Card Briefs: Beneficial of Delaware To Enter Cobranding

Beneficial National Bank U.S.A., a private-label credit card bank in Wilmington, Del., said it will enter the cobranding business in the next 30 days.

Partners could come from its list of private-label clients, which include BJ's Warehouse, Pergament, the discount home supply retailer, and Best Buy electronic appliance shops, the bank said.

Beneficial, with $1.7 billion in receivables, services 1.9 million active accounts, with over four million on the books. It received a special purpose credit card bank charter in 1990.

Richard C. Klesse, senior vice president, said the company is already a member of Visa and has filed for MasterCard membership.

While the bank, owned by Beneficial Corp., a $14 billion financial services company, issues some secured bank cards, it sold the bulk of its bank card portfolio eight years ago, and will use cobranding to reenter the field.

"Cobranding is an excellent fit" for Beneficial, said Mr. Klesse. "It's consistent with our strengths in the private-label business."

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