E-Financial
Investors Scramble for Fidelity Bank’s Offers
Investors are literally scrambling for shares of Fidelity Bank Plc as the leading commercial bank’s capital raising continues to gather momentum among all categories of investors.
Investors’ appetite for Fidelity Bank is shown in massive subscriptions to its ongoing rights and public offers and voluminous trading at the stock market.
Current weekly report shows that Fidelity Bank was the most active stock at the stock market, outperforming the banking sector and the overall market.
Fidelity Bank recorded a turnover of 1.73 billion shares worth N18.27 billion in 1,579 deals to emerge atop the activities chart for the week.
This implies that Fidelity Bank accounted for 51 per cent and 35 per cent of total volume and value traded during the week. Total turnover for the week at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) stood at 3.39 billion shares worth N52.30 billion in 44,814 deals.
In what underlined the fact that transactions in Fidelity Bank was driven by positive investors’ sentiment, the bank’s share price combined the huge turnover with appreciation.
Contrary to the overall negative performance of the market and the banking sector, Fidelity Bank’s share price rose by 0.05 per cent to N10.75 per share. The benchmark index that measures pricing trend for the equities market, the All Share Index (ASI) of the NGX, closed the week down by 0.46 per cent. The NGX Banking Index, the sectoral index that measures the performance of the banking sector, had closed lower by 0.48 per cent.
The secondary market trading on Fidelity Bank’s shares underscored investment experts’ general view on the attraction of the bank’s ongoing rights and public offers. Experts have categorized Fidelity Bank as a most attractive offer, with the bank carrying the “buy” recommendation in most investment research reports.
For instance, at the ongoing offer prices, Fidelity Bank is locking in immediate double-digit gain of between 11 to 18 per cent for investors in the ongoing rights and public offers, a substantial immediate return that’s unique to the bank among other competitors.
Fidelity Bank had started with a N127.1 billion hybrid offer including a rights issue of 3.2 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N9.25 per share and a public offer of 10 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N9.75 per share.
With massive subscriptions and the offers clearly heading to huge oversubscription, the bank has received approvals to issue additional 8.2 billion ordinary shares to absorb potential oversubscription. Thus, the rights issue size was doubled with additional 3.2 billion shares while 5.0 billion shares were added to the public offer.
Application list for the offers closes on August 12, 2024. A minimum subscription of 1,000 shares or N9, 250 for rights issue and N9, 750 shares for public offer ensures that the generality of the people can benefit from the bank’s ongoing offers.
Experts at Afrinvest West Africa said subscribing to the rights and public offers is a cheaper way as the issuing company bears the cost of transaction compared to the secondary market where the buyer pays transaction charges and levies.
Afrinvest categorised Fidelity Bank as an “opportunity” for the investing public, citing the bank’s impressive historical capital gain and performance records.
Investment experts at Arthur Steven Asset Management said investors in Fidelity Bank’s ongoing rights and public offers stand to reap about 57 per cent in capital gain over a short term period, putting the bank’s shares as valuable inflation-hedging assets.
Analysts at Arthur Steven Asset Management outlined that with a return on equity of 23 per cent, Fidelity Bank has consistently increased dividend payouts for the past three years, rising from 35 kobo per share in 2021 to 40 kobo and 60 kobo in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Analysts noted that the bank has a long-to-deposit ratio of 75 per cent, which underlines Fidelity Bank’s strong commitment to supporting businesses and national economic development. Debt-to-equity ratio stands at 1.34 times, showing that the bank has no significant debt burden and thus easily, aggressive growths translate to higher returns to shareholders.
Fidelity Bank has delivered an average annual capital gain of more than 100 per cent over the past five years and ranked among the elite stocks with the highest corporate governance rating at the Nigerian stock market.
The secondary or stock market performance has been driven by massive expansion in business operations and strong growth in profitability. Fidelity Bank has recorded an average annual profit growth of 64 per cent over the past three years.
The bank has also seen rapid expansion in customer base and assets as total balance sheet size leapt from N2.1 trillion to N6.2 trillion, the sixth largest in the Nigerian banking industry. The balance sheet was driven by a hefty total deposit of more than N4 trillion, equally the sixth biggest in the industry.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that it will continue enforcing the controversial cybercrime levy at 0.005 per cent on all electronic transactions under its new guidelines for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Yemi Cardoso, Governor, CBN
The apex bank disclosed the levy’s reintroduction it abandoned in May, in a policy document issued on dated September 17, 2024.
The cybercrime levy is mandated by the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015, aimed at bolstering the nation’s cyber security infrastructure.
According to CBN, the revenue from the levy would be directed to a cybersecurity fund to support efforts to safeguard electronic transactions.
CBN said: “The CBN shall continue to enforce the payment of the mandatory levy of 0.005 per cent on all electronic transactions by banks and other financial institutions, by the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”
The bank restates the minimum cybersecurity baseline for banks and financial institutions.
The new guidelines also reaffirm the bank’s commitment to ensuring that banks, financial institutions, and payment service providers abide by the minimum cybersecurity standards.
CBN insist on the appointment of Chief Information Security Officers to oversee cybersecurity issues in line with the 2022 risk-based cybersecurity framework.
Central Bank of Nigeria has reconstituted the board of directors of Keystone Bank.
The move announced on Wednesday, is part of the apex bank’s strategy to ensure sustained growth for the financial institution.
According to a statement from the Keystone Bank, Lady Ada Chukwudozie has been appointed as the new board chairman, alongside five other non-executive directors. They are Abdul-Rahman Esene, Mrs. Fola Akande, Akintola Olusoji, Obijiaku Samuel, and Senator Farouk Bello.
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In addition, the CBN also named two new executive directors, Ladi Oluwole and Abubakar Bello.
Chukwudozie, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s corporate sector, brings nearly three decades of experience in business strategy, management, and administration.
Her expertise cuts across multiple industries, including De-Endy Industrial Company Limited, Dozzy Group, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and Vogue Afrique Magazine.
Esene, with over 43 years of experience in banking, investment management, and corporate finance, has held leadership roles in major institutions such as Fidelity Bank, Afrinvest, and Global Arbitrage International Inc
Akande boasts over 25 years of experience in legal, compliance, and risk management, having worked with global brands like Cadbury, Stanbic Chartered Bank, and Shell.
Olusoji has a distinguished 30-year career in accounting, finance, and business development, having served at institutions such as Sterling Bank, Access Bank, and Intercontinental Bank.
Samuel, with more than 35 years of experience in banking and treasury operations, has left a significant mark on Nigeria’s financial sector, previously working with Zenith Bank and Fidelity Bank.
Bello, a seasoned banker with over 20 years of experience, has led initiatives across both the public and private sectors, including the National Assembly and Guaranty Trust Bank.
Meanwhile, the two new executive directors bring their vast expertise to the table. Oluwole, the new Executive Director of Risk Management, comes with over two decades of experience in credit and enterprise risk management, including previous roles at Bank of America. Bello, Executive Director for the Northern Directorate, has extensive experience managing corporate, retail, and public sector clients.
Read Also: Keystone Bank Upgrades Digital Banking Platform
Speaking on the appointments, Keystone Bank’s Managing Director and CEO, Hassan Imam, expressed confidence in the new board members, stating that their wealth of experience would play a crucial role in the bank’s continued repositioning and growth.
“We are pleased to welcome the new chairman, non-executive directors, and executive directors to the board of Keystone Bank.
“We are confident that their extensive experience will be invaluable as we continue to reposition the bank to seize emerging economic opportunities while maintaining strong corporate governance and providing our customers with a secure and reliable banking experience,” Imam said.
The Integrated Personal and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) database is safe and secure, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) assured.
The assurance is on the heels of recent insinuation of tampering and compromise of the system. Assurance of its safety and security was given in a statement issued on behalf of the Office by the Director of information, Mallam Bawa Mokwa.
The OAGF restated that the database had not been compromised assuring that employees’ personal data on the database was safe and secure.
The OAGF, which manages the IPPIS and other financial management initiatives of the Federal Government, said it was already implementing its ICT security policy that aims to ensure that its digital assets are secured in line with global best practices.
The Office explained that no data was saved on its website, adding that the IPPIS used the website to only share information and not for any transaction.
“The IPPIS is not using the OAGF website for any transaction. The website is actually the medium to share information.
Neither payroll nor payment is made through the website, therefore, no data is contained in the website,” it said. The OAGF stated that the IPPIS validation portal that was recently developed for updates of employees’ information was deployed for a period and after the exercise, the data were pulled out and the site shut down permanently.
According to the Office, “the IPPIS Validation Portal was deployed on a secure platform. A secured database and application were purchased from the popular HELIX-FONS.’
The Office acknowledged that the IPPIS was of utmost importance to Nigerian workers, thus it became imperative to assuage the fears of any loss or breach of employees personal data in the IPPIS database.
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