While it has been public for a long time that i) JPM is eager to sell its physical commodities business and ii) the most likely buyer was little known Swiss-based Mercuria, there was nothing definitive released by JPM. Until moments ago, when Jamie Dimon formally announced that JPM is officially parting ways with the physical commodities business. But while contrary to previous expectations, following the sale JPM will still provide commercial gold vaulting operations around the world, it almost certainly means farewell to Blythe Masters.
From the release:
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) announced today that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell its physical commodities business to Mercuria Energy Group Limited, a global energy and commodities trading company, for $3.5 billion. The all cash transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2014, subject to regulatory approvals.
J.P. Morgan will work closely with Mercuria to ensure a smooth transition of commodities assets, transactions, physical trading operations and employees to Mercuria at the close of the transaction.
“Our goal from the outset was to find a buyer that was interested in preserving the value of J.P. Morgan’s physical business,†said Blythe Masters, head of J.P. Morgan’s global commodities business. “Mercuria is a global leader in the commodities markets and an excellent long-term home for these businesses.â€
Following the sale, J.P. Morgan will continue to provide traditional banking activities in the commodities markets, including financial products and the vaulting and trading of precious metals – businesses that the firm has been a leader in for years. The firm will also continue to make markets, provide liquidity and risk management, and offer advice to global companies and institutions around the world.
For those curious who Mercuria is (yes, Goldman is involved) and missed our most likely buyer , here it is again:
Meet The Mysterious Firm That Is About To Leave Blythe Masters Without A Job
It was about a month ago when it was revealed that the infamous JPMorgan physical commodities group, plagued by both perpetual accusations of precious metal manipulation and legal charges most recently with FERC for $410 million that it had manipulated electricity markets, was in exclusive talks to be sold to Geneva-based Marcuria Group. It was also revealed that Blythe Masters, JPMorgan’s commodities chief, “probably won’t join Mercuria as part of the deal.” Of course, we all learned the very next day that Ms. Masters – an affirmed commodities market manipulator – and soon to be out of a job, had shockingly intended to join the CFTC trading commission as an advisor, a decisions which was promptly reversed following an epic outcry on the internet. This is all great news, but one thing remained unclear: just who is this mysterious Swiss-based company that is about to leave Blythe without a job?
