Financeit Inc. announced that Wafra Capital Partners Inc. (WCP), a New York-based specialty finance investment firm, has acquired the company from Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
Financeit is Canada's leading point-of-sale financing provider for the home improvement industry and powers sales transactions for merchants in home services, recreational vehicle and retail with technology-driven customer payment plans. In 2021, Financeit added over 1,100 new merchant partners, processed over 115,000 loan applications, and funded a record $534 million in loan originations. The company also announced that it had reached $2 billion in lifetime loan originations, taking only two years to double the previous milestone of $1 billion, which was reached in 2019.
"We are very excited to be partnering with WCP through this acquisition," said Financeit CEO Michael Garrity. "Even with our incredible growth to date, management fundamentally believes that our greatest growth is still in front of us. Given the WCP team's depth of knowledge in loan origination platforms, we are excited to work with them to accelerate our services and market penetration in the coming years. Together, we will strengthen our position as the leading provider of point-of-sale consumer credit, while also expanding our range of products and adding new industry verticals to our point-of-sale channel."
WCP is a New York-based investment advisory firm with over $7 billion in fund assets and commitments under management. As Financeit continues to expand its operations, WCP's investment will support its projected growth towards $1 billion in annual loan originations, allowing the Company to expand its strategic partnerships and the advancement of product innovation.
"Wafra Capital Partners is excited to join the Financeit ownership group and invest in one of Canada's top point-of-sale consumer financing companies. We are confident that our capital and strategic insight will further evolve the progression that is already underway, allowing Financeit to reach a new ambitious milestone in the years ahead," said Michael Gontar, CEO of Wafra Capital Partners.
Anthony Arnold, Managing Director in the Private Equity business at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said, "We would like to thank Michael, Casper, and the rest of the Financeit team for their leadership over the course of our investment. Under our ownership, the Company has significantly grown in scale, institutionalized its credit platform, diversified its funding sources, and augmented its product and home improvement service capabilities. We are delighted that they have found a new partner to support them as they continue to capitalize on the strong tailwinds in the large, fast-growing point-of-sale financing industry, especially in home improvement. We wish both parties much success."
Casper Wong, President of Financeit, said, "We look forward to the next chapter of growth and innovation in the Financeit story with our new partners. The Canadian Home Improvement industry is worth over $70B in annual sales and has shown incredible growth during the last few years. Our strong merchant relationships and leading technology platform uniquely allow us to continue expanding our market leadership position."
Advisors and Counsel
BMO Capital Markets, Raymond James Ltd. and RBC Capital Markets acted as financial advisors to Financeit. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP acted as legal counsel to Financeit in connection with the Transaction. Macquarie Capital acted as financial advisor and Hughes Hubbard & Reed and Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP acted as legal counsel to WCP.
Financeit was founded in 2011, is based in Toronto, Canada, and operates as a subsidiary of CommunityLend Holdings Inc.