UPDATE 1-Lloyds TSB says 9-mth profit sharply lower

Mon Nov 3, 2008 2:41am EST
 
[-] Text [+]

* Expects to write down further 300 million pounds in H2

* Publishes shareholder circular for HBOS bid

* Confirms offer of 0.605 Lloyds/TSB shr per HBOS shr

LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Lloyds TSB (LLOY.L), the British bank in the process of buying rival HBOS HBOS.L, said its profit for the first nine months of the year fell sharply as a result of financial market turmoil and rising bad debts.

"The impact of market dislocation, insurance related volatility and higher impairments, particularly in our corporate lending portfolios, led to a substantial reduction in statutory profit before tax in the first nine months of the year," Lloyds said in a trading statement on Monday.

The bank said it expected to write off a further 300 million pounds ($488 million) in the second half of the 2008 as a result of an increase in bad loans to businesses, and predicted a further 120 million impairment charge as a result of falling house prices.

Lloyds TSB Chief Executive Eric Daniels said the bank still expected to report a good trading performance for the year as a whole.

"Despite the extremely challenging market and economic conditions, the group remains on track to deliver a good trading performance during 2008," he said in a statement.

The bank also published a circular to shareholders, confirming its offer to pay 0.605 Lloyds TSB shares for every HBOS share as part of a government brokered takeover of its British rival.

HBOS said in a separate statement that it expected the deal to be put to its shareholders in December and complete in January 2009.

(Reporting by Myles Neligan and Paul Hoskins)

 
Join the Reuters Consumer Insight Panel and help us get to know you better

Join the Reuters Consumer Insight Panel and help us get to know you better