Zenith Bank PLC Shares Listed as Top Pick Ahead of GTCO and ACCESSCORP
- A new research by Renaissance Capital Africa (Rencap) has examined the market valuation of banks in Nigeria
- The research ranked Zenith Bank Plc as its "top pick" ahead of GTCO, and ACCESSCORP
- It further provided insights into the banking industry in Nigeria and gave useful recommendations
Zenith Bank Plc continues to reinforce its position as one of Nigeria’s most resilient and fundamentally strong financial institutions, with recent research by Renaissance Capital Africa (Rencap) highlighting significant upside potential in both valuation and shareholder returns.
Following a comprehensive review of the Nigerian banking sector, Renaissance Capital Africa Research identified Zenith Bank as a top conviction pick, reflecting renewed confidence in the Bank’s balance sheet strength, earnings quality, and long-term value proposition.
Source: UGC
Despite the strong performance of the NGX Banking Index in recent periods, Rencap believes Zenith Bank’s current market valuation does not yet fully reflect its improving fundamentals, leaving room for further upside.
The research noted:
Although we expect banks to face challenges in growing earnings, given our outlook for CBN rate cuts, we believe the balance sheet clean-up of forbearance and SOL exposures, along with improvements in cash profits, will support higher dividend payouts relative to prior years. In our view, this should drive market valuations for our coverage banks. As such, our top picks, in order of conviction, are ZENITHBANK, GTCO, and ACCESSCORP.
A key driver of this positive outlook, according to the research, is the successful balance sheet clean-up arising from the resolution of regulatory forbearance exposures.
Loan write-offs and improvements in asset quality have significantly strengthened Zenith Bank’s financial position, providing a more solid foundation for sustainable growth and positioning the Bank to benefit from ongoing policy reforms within the Nigerian financial system.
In prior periods, sector-wide profitability was boosted by abnormal foreign exchange-related gains.
However, Rencap notes that these gains were largely unrealised and, in line with regulatory guidelines, could not translate into higher cash dividend distributions. Consequently, dividend payouts across the period between 2023 and 2024 remained constrained, despite record headline profitability.
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Dividend outlook for Zenith Bank
Historically, Zenith Bank has demonstrated a strong commitment to shareholder returns. In 2021 and 2022, the bank recorded one of the highest dividend payout ratios in the sector, underpinned by robust cash generation and disciplined capital management.
Looking ahead, analysts expect a return to higher and more sustainable dividend payout ratios as cash profits improve and balance sheet pressures ease.
This anticipated recovery in dividend capacity is viewed as a key catalyst for enhanced market valuation, particularly as investors increasingly prioritise income stability and payout consistency.
Zenith Bank: Valuation upgrade reflects improved fundamentals
Reflecting these positive developments, Renaissance Capital Africa Research upgraded Zenith Bank from HOLD to BUY, increasing its target Price by 96%.
The revision reflects improved valuation assumptions, including a lower risk-free rate aligned with changes in government bond yields, as well as refined beta estimates.
Although sustainable return on equity assumptions have been moderated to reflect near-term earnings growth challenges, Rencap maintains that Zenith Bank’s valuation remains compelling.
The research firm believes that the combination of a cleaner balance sheet, stronger cash earnings, and improved dividend prospects positions the Bank for superior long-term value creation.
Outlook for Zenith Bank
Zenith Bank Plc stands at a pivotal stage, transitioning from a phase of balance sheet repair to one of renewed growth and enhanced shareholder value. As regulatory headwinds ease and earnings quality improves, the Bank is well-positioned to deliver stronger dividends and unlock further market value.
With a proven track record of resilience, prudent governance, and a shareholder-focused strategy, Zenith Bank remains a standout institution within Nigeria’s financial services sector, well-equipped to sustain its performance and create lasting value in the years ahead.
Zenith Bank retains Nigeria’s top spot
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Zenith Bank emerged the number one bank in Nigeria by tier-1 capital for the 16th consecutive year.
The new ranking was released by The Banker, a Financial Times company, which publishes the top 1000 banks in the world.
Source: Legit.ng
