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Should Bank of America walk away from Countrywide?

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loan problems
Ken Lewis
giant
Friedman Billings Ramsey
expected losses
debt
Countrywide Financial
Bondholders
Bank of America
assets
writedowns
Turmoil
shareholders
Paul Miller
mortgage
losses

MarketWatch notes that Countrywide is a bad position. Basically, its debts exceed its assets. Negative equity, of course, doesn't exactly speak well for the mortgage giant's future. Of immediate concern is the deal that Bank of America has struck. As Countrywide's loan problems mount and its stock tumbles, many analysts say the deal will have to be renegotiated. Friedman Billings Ramsey analyst Paul Miller holds that Bank of America should walk away. At a minimum, it may have to make some huge changes, like lower the price and perhaps require Countrywide bondholders to swallow more of the expected losses from loan write downs. This is getting tricky for Ken Lewis, who seemed to have bet the farm on the deal. It may be better for him to take his lumps now by giving up. 

For more:
- here's the MarketWatch article

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Rumor true: Bank of America to buy Countrywide
Bank of America eyeing Countrywide? Not likely

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