BPER Banca Increases 2028 Profit Targets and Shareholder Payout Plan
BPER Banca's Upgraded Financial Outlook and Strategic Moves
2028 Profit Forecast and Integration Strategy
MILAN, Aug 6 (Reuters) - BPER Banca on Thursday unveiled upgraded targets through 2028, forecasting a net profit of around € 2.7 billion as the lender seeks to capitalise on the integration of Banca Popolare di Sondrio and expand higher-fee businesses.
Shareholder Distribution Plans
Dividend and Buyback Initiatives
The bank said it plans cumulative shareholder distributions of around € 7.5 billion over 2025-2028, through cash dividends and share buybacks, with an overall payout ratio of at least 85%, subject to targets and regulatory approvals.
Recent Financial Performance
First-Half Results and 2026 Guidance
Separately BPER reported first-half ordinary net profit of € 1.33 billion, up 14.7% year-on-year on a restated basis, and said it had improved its full-year 2026 guidance for net interest income and cost/income.
Market Position and M&A Opportunities
Potential Benefits from Intesa Sanpaolo's MPS Bid
BPER, Italy's fifth-largest bank, stands to be a key beneficiary of Intesa Sanpaolo's € 30.6-billion bid for Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS), significantly expanding its retail footprint in the Italian market.
Branch and Brand Acquisition Details
Intesa said that if its bid succeeds, it would sell 635 MPS branches, most of the lender's central operations and the historic MPS brand to BPER's largest shareholder Unipol, for them to be merged into BPER.
(Reporting by Andrea Mandalà, editing by Alvise Armellini)