Verifone to acquire Lipman

This is probably the biggest news in many years relating to the credit card processing equipment industry. Verifone Holdings Inc. is set to acquire Lipman Electronic Engineering Ltd in a merger of 2 of the largest processing equipment manufacturers in the world.

Lipman is the 3rd largest processing equipment manufacturer in the World, while Verifone is the largest. Lipman manufacturers the popular Nurit line of processing terminals, and while Lipman is only the 3rd largest market holder in land-line processing equipment, they are the undisputed leader in wireless processing equipment having a 90%+ market share in wireless terminals. Verifone’s wireless terminals have been accepted in other countries but are very limited in their use in the US. This appears to be a very smart and well founded acquisition for Verifone.

Hypercom who is the 2nd largest equipment manufacturer in the world, will look dwarfed by the size and market share in every area of Verifone. Hypercom’s terminals are very easy to use, reliable and low cost, so they appear to be in little danger for the time being.