You are here: Home - Investing - Experienced Investor - News -

Lloyds back in private hands: should you buy into banks?

0
Written by: Paloma Kubiak
17/05/2017
The government has sold its final stake in bailed out Lloyds Banking Group, bringing it back into full private ownership.

During the financial crisis, the government acquired a 43% share of Lloyds after injecting £20.3bn to prop up the institution.

It began to sell its shares in Lloyds Banking Group in September 2013 and in April this year, the Treasury announced it had recovered £20.4bn of taxpayers’ money offloading its holdings while receiving dividend payments.

However, the recouped amount doesn’t include the cost of borrowing the money to fund the bailout.

Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “It’s been a long and winding road back to recovery, but finally the government has sold its last stake in Lloyds, almost a decade after the taxpayer bailed the bank out. Lloyds is now back to business as usual, and the withdrawal of a large seller from the market should be positive for the share price.

“The Treasury won’t be making a song and dance about the Lloyds sale, seeing as we are in a period of purdah running up to the general election. Indeed the champagne corks should probably be kept on ice seeing as the taxpayer has only broken even on the face value of the Lloyds bailout, and is still nursing a loss if you factor in the borrowing costs associated with stumping up the money back in 2009.”

Are banks an attractive investment?

Michelle McGrade, chief investment officer at TD Direct Investing, said banks remain an attractive investment opportunity in the long-term.

She said: “Their strong balance sheets should allow them to cope with moderate negative shocks moving forward. We expect the sector to provide solid and dependable long-term capital and dividend growth for investors.

“Since the financial crisis, UK banks have been rebuilding their balance sheets and are now returning to form. The health of these businesses is reflected in their dividends, with Lloyds’ dividend yield currently at 3.64% although its share price has come under pressure recently from the government selling down its stake.

“Whether or not Lloyds’ dividend is sustainable in the long-term remains to be seen as it has a dividend cover of less than one, meaning it needs to borrow money to pay its shareholders which might not be appealing to some investors.”

McGrade added that Lloyds is the most traded stock on the TD Direct platform, which shows customers are seeking more exposure to banks, with a a 29% increase in the number of trades in banking stocks during 2016.

Khalaf said it’s an interesting coincidence that one of the UK’s top fund managers, Neil Woodford, recently bought back into Lloyds after snubbing banks as uninvestable for 14 years, just as the government is stepping out of the picture.

“For Lloyds the future looks more promising. PPI compensation is disappearing in the rear-view mirror and the bank is paying a healthy dividend to shareholders. Unlike the FTSE 100 as a whole, Lloyds is very much a bellwether of the UK economy because of all the loans it makes to businesses and consumers in this country, so its fortunes are very much shackled to domestic conditions.”

However, he says that RBS still casts a long shadow over the banking bailout too, seeing as the taxpayer funding package was twice as big, and the bank’s shares still need to double in price before the government breaks even.

“Progress has been slower at RBS because it had more problems to start with, and it’s difficult to see how the government can realistically sell off its 72% stake in the bank without taking a financial hit,” he said.

There are 0 Comment(s)

If you wish to comment without signing in, click your cursor in the top box and tick the 'Sign in as a guest' box at the bottom.

Big flu jab price hikes this winter: Where’s cheapest if you can’t get a free vaccine?

Pharmacies, supermarkets and health retailers are starting to offer flu jabs ahead of the winter season, but t...

Is now the time to fix your energy deal?

Fixed energy tariffs all but disappeared during the energy crisis. But now they are back with an increasing nu...

Everything you need to know about the pension triple lock

Retirees are braced to receive another bumper state pension pay rise next year due to the triple lock mechanis...

What will happen if rates change

How your finances will be impacted by a rise in interest rates.

Regular Savings Calculator

Small regular contributions can build up nicely over time.

Online Savings Calculator

Work out how your online savings can build over time.

The best student bank accounts in 2023: Cash offers, tastecards and 0% overdrafts

A number of banks are luring in new student customers with cold hard cash this year – while others are compe...

DIY investors: 10 common mistakes to avoid

For those without the help and experience of an adviser, here are 10 common DIY investor mistakes to avoid.

Mortgage down-valuations: Tips to avoid pulling out of a house sale

Down-valuations are on the rise. So, what does it mean for home buyers, and what can you do?

Money Tips of the Week