Lloyds Banking Group (NYSE:LYG) reported first-half statutory profit after tax of £3.1 billion and outlined a new strategy targeting higher returns, continued income growth and additional cost savings through 2030.
The bank said its interim dividend would rise 30% to £0.0158 per share and announced a £1 billion interim share buyback. Together, the actions represent more than £1.9 billion of capital distributions for the first half, according to William.
First-Half Financial Performance
Net income rose 9% year over year to £9.7 billion in the first half, while second-quarter net income increased 4% from the first quarter. The group reported a return on tangible equity of 17.1% for the half.
Net interest income increased 9% from a year earlier to £7.3 billion, supported by a 4% rise in average interest-earning assets and improving net interest margins. The first-half net interest margin was 319 basis points, including a 322-basis-point margin in the second quarter.
Structural hedge earnings totaled £3.4 billion in the first half. Lloyds expects hedge income to exceed £7 billion in 2026, more than £8 billion in 2027 and more than £9 billion by 2030, based on its planning assumptions.
Other income increased 11% year over year to £3.3 billion. The bank cited growth in motor leasing, payments, workplace income, Lloyds Wealth and equity investments. Commercial fee income from lending and transaction banking rose, though lower markets income amid volatility offset some of that progress.
Operating costs were flat year over year at £4.9 billion. The group’s cost-to-income ratio was 50.4% in the first half and 49% in the second quarter. Lloyds said it remains on track to achieve a full-year cost-to-income ratio below 50%.
Credit performance remained stable, with an impairment charge of £617 million, equivalent to an asset quality ratio of 25 basis points. Lloyds maintained its expectation for a full-year asset quality ratio of about 25 basis points.
- Customer lending balances reached £492 billion, rising more than £5 billion in the second quarter.
- Customer deposits exceeded £500 billion after increasing £5 billion during the quarter.
- Open-book assets under administration in Insurance, Pensions and Investments rose about £25 billion in the second quarter to £251 billion.
- Capital generation was 108 basis points in the first half, while the pro forma CET1 ratio after distributions was 13.1%.
2026 Targets Remain in Place
Charlie said Lloyds is on track to deliver the financial objectives set under its 2022-2026 strategic plan. The group expects net interest income above £14.9 billion in 2026, return on tangible equity above 16%, capital generation above 200 basis points and a cost-to-income ratio below 50%.
The bank said it has generated more than £2 billion in gross cost savings since 2021 and completed £28 billion of risk-weighted asset optimization. It also said it has announced about £17 billion of shareholder distributions during the current strategic period.
Charlie said customer lending and deposit balances total nearly £1 trillion, alongside approximately £250 billion of open-book assets under administration. The company is on course for revenue of about £20 billion in 2026.
Accelerate 2030 Strategy
Lloyds introduced its next strategic plan, called Accelerate 2030, which centers on three pillars: Grow the Core, Innovate to Deepen and Diversify, and Simplify to Outperform.
The strategy calls for additional investment in technology, data and artificial intelligence, along with initiatives intended to deepen customer relationships across retail banking, commercial banking, insurance, pensions, wealth and equity investments.
Charlie said the group plans to use AI-enabled customer journeys, personalized rewards, expanded wealth services, digital payments capabilities and connected offerings across homes, transport and insurance. Lloyds also plans to launch initial digital-asset propositions for commercial clients in the second half of the year and opened a wait list for its Lloyds Smart Wallet payments product.
The company said it is targeting more than £45 billion of new finance for small-business customers and more than £100 billion of sustainable and transition financing by 2030. Lloyds Living, its residential landlord business, aims to double its homes portfolio to more than 20,000 by the end of the decade.
The bank also confirmed it will move Halifax customers under the Lloyds brand, while continuing to operate Bank of Scotland as its relationship brand in Scotland. Charlie said Lloyds would retain specialist brands including Scottish Widows, MBNA, Tusker and Birmingham Midshires for particular customer needs and distribution channels.
2030 Financial Framework
Under Accelerate 2030, Lloyds is targeting mid-single-digit compound annual net income growth through 2030 and high-single-digit compound annual growth in other operating income. It expects income growth to be stronger in 2027.
The group plans to invest more than £13 billion in cash over the strategic period. Cash investment is expected to increase by roughly 10% to 15% in 2027 from 2026 levels before stabilizing in subsequent years.
At the same time, Lloyds targets around £2 billion of gross cost savings between 2027 and 2030, supported by technology modernization, automation, property optimization, offshore capabilities and AI-driven productivity improvements. The company expects AI-powered tools to support every customer interaction and all employees by 2030. It expects more than £100 million of value from generative and agentic AI in 2026.
Lloyds is targeting a cost-to-income ratio below 45% in 2030, return on tangible equity of about 20%, and capital generation of more than 225 basis points. It expects an asset quality ratio of 25 to 30 basis points throughout the plan.
William said the company intends to maintain a CET1 target of 13% and continue reviewing excess capital distributions every half year. The bank expects buybacks to remain its preferred method of distributing excess capital, alongside a progressive and sustainable dividend.
About Lloyds Banking Group (NYSE:LYG)
Lloyds Banking Group plc is a UK-based banking and financial services company that provides a broad range of retail, commercial and insurance products. Its principal consumer-facing brands include Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, through which it offers current accounts, savings, mortgages, credit cards and personal loans. The group also delivers services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and larger corporate clients, supplying business accounts, lending, payments and cash-management solutions.
In addition to core banking, Lloyds operates a significant wealth and insurance arm under the Scottish Widows brand, offering life insurance, pensions, investment and retirement planning products.
