Should I buy the Lloyds Bank share after its 30% price increase?

Is the Lloyds Bank share price rise a reason to consider buying the stock after it has been in the doldrums for much of 2020?

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.

Read More

The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice. Investments in a currency other than sterling are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in sterling terms. You could lose money in sterling even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Lloyds Bank (LSE: LLOY) has made sharp gains in the past few months. On average, the Lloyds Bank share price is up more than 30% since October. It’s also among the biggest FTSE 100 gainers today, indicating that the worst may be over for the long-languishing financial services stock. 

Three reasons the LLOY share price can rise

I think there are also plenty of reasons why its share price can rise in the foreseeable future. 

For one, there’s now light at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel. Investors are bullish now it’s widely believed that it’s only a matter of time before life goes back to normal. In fact, the wider stock market rally alone can continue to drive up share prices of individual stocks like LLOY. 

Two, the Lloyds Bank, like other FTSE 100 counterparts, can start paying dividends now. And they are unlikely to face disruption again. The Bank of England has just said that barring banks from dividend payouts last year was a particular situation. Income investors can be encouraged by this.

Three, the bank’s prospects look good too. According to The Financial Times, analysts expect improvement in LLOY’s financials. On average, they also expect the share price to rise slightly from its current levels. Going by the fact that its share price is still much lower than pre-crisis levels, I think there’s even more reason to believe that the upturn will continue. 

Two reasons to be cautious

But there are also reasons for caution. I had detailed some of them in my article on LLOY last week. Risks from the national lockdown and Brexit are high, in my view. They can diminish the economic outlook and, relatedly, the bank’s prospects for 2021. 

Also, its long-term share price history inspires little confidence. If it were more obvious that things would improve in 2021, I could feel confident about the Lloyds Bank share. But not right now. 

What I’d do next

So what wins on balance? The bulls or the bears?

There’s no denying that LLOY is a very popular stock among investors. I think long-term income investors, who are focused only on the income aspect of the stock, might be one set that find it attractive. Those who buy now will probably get a higher dividend yield from an investment in LLOY, as the price will quite likely rise at least a bit when dividends kick in.

I’m not that investor, however. I do like both capital growth and income and in that department the Lloyds Bank share leaves me wanting. Many other FTSE 100 stocks offer the option of both growth and income. One example is the utility provider Severn Trent, which I wrote about in some detail yesterday. 

Besides, right now, I don’t even know the dividend amount LLOY will finally decide on and whether it will be competitive. I’ll wait at least until the lockdown lifts to get a clearer understanding of the economic environment before I consider buying the Lloyds bank share. 

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Manika Premsingh has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Lloyds Banking Group. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Mature Caucasian woman sat at a table with coffee and laptop while making notes on paper
Investing Articles

10% dividend growth! 2 FTSE 100 stocks tipped to supercharge cash payouts

These FTSE 100 stocks have strong records of dividend growth. And they're expected to keep on delivering, as Royston Wild…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Down 17% in a month and yielding 7.39%! Is this FTSE 100 share a screaming buy for me?

When Harvey Jones bought Taylor Wimpey last year he thought this FTSE 100 share was a brilliant long-term buy-and-hold. Has…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Here’s how I’m using a £20k ISA to target £11k+ in income 30 years from now

Is it realistic to put £20k in an ISA now and earn over half that amount every year in passive…

Read more »

Young black colleagues high-fiving each other at work
Investing Articles

If I could only keep 5 UK stocks from my portfolio I’d save these

Harvey Jones is running through his portfolio of top UK stocks to see which ones he couldn't bear to do…

Read more »

Midnight is celebrated along the River Thames in London with a spectacular and colourful firework display.
Investing Articles

I’m aiming for a million buying unexciting shares!

By investing regularly in long-established, proven and even rather dull businesses, this writer plans to aim for a million. Here's…

Read more »

Investing Articles

3 things to consider before you start investing

Our writer draws on his stock market experience to consider a few vital lessons he would use to start investing…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Will this lesser-known £28bn growth stock be joining the FTSE 100 soon?

As the powers that be plan a reorganisation of Footsie listing rules, this massive under-the-radar growth stock could find its…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Fools wouldn’t touch these 5 FTSE 350 flops with a bargepole – how come I own 3 of them?

Harvey Jones took a chance on three struggling FTSE 350 stocks in the hope that they'd stage a dramatic recovery.…

Read more »