FBN Shares Fall to 13-Year Low on Earnings Warning

Goddy Egene and Eromosele Abiodun

Shares of FBN Holdings Plc fell to its lowest level in almost 13 years yesterday after Nigeria’s largest lender by assets warned that earnings for the full year ended December 31, 2015, would be lower than 2014. Shares fell 4.4 per cent to N3.47 per share, which is its lowest since August 2003, according to Bloomberg.

In statement to the management of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and market operators, signed by the Company Secretary, Tijjani Borodo, FBN Holdings said following the review of its management accounts for the 2015, it is expected that earnings will be materially below that of the prior year.

“The reduction in earnings is as a result of the recognition of impairment charges on some specific accounts resulting from a reassessment of the loan portfolio within our commercial banking business. This reassessment was driven by the challenging macro environment coupled with fiscal and monetary headwinds, which have resulted in marked reduction in domestic output. This is a prudent measure being taken while the bank has commenced active remedial action on the specific impaired accounts,” the bank said.

However, FBN Holdings assured stakeholders that its merchant banking, asset management as well as insurance businesses remain strong and resilient.

“We reiterate our 2016 focus on restoring shareholder value by driving improvements in underlying asset quality, cost efficiency, enhancing revenue generation and extracting synergies across the Group, as well as growth through innovation,” FBN Holdings stated.

The shares of the company fell as the market reacted nega- tively to the earnings warning, which some market analysts said is a proactive measure.

A stockbroker said the current price of stock offers investors an unprecedented entry opportunity, saying “the market and companies will over the current economic headwinds. There is no better time to buy these stocks than now.”