Secure Trust Bank - Lower-risk growth strategy delivers profit beat

Secure Trust Bank (STB) beat expectations in FY22 as it continued its strategy of growing exposure to prime lending products and utilising its proprietary technology. Driven by prime lending growth, operating income from continuing operations rose 14% to £169.6m which, combined with the ongoing cost efficiency programme, led to 28% pre-impairment PBT growth. PBT from continuing operations fell to £39.0m (£55.9m) as impairments normalised following one-off releases which benefited STB in FY21. STB shows positive signs of increasing its market share in the prime lending segment, which we reflect in our FY23 and FY24 forecasts.