KCB To Acquire DRC-based Trust Merchant Bank

KCB Group Plc has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DRC-based lender Trust Merchant Bank (TMB).

The transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of 2022, subject to regulatory, shareholders and other approvals.

The agreement will see KCB acquire 85% of the shares in TMB while the existing shareholders will continue to hold the balance for a period of not less than 2 years after which, KCB will acquire their shares.

KCB will pay a cash consideration for the shares determined based on the net asset value of TMB at the completion of the proposed transaction, and using a price to book multiple of 1.49.

TMB, a public company limited by shares, is one of DRC’s largest banks with US$1.5 billion in total assets. TMB has a strong offering in Retail, SME, Corporate and Digital banking channels. It has over 110 branches and numerous agency banking outlets spread across DRC.

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This acquisition is aligned with the Group’s strategic focus of scaling its regional presence and once completed, it will complement KCB Group’s regional footprint with an asset base of Sh1.5 Trillion (USD 12.6 billion).

“This is part of our ongoing strategy to tap into opportunities for new growth while investing in and maximizing returns from the Group’s existing businesses. It gives us strong headroom to accelerate our growth ambitions to deliver better value for our shareholders and to bolster the push for deeper financial inclusion and social and economic transformation in Africa and beyond. We are excited that we can now play a role in catalyzing DRC’s and indeed East Africa’s economic expansion agenda,” KCB Group Chairman Andrew Wambari said.

The sentiments were echoed by TMB Chairman Robert Levy. He said, “We are very excited about the opportunities KCB offers in this transaction and we are proud to bring our unique DRC insights and experience to the KCB Group. We believe that by combining our local knowledge and standing with the size and expertise of KCB Group, we should be able to increase market share and shareholder value through unlocking our synergies and business opportunities.”

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