Equity Investments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

NOTE 11

Equity Investments

The Company has an equity investment with Promocíón y Operación, S.A. de C.V. and records its 49% ownership using the equity method of accounting. The operation, TSYS de México, prints statements and provides card-issuing support services to the equity investment clients and others.

The Company has an equity investment with China UnionPay Co., Ltd.(CUP) and records its 44.56% ownership using the equity method of accounting. CUP is sanctioned by the People’s Bank of China, China’s central bank, and has become one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing payments networks. CUP Data currently provides transaction processing, disaster recovery and other services for banks and bankcard issuers in China.

TSYS’ equity investments are recorded initially at cost and subsequently adjusted for equity in earnings, cash contributions and distributions, and foreign currency translation adjustments. TSYS believes the carrying value approximates the underlying assets of the equity investments.

TSYS’ equity in income of equity investments (net of tax) for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $8.7 million, $7.1 million and $7.0 million, respectively.

A summary of TSYS’ equity investments at December 31 is as follows:


(in thousands)	2011		2010
CUP Data	$	76,110		70,479
TSYS de México		6,814		6,648

Total	$	82,924		77,127

- Definition

The entire disclosure for equity investment, or group of investments, for which combined disclosure is appropriate, including: (a) the name of each investee and percentage of ownership of common stock, (b) accounting policies for investments in common stock, (c) difference between the amount at which the investment is carried and the amount of underlying equity in net assets and the accounting treatment of the difference, (d) the total fair value of each identified investment for which a market value is available, (e) summarized information as to assets, liabilities, and results of operations of the investees (for investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries, common stock of joint ventures, or other investments using the equity method), and (f) material effects of possible conversions, exercises, or contingent issuances of the investee. Other disclosures include (a) the names of any investee in which the investor owns 20 percent or more of the voting stock and investment is not accounted for using the equity method, and the reasons why not, and (b) the names of any investee in which the investor owns less than 20 percent of the voting stock and the investment is accounted for using the equity method, and the reasons why it is.

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