Some recent performance deterioration in Volkswagen's managed portfolio vintages and securitization pools helped account for the increase in expected CNL losses.

The underlying assets have an original weighted average CLTV ratio of 70.4%. Assets with original CLTV ratios exceeding 80% represent 26.1% of the pool's balance.

The megabank's scale hasn't made it immune from the deposit wars that have crimped bank profits. But the "stabilization" that Wells Fargo flagged is a positive sign as other banks start reporting earnings.

The collateral has subprime credit attributes, the credit quality of the Westlake 2024-3 pool was incrementally better than the 2024-2 transaction, and notably better than the 2023-4 deal.

For one, the deal is expected to include only Japanese foreign obligors—historically strong and comparable to U.S. obligors—from the pool of 9,333 loans.

Since 2019, the portfolio has recorded five defaults—driven by bankruptcies—and each was resolved with a 100% recovery rate, Fitch said.

Known at BLAST 2024-3, the deal will issue five classes of notes with subprime auto loans serving as collateral, even if the pool is upsized to $680 million.

An independent third-party company will provide the primary servicing, and the industry and equipment diversification levels are strong in the pool.

Formerly of Wells Fargo, she will coordinate several key units to create a structure for a sustained capital markets program that capitalizes on recent innovation and growth in home equity finance.

First-quarter results at the companies were promising for other banks looking to reel in fees from capital markets activities as deposit costs put pressure on net interest income.