(3 August 2007 – Australia Commonwealth Bank of Australia has agreed to buy internet brokerage company IWL for almost A$373 million.The bank said it will roll IWL into its CommSec brokerage operations, noting that IWL’s client base was a strong fit with CBA’s existing equities business.
CBA group executive for premium business services, Stuart Grimshaw, said IWL’s capability in wholesale broking gave the bank access to a market segment where CommSec was underweight.
IWL owned five percent of online broker E*trade now fully owned by ANZ before selling its stake prior to ANZ’s buyout in June.
IWL sits behind CommSec and ANZ’s E-Trade as Australia’s third largest online broker.