Nova Corp. said it will speed up consolidation of its PMT Services Inc. subsidiary.
Nova, the nation's fourth-largest merchant bank card processor, bought PMT in September.
The stepped-up consolidation process-announced by Nova chairman and chief executive officer Edward Grzedzinski-is expected to add $6 million in expenses, reducing earnings for the first half of 1999 by 4 cents a share.
Atlanta-based Nova said the higher short-term costs will be offset by stronger returns.
A single operating platform "will position us to process the PMT business much more efficiently," Mr. Grzedzinski said. As a result, the PMT division will "show substantial improvement to operating income in the year 2000 and beyond."