UK News
Insights from the UK and beyond
from DealZone:
Virgin acquires banking licence
Sir Richard Branson boosted his attempt to become a leading player in the UK banking sector by agreeing to buy Church House Trust, a small regional private lender. The deal effectively gives Virgin Money a banking licence, allowing it to offer a full range of products to consumers, since the proposed purchase has already been approved by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
After making the acquisition, Virgin aims to grow its banking business organically. However, it has not ruled out buying further assets, such as those that RBS and Lloyds have said they will divest. Buying Northern Rock assets might be possible too. The offer document states: “Having established an initial banking platform, the Virgin Money Directors believe that the acquisition of Church House Trust will enable Virgin Money to contemplate future acquisitions as appropriate.
“The Government has said it hopes the disposal of bank assets will see new players enter the market and Virgin Money may consider opportunities should they present themselves.” At present Virgin has 2.5 million customers of its existing financial services arm, which offers credit card, savings, insurance and investment products. However, Church House Trust is allowed to offer mortgages and take deposits as well.
Virgin will put in £37.3 million of new capital into the Church House Trust business. In 2008 Virgin Money made a £27.5 million in pre-tax profit on £98.4 million turnover. Church House Trust reported a £450,000 pre-tax profit on £4.05 million operating income for the same period. Church House Trust shareholders will receive 509.2p in cash and 1.0294 contingent loan notes for each share they own. That values the business at £12.3 million.
Too big to fail? Guerrilla central banking and the last resort
Deciding it was safe to come clean because banks are now on a more even keel and the worst of the credit crisis is behind us, the Bank of England has told the nation that at the height of the turmoil it secretly lent Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS a colossal £62 billion, which is more than the entire British defence budget.
Both banks faced the imminent closure of high street cash machines and the curtailment of normal banking operations across the country.
from The Great Debate UK:
Barclays’ conjuring trick
-- Margaret Doyle is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are her own --
Abracadabra! Yet again, Barclays has pulled another rabbit out of its hat. With just days to go before the end-March deadline for the bank to apply for a government guarantee of its dodgier loans, it may again wriggle out of state control.
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has concluded, after performing "stress tests" on its loan book, that the bank has enough capital. Barclays (BARC.L) has persuaded the authorities and investors (shares are trading at over three times their January low) -- of its soundness.
The “shotgun wedding” of Lloyds and HBOS
“If you think you want to advance on this, we will deal with the competition issues” — so said Gordon Brown to Lloyds Chairman Sir Victor Blank last September, sweeping away the one big problem to a merger between Lloyds and HBOS.
At the time, Brown said the government had acted quickly and decisively in removing competition concerns and prodding the merger forward, despite concerns about the risk that Lloyds was taking.
Blame or redemption for Christians in financial crisis?
Does being a Christian make you a better banker? Former Bank of England employee John Ellis raised the possibility during a church discussion in London on the financial crisis.
The Treasurer of the United Reformed Church pointed to the relative stability of HSBC — despite market speculation about its capital adequacy — compared with the parlous state of some of its rivals.
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The Wall
