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Bank Of Cyprus Successfully Launches Oversubscribed €300 Million Tier 2 Capital Notes Issue

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 11, 2025

Transaction Overview

The Bank of Cyprus (BoC) announced on Thursday the successful launch and pricing of a €300 million unsecured, subordinated Tier 2 Capital Notes issue under its €4 billion Euro Medium Term Note Programme, scheduled for September 10, 2025. The transaction garnered strong investor interest, reflecting deep market confidence in the bank’s financial prospects.

Investor Demand And Market Reception

Demand surpassed expectations with over 100 institutional investors participating, driving the final order book to exceed €3 billion—more than ten times the issued amount. This overwhelming response underscores robust investor confidence from both local and international markets.

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Pricing And Yield Improvements

The strong demand allowed BoC to secure a final pricing spread of 195 basis points, notably tighter by 35 basis points than the initial indication. The effective yield of 4.321 percent compares favorably against the initial rate of 4.67 percent, outperforming the bond currently being refinanced and even recent Senior Preferred bond issuances. Analysts note that these improvements position the bank’s offering competitively against Greek bonds.

Bond Specifications And Redemption Terms

The new notes, priced at 99.632 percent with a fixed annual coupon of 4.25 percent, will reset on September 18, 2031, and mature on September 18, 2036. BoC has retained the option to early redeem the notes anytime within a six-month period commencing March 18, 2031, subject to regulatory consents. Settlement is slated for September 18, 2025.

Market Ratings And Capital Impact

Moody’s Investors Service Cyprus Limited rated the new notes Ba1, further solidifying market confidence. These notes will be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange’s Euro MTF market. Proceeds are set to be on-lent to BoC Public Company Limited for general funding purposes, qualifying as Tier 2 capital. The issuance is expected to bolster the group’s Total Capital Ratio by approximately 300 basis points while maintaining an optimised capital structure.

Additional Strategic Moves

In related developments, BoC has invited holders of its outstanding €300 million Fixed Rate Reset Tier 2 Capital Notes—callable between April 23, 2026, and October 23, 2026—to tender their notes at a purchase price of 102.3 percent of the principal amount. Additionally, the bank intends to repurchase its existing subordinated bond maturing in 2031 at the same pricing, further streamlining its debt profile. The transaction was coordinated by stalwarts such as BofA Securities Europe SA and Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE, with additional participation by Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Morgan Stanley Europe SE, and Cisco acting as Co-Manager.

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Bank of Cyprus Upgrade Signals Fresh Optimism For Greek And Cypriot Banks

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

June 26, 2026

Regional Banks Enter A More Favorable Cycle

Bank of Cyprus and Eurobank are well positioned to benefit from a renewed re-rating of Greek and Cypriot bank stocks, according to Cyprus-based investment firm Roemer Capital, which upgraded Bank of Cyprus to a buy rating and reaffirmed its positive view on Eurobank.

The firm cited easing geopolitical tensions, resilient economic growth in Greece and Cyprus, lower funding costs and Greece’s expected transition to developed-market status as the main factors supporting the sector.

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Roemer Capital also lowered its cost of equity assumptions, updated its forecasts following first-quarter 2026 results and extended its valuation horizon to the end of 2027, raising target prices across its banking coverage.

Bank Of Cyprus Gets The Largest Upgrade

Bank of Cyprus received the biggest revision, with Roemer Capital upgrading the stock from hold to buy and setting a target price of €11.10, implying potential total upside of 27%.

The firm highlighted the bank’s strong capital generation, profitability and projected 100% dividend payout, describing it as the strongest capital-return story among the banks under coverage. Roemer Capital maintained its buy rating on Eurobank, assigning a target price of €4.90 and forecasting potential upside of 28%. The report said the bank is well placed to benefit from loan growth, improving operating performance and merger-and-acquisition synergies.

National Bank of Greece and Piraeus Bank also retained buy ratings, with expected returns ranging from 25% to 36%. Optima Bank was upgraded to buy, while Alpha Bank remained at hold on valuation grounds.

Why Growth Still Sets The Region Apart

According to Roemer Capital, Greek and Cypriot banks continue to benefit from stronger economic fundamentals than many western European peers. The report pointed to faster economic growth, healthier balance sheets, low levels of non-performing exposures, capital ratios approaching 20% and strong customer deposit bases.

Analysts expect performing loans across the sector to grow at a compound annual rate of 6% to 8% through 2028, supported by private investment, digitalisation, green manufacturing, supply-chain expansion and a gradual recovery in household lending.

The report also said the conclusion of lending under the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility is unlikely to materially affect credit growth, as banks have already shifted back towards traditional commercial lending. Roemer Capital expects Euribor to remain between 2.2% and 2.5%, a level it believes should support both lending activity and net interest margins.

Geopolitics, Valuation And Market Structure Support The Case

The report said improving geopolitical conditions have strengthened the investment outlook, noting that Brent crude prices have largely returned to pre-war levels while Greek government bond yields have stabilised at around 3.5%. Although geopolitical risks remain, Roemer Capital believes the likelihood of a major inflationary shock or significant pressure on bank profitability has eased.

Another important catalyst identified by the firm is Greece’s expected promotion to developed-market status by FTSE Russell, STOXX and MSCI over the coming months.

According to the report, the reclassification should improve liquidity and attract a broader base of international investors. Roemer Capital also said Euronext’s acquisition of the Athens Exchange is expected to strengthen market infrastructure and increase international visibility, particularly for Bank of Cyprus and Optima Bank.

The firm noted that Bank of Cyprus has already benefited from its Athens listing, with average daily trading value increasing from less than €400,000 before its September 2024 move to nearly €6 million afterwards.

Economic Momentum Remains A Core Tailwind

Roemer Capital said both Greece and Cyprus have moved beyond post-crisis recovery and are now supported by private-sector-led growth. For Cyprus, the report highlighted recent tax reform and efforts to simplify the legal and regulatory framework, while also noting that limited foreign banking competition continues to support domestic lenders.

Overall, Roemer Capital expects Greek and Cypriot banks to remain well-positioned for profitable loan growth over the coming years.