Acquisitions
The bank acquired bank as its subsidiaries, such as Credito Molisano in 1998, Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca, Pisa and Livorno in 1999, Imola in 2000, Banco di Chiavari e della Riviera Ligure in 2003 and Istituto di Credito delle Casse di Risparmio Italiane. BPL owned 19.99% of Südtiroler Sparkasse – Cassa di Risparmio di Bolzano until 2006–07.[4] BPL was the major shareholders of Banca Caripe from 2003 to 2011. From 2003 to 2006 the sub-holding Reti Bancarie was a list company, which also held the shares of Banca Popolare di Crema (95.01%), Banca Popolare di Cremona (94.81%), Banca Popolare di Mantova (56.35%), Banca Valori (77.70%), Bipielle Società di Gestione del Credito (70% directly; 30% held by CR Lucca), Bipielle International Holding (90%; including Bipielle Bank (Suisse), Bipielle International UK and Bipielle Servizi) in 2003. In 2005 the company was named as Banca Popolare Italiana.
Reti Bancarie formed a 5-year partnership with Aurora Assicurazioni of Unipol Group in May 2004, as well as the insurance company bought minority ownership in Reti Bancarie.[5]
The bank was also involved in the Bancopoli scandal, in which the bank sold the shares of Banca Antonveneta held by it in 2006.[6]
On 31 December 2006 the bank had a shareholders equity of €3.956 billion (in consolidated balance sheets, increased from €2.786 billion), issued 682,360,539 number of shares, as well as Tier 1 capitals ratio of 22.32%[7] (increased from 5.55%; Basel II required 4%).
In September 2006 BPL also absorbed sub-holding companies Reti Bancarie and Bipielle Investimenti, by issuing new shares of BPL and delisting them. Aurora Assicurazioni received 14,080,000 shares (about 2% of BPL); Unipol formed an agreement to sell the shares to Mediobanca.[8]
