Raymond James Financial : and BBVA Compass form strategic alliance to expand lending and capital markets capabilities to real estate clients

January 17, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Raymond James, Compass Bank and BBVA Securities Inc. (the latter two collectively referred to as BBVA Compass) today announced the formation of a strategic alliance to provide enhanced capabilities to real estate clients.

The strategic alliance combines the lending capabilities of Raymond James and BBVA Compass and offers clients the strength of Raymond James' Equity Capital Markets and BBVA Compass' Debt Capital Markets platforms to serve their capital raising and investment banking needs. The alliance will initially focus on real estate-sector clients, with the potential to expand to other sectors in the future.

'Our commitment to provide our clients with market-leading full service investment banking capabilities means that we're always looking at how we can better help them achieve their growth objectives,' said Jim Bunn, head of Investment Banking at Raymond James. 'Our Real Estate team saw a unique opportunity to help their clients by pairing balance sheets with BBVA Compass. Raymond James can now provide our clients with greater lending capacity and resources and more comprehensive debt capital markets services, while clients of BBVA Compass now have access to our powerful equity research and distribution platform.'

'The alliance creates a powerful complement to each institution's platform,' said BBVA Compass Head of Institutional Real Estate Jeff Journey. 'It allows us enhanced product capabilities and provides additional value for our clients. We are excited to be rolling this out to clients and the broader market in early 2017.'

Raymond James Real Estate Investment Banking and BBVA Compass have underwritten 165 equity offerings and 135 debt offerings for public REIT and REOC clients over the past five years raising a total of $119 billion. With a highly regarded Real Estate Equity Research team covering 108 companies, 800 Equity Capital Markets professionals covering over 1,800 accounts, 700 Debt Capital Markets professionals, and the fourth-largest retail distribution network, the firms are well positioned to serve the growth of its clients.

About Raymond James Investment Banking
Raymond James Investment Banking offers highly regarded capital formation and financial advisory services. Since 2013, Raymond James has participated in raising nearly $300 billion in capital for its corporate clients and completed more than 350 advisory assignments, including more than 300 M&A buy-side or sell-side advisory assignments.

The Raymond James Real Estate Investment Banking group remains a steady source of straightforward counsel and superior execution. Our 30 years of real estate advisory experience enhance our services, from individualized guidance to the creative structuring necessary to raise capital successfully and efficiently for both public and private companies. Since 2005, the Raymond James Real Estate group has completed over 300 public capital offerings, earning a reputation as an industry leader for both public and private capital raising, M&A and debt restructuring. We're proud to have been named the world's best real estate investment banking practice by Global Finance two years in a row.

About Raymond James Financial, Inc.
Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF) is a leading diversified financial services company providing private client group, capital markets, asset management, banking and other services to individuals, corporations and municipalities. The company has approximately 7,100 financial advisors serving in excess of 2.9 million client accounts in more than 2,800 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately $608 billion. Public since 1983, the firm has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1986 under the symbol RJF. Additional information is available at www.raymondjames.com. Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC.

About Raymond James Bank
Raymond James Bank (RJ Bank) provides FDIC-insured deposit accounts, certificates of deposit, and flexible residential, securities and corporate lending products to clients of Raymond James' broker/dealer subsidiaries, as well as to the general public. Access to Raymond James Bank products is available nationwide through the offices of its affiliate investment firms, as well as through convenient Internet, telephone and electronic banking services, including ATM, point-of-sale and Visa® Check Card access, check writing, direct deposit, Internet banking and bill payment, and Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments. RJ Bank currently offers innovative banking services, both lending and deposit, in all 50 states.

About BBVA Group
BBVA Compass is a subsidiary of BBVA Compass Bancshares Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The BBVA Group is the largest financial institution in Spain and Mexico, has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt region of the United States and is also the leading shareholder in Garanti, Turkey's largest bank based on market capitalization. Its diversified business is focused on high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes. More information about the BBVA Group can be found at bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass
Compass Bank, and BBVA Securities Inc. are subsidiaries of BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc. BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 674 branches, including 345 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 75 in Arizona, 62 in California, 45 in Florida, 38 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (4th). BBVA Compass was recently named Best Digital Bank in North America by global finance magazine Euromoney and the best regional bank in the South & West and best mobile app in Money magazine's 2015-2016 list of the Best Banks in America. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found at bbvacompass.com, by following @BBVACompassNews on Twitter or visiting newsroom.bbvacompass.com.

Editor's Note: BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank.