Financial players likely to battle it out to buy PTF

Rzeczpospolita has learned that the fourth largest loan intermediary, Polskie Towarzystwo Finansowe (PTF), has been put on sale. "There are three groups of investors interested in acquiring PTF. The first are banks, which want to increase their share in the personal loans sector. The second are companies, which are beginning or looking to enter financial intermediary services in Poland. And finally there are entities already on the market which would like to block new entrants," thinks Żagiel president Michał Oziembło. Among the most probable buyers of PTF are the three largest domestic loan intermediaries, Lukas, Żagiel and AIG Credit. These players are very strong in the loans sector, but very weak in auto loans, and PTS' strength is exactly in this area. According to rough estimates, the company might be worth as much as $70 million. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B5) M.M.