GE Capital has agreed to buy J.C. Penney's  private-label credit card portfolio and service facilities. 
Under a 10-year agent bank agreement, the GE Card Services subsidiary  will issue cards for the retailer and manage the portfolio. The transaction   is expected to close by yearend.   
  
In 1998, J.C. Penney had credit card sales of $7.8 billion and 35  million store-issued accounts. The retailer has 11 credit card service   facilities in 10 U.S. cities and Puerto Rico. Upon closing, GE Capital will   assume operations of all facilities using the same employees.     
Edward D. Stewart, president and chief executive officer of GE Card  Services, said, "The J.C. Penney card will be strengthened with expanded   promotional offers to customers, more favorable repayment terms, a   multimillion-dollar relaunch, and on-line support for all J.C. Penney   products and services."       
  
Penney chairman and CEO James E. Oesterreicher said, "By selling the  receivables portfolio, we will free up substantial cash to reduce debt and   strengthen our balance sheet, and outsourcing the credit card operation   will permit management's attention to be focused exclusively on our core   business activities."