Building society offers to buy back securities in bid to raise capital

Allen & Overy (A&O) has taken the lead role for Nationwide as it offers to buy back up to £715m in securities from investors in a bid to raise capital.

The building society has launched the tender offer to holders of its permanent interest bearing shares (PIBS). The price offered on the securities has not been confirmed, but Nationwide has said it will be above current market price.

A&O, a longstanding adviser to Nationwide, is advising the building society with a team led by capital markets partner Jonathan Mellor.

A Nationwide spokesperson said: "We are inviting holders of five of our PIBS securities to voluntarily tender them for purchase. The tender offer is a standard transaction in the marketplace and it's simply part of our proactive approach to capital management."

The move comes after the Prudential Regulation Authority this June advised Nationwide to improve its capital ratio. The building society has said the regulator did not force it into the tender offer, although it has consulted the regulator on the move.

A&O has acted on several key mandates for Nationwide, including its £1.5bn residential mortgage-backed securitisation in 2010 and its bid to buy collapsed building society Dunfermline's portfolio of social housing loans worth £670m in 2009.

The magic circle firm is on Nationwide's general legal panel alongside Eversheds, Burges Salmon, Olswang and Nabarro.

Related: Nationwide to kick off review of legal panel.