NatWest Group acquires Evelyn Partners for £2.7 billion
NatWest Group's stock fell 7.56% as it crossed below the 20-day SMA amid broader market gains in the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500.
The decline follows NatWest's announcement of acquiring Evelyn Partners for £2.7 billion, which is expected to enhance fee income by 20% pre-revenue synergies. Additionally, a £750 million share buyback was announced to boost shareholder value and market confidence. The acquisition is projected to create significant shareholder value by combining assets under management with Evelyn Partners, which generated a full-year EBITDA of £179 million for 2025.
This acquisition aligns with NatWest's strategy to strengthen its market position in asset management, but the stock's decline suggests investor caution despite the positive outlook from the acquisition and buyback announcement.
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- Acquisition Overview: NatWest Group disclosed the acquisition of Evelyn Partners for £2.7 billion (approximately $3.7 billion), aiming to strengthen its position in the wealth management sector and create the U.K.'s leading Private Banking and Wealth Management business to enhance services for its 20 million customers.
- Asset Management Growth: With Evelyn Partners managing £69 billion in assets, the merger is expected to increase total assets under management to £127 billion, significantly enhancing NatWest's market reach and client asset management capabilities.
- Synergies and Cost Savings: The acquisition is projected to generate annual run-rate cost synergies of £100 million, approximately 10% of combined PBWM costs, with implementation costs around £150 million, demonstrating the financial viability of the deal.
- Shareholder Buyback Plan: NatWest announced a £750 million share buyback program, expected to commence after the release of first-half 2027 results, while maintaining an ordinary dividend payout ratio of about 50%, aimed at enhancing shareholder value.
- Revenue Beat: Strategy reported fourth-quarter revenue of $122.99 million after Thursday's close, surpassing analyst expectations of $118.48 million, indicating strong market performance that may attract more investor interest.
- Earnings Growth: The company posted adjusted earnings of $16.37 per share, exceeding analyst estimates of $10.96 per share, demonstrating significant improvement in profitability that could lay the groundwork for future growth.
- Stock Price Decline: Despite the revenue and earnings beats, Strategy's stock dipped 4.8% to $128.36 in pre-market trading, reflecting market concerns about the overall economic environment, which may impact investor confidence.
- Market Trends: U.S. stock futures were lower, with Nasdaq 100 futures falling around 100 points, indicating cautious market sentiment that could pressure tech stocks and influence overall investment strategies.
- Acquisition Overview: NatWest Group has agreed to acquire Evelyn Partners for an enterprise value of £2.7 billion, which accelerates the implementation of NatWest's strategy and is expected to increase fee income by 20% pre-revenue synergies.
- Share Buyback Announcement: In conjunction with the acquisition, NatWest announced a £750 million share buyback aimed at enhancing shareholder value and boosting market confidence.
- Financial Metrics Insight: Evelyn Partners generated a full-year EBITDA of £179 million for 2025, valuing the transaction at a 9.7x EV/EBITDA multiple, indicating strong profitability and market positioning.
- Asset Management Integration: The merger will combine Evelyn Partners' £69 billion AUMA with NatWest's £59 billion, resulting in a total AUMA of £127 billion and total customer assets and liabilities of £188 billion, which is expected to create significant shareholder value.
- Strategic Partnership Launch: NatWest Group announced an exclusive mortgage partnership with Rightmove, set to begin in April, aimed at providing users with mortgage affordability insights to help homebuyers understand their borrowing potential early in their property search, thereby enhancing customer decision-making capabilities.
- Service Digitization Enhancement: The collaboration will integrate NatWest's Mortgage in Principle service with Rightmove's existing affordability tools, aiming to accelerate and digitize the UK home-moving process, making the search experience more efficient for buyers.
- Customer Support Mechanism: Users applying through Rightmove will receive NatWest's digital mortgage decisions in principle, with eligible customers potentially receiving a full mortgage offer within 24 hours of applying online, ensuring timely financial support for homebuyers.
- Market Positioning and Commitment: As the UK's third-largest mortgage lender, NatWest is committed to assisting first-time buyers through initiatives like the Family Backed Mortgage and Shared Ownership Mortgage, with plans to lend £10 billion to first-time buyers by 2026, further enhancing its competitive edge in the market.
- Bidding Activity: Barclays and NatWest are expected to formally submit bids for wealth management firm Evelyn Partners on Thursday, indicating strong interest in the wealth management sector.
- Bid Scale: Both banks are offering over £2 billion for a firm that manages approximately £65 billion in assets, which would significantly enhance their market position if successful.
- Potential Competitors: Although the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is speculated to be linked to the auction, it remains unclear whether they will submit a bid, adding uncertainty to the competitive landscape.
- Shareholder Background: Evelyn Partners is owned by private equity firms Permira and Warburg Pincus, and this acquisition could impact their future strategic direction and investment decisions.












