HSBC Continental Europe, the indirect subsidiary of HSBC Holdings HSBC, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the potential sale of its French life insurance arm, HSBC Assurances Vie (France), to Matmut Société d’Assurance Mutuelle.
HSBC Assurances Vie (France) manages more than €20 billion in assets, recorded a net income of €77 million in 2023, and boasts a robust Solvency II ratio of 287%. The deal, valued at €925 million, would represent a strategic move in HSBC’s plan to simplify its operations.
Pending regulatory approvals and employee consultations, the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2025 and is anticipated to result in a pre-tax loss of €0.1 billion.
As part of the arrangement, HSBC Global Asset Management (France) would maintain its partnership with HSBC Assurances Vie (France) post sale. The current distribution networks will remain intact, ensuring continuity for customers and partners.
The potential sale aligns with HSBC’s strategy of focusing on markets with strong growth potential, as highlighted by CEO Georges Elhedery in October 2024. For Matmut, acquiring HSBC Assurances Vie (France) strengthens its position as a leading mutual insurance group in France.
Other Efforts by HSBC to Streamline Operations
The divestiture is part of HSBC’s business restructuring and Asia pivot strategy initiative. The company has been aggressively restructuring its global footprint to reduce costs and complexity as part of this effort. The company intends to position itself as a top bank for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients in Asia.
In line with this strategy, in October, HSBC announced an initiative to simplify its organizational structure. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, the company will operate through four business lines: Hong Kong, UK, Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Wealth & Premier Banking.
Additionally, HSBC is divesting from less profitable markets. In September 2024, the company agreed to sell its private banking business in Germany to BNP Paribas and its South Africa business to FirstRand Bank and Absa. In April 2024, the company announced an agreement to divest its Argentina business, while in February, HSBC agreed to sell its Armenian unit. The company already exited retail banking businesses in the United States, Canada, France, New Zealand, Greece and Russia.
HSBC intends to reinvest the proceeds from the divestitures in expanding its presence in Southeast Asia and China, where the bank believes it can leverage its existing strengths to drive growth. In sync with this, the company acquired Citigroup's retail wealth management business in China and Singapore-based SilkRoad Property Partners Group. Also, it has re-launched its private banking business in India.
By consolidating its operations and concentrating on Asia, HSBC aims to enhance shareholder returns and maintain long-term growth in a more competitive environment.
Shares of HSBC, which currently has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), have gained 20.1% so far this year, outperforming the industry’s rally of 6.7%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
HSBC’s Peers Worth a Look
A couple of HSBC’s peers worth considering include UBS Group AG UBS and DBS Group Holdings Ltd DBSDY, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Estimates for UBS’s current-year earnings have been revised 18.5% upward in the past two months. The company’s shares have gained 1.7% in the past six months.
Estimates for DBSDY’s current-year earnings have been revised 1.4% north in the past 60 days. The company’s shares have jumped 22.2% in the past six months.
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