However, it appears all but official that Australia’s largest investment bank, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), has been successful and will buy the $8.2 billion motor vehicle and equipment loan portfolio.
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ANZ said in a separate statement that the total purchase price for the Esanda portfolio is $8.2 billion.
In May, Macquarie struck a deal to buy a portfolio of 90 commercial airliners for US$4 billion, bolstering its aircraft-leasing business and further diversifying away from its investment-banking roots.
Commenting on the transaction, Macquarie Group chief executive, Nicholas Moore said it represented a continuation of the firm’s growth in annuity-style businesses.
Macquarie kicked off a $400 million share placement to institutional investors, and a share purchase plan for eligible shareholders, to help fund the deal.
ANZ has announced the sale of its dealer finance portfolio to a challenger bank.
“Macquarie has been a long-standing supporter of the motor vehicle industry”, he said.
The Sydney-based bank reiterated that it expects net profit for the year to end-March 2016 to top the A$1.6 billion recorded last year, which was its best annual profit since the 2008 global financial crisis.
Macquarie has now updated its earnings guidance a second time for the six months ended September 30, saying interim profit would surge 55 per cent on the same period a year ago.
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ANZ says the sale will enable it to increase its common equity capital ratio by an impressive 0.2%.
