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Lloyds faces ire of shareholders Lloyds faces ire of shareholders
(7 minutes later)
Lloyds Banking Group shareholders are venting their anger over the merger with HBOS at the bank's annual meeting.Lloyds Banking Group shareholders are venting their anger over the merger with HBOS at the bank's annual meeting.
Although investors approved the takeover, some shareholders are exploring grounds for legal action against Lloyds directors.Although investors approved the takeover, some shareholders are exploring grounds for legal action against Lloyds directors.
Shareholders are also voting on a share issue. If they snub the offering, the government's stake in Lloyds could rise from 43.4% to 65%. Sir Victor Blank, Lloyd's chairman, is up for re-election to the bank's board despite heavy criticism.
The results of the vote are expected next week. But he is expected to survive the shareholder vote after saying he would step down by June 2010.
Sir Victor Blank, Lloyds' chairman, faced questions about the impact that HBOS has had on Lloyds TSB at the meeting in Glasgow. UK Financial Investments, the body that manages the taxpayer's stakes in nationalised lenders and Lloyds' biggest shareholder, said on Tuesday it would vote in favour of Sir Victor's re-election.
However, some independent shareholders may not toe the line.
'Paying the price'
Sir Victor faced questions about the impact that HBOS has had on Lloyds TSB at the meeting in Glasgow.
"I think they pushed the whole thing through too quickly and now we're paying the price," Lloyds shareholder Jim Macintyre told the Reuters news agency."I think they pushed the whole thing through too quickly and now we're paying the price," Lloyds shareholder Jim Macintyre told the Reuters news agency.
"To some extent it was forced on them," he added."To some extent it was forced on them," he added.
Lloyds TSB shareholders are rightly furious at the way their company has been mismanaged by the board Lloyds Action NowLloyds TSB shareholders are rightly furious at the way their company has been mismanaged by the board Lloyds Action Now
Last month, Sir Victor said he would step down as chairman of Lloyds Banking Group by June 2010.
Sir Victor and Lloyds' chief executive, Eric Daniels, have faced criticism for their decision last year to buy HBOS, the troubled owner of Halifax.Sir Victor and Lloyds' chief executive, Eric Daniels, have faced criticism for their decision last year to buy HBOS, the troubled owner of Halifax.
HBOS made £10bn of losses last year and Lloyds has put £260bn worth of toxic assets, mostly from HBOS, into a government-backed insurance scheme.HBOS made £10bn of losses last year and Lloyds has put £260bn worth of toxic assets, mostly from HBOS, into a government-backed insurance scheme.
Pension pressurePension pressure
Friday is also the day by which shareholders must decide whether they want to invest more money in the bank via a share issue.
If they snub the offering, the government's stake in Lloyds could rise from 43.4% to 65%. However, the recent surge in Lloyd's share price has made the discounted offer more attractive.
The results of the vote are expected next week.
A group called Lloyds Action Now set up to find ways to recover shareholders' losses as a result of the takeover will be launched at the meeting.A group called Lloyds Action Now set up to find ways to recover shareholders' losses as a result of the takeover will be launched at the meeting.
"Lloyds TSB shareholders are rightly furious at the way their company has been mismanaged by the board and the failure of professional advisors to discover the true state of the HBOS accounts at a time when its exposure to mortgage debt was a matter of public knowledge," the group said."Lloyds TSB shareholders are rightly furious at the way their company has been mismanaged by the board and the failure of professional advisors to discover the true state of the HBOS accounts at a time when its exposure to mortgage debt was a matter of public knowledge," the group said.
Lloyds is also likely to face pressure over its pension scheme.Lloyds is also likely to face pressure over its pension scheme.
The biggest union in Lloyds has demanded the bank provide a written guarantee it will keep open its final salary pension for the scheme's existing 30,000 members, the Financial Times reported.The biggest union in Lloyds has demanded the bank provide a written guarantee it will keep open its final salary pension for the scheme's existing 30,000 members, the Financial Times reported.
The report comes after Barclays closed its final salary pension scheme to existing members.The report comes after Barclays closed its final salary pension scheme to existing members.