Treasury exits largest remaining Tarp investment

The Treasury Department has exited its largest investment from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Seal of the Department of the Treasury

The agency said in a press release Wednesday that it sold nearly 10.3 million shares in First BanCorp in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for $57.7 million, or $5.61 a share. The Treasury did not disclose the buyers.

The Treasury said it has recovered roughly $232 million from its investment in the $11.9 billion-asset company.

With the sale, OneFinancial in Little Rock, Ark., is the largest remaining Tarp participant. The Treasury recently bought a majority stake in OneFinancial’s bank to resolve a judgment against the institution; it is widely believed that the agency will auction those shares to investors or another bank in the near future.

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