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The FCA reckons lenders weren’t clear sufficient when disclosing the extent of fee paid to brokers. Of the 14.2m agreements entered into between April 2007 and November 2024, it believes 44% have been mis-sold. It’s proposing that customers obtain a mean compensation cost of £700. The general price to the business could possibly be £8.2bn. This estimate relies on 85% of these eligible lodging claims.
What are the implications?
It’s believed that Lloyds has a 20% share of the motor finance market. On this foundation, it may face a invoice of £1.6bn. That is greater than the £1.15bn provision it’s made in its accounts. However it’s loads decrease than some earlier predictions made by others. For instance, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, the funding financial institution, made a “conservative” prediction that the ultimate invoice could possibly be as excessive as £4.2bn.
Lloyds says it’s “currently assessing the implications and impact of this consultation in the context of its current provision for this issue and will update the market as and when appropriate”.
Regardless of the last consequence of the FCA investigation, it was all the time more likely to be a drop within the ocean for the financial institution. At 30 June, its stability sheet disclosed belongings of £919.3bn together with money and money equivalents of £71.1bn.
However I nonetheless don’t wish to make investments.
Warning indicators
Its share worth has been on a robust rally just lately, which implies the inventory has, for my part, turn out to be costly. Extra particularly, I imagine it’s pricy relative to the FTSE 100’s different banks.
Since October 2024, the Lloyds share worth has risen over 45%. Its inventory now trades at 12.7 occasions historic earnings. NatWest Group is second with a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.9.
I’m additionally cautious of its nearly whole reliance on the UK financial system. Some key indicators are suggesting there could possibly be hassle forward for the home financial system. There’s discuss that the Chancellor may impose some type of levy or windfall tax on home banks to try to assist shore up the nation’s funds.
Rachel Reeves may take inspiration from Poland, which has introduced a brand new three-year banking tax to assist fund elevated defence spending. In 2026, its banks pays a company earnings tax price of 30% in comparison with 19% for many different massive firms.
A extra optimistic view
Nonetheless, brokers seem like extra optimistic than me. They’ve a mean 12-month worth goal of 93p — that’s round 11% greater than at present’s worth.
After which there’s the dividend that’s more likely to appeal to earnings traders. Lloyds has already hiked its 2025 interim payout by 15%. If it raised its last dividend by the same quantity, the inventory could be yielding 4.3%.
However this isn’t sufficient to tempt me. Although I believe the motor finance ‘scandal’ is more likely to be put to mattress over the approaching months, I believe higher worth could possibly be obtained elsewhere.
