Metro Bank is asking potential buyers to contact its adviser as the British lender reviews options for its next growth phase following a return to profit, The Independent reported Thursday.
The bank has no active buyer talks and directed interested parties to Morgan Stanley, its adviser, The Independent reported. Metro Bank said in a statement quoted by the newspaper that its board unanimously backed assessing buyer interest while the bank pursues its standalone plan. It said its strategy and guidance would remain in place if the process does not produce a deal.
EconoTimes previously covered the lender’s formal sale process and growth review.
The London-based lender posted an £87.2 million profit in 2025, after a £212.1 million loss in 2024, The Independent reported. Costs fell 7% during the year. The overhaul also cut more than 1,000 roles and discontinued seven-day branch hours, according to the newspaper.
The Independent reported that shareholders approved a £925 million funding package three years ago, before the bank’s cost-cutting plan. A capital raise gave Colombian billionaire Jaime Gilinski Bacal a 53% stake and majority control of the bank. Gilinski Bacal appointed himself to a non-executive seat on Metro Bank’s board.
