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Global Payments Inc., an Atlanta-based transaction processor, added $50 million (37.2 million euros) in revenue to its 2009 third quarter because of its United Kingdom-based joint venture with HSBC Bank PLC, Paul R. Garcia, Global Payments chairman and CEO, told analysts during a conference call late Thursday to discuss the processor's third-quarter results. Global Payments bought a majority stake in HSBC Merchant Services last year. Global Payments' international revenue was $85.1 million in the quarter ended 28 Feb., a 154.8% increase over the $33.4 million in international revenue for the same quarter a year ago. Garcia also said that Global Payments is reviewing this week's announcement that MasterCard Worldwide has agreed to slash its interchange rates on cross-border debit and credit card transactions in Europe, at least temporarily, and make other concessions to the European Commission. "Quite frankly, we still have some questions," Garcia said, following conversations with MasterCard. "We are unsure as to the impact."
