Lloyds 4Q Pretax Profit Nearly Halved, Dividend Resumed -- Update
February 24 2021 - 2:24AM
Dow Jones News
--Lloyds Banking Group's fourth-quarter pretax profit and net
income fall was better than the market expected
--The bank has resumed dividends by declaring a distribution of
0.57 pence a share
--Lloyds expects to reduce operating costs further in 2021.
By Sabela Ojea
Lloyds Banking Group PLC reported Wednesday a nearly halved
pretax profit for the fourth quarter of 2020 and resumed paying
dividends.
The FTSE 100 lender made a pretax profit of 792 million pounds
($1.12 billion) compared with GBP1.45 billion for the same period a
year earlier. It was expected to post a pretax profit of GBP471
million, taken from a compilation of 23 analyst models. Pretax
profit was hit by lower income and an increased impairment
charge.
Net income fell to GBP3.59 billion from GBP4.13 billion for the
year-earlier period. Net income was anticipated to reach GBP3.43
billion, according to analysts.
The bank booked impairments of GBP128 million for the period,
when it was anticipated to book impairment charges of GBP586
million.
The board declared a dividend of 0.57 pence a share, down from
3.37 pence a share for 2019. The amount was the maximum allowed
under the U.K. Prudential Regulation Authority's temporary
framework on 2020 distributions. The board was expected to declare
a dividend of 0.53 pence a share.
Lloyds' common equity Tier 1 capital ratio --a measure of a
bank's financial strength-- stood at 16.2% from 13.8% at Dec. 31,
2019. The bank was expected to reach a ratio of 15.4%, according to
a compilation of 23 analyst models.
For 2021, the lender said operating costs will be reduced
further to around GBP7.5 billion, adding that it also expects to
improve profitability with a return on tangible equity of between
5% and 7%. Its 2020 RoTE stood at 3.7%, it added.
Regarding the appointment of Charlie Nunn as chief executive and
executive director of the bank, Lloyds said he will start the role
on Aug. 16. Mr. Nunn is joining from HSBC Holdings PLC, where he is
head of personal banking and wealth management, to replace current
Lloyds CEO Antonio Horta-Osorio.
Write to Sabela Ojea at sabela.ojea@wsj.com; @sabelaojeaguix
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 24, 2021 03:09 ET (08:09 GMT)
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