Banco BPM, Credit Agricole revise terms of Agos partnership

MILAN: Italian lender Banco BPM has agreed with Credit Agricole a partial revision of the terms of their Agos consumer credit partnership in the country.

The changes will give Agos additional opportunities to further expand its client base and improve its cost of funding, Banco BPM said in a statement on Monday.

The changes to an 2018 agreement include an up to 24-month extension - to July 2023 - of a deadline for Banco BPM to exercise a put option on a 10% stake in Agos at the previously agreed strike price of 150 million euros ($183 million).

Banco BPM and Credit Agricole Italy had explored a possible tie-up as part of talks on the Agos venture, in which the Italian bank has 39% and Credit Agricole 61%. But discussions fell through on the M&A front, sources have said.

Credit Agricole Italy has now offered to buy third-tier Italian lender Creval for 737 million euros. .

Banco BPM, which had been scouting for a possible partner, has turned its attention to BPER Banca and the two banks are considering a possible merger accord in the first half of 2021, sources have said.

In a move that would give it more freedom to pursue a potential merger deal, Banco BPM last week said it wanted to take full ownership of a partnership with insurer Cattolica.