NZE:ANZ

ANZ Group Less Vulnerable Than Peers to Inevitable Retail Deposit Pricing Changes, Jarden Says

ANZ Group Holdings (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) is "much less vulnerable" to inevitable information technology-driven changes to retail deposit pricing than its major bank peers, Jarden said in a Friday note following the company's fiscal first-half results.The company's cash net profit after tax of AU$3.78 billion exceeded both consensus and Jarden's estimates by around 3%.The equity research firm said it seeks clarity on how ANZ plans to extend and leverage its leadership in institutional and New Zealand banking, whilst closing gaps in the Australian retail and business segments.It added that ANZ has a clear, distinctive target to increase return on tangible equity to 12% by fiscal year 2028 and 13% by fiscal year 2030 by "unlocking efficiency dividends from right sizing, simplification and synergy extraction."Jarden maintained an overweight rating on ANZ Group with a price target of AU$35.

Update: ANZ Group Holdings Posts Higher Fiscal H1 Cash Earnings, Operating Income

(Updates to add stock movement in the last paragraph)ANZ Group Holdings (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) reported Friday fiscal first-half cash earnings of AU$1.242 per share, up from AU$1.17 a year earlier.Analysts polled by FactSet expected earnings of AU$1.23.Operating income for the six months ended March 31 was AU$11.2 billion, compared with about AU$11 billion a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected AU$11.39 billion.The board declared an interim dividend of AU$0.83 per share, unchanged from the prior corresponding period, payable July 1 to shareholders on record as of May 12.The company's shares on the Australian and New Zealand bourses fell around 1% and 2%, respectively, in recent Friday trade.

ANZ Group's Total Capital, CET1 Capital Up in March Quarter

ANZ Group Holdings' (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) total capital and Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital both rose year over year in the March quarter, according to a Friday Australian bourse filing.The bank's total capital in the three months to March came in at AU$98.49 billion, up from the AU$95.5 billion in the year earlier period. Its CET1 capital for the period clocked in at AU$57.47 billion, increasing from the AU$55.23 billion it reported for the March 2025 quarter.Its CET1 ratio for the March quarter exceeded 12%, compared with about 12% in the prior-year period. It reported a liquidity coverage ratio of roughly 132% for the quarter, compared with a little over 133% in the year-earlier period.

ANZ Group Holdings Posts Higher Fiscal H1 Cash Earnings, Operating Income

ANZ Group Holdings (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) reported Friday fiscal first-half cash earnings of AU$1.242 per share, up from AU$1.17 a year earlier.Analysts polled by FactSet expected earnings of AU$1.23.Operating income for the six months ended March 31 was AU$11.2 billion, compared with about AU$11 billion a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected AU$11.39 billion.The board declared an interim dividend of AU$0.83 per share, unchanged from the prior corresponding period, payable July 1 to shareholders on record as of May 12.

ANZ Group Holdings Posts Fiscal H1 Cash EPS of AU$1.242, Operating Income of AU$11.2 Billion

Australian Shares Again Fall; G8 Education to Suspend Operation of Around 40 Centers

Australian shares continued to retreat for the seventh consecutive day at Wednesday's close as markets reacted to the United Arab Emirates' decision to leave the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 0.27%, or by 23.70 points, to close at 8,687.Brent crude oil futures for June were trading around $111.25 a barrel after the UAE decided to exit OPEC and OPEC+, effective May 1.Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz remained closed, as US President Donald Trump is said to be unhappy with Iran's latest proposal.Further, President ​Trump told aides to be ready for an extended Iran blockade, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.On the domestic front, Australia's consumer price index (CPI) rose 4.6% in the 12 months to March, up from a 3.7% increase in the year to February, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.Trimmed mean inflation was unchanged at 3.3% in the 12 months to March compared with February.In company news, G8 Education (ASX:GEM) plans to suspend the operation of around 40 of its centers as a result of an assessment of its network. It will transition customers to one of the nearby centers and, where possible, redeploy team members. The firm will then consider longer-term options for those centers, including lease surrender, divestment, or other alternatives. Its shares plunged 29% at market close, earlier reaching a 16-year low.Woodside Energy Group's (ASX:WDS) operating revenue fell to $3.26 billion in the first quarter ended March 31 from $3.32 billion a year earlier. Total production in the March quarter fell year on year to 45.2 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBoe) from 49.1 MMBoe. Its shares closed up 2%.Lastly, ANZ Group Holdings (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) agreed to acquire Worldline's 51% stake in their joint venture ANZ Worldline for an enterprise value of AU$89 million as part of the bank's broader 2030 strategy to enhance transaction banking capabilities.

ANZ Group to Acquire Worldline's 51% Stake in JV for AU$89 Million

ANZ Group Holdings (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) agreed to acquire Worldline's 51% stake in their joint venture ANZ Worldline for an enterprise value of AU$89 million as part of the bank's broader 2030 strategy to enhance transaction banking capabilities, according to a Wednesday filing with the Australian and New Zealand bourses.The move will enable the bank to offer a more integrated payments and banking experience, per the filing.The deal is subject to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission approval and is expected to be completed in the second half of fiscal 2026, with a minimal estimated impact of about 6 basis points on level 2 CET1 capital, the filing added.

ANZ Group's Financial Education Program Launches Two New Modules

ANZ Group's (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) MoneyBusiness financial education program for First Nations adults, developed in partnership with the Australian Government in 2005, launched two learning modules on digital confidence and scams, the banking and financial services company said in a Thursday statement.The modules are designed to boost support for First Nations communities and were developed in response to feedback from MoneyBusiness coaches, community professionals, and previous participants, the statement said.The program is delivered by the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network.ANZ Group shares fell 1% in afternoon trade on the Australian and New Zealand bourses.

Australian Banks Back Interest-Free Loans Under Australian Government Program

Australian banks support the roll-out of interest-free loans to businesses through the government's AU$1 billion Economic Resilience Program under the National Reconstruction Fund, the Australian Banking Association said in a statement on Monday.Businesses in identified priority sectors with an annual turnover of AU$100 million or less can secure a zero-interest loan of up to AU$5 million under the program, the banking group said.Banks participating in the program include the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA), National Australia Bank (ASX:NAB), Westpac Banking (ASX:WBC, NZE:WBC), and ANZ Group (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ), per the statement.Commonwealth Bank shares fell nearly 1% in morning trade in Australia, while National Australia Bank shares were down past 3%.Meanwhile, Westpac Banking and ANZ Group shares fell nearly 1% in recent trade in New Zealand.

Australian Banks Take 'Decisive Action' to Disrupt Transactions Supporting Illicit Tobacco Trade, Austrac Says

Australia's banks took "decisive action" to disrupt the financial flows supporting the country's illicit tobacco trade after Austrac and the Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarette (ITEC) Commissioner asked them to strengthen monitoring and reporting under their existing anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations, the regulator said in a Tuesday statement.They asked lenders to scrutinize high-risk transactions linked to tobacco retailers, including cash deposits and EFTPOS activity, according to Austrac Chief Executive Brendan Thomas.Almost 90% of banks and authorized deposit taking institutions responded to Austrac's request, per the statement, and around 20% of the reporting entities exited high-risk customers with exposure to illicit tobacco, while others imposed enhanced controls and monitoring arrangements to manage identified risks.Commonwealth Bank of Australia's (ASX:CBA) shares gained about 1% in recent Tuesday trade, ANZ Group Holdings' (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) Australia shares shed 1%, and Westpac Banking's (ASX:WBC, NZE:WBC) Australia shares fell 2%.