Click this link to view company snapshots Print This Story  Email This Story  Save this Link View PR Newswire's RSS Feed  Blogs Discussing this News Release  Search Blogs that Mention this News Release  Click this link to view linked Bookmarking Services Click this link to view linked Blogging Services


Banc One, First USA And First Data Announce Streamlined Card Processing Plans And Expanded Relationship

    COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 10 /PRNewswire/ --  Banc One Corporation,
(NYSE: ONE), First USA, Inc., Dallas, Texas (NYSE: FUS), and First Data
Corporation, Hackensack, New Jersey (NYSE: FDC), announced plans today to
capitalize on the anticipated completion of the acquisition of First USA by
Banc One.
    Plans include:

   * A long-term bank card processing agreement with First Data
     Corporation.

   * A private label card processing joint venture between Banc One
     and First Data Corporation.

    Banc One, First USA and First Data have reached a long-term agreement
for processing all Visa, MasterCard and private label credit cards issued by
both Banc One and First USA, which will become effective when First USA joins
Banc One.  Currently, First Data processes approximately 17 million accounts
for First USA and Banc One and intends to convert an additional 6 million bank
card accounts during the next 12 months.
    Banc One and First Data have also agreed to form a joint venture for
private label credit card processing.  Banc One will contribute the Triumph
card processing system to the joint venture.  Data processing services will be
provided by the joint venture for 5 million First Data accounts and 7 million
Banc One accounts.
    An existing joint venture between Banc One POS Services Corporation, a
unit of Banc One, and First Data Merchant Services, a unit of First Data, will
continue after Banc One completes the First USA acquisition.  First USA
currently owns a 57% interest of First USA Paymentech, Inc.  It is Banc One's
current intention to allow Paymentech to pursue greater operating independence
and the strategy for growth established under First USA. Accordingly, Banc One
has stated it expects to reduce its ownership of First USA Paymentech
following the merger with First USA.  Any such ownership reduction will only
be effected if it can be accomplished in such a way as to preserve the pooling
accounting treatment of the Banc One/First USA transaction.
    John B. McCoy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Banc One, said,
"One of the reasons why we are so delighted that First USA is joining us is
the economies of scale and skill the two companies possess.  Combining the
card operations and using First Data's enhanced processing capabilities will
produce significant financial benefits for Banc One and First USA."
    Richard W. Vague, President and Director of First USA, added, "Our
combined strength will provide us with greater flexibility as well as enable
us to offer a broader range of financial services to our existing customer
base.  The size of the new organization will permit us to realize efficiencies
far beyond what either one of us could have achieved separately."
    "We share with Banc One and First USA the philosophy of strategically
serving the needs of customers through the delivery of value-added products
and services," said Ric Duques, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First
Data.  "We are pleased that First Data has been selected as the core
transaction card processor in this new expanded relationship with Banc One and
First USA."
    First Data Corporation and its business units provide payment systems,
electronic commerce and information management services to financial
institutions, merchants, insurance companies, health care providers, public
utilities and consumers worldwide.
    First USA, Inc. is a financial services company specializing in the credit
card business and is currently the fourth largest among the domestic Visa and
MasterCard issuers with $22.4 billion in managed receivables and 16 million
cardholders.  The combination of First USA's operations with Banc One's 17
million cardholders and $12.6 billion in managed receivables will produce the
nation's third largest card operation with 30 million cardholders and assets
of $35 billion.  First USA is well known for its low-cost structure, marketing
savvy and cutting edge technology.
    Banc One Corporation had assets of $101.8 billion and common equity of
$8.4 billion at December 31, 1996, and operates 1,502 banking offices.  Banc
One also owns several additional corporations that engage in credit card and
merchant processing, consumer and education finance, mortgage banking,
insurance, trust and investment management, brokerage, investment and merchant
banking, venture capital, equipment leasing and data processing.
    Information about Banc One's fourth quarter and full year 1996 financial
results and its products and services can be accessed on the Internet through
Banc One's home page at: http://www.bankone.com, or through InvestQuest (TM)
Fax on demand: 614-844-3860.  First USA maintains a site on the World Wide Web
at http://www.firstusa.com.


SOURCE Banc One Corporation




Back to Topback to top

CONTACT:
John A. Russell of Banc One, 614-248-5989, or
David C. Webster of First USA, 214-849-3755, or Alan Boyer of
First Data, 770-857-7121