Mergers & Acquisitions

February, 2019

• 15 February

  Wendy’s Announces $50 Million Data Breach Settlement and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 2/15/19

  

  Hamburger chain The Wendy’s Co. announced a $50 million settlement of class-action lawsuits filed against it after a data breach that began in 2015. The 7,500 bank and credit-union plaintiffs alleged the breach was caused by malware that affected point-of-sale systems at more than 1,000 franchised Wendy’s locations. Some 18 …
• 13 February

  North America Proved Difficult for Ingenico Last Year

  Ingenico Group’s business generated through North American banks and merchant acquirers had a difficult 2018, the company reported Tuesday. Full-year revenues from North America within the Paris-based point-of-sale terminal maker and payment processor’s Banks & Acquirers segment declined 9% year-over-year on a constant-currency comparable basis and 13% as reported to …
• 13 February

  Celebrating a Record 2018, Global Payments Vows to Ride Integrated Payments to Even Bigger Results

  

  Global Payments Inc. on Wednesday credited a technology-centered strategy it has developed over the past six years for record results in 2018. Chief executive Jeff Sloan also pointed to the increasing investments required of payments providers as a leading cause of industry consolidation, in particular the pending merger of industry …
• 12 February

  In the Shadow of the Fiserv-First Data Deal, FIS Ponders ‘Actionable’ Acquisitions That ‘Make Sense’

  

  Fidelity National Information Services Inc. expects further processor mergers in the near term and isn’t averse to initiating them in cases where they fit the company’s strategy, its chairman and chief executive said Tuesday morning. “We will always look for opportunities,” said Gary Norcross, who is also president of the …
• 8 February

  Eye on M&A: Visa Heats up the Bidding War Over Earthport; Clearent Picks up Coolfront

  

  The tug-of-war over Earthport PLC continues. Visa Inc. upped its offer for the British business-to-business payment processor in a bidding war that started after Mastercard Inc. topped Visa’s original price. Visa is now offering 37 pence per share, which values the company at £247 million ($320.4 million). Visa’s new offer …
• 7 February

  Three Weeks From the Announcement, Fiserv Clients Are ‘Incredibly Positive’ About First Data Deal

  

  Twenty-two days of talking to clients haven’t dampened Fiserv Inc.’s conviction that offering to buy First Data Corp. is the right move. In fact, if anything these conversations seem to have buoyed top executives’ confidence in the proposed $22 billion all-stock acquisition of the big processor. “We’ve spent a substantial …
• 6 February

  First Data’s North American Merchant Revenues Grew 7% in 2018’s Fourth Quarter

  

  Merchant-processing revenues from North America grew 7% year-over-year in 2018’s fourth quarter to $1.1 billion on a comparable accounting basis, First Data Corp. reported Wednesday. First Data, which has an agreement to be acquired by processor Fiserv Inc. in a $22 billion all-stock deal, reported total quarterly revenues of $1.42 …
• 6 February

  As the Fiserv-First Data Behemoth Looms, Jack Henry Issues a Subtle Warning

  

  With the proposed merger of processing giants First Data Corp. and Fiserv Inc. looming over the payments landscape, players that both work and compete with the two companies are in a potentially ticklish position. But the chief executive of one such company made it clear Wednesday morning that First Data …
• 1 February

  Going by Share Prices, Investors Like What They See in the Massive Fiserv-First Data Deal

  

  Fiserv Inc. and First Data Corp. argue their proposed $22 billion combination will usher in a processing behemoth that should create substantial operating efficiencies and economies of scale. And so far, investors are buying that story. Shares of both companies are up by double-digit percentages since the Jan. 16 announcement …
• 1 February

  Elavon Plans To Hire 500 More Employees and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 2/1/19

  

  Elavon, the Atlanta-based merchant-acquiring subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp, says it plans to hire approximately 500 employees globally over the next three years. Elavon currently employs more than 730 people in Atlanta and more than 4,500 worldwide. BlockChyp Inc., a payment software and gateway provider, said it completed Level 3 certification …