Tesco to sell banking operations to Barclays to enhance customer offerings

Tesco, a dominant force in the UK’s retail landscape, has entered into a definitive long-term strategic partnership with Barclays, a leading name in UK banking. This landmark agreement, initially set for a 10-year period, aims to revolutionize the provision of Tesco-branded banking products and services, leveraging both companies’ strengths to offer unparalleled value to customers.

The partnership is poised to merge Tesco’s extensive market presence and customer-centric approach with Barclays’ deep expertise in financial services. Customers will benefit from an enhanced range of Tesco-branded banking products, fully integrated with the Tesco Clubcard program, the UK’s largest loyalty scheme. This collaboration promises annual income for Tesco from the branding use, customer base expansion, and Barclays’ involvement in the Clubcard program.

Under this transformative deal, Tesco will divest its existing banking operations in credit cards, loans, and savings to Barclays. This move will offload £7.7 billion of assets and £6.7 billion in liabilities from Tesco’s balance sheet, streamlining the company’s financial structure. In exchange, Tesco anticipates receiving approximately £600 million, with an additional £100 million in net cash following regulatory adjustments and transaction costs. Including a special dividend previously issued by Tesco Bank, the total expected cash inflow to Tesco is around £1 billion, with a significant portion earmarked for an incremental share buyback program for shareholders.

Tesco will retain its capital-light, profitable ventures such as insurance, ATMs, travel money, and gift cards, which closely align with its core retail offerings. The projected annual operating profit from the partnership and retained activities is expected to significantly contribute to Tesco Bank’s profitability.

The sale and partnership formation, expected to close in the second half of 2024, are contingent upon court sanction and regulatory approvals. This strategic maneuver is anticipated to be mildly accretive to Tesco’s earnings per share, bolstering shareholder value.

Ken Murphy, Tesco Group Chief Executive, and C.S. Venkatakrishnan, Barclays Group Chief Executive, both expressed their enthusiasm for the partnership. They highlighted the deal’s potential to deliver innovative financial solutions to customers, strengthen Tesco’s balance sheet, and enhance the Tesco Clubcard scheme, ultimately driving forward both companies’ ambitions in the UK financial and retail sectors.

This partnership marks a significant pivot towards leveraging corporate synergies to enhance consumer offerings in the financial services landscape, setting a new standard for strategic collaborations in the UK.

The strategic partnership between Tesco and Barclays represents a forward-thinking approach to banking and retail collaboration. By combining Tesco’s robust customer engagement platforms with Barclays’ financial prowess, this alliance is set to redefine the consumer finance experience in the UK. Beyond the immediate financial implications, this partnership underscores a broader trend of retail and banking convergence, promising innovative customer solutions and enhanced shareholder value in an evolving market landscape.