HSBC sells US credit card unit to Capital One
Bermuda customers will not be impacted by HSBC Holdings Plc’s sale of its US credit card unit to Capital One Financial Corp.HSBC said yesterday it had completed the sale of the unit for a premium of $2.5 billion.Asked is the sale could affect HSBC Bermuda customers, a bank spokesperson said: “There’s no impact to HSBC Bank Bermuda Limited issued credit cards or the card holders.”HSBC agreed to sell the business last August.The purchase from HSBC with the acquisition of ING’s US online bank will allow Capital One, which gets more than half its revenue from credit cards, to expand even as slowing US growth caps loan demand.The deal also takes HSBC CEO Stuart Gulliver a step closer to focusing operations on faster-growing markets and UK consumer banking.“The consideration and premium are subject to an adjustment based on final closing balances,” HSBC said in the statement.HSBC forecast a $2.6 billion premium in August as loan balances were higher.While HSBC Finance Corp will cease issuing credit cards, HSBC Bank USA will continue to do so, the lender said.HSBC is selling part of the HSBC Bank USA credit card business and its upstate New York branch network to First Niagara Financial Group Inc, the bank said.