NU Online News Service, Aug. 26, 10:25 a.m. – The Principal Financial Group Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, has agreed to sell most of the BT Financial Group operations it owns in Australia to Westpac Banking Corp., Sydney, for the equivalent of about $500 million in U.S. dollars in cash.
Principal could also get a future payment of up to $80 million if Westpac has good luck with expanding BT Financial's retail mutual funds, Principal says.
The agreement calls for Westpac to buy all of the Australian BT Financial's retail funds, wrap accounts and Australian stock and bond businesses. The agreement also includes the Australian BT Financial's operations in New Zealand.
Principal plans to keep the Australian BT Financial's real estate, international fixed-income and currency operations.
Principal says it is making the deal because it prefers to focus on the U.S. retirement services market and the company's international businesses in Asia and Latin America.
