DGAP-News: Lloyds Banking Group: 2018 Results - News Release

2018 Results
News Release

Lloyds Banking Group plc

20 February 2019

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This document contains certain forward looking statements with respect to the business, strategy, plans and /or results of the Group and its current goals and expectations relating to its future financial condition and performance. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Group's or its directors' and/or management's beliefs and expectations, are forward looking statements. By their nature, forward looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that will or may occur in the future. Factors that could cause actual business, strategy, plans and/or results (including but not limited to the payment of dividends) to differ materially from forward looking statements made by the Group or on its behalf include, but are not limited to: general economic and business conditions in the UK and internationally; market related trends and developments; fluctuations in interest rates, inflation, exchange rates, stock markets and currencies; the ability to access sufficient sources of capital, liquidity and funding when required; changes to the Group's credit ratings; the ability to derive cost savings and other benefits including, but without limitation as a result of any acquisitions, disposals and other strategic transactions; the ability to achieve strategic objectives; changing customer behaviour including consumer spending, saving and borrowing habits; changes to borrower or counterparty credit quality; concentration of financial exposure; management and monitoring of conduct risk; instability in the global financial markets, including Eurozone instability, instability as a result of uncertainty surrounding the exit by the UK from the European Union (EU) and as a result of such exit and the potential for other countries to exit the EU or the Eurozone and the impact of any sovereign credit rating downgrade or other sovereign financial issues; technological changes and risks to the security of IT and operational infrastructure, systems, data and information resulting from increased threat of cyber and other attacks; natural, pandemic and other disasters, adverse weather and similar contingencies outside the Group's control; inadequate or failed internal or external processes or systems; acts of war, other acts of hostility, terrorist acts and responses to those acts, geopolitical, pandemic or other such events; risks relating to climate change; changes in laws, regulations, practices and accounting standards or taxation, including as a result of the exit by the UK from the EU, or a further possible referendum on Scottish independence; changes to regulatory capital or liquidity requirements and similar contingencies outside the Group's control; the policies, decisions and actions of governmental or regulatory authorities or courts in the UK, the EU, the US or elsewhere including the implementation and interpretation of key legislation and regulation together with any resulting impact on the future structure of the Group; the transition from IBORs to alternative reference rates; the ability to attract and retain senior management and other employees and meet its diversity objectives; actions or omissions by the Group's directors, management or employees including industrial action; changes to the Group's post-retirement defined benefit scheme obligations; the extent of any future impairment charges or write-downs caused by, but not limited to, depressed asset valuations, market disruptions and illiquid markets; the value and effectiveness of any credit protection purchased by the Group; the inability to hedge certain risks economically; the adequacy of loss reserves; the actions of competitors, including non-bank financial services, lending companies and digital innovators and disruptive technologies; and exposure to regulatory or competition scrutiny, legal, regulatory or competition proceedings, investigations or complaints. Please refer to the latest Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of certain factors and risks together with examples of forward looking statements. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, the forward looking statements contained in this document are made as of today's date, and the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking statements contained in this document to reflect any change in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. The information, statements and opinions contained in this document do not constitute a public offer under any applicable law or an offer to sell any securities or financial instruments or any advice or recommendation with respect to such securities or financial instruments.
CONTENTS

RESULTS FOR THE FULL YEAR

'2018 has been a year of strong strategic and financial delivery, as we build on our unique capabilities to transform the Group to succeed in a digital world. We have made significant progress against the priorities we set out at the start of the year when we launched the third stage of our strategic plan, which is supported by investment of more than £3 billion over the plan period. We have also delivered another year of increased statutory profits and returns along with strong capital build and, as a result, have been able to recommend an increased dividend and share buyback to our investors.

Over 2018 the UK economy has proven itself to be resilient with record employment and continued GDP growth. Although the near term outlook for the UK economy remains uncertain, our strategy continues to deliver for our customers. I remain confident that with our unique business model and market leading efficiency we can continue to increase investment in customer propositions and grow our leading digital bank, whilst at the same time delivering strong financial performance and market leading returns.

Our strategy is framed by our purpose of Helping Britain Prosper, being the bank with the largest retail and commercial presence throughout the country. In 2018 we continued to grow our lending balances to SMEs and Mid Market businesses by £3 billion; we have helped one in five first time buyers by lending £12 billion, we have provided digital skills training to more than 700,000 people, SMEs and charities alongside further investment in apprenticeship schemes and were again the UK's largest corporate tax payer.'

António Horta-Osório
Group Chief Executive

Significant business progress with strong start to the Group's latest strategic plan

- Strong start to the next phase of our strategy with increased strategic investment

- Achievements during the year include the launch of Open Banking, Single Customer View, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets, the wealth management partnership with Schroders and enhanced customer propositions

- The Group will continue to Help Britain Prosper whilst delivering strong and sustainable returns for shareholders

Strong and sustainable financial performance with continued growth in profit and returns

- Statutory profit after tax of £4.4 billion up 24 per cent with a 6 per cent increase in underlying profit to £8.1 billion

- Total ordinary dividend of 3.21 pence per share, up 5 per cent on 2017, and a proposed share buyback of up to £1.75 billion representing a total capital return of up to £4.0 billion (2017: £3.2 billion), increase of up to 26 per cent

- Net income of £17.8 billion, 2 per cent higher, with net interest margin higher at 2.93 per cent

- Operating costs down on prior year despite increased investment; cost:income ratio further improved to 49.3 per cent with positive jaws of 5 per cent

- Credit quality remains strong with no deterioration in credit risk; gross asset quality ratio remains stable at 28 basis points, in line with full year 2017 and 2016

- Return on tangible equity increased to 11.7 per cent and earnings per share of 5.5 pence up 27 per cent

- Balance sheet strength maintained with capital build of 210 basis points in the year and CET 1 ratio of 13.9 per cent after dividends and share buybacks

- Tangible net assets per share of 53.0 pence, up 1.3 pence after the payment of dividends in the year

Guidance demonstrates confidence in continued strong performance

- Continue to expect increased statutory return on tangible equity of 14 to 15 per cent in 2019 with strong underlying profit and lower below the line charges driving statutory profit growth

- Ongoing capital build of 170 to 200 basis points per annum

- Net interest margin of c.2.90 per cent in 2019 and, as previously guided, resilient through the plan period

- Operating costs now expected to be less than £8 billion in 2019; a year ahead of original target, cost:income ratio still expected to fall every year and be in the low 40s exiting 2020 including remediation

Net asset quality ratio expected to be less than 30 basis points in 2019 and through the plan period

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