- Metro Bank Holdings
- 12 November 2026 09:58:26
Source: Sharecast
The bank - which is not in any active discussions with potential suitors and has not received any takeover offers - has appointed Morgan Stanley as its lead financial adviser in relation to the formal sale process.
If the process does not lead to a deal, Metro said it will continue to execute its strategy and deliver its guidance as previously stated.
"Metro Bank has successfully completed a substantial transformation over recent years and enters this next phase with strong operating momentum," it said, adding that it remains "highly confident" in its standalone growth prospects and ability to deliver guidance.
"The significant progress made by Metro Bank means it is now well positioned to consider a broader range of strategic opportunities for its next phase of growth. Against this backdrop, the board unanimously believes that evaluating potential interest in the company through an FSP, alongside continuing to execute the standalone plan, will maximise the value creation opportunities available to shareholders and deliver benefits for all stakeholders."
At 0925 GMT, the shares were up 5.7% at 188.80p.
Broker Shore Capital, which does not provide formal coverage of Metro Bank, said: "At the current price of 186p, Metro Bank trades on circa 1.1x end-June TNAVPS of 166p. We believe there remains further re-rating potential if management delivers its targeted returns, although a takeover could crystallise some of this upside sooner.
"In our view, an all-cash sale to private equity appears the cleanest outcome, allowing Gilinski to exit his controlling position. A specialist-bank combination could offer strategic logic but would likely require paper consideration, while a larger bank may be reluctant to pay up for Metro Bank’s expensive branch network."
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