KBC Securities and Van Lanschot Kempen Join Forces in Equity Operations
KBC Securities and Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Banking have announced their plan to establish a joint venture owned equally to consolidate their specialized equity activities. According to the press release, the new entity will be positioned as an equity intermediary in the Benelux and a pan-European specialist in real estate and life sciences.
Integration of Equity Activities
The joint venture will integrate all equity-related activities of both partners, the statement says. This includes equity research, sales, sales trading, trading, and execution of Equity Capital Markets (ECM) transactions. According to the group, the joint venture will serve as the exclusive distribution channel for all ECM activities, for both Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Banking and KBC Securities clients. However, both parties will continue to independently manage client relationships in ECM transactions and will offer their corporate finance services, including mergers and acquisitions advisory.
Enhanced Investor Access and Services
According to the press release, the joint venture will allow investors access to research coverage of approximately 230 stocks, with a strong focus on the Benelux as well as European companies in the real estate and life sciences sectors. For client companies, the combination of Van Lanschot Kempen's pan-European, national, and American investor bases with that of KBC Securities is expected to increase liquidity, placement power, and investor coverage. The joint venture will expand offerings by combining expertise in corporate services, such as liquidity provisioning and share buybacks, with a broader geographical reach.
Expected Impact on Profitability and Capital Ratios
According to the press release, the joint venture is expected to enhance the profitability of the involved activities. The transaction is anticipated to impact Van Lanschot Kempen's capital ratio by approximately a quarter of a percentage point, the group states. For KBC, the transaction will have only an immaterial impact on the group's CET1 ratio. The operation is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be finalized in the fourth quarter of 2026. Until the closing, services to KBC Securities and Van Lanschot Kempen clients will remain unchanged, the statement clarifies.
