Could buying Westpac shares around $21 make me rich?

This ASX bank share is now offering a mammoth dividend yield.

| More on:
A man sits in deep thought with a pen held to his lips as he ponders his computer screen with a laptop open next to him on his desk in a home office environment.

Image source: Getty Images

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

Key points

  • Westpac shares are now trading at around $21, a six-month low
  • The fall in the valuation means it could now offer a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.75%
  • The ASX bank share is valued at around 11 times FY24’s estimated earnings

The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price has drifted towards $21. The lower valuation could mean that the ASX bank share is better value.

Since the start of 2023, Westpac shares have declined by 7%, compared to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has gone up by 4.5% over the same time period.

That's a fair amount of underperformance over a short time period. But, that could also mean that it's a good time to consider the bank if it's at a good price.

First, we'll consider the recent FY23 half-year result because that gave us a lot of insights into its operations.

Earnings recap

The ASX bank share reported that its net profit after tax (NPAT) grew by 22% to $4 billion. That's a lot of profit growth for such a large blue-chip ASX share.

It also declared a fully franked dividend per share of 70 cents, which was up by 15% year over year.

There were two elements that I was very interested to see.

The first was the reduction of operating expenses – Westpac had been targeting cost cuts to improve profitability. Westpac reported that its operating expenses had reduced by 7% to $5 billion. This was due to businesses sold, reduced use of third-party service providers and lower remediation costs. But, it did absorb inflationary pressures on wages and third-party vendor costs.

The other thing that I wanted to see was how much the net interest margin (NIM) had improved amid the higher interest rate environment. Higher lending profit is helpful for Westpac shares. The reported group NIM was 1.96%, up 5 basis points (0.05%) year over year. Westpac's core NIM, which excludes notable items, treasury and markets increased by 20 basis points (0.20%) year over year to 1.90%.

Westpac put the NIM increase down to average interest-earning assets (loans).

The bank remains "well capitalised" with its common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 12.3% being above its target range of 11% to 11.5%. This meant it had $3.6 billion of capital above the top end of the target range.

Time to buy Westpac shares?

Created with Highcharts 11.4.3Westpac Banking Corporation PriceZoom1M3M6MYTD1Y5Y10YALL15 May 202214 May 2023Zoom ▾Jul '22Sep '22Nov '22Jan '23Mar '23May '23Jul '22Jul '22Oct '22Oct '22Jan '23Jan '23Apr '23Apr '23www.fool.com.au

The ASX bank share is at a six-month low and getting closer to its 52-week low, as we can see on the chart above.

I think it's quite possible that the FY24 half-year result may not be quite as profitable as the HY23 result with potentially lower lending margins (due to elevated competition) and possibly higher bad debts if the higher interest rate environment is hurting households.

But, I think the Westpac share price valuation now reflects the seemingly-weaker situation with it down 11.6% from 14 February 2023 to today.

The Westpac share price is currently valued at under 11 times FY24's estimated earnings.

Having such a low price/earnings (P/E) ratio also means that the dividend yield is high. Westpac could pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.6% in FY23 and 9.75% in FY24.

The low valuation, high dividend yield and strong balance sheet lead me to believe that this is a good time to consider Westpac shares. But, I'd go into the investment not expecting strong capital growth over the medium term because of the competitive environment which could be here to stay, with so many lenders out there.

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

More on Bank Shares

A young woman sits with her hand to her chin staring off to the side thinking about her investments.
Bank Shares

The pros and cons of buying NAB shares in August

Is it a good time to invest in the major bank? Here’s my view.

Read more »

A young woman sits at her desk in deep contemplation with her hand to her chin while seriously considering information she is reading on her laptop.
Dividend Investing

Are CBA shares still a good buy today for passive income?

Looking to earn passive income from ASX dividend stocks? Here’s my take on CBA shares.

Read more »

Shocked office worker staring at computer screen with colleagues working in the background.
Bank Shares

The ASX bank share beating CBA in 2025

Many investors might not realise this smaller bank stock is leading the pack this year. 

Read more »

man thinking about whether to invest in bitcoin
Bank Shares

Here's what needs to happen for the CBA share price to try and reach $200

What could drive the CBA share price higher?

Read more »

A young woman sits at her desk in deep contemplation with her hand to her chin while seriously considering information she is reading on her laptop.
Bank Shares

Why now could be an opportune time to sell CBA shares

A leading expert offers his verdict on the outlook for CBA shares.

Read more »

A man holding a cup of coffee puts his thumb up and smiles while at laptop.
Bank Shares

The Westpac share price is a buy – UBS

The broker is optimistic on Westpac shares.

Read more »

Bank building with the word bank on it.
Bank Shares

The biggest buyers and sellers of ASX 200 bank stocks revealed

Macquarie breaks down who’s been buying and who’s been selling the ASX 200 bank stocks.

Read more »

A young woman sits with her hand to her chin staring off to the side thinking about her investments.
Resources Shares

Should I switch my ASX 200 banking stocks for ASX 200 miners before earnings season?

The ASX 200 Index is dominated by Australia's bank and materials/mining sectors, which together account for around half of the…

Read more »