Blueprint
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.20549
FORM 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
18 May
2018
LLOYDS BANKING GROUP
plc
(Translation of registrant's name into
English)
5th Floor
25 Gresham Street
London
EC2V 7HN
United Kingdom
(Address
of principal executive offices)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports
under
cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
20-F..X.. Form 40-F
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information
contained
in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to
the
Commission
pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
Yes
No ..X..
If
"Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule
12g3-2(b):
82- ________
Index
to Exhibits
Item
No.
1 Regulatory News Service Announcement, dated 18 May
2018
re: Sale
of Irish Residential Mortgage Portfolio
18 May
2018
LLOYDS BANKING GROUP ANNOUNCES SALE OF ITS IRISH RESIDENTIAL
MORTGAGE PORTFOLIO
Lloyds
Banking Group plc (the 'Group') announces today that it has agreed
the sale of its Irish residential mortgage portfolio to Barclays
Bank plc, for a cash consideration of around £4 billion at
current exchange rates.
The
transaction will generate approximately 25 basis points of CET1
capital upon completion, slightly better than originally expected,
and will complete in the second half of 2018. The transaction will
also generate a pre-tax loss on sale of c.£110 million,
recognised in the first half results.
The
gross assets subject to the transaction are c.£4.3 billion, of
which £0.3 billion are impaired, and in the year to 31
December 2017 generated a pre-tax loss of c.£40
million.
The
sale is in line with the Group's strategy of becoming a low risk,
UK focused bank. Following the transaction the Group will have
minimal exposure to Ireland and the total outstanding run-off
portfolio will be around £4 billion, less than 1 per cent
of the Group's loans and advances to customers.
The
sale proceeds will be used for general corporate
purposes.
- END -
For further information:
Investor Relations
Douglas
Radcliffe +44
(0)20 7356 1571
Group Investor Relations Director
douglas.radcliffe@lloydsbanking.com
Corporate Affairs
Matt
Smith
+44 (0)20 7356 3522
Head of Corporate Media
matt.smith@lloydsbanking.com
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This
document contains certain forward looking statements with respect
to the business, strategy, plans and /or results of Lloyds Banking
Group and its current goals and expectations relating to its future
financial condition and performance. Statements that are not
historical facts, including statements about Lloyds Banking Group's
or its directors' and/or management's beliefs and expectations, are
forward looking statements. By their nature, forward looking
statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to
events and depend upon circumstances that will or may occur in the
future. Factors that could cause actual business, strategy, plans
and/or results (including but not limited to the payment of
dividends) to differ materially from forward looking statements
made by the Group or on its behalf include, but are not limited to:
general economic and business conditions in the UK and
internationally; market related trends and developments;
fluctuations in interest rates, inflation, exchange rates, stock
markets and currencies; the ability to access sufficient sources of
capital, liquidity and funding when required; changes to the
Group's credit ratings; the ability to derive cost savings and
other benefits including, but without limitation as a result of any
acquisitions, disposals and other strategic transactions; changing
customer behaviour including consumer spending, saving and
borrowing habits; changes to borrower or counterparty credit
quality; instability in the global financial markets, including
Eurozone instability, instability as a result of the exit by the UK
from the European Union (EU) and the potential for other countries
to exit the EU or the Eurozone and the impact of any sovereign
credit rating downgrade or other sovereign financial issues;
technological changes and risks to the security of IT and
operational infrastructure, systems, data and information resulting
from increased threat of cyber and other attacks; natural, pandemic
and other disasters, adverse weather and similar contingencies
outside the Group's control; inadequate or failed internal or
external processes or systems; acts of war, other acts of
hostility, terrorist acts and responses to those acts,
geopolitical, pandemic or other such events; changes in laws,
regulations, accounting standards or taxation, including as a
result of the exit by the UK from the EU, or a further possible
referendum on Scottish independence; changes to regulatory capital
or liquidity requirements and similar contingencies outside the
Group's control; the policies, decisions and actions of
governmental or regulatory authorities or courts in the UK, the EU,
the US or elsewhere including the implementation and interpretation
of key legislation and regulation together with any resulting
impact on the future structure of the Group; the ability to attract
and retain senior management and other employees and meet its
diversity objectives; actions or omissions by the Group's
directors, management or employees including industrial action;
changes to the Group's post-retirement defined benefit scheme
obligations; the extent of any future impairment charges or
write-downs caused by, but not limited to, depressed asset
valuations, market disruptions and illiquid markets; the value and
effectiveness of any credit protection purchased by the Group; the
inability to hedge certain risks economically; the adequacy of loss
reserves; the actions of competitors, including non-bank financial
services, lending companies and digital innovators and disruptive
technologies; and exposure to regulatory or competition scrutiny,
legal, regulatory or competition proceedings, investigations or
complaints. Please refer to the latest Annual Report on Form 20-F
filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a
discussion of certain factors together with examples of forward
looking statements. Except as required by any applicable law or
regulation, the forward looking statements contained in this
document are made as of today's date, and Lloyds Banking Group
expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release
publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking
statements. The information, statements and opinions contained in
this document do not constitute a public offer under any applicable
law or an offer to sell any securities or financial instruments or
any advice or recommendation with respect to such securities or
financial instruments.
Signatures
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
LLOYDS
BANKING GROUP plc
(Registrant)
By: Douglas
Radcliffe
Name: Douglas
Radcliffe
Title: Group
Investor Relations Director
Date: 18
May 2018