European Event-Driven Analyst

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Event-Driven

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena / Event-Driven

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS IM)

<ul>
<li>The Italian government sold a 15% stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banca-monte-dei-paschi-di-sien" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21162:1" rel="noopener">Banca Monte dei Paschi di Sien (BMPS IM)</a>, reducing its holding to 11.7%, signaling potential acquisition interest.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banco-bpm-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28121:1" rel="noopener">Banco BPM SpA (BAMI IM)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/anima-holding-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21153:1" rel="noopener">Anima Holding (ANIM IM)</a>’s recent share purchases in BMPS suggest strategic positioning for a potential future acquisition within the Italian banking sector.</li>
<li>BMPS's improved financial performance, attractive valuation (5.2x Fwd NTM P/E and 0.6x P/BVPS, and heightened investor interest create favorable conditions for a merger or acquisition.</li>
</ul>


The Italian government sold a 15% stake in Banca Monte dei Paschi di Sien (BMPS IM), reducing its holding to 11.7%, signaling potential acquisition interest.

Banco BPM SpA (BAMI IM) and Anima Holding (ANIM IM)’s recent share purchases in BMPS suggest strategic positioning for a potential future acquisition within the Italian banking sector.
BMPS's improved financial performance, attractive valuation (5.2x Fwd NTM P/E and 0.6x P/BVPS, and heightened investor interest create favorable conditions for a merger or acquisition.


Monte Dei Paschi Poised for Strategic Merger Opportunity

Equity Bottom-Up

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>The Italian Treasury sold an additional 12.5% stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banca-monte-dei-paschi-di-sien" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21162:1" rel="noopener">Banca Monte dei Paschi di Sien (BMPS IM)</a>, raising €650 million as part of re-privatization efforts following the 2021 failed attempt.</li>
<li>The Treasury's divestment makes BMPS more appealing for buyers. BMPS still trades at attractive valuation multiples. The bank announces approval from the ECB for a €0.25 cash dividend per share. </li>
<li>Economy Minister Giorgetti and PM Meloni aim to boost competition through privatization, favoring a merger with another mid-sized Italian bank, possibly BPER Banca or Banco BPM.</li>
</ul>


The Italian Treasury sold an additional 12.5% stake in Banca Monte dei Paschi di Sien (BMPS IM), raising €650 million as part of re-privatization efforts following the 2021 failed attempt.
The Treasury's divestment makes BMPS more appealing for buyers. BMPS still trades at attractive valuation multiples. The bank announces approval from the ECB for a €0.25 cash dividend per share. 
Economy Minister Giorgetti and PM Meloni aim to boost competition through privatization, favoring a merger with another mid-sized Italian bank, possibly BPER Banca or Banco BPM.


Financials & FinTech research, Galliano’s Financials Research

Victor Galliano

Financials & FinTech research

Financials & FinTech, EM & Developed Markets

Galliano’s Financials Research

Galliano's Financials Research provides fundamental research in Emerging Markets financials, including FinTech, as well as financials in select Developed Markets.

The investment style applied is generally value oriented, although Growth At Reasonable Price (GARP) strategies can also be used where appropriate. 

Our investment research approach aim is often contrarian, looking to capitalise on overly sceptical or optimistic consensus views. In terms of valuation techniques, the focus is on PBV ratio to ROE, PE multiples and dividend yield, as well as the application of PEG ratios and, where appropriate, Sum of the Parts (SOTP) valuations.

<ul>
<li>Credit Agricole has acquired a 9.18% stake in Banco BPM, sparking takeover bid speculation; Italy is Credit Agricole’s biggest banking market ex-France, where it has been very active on M&amp;A</li>
<li>For Credit Agricole, in our view, Banco BPM’s strong Northern Italian footprint, its cleaner and stronger balance sheet and its asset management arm are all big attractions for this asset</li>
<li>We remain positive on Banco BPM, one of our 2022 High Conviction Ideas; not only a modestly valued potential M&amp;A target, but its valuations are also underpinned by improving fundamentals</li>
</ul>


Credit Agricole has acquired a 9.18% stake in Banco BPM, sparking takeover bid speculation; Italy is Credit Agricole’s biggest banking market ex-France, where it has been very active on M&amp;A
For Credit Agricole, in our view, Banco BPM’s strong Northern Italian footprint, its cleaner and stronger balance sheet and its asset management arm are all big attractions for this asset
We remain positive on Banco BPM, one of our 2022 High Conviction Ideas; not only a modestly valued potential M&amp;A target, but its valuations are also underpinned by improving fundamentals


Banco BPM: Credit Agricole Makes Its Move

<ul>
<li>Among EM banks, our top picks are Sberbank in Russia, Banco do Brasil and HDFC Bank in India; we are negative on recent IPO Nubank due to inflated market expectations</li>
<li>Our top picks for 2022 are BBVA and Banco BPM for Southern Europe banks. In Exchanges, we are positive on B3 of Brazil and SGX</li>
<li>In payments, we like Mastercard and Pagseguro, but we are negative on Paytm; we see BTG Pactual as an attractive pick and winner in the digital wealth managers and brokers</li>
</ul>


Among EM banks, our top picks are Sberbank in Russia, Banco do Brasil and HDFC Bank in India; we are negative on recent IPO Nubank due to inflated market expectations
Our top picks for 2022 are BBVA and Banco BPM for Southern Europe banks. In Exchanges, we are positive on B3 of Brazil and SGX
In payments, we like Mastercard and Pagseguro, but we are negative on Paytm; we see BTG Pactual as an attractive pick and winner in the digital wealth managers and brokers


2022 High Conviction Ideas in FinTech & Financials

<ul>
<li>CASA’s enhanced offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/credito-valtellinese-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21175:1" rel="noopener">Credito Valtellinese SpA (CVAL IM)</a> confirms the appetite for M&amp;A in Southern Europe, and Italy in particular</li>
<li>We expect Italian M&amp;A to be largely intra-country, as the key factors driving consolidation is the need for greater domestic scale given the lower for longer interest rates, especially in Europe, as well as the march of digital banking globally</li>
<li>After <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/intesa-sanpaolo-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21200:1" rel="noopener">Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP IM)</a>-UBI, and now potentially the conclusion of CASA Italia-CreVal, the focus is on the future of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banca-monte-dei-paschi-di-siena" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21162:1" rel="noopener">Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS IM)</a> </li>
<li>A combination between <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/banco-bpm-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28121:1" rel="noopener">Banco BPM SpA (BAMI IM)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bper-banca-s-p-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21165:1" rel="noopener">BPER Banca S.p.A (BPE IM)</a> now seems less likely; this implies that Banco BPM is a potential contender, once again, to combine with BMPS; the latter has largely de-risked its balance sheet, even if its core capital ratio is low</li>
<li>We would see a BPM-BMPS union as a major positive catalyst for a <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/unicredit-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21234:1" rel="noopener">UniCredit SpA (UCG IM)</a>  re-rating; even if Unicredit were to acquire BMPS, we believe that, at current valuations, a lot of the risks are discounted</li>
<li>Risks to our positive Unicredit view include Unicredit’s acquisition of BMPS on unfavourable terms, as well as worse than expected organic performance of revenue growth, given the challenging interest rate environment</li>
</ul>


CASA’s enhanced offer for Credito Valtellinese SpA (CVAL IM) confirms the appetite for M&amp;A in Southern Europe, and Italy in particular
We expect Italian M&amp;A to be largely intra-country, as the key factors driving consolidation is the need for greater domestic scale given the lower for longer interest rates, especially in Europe, as well as the march of digital banking globally
After Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP IM)-UBI, and now potentially the conclusion of CASA Italia-CreVal, the focus is on the future of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS IM) 
A combination between Banco BPM SpA (BAMI IM) and BPER Banca S.p.A (BPE IM) now seems less likely; this implies that Banco BPM is a potential contender, once again, to combine with BMPS; the latter has largely de-risked its balance sheet, even if its core capital ratio is low
We would see a BPM-BMPS union as a major positive catalyst for a UniCredit SpA (UCG IM)  re-rating; even if Unicredit were to acquire BMPS, we believe that, at current valuations, a lot of the risks are discounted
Risks to our positive Unicredit view include Unicredit’s acquisition of BMPS on unfavourable terms, as well as worse than expected organic performance of revenue growth, given the challenging interest rate environment


Southern Europe Banks: Focus on Italian Banks M&A

Italy

Banco BPM SpA is a leading Italian banking group, providing a wide range of financial products and services including retail banking, corporate banking, private banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance. The bank caters to private customers, small businesses, and large corporations across Italy. It was formed on January 1, 2017, from the merger of Banco Popolare and Banca Popolare di Milano, and is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

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Banco BPM (BAMI IM)

Monte Dei Paschi Poised for Strategic Merger Opportunity

Italian government sells stake in BMPS, sparking acquisition interest amid improved financials and attractive valuation.

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Reborn from Ashes and Possible Target

Italian Treasury sells 12.5% stake in BMPS, raising €650 million for re-privatization efforts. BMPS trades at attractive multiples and could be...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Banco BPM: Credit Agricole Makes Its Move

Credit Agricole's initial stake in Banco BPM suggests the first step for further acquisitive growth in Italy; based on the CreVal deal, this could...

Victor Galliano

2022 High Conviction Ideas in FinTech & Financials

Our 2022 high conviction ideas include buys on Sberbank, Banco do Brasil and HDFC Bank, as well as BBVA, Banco BPM, B3, SGX, Mastercard and...

Victor Galliano

Southern Europe Banks: Focus on Italian Banks M&A

The prospect of Italian bank sector M&A in Italy is overly penalizing Unicredit shares for the risk of a BMPS deal. With the BPM-BPER union called...

Victor Galliano

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Monte Dei Paschi Poised for Strategic Merger Opportunity

​Italian government sells stake in BMPS, sparking acquisition interest amid improved financials and attractive valuation.

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Reborn from Ashes and Possible Target

​Italian Treasury sells 12.5% stake in BMPS, raising €650 million for re-privatization efforts. BMPS trades at attractive multiples and could be...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Banco BPM: Credit Agricole Makes Its Move

Credit Agricole's initial stake in Banco BPM suggests the first step for further acquisitive growth in Italy; based on the CreVal deal, this could...

Victor Galliano

2022 High Conviction Ideas in FinTech & Financials

Our 2022 high conviction ideas include buys on Sberbank, Banco do Brasil and HDFC Bank, as well as BBVA, Banco BPM, B3, SGX, Mastercard and...

Victor Galliano

Southern Europe Banks: Focus on Italian Banks M&A

The prospect of Italian bank sector M&A in Italy is overly penalizing Unicredit shares for the risk of a BMPS deal. With the BPM-BPER union called...

Victor Galliano

Italian government sells stake in BMPS, sparking acquisition interest amid improved financials and attractive valuation.

Italian Treasury sells 12.5% stake in BMPS, raising €650 million for re-privatization efforts. BMPS trades at attractive multiples and could be...