 20%

                                 15%

                                 10%

                                   5%

                                   0%
                                         U.S. Government U.S. Corporate U.S. Corporate Middle Market Prime Consumer Non-Prime        Subprime
                                                          (Investment    (Speculative Firm (Loan from (FICO > 680) Consumer (FICO Consumer (FICO
                                                             Grade)         Grade)       Specialty                    620-679)        < 619)
                                                                                          Lender)
   December 2012
   Denver ● New York            *Highlighted categories reflect potential borrowers in the specialty finance space. Rates are approximated for
                                illustrative purposes.




 MSF Enterprises, LLC                                                                                                     Copyright © 2012
Q4 2012 Spotlight                        Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                   1


                       INTRODUCTION

                       Coming out of the recession (2007 – 2009), the U.S. economy entered a period of
                       consumer retrenchment and corporate deleveraging in which loose borrowing practices
                       that contributed to the formation of a credit bubble were temporarily abandoned. As of
                       Q3 2012, U.S. households were paying less than 16% of after-tax income to cover debt
                       payments and lease obligations, the lowest level since 19841. Meanwhile, the average
                       credit card balance declined over 24% since the second half of 2008 and the total
                       number of cards in circulation dropped over 20%2. Corporations have largely cleaned
                       up their balance sheets as well, with the S&P 500 approaching a record cash level of
                       $1.5 trillion3. Banks have similarly tightened up their books, with total loans
                       outstanding among the four largest lenders falling nearly 5% in the first quarter of 2012
                       from the same period two years earlier4.

                       Exhibit 1: Deleveraging in the U.S.




                       *Chart and data from Federal Reserve

                       The past few years have featured the beginning of a deleveraging process among businesses
                       and households. Many firms and individuals have become more willing to borrow recently,
                       yet are unable to access capital.

                       The process of widespread deleveraging presents a tremendous obstacle to economic
                       growth and has prompted the Fed to target lower interest rates and encourage borrowing
                       through various easing programs. While interest rates have dropped to all-time lows,
                       the outcome for the end-borrower has been mixed. Many qualified consumers and
                       businesses have been able to take advantage of low interest rates by refinancing current
                       obligations and floating longer-dated notes. Lower quality borrowers, however, are still
                       struggling to obtain financing as banks have yet to loosen credit standards despite a
                       significant increase in demand for auto loans, mortgages and other forms of credit5.
                       Although consumers and businesses remain cautious about ramping up spending due to
                       continued economic uncertainty, a number of likely borrowers are still largely excluded
                       from the capital markets. Regional banks have expanded their lending practices to pick
                       up some of this unmet demand, increasing total loan volume nearly 10% from Q1 2010
                       to Q1 20126. Still, there is a shortage of credit for consumers and companies



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Q4 2012 Spotlight                         Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                         2


                       perceived as “high risk.” The unwillingness of the traditional banking system to lend to
                       this demographic effectively limits growth potential, as the subprime and non-credit
                       categories account for more than 100 million U.S. consumers. A number of firms have
                       been successful providing financing to these “high risk” customers, with specialty
                       finance playing an important role in the current low-growth, credit-restricted
                       environment.

                       Exhibit 2
                                                        Bank Share of
                                                 Non-Investment Grade Lending
                        80%
                        70%
                        60%
                        50%
                        40%
                        30%
                        20%
                        10%
                         0%



                       *Data from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

                       With banks increasingly unwilling to lend to high risk customers, specialty finance and the
                       shadow banking system have accepted the role of providing credit to smaller, non-investment
                       grade companies.

                       ROLE OF SPECIALTY FINANCE

                       Specialty finance can be broadly characterized as any financing activity that takes place
                       outside of the traditional capital provision services of the banking system. Typically,
                       specialty finance firms are thought of as being non-bank lenders that make loans to
                       consumers and small to medium-sized businesses (SMB’s) that cannot otherwise obtain
                       financing. For our purposes, we consider specialty finance as encapsulating a much
                       larger array of activities that basically includes any unconventional means of providing
                       or transferring capital. Without a consensus in the industry regarding the definition and
                       scope of specialty finance, this paper will seek to address the importance of the segment
                       and potential opportunities it may provide.

                       In order to determine the range of transactions included in the specialty finance segment,
                       we will first provide an examination of the typical firm operating in the space, including
                       its target market and potential sources of capital. Specialty finance activities are often a
                       component of the shadow banking system, as many of the firms that operate in the space
                       are non-bank lenders. Shadow banking is comprised of non-bank financial institutions
                       that act as credit intermediaries without exposure to the same regulation as their
                       commercial bank counterparts7. The firms are not burdened by restrictions on leverage,
                       yet cannot access central bank funding or government safety nets like deposit insurance



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Q4 2012 Spotlight                         Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                      3


                       (until there is a financial crisis, of course). However, since traditional banks can also
                       package their offerings in unconventional ways, specialty finance cannot be strictly
                       classified as a form of shadow banking. Instead, we have loosely characterized specialty
                       finance firms as those willing to take greater risk to provide financial services to clients
                       that do not fit into a standard “credit box.”

                       Specialty finance firms generally offer services to unbanked or underbanked consumers, as
                       well as SMB’s that encounter cash-flow problems or may be experiencing a brief period of
                       declining performance. Unable to obtain financing from a bank, these customers are
                       forced to turn to specialty finance companies and are subject to above-average interest
                       rates. By charging a higher rate and using various forms of collateral as protection against
                       default, specialty finance firms are able to compensate for riskier credit profiles. Offering
                       higher-yield potential in a low-rate environment, specialty finance is an attractive business
                       model to a range of financial firms capable of underwriting the added risk. As a result, a
                       number of specialty lenders have been drawn into the space along with other firms
                       looking to enhance their returns, such as hedge funds and private equity groups.

                       Aside from an increase in the level of risk that specialty finance firms are willing to take
                       on, they further differ from banks in terms of the way they are capitalized. While banks
                       are primarily funded by customer deposits and Federal Funds, firms operating exclusively
                       in the specialty finance space must access the capital markets to obtain funding. Those
                       with strong credit ratings are able to take advantage of the commercial paper market, yet
                       this highly liquid segment tends to dry up during periods of instability, as observed during
                       2007-20098. Finance companies with favorable credit ratings will take on unsecured debt
                       if it is available, yet this type of borrowing often takes the form of secured debt when the
                       economic outlook turns negative. If the outlook is positive and investors have an appetite
                       for risk, specialty finance companies are able to raise funds through securitization.
                       Issuance of such asset-backed securities in 2012 is down considerably from pre-recession
                       levels, with $174.2 billion raised through October 2012 compared to $753.9 billion for the
                       full year 20069. At the same time, the market for these products may be showing signs of
                       improvement as 2012 issuance is up 65% over the prior year10. Regardless of the funding
                       method, specialty finance firms will face a much higher cost of capital than commercial
                       banks and must therefore seek out riskier transactions to achieve favorable net interest
                       margins.

                       There are a number of different types of specialty finance activities, which we have
                       arranged into two segments for this paper: enterprise specialty finance and consumer
                       specialty finance. We will examine these categories and provide an evaluation of the
                       market opportunities in each segment.



                                                                                  Bank’s closed folks… Check
                                                                                  out Specialty Finance as an
                                                                                  alternative source for your
                                                                                  capital needs




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Q4 2012 Spotlight                             Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                                4


                       Exhibit 3: U.S. Publicly Traded Specialty Finance Companies
                             Firm          Ticker     Category                       Description                       P/E
                                                                    Firm provides non-recourse pawn loans,
                                                                    payday loans, installment loans, auto title
                                                      Consumer      loans, debit cards and other fee-based credit
                          EZCORP,
                                           EZPW       Specialty     services. The company also sells merchandise       7.0x
                            Inc.                       Finance      and operates over 1,100 physical store
                                                                    locations under the EZPAWN, Value Pawn
                                                                    and EZMONEY brands.

                                                                    Firm provides pawn lending, consumer loans,
                                                                    check cashing, money orders, wire transfers,
                        Cash America                  Consumer
                                                                    pre-paid debit cards and other credit services.
                        International,      CSH       Specialty
                                                                    The company has over 1,000 physical
                                                                                                                       10.3x
                             Inc.                      Finance
                                                                    locations and also operates through its Internet
                                                                    lending activities.


                                                                    Firm offers general purpose reloadable prepaid
                                                                    debit cards and cash loading/transfer services.
                                                      Consumer      The company markets its cards and services to
                          Green Dot
                                           GDOT       Specialty     banked, underbanked and unbanked                   9.9x
                         Corporation                   Finance      consumers and offers its products through
                                                                    retail distributors, mass merchandisers,
                                                                    convenience stores and online.


                                                                    Company operates as an automotive retailer
                                                      Consumer      with 117 dealerships, primarily selling older
                         America's
                                           CRMT       Specialty     model used vehicles and providing financing        11.2x
                        Car-Mart Inc.                  Finance      for its customers under the Buy-Here-Pay-
                                                                    Here (BHPH) business model.

                                                                    Firm provides auto loans and related services
                                                                    to consumers by purchasing consumer loans
                           Credit                     Consumer
                                                                    from dealer-partners, often BHPH dealers, or
                         Acceptance        CACC       Specialty
                                                                    by advancing money to dealer-partners in
                                                                                                                       11.5x
                           Corp.                       Finance
                                                                    exchange for the right to service the
                                                                    underlying consumer loans.

                                                                    Firm operates as a Business Development
                                                                    Company (BDC)** and offers senior debt,
                                                      Enterprise
                          American                                  mezzanine debt and equity to fund growth,
                                            ACAS      Specialty                                                        2.5x
                         Capital, Ltd.                              acquisitions, recapitalizations and
                                                       Finance
                                                                    securitizations, investing $5MM-$800MM per
                                                                    company.


                                                                    Firm operates as a BDC, lending and investing
                                                      Enterprise
                          Full Circle                               primarily in senior secured loans, as well as
                                            FULL      Specialty                                                        23.6x
                           Capital                                  mezzanine loans and equity securities issues
                                                       Finance
                                                                    by lower middle market companies.

                       *Firm descriptions from Yahoo! Finance
                       **Business Development Companies (BDC’s) are a form of publicly traded private equity that make investments
                       in small and middle market businesses. BDC’s are taxed as regulated investment companies with a pass-
                       through structure, distributing at least 90% of taxable income as dividends.




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Q4 2012 Spotlight                       Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                      5


                       ENTERPRISE SPECIALTY FINANCE
                       Companies that have exhausted the traditional avenues for raising debt may turn to
                       specialty finance firms for funding through various loan structures and other exotic
                       instruments. Direct lending from hedge funds and private equity groups has become
                       increasingly popular for middle market companies that have been declined credit or are
                       unable to receive favorable loan terms from traditional banks. Faced with a shortage of
                       market-traded debt instruments that carry attractive yields, money managers have taken
                       an opportunistic approach to the credit crunch by providing debt facilities. Debt provided
                       by institutional investors typically carries an interest rate of around 9-12% that can
                       increase depending on the perceived risk of the borrower11. With such high yield
                       potential, several hedge funds and private equity firms have initiated new funds to focus
                       on direct lending strategies over the past few years12.
                       Middle market firms are often able to leverage assets on their balance sheet, such as
                       inventory or accounts receivable, as collateral to obtain short-term financing. Inventory-
                       based lending is a common practice among retailers, in which inventory is pledged as
                       collateral to secure a loan. The lender will conduct an appraisal of the inventory and lend
                       against the net orderly liquidation value in order to protect against downside risk13.
                       Accounts receivable can also be used as loan collateral, as invoice discounting enables a
                       firm to borrow against existing sales invoices. Alternatively, receivables can be sold
                       outright in a process called factoring, which allows the company to sell off the asset at a
                       discount. Due to the nature of the business and the way payments are structured,
                       receivables-based lending is a critical aspect of the healthcare industry. With U.S.
                       medical spending projected to reach 20% of GDP by 202114 and Obamacare expected to
                       further complicate payments in the industry, healthcare receivables should continue to
                       provide attractive investment opportunities in both the primary and securitization
                       markets. Along with other types of asset-based lending, these loans are important for
                       many companies because the lender’s risk is derived from the value of a particular asset,
                       and is not influenced by the overall financial strength of the company.
                       Royalty-backed notes have also emerged as a special structure enabling companies in
                       difficult borrowing positions to fund their operations. Bonds backed by intellectual
                       property rights first reached a mainstream audience in relation to the music industry. In
                       the late 1990’s, Bowie Bonds (also called Pullman Bonds, after the banker that negotiated
                       the deal) were introduced, backed by underlying cash flows tied to royalties on David
                       Bowie’s music catalog15. The structure has been revived in recent years within the capex-
                       intensive pharmaceuticals industry, as firms have looked to sell off future royalty streams
                       in order to obtain immediate cash flow to fund further research and development 16. With
                       the global pharmaceuticals market expected to reach $1.1 trillion by 201417 and further
                       product innovation required to meet the needs of an aging population, there should
                       continue to be royalty-backed investments available in the space.                Since IP
                       securitizations have not been fully explored across industries, the area could provide
                       significant opportunities for firms deprived of capital and investors looking to take
                       advantage.




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Q4 2012 Spotlight                          Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                               6


                       Exhibit 4: Royalty Bond Structure




                       The royalty bond structure typically benefits from multiple forms of downside protection,
                       including counterparty risk mitigation, over-collateralization and a flexible final maturity date.

                       Firms that wish to raise equity yet do not have the necessary scale to complete a public
                       offering through an investment bank are forced to either locate private investors or take an
                       alternative approach. Crowd funding has emerged as a way for relatively small
                       companies to circumvent the traditional equity raising process while bringing in the
                       needed capital to grow their business. The potential for start-ups and franchises to raise
                       equity through crowd funding is a recent development made possible with the passage of
                       the JOBS Act in April 2012, which eased a restriction on public solicitation from private
                       companies seeking to raise equity18. Since crowd funding is a relatively new form of
                       specialty finance, there are a number of potential risks that must be addressed in terms of
                       investor protection. The SEC has not yet determined the exact rules for crowd funding, so
                       it may take some time before the landscape for this type of investment can be fully
                       understood. Yet considering the overwhelming number of small businesses in need of
                       capital and the appeal of being an early-stage investor, there are likely to be substantial
                       opportunities in the future for crowd funding.

                       CONSUMER SPECIALTY FINANCE

                       Consumers that have either a poor FICO score or unestablished credit will have limited
                       choices when seeking financing. Specialty finance firms may extend credit to these
                       individuals, but usually in smaller amounts in order to mitigate risk. The buy-here-pay-
                       here (BHPH) model, commonly used by independent auto dealerships, can be an effective
                       method of providing financing to individuals with low FICO scores or limited credit
                       histories. When a consumer is unable to obtain financing from a bank, a store or
                       dealership may lend directly to the customer to fund the purchase, profiting from both the
                       sale and the financing process. Under this arrangement, a higher interest rate is charged
                       and a larger down payment is required to ensure some level of protection if the borrower
                       defaults and the automobile must be repossessed. The lender utilizes a number of
                       additional risk-reduction methods, such as requiring in-person payments and installing
                       GPS systems to expedite the process of collateral recovery19. In a low interest rate
                       environment, the high-yielding paper from BHPH transactions can provide attractive
                       investment opportunities even with an expected default rate of 30% factored in.




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Q4 2012 Spotlight                         Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                    7



                       Loans that effectively force the borrower into making regular, timely payments also
                       provide an alternative form of financing for consumers that most banks would generally
                       prefer to avoid. Payday loans—short-term loans that must be repaid on the borrower’s
                       next pay date—are one of the more common forms of borrowing for low credit
                       consumers. The lender will typically verify employment, charge an above-average APR
                       and set up an electronic funds transfer agreement in an attempt to ensure repayment.
                       With such loans averaging 10-20% default rates20, payday lenders must have a number of
                       protections in place to assure profitability. Payroll deduction loans similarly rely on the
                       borrower’s employment status by enabling a worker to obtain a cash advance and then
                       amortize the loan with each check received. Since a portion of the borrower’s check is
                       automatically deducted for loan service, the lender is able to mitigate its risk as long as
                       the customer maintains employment. In a similar structure, on-bill financing ensures
                       repayment by combining loan payments with an existing obligation, such as a utility bill.
                       On-bill financing is most applicable with property improvements, in which the cost is
                       received as part of the bill from a utility company or other service provider. As a
                       delinquent payment would result in the customer being shut off from utility privileges,
                       the borrower’s incentive is increased and the lender’s risk is mitigated.

                       Collateralized non-recourse loans, in which the lender cannot pursue anything other than
                       the collateral pledged, provide another loan structure that incentivizes the borrower to
                       stay current on payments. Only the collateral can be collected in the event of default, so
                       the lender will typically target a low loan-to-value ratio and charge a higher interest
                       rate to offset risk. Low credit consumers are often eligible for this type of financing
                       through a pawn shop, in which personal property is used to secure a loan. If the customer
                       does not pay back the loan plus interest within a specified period of time, the pawn
                       broker takes ownership of the item and sells it at a mark-up to cover the loan amount.

                       Exhibit 5: Percentage of U.S. Households That Have Used Alternative Financial
                       Services (AFS)




                       *Chart and data from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)




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Q4 2012 Spotlight                        Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                      8



                       Aside from obtaining loans, unbanked and low credit consumers often require a range of
                       additional banking-type services that must be addressed through specialty finance. Since
                       some of these customers do not maintain checking accounts, they can encounter
                       difficulties when attempting to execute various types of financial transactions. For
                       example, consumers that do not qualify for a traditional credit card might utilize a prepaid
                       debit card as an alternative. Such prepaid cards enable the user to make purchases and
                       pay bills online, yet typically do not require any type of bank account. Although 88% of
                       consumers had a checking account in 2011, the amount has declined from the 2010 level
                       of 92%, primarily due to banks charging higher fees21. Consumers paid an average of
                       21% more to maintain checking accounts in 2011 than in 200622. With the increase in
                       bank fees, an estimated 13% of U.S. adults used a prepaid debit card in 2011, up from
                       11% in 201023. At the same time, the percentage of U.S. consumers carrying a credit
                       card fell 9% in 2011 over the previous year, while debit card penetration fell 15%24.
                       Prepaid cards enable financial institutions to access otherwise unreachable consumers,
                       and they are able to capitalize through a bevy of fees including activation, monthly
                       maintenance, balance verification and loading fees. Unbanked consumers also require
                       services for money transfers and remittances, which may be administered by commercial
                       banks or non-bank financial institutions. These services are heavily relied upon by the
                       customer and providers are able to take advantage, charging an average fee of 7.6% of the
                       transaction size for global cash remittances in 201125.

                       Changes in legislation intended to protect consumers from predatory lending could
                       present future issues for firms operating in the specialty finance space. These changes
                       require additional disclosure statements and provide strict limits on the maximum interest
                       rates that can be charged to consumers. Since the majority of consumer protection
                       legislation has been passed on a state-by-state basis, a high degree of uncertainty remains
                       over how restrictions may evolve in the future. In the event that regulation does increase,
                       firms with easy access to capital and highly scalable operations should be in the best
                       position to outperform competitors, along with firms that focus on states where regulation
                       is more relaxed. Increased regulation may result in traditional banks becoming more
                       risk averse, which would actually provide a boost to the specialty finance segment by
                       expanding the base of customers requiring unconventional loan services.




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Q4 2012 Spotlight                         Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                       9



                       Exhibit 6: Banking Characteristics of U.S. Households




                       *Chart and data from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

                       CONCLUSION

                       Low credit consumers and small-to-medium sized businesses continue to be underserved
                       by traditional banks. With approximately 60 million unbanked and underbanked
                       consumers in the U.S. spending a total of $78 billion on financial services each year26,
                       there are tremendous opportunities for specialty finance companies that cater to this
                       demographic. With employment slow to improve and the overall economic outlook
                       uncertain, it is unlikely that banks will return to pre-recession lending standards in the
                       near future. As a result, financial firms that are willing to take on additional risk to serve
                       non-traditional customers will continue to find opportunities with higher yield potential.
                       While specialty finance features a number of characteristics that we believe make it an
                       interesting space in the long term, it should at least continue to provide attractive
                       opportunities for the duration of the current low interest rate environment.




                                                                Michael Fields
                                                              Managing Partner
                                                            MSF Enterprises, LLC
                                                            717 17th St., Suite 2160
                                                              Denver, CO 80202
                                                        fieldsm@msfenterprises.com
                                                                 303.847.4649




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Q4 2012 Spotlight                        Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                   10



                       Disclaimer

                       This document is provided for informational purposes only, is subject to change and is not
                       binding. MSF Enterprises, LLC makes no guarantees regarding the information contained
                       herein and any statements represent the opinions of the firm. MSF Enterprises, LLC is not
                       responsible for any information stated to be obtained from third party sources. Any
                       companies, asset types or investment opportunities mentioned in the document are for
                       illustrative purposes only and are not intended as recommendations. MSF Enterprises,
                       LLC is not responsible for the use made of this document other than the purpose for which
                       it is intended, except to the extent this would be prohibited by law. Obtain independent
                       professional advice before investing.




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Q4 2012 Spotlight                                           Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap                                                   11

       Endnotes

            1.    Lee, Don. “U.S. families’ debt loads decline to pre-recession levels.” Los Angeles Times. 15 October 2012.
            2.    Ibid.
            3.    Cox, Jeff. “Companies Sitting on More Cash Than Ever.” CNBC. 23 October 2012.
            4.    Marcinek, Laura. “Biggest U.S. Banks Curb Loans as Regional Firms Fill Gap.” Bloomberg. 25 June 2012.
            5.    Zumbrun, Joshua. “Fed Sees Rising Demand for Auto and Mortgage Loans.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 31 October 2012.
            6.    Marcinek, Laura. “Biggest U.S. Banks Curb Loans as Regional Firms Fill Gap.” Bloomberg. 25 June 2012.
            7.    “The Deloitte Shadow Banking Index: Shedding Light on Banking’s Shadows.” Deloitte. 2012.
            8.    Kacperczyk, Marcin and Philipp Schnabl. “When Safe Proved Risky: Commercial Paper During the Financial Crisis of 2007-2009.”
                  Journal of Economic Perspectives. Vol. 24: Issue 1. 2010.
            9.    “Issuance in U.S. Bond Markets.” SIFMA. 2012.
            10.   Ibid.
            11.   Chassany, Anne-Sylvaine and Jesse Westbrook. “Private Equity Enters Banks’ Turf in Europe.” Bloomberg. 8 February 2012.
            12.   Ahmed, Azam. “Bank Said No? Hedge Funds Fill a Void in Lending.” NY Times Dealbook. 8 June 2011.
            13.   Foley, C. Fritz; Raman, Ananth and Nathan C. Craig. “Inventory-Based Lending Industry Note.” Harvard Business School. 2012.
            14.   Wayne, Alex. “Health-Care Spending to Reach 20% of U.S. Economy by 2021.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 13 June 2012.
            15.   Richardson, Karen. “Bankers Hope for a Reprise of ‘Bowie Bonds.’” The Wall Street Journal. 23 August 2005.
            16.   Tempkin, Adam. “Bonds backed by drug-royalty cashflows make a return.” Reuters. 5 March 2012.
            17.   Jung, Jeff and John Tamisiea. “Not Your Parents’ Royalty Fund.” McDermott Will & Emery LLP. 12 October 2010.
            18.   Landler, Mark. “Obama Signs Bill to Promote Start-Up Investments.” The New York Times. 5 April 2012.
            19.   Bensinger, Ken. “A vicious cycle in the used-car business.” Los Angeles Times. 30 October 2011.
            20.   McArdle, Megan. “On Poverty, Interest Rates and Payday Loans.” The Atlantic. 18 November 2009.
            21.   Ody, Elizabeth. “Prepaid Card Use Up 18% as Consumers Drop Debit: Study.” Bloomberg. 11 April 2012.
            22.   Ibid.
            23.   Ibid.
            24.   Ibid.
            25.   “Remittance Prices Worldwide.” The World Bank. November 2011.
            26.   Morrison, David. “Financial Services to Unbanked Reflect Potentially Huge, Report Suggests.” Credit Union Times. 7 November
                  2012.

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       “The Deloitte Shadow Banking Index: Shedding Light on Banking’s Shadows.” Deloitte. 2012.
       Wayne, Alex. “Health-Care Spending to Reach 20% of U.S. Economy by 2021.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 13 June 2012.
       Zumbrun, Joshua. “Fed Sees Rising Demand for Auto and Mortgage Loans.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 31 October 2012.




MSF Enterprises, LLC                                          www.msfenterprises.com                                        Copyright © 2012

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Q4 Spotlight--Specialty Finance

  • 1. Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap MSF Enterprises, LLC ABSTRACT Inside Story: Although the economy continues to recover from the recession (2007-2009), a number of economic factors have been slow to improve and credit has remained largely restricted. While prime interest rates have been pushed to historic lows, small-to-medium sized INSIDE STORY: businesses and consumers with poor credit have been unable to take advantage. Traditional banks have tightened lending standards and have demonstrated a general unwillingness to Introduction p.1 extend credit to higher risk consumers. Specialty finance firms, which provide access to capital outside the traditional banking system, have been responsible for filling a portion of Role of the credit gap left behind by major banks. In this setting, specialty finance plays a critical Specialty Finance p.2 role in the broader financial system by extending credit and stimulating growth through consumers and businesses. Given the characteristics of the market, the specialty finance Public Specialty segment features a number of attractive investment opportunities and can provide high Finance Companies p.4 yield potential in a low interest rate environment. Enterprise Specialty Finance p.5 Consumer Specialty Finance p.6 Conclusion p.9 Expected 5 Yr Loan Rate Based on Credit Quality 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% U.S. Government U.S. Corporate U.S. Corporate Middle Market Prime Consumer Non-Prime Subprime (Investment (Speculative Firm (Loan from (FICO > 680) Consumer (FICO Consumer (FICO Grade) Grade) Specialty 620-679) < 619) Lender) December 2012 Denver ● New York *Highlighted categories reflect potential borrowers in the specialty finance space. Rates are approximated for illustrative purposes. MSF Enterprises, LLC Copyright © 2012
  • 2. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 1 INTRODUCTION Coming out of the recession (2007 – 2009), the U.S. economy entered a period of consumer retrenchment and corporate deleveraging in which loose borrowing practices that contributed to the formation of a credit bubble were temporarily abandoned. As of Q3 2012, U.S. households were paying less than 16% of after-tax income to cover debt payments and lease obligations, the lowest level since 19841. Meanwhile, the average credit card balance declined over 24% since the second half of 2008 and the total number of cards in circulation dropped over 20%2. Corporations have largely cleaned up their balance sheets as well, with the S&P 500 approaching a record cash level of $1.5 trillion3. Banks have similarly tightened up their books, with total loans outstanding among the four largest lenders falling nearly 5% in the first quarter of 2012 from the same period two years earlier4. Exhibit 1: Deleveraging in the U.S. *Chart and data from Federal Reserve The past few years have featured the beginning of a deleveraging process among businesses and households. Many firms and individuals have become more willing to borrow recently, yet are unable to access capital. The process of widespread deleveraging presents a tremendous obstacle to economic growth and has prompted the Fed to target lower interest rates and encourage borrowing through various easing programs. While interest rates have dropped to all-time lows, the outcome for the end-borrower has been mixed. Many qualified consumers and businesses have been able to take advantage of low interest rates by refinancing current obligations and floating longer-dated notes. Lower quality borrowers, however, are still struggling to obtain financing as banks have yet to loosen credit standards despite a significant increase in demand for auto loans, mortgages and other forms of credit5. Although consumers and businesses remain cautious about ramping up spending due to continued economic uncertainty, a number of likely borrowers are still largely excluded from the capital markets. Regional banks have expanded their lending practices to pick up some of this unmet demand, increasing total loan volume nearly 10% from Q1 2010 to Q1 20126. Still, there is a shortage of credit for consumers and companies MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 3. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 2 perceived as “high risk.” The unwillingness of the traditional banking system to lend to this demographic effectively limits growth potential, as the subprime and non-credit categories account for more than 100 million U.S. consumers. A number of firms have been successful providing financing to these “high risk” customers, with specialty finance playing an important role in the current low-growth, credit-restricted environment. Exhibit 2 Bank Share of Non-Investment Grade Lending 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% *Data from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) With banks increasingly unwilling to lend to high risk customers, specialty finance and the shadow banking system have accepted the role of providing credit to smaller, non-investment grade companies. ROLE OF SPECIALTY FINANCE Specialty finance can be broadly characterized as any financing activity that takes place outside of the traditional capital provision services of the banking system. Typically, specialty finance firms are thought of as being non-bank lenders that make loans to consumers and small to medium-sized businesses (SMB’s) that cannot otherwise obtain financing. For our purposes, we consider specialty finance as encapsulating a much larger array of activities that basically includes any unconventional means of providing or transferring capital. Without a consensus in the industry regarding the definition and scope of specialty finance, this paper will seek to address the importance of the segment and potential opportunities it may provide. In order to determine the range of transactions included in the specialty finance segment, we will first provide an examination of the typical firm operating in the space, including its target market and potential sources of capital. Specialty finance activities are often a component of the shadow banking system, as many of the firms that operate in the space are non-bank lenders. Shadow banking is comprised of non-bank financial institutions that act as credit intermediaries without exposure to the same regulation as their commercial bank counterparts7. The firms are not burdened by restrictions on leverage, yet cannot access central bank funding or government safety nets like deposit insurance MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 4. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 3 (until there is a financial crisis, of course). However, since traditional banks can also package their offerings in unconventional ways, specialty finance cannot be strictly classified as a form of shadow banking. Instead, we have loosely characterized specialty finance firms as those willing to take greater risk to provide financial services to clients that do not fit into a standard “credit box.” Specialty finance firms generally offer services to unbanked or underbanked consumers, as well as SMB’s that encounter cash-flow problems or may be experiencing a brief period of declining performance. Unable to obtain financing from a bank, these customers are forced to turn to specialty finance companies and are subject to above-average interest rates. By charging a higher rate and using various forms of collateral as protection against default, specialty finance firms are able to compensate for riskier credit profiles. Offering higher-yield potential in a low-rate environment, specialty finance is an attractive business model to a range of financial firms capable of underwriting the added risk. As a result, a number of specialty lenders have been drawn into the space along with other firms looking to enhance their returns, such as hedge funds and private equity groups. Aside from an increase in the level of risk that specialty finance firms are willing to take on, they further differ from banks in terms of the way they are capitalized. While banks are primarily funded by customer deposits and Federal Funds, firms operating exclusively in the specialty finance space must access the capital markets to obtain funding. Those with strong credit ratings are able to take advantage of the commercial paper market, yet this highly liquid segment tends to dry up during periods of instability, as observed during 2007-20098. Finance companies with favorable credit ratings will take on unsecured debt if it is available, yet this type of borrowing often takes the form of secured debt when the economic outlook turns negative. If the outlook is positive and investors have an appetite for risk, specialty finance companies are able to raise funds through securitization. Issuance of such asset-backed securities in 2012 is down considerably from pre-recession levels, with $174.2 billion raised through October 2012 compared to $753.9 billion for the full year 20069. At the same time, the market for these products may be showing signs of improvement as 2012 issuance is up 65% over the prior year10. Regardless of the funding method, specialty finance firms will face a much higher cost of capital than commercial banks and must therefore seek out riskier transactions to achieve favorable net interest margins. There are a number of different types of specialty finance activities, which we have arranged into two segments for this paper: enterprise specialty finance and consumer specialty finance. We will examine these categories and provide an evaluation of the market opportunities in each segment. Bank’s closed folks… Check out Specialty Finance as an alternative source for your capital needs MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 5. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 4 Exhibit 3: U.S. Publicly Traded Specialty Finance Companies Firm Ticker Category Description P/E Firm provides non-recourse pawn loans, payday loans, installment loans, auto title Consumer loans, debit cards and other fee-based credit EZCORP, EZPW Specialty services. The company also sells merchandise 7.0x Inc. Finance and operates over 1,100 physical store locations under the EZPAWN, Value Pawn and EZMONEY brands. Firm provides pawn lending, consumer loans, check cashing, money orders, wire transfers, Cash America Consumer pre-paid debit cards and other credit services. International, CSH Specialty The company has over 1,000 physical 10.3x Inc. Finance locations and also operates through its Internet lending activities. Firm offers general purpose reloadable prepaid debit cards and cash loading/transfer services. Consumer The company markets its cards and services to Green Dot GDOT Specialty banked, underbanked and unbanked 9.9x Corporation Finance consumers and offers its products through retail distributors, mass merchandisers, convenience stores and online. Company operates as an automotive retailer Consumer with 117 dealerships, primarily selling older America's CRMT Specialty model used vehicles and providing financing 11.2x Car-Mart Inc. Finance for its customers under the Buy-Here-Pay- Here (BHPH) business model. Firm provides auto loans and related services to consumers by purchasing consumer loans Credit Consumer from dealer-partners, often BHPH dealers, or Acceptance CACC Specialty by advancing money to dealer-partners in 11.5x Corp. Finance exchange for the right to service the underlying consumer loans. Firm operates as a Business Development Company (BDC)** and offers senior debt, Enterprise American mezzanine debt and equity to fund growth, ACAS Specialty 2.5x Capital, Ltd. acquisitions, recapitalizations and Finance securitizations, investing $5MM-$800MM per company. Firm operates as a BDC, lending and investing Enterprise Full Circle primarily in senior secured loans, as well as FULL Specialty 23.6x Capital mezzanine loans and equity securities issues Finance by lower middle market companies. *Firm descriptions from Yahoo! Finance **Business Development Companies (BDC’s) are a form of publicly traded private equity that make investments in small and middle market businesses. BDC’s are taxed as regulated investment companies with a pass- through structure, distributing at least 90% of taxable income as dividends. MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 6. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 5 ENTERPRISE SPECIALTY FINANCE Companies that have exhausted the traditional avenues for raising debt may turn to specialty finance firms for funding through various loan structures and other exotic instruments. Direct lending from hedge funds and private equity groups has become increasingly popular for middle market companies that have been declined credit or are unable to receive favorable loan terms from traditional banks. Faced with a shortage of market-traded debt instruments that carry attractive yields, money managers have taken an opportunistic approach to the credit crunch by providing debt facilities. Debt provided by institutional investors typically carries an interest rate of around 9-12% that can increase depending on the perceived risk of the borrower11. With such high yield potential, several hedge funds and private equity firms have initiated new funds to focus on direct lending strategies over the past few years12. Middle market firms are often able to leverage assets on their balance sheet, such as inventory or accounts receivable, as collateral to obtain short-term financing. Inventory- based lending is a common practice among retailers, in which inventory is pledged as collateral to secure a loan. The lender will conduct an appraisal of the inventory and lend against the net orderly liquidation value in order to protect against downside risk13. Accounts receivable can also be used as loan collateral, as invoice discounting enables a firm to borrow against existing sales invoices. Alternatively, receivables can be sold outright in a process called factoring, which allows the company to sell off the asset at a discount. Due to the nature of the business and the way payments are structured, receivables-based lending is a critical aspect of the healthcare industry. With U.S. medical spending projected to reach 20% of GDP by 202114 and Obamacare expected to further complicate payments in the industry, healthcare receivables should continue to provide attractive investment opportunities in both the primary and securitization markets. Along with other types of asset-based lending, these loans are important for many companies because the lender’s risk is derived from the value of a particular asset, and is not influenced by the overall financial strength of the company. Royalty-backed notes have also emerged as a special structure enabling companies in difficult borrowing positions to fund their operations. Bonds backed by intellectual property rights first reached a mainstream audience in relation to the music industry. In the late 1990’s, Bowie Bonds (also called Pullman Bonds, after the banker that negotiated the deal) were introduced, backed by underlying cash flows tied to royalties on David Bowie’s music catalog15. The structure has been revived in recent years within the capex- intensive pharmaceuticals industry, as firms have looked to sell off future royalty streams in order to obtain immediate cash flow to fund further research and development 16. With the global pharmaceuticals market expected to reach $1.1 trillion by 201417 and further product innovation required to meet the needs of an aging population, there should continue to be royalty-backed investments available in the space. Since IP securitizations have not been fully explored across industries, the area could provide significant opportunities for firms deprived of capital and investors looking to take advantage. MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 7. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 6 Exhibit 4: Royalty Bond Structure The royalty bond structure typically benefits from multiple forms of downside protection, including counterparty risk mitigation, over-collateralization and a flexible final maturity date. Firms that wish to raise equity yet do not have the necessary scale to complete a public offering through an investment bank are forced to either locate private investors or take an alternative approach. Crowd funding has emerged as a way for relatively small companies to circumvent the traditional equity raising process while bringing in the needed capital to grow their business. The potential for start-ups and franchises to raise equity through crowd funding is a recent development made possible with the passage of the JOBS Act in April 2012, which eased a restriction on public solicitation from private companies seeking to raise equity18. Since crowd funding is a relatively new form of specialty finance, there are a number of potential risks that must be addressed in terms of investor protection. The SEC has not yet determined the exact rules for crowd funding, so it may take some time before the landscape for this type of investment can be fully understood. Yet considering the overwhelming number of small businesses in need of capital and the appeal of being an early-stage investor, there are likely to be substantial opportunities in the future for crowd funding. CONSUMER SPECIALTY FINANCE Consumers that have either a poor FICO score or unestablished credit will have limited choices when seeking financing. Specialty finance firms may extend credit to these individuals, but usually in smaller amounts in order to mitigate risk. The buy-here-pay- here (BHPH) model, commonly used by independent auto dealerships, can be an effective method of providing financing to individuals with low FICO scores or limited credit histories. When a consumer is unable to obtain financing from a bank, a store or dealership may lend directly to the customer to fund the purchase, profiting from both the sale and the financing process. Under this arrangement, a higher interest rate is charged and a larger down payment is required to ensure some level of protection if the borrower defaults and the automobile must be repossessed. The lender utilizes a number of additional risk-reduction methods, such as requiring in-person payments and installing GPS systems to expedite the process of collateral recovery19. In a low interest rate environment, the high-yielding paper from BHPH transactions can provide attractive investment opportunities even with an expected default rate of 30% factored in. MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 8. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 7 Loans that effectively force the borrower into making regular, timely payments also provide an alternative form of financing for consumers that most banks would generally prefer to avoid. Payday loans—short-term loans that must be repaid on the borrower’s next pay date—are one of the more common forms of borrowing for low credit consumers. The lender will typically verify employment, charge an above-average APR and set up an electronic funds transfer agreement in an attempt to ensure repayment. With such loans averaging 10-20% default rates20, payday lenders must have a number of protections in place to assure profitability. Payroll deduction loans similarly rely on the borrower’s employment status by enabling a worker to obtain a cash advance and then amortize the loan with each check received. Since a portion of the borrower’s check is automatically deducted for loan service, the lender is able to mitigate its risk as long as the customer maintains employment. In a similar structure, on-bill financing ensures repayment by combining loan payments with an existing obligation, such as a utility bill. On-bill financing is most applicable with property improvements, in which the cost is received as part of the bill from a utility company or other service provider. As a delinquent payment would result in the customer being shut off from utility privileges, the borrower’s incentive is increased and the lender’s risk is mitigated. Collateralized non-recourse loans, in which the lender cannot pursue anything other than the collateral pledged, provide another loan structure that incentivizes the borrower to stay current on payments. Only the collateral can be collected in the event of default, so the lender will typically target a low loan-to-value ratio and charge a higher interest rate to offset risk. Low credit consumers are often eligible for this type of financing through a pawn shop, in which personal property is used to secure a loan. If the customer does not pay back the loan plus interest within a specified period of time, the pawn broker takes ownership of the item and sells it at a mark-up to cover the loan amount. Exhibit 5: Percentage of U.S. Households That Have Used Alternative Financial Services (AFS) *Chart and data from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 9. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 8 Aside from obtaining loans, unbanked and low credit consumers often require a range of additional banking-type services that must be addressed through specialty finance. Since some of these customers do not maintain checking accounts, they can encounter difficulties when attempting to execute various types of financial transactions. For example, consumers that do not qualify for a traditional credit card might utilize a prepaid debit card as an alternative. Such prepaid cards enable the user to make purchases and pay bills online, yet typically do not require any type of bank account. Although 88% of consumers had a checking account in 2011, the amount has declined from the 2010 level of 92%, primarily due to banks charging higher fees21. Consumers paid an average of 21% more to maintain checking accounts in 2011 than in 200622. With the increase in bank fees, an estimated 13% of U.S. adults used a prepaid debit card in 2011, up from 11% in 201023. At the same time, the percentage of U.S. consumers carrying a credit card fell 9% in 2011 over the previous year, while debit card penetration fell 15%24. Prepaid cards enable financial institutions to access otherwise unreachable consumers, and they are able to capitalize through a bevy of fees including activation, monthly maintenance, balance verification and loading fees. Unbanked consumers also require services for money transfers and remittances, which may be administered by commercial banks or non-bank financial institutions. These services are heavily relied upon by the customer and providers are able to take advantage, charging an average fee of 7.6% of the transaction size for global cash remittances in 201125. Changes in legislation intended to protect consumers from predatory lending could present future issues for firms operating in the specialty finance space. These changes require additional disclosure statements and provide strict limits on the maximum interest rates that can be charged to consumers. Since the majority of consumer protection legislation has been passed on a state-by-state basis, a high degree of uncertainty remains over how restrictions may evolve in the future. In the event that regulation does increase, firms with easy access to capital and highly scalable operations should be in the best position to outperform competitors, along with firms that focus on states where regulation is more relaxed. Increased regulation may result in traditional banks becoming more risk averse, which would actually provide a boost to the specialty finance segment by expanding the base of customers requiring unconventional loan services. MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 10. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 9 Exhibit 6: Banking Characteristics of U.S. Households *Chart and data from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) CONCLUSION Low credit consumers and small-to-medium sized businesses continue to be underserved by traditional banks. With approximately 60 million unbanked and underbanked consumers in the U.S. spending a total of $78 billion on financial services each year26, there are tremendous opportunities for specialty finance companies that cater to this demographic. With employment slow to improve and the overall economic outlook uncertain, it is unlikely that banks will return to pre-recession lending standards in the near future. As a result, financial firms that are willing to take on additional risk to serve non-traditional customers will continue to find opportunities with higher yield potential. While specialty finance features a number of characteristics that we believe make it an interesting space in the long term, it should at least continue to provide attractive opportunities for the duration of the current low interest rate environment. Michael Fields Managing Partner MSF Enterprises, LLC 717 17th St., Suite 2160 Denver, CO 80202 fieldsm@msfenterprises.com 303.847.4649 MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 11. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 10 Disclaimer This document is provided for informational purposes only, is subject to change and is not binding. MSF Enterprises, LLC makes no guarantees regarding the information contained herein and any statements represent the opinions of the firm. MSF Enterprises, LLC is not responsible for any information stated to be obtained from third party sources. Any companies, asset types or investment opportunities mentioned in the document are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended as recommendations. MSF Enterprises, LLC is not responsible for the use made of this document other than the purpose for which it is intended, except to the extent this would be prohibited by law. Obtain independent professional advice before investing. MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012
  • 12. Q4 2012 Spotlight Specialty Finance: Filling the Gap 11 Endnotes 1. Lee, Don. “U.S. families’ debt loads decline to pre-recession levels.” Los Angeles Times. 15 October 2012. 2. Ibid. 3. Cox, Jeff. “Companies Sitting on More Cash Than Ever.” CNBC. 23 October 2012. 4. Marcinek, Laura. “Biggest U.S. Banks Curb Loans as Regional Firms Fill Gap.” Bloomberg. 25 June 2012. 5. Zumbrun, Joshua. “Fed Sees Rising Demand for Auto and Mortgage Loans.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 31 October 2012. 6. Marcinek, Laura. “Biggest U.S. Banks Curb Loans as Regional Firms Fill Gap.” Bloomberg. 25 June 2012. 7. “The Deloitte Shadow Banking Index: Shedding Light on Banking’s Shadows.” Deloitte. 2012. 8. Kacperczyk, Marcin and Philipp Schnabl. “When Safe Proved Risky: Commercial Paper During the Financial Crisis of 2007-2009.” Journal of Economic Perspectives. Vol. 24: Issue 1. 2010. 9. “Issuance in U.S. Bond Markets.” SIFMA. 2012. 10. Ibid. 11. Chassany, Anne-Sylvaine and Jesse Westbrook. “Private Equity Enters Banks’ Turf in Europe.” Bloomberg. 8 February 2012. 12. Ahmed, Azam. “Bank Said No? Hedge Funds Fill a Void in Lending.” NY Times Dealbook. 8 June 2011. 13. Foley, C. Fritz; Raman, Ananth and Nathan C. Craig. “Inventory-Based Lending Industry Note.” Harvard Business School. 2012. 14. Wayne, Alex. “Health-Care Spending to Reach 20% of U.S. Economy by 2021.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 13 June 2012. 15. Richardson, Karen. “Bankers Hope for a Reprise of ‘Bowie Bonds.’” The Wall Street Journal. 23 August 2005. 16. Tempkin, Adam. “Bonds backed by drug-royalty cashflows make a return.” Reuters. 5 March 2012. 17. Jung, Jeff and John Tamisiea. “Not Your Parents’ Royalty Fund.” McDermott Will & Emery LLP. 12 October 2010. 18. Landler, Mark. “Obama Signs Bill to Promote Start-Up Investments.” The New York Times. 5 April 2012. 19. Bensinger, Ken. “A vicious cycle in the used-car business.” Los Angeles Times. 30 October 2011. 20. McArdle, Megan. “On Poverty, Interest Rates and Payday Loans.” The Atlantic. 18 November 2009. 21. Ody, Elizabeth. “Prepaid Card Use Up 18% as Consumers Drop Debit: Study.” Bloomberg. 11 April 2012. 22. Ibid. 23. Ibid. 24. Ibid. 25. “Remittance Prices Worldwide.” The World Bank. November 2011. 26. Morrison, David. “Financial Services to Unbanked Reflect Potentially Huge, Report Suggests.” Credit Union Times. 7 November 2012. Bibliography “2011 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households.” Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. September 2012. Ahmed, Azam. “Bank Said No? Hedge Funds Fill a Void in Lending.” NY Times Dealbook. 8 June 2011. Bensinger, Ken. “A vicious cycle in the used-car business.” Los Angeles Times. 30 October 2011. Chassany, Anne-Sylvaine and Jesse Westbrook. “Private Equity Enters Banks’ Turf in Europe.” Bloomberg. 8 February 2012. “Company Profile.” Yahoo! Finance. 2012. Cox, Jeff. “Companies Sitting on More Cash Than Ever.” CNBC. 23 October 2012. Federal Reserve Economic Data. “Total Credit Market Debt Owed (TCMDO).” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. 2012. Foley, C. Fritz; Raman, Ananth and Nathan C. Craig. “Inventory-Based Lending Industry Note.” Harvard Business School. 2012. “Issuance in U.S. Bond Markets.” SIFMA. 2012. Jung, Jeff and John Tamisiea. “Not Your Parents’ Royalty Fund.” McDermott Will & Emery LLP. 12 October 2010. Kacperczyk, Marcin and Philipp Schnabl. “When Safe Proved Risky: Commercial Paper During the Financial Crisis of 2007-2009.” Journal of Economic Perspectives. Vol. 24: Issue 1. 2010. Landler, Mark. “Obama Signs Bill to Promote Start-Up Investments.” The New York Times. 5 April 2012. Lee, Don. “U.S. families’ debt loads decline to pre-recession levels.” Los Angeles Times. 15 October 2012. Marcinek, Laura. “Biggest U.S. Banks Curb Loans as Regional Firms Fill Gap.” Bloomberg. 25 June 2012. McArdle, Megan. “On Poverty, Interest Rates and Payday Loans.” The Atlantic. 18 November 2009. Morrison, David. “Financial Services to Unbanked Reflect Potentially Huge, Report Suggests.” Credit Union Times. 7 November 2012. Ody, Elizabeth. “Prepaid Card Use Up 18% as Consumers Drop Debit: Study.” Bloomberg. 11 April 2012. “Remittance Prices Worldwide.” The World Bank. November 2011. Richardson, Karen. “Bankers Hope for a Reprise of ‘Bowie Bonds.’” The Wall Street Journal. 23 August 2005. Tempkin, Adam. “Bonds backed by drug-royalty cashflows make a return.” Reuters. 5 March 2012. “The Deloitte Shadow Banking Index: Shedding Light on Banking’s Shadows.” Deloitte. 2012. Wayne, Alex. “Health-Care Spending to Reach 20% of U.S. Economy by 2021.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 13 June 2012. Zumbrun, Joshua. “Fed Sees Rising Demand for Auto and Mortgage Loans.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 31 October 2012. MSF Enterprises, LLC www.msfenterprises.com Copyright © 2012