Erste Ready for Bolt-On M&A Deals After €7 Billion Poland Entry

Austria’s Erste Group Bank AG is ready to consider bolt-on acquisitions in all of its countries as it works to integrate its largest ever acquisition in Poland.

The largest lender in the European Union’s east re-branded its Polish unit over the weekend, after completing a €7 billion ($8.2 billion) purchase of a 49% stake from Banco Santander SA. While the Vienna-based bank continues integrating IT systems, its finance chief said enough profit is already being generated for Erste to consider additional deals.