February 22,
2007
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial
Group, Inc.
Sumitomo
Mitsui Banking Corporation
Promise
Co., Ltd.
At-Loan Co., Ltd.
SMBC, Promise and At-Loan
Announce Partial Revision
In Distribution of
Consumer Loans under Cascade Strategy
Sumitomo Mitsui
Banking Corporation (SMBC, President: Masayuki Oku), Promise Co., Ltd.
(President: Hiroki Jinnai), and At-Loan Co., Ltd. (President: Masaaki
Shimojima) have made the
following revisions to the distribution of consumer loans under the cascade strategy
in response to shifts in social trends in Japan involving the consumer finance
market.
1. Summary of revisions
Consumer loans currently offered by SMBC,
Promise and At-Loan will be sold only by SMBC and At-Loan. As before, Promise
will guarantee all loans extended by SMBC and At-Loan under the cascade strategy.
2. Date of effectiveness
The revisions will become effective on
February 26, 2007.
In June 2004,
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG, President: Teisuke Kitayama) and Promise
reached an agreement to form a strategic alliance in consumer finance business.
A joint consumer finance business model called the cascade strategy began in
April 2005, operated by SMBC, Promise and At-Loan, positioning At-Loan as a joint
venture under this strategic alliance. This business has grown steadily for
these almost two years, and, at the end of December 2006, consumer loans
outstanding at the three companies totaled \263.1 billion.
SMFG and Promise will continue to collaborate as
strategic partners for each other, and will address sound cashing needs of
consumers more accurately and speedily, by combining their brands, customer
bases, expertise and other resources. Our plans include expanding the network
of automatic contract machines installed in SMBC branches (621 machines as of
February 2007), by placing these machines at railroad stations, shopping
centers, Promise branches and other locations, mainly in major regional cities
throughout Japan. Through this expansion and other actions, SMFG and Promise
intend to continue working on the development of products and services that can
offer even greater convenience for customers.
Note: The cascade strategy is a joint consumer finance business model
operated by SMBC, Promise and At-Loan.