Banks Sell Loans to Private Credit in Balance Sheet Twist
- Banks partnering with private lenders on consumer loans
- Capital rules prompt new demeanor toward less-regulated rivals
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For years, Barclays Plc struggled with what to do about its US credit-card business. It was a cash generator, cranking out a steady stream of revenue, and yet it was costly to run because of the way regulators force banks to set aside capital as a buffer against losses.
The British lender came up with a solution in February, by selling $1.1 billion of card assets to private equity firm Blackstone Inc. The transaction, part of an ongoing financing arrangement, allows Barclays to collect fees for servicing the loans, but not have to hold them on its books. In return, Blackstone gets to generate high yields for insurance clients.