PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mastercard has reached an agreement to settle monetary damages claims in the U.S. merchant class-action litigation. The agreement formalizes prior discussions and has been executed by all of the defendants – including Mastercard, Visa and a number of banks – and the court-appointed class counsel for the merchants.
The settlement is an amendment to the financial terms of the 2012 Class Settlement Agreement and will be filed with the court seeking approval.
“We are taking a significant step toward closing a chapter in a long-standing case,” said Tim Murphy, general counsel, Mastercard. “We can put this behind us and focus on continuing to innovate with our merchant partners to deliver the experience and convenience that consumers expect.”
In addition to the original 2012 monetary terms, Mastercard’s share of the financial agreement is an additional $108 million, which is based upon the allocation of financial responsibility that was set out in the judgment and settlement sharing agreements that were executed in February 2011. In total, the defendants have agreed upon an additional payment of $900 million in the current agreement.
The company recorded a $210 million charge in its second-quarter 2018 financial statements, which will cover the financial obligation under this agreement and for estimated liabilities related to filed and anticipated opt-out merchant cases.
The merchant class-action that seeks the revision of network rules is not covered by this settlement agreement. That action remains outstanding while the parties are engaged in settlement negotiations.
After court approval of the monetary agreement, Mastercard and its customer financial institutions will receive a release of all monetary claims alleged by the merchant class members concerning the company’s interchange and fee structure and merchant acceptance rules. This release covers all previous, as well as future claims, for a period of five years after resolution of all appeals.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. When used in this Report, the words “believe”, “expect”, “could”, “may”, “would”, “will”, “trend” and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that relate to the Company’s future prospects, developments and business strategies. Please see a complete discussion of these risk factors in Part I, Item 1A - Risk Factors of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Report or as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update our forward-looking statements.
About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
