HSBC Agrees to Pay EUR 300M to Settle French Tax Scandal

Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst

Updated: Jan 08 2026

0mins

HSBC has agreed to pay EUR 300M to settle a criminal and civil case in France over its alleged role in a dividend-tax scandal, Gaspard Sebag and Claudia Cohen of Bloomberg reports. The accord will end Parquet National Financier's investigation against HSBC without the bank admitting guilt. The payment includes a fine worth EUR 268M as well as a tax bill of approximately EUR 30M.

00005

$137.5+Infinity%1D

Analyst Views on 00005

Wall Street analysts forecast 00005 stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for 00005 is USD with a low forecast of USD and a high forecast of USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.

0 Analyst Rating

0 Buy

0 Hold

0 Sell

Current: 134.500

Low

Averages

High

Current: 134.500

Low

Averages

High

Daiwa

Buy

maintain

HKD880

2026-01-22

Reason

Daiwa

Price Target

HKD880

AI Analysis

2026-01-22

maintain

Buy

Reason

The article from Guosen Securities provides insights into the foreign capital flows in the Hong Kong stock market for the fourth quarter of 2025. The report lists the top ten stocks with the largest inflows and outflows of foreign capital, highlighting the forecasted net inflow and outflow amounts for each stock. The reasons for the analyst ratings can be inferred from the data presented: 1. Top Stocks with Inflows: Stocks like INNOVENT BIO, GCL TECH, and HUA HONG SEMI show significant foreign capital inflows, indicating positive investor sentiment and confidence in these companies. The presence of short selling data also suggests that while there is optimism, some investors are hedging against potential declines. 2. Top Stocks with Outflows: Conversely, stocks such as XIAOMI-W and MEITUAN-W are experiencing notable outflows, which may reflect negative sentiment or concerns about their future performance. The high short selling ratios for these stocks indicate that investors are betting against them, further supporting the bearish outlook. 3. Market Sentiment: The overall trends in inflows and outflows, along with the short selling ratios, provide a snapshot of market sentiment towards these stocks. Stocks with high inflows and lower short selling ratios are likely viewed more favorably, while those with high outflows and significant short selling are seen as riskier investments. In summary, the analyst ratings are influenced by the observed foreign capital movements, short selling activity, and the overall market sentiment towards the respective stocks.

Barclays

Overweight

maintain

2026-01-21

Reason

Barclays

Price Target

2026-01-21

maintain

Overweight

Reason

The analyst rating for HSBC Holdings (00005.HK) is based on several favorable factors that are expected to significantly enhance its earnings performance. Barclays highlighted that HSBC is likely to exceed its guidance and market forecasts due to: 1. Positive conditions in the Hong Kong market. 2. The full integration of Hang Seng Bank. 3. Strategic initiatives that can mitigate the impact of fluctuations in US policies. Additionally, Barclays predicts that even with a potential decline in US interest rates, HSBC's net interest income (NII) for 2026 and 2027 will remain 4-5% above market consensus. This resilience in performance leads Barclays to reaffirm its Overweight rating on HSBC and raise the target price from GBP12.3 to GBP14.

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DBS

maintain

$139.2

2026-01-09

Reason

DBS

Price Target

$139.2

2026-01-09

maintain

Reason

The analyst rating from UBS for HSBC HOLDINGS (00005.HK) is maintained at Neutral with a target price of GBP10.35. The reason for this rating is that while UBS is more positive on the privatization deal involving Hang Seng Bank, they did not alter the ultimate value of HSBC HOLDINGS. This suggests that UBS sees potential benefits from the transaction but does not expect it to significantly change the overall valuation of HSBC in the long term.

Citi Research

NULL

Buy

maintain

2026-01-09

Reason

Citi Research

Price Target

2026-01-09

maintain

NULL

Buy

Reason

The analyst rating from Citi Research for HSBC HOLDINGS is based on several key factors: 1. Lowered EPS Forecasts: Citi Research has slightly reduced its EPS forecasts for 2025-2027 by 0-1%, primarily due to the expectation of an additional Federal Reserve rate cut in 2026. 2. Higher Revenue Assumptions: Despite the slight decline in EPS forecasts, Citi's projections remain 2-9% higher than the latest market consensus for the company's profit before tax. This is attributed to expectations of strong revenue growth, particularly in non-interest income from the Asian wealth business. 3. Positive Return on Tangible Equity (RoTE): Citi believes that HSBC can achieve a RoTE of approximately 19-20% in 2027-2028, indicating strong profitability potential. 4. Increased Target Price: With the introduction of a 2028 forecast and an extended terminal year in its valuation model, Citi raised its target price for HSBC from $127.8 to $138.3. 5. Reiterated Buy Rating: Given these factors, Citi Research has maintained a "Buy" rating on HSBC HOLDINGS, reflecting confidence in the company's future performance despite the minor adjustments to EPS forecasts.

About the author

Emily J. Thompson

Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.