May 3 (Reuters) - PacWest Bancorp (PACW.O) is exploring strategic options including a sale or capital raising, a source familiar with the matter said, sending the shares of the bank and several other U.S. regional lenders tumbling in after-market trading.
The Phoenix-based regional lender said it was "reaffirming its financial strength as well as its deposit growth guidance in response to recent industry events."
PacWest stock has lost almost 90% of its value since the regional banking crisis started on March 8.
Zion Bancorp (ZION.O), First Horizon (FHN.N) and Comerica (CMA.N) each slumped more than 7% and the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE.P) dropped 5%.
The cost of insuring against further losses in regional U.S. bank stocks stood on Wednesday near a one-month high in options markets.