eBay to spin off PayPal as a separate company in 2015

PayPal president Dan Schulman
DAN SCHULMAN: Taking the reins at PayPal with immediate effect

eBay Inc is to be split into two separate publicly traded companies in 2015, the company has announced — and Dan Schulman, president of American Express’ enterprise growth group, has been hired as the new president of PayPal as well as CEO-designee post-spin off.

“Dan has a proven track record of leading complex technology businesses at scale, driving sustainable growth and understanding how to innovate to drive competitive advantage and deliver compelling experiences for customers,” says John Donahoe, president and CEO of eBay Inc.

“I am thrilled to have him lead PayPal forward as a publicly traded, independent global payments leader, and we welcome him to the team.”

“Creating two standalone businesses best positions eBay and PayPal to capitalize on their respective growth opportunities in the rapidly changing global commerce and payments landscape, and is the best path for creating sustainable shareholder value,” Donahoe explains in a statement issued by eBay Inc.

“For more than a decade eBay and PayPal have mutually benefited from being part of one company, creating substantial shareholder value. However, a thorough strategic review with our board shows that keeping eBay and PayPal together beyond 2015 clearly becomes less advantageous to each business strategically and competitively. The industry landscape is changing, and each business faces different competitive opportunities and challenges.

“eBay and PayPal will be sharper and stronger, and more focused and competitive as leading, standalone companies in their respective markets,” Donahoe adds. “As independent companies, eBay and PayPal will enjoy added flexibility to pursue new market and partnership opportunities.

“And we are confident following a thorough assessment of the relationships between eBay and PayPal that operating agreements can maintain synergies going forward. Our board and management team believe that putting eBay and PayPal on independent paths in 2015 is best for each business and will create additional value for our shareholders.”

The review conducted by the board of eBay Inc concluded:

  • A changing competitive landscape creates enormous opportunities for eBay and PayPal; separation will create sharper strategic focus and better position each business to capitalize on those growth opportunities as independent companies. The pace of industry change and innovation in commerce and payments requires maximum flexibility to stay competitive and drive global leadership.
  • The benefits of the existing relationships between eBay and PayPal will naturally decline over time and can be optimized in arm’s length operating agreements between the two entities. Arm’s length operating agreements can formalize the existing relationships between the two companies and capture ongoing synergies.
  • This is the best path for delivering sustainable shareholder value. eBay is a leading global commerce platform that has benefited from PayPal, and PayPal is a strong, rapidly growing global payments leader because it has been part of eBay. But beyond 2015, eBay and PayPal will each benefit more and create greater value from the strategic focus, speed, flexibility and agility that come with being independent publicly traded companies.

“The company expects to complete the transaction as a tax-free spin-off in the second half of 2015, subject to market, regulatory and certain other conditions,” the statement adds. “eBay Inc president and CEO John Donahoe and company CFO Bob Swan will be responsible for leading the separation of each business, with board oversight.

“This includes determining appropriate management and capital structures for eBay and PayPal, and putting in place appropriate operating agreements. Neither Donahoe nor Swan will have an executive management role in the new eBay and PayPal companies. But to provide continuity, they each expect to serve on one or both of the boards of the two companies.”

Next: Visit the NFCW Expo to find new suppliers and solutions

3 comments on this article

  1. The news about eBay spinning off PayPal is all well and good… but what does it have to do with NFC?

    1. NFC World added a “+” to its name in 2014 and now covers more than just NFC technology; as NFC has matured from a neat idea to a soon-to-be-ubiquitous feature that is available in mobile devices from all major manufacturers it makes sense to contextualise industry news in terms of the wider environment, the business issues, and competitive/complementary technologies.

      This particular story is notable because it concerns a significant U-turn at a leading digital and mobile payments provider, a company which has been bearish on NFC but more recently looked to be changing its thinking.

      You can find out more about our editorial remit here: http://www.nfcw.com/about/

Comments are closed.