NEW YORK - Monday, January 30th 2012 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) has agreed to acquire from Aviva plc its life insurance businesses in the Czech Republic (Aviva Czech Life) and Hungary (Aviva Hungary Life), and its life insurance and pension businesses in Romania (Aviva Romania Life and Pensions). The transaction is expected to be completed during 2012, and is subject to regulatory approvals. The financial terms of the deal are not disclosed.
“MetLife is intent on investing and growing in high-potential markets,” said Michel Khalaf, MetLife’s President for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, “and this transaction creates an excellent opportunity to reach more customers with a broader product and service offering, and further build scale in our existing operations in these countries.”
“This is yet another step in realizing MetLife’s vision to be the leading global provider of life, accident and health, and retirement products and employee benefits, and it exemplifies our disciplined pursuit of this goal and our ability to strategically deploy capital in growth markets,” said Khalaf.
The transaction will add a large, diverse distribution network and expand MetLife’s product capabilities, further solidifying the company’s market position in the region.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. served as exclusive financial advisor to MetLife.
About MetLife
MetLife, Inc. is a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, serving 90 million customers in over 50 countries. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
In EMEA, MetLife is present in 35 countries, operating in both established and emerging markets, and offering customers a broad product suite through a highly diversified and efficient distribution network.
This press release may contain or incorporate by reference information that includes or is based upon forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give expectations or forecasts of future events. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, prospective services or products, future performance or results of current and anticipated services or products, sales efforts, expenses, the outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings, trends in operations and financial results.
Any or all forward-looking statements may turn out to be wrong. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many such factors will be important in determining the actual future results of MetLife, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. These statements are based on current expectations and the current economic environment. They involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors that might cause such differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in MetLife, Inc.’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These factors include: (1) difficult conditions in the global capital markets; (2) concerns over U.S. fiscal policy and the trajectory of the national debt of the U.S., as well as rating agency downgrades of U.S. Treasury securities; (3) increased volatility and disruption of the capital and credit markets, which may affect our ability to seek financing or access our credit facilities; (4) uncertainty about the effectiveness of the U.S. government’s programs to stabilize the financial system, the imposition of fees relating thereto, or the promulgation of additional regulations; (5) impact of comprehensive financial services regulation reform on us; (6) exposure to financial and capital market risk; (7) changes in general economic conditions, including the performance of financial markets and interest rates, which may affect our ability to raise capital, generate fee income and market-related revenue and finance statutory reserve requirements and may require us to pledge collateral or make payments related to declines in value of specified assets; (8) potential liquidity and other risks resulting from our participation in a securities lending program and other transactions; (9) investment losses and defaults, and changes to investment valuations; (10) impairments of goodwill and realized losses or market value impairments to illiquid assets; (11) defaults on our mortgage loans; (12) the impairment of other financial institutions that could adversely affect our investments or business; (13) our ability to address unforeseen liabilities, asset impairments, loss of key contractual relationships, or rating actions arising from acquisitions or dispositions, including our acquisition of American Life Insurance Company and Delaware American Life Insurance Company (collectively, “ALICO”) and to successfully integrate and manage the growth of acquired businesses with minimal disruption; (14) uncertainty with respect to the outcome of the closing agreement entered into with the United States Internal Revenue Service in connection with the acquisition of ALICO; (15) the dilutive impact on our stockholders resulting from the issuance of equity securities in connection with the acquisition of ALICO or otherwise; (16) economic, political, currency and other risks relating to our international operations, including with respect to fluctuations of exchange rates; (17) our primary reliance, as a holding company, on dividends from our subsidiaries to meet debt payment obligations and the applicable regulatory restrictions on the ability of the subsidiaries to pay such dividends; (18) downgrades in our claims paying ability, financial strength or credit ratings; (19) ineffectiveness of risk management policies and procedures; (20) availability and effectiveness of reinsurance or indemnification arrangements, as well as default or failure of counterparties to perform; (21) discrepancies between actual claims experience and assumptions used in setting prices for our products and establishing the liabilities for our obligations for future policy benefits and claims; (22) catastrophe losses; (23) heightened competition, including with respect to pricing, entry of new competitors, consolidation of distributors, the development of new products by new and existing competitors, distribution of amounts available under U.S. government programs, and for personnel; (24) unanticipated changes in industry trends; (25) changes in accounting standards, practices and/or policies; (26) changes in assumptions related to deferred policy acquisition costs, deferred sales inducements, value of business acquired or goodwill; (27) increased expenses relating to pension and postretirement benefit plans, as well as health care and other employee benefits; (28) exposure to losses related to variable annuity guarantee benefits, including from significant and sustained downturns or extreme volatility in equity markets, reduced interest rates, unanticipated policyholder behavior, mortality or longevity, and the adjustment for nonperformance risk; (29) deterioration in the experience of the “closed block” established in connection with the reorganization of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; (30) adverse results or other consequences from litigation, arbitration or regulatory investigations; (31) inability to protect our intellectual property rights or claims of infringement of the intellectual property rights of others; (32) discrepancies between actual experience and assumptions used in establishing liabilities related to other contingencies or obligations; (33) regulatory, legislative or tax changes relating to our insurance, banking, international, or other operations that may affect the cost of, or demand for, our products or services, impair our ability to attract and retain talented and experienced management and other employees, or increase the cost or administrative burdens of providing benefits to employees; (34) the effects of business disruption or economic contraction due to disasters such as terrorist attacks, cyberattacks, other hostilities, or natural catastrophes, including any related impact on our disaster recovery systems, cyber-or other information security systems and management continuity planning; (35) the effectiveness of our programs and practices in avoiding giving our associates incentives to take excessive risks; and (36) other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in MetLife, Inc.’s filings with the SEC.
MetLife, Inc. does not undertake any obligation to publicly correct or update any forward-looking statement if MetLife, Inc. later becomes aware that such statement is not likely to be achieved. Please consult any further disclosures MetLife, Inc. makes on related subjects in reports to the SEC.
Contacts
MetLife, Inc.
For Media:
Peter Stack, 212-578-3674
For Investors:
John McCallion, 212-578-7888
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