Worldline completed 36.4% acquisition of equensWorldline for €1bn.

Worldline, a European provider of the payments and transactional services industry, completed a 36.4% stake acquisition of equensWorldline, a full-service card and payment processor, for €1bn ($1.1bn). ABN AMRO held 7% of the minority stake. "Leveraging a good market momentum, Worldline has benefited from excellent conditions to finance this acquisition, including a negative cost of debt. It allows me to fully confirm the double digit accretion expected on our net income per share as soon as 2020. Last, owning 100% of equensWorldline gives us an enhanced opportunity to set-up new strategic partnerships, notably in our processing business, and enlarge our options for our inorganic development. Following the deconsolidation from Atos after the distribution that occurred earlier this year, Worldline has a now a maximum flexibility for executing its vision and consolidation ambitions,” Eric Heurtaux, Worldline Chief Financial Officer.