REG-Barclays PLC Acquisition

Released: 26/10/2009

com:20091026:RnsZ3794B
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RNS Number : 3794B  
  
Barclays PLC  
  
26 October 2009  
  
26 October 2009  
  
Barclays PLC  
  
Barclays to acquire Standard Life Bank  
  
Barclays Bank PLC ("Barclays") has agreed to acquire Standard Life Bank Plc 
("Standard Life Bank") from Standard Life Plc ("Standard Life") for a 
consideration of £226m, payable in cash upon completion.  
  
Under the terms of the transaction, Barclays will acquire a savings book of 
approximately £5.5bn, as at 30 June 2009, and a mortgage book with outstanding 
balances of approximately £8.8bn, as at 30 June 2009, with an average indexed 
loan to value ratio of 48% at that date. On completion, approximately 270 
Standard Life employees will transfer to Barclays.   
  
Standard Life Bank reported IFRS underlying profit before tax of £26m for the 
year ended 31 December 2008 and £15m for the half-year ended 30 June 2009. 
Standard Life has confirmed to Barclays that Standard Life Bank has traded well 
since 30 June 2009.  
  
The price is based on an estimated tangible net book value of £293m and is 
subject to adjustment based on changes to Standard Life Bank's tangible net book 
value at completion. Completion is subject, amongst other things, to regulatory 
approval and is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2010.    
  
Separately, Barclays UK Retail Banking and Standard Life have also agreed heads 
of terms to enter into a strategic agreement to explore joint opportunities in 
the UK retail long-term savings and investments sector. The initial focus is 
expected to be on the development of a multi-channel, simplified pension 
product.   
  
Frits Seegers, Chief Executive of Barclays Global Retail and Commercial Banking, 
said: "The acquisition of Standard Life Bank is a good fit with Barclays 
existing UK retail banking business. This transaction brings to Barclays 
high-quality savings and mortgage books, and an attractive customer base. We 
also look forward to working together with Standard Life in the long-term 
savings and investments sector. We believe that we will be able to drive 
significant value for customers and shareholders - both through this acquisition 
and through the strategic initiative."  
  
- Ends -  
  
For further information, please contact:  
  
Barclays  
  
Investor Relations     Media Relations   
  
James Johnson     Alistair Smith  
  
+44 (0) 20 7116 7233   +44 (0) 20 7116 6132  
  
Neil Temple     Phillippa-Jane Vermoter  
  
+44 (0) 20 7116 2928   +44 (0) 20 7116 7226  
  
Standard Life  
  
Investor Relations    Media Relations  
  
Gordon Aitken     Barry Cameron  
  
+44 (0) 131 245 6799   +44 (0) 131 245 6165  
  
                                  Nicola McGowan  
  
                                  + 44(0) 131 245 4016  
  
Notes to editors:  
  
As at 30 June 2009, Barclays UK Retail Banking had approximately 13.0m savings 
accounts and total customer deposit balances of £88.5bn.   
  
As at 30 June 2009, Standard Life Bank had approximately 287,000 savings 
accounts and total customer deposit balances of £5.5bn.  
  
As at 30 June 2009, Barclays UK Retail Banking had approximately 824,000 
mortgage accounts and a total mortgage book of £84.4bn. The average loan to 
value ratio of the mortgage book on a current valuation basis was 44%, and the 
average loan to value ratio of new mortgage lending was 46%. For the six months 
to 30 June 2009, net new mortgage lending was £2.2bn in a market of £1.1bn. 
Three-month arrears were 1.16%.  
  
As at 30 June 2009, Standard Life Bank had approximately 78,000 mortgage 
accounts and a total mortgage book of £8.8bn. The average indexed loan to value 
of the mortgage book was 48%. Three-month arrears were 0.68%.  
  
About Barclays  
  
Barclays is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail and 
commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management and 
investment management services, with an extensive international presence in 
Europe, the USA, Africa and Asia. With over 300 years of history and expertise 
in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs over 145,000 
people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for over 49 million 
customers and clients worldwide. For further information about Barclays, please 
visit our website www.barclays.com.  
  
About Standard Life  
  
Standard Life is a major asset managing company headquartered in Edinburgh and 
operating across the globe.  Established in 1825, Standard Life provides life 
assurance and pensions, investment management, banking and healthcare insurance 
products to over 6.5 million customers worldwide. The Group has around 10,000 
employees across the UK, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, India, USA, Hong 
Kong and mainland China.  At the end of June 2009 the Group had total assets 
under administration of £156.5bn.  
  
Forward-looking statements  
  
This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of 
Section 21E of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 
27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to certain of the 
Group's plans and its current goals and expectations relating to its future 
financial condition and performance. Barclays cautions readers that no 
forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance and that actual 
results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking 
statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that 
they do not relate only to historical or current facts. Forward-looking 
statements sometimes use words such as "may", "will", "seek", "continue", "aim", 
"anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "goal", 
"believe" or other words of similar meaning. Examples of forward-looking 
statements include, among others, statements regarding the Group's future 
financial position, income growth, assets, impairment charges, business 
strategy, capital ratios, leverage, payment of dividends, projected levels of 
growth in the banking and financial markets, projected costs, estimates of 
capital expenditures, and plans and objectives for future operations and other 
statements that are not historical fact. By their nature, forward-looking 
statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and 
circumstances, including, but not limited to, UK domestic and global economic 
and business conditions, the effects of continued volatility in credit markets, 
market related risks such as changes in interest rates and exchange rates, 
effects of changes in valuation of credit market exposures, changes in valuation 
of issued notes, the policies and actions of governmental and regulatory 
authorities, changes in legislation, the further development of standards and 
interpretations under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 
applicable to past, current and future periods, evolving practices with regard 
to the interpretation and application of standards under IFRS, the integration 
of the Lehman Brothers North American businesses into the Group's business and 
the quantification of the benefits resulting from such acquisition, the proposed 
disposal of Barclays Global Investors and the impact on the Group, the outcome 
of pending and future litigation, the success of future acquisitions and other 
strategic transactions and the impact of competition - a number of which factors 
are beyond the Group's control. As a result, the Group's actual future results 
may differ materially from the plans, goals, and expectations set forth in the 
Group's forward-looking statements.  
  
Any forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date they are 
made. Except as required by the UK Financial Services Authority, the London 
Stock Exchange or applicable law, Barclays expressly disclaims any obligation or 
undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking 
statements contained in this announcement to reflect any change in Barclays 
expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or 
circumstances on which any such statement is based. The reader should, however, 
consult any additional disclosures that Barclays has made or may make in 
documents it has filed or may file with the SEC.  
  
 
This information is provided by RNS  
  
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange  
  
  END  
  
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