Société Générale
Société Générale has delivered a remarkable 600% increase in total shareholder returns over the past 15 years. This has been achieved through strong organic growth combined with targeted acquisitions.
The bank has worked to improve its cost efficiency while pursuing investments to support this organic growth. As a result, ROE stands at close to an impressive 20%, dividends were up 32% last year and the bank launched a buyback and cancellation of 11 million shares.
“As with any financial institution, our employees are our greatest asset. At Société Générale, they are also our largest shareholder,” says CEO Daniel Bouton. “Value creation and shareholder return form the bedrock of our strategy, combining a solid financial structure with rigorous capital management and a disciplined approach to risk. Various targeted acquisitions over the past 18 months in areas we consider growth drivers have boosted our revenues, with strong potential for further growth and synergies. Highlights include the acquisition of Hanseatic Bank in Germany, Promek Bank in Russia, Eurobank in Poland and Bank of America’s structured hedge funds business in the US. We continue to progress in operating efficiency, steadily reducing our cost/income ratio while enhancing customer service and streamlining internal systems and procedures.”
