TSB mortgage deal may take C&G to 3rd place
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Cheltenham & Gloucester, the building society taken over by Lloyds Bank, could soon become the UK's third largest mortgage lender by merging its mortgage book with that of the TSB. The TSB was also taken over by Lloyds.
The C&G, which yesterday announced record pre-tax profits of pounds 246m in 1995, compared to pounds 219m the previous year, already markets its mortgages through the 1,800-strong Lloyds Bank network.
Andrew Longhurst, C&G chief executive, said talks were taking place over whether the company would take the TSB mortgage book, worth about pounds 9bn, under its wing. A decision is expected later this year.
But he added that C&G, which now has pounds 28.6bn in assets, will be selling its mortgages in all TSB's 1,000 branches. The move will give the former building society a combined total of 3,000 mortgage outlets, including its own 200 branches.
The C&G's first results after its takeover by Lloyds, come as another building society, National & Provincial, itself about to be taken over by Abbey National, announced pre-tax profits of pounds 187m for 1995, up from pounds 134 the previous year.
N&P said yesterday that net advances in 1995 reached pounds 444m, compared to just pounds 8m the previous year, when it was in the throes of re-organisation and talks with Abbey National.
The society's lending figures are still half their total in 1992, when they reached pounds 989m, before tumbling to pounds 394m the following year.
Despite the turnaround in N&P's fortunes last year, the society's chairman, Lord Shuttleworth, said: "To achieve our strategic objective, the board has concluded that partnership is the most appropriate way forward for the society.
"In particular to make possible the sustained level of investment necessary to meet the needs of our customers and maintain a strong competitive position." N&P members will be balloted on the proposed takeover in March,
For the C&G, Mr Longhurst said he did not rule out the possibility of future acquisitions: "C&G has always done mortgages and mergers. That is our strength. Historically, when we were looking at mergers, we were interested in widening our distribution network. Now that we have 3,000 branches... all our problems are solved.
"We will see further rationalisation and we remain alert to possibilities. If we could identify benefits we would talk to Lloyds Bank about it."
C&G's responsibility for Lloyds Bank mortgage business already places it in fourth position among lenders, behind Halifax, Abbey National and Nationwide.
C&G's net lending was pounds 1.6bn last year, giving the lender an 11.1 per cent share of the market in 1995, compared to its overall market share of 4.1 per cent.
Mr Longhurst said C&G's lending strategy remained prudent, with borrowers 12-months or more in arrears falling to 0.22 of all home loans, compared with the average among big lenders of 0.81 per cent.
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