TD buys MBNA Canada’s credit card business

TD Bank Financial Group and Bank of America today announced a definitive agreement under which TD will purchase MBNA Canada’s credit card portfolio, as well as certain other assets and liabilities. TD will pay a modest premium on an expected $8.5 billion of credit card receivables at closing.

“We are very pleased to be acquiring MBNA Canada’s credit card business; this acquisition will position TD as a top card issuer in Canada,” said Ed Clark, group president and CEO, TD Bank Group. “We’ve consistently said that we will seize good opportunities that make strategic sense, fit within our risk profile and are financially attractive. This franchise brings new customers to TD, provides attractive additional options for our customers and is a great complement to our existing high-growth credit card business.”

MBNA Canada is the country’s largest MasterCard issuer. This acquisition will significantly build on TD’s existing Canadian credit card business, which has successfully grown to approximately four million active accounts. With this transaction, TD will add 1.8 million active accounts to its base.

“This transaction boosts our capability in credit cards and increases our scale in this business, allowing us to further leverage our distribution capabilities,” said Tim Hockey, president and CEO, TD Canada Trust. “Acquiring this business makes TD a dual issuer of both Visa and MasterCard, giving customers greater choice.”

Subject to regulatory approvals, this transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2012. The MBNA Canada brand will be maintained at least up to conversion, which is expected to be approximately 18 months from close. Prior to close, TD expects to issue up to eight million common shares for prudent capital management purposes, subject to tone and price in the market. The common shares are not expected to be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the U.S. absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements.

TD expects the transaction to be accretive by five cents to adjusted earnings per share in fiscal 2012 and by 10 cents to adjusted earnings per share in fiscal 2013.

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