Point-of-sale

The deal is the latest example of a mainstream bank buying a point-of-sale lender focused on financing home improvement projects.

The bank’s decision to offer home improvement loans directly will not have a material impact on profits at the Atlanta-based fintech, according to GreenSky.

A growing number of companies like Klarna, Sezzle and Circle let consumers split large purchases into smaller transactions paid over time. But they say they need to offer more than one product to set themselves apart and build customer loyalty.

The deal for the Salt Lake City-based home improvement lender, which Home Depot tried to acquire more than a decade ago, is part of a larger effort by Regions Financial to diversify its home lending business.

Genesis Financial Solutions is pursuing a $135.9 million securitization of credit card receivables, including riskier point-of-sale credits that should provide investors with attractive spreads.

Online lenders now have close to 40% of the unsecured personal loan market, much of which is refinanced credit card debt. Banks' card portfolios are taking a hit.

The Atlanta company reported a first-quarter revenue increase of 22%, and it has established a more aggressive target for the full year.

The upstart lenders have been chipping away at credit cards’ consumer-lending dominance by offering fixed-rate loans with predictable repayment plans. Now the card giants are fighting back.

The Atlanta company, which reported fourth-quarter results Tuesday, said that the lending partnership with American Express will launch in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Dallas within the next 60 days.