LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Julius Baer /quotes/comstock/22a!baer (CH:BAER 39.20, +1.20, +3.16%) said Wednesday that it's agreed to acquire ING Group's /quotes/comstock/24s!e:inga (NL:INGA 11.67, +0.62, +5.56%) private banking business in Switzerland for 520 million Swiss francs ($506 million). Julius Baer said the deal will increase its assets under management by 15 billion francs, or around 10%, and will further increase its scale in its domestic market as well as strengthening its business in Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. The ING unit has surplus capital of 170 million francs, which will be allocated to Julius Baer. The Swiss firm said the deal is expected to generate pretax annual savings of around 35 million francs. It will be neutral for earnings in 2010 but provide a strong lift from 2011, rising to high single-digits in 2012. ING said the deal will generate a net profit of around 150 million euros ($221 million) and free up around 200 million euros of capital.
Comments: ING sucessfully closed now 2 deals with its Australian and swiss private banking businesses which means they are on track with their restructure program and the strenthening of capital position. Positive Effects on the stock price can be expected - even more if ING will announce about plans to payout the Dutch Govt .