Taipei: E.Sun Financial Holding Co. announced its decision to acquire Mercuries Life Insurance Co. through an all-share transaction, a strategic move set to elevate its total assets beyond NT$5.8 trillion (US$187.63 billion) and position it as Taiwan’s fifth-largest listed financial holding company.
According to Focus Taiwan, the agreement, sanctioned by the boards of both entities, entails E.Sun exchanging 0.2486 of its shares for each Mercuries Life share. This exchange is valued at NT$8.2 per share, based on E.Sun’s average closing price of NT$32.99 over the past 60 days as of November 5. With Mercuries Life holding 5.8995 billion shares outstanding, the transaction’s total worth is projected to be approximately NT$48.3 billion.
Upon the deal’s completion, Mercuries Life’s 91,000 domestic and international shareholders will collectively possess around 8.31 percent of E.Sun’s shares. However, the merger is contingent on shareholder approval, slated for a meeting on January 23, 2026, and necessary regulatory endorsements.
E.Sun revealed that this acquisition aims to establish a robust platform featuring banking, insurance, and securities as its core profit drivers. This will be achieved by merging its banking, securities, and investment trust operations with Mercuries Life’s life insurance network. The combined entity plans to broaden its high-value customer base, refine wealth management services, and boost investment efficiency via integrated research and portfolio management.
Post-merger, E.Sun’s asset base is projected to surge from NT$4.2 trillion to over NT$5.8 trillion, elevating it from tenth to fifth among Taiwan’s listed financial holding companies, and sixth overall when including unlisted Taiwan Financial Holdings.
Addressing potential concerns regarding the impact of the share-swap on future dividends, E.Sun Chairman Joseph Huang assured that the company, having paid NT$1.2 per share last year and reported an after-tax profit of NT$29.33 billion in October, intends to maintain cash dividends as the primary payout approach, pending board decisions.
Wang Chih-hua, spokesperson for Mercuries and Associates Holding Ltd., the parent company of Mercuries Life, characterized the transaction as a strategic milestone that will benefit shareholders, policyholders, employees, and Taiwan’s insurance sector.
Lin Pi-hua, spokesperson for Mercuries Life, highlighted the firm’s 32-year legacy of stability and integrity and expressed optimism about the strong synergies anticipated from aligning its life insurance expertise with E.Sun’s financial integration, technological capabilities, and customer service strengths. She also assured that policyholder rights and employee benefits would be fully preserved.
Following the announcement made on Wednesday, trading in shares of E.Sun Financial Holding, Mercuries Life Insurance, and Mercuries and Associates Holding, which was suspended, will resume with the market’s reopening on Thursday.