View:

Download DOC

Download PDF

Download XLS

Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 28, 2010

Registration No. 333-            

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

---

FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

---

BankUnited, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

---

Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		6035 (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number)		27-0162450 (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

14817 Oak Lane
Miami Lakes, Florida 33016
(305) 569-2000
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

John A. Kanas
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
BankUnited, Inc.
14817 Oak Lane
Miami Lakes, Florida 33016
(305) 569-2000
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

---

Copies to:
Richard B. Aftanas, Esq. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Four Times Square New York, New York 10036 (212) 735-3000		Richard D. Truesdell, Jr., Esq. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP 450 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10017 (212) 450-4000

---

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

          If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. o

          If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

          Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Large accelerated filer o		Accelerated filer o		Non-accelerated filer ý (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)		Smaller reporting company o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of Each Class of Securities to Be Registered		Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)(2)		Amount of Registration Fee(1)
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share		$300,000,000		$21,390

(1)

Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933.

(2)

Includes offering price of shares of common stock that the underwriters have the option to purchase pursuant to their over-allotment option.

          The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file an amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

---

Table of Contents

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. Neither we nor the selling stockholders may sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion. Dated October 28, 2010

PROSPECTUS

            Shares

BankUnited, Inc.

Common Stock

---

        This is the initial public offering of our common stock. We are offering            shares of our common stock. The selling stockholders identified in this prospectus are offering an additional            shares. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the shares being sold by the selling stockholders.

        Prior to this offering there has been no public market for our common stock. It is currently estimated that the public offering price per share of our common stock will be between $            and $            per share. We intend to apply to list our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "BKU."

        See "Risk Factors" on page 13 to read about factors you should consider before buying our common stock.

        Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

---

		Per Share			Total
Initial public offering price		$			$
Underwriting discounts		$			$
Proceeds, before expenses, to us		$			$
Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders		$			$

        To the extent that the underwriters sell more than            shares of our common stock, the underwriters have the option to purchase up to an additional            shares of our common stock from the selling stockholders at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discount, within 30 days from the date of this prospectus, to cover over-allotments.

---

        The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of our common stock against payment in New York, New York on                        , 2010.

Morgan Stanley		BofA Merrill Lynch
Deutsche Bank Securities		Goldman, Sachs & Co.

---

Prospectus dated                        , 2010

---

        We, the selling stockholders and the underwriters have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We, the selling stockholders and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are not, and the selling stockholders and underwriters are not, making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY		1
RISK FACTORS		13
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS		28
REORGANIZATION		29
USE OF PROCEEDS		31
DIVIDEND POLICY		32
CAPITALIZATION		33
DILUTION		34
SELECTED HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION		36
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS		39
BUSINESS		93
REGULATION AND SUPERVISION		103
MANAGEMENT		115
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS		122
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS		139
PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS		141
DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK		144
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE		150
CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF COMMON STOCK		152
UNDERWRITERS		154
LEGAL MATTERS		160
EXPERTS		160
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		160
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS		F-1

        The shares of our common stock that you purchase in this offering will not be a bank deposit and will not be insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. Your investment will be subject to investment risk, and you must be capable of affording the loss of your entire investment.

        For investors outside the United States: None of we, the selling stockholders or any of the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. You are required to inform yourselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus.

MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA AND FORECASTS

        This prospectus includes market and industry data and forecasts that we have developed from independent research firms, publicly available information, various industry publications, other

i

---

published industry sources or our internal data and estimates. Independent research reports, industry publications and other published industry sources generally indicate that the information contained therein was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of such information. Although we believe that the publications and reports are reliable, none of we, the selling stockholders or the underwriters have independently verified the data. Our internal data, estimates and forecasts are based on information obtained from our investors, trade and business organizations and other contacts in the markets in which we operate and our management's understanding of industry conditions. Although we believe that such information is reliable, we have not had such information verified by any independent sources.

ii

---

Table of Contents

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

        This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary may not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in our common stock. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, including the section entitled "Risk Factors," our financial statements and the related notes thereto and management's discussion and analysis thereof included elsewhere in this prospectus, before making an investment decision to purchase our common stock. Unless we state otherwise or the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to "we," "our," "us," and the "Company" for all periods subsequent to the Acquisition (as defined below) refer to BankUnited, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries. References in this prospectus to "BankUnited" and the "Bank" for all periods beginning May 22, 2009 refer to BankUnited, a federal savings association, formed to acquire substantially all of the assets (including loans, employees and certain operations), and assume all of the non-brokered deposits and substantially all other liabilities, of the Failed Bank.

BankUnited, Inc.

Summary

        BankUnited, Inc. is a savings and loan holding company with two wholly-owned subsidiaries: BankUnited, which is the largest independent depository institution headquartered in Florida by assets, and BankUnited Investment Services, Inc., or BankUnited Investment Services, a Florida insurance agency which provides comprehensive wealth management products and financial planning services. BankUnited is a federally-chartered, federally-insured savings association headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida, with $11.2 billion of assets, more than 1,100 professionals and 78 branches in 13 counties at June 30, 2010. We are building a premier, large regional bank with a low-risk, long-term value-oriented business model focused on small and medium sized businesses and consumers. We endeavor to provide personalized customer service and offer a full range of traditional banking products and financial services to both our commercial and consumer customers, who are predominantly located in Florida.

        BankUnited, Inc. was organized by a management team led by our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, John A. Kanas, on April 28, 2009 and was initially capitalized with $945.0 million by a group of investors. On May 21, 2009, BankUnited was granted a savings association charter and the newly formed bank acquired substantially all of the assets and assumed all of the non-brokered deposits and substantially all other liabilities of BankUnited, FSB, or the Failed Bank, from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the FDIC, in a transaction, which we refer to as the Acquisition. Concurrently with the Acquisition, we entered into two loss sharing agreements, or the Loss Sharing Agreements, which cover certain legacy assets, including the entire legacy loan portfolio and other real estate owned, or OREO, and certain purchased investment securities, including private-label mortgage-backed securities and non-investment grade securities. We refer to assets covered by the Loss Sharing Agreements as Covered Assets (or, in certain cases, Covered Loans or Covered Securities).

        Since the Bank's establishment in May 2009, we have pursued our new strategy and as part of this strategy we have recruited a new executive management team, substantially enhanced our middle management team, redesigned the Bank's underwriting functions, and have begun the process of improving the Bank's information technology systems and optimizing our existing branch network. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company was one of the most profitable and well-capitalized bank holding companies in the United States, having earned 2.0% on its average assets and 19.3% on its average common stockholders' equity, and achieved a 40.0% efficiency ratio. BankUnited's tier 1 leverage ratio was 9.8% and its tier 1 risk-based capital ratio was 41.9% at June 30, 2010. The Company's tangible common equity ratio was 10.3% at June 30, 2010. We intend to invest our excess capital to grow opportunistically both organically and through acquisitions.

1

---

Table of Contents

        Our management team is led by Mr. Kanas, a veteran of the banking industry who built North Fork Bancorporation, or North Fork, into a leading regional bank based in New York. At the time of its sale to Capital One Financial Corporation, or Capital One, in December 2006, North Fork was one of the top 25 bank holding companies in the United States. Mr. Kanas served as the Chairman of North Fork from 1986 to 2006 and President and Chief Executive Officer of North Fork from 1977 to 2006. Through organic growth and over 15 acquisitions, Mr. Kanas oversaw the growth and expansion of North Fork from less than $1 billion in assets in 1977 to nearly $60 billion in assets by 2006. According to FactSet Research Systems, for the five- and ten-year periods prior to its sale to Capital One, North Fork generated a total annualized return of 11.2% and 20.5%, respectively, outperforming the S&P 500 by 9.2% and 11.4%, respectively. North Fork distinguished itself as one of the most profitable and efficient banking companies in the United States through Mr. Kanas' vision of safe and prudent expansion, cost control and capital management. North Fork was sold to Capital One in December 2006 for $13.2 billion, which represented a multiple of 4.0 times tangible equity.

The Acquisition

        On May 21, 2009, BankUnited entered into a purchase and assumption agreement, or the Purchase and Assumption Agreement, with the FDIC, Receiver of the Failed Bank, to acquire substantially all of the assets and assume all of the non-brokered deposits and substantially all other liabilities of the Failed Bank. Excluding the effects of acquisition accounting adjustments, BankUnited acquired $13.6 billion of assets and assumed $12.8 billion of liabilities. The fair value of the assets acquired was $10.9 billion and the fair value of the liabilities assumed was $13.1 billion. BankUnited received a net cash consideration from the FDIC in the amount of $2.2 billion.

        The Acquisition consisted of assets with a fair value of $10.9 billion, including $5.0 billion of loans (with a corresponding unpaid principal balance, or UPB, of $11.2 billion), a $3.4 billion FDIC indemnification asset, $538.9 million of investment securities, $1.2 billion of cash and cash equivalents, $177.7 million of foreclosed assets, $243.3 million of Federal Home Loan Bank, or FHLB, stock and $347.4 million of other assets. Liabilities with a fair value of $13.1 billion were also assumed, including $8.3 billion of non-brokered deposits, $4.6 billion of FHLB advances, and $112.2 million of other liabilities.

        Concurrently with the Acquisition, the Bank entered into the Loss Sharing Agreements with the FDIC that cover certain legacy assets, including the entire loan portfolio and OREO, and certain purchased investment securities, including private-label mortgage-backed securities and non-investment grade securities. The Bank acquired other BankUnited, FSB assets that are not covered by the Loss Sharing Agreements with the FDIC including cash, certain investment securities purchased at fair market value and other tangible assets. The Loss Sharing Agreements do not apply to subsequently acquired, purchased or originated assets. At June 30, 2010, the Covered Assets consisted of assets with a book value of $4.4 billion. The total UPB (or, for investment securities, unamortized cost basis) of the Covered Assets at June 30, 2010 was $9.4 billion.

        Pursuant to the terms of the Loss Sharing Agreements, the Covered Assets are subject to a stated loss threshold whereby the FDIC will reimburse the Bank for 80% of losses up to the $4.0 billion stated threshold and 95% of losses in excess of the $4.0 billion stated threshold, calculated, in each case, based on UPB (or, for investment securities, unamortized cost basis) plus certain interest and expenses. The carrying value of the FDIC indemnification asset at June 30, 2010 was $2.9 billion. The Bank will reimburse the FDIC for its share of recoveries with respect to losses for which the FDIC paid the Bank a reimbursement under the Loss Sharing Agreements. The FDIC's obligation to reimburse the Company for losses with respect to the Covered Assets began with the first dollar of loss incurred. We have received $863.3 million from the FDIC in reimbursements under the Loss Sharing Agreements for claims filed for losses incurred as of June 30, 2010. See "Business—The Acquisition—Loss Sharing Agreements."

2

---

Table of Contents

        Several elements of our Acquisition are favorable relative to other FDIC-assisted transactions and position the Company to generate significant value. At the time of the Acquisition, bank failures were on the rise and the U.S. Treasury's unprecedented Supervisory Capital Assessment Program for the largest U.S. bank holding companies was underway. Due in part to the distress in the banking system, economic uncertainty and poor capital markets conditions, the Covered Loans and OREO were purchased by the Bank for 76.5% of their $11.4 billion in UPB as of the Acquisition date, which represented the fair market value for those assets. The discount was one of the most favorable achieved relative to other FDIC-assisted transactions. Along with the pricing terms, the Loss Sharing Agreements and the size of the transaction enable the Company to generate significant capital even in severe loss scenarios. For example, in the worst case scenario of a 100% credit loss on all Covered Loans and OREO, we would recover no less than 89.7% of the UPB as of the Acquisition date, assuming compliance with the terms of the Loss Sharing Agreements.

        Furthermore, the Loss Sharing Agreements include attractive provisions that optimize our flexibility and reduce our risk associated with the Covered Assets, including the following:

•

Ability to sell loans.  We may sell up to 2.5% of the Covered Loans based on the UPB at Acquisition, or approximately $280.0 million, on an annual basis without prior consent of the FDIC. Any losses incurred from such loan sales are covered under the Loss Sharing Agreements.



•

No residual credit risk.  We have the right to sell any or all of the Covered Assets at the termination date of our Loss Sharing Agreements, and any losses incurred will be covered. This allows us to crystallize any residual loss that would otherwise materialize after the expiration of the Loss Sharing Agreements.



•

Certain securities covered.  Certain private-label mortgage-backed securities purchased in the Acquisition are covered under the Loss Sharing Agreements.



•

Enhanced flexibility to execute corporate strategy opportunistically.  The Bank has the ability to pursue certain strategic transactions including, after an 18-month lock-up period from the Acquisition date, this offering.

        We view our relationship with the FDIC as a long-term partnership in which both parties are economically aligned to minimize credit losses on the Covered Assets. As part of the Purchase and Assumption Agreement, we issued the FDIC a warrant which allows the FDIC to participate in the upside, along with our stockholders, in a liquidity event such as this offering.

Our Competitive Strengths

        We believe that we are especially well positioned to create value for our stockholders.

•

Best-in-class management team.  Our management team is led by Mr. Kanas, who has attracted an entirely new executive management team and enhanced our middle management team with seasoned professionals with significant banking experience and a history of high performance at nationally recognized mid- to large-cap financial institutions. Many of our management team members have extensive experience working together at North Fork and have successfully executed operating business models similar to ours in the past. In addition, our management has a successful track record of growing bank franchises both organically and through acquisitions.



•

Strong and reliable revenue.  A majority of BankUnited's revenue is currently derived from assets that are covered by the Loss Sharing Agreements. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company earned 2.0% on its average assets and 19.3% on its average common equity, both of which were among the leading ratios in the U.S. banking industry.

3

---

Table of Contents

•

Limited credit risk exposure for Covered Assets.  At June 30, 2010, the Covered Assets under the Loss Sharing Agreements were being carried at a book value of $4.4 billion and the total unpaid principal balance, or UPB (or, for investment securities, unamortized cost basis), of the Covered Assets was $9.4 billion. If the value of the Bank's Covered Assets were to deteriorate more than estimated, 95% of the incremental credit losses attributable to the Covered Assets would be absorbed by the FDIC and 5% of the losses would be absorbed by the Bank under the Loss Sharing Agreements.



•

Robust capital position.  At June 30, 2010, BankUnited was one of the most well-capitalized banks in the United States affording it the financial flexibility to pursue growth opportunities and pay dividends. We had a 10.3% tangible common equity ratio, and the Bank had a 9.8% tier 1 leverage ratio and a 41.9% tier 1 risk-based ratio. On September 17, 2010, we declared a quarterly dividend of $14.0 million. In addition, on October 19, 2010, we declared a special one-time dividend of $6.0 million.



•

Ideally situated for growth and expansion.  We believe we are extremely well positioned for growth. The banking industry in our markets, Florida and the southeastern United States, is significantly distressed. We believe this distress will give us opportunities to acquire other institutions and attract talented bankers and customers from competing banks. Our strong capital position and generation, as well as scalable operating system, should allow us to take advantage of these opportunities.



•

New high-capacity operating platform.  Since May 2009, we have made significant investments in our infrastructure and technology in order to create a scalable platform for future organic and non-organic growth. We are in the midst of converting to a new core deposit system that has significant capacity and delivers comprehensive commercial and consumer products and services. We have made other significant investments in financial reporting and servicing systems. We believe we are creating a technology platform that will allow us to compete effectively with large regional banking institutions.

Our Business

        Our primary business is to offer a full range of traditional banking products and financial services coupled with high-touch, personalized customer service to both our commercial and consumer customers, who are predominantly located in Florida. We offer a full array of lending products to cater to our customers' needs, including, but not limited to, small business loans, commercial real estate loans, equipment loans, term loans, asset-backed loans, letters of credit, commercial lines of credit, residential mortgage loans, home equity and consumer loans. We also offer traditional depository products, including checking accounts, money market deposit accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposit, repo products and cash management services. Through dedicated financial consultants and licensed bankers, BankUnited Investment Services provides comprehensive wealth management products and services, including mutual funds, annuities, life insurance, individual securities and succession, estate and financial planning services. We believe that our customers are attracted to us because we offer the resources and sophistication of a large bank as well as the responsiveness and relationship-based approach of a community bank.

Our Market Area

        We view our market as the southeast region of the United States with a current focus on Florida, and in particular the Miami metropolitan statistical area, or MSA. We believe Florida represents a long-term attractive banking market. According to estimates from SNL Financial, from 2000 to 2010, Florida added 2.9 million new residents, the third most of any U.S. state, and, at June 30, 2010, had a total population of 18.9 million and a median household income of $49,910. Additionally, the state has

4

---

Table of Contents

1.9 million active businesses. We believe Florida's population provides tremendous opportunities for us to grow our business. At June 30, 2010, BankUnited ranked 11^th in deposit market share in Florida and 6^th in the Miami MSA, according to SNL Financial.

        Florida's economy and banking industry continue to face significant challenges. Since 2007, many Florida banks have experienced capital constraints and liquidity challenges as a result of significant losses from loans with poor credit quality and investments that have had sizeable decreases in value or realized losses. The undercapitalization and increased regulation of the banking sector have caused many banks to reduce lending to new and existing clients and focus primarily on improving their balance sheets, putting pressure on commercial borrowers to look for new banking relationships. As of June 30, 2010, 30 banks with $29.5 billion in assets have failed since 2008 in Florida. Given our competitive strengths, including a best-in-class management team, robust capital position and scalable platform, we believe these challenges present significant acquisition and organic growth opportunities for us.

        Over time, we will look to expand our branch network outside of Florida in selected markets such as New York, where our management team has had significant experience and has the competitive advantage of having managed one of the most successful regional banks in that market. However, for a limited period of time, certain of our executive officers are subject to non-compete agreements which may restrict them from operating in some of these selected markets.

Our Business Strategy

        Since the Acquisition, we have focused on the financial needs of small and medium sized businesses and consumers throughout Florida. Through BankUnited, we deliver a comprehensive range of traditional depository and lending products, online services and cash management tools for businesses. We also offer on a national basis commercial lease financing services through United Capital Business Lending and municipal leasing services through Pinnacle Public Finance. Through our non-bank subsidiary, BankUnited Investment Services, we offer a suite of products including mutual funds, annuities, life insurance, individual securities and other wealth management services.

        We are building a premier, large regional bank in attractive growth markets, employing the following key elements:

•

Transformation to relationship banking.  Since the Acquisition, our primary strategic objective has been to transform the Bank from a price-driven, transaction-based, mortgage lender to a service-driven, relationship-based, business-focused bank. We have taken an active approach to accomplish this transformation, including:



•

Recruitment of top talent.  The entire management leadership team and a large majority of the next tier of management have been replaced with top performers who were recruited nationally. We have also hired teams of relationship bankers from regional competitors. Furthermore, given BankUnited's strong capital levels and expansion strategy, we believe we have an opportunity to continue hiring and developing talent for the foreseeable future.



•

Shift of culture towards building relationships.  We emphasize winning relationships rather than gathering accounts. As such, we have implemented new compensation practices that properly align our employees with our strategic vision by rewarding long-term profitability instead of volume, exited the broker business and focused on building long-term relationships with small business customers.



•

Investment in physical infrastructure.  In addition to our investment in people, we have been enhancing and optimizing both our facilities and branch network. We have focused on eliminating non-strategic branches and facilities, consolidated most of our non-branch

5

---

Table of Contents

operations into one location and improved the overall presentation and infrastructure of our resulting footprint.

•

Improvement of our technology platform.  We are committed to building a technology infrastructure that enables us to deliver best-in-class products and services to our clients and is also scalable to accommodate our long-term growth plans. As such, we have made and are continuing to make significant investments in our information technology infrastructure, including a conversion to a more robust core deposit platform that is scheduled for completion in early 2011.

With the changes implemented as discussed above, we have increased our core deposits (defined as total deposits less certificates of deposit, or CDs) since the Acquisition to June 30, 2010 from $2.1 billion to $3.6 billion and lowered our cost of deposits (excluding the impact of accretion from fair value adjustments due to acquisition accounting) from 3.5% to 1.7%. In addition, since the Acquisition to June 30, 2010, we have generated $320.0 million of new loan commitments.

•

Multi-faceted expansion plan.  We intend to geographically expand our franchise and reinvest our excess capital by hiring talented producers, opening de novo branches and acquiring complementary businesses. These expansion strategies complement our overall strategic vision.



•

Hire talented producers.  A key component to expanding our franchise footprint is to opportunistically hire talented individuals or teams with relationships in commercial banking, small business banking or our other primary business lines. For example, since the Acquisition to June 30, 2010, we have hired 27 lenders from various regional competitors.



•

Open de novo branches.  As part of our strategy to broaden our branch network, BankUnited plans to expand into new markets and to broaden its footprint. We plan to open new branches and consolidate certain existing branches with those in more desirable locations within the same market. In 2009, we consolidated 9 branches and in 2010, we opened 2 new branches and currently have 7 branches under development, which will allow us to, among other things, expand our presence in Tampa and enter the Orlando market.



•

Acquire complementary businesses.  We believe significant opportunities exist for additional expansion through acquisitions both in our current market and in other markets within the United States with similar characteristics. Our acquisition strategy includes FDIC-assisted transactions, traditional whole bank acquisitions and complementary acquisitions of select banking and banking-related businesses. For example, we recently acquired two leasing businesses, which serve as the platform for our ability to provide commercial financing services on a national basis.



•

Build a scalable and efficient operating model.  Our management team has a history of running highly efficient banking institutions and is focused on building a culture of expense control. Furthermore, we have made and intend to continue to make significant investments in our information technology systems to position us for future growth. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company's efficiency ratio was 40.0%, which compares favorably with other U.S. banks.



•

Maintain strong regulatory relationships.  We believe that maintaining strong relationships with regulators is an important element of any bank strategy. As such, we maintain an active dialogue with our primary regulators. Additionally, we view our relationship with the FDIC as a long-term partnership in which both parties are economically aligned to minimize credit losses on the Covered Assets. We continually collaborate with the FDIC to develop and implement new loss mitigation strategies for the Covered Assets. We have received $863.3 million from the FDIC in reimbursements under the Loss Sharing Agreements for claims filed for losses incurred as of June 30, 2010.

6

---

Table of Contents

Additional Information

        Our principal executive offices are located at 14817 Oak Lane, Miami Lakes, Florida 33016. Our telephone number is (305) 569-2000. Our Internet address is www.bankunited.com. Information on, or accessible through, our website is not part of this prospectus.

Reorganization

        We are currently a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of BU Financial Holdings LLC, or the LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and whose common equity interests are referred to herein as units. Prior to the completion of this offering, we will effect a reorganization so that our investors, our named executive officers and all other members of the LLC will hold equity interests in us directly rather than indirectly through the LLC. Immediately prior to the consummation of this offering, the LLC will be liquidated and all interests in the registrant, BankUnited, Inc., a Delaware corporation, will be distributed to the members of the LLC in accordance with its amended and restated limited liability company agreement dated as of May 21, 2009, or the LLC Agreement. There are currently 36 holders of units in the LLC. For additional information, see "Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Executive Officer Compensation—Equity-Based Compensation."

7

---

Table of Contents

The Offering

Common stock offered by us		shares of common stock
Common stock offered by the selling stockholders		shares of common stock
Over-allotment option		shares of common stock from the selling stockholders
Common stock to be outstanding after this offering		shares of common stock
Use of proceeds		We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses will be approximately $             million, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of our common stock by the selling stockholders, including any proceeds that the selling stockholders may receive from the exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option. For additional information, see the section of this prospectus entitled "Use of Proceeds."
Dividend policy		We initially anticipate paying a quarterly dividend of $            per share on our common stock, subject to the discretion of our board of directors, or our Board. Our ability to pay dividends in the future is limited by various regulatory requirements and policies of bank regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over us and our banking subsidiary, our earnings, cash resources and capital needs, general business conditions and other factors deemed relevant by our Board. For additional information, see the section of this prospectus entitled "Dividend Policy."
New York Stock Exchange symbol		BKU
Risk factors		Please read the section of this prospectus entitled "Risk Factors" beginning on page 13 for a discussion of some of the factors you should consider before buying our common stock.

        References in this section to the number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering are based on             shares of our common stock outstanding and excludes             shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options at a weighted average exercise price of $            per share and             shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our benefit plans, in each case as of                        , 2010.

        Unless otherwise indicated, the information presented in this prospectus:

•

gives effect to a      -for-1 common stock split, which we will effect prior to the consummation of this offering;



•

assumes an initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus;

8

---

Table of Contents

•

assumes that the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares of our common stock from the selling stockholders to cover over-allotments, if any, is not exercised;



•

gives effect to the reorganization transactions that will be completed in connection with this offering (see the section of this prospectus entitled "Reorganization"), including the transactions with respect to profits interest units, or PIUs, in the LLC described under "Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Executive Officer Compensation—Equity-Based Compensation;" and



•

for purposes of the number or weighted average of shares of common stock outstanding only, assumes that the warrant issued to the FDIC in connection with the Acquisition is redeemed in cash pursuant to the terms thereof.

9

---

Table of Contents

Summary Historical Consolidated Financial Data

        You should read the summary historical consolidated financial information set forth below in conjunction with "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," "Capitalization" and the consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. The summary historical consolidated financial information set forth below at and for the six months ended June 30, 2010 is derived from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and includes all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) that we considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and the results of operations for these periods. Operating results for the six months ended June 30, 2010 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December 31, 2010. The summary historical consolidated financial information set forth below at December 31, 2009 and for the period from April 28, 2009 (date of inception) to December 31, 2009 has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The summary historical consolidated financial information set forth below for each of the periods from October 1, 2008 to May 21, 2009 and at and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of the Failed Bank included elsewhere in this prospectus.

        Although we were incorporated on April 28, 2009, neither we nor the Bank had any substantive operations prior to the Acquisition on May 21, 2009. Results of operations of the Company for the post-Acquisition periods are not comparable to the results of operations of the Failed Bank for the pre-Acquisition periods. Results of operations for the post-Acquisition periods reflect, among other things, the acquisition method of accounting. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Periods Presented and Factors Affecting Comparability."

			BankUnited, Inc.									Failed Bank
			At June 30, 2010									At September 30,
			Actual			As Adjusted(1)			At December 31, 2009			2008			2007
			(unaudited)
			(dollars in thousands)
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
	Cash and cash equivalents		$	166,908					$	356,215		$	1,223,346		$	512,885
	Investment securities available for sale, at fair value			3,245,453						2,243,143			755,225			1,098,665
	Loans held in portfolio, net			4,224,140						4,588,898			11,249,367			12,561,693
	FDIC indemnification asset			2,854,175						3,279,165			—			—
	Goodwill and other intangible assets			60,832						60,981			28,353			28,353
	Total assets			11,212,637						11,129,961			14,088,591			15,107,310
	Deposits			7,468,381						7,666,775			8,176,817			7,305,788
	Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank			2,264,813						2,079,051			5,279,350			6,234,360
	Total liabilities			10,007,781						10,035,701			13,689,821			13,904,508
	Total stockholders' equity			1,204,856						1,094,260			398,770			1,202,802

10

---

Table of Contents

			BankUnited, Inc.						Failed Bank
									Period from October 1, 2008 to May 21, 2009(2)			Fiscal Years Ended September 30,
						Period from April 28, to December 31, 2009(2)
			Six Months Ended June 30, 2010
												2008			2007
			(unaudited)
			(dollars in thousands, except share data)
Consolidated Income Statement Data:
Interest income			$	273,585		$	335,524		$	339,068		$	834,460		$	957,897
Interest expense				84,909			83,856			333,392			555,594			604,558
	Net interest income			188,676			251,668			5,676			278,866			353,339
Provision for loan losses				26,091			22,621			919,139			856,374			31,500
	Net interest income (loss) after provision for loan losses			162,585			229,047			(913,463	)		(577,508	)		321,839
Non-interest income (loss)				169,372			252,828			(81,431	)		(128,859	)		28,367
Non-interest expense				143,302			282,454			238,403			246,480			185,634
Income (loss) before income taxes				188,655			199,421			(1,233,297	)		(952,847	)		164,572
Provision (benefit) for income before taxes				76,772			80,375			—			(94,462	)		55,067
Net income (loss)			$	111,883		$	119,046		$	(1,233,297	)	$	(858,385	)	$	109,505
Share Data:
Earnings (loss) per common share, basic and diluted			$	12.04		$	12.85		$	(12,332,970	)	$	(8,583,850	)	$	1,095,054
Weighted average common shares outstanding				9,294,183			9,266,491			100			100			100
Other Data (unaudited):
Financial ratios
	Return on average assets(3)			1.98	%		1.69	%		(14.26	)%		(5.94	)%		0.78	%
	Return on average common stockholders' equity(3)			19.25	%		18.98	%		(2,041.04	)%		(75.43	)%		10.04	%
	Yield on earning assets(3)			7.13	%		7.42	%		3.91	%		5.91	%		6.96	%
	Cost of interest bearing liabilities(3)			1.81	%		1.39	%		3.94	%		4.36	%		4.91	%
	Equity to assets ratio			10.75	%		9.83	%		(7.25	)%		2.83	%		7.96	%
	Interest rate spread(3)			5.32	%		6.03	%		(0.03	)%		1.55	%		2.05	%
	Net interest margin(3)			4.90	%		5.57	%		0.06	%		1.98	%		2.57	%
	Loan to deposit ratio			57.12	%		60.15	%		128.73	%		146.33	%		172.74	%
Asset quality ratios
	Non-performing loans to total loans(4)			0.55	%		0.38	%		24.58	%		11.98	%		1.59	%
	Non-performing assets to total loans and OREO(5)			4.21	%		2.91	%		25.78	%		12.96	%		1.81	%
	Non-performing assets to total assets(5)			1.66	%		1.24	%		23.53	%		11.13	%		1.51	%
	Allowance for loan losses to total loans			0.97	%		0.49	%		11.14	%		5.98	%		0.46	%
	Allowance for loan losses to non-performing loans			177.92	%		130.22	%		45.33	%		49.96	%		29.15	%
	Net charge-offs to average loans(3)			0.33	%		0.00	%		5.51	%		1.58	%		0.08	%

11

---

Table of Contents

        A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $            per share would increase (decrease) additional cash and cash equivalents, total assets and total stockholders' equity by $             million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.

12

Table of Contents

RISK FACTORS

        Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors, as well as all of the other information contained in this prospectus including our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto, before deciding to invest in our common stock. The occurrence of any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow. In such case, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial may also materially adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.

Risks Related to Our Business

Failure to comply with the terms of our Loss Sharing Agreements with the FDIC may result in significant losses.

        In May 2009, we purchased substantially all of the assets and assumed all of the non-brokered deposits and substantially all other liabilities of the Failed Bank in an FDIC-assisted transaction, and presently a substantial portion of BankUnited's revenue is derived from such assets. The purchased loans, commitments, foreclosed assets and certain securities are covered by the Loss Sharing Agreements with the FDIC, which provide that a significant portion of the losses related to the Covered Assets will be borne by the FDIC. We, however, may experience difficulties in complying with the requirements of the Loss Sharing Agreements, which could result in Covered Assets losing some or all of their coverage. BankUnited is subject to audits with the terms of the Loss Sharing Agreements by the FDIC through its designated agent. The required terms of the agreements are extensive and failure to comply with any of the guidelines could result in a specific asset or group of assets losing their loss sharing coverage. See "Business—The Acquisition—Loss Sharing Agreements."

Our business is highly susceptible to credit risk.

        As a lender, we are exposed to the risk that our customers will be unable to repay their loans according to their terms and that the collateral securing the payment of their loans (if any) may not be sufficient to assure repayment. Similarly, we have credit risk embedded in our securities portfolio. Our credit standards, procedures and policies may not prevent us from incurring substantial credit losses, particularly in light of market developments in recent years. Recent economic and market developments and the potential for continued economic disruption present considerable risks to us and it is difficult to determine the depth and duration of the economic and financial market problems and the many ways in which they may impact our business in general. Although we have the Loss Sharing Agreements, the agreements do not cover 100% of the losses attributable to Covered Assets, and credit losses on such assets or assets not covered in the Loss Sharing Agreements could still have a material adverse effect on our operating results.

The geographic concentration of our markets in the coastal regions of Florida makes our business highly susceptible to local economic conditions.

        Unlike larger financial institutions that are more geographically diversified, our branch offices are primarily concentrated in the coastal regions of Florida. Additionally, a significant portion of our loans secured by real estate are secured by commercial and residential properties in Florida. The Florida economy, and our market in particular, has been affected by the downturn in commercial and residential property values. Additionally, the Florida economy relies heavily on tourism and seasonal residents, which have also been affected by recent market disruptions. Continued deterioration in economic conditions in the markets we serve or the occurrence of a natural disaster, such as a

13

Table of Contents

hurricane, or an unanticipated catastrophe, such as the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, could result in one or more of the following:

•

an increase in loan delinquencies;



•

an increase in problem assets and foreclosures;



•

a decrease in the demand for our products and services; or



•

a decrease in the value of collateral for loans, especially real estate, in turn reducing customers' borrowing power, the value of assets associated with problem loans and collateral coverage.

        A decline in existing and new real estate sales decreases lending opportunities, may delay the collection of our cash flow from the Loss Sharing Agreements, and negatively affects our income. We do not anticipate that the real estate market will improve in the near-term and, accordingly, this could lead to additional valuation adjustments on our loan portfolios.

Delinquencies and defaults in residential mortgages have recently increased, creating a backlog in courts and an increase in the amount of legislative action that might restrict or delay our ability to foreclose and collect payments for single family residential loans under the Loss Sharing Agreements.

        For the single family residential loans covered by the Loss Sharing Agreements, we cannot collect loss share payments until we liquidate the properties securing those loans. These loss share payments could be delayed by an extended foreclosure process, including delays resulting from a court backlog, local or national foreclosure moratoriums or other delays, and these delays could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Home owner protection laws may also delay the initiation or completion of foreclosure proceedings on specified types of residential mortgage loans. Any such limitations are likely to cause delayed or reduced collections from mortgagors. Any restriction on our ability to foreclose on a loan, any requirement that we forgo a portion of the amount otherwise due on a loan or any requirement that we modify any original loan terms could negatively impact our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

Our loan portfolio has and will continue to be affected by the ongoing correction in residential and commercial real estate prices and reduced levels of residential and commercial real estate sales.

        Soft residential and commercial real estate markets, higher delinquency and default rates, and increasingly volatile and constrained secondary credit markets have affected the mortgage industry generally, and Florida in particular, which is where our business is currently most heavily concentrated. Our financial results may be adversely affected by changes in real estate values. We make credit and reserve decisions based on the current conditions of borrowers or projects combined with our expectations for the future. If the slowdown in the real estate market continues, we could experience higher charge-offs and delinquencies beyond that which is provided in the allowance for loan losses. Although we have the Loss Sharing Agreements with the FDIC, these agreements do not cover 100% of the losses attributable to Covered Assets. In addition, the Loss Sharing Agreements will not mitigate any losses on our non-Covered Assets and our earnings could be adversely affected through a higher than anticipated provision for loan losses on such assets.

Changes in interest rates could have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

        Our earnings and cash flows depend to a great extent upon the level of our net interest income. Changes in interest rates can increase or decrease our net interest income, because different types of assets and liabilities may react differently, and at different times, to market interest rate changes. Net interest income is the difference between the interest income we earn on loans, investments and other interest earning assets, and the interest we pay on interest bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings. When interest bearing liabilities mature or reprice more quickly than interest earning assets in a period, an increase in interest rates could reduce net interest income. Similarly, when interest earning assets mature or reprice more quickly than interest bearing liabilities, falling interest rates

14

Table of Contents

could reduce net interest income. Additionally, an increase in interest rates may, among other things, reduce the demand for loans and our ability to originate loans and decrease loan repayment rates. A decrease in the general level of interest rates may affect us through, among other things, increased prepayments on our loan and mortgage-backed securities portfolios and increased competition for deposits. Accordingly, changes in the level of market interest rates affect our net yield on interest earning assets, loan origination volume, loan and mortgage-backed securities portfolios, and our overall results. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors beyond our control, including general economic conditions and policies of various governmental and regulatory agencies, particularly the Federal Reserve. We cannot predict the nature and timing of the Federal Reserve's interest rate policies or other changes in monetary policies and economic conditions, which could negatively impact our financial performance.

        We attempt to manage our risk from changes in market interest rates by adjusting the rates, maturity, repricing, and balances of the different types of interest-earning assets and interest bearing liabilities; however, interest rate risk management techniques are not precise, and we may not be able to successfully manage our interest rate risk. As a result, a rapid increase or decrease in interest rates could have an adverse effect on our net interest margin and results of operations.

We depend on our executive officers and key personnel to continue the implementation of our long-term business strategy and could be harmed by the loss of their services.

        We believe that our continued growth and future success will depend in large part on the skills of our senior management team. The loss of service of one or more of our executive officers or key personnel could reduce our ability to successfully implement our long-term business strategy, our business could suffer and the value of our common stock could be materially adversely affected. Leadership changes will occur from time to time and we cannot predict whether significant resignations will occur or whether we will be able to recruit additional qualified personnel. We believe our senior management team possesses valuable knowledge about the banking industry and that their knowledge and relationships would be very difficult to replicate. Although our senior management team has entered into employment agreements with us, they may not complete the term of their employment agreements or renew them upon expiration. Our success also depends on the experience of our branch managers and lending officers and on their relationships with the customers and communities they serve. The loss of these key personnel could negatively impact our banking operations. The loss of key senior personnel, or the inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results.

Our allowance for credit losses may not be adequate to cover actual credit losses.

        We maintain an allowance for loan losses that represents management's estimate of probable losses inherent in our credit portfolio. This estimate requires management to make certain assumptions and involves a high degree of judgment, particularly as our originated loan portfolio is not yet seasoned and has not yet developed an observable loss trend and Covered Loans that did not exhibit evidence of deterioration in credit quality at acquisition, or non-ACI loans, have limited delinquency statistics. Management considers numerous factors, including, but not limited to, internal risk ratings, loss forecasts, collateral values, geographic location, borrower FICO scores, delinquency rates, the proportion of non-performing and restructured loans in the loan portfolio, origination channels, product mix, underwriting practices, industry conditions, economic trends and net charge-off trends.

        If management's assumptions and judgments prove to be incorrect, our current allowance may be insufficient and we may be required to increase our allowance for loan losses. In addition, federal and state regulators periodically review our allowance for loan losses and may require us to increase our provision for loan losses or recognize further loan charge-offs, based on judgments different than those of our management. Continued adverse economic conditions could make management's estimate even more complex and difficult to determine. Any increase in our allowance for loan losses will result in a

15

Table of Contents

decrease in net income and capital and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Analysis of the Allowance for Loan Losses" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Accounting for Covered Loans."

We may not be able to meet the cash flow requirements of our depositors and borrowers unless we maintain sufficient liquidity.

        Our liquidity is used to make loans and to repay deposit liabilities as they become due or are demanded by customers. As a result of a sudden decline in depositor confidence, if a substantial number of bank customers tried to withdraw their bank deposits simultaneously, our reserves may not be able to cover the withdrawals without sufficient liquidity. Collateralized borrowings such as FHLB advances are an important potential source of liquidity. Our borrowing capacity is generally dependent on the value of the collateral pledged to the FHLB. An adverse regulatory change could reduce our borrowing capacity or eliminate certain types of collateral and could otherwise modify or even terminate FHLB advances. Any such change or termination may have an adverse effect on our liquidity. Our access to other funding sources could be impaired by factors that are not specific to us, such as a disruption in the financial markets or negative views and expectations about the prospects for the financial services industry in light of recent turmoil faced by banking organizations and the unstable credit markets. Without sufficient liquidity, we may not be able to meet the cash flow requirements of our depositors and borrowers.

We may not be able to find suitable acquisition candidates and may be unable to manage our growth due to acquisitions.

        A key component of our growth strategy is to pursue acquisitions of complementary businesses. We cannot predict the number, size or timing of acquisitions, or whether any such acquisitions will occur at all. As consolidation of the banking industry continues, the competition for suitable acquisition candidates may increase. We compete with other banking companies for acquisition opportunities and there are a limited number of candidates that meet our acquisition criteria. Consequently, we may not be able to identify suitable candidates for acquisitions. If we are unable to locate suitable acquisition candidates willing to sell on terms acceptable to us, our net income could decline and we would be required to find other methods to grow our business.

        Even if suitable candidates are identified and we succeed in consummating future acquisitions, acquisitions involve risks that the acquired business may not achieve anticipated revenue, earnings or cash flows. There may also be unforeseen liabilities relating to the acquired institution or arising out of the acquisition, asset quality problems of the acquired entity, difficulty operating in markets in which we have had no or only limited experience and other conditions not within our control, such as adverse personnel relations, loss of customers because of change in identity, and deterioration in local economic conditions.

        In addition, the process of integrating acquired entities will divert significant management time and resources. We may not be able to integrate successfully or operate profitably any financial institutions we may acquire. We may experience disruption and incur unexpected expenses in integrating acquisitions. Any acquisitions we do make may not enhance our cash flows, business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects and may have an adverse effect on our results of operations, particularly during periods in which the acquisitions are being integrated into our operations.

16

Table of Contents

We face significant competition from other financial institutions and financial services providers, which may decrease our growth or profits.

        The primary market we serve is Florida. Consumer and commercial banking in Florida is highly competitive. Our market contains not only a large number of community and regional banks, but also a significant presence of the country's largest commercial banks. We compete with other state and national financial institutions located in Florida and adjoining states as well as savings and loan associations, savings banks and credit unions for deposits and loans. In addition, we compete with financial intermediaries, such as consumer finance companies, mortgage banking companies, insurance companies, securities firms, mutual funds and several government agencies as well as major retailers, all actively engaged in providing various types of loans and other financial services.

        The financial services industry could become even more competitive as a result of legislative, regulatory and technological changes and continued consolidation. Banks, securities firms and insurance companies can merge under the umbrella of a financial holding company, which can offer virtually any type of financial service, including banking, securities underwriting, insurance (both agency and underwriting) and merchant banking. Increased competition among financial services companies due to the recent consolidation of certain competing financial institutions may adversely affect our ability to market our products and services. Also, technology has lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for banks to compete in our market without a retail footprint by offering competitive rates, as well as non-banks to offer products and services traditionally provided by banks. Many of our competitors have fewer regulatory constraints and may have lower cost structures. Additionally, due to their size, many competitors may offer a broader range of products and services as well as better pricing for certain products and services than we can.

        Our ability to compete successfully depends on a number of factors, including:

•

the ability to develop, maintain and build upon long-term customer relationships based on quality service, high ethical standards and safe and sound assets;



•

the ability to attract and retain qualified employees to operate our business effectively;



•

the ability to expand our market position;



•

the scope, relevance and pricing of products and services offered to meet customer needs and demands;



•

the rate at which we introduce new products and services relative to our competitors;



•

customer satisfaction with our level of service; and



•

industry and general economic trends.

        Failure to perform in any of these areas could significantly weaken our competitive position, which could adversely affect our growth and profitability, which, in turn, could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Since we engage in lending secured by real estate and may be forced to foreclose on the collateral property and own the underlying real estate, we may be subject to the increased costs and risks associated with the ownership of real property, which could have an adverse effect on our business or results of operations.

        A significant portion of our loan portfolio is secured by real property. During the ordinary course of business, we may foreclose on and take title to properties securing certain loans, in which case, we are exposed to the risks inherent in the ownership of real estate. The amount that we, as a mortgagee, may realize after a default is dependent upon factors outside of our control, including:

•

general or local economic conditions;



•

environmental cleanup liability;



•

neighborhood values;

17

Table of Contents

•

interest rates;



•

real estate tax rates;



•

operating expenses of the mortgaged properties;



•

supply of and demand for rental units or properties;



•

ability to obtain and maintain adequate occupancy of the properties;



•

zoning laws;



•

governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies; and



•

hurricanes or other natural or man-made disasters.

        Certain expenditures associated with the ownership of real estate, principally real estate taxes and maintenance costs, may also adversely affect our operating expenses.

Hurricanes or other natural or man-made disasters could negatively affect local economies where we maintain branch offices or disrupt our operations, which could have an adverse effect on our business or results of operations.

        Like other coastal areas, some of our markets in Florida are susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms. Such weather events can disrupt our operations, result in damage to our properties, reduce or destroy the value of mortgage properties and negatively affect the local economies in which we operate. We cannot predict whether or to what extent damage that may be caused by future hurricanes or other weather events will affect our operations or the economies in our market areas, but such weather events could result in a decline in loan originations, a decline in the value or destruction of properties securing our loans and an increase in delinquencies, foreclosures and loan losses. Our business or results of operations may be adversely affected by these and other negative effects of hurricanes or other significant weather events. Extensive or multiple disruptions in our operations, whether at our branches or our corporate headquarters, due to natural or man-made disasters could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

We are dependent on our information technology and telecommunications systems and third-party servicers, and systems failures, interruptions or breaches of security could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

        Our business is highly dependent on the successful and uninterrupted functioning of our information technology and telecommunications systems and third-party servicers. We outsource our major systems including our electronic funds transfer, or EFT, transaction processing, cash management and our online banking services. We rely on these systems to process new and renewal loans, gather deposits, provide customer service, facilitate collections and share data across our organization. The failure of these systems, or the termination of a third-party software license or service agreement on which any of these systems is based, could interrupt our operations. Because our information technology and telecommunications systems interface with and depend on third-party systems, we could experience service denials if demand for such services exceeds capacity or such third-party systems fail or experience interruptions. If sustained or repeated, a system failure or service denial could result in a deterioration of our ability to process new and renewal loans, gather deposits and provide customer service, compromise our ability to operate effectively, damage our reputation, result in a loss of customer business, and/or subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny and possible financial liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

        We are currently in the process of implementing substantial changes to our core deposit platform. We may not be able to successfully implement this new core system in an effective manner. In addition, we may incur significant increases in costs and encounter extensive delays in the implementation and rollout of our new operating system. If there are technological impediments, unforeseen complications, errors or breakdowns in implementing this new core operating system or if this new core operating

18

Table of Contents

system does not meet the requirements of our customers, our business, financial condition, results of operations or customer perceptions may be adversely affected.

        In addition, we provide our customers the ability to bank remotely, including online and over the telephone. The secure transmission of confidential information over the Internet and other remote channels is a critical element of remote banking. Our network could be vulnerable to unauthorized access, computer viruses, phishing schemes and other security breaches. We may be required to spend significant capital and other resources to protect against the threat of security breaches and computer viruses, or to alleviate problems caused by security breaches or viruses. To the extent that our activities or the activities of our customers involve the storage and transmission of confidential information, security breaches and viruses could expose us to claims, litigation and other possible liabilities. Any inability to prevent security breaches or computer viruses could also cause existing customers to lose confidence in our systems and could adversely affect our reputation and our ability to generate business.

BankUnited is a de novo bank, which could be mistaken for the Failed Bank, and this and other reputational risks could affect our results.

        BankUnited was established as a de novo federal savings association in order to participate in the FDIC-assisted acquisition of the Failed Bank. There is a reputational risk in being incorrectly associated with the Failed Bank. Our ability to originate and maintain accounts is highly dependent upon consumer and other external perceptions of our business practices and/or our financial health. Adverse perceptions regarding our business practices and/or our financial health could damage our reputation in both the customer and funding markets, leading to difficulties in generating and maintaining accounts as well as in financing them. Adverse developments with respect to the consumer or other external perceptions regarding the practices of our competitors, or our industry as a whole, may also adversely impact our reputation. In addition, adverse reputational impacts on third parties with whom we have important relationships may also adversely impact our reputation. Adverse reputational impacts or events may also increase our litigation risk. We carefully monitor internal and external developments for areas of potential reputational risk and have established governance structures to assist in evaluating such risks in our business practices and decisions.

As a public company, we will be required to meet periodic reporting requirements under the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. Complying with federal securities laws as a public company is expensive, and we will incur significant time and expense enhancing, documenting, testing, and certifying our internal control over financial reporting. Any deficiencies in our financial reporting or internal controls could adversely affect our business and the trading price of our common stock.

        We are not yet required to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. However, as a publicly traded company following completion of this offering, we will be required to file periodic reports containing our financial statements with the SEC within a specified time following the completion of quarterly and annual periods. Prior to becoming a public company, we have not been required to comply with SEC requirements to have our financial statements completed and reviewed or audited within a specified time. We may experience difficulty in meeting the SEC's reporting requirements. Any failure by us to file our periodic reports with the SEC in a timely manner could harm our reputation and reduce the trading price of our common stock.

        As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting, insurance and other expenses. Compliance with other rules of the SEC and the rules of the stock exchange on which our common stock is listed will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and make some activities more time consuming and costly. Beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2012, SEC rules will require that our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer periodically certify the existence and effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. Our

19

Table of Contents

independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to our assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting. This process will require significant documentation of policies, procedures and systems, review of that documentation by our internal auditing staff and our outside auditors, and testing of our internal controls over financial reporting by our internal auditing and accounting staff and our outside independent registered public accounting firm. This process will involve considerable time and expense, may strain our internal resources, and have an adverse impact on our operating costs. We may experience higher than anticipated operating expenses and outside auditor fees during the implementation of these changes and thereafter.

        During the course of our testing, we may identify deficiencies that would have to be remediated to satisfy the SEC rules for certification of our internal controls over financial reporting. As a consequence, we may have to disclose in periodic reports we file with the SEC material weaknesses in our system of internal controls. The existence of a material weakness would preclude management from concluding that our internal controls over financial reporting are effective and would preclude our independent auditors from issuing an unqualified opinion that our internal controls over financial reporting are effective. In addition, disclosures of this type in our SEC reports could cause investors to lose confidence in our financial reporting and may negatively affect the trading price of our common stock. Moreover, effective internal controls are necessary to produce reliable financial reports and to prevent fraud. If we have deficiencies in our disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls over financial reporting, it may negatively impact our business, results of operations, and reputation.

Future material weaknesses in our internal controls, if not properly corrected, could result in material misstatements in our financial statements.

        We are not yet required to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or to make an assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Furthermore, our independent auditors have not been engaged to express, nor have they expressed, an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. However, in connection with the audit of our consolidated financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2009, we identified three material weaknesses in our system of internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies in internal controls over financial reporting, that results in a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

        The first material weakness identified relates to the fact that management did not design effective controls over its loan modeling process in order to account for certain loans in accordance with the requirements of Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, Subtopic 310-30, Loans and Debt Securities Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality. A material weakness existed due to the fact that the design of internal control did not provide for an independent review or approval and validation of the loan cash flow model and related assumptions. In addition, the design of internal control over the loan cash flow model did not provide for adequate access, change management, and end-user computing controls including spreadsheets. Furthermore, management's controls were not designed to reflect on a timely basis the impact of changes in market conditions on the loan cash flow model and related assumptions. The second material weakness relates to the fact that management did not maintain effective internal controls over the valuation and resulting writedown to fair market value of OREO properties. Specifically, a material weakness existed due to the fact that the control over the timely recording of OREO values by the Collateral Valuation Department in the Company's sub ledger system was not operating effectively. The third material weakness relates to the fact that BankUnited did not design effective controls over its financial reporting process in order to ascertain the complete, accurate, and timely preparation of its consolidated financial statements, including the applicable disclosures and footnotes, or design effective review controls to provide for proper accounting of nonroutine transactions. A material weakness existed due to the fact that the design of internal control did not

20

Table of Contents

provide for a comprehensive review of interim financial information and the consolidated financial statements to ensure the completeness and accuracy of information supporting various financial statement components.

        In order to improve the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for the above material weaknesses, we have taken the following remedial measures:

•

hired additional resources to help maintain/update the loan model, and engaged outside consultants to produce a closed form solution for the loan model which eliminates the manual aspect of data processing and aggregation;



•

management of the accounting and loan servicing departments has developed procedures designed to ensure the proper fields in the loan servicing system are populated with the most current OREO values to allow for proper recording in our consolidated financial statements;



•

hired additional managers and staff in the financial reporting area, and completed conversion to a new general ledger system; and



•

in conjunction with the above, monthly closing procedures have been reviewed and revised to incorporate the anticipated efficiencies related to the new general ledger system.

        While we are taking steps to address the identified material weaknesses and prevent additional material weaknesses from occurring, there is no guarantee that these steps will be sufficient to remediate the identified material weaknesses or prevent additional material weaknesses from occurring. If we fail to remediate the material weaknesses or if additional material weaknesses are discovered in the future, we may fail to meet our future reporting obligations and our financial statements may contain material misstatements. Any such failure could also adversely affect the results of the periodic management evaluations and annual auditor attestation reports regarding the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, and could negatively impact our business, results of operations and reputation.

We rely on our systems and employees, and any errors or fraud could materially adversely affect our operations.

        We are exposed to many types of operational risk, including the risk of fraud by employees and outsiders, clerical recordkeeping errors and transactional errors. Our business is dependent on our employees as well as third parties to process a large number of increasingly complex transactions. We could be materially adversely affected if one of our employees causes a significant operational breakdown or failure, either as a result of human error or where an individual purposefully sabotages or fraudulently manipulates our operations or systems. Third parties with which we do business also could be sources of operational risk to us, including breakdowns or failures of such parties' own systems or employees. Any of these occurrences could result in a diminished ability of us to operate our business, potential liability to customers, reputational damage and regulatory intervention, which could materially adversely affect us.

BankUnited Investment Services offers third-party products including mutual funds, annuities, life insurance, individual securities and other wealth management services which could experience significant declines in value subjecting us to reputational damage and litigation risk.

        Through our subsidiary BankUnited Investment Services, we offer third-party products including mutual funds, annuities, life insurance, individual securities and other wealth management products and services. If these products do not generate competitive risk-adjusted returns that satisfy clients in a variety of asset classes, we will have difficulty maintaining existing business and attracting new business. Additionally, our investment services businesses involve the risk that clients or others may sue us, claiming that we have failed to perform under a contract or otherwise failed to carry out a duty owed to them. Our investment services businesses are particularly subject to this risk and this risk may be heightened during periods when credit, equity or other financial markets are deteriorating in value or are particularly volatile, or when clients or investors are experiencing losses. Significant declines in the performance of these third-party products could subject us to reputational damage and litigation risk.

21

Table of Contents

Risks Relating to the Regulation of Our Industry

The enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 may have a material effect on our operations.

        On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, or the Dodd-Frank Act, which imposes significant regulatory and compliance changes. The key effects of the Dodd-Frank Act on our business are:

•

changes to the thrift supervisory structure;



•

changes to regulatory capital requirements;



•

creation of new government regulatory agencies;



•

limitation on federal preemption;



•

changes in insured depository institution regulations; and



•

mortgage loan origination and risk retention.

        The changes resulting from the Dodd-Frank Act may impact the profitability of our business activities, require changes to certain of our business practices, impose upon us more stringent capital, liquidity and leverage requirements or otherwise adversely affect our business. These changes may also require us to invest significant management attention and resources to evaluate and make any changes necessary to comply with new statutory and regulatory requirements. Failure to comply with the new requirements may negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition. While we cannot predict what effect any presently contemplated or future changes in the laws or regulations or their interpretations would have on us, these changes could be materially adverse to investors in our common stock. For a more detailed description of the Dodd-Frank Act, see "Regulation and Supervision—The Dodd-Frank Act."

We operate in a highly regulated environment and the laws and regulations that govern our operations, corporate governance, executive compensation and accounting principles, or changes in them, or our failure to comply with them, may adversely affect us.

        We are subject to extensive regulation, supervision, and legislation that govern almost all aspects of our operations. Intended to protect customers, depositors and deposit insurance funds, these laws and regulations, among other matters, prescribe minimum capital requirements, impose limitations on the business activities in which we can engage, limit the dividend or distributions that BankUnited can pay to us, restrict the ability of institutions to guarantee our debt, and impose certain specific accounting requirements on us that may be more restrictive and may result in greater or earlier charges to earnings or reductions in our capital than generally accepted accounting principles. Compliance with laws and regulations can be difficult and costly, and changes to laws and regulations often impose additional compliance costs. Our failure to comply with these laws and regulations, even if the failure follows good faith effort or reflects a difference in interpretation, could subject us to restrictions on our business activities, fines and other penalties, any of which could adversely affect our results of operations, capital base and the price of our securities. Further, any new laws, rules and regulations could make compliance more difficult or expensive or otherwise adversely affect our business and financial condition.

The FDIC's restoration plan and the related increased assessment rate could adversely affect our earnings.

        Market developments have significantly depleted the deposit insurance fund, or DIF, of the FDIC and reduced the ratio of reserves to insured deposits. As a result of recent economic conditions and the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act, the FDIC has increased the deposit insurance assessment rates

22

Table of Contents

and thus raised deposit premiums for insured depository institutions. There is no guarantee that these increases will be sufficient for the DIF to meet its funding requirements, which may necessitate further special assessments or increases in deposit insurance premiums. We are generally unable to control the amount of premiums that we are required to pay for FDIC insurance. If there are additional bank or financial institution failures, we may be required to pay even higher FDIC premiums than the recently increased levels. Any future additional assessments, increases or required prepayments in FDIC insurance premiums may materially adversely affect results of operations.

Federal banking agencies periodically conduct examinations of our business, including compliance with laws and regulations, and our failure to comply with any supervisory actions to which we are or become subject as a result of such examinations may adversely affect us.

        Federal banking agencies, including the Office of Thrift Supervision, or OTS, periodically conduct examinations of our business, including compliance with laws and regulations. If, as a result of an examination, a federal banking agency were to determine that the financial condition, capital resources, asset quality, earnings prospects, management, liquidity or other aspects of any of our operations had become unsatisfactory, or that the Company or its management was in violation of any law or regulation, it may take a number of different remedial actions as it deems appropriate. These actions include the power to enjoin "unsafe or unsound" practices, to require affirmative actions to correct any conditions resulting from any violation or practice, to issue an administrative order that can be judicially enforced, to direct an increase in BankUnited's capital, to restrict our growth, to assess civil monetary penalties against our officers or directors, to remove officers and directors and, if it is concluded that such conditions cannot be corrected or there is an imminent risk of loss to depositors, to terminate BankUnited's deposit insurance. If we become subject to such regulatory actions, our business, results of operations and reputation may be negatively impacted.

Changes in accounting standards may affect how we report our financial condition and results of operations.

        Our accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. From time to time, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, or regulatory authorities change the financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of financial statements. These changes can be hard to predict and can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. In some cases, we could be required to apply a new or revised standard retroactively, resulting in us restating prior period financial statements.

Changes and interpretations of tax laws and regulations may adversely impact our financial statements.

        Changes in state and federal tax laws can make our business less profitable. Local, state or federal tax authorities may interpret tax laws and regulations differently than us and challenge tax positions that we have taken on our tax returns. This may result in the disallowance of deductions or differences in the timing of deductions and result in the payment of additional taxes, interests, or penalties that could materially affect our performance.

Many of our new activities and expansion plans require regulatory approvals, and failure to obtain them may restrict our growth.

        We intend to complement and expand our business by pursuing strategic acquisitions of banks and other financial institutions. We must generally receive federal regulatory approval before we can acquire an institution or business. In determining whether to approve a proposed acquisition, federal bank regulators will consider, among other factors, the effect of the acquisition on the competition, our financial condition, and our future prospects. The regulators also review current and projected capital ratios and levels, the competence, experience, and integrity of management and its record of

23

Table of Contents

compliance with laws and regulations, the convenience and needs of the communities to be served (including the acquiring institution's record of compliance under the Community Reinvestment Act, or CRA) and the effectiveness of the acquiring institution in combating money laundering activities. Such regulatory approvals may not be granted on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all. We may also be required to sell branches as a condition to receiving regulatory approval, which condition may not be acceptable to us or, if acceptable to us, may reduce the benefit of any acquisition.

        In addition to the acquisition of existing financial institutions, as opportunities arise, we plan to continue de novo branching as a part of our internal growth strategy and possibly enter into new markets through de novo branching. De novo branching and any acquisition carries with it numerous risks, including the inability to obtain all required regulatory approvals. The failure to obtain these regulatory approvals for potential future strategic acquisitions and de novo branches may impact our business plans and restrict our growth.

Financial institutions, such as BankUnited, face a risk of noncompliance and enforcement action with the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering statutes and regulations.

        The federal Bank Secrecy Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, and other laws and regulations require financial institutions, among other duties, to institute and maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and file suspicious activity and currency transaction reports as appropriate. The federal Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, established by the U.S. Treasury Department to administer the Bank Secrecy Act, is authorized to impose significant civil money penalties for violations of those requirements, and has recently engaged in coordinated enforcement efforts with the individual federal banking regulators, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Internal Revenue Service. There is also increased scrutiny of compliance with the rules enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

        In order to comply with regulations, guidelines and examination procedures in this area, we have enhanced our anti-money laundering program by adopting new policies and procedures and selecting a new, robust automated anti-money laundering software solution that is scheduled to be implemented in early 2011. If our policies, procedures and systems are deemed deficient or the policies, procedures and systems of the financial institutions that we have already acquired or may acquire in the future are deficient, we would be subject to liability, including fines and regulatory actions such as restrictions on our ability to pay dividends and the necessity to obtain regulatory approvals to proceed with certain aspects of our business plan, including our acquisition plans.

We are subject to the CRA and fair lending laws, and failure to comply with these laws could lead to material penalties.

        The CRA, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act and other fair lending laws and regulations impose nondiscriminatory lending requirements on financial institutions. The Department of Justice and other federal agencies are responsible for enforcing these laws and regulations. A successful challenge to an institution's performance under the CRA or fair lending laws and regulations could result in a wide variety of sanctions, including the required payment of damages and civil money penalties, injunctive relief, imposition of restrictions on mergers and acquisitions activity, and restrictions on expansion activity. Private parties may also have the ability to challenge an institution's performance under fair lending laws in private class action litigation.

Risks Related to this Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock

There is no prior public market for our common stock and one may not develop.

        Prior to this offering, there has not been a public trading market for our common stock. An active trading market may not develop or be sustained after this offering. If an active trading market does not

24

Table of Contents

develop, you may have difficulty selling your shares of common stock at an attractive price, or at all. The initial public offering price for our common stock sold in this offering will be determined by negotiations among us, the selling stockholders and the underwriters. This price may not be indicative of the price at which our common stock will trade after this offering. The market price of our common stock may decline below the initial offering price, and you may not be able to sell your common stock at or above the price you paid in this offering, or at all.

Our stock price may be volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment as a result.

        You should consider an investment in our common stock to be risky, and you should invest in our common stock only if you can withstand a significant loss and wide fluctuation in the market value of your investment. The market price of our common stock could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to, among other things, the factors described in this "Risk Factors" section, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. These factors include:

•

quarterly variations in our results of operations or the quarterly financial results of companies perceived to be similar to us;



•

changes in expectations as to our future financial performance, including financial estimates by securities analysts and investors;



•

our announcements or our competitors' announcements regarding new products or services, enhancements, significant contracts, acquisitions or strategic investments;



•

fluctuations in the market valuations of companies perceived by investors to be comparable to us;



•

future sales of our common stock;



•

additions or departures of members of our senior management or other key personnel;



•

changes in industry conditions or perceptions; and



•

changes in applicable laws, rules or regulations and other dynamics.

        Furthermore, the stock markets have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market price of equity securities of many companies. These fluctuations have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies. These broad market fluctuations, as well as general economic, systemic, political and market conditions, such as recessions, loss of investor confidence, interest rate changes, or international currency fluctuations, may negatively affect the market price of our common stock.

        If any of the foregoing occurs, it could cause our stock price to fall and may expose us to securities class action litigation that, even if unsuccessful, could be costly to defend and a distraction to management.

We may not pay cash dividends on our common stock.

        Although we intend to pay dividends to our stockholders, we have no obligation to do so and may change our dividend policy at any time without notice to our stockholders. Holders of our common stock are only entitled to receive such cash dividends as our Board may declare out of funds legally available for such payments. Any decision to declare and pay dividends will be dependent on a variety of factors, including our financial condition, earnings, legal requirements and other factors that our Board deems relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends may be limited by covenants of any future indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur. As a result, you many not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell our common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it. In addition, since we are a holding company with no significant assets other than the

25

Table of Contents

capital stock of our banking subsidiary, we will need to depend upon dividends from the Bank for substantially all of our income. Accordingly, our ability to pay dividends depends primarily upon the receipt of dividends or other capital distributions from the Bank. The Bank's ability to pay dividends to us is subject to, among other things, its earnings, financial condition and need for funds, as well as federal and state governmental policies and regulations applicable to us and the Bank, which limit the amount that may be paid as dividends without prior regulatory approval.

You will incur immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of the shares you purchase in this offering.

        The initial public offering price is likely to be substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock based on the total value of our tangible assets less our total liabilities divided by our shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering. Therefore, if you purchase common stock in this offering, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book per share value after completion of this offering. To the extent outstanding options to purchase our common stock are exercised, there will be further dilution. See the section entitled "Dilution."

Our stock price could decline due to the large number of outstanding shares of our common stock eligible for future sale.

        Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market following this offering, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. These sales could also make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity related securities in the future, at a time and place that we deem appropriate.

        Upon completion of this offering, we will have                        outstanding shares of common stock, assuming no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option, and an initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus. Of the outstanding shares, all of the shares sold in this offering, plus any additional shares sold upon exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option will be freely tradable, except that any shares purchased by "affiliates" (as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act), only may be sold in compliance with the limitations described in the section entitled "Shares Eligible For Future Sale—Rule 144." Taking into consideration the effect of the lock-up agreements described below and the provisions of Rule 144 and Rule 701 of the Securities Act, the remaining shares of our common stock will be available for sale in the public market as follows:

•

shares will be eligible for sale on the date of this prospectus; and



•

shares will be eligible for sale upon the expiration of the lock-up agreements described below.

        We, our executive officers, directors, and the selling stockholders have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to dispose of or hedge any of their shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares during the period from the date of this prospectus continuing through the date 180 days after the date of this prospectus, except with the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. See the section entitled "Shares Eligible For Future Sale—Lock-Up Agreements."

"Anti-takeover" provisions and the regulations to which we are subject may make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of us, even if the change in control would be beneficial to stockholders.

        We are a savings and loan holding company incorporated in the state of Delaware. Anti-takeover provisions in Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and by-laws, as well as regulatory approvals that would be required under federal law, could make it more difficult for a third-party to

26

Table of Contents

take control of us and may prevent stockholders from receiving a premium for their shares of our common stock. These provisions could adversely affect the market price of our common stock and could reduce the amount that stockholders might get if we are sold.

        Our certificate of incorporation will provide for, among other things:

•

advance notice for nomination of directors and other stockholder proposals;



•

the removal of directors by stockholders for cause only;



•

limitations on the ability of stockholders to call a special meeting of stockholders;



•

a prohibition of stockholder action by written consent;



•

the approval by a super-majority of outstanding shares to amend certain provisions of the by-laws and the certificate of incorporation; and



•

the authorization of "blank check" preferred stock with such designations, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by our Board.

        Delaware law also imposes some restrictions on mergers and other business combinations between us and any holder of 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. See the section entitled "Description of Our Capital Stock—Anti-Takeover Considerations and Special Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation, By-Laws and Delaware Law." We believe that these provisions protect our stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by requiring potential acquirers to negotiate with our Board and by providing our Board with more time to assess any acquisition proposal. However, these provisions apply even if the offer may be determined to be beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our Board determines is not in our best interest and that of our stockholders.

        Furthermore, banking laws impose notice, approval and ongoing regulatory requirements on any shareholder or other party that seeks to acquire direct or indirect "control" of an FDIC-insured depository institution. These laws include the Savings and Loan Holding Company Act, the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 and the Change in Bank Control Act. These laws could delay or prevent an acquisition.

We may issue debt and equity securities or securities convertible into equity securities, any of which may be senior to our common stock as to distributions and in liquidation, which could negatively affect the value of our common stock.

        Shares of our common stock are equity interests and do not constitute indebtedness. In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by entering into debt or debt-like financing that is unsecured or secured by all or a substantial portion of our assets, or by issuing additional debt or equity securities, which could include the issuance of secured or unsecured commercial paper, medium-term notes, senior notes, subordinated notes, preferred stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for equity securities. Additionally, we may issue additional debt or equity securities as consideration for future mergers and acquisitions. Such additional debt or equity offerings may place restrictions on our ability to pay dividends on or repurchase our common stock, dilute the holdings of our existing stockholders or reduce the market price of our common stock. In the event of our liquidation, our lenders and holders of our debt and preferred securities would receive a distribution of our available assets before distributions to the holders of our common stock. Because our decision to incur debt and issue securities in our future offerings will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of our future offerings and debt financings. Furthermore, market conditions could require us to accept less favorable terms for the issuance of our securities in the future.

27

Table of Contents

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        Some of the statements under "Prospectus Summary," "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," "Business" and elsewhere in this prospectus may contain forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, future events and financial performance. We generally identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "could," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of those words or other comparable words. Any forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on the historical performance of us and our subsidiaries or on our current plans, estimates and expectations. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be regarded as a representation by us, the underwriters or any other person that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, financial results, financial condition, business prospects, growth strategy and liquidity. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those indicated in these statements. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included elsewhere in this prospectus. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those factors described in "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

28

Table of Contents

REORGANIZATION

        We are currently a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of the LLC. Prior to the completion of this offering, we will effect reorganization so that our investors, our named executive officers and all other members of the LLC will hold equity interests in us directly rather than indirectly through the LLC.

        Immediately prior to the consummation of this offering, the LLC will be liquidated and all interests in the registrant, BankUnited, Inc. will be distributed to the members of the LLC in accordance with its LLC Agreement. Following this liquidation, BankUnited, Inc. will be the ultimate parent entity of the group and will have two wholly-owned subsidiaries: BankUnited and BankUnited Investment Services. There are currently 36 holders of units in the LLC. All of the transactions necessary to effect the liquidation are collectively referred to herein as the "Reorganization."

        For additional information, see "Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Executive Officer Compensation—Equity-Based Compensation."

29

Table of Contents

        The following diagram shows our organizational structure, including our principal subsidiaries only, prior to giving effect to the Reorganization:

Pre-Reorganization

                 Immediately after the consummation of this offering and after the completion of the Reorganization, the following diagram shows our organization structure, including our principal subsidiaries only:

Post-Reorganization

30

Table of Contents

USE OF PROCEEDS

        We estimate that the net proceeds to us from the sale of our common stock in this offering will be $             million, at an assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us of this offering by $             million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes.

31

Table of Contents

DIVIDEND POLICY

        We initially anticipate paying a dividend of $            per share on our common stock, subject to the discretion of our Board and dependent on, among other things, our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, restrictions contained in future financing instruments and other factors that our Board may deem relevant. Dividends from the Bank are the principal source of funds for the payment of dividends on our common stock. The Bank is subject to certain restrictions that may limit its ability to pay dividends to us. See "Regulation and Supervision—Regulatory Limits on Dividends and Distributions." During the period ended December 31, 2009, we did not pay a cash dividend to the holder of our common stock. On September 17, 2010, we declared a quarterly dividend of $14.0 million. Additionally, on October 19, 2010, we declared a special one-time dividend of $6.0 million.

32

Table of Contents

CAPITALIZATION

        The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization at June 30, 2010:

•

on an actual basis; and



•

on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the sale of shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range on the cover of this prospectus, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses as if it had occurred on June 30, 2010.

        This table should be read in conjunction with "Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Information," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

        A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $            per share would increase (decrease) total stockholders' equity and total capitalization by $             million, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.

33

Table of Contents

DILUTION

        If you invest in our common stock, your ownership interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock upon consummation of this offering. Our historical net tangible book value at June 30, 2010 was $1.1 billion, or $123.08 per share of common stock based on the 9,294,681.45 shares issued and outstanding as of such date. Net tangible book value per share represents the book value of our total tangible assets less the book value of our total liabilities divided by the number of shares of common stock then issued and outstanding.

        After giving effect to our sale of                        shares of common stock at an assumed initial public offering price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range on the cover of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses, our as adjusted net tangible book value at June 30, 2010 would have been $             million, or $            per share. This amount represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value to our existing stockholders of $            per share and an immediate dilution to new investors of $            per share.

        The following table illustrates this per share dilution:

        Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $            per share would increase (decrease) our as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $             million, or approximately $            per share, and the pro forma dilution per share to investors in this offering by approximately $            per share, assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. The number of shares offered by us in this offering may be increased or decreased from the number of shares on the cover page of this prospectus. Each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares in the number of shares offered by us would increase (decrease) our as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $             million, or approximately $            per share, and the pro forma dilution per share to investors in this offering by approximately $            per share, assuming the assumed initial public offering price per share of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

        If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in full in this offering, the net tangible book value per share after this offering would not change since the shares for this option are all being provided by our selling stockholders and we will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of these shares.

        The following table summarizes at June 30, 2010 the average price per share paid by our existing stockholders and by investors participating in this offering, based on an assumed initial public offering

34

Table of Contents

price of $            per share, the midpoint of the price range on the cover of this prospectus, and before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses.

        Assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option, sales of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders in this offering will reduce the number of shares of common stock held by existing stockholders to                        , or approximately        % of the total shares of common stock outstanding after this offering, and will increase the number of shares held by new investors to                        , or approximately        % of the total shares of common stock outstanding after this offering. If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the number of shares held by existing stockholders will be reduced to                        shares, or        % of the total shares outstanding, and the number of shares held by investors participating in this offering will be increased to                        shares, or        % of the total shares outstanding.

        The above discussion and tables excludes            shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options at a weighted average exercise price of $            per share and            shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our benefit plans in each case as of                        , 2010. To the extent any of the foregoing options are exercised, there will be further dilution to investors participating in this offering.

35

Table of Contents

SELECTED HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

        You should read the selected historical consolidated financial information set forth below in conjunction with "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," "Capitalization" and the consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected historical consolidated financial information set forth below at and for the six months ended June 30, 2010 is derived from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and includes all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) that we considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and the results of operations for these periods. Operating results for the six months ended June 30, 2010 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December 31, 2010. The selected historical consolidated financial information set forth below at December 31, 2009 and for the period from April 28, 2009 (date of inception) to December 31, 2009 has been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected historical consolidated financial information set forth below at September 30, 2008 and 2007, for each of the periods from October 1, 2008 to May 21, 2009 and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of the Failed Bank included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected historical consolidated financial information set forth below at and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006 and 2005 has been derived from the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Failed Bank not included in this prospectus.

        Although we were incorporated on April 28, 2009, neither we nor the Bank had any substantive operations prior to the Acquisition on May 21, 2009. Results of operations of the Company for the post-Acquisition periods are not comparable to the results of operations of the Failed Bank for the pre-Acquisition periods. Results of operations for the post-Acquisition periods reflect, among other things, the acquisition method of accounting. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Periods Presented and Factors Affecting Comparability."

36

Table of Contents

37

Table of Contents