From Yahoo Finance: 2025-06-20 10:18:00

Colombian billionaire Jaime Gilinski Bacal is considering selling his majority stake in British lender Metro Bank. He owns 52.87% via Spaldy Investments after helping with a 325 million pound equity recapitalization in 2023. Private equity firms Pollen Street Capital and BC Partners made an offer but disagreements on valuation halted progress.

There is a possibility of merging Metro Bank with another lender to grow the business. Gilinski has stated interest in expanding the bank. Metro Bank’s share price has risen 140% since 2023 but still below previous highs. Possible acquisition by Pollen Street and BC Partners could have led to a tie-up with Shawbrook.

Metro Bank, launched in 2010 to challenge traditional lenders, returned to profit in 2023. It expects profitability to increase in the coming years and aims for growth in return on tangible equity. The bank anticipates a boost in bottom line as treasury investments mature and move to higher yielding rates, improving net interest margin.

Analysts believe Metro Bank’s prospects could be enhanced by regulatory reform affecting capital requirements for mid-sized banks, but timing and impact remain uncertain. Nationwide Building Society recently acquired Virgin Money, indicating increased merger activity among British lenders. Barclays also acquired Tesco’s banking operations.

Read more: Exclusive-Metro’s biggest shareholder open to selling stake, sources say