Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has posted a year-to-date (YTD) return of 63.2%, even as its market value fell by N36.45 billion following a mild bearish trend in the equities market. The dip comes as the tier-one lender prepares to pay its interim dividend scheduled for October 15.
Trading data from the Nigerian Exchange showed that GTCO’s share price slipped to N93 at the close of last week, compared to N94 at the start of trading. Heavy transaction volumes kept the stock within a price band of N90 to N93 throughout the five-day session.
Market analysts observed that the movement reflects shareholder confidence, particularly ahead of the dividend qualification date. Afrinvest Securities Limited has placed a price target of N109.82 on GTCO, projecting an 18% upside from its current trading level.
Despite the strong YTD performance, GTCO’s financial report for the first half of 2025 showed a 50.4% year-on-year decline in profit, dropping to N449 billion. Analysts described the decline as unusual, considering GTCO’s historical track record of robust earnings.
Nevertheless, the company’s directors have recommended an interim dividend of N1.00 per ordinary share on its 34.1 billion issued shares, payable electronically to shareholders on October 15. The register of shareholders will close on October 8 for qualification.
Ownership details as of June 30, 2025, showed that Stanbic IBTC Nominees Limited controlled 24.21% of GTCO’s shares on behalf of clients, while Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited held 7.34%, primarily on behalf of pension funds. No individual shareholder controls more than 5% of the company’s issued capital.
