Western Alliance (WAL) has filed a lawsuit against Jefferies (JEF), Leucadia Asset Management (LAM), and related affiliates after being informed that $126.4 million in payments owed under a forbearance agreement would not be made. Following the news, WAL and JEF stocks each declined over 10% on Friday.
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The complaint, filed in New York, alleges breach of contract and fraud tied to a commercial loan backed by accounts receivable purchased from First Brands Group, an auto parts supplier that filed for bankruptcy in September 2025.
Payment Lapses Force Charge-Off
The issue dates to September 2025, when Western Alliance learned that LAM’s loan servicer had allowed key UCC filings to lapse, triggering loan defaults. The parties then entered a forbearance agreement in October requiring full repayment by March 31, 2026.
While payments continued through mid‑January, including a $42.13 million installment, the bank was later told it would not receive the final two principal payments due in the first quarter.
After the defendants missed the $42.1 million payment due on February 27, Western Alliance concluded on March 2 that it needed to charge off the remaining $126.4 million loan balance, along with a matching provision.
Western Alliance is recording a $126.4 million charge-off for the full remaining loan balance. To offset the loss, the bank plans to realize $50 million in securities gains and implement $50 million in operating expense reductions. The company is also evaluating additional steps to close the remaining $26 million gap.
Which Stock Is Better, WAL or JEF?
We used TipRanks’ Comparison Tool to see which stock analysts favor. According to analysts, Jefferies stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating and the highest upside potential of 100.48%.
