Shareholders Applauds GTBank Financial Performance; Approve N80.94bn Dividend Payout

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The esteemed shareholders of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, on Thursday in Lagos Commenting on the management for the stellar results, described it as superlative, given the tight and even unfriendly operating environment and multiplicity of taxes that leave government and its agencies richer at the end of the day than investors.

The reports showed gross earnings of the bank increased by 3.69% from N419.226bn in 2017 to N434.698bn, while a combination of the drop in loan impairment charges from N12.169bn to N4.906bn, and rise in fee and commission income to N52.367bn from N42.921bn, lifted profit after tax by 9.96% from N167.912bn to N184.639bn

“Given the outlook of improving macroeconomic conditions, the bank remains resolute in taking advantage of these opportunities to growing earnings, improving profitability and delivering returns to our esteemed shareholders by mrs Osaretin Demuren, Chairman, Guaranty Trust Bank”   

Shareholders By a unanimous approved the directors’ recommendation N2.45 final dividend per share for the year ended December 31, 2018, which in addition to the 30 kobo half-year interim, brings total payout for the full-year to N2.75 translated to N80.935bn.

 

In reacting to the accounts and reports lay before the esteemed stakeholders, a shareholder, Nonah-Awoh pointed out to the management to work towards account maintenance fees, which is a good source of revenue for most banks today adding that it may be wiped off by competition or regulation, just as COT that was once a veritable source of income.

He noted that the N18.23bn reported as unclaimed dividend, is high which mostly belong to small retail investors, he therefore challenging the board and management to work seriously towards reducing it drastically before the next meeting.

Nonah-Awoh said the Federal Governance has round off businesses with excessive taxes, citing example, that GTBank paid out a total of N482.2bn in taxes including company income and withholding on the dividend declared, which is much more than it would record in two years as profit at current rate.

He also noted that the bank for this year paid N19.4bn in taxes to the government last year, up from N16.06bn for the 2017 financial year; while the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) received N31bn into its sinking fund in two years. Added to these, he continued, is the N7.89bn deposit insurance premium, up from N7.935bn in 2017; and another N14.4bn in agric SME contributions, which climbed from N6.4bn.

“We have paid the Central Bank of Nigeria more than our (GTBank’s) profit for three years,” he stated further.

He strengthen his point by said “wondered why banks will be encouraged to mobilize deposits at 3% interest, only for the CBN to warehouse same in the name of Cash Reserve Ratio for which nothing it paid. For him, to ensure the deposit mobilization efforts of the banks are not wasted, the CBN should pay 3% on the N416bn warehoused funds.

This, he noted, would earn GTBank N12.5bn, while even 2% could increase its revenue by N8.3bn, which he stressed, is significant.

Another shareholder, Sir Sunny Nwosu, Emeritus coordinator of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), stated that on the AMCON, the board and management of GTBank, or any its peers may not be able to challenge its regulator- the CBN on the excessive tax regime, which has always existed. He therefore called for collective action by the shareholders, by protest to the National Assembly in view of the punitive nature of the regulators

He agreed that paying a total of N519bn altogether in the form of levy and taxes is no joke, just as he added that something must be done about AMCON.

While this topic has been in the front burner for a while, Nwosu urged the apex bank to allow the banks utilize the fund to improved revenue, profit and better returns on investment for the shareholders.

He pointed the way out, when by all stakeholders in the banking industry, including the shareholders, the Bankers’ Committee and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) to form lobby groups and protest all manner of taxes being imposed, thereby making investments uncompetitive.

In responding to all questions and complaints, Segun Agbaje, Chief Executive of the bank assured that ongoing efforts would continue to reduce the quantum of unclaimed dividend in its books while also be careful of impostors do not steal other people’s dividend through information we disseminated.

Agbaje said on the N400bn CRR with the CBN, the management is not in any position to speak on the matter, he added.

The bank is not under any threat, even if account maintenance charge goes away today just as he said the board is not considering the possibility of bonus shares, as it would affect payment of healthy dividend to shareholders.

No wonder it known as GTBank or simply GTB, a Nigerian multinational financial institution, that offers Online/Internet Banking, Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Investment Banking and Asset Management services. A leading African Bank that offers Online/Internet Banking, Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Investment Banking and Asset Management…..from its head office in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria


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