M&I Announces Extension of Foreclosure Moratorium to Assist Distressed Homeowners

MILWAUKEE, Dec. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Marshall & Ilsley Corporation (NYSE: MI) (M&I) today announced it has extended its foreclosure moratorium for distressed homeowners through March 31, 2011.  The initial moratorium was announced on December 18, 2008, as part of M&I's Homeowner Assistance Program. The moratorium is on all owner-occupied residential loans for customers who agree to work in good faith to reach a successful repayment agreement.  The moratorium applies to applicable loans in all M&I markets.

M&I's Homeowner Assistance Program also features streamlined assistance programs for potentially distressed homeowners who are identified in advance and proactively offered assistance. It also offers a foreclosure abatement program that features several refinancing options, including term extensions and reduced rates that can be used, as necessary and applicable, to reduce monthly payments.  

In addition, M&I continues to extend new credit to new and existing customers. Since the infusion of capital from the U.S. Treasury in mid-November 2008 through November 30, 2010, M&I has extended over $10.3 billion of new credit. (The "new credit" amount includes new and expanded extensions of credit, or commitments to extend credit, as well as renewals of existing credit where a new promissory note was executed.)

Marshall & Ilsley Corporation (NYSE: MI) is a diversified financial services corporation headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., with $51.9 billion in assets. Founded in 1847, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank is the largest Wisconsin-based bank, with 192 offices throughout the state. In addition, M&I has 53 locations throughout Arizona; 36 offices along Florida's west coast and in central Florida; 33 offices in Indianapolis and nearby communities; 26 offices in metropolitan Minneapolis/St. Paul, and one in Duluth, Minn.; 17 offices in the greater St. Louis area; 15 offices in Kansas City and nearby communities; and one office in Las Vegas, Nev. M&I also provides trust and investment management, equipment leasing, mortgage banking, asset-based lending, financial planning, investments, and insurance services from offices throughout the country and on the Internet (www.mibank.com or www.micorp.com).

On December 17, 2010, M&I entered into a definitive agreement under which BMO Financial Group will acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of M&I in a stock-for-stock transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, each outstanding share of M&I will be exchanged for 0.1257 shares of Bank of Montreal upon closing. The transaction is expected to close prior to July 31, 2011.  The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and approval from shareholders of M&I.

SOURCE Marshall & Ilsley Corporation