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Investing.com - UBS downgraded Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (ASX:ANZ) (OTC:ANZBY (OTC:ANZGY)) from Neutral to Sell on Monday, while reducing its price target to AUD26.50 from AUD30.00.
The downgrade reflects UBS’s expectation of short-term headwinds for the bank, including potential dividend per share cuts and increased costs related to a likely retail banking restructuring effort.
ANZ has underperformed its peers by approximately 66% over the past five years, with return on equity contracting by 450 basis points during this period, according to UBS’s analysis.
The research firm noted that while the appointment of a new CEO offers an opportunity to reset the bank’s strategy, "significant and decisive actions are required to enhance shareholder value," which may include adjusting capital levels through a dividend payout ratio reduction.
Despite the near-term negative outlook, UBS acknowledged "significant long-term optionality" for ANZ, particularly if the bank succeeds in turning around its retail banking operations.
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