Principal Financial to acquire Wells Fargo's institutional retirement business for $1.2 billion

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Principal Financial Group said Tuesday it has agreed to acquire Wells Fargo & Co.s Institutional Retirement & Trust business for $1.2 billion. The deal will double the size of Principal's U.S. retirement business measured by total recordkeeping assets, the company said in a statement. "In addition to increased scale, Principal will gain a strong foothold with mid-sized employers as more than two-thirds of Wells Fargo's institutional retirement assets are in plans ranging from $10 million to $1 billion," said the statement. The deal is expected to boost net income and non-GAAP operating per-share earnings in 2020 and will be financed with a mix of cash and senior debt financing. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter. Wells Fargo shares were slightly higher premarket, while Principal's shares were not yet active.