View looking towards the Royal Exchange and in the City of London where the glass architecture of the tower 22 Bishopsgate disappears into mist on 6th November 2024 in London, United Kingdom.
Mike Kemp | In Pictures | Getty Images
Britain’s motor finance industry is in disarray, with analysts warning of worst-case scenarios similar in magnitude to the country’s costliest consumer banking scandal.
The burgeoning crisis stems back to a landmark judgement from the U.K.’s Court of Appeal in late October, when the court ruled it was unlawful for car dealers to receive bonuses from banks providing motor finance — without getting the customer’s informed consent.
The decision caught many in the motor finance industry off guard and appears to have paved the way for a multi-billion-pound redress scheme to compensate consumers.
It has prompted comparisons to Britain’s payment protection insurance (PPI) scandal, which was estimated to have cost banks more than £50 billion ($63.8 billion) and is regarded as the biggest mis-selling scandal in the country’s financial services history.
Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority, the country’s financial watchdog, said on Wednesday that it will write to the Supreme Court to expedite a decision over whether to give lenders the green light to appeal the ruling.
Banks left ‘in limbo’
The FCA, which noted that car financing groups were likely to have received a surge in complaints in recent weeks, said that it would consider intervening “to share its expertise” if permission to appeal is granted.
It urged motor finance groups to consider setting aside financial provisions to resolve the high volume of complaints.
Niklas Kammer, equity analyst at Morningstar, said Britain’s banks have been left in “in limbo” since the Oct. 25 court ruling, with Lloyds thought to be the most at risk through its Black Horse business. Barclays also has some exposure, Kammer said, “but meaningfully less.”
A Lloyds Banking Group Plc bank branch in London, UK, on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
“I think it is fair to say that the ruling by the Court of Appeal came as a surprise to the banks as well as the FCA. According to the banks, they followed the rules and guidelines set by the FCA, which are not aligned with the new Court of Appeal ruling,” Kammer told CNBC via email.
“As such, there exists significant uncertainty which set of rules banks have to abide by. The FCA has said that it will await the outcome of a potential Supreme Court ruling before taking a decision on the matter,” Kammer said.
“If the ruling stands, the FCA will have to change its rules on disclosures. Initially, the FCA pointed out that the matter should not take similar proportions to the PPI mis-selling, but should the new ruling stand, worst case scenarios do come close to the same magnitude in impact.”
Lenders ‘likely to pull out of the market’
Benjamin Toms, U.K. banks analyst at RBC Capital Markets, said that if the Supreme Court upholds the lower courts verdict, the downside impact for the motor finance sector, which includes both banks and non-banks, could be as much as £28 billion.
“Some lenders are likely to pull out of the market, which will mean less choice and higher prices for those looking to buy a vehicle,” Toms said.
“There is also the potential for legal creep, with other types of lending like premium finance also coming under the spotlight,” he added.
London Taxis wait in a queue at a taxi rank outside Fenchurch Street Station on October 14, 2024 in London, United Kingdom.
John Keeble | Getty Images News | Getty Images
In January, the FCA launched a review into the motor finance industry to probe whether there was widespread misconduct related to discretionary commission arrangements, or DCAs, before they were banned in 2021.
It said on Wednesday that it is currently considering the impact of the Court of Appeal’s judgement on its review.
Fitch, an influential rating agency, warned earlier this month that it had placed the ratings of Close Brothers Group on “Rating Watch Negative” due to the lender’s “high exposure” to motor finance.
Other lenders that have been “significantly involved” in motor finance lending include Barclays, Investec, Lloyds and Santander UK, Fitch said.
Lloyds, Britain’s largest car finance business, has set aside £450 million in financial provisions.
Check out the companies making headlines in extended trading. Palantir Technologies — Shares dropped nearly 7% after the defense tech company reported first-quarter earnings that were in line with Wall Street’s expectations. Adjusted earnings of 13 cents per share came in-line with the consensus estimate, per LSEG. Palantir reported $884 million in revenue, topping the $863 million forecast by analysts. Vertex Pharmaceuticals — The biotech stock dropped 2% on disappointing quarterly results. Adjusted earnings came in at $4.06 per share, below the $4.32 per share forecast by analysts surveyed by LSEG. Revenue of $2.77 billion also missed analysts’ estimates for $2.85 billion. Mattel — Shares of the toymaker declined 2.5% after management paused its 2025 full-year guidance due to tariff uncertainty. Meanwhile, first-quarter results topped analysts’ estimates. Neurocrine Biosciences — The maker of neurological drugs jumped 11% postmarket after first-quarter revenue of $572.6 million topped a $559.6 million estimate from analysts surveyed by FactSet. Sales of Ingrezza, used to treat movement disorders, rose 8% year-over-year to $545 million. Lattice Semiconductor — The chip stock fell 3.8% after first-quarter earnings and revenue both were in-line with consensus estimates. Lattice guided toward current quarter revenue between $118.5 million to $128.5 million, while analysts polled by LSEG expected $123.6 million. Adjusted earnings are estimated to range from 22 cents to 26 cents per share, versus the 24 cents per share analysts were looking for. Hims & Hers Health — The telehealth company dropped 1%. Guidance for second-quarter revenue came in lighter than expected, ranging from $530 million to $550 million, while analysts polled by FactSet sought $564.6 million. Earnings and revenue for the first quarter surpassed the Street’s expectations, however. Ford Motor — The maker of F-series pickup trucks fell 2.7% after hours on first-quarter results showing earnings ex-items before interest and taxes (EBIT) plunged to $1.02 billion from $2.76 billion a year ago, according to FactSet. Ford estimated the net cost of higher tariffs on EBIT in 2025 at about $1.5 billion and withdrew forward guidance. Clorox – Shares of the cleaning products manufacturer fell 2.8%. Clorox posted adjusted earnings of $1.45 per share on revenue of $1.67 billion in the fiscal third quarter. That fell short of analysts’ call for $1.57 per share in earnings and $1.73 billion in revenue, per LSEG. Diamondback Energy – The energy stock advanced nearly 1% after reporting better-than-expected results. Diamondback earned $4.54 per share, ex-items, in the first quarter, topping FactSet consensus estimates for $4.18 per share. Cash capital expenditures of $942 million in the period was less than the $952.8 million forecast by Wall Street. — CNBC’s Darla Mercado and Scott Schnipper contributed reporting
Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: Berkshire Hathaway — Warren Buffett’s conglomerate saw shares drop more than 4%, retreating from record highs reached on Friday. Monday’s sell-off came after the 94-year-old Buffett announced his intention to step down as CEO. The board voted unanimously on Sunday to make Greg Abel president and CEO on Jan. 1, 2026, and for Buffett to remain as chairman. Meanwhile, Berkshire’s operating earnings fell 14% in the first quarter , driven by a 48.6% plunge in insurance-underwriting profit. On Semiconductor — Shares tumbled more than 8% despite the chipmaker’s top- and bottom-line beat in the first quarter. On also issued second-quarter guidance, estimating adjusted earnings coming in between 48 cents and 58 cents per share, while analysts polled by FactSet forecast 51 cents per share. Top-line guidance between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion also mostly came above consensus estimates for $1.41 billion. Skechers USA — Shares of the footwear company surged nearly 25% after it agreed to be acquired by 3G Capital for $63 per share . Other footwear stocks rose in sympathy following the announcement. Crocs gained almost 5%, while Deckers advanced more than 2%. Tyson Foods — Shares of the Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm parent slipped almost 8% after revenue for the second fiscal quarter came in at $13.07 billion, missing the consensus forecast of $13.14 billion from analysts polled by FactSet. However, Tyson posted earnings of 92 cents per share, excluding items, beating the Wall Street estimate of 83 cents per share. Howard Hughes — The stock added 3.7% after activist investor Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square agreed to buy nine million newly issued shares of the real estate developer. The hedge fund is paying $100 per share, which represents a 48% premium to Howard Hughes’ closing price on Friday. Sunoco — Shares fell nearly 6% after the motor fuel distributor shared its plan to acquire Parkland, a Canada-based competitor. The cash-and-stock deal is valued at more than $9 billion, which includes debt. Loews — Shares of the conglomerate pulled back 1.3% after the company’s first-quarter report showed a drop in earnings. Loews reported $370 million in net income for the period, or $1.74 per share, down from $457 million and $2.05 per share a year earlier. The company saw net income declines in its insurance and hotel businesses. Streamers — Streaming stocks declined after President Donald Trump announced Sunday in a Truth Social post a 100% tariff on movies produced outside of the U.S. to save the “dying” American movie industry. Netflix lost more than 1%. Amazon , Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery each shed roughly 1%. EQT — The natural gas stock popped almost 3% following UBS’ upgrade to buy from neutral. UBS called the stock “well positioned” to capture upside tied to the firm’s positive outlook for natural gas next year. Wendy’s — The fast-food chain added 1% on the back of JPMorgan’s upgrade to overweight from neutral. JPMorgan said the stock’s current share price offers a “value-oriented opportunity” for investors. Sotera Health — Shares jumped nearly 5% after Goldman Sachs upgraded the testing lab company’s stock to buy from neutral. Goldman said the company has a “durable” business model and should be able to withstand an economic downturn. — CNBC’s Sean Conlon, Lisa Kailai Han, Hakyung Kim, Michelle Fox, Jesse Pound and Yun Li contributed reporting.
People watch as Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett is seen on a screen speaking at the Berkshire Hathaway Inc annual shareholders’ meeting, in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S., May 3, 2025.
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
Berkshire Hathaway shares are hanging on solidly Monday as investors process Warren Buffett‘s surprise announcement to step down and envision a new path for the conglomerate after his legendary 60-year run.
Buffett, 94, picked the very last moment at Berkshire’s annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, to tell his loyal shareholders that it’s time for Greg Abel, vice chairman of non-insurance operations, to replace him as CEO. The board voted unanimously on Sunday to make Abel president and CEO on Jan. 1, 2026, and for Buffett to remain as chairman.
Class B shares fell 2.9% in premarket trading Monday after hitting an all-time high at $539.80 Friday. Class A shares dropped 2.8% after closing at a record high at $809,350 apiece. Berkshire issued Class B shares in 1996 at a price equal to one-thirtieth of a Class A share. In 2010, Berkshire Class B shares split 50-for-1.
“Shareholders should welcome this transparent transition, but also have confidence that Warren isn’t going anywhere,” said Macrae Sykes, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds and a Berkshire shareholder. “Retaining the position of Chairman means he can continue to mentor Greg and the Berkshire leaders, while also providing additional intellectual capacity when the inevitable time for more major capital allocation occurs.”
It marks an end of an epic era for Berkshire, which was a failing New England textile mill six decades ago when Buffett used an investment partnership he ran to take control. Berkshire has grown into a one-of-a-kind juggernaut worth nearly $1.2 trillion with businesses encompassing insurance, railroad, retail, manufacturing and energy. Buffett is handing over his reins on a particularly high note as Berkshire shares just reached a new peak Friday.
Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares
“Buffett leaves a company that is less reliant on his investing capabilities, with an array of leading businesses with strong cash flows,” Brian Meredith, UBS’ Berkshire analyst, said in a note. “Operationally, we expect little change at BRK and the culture/strategy to remain unchanged under Abel.”
The stock could also be reacting to Berkshire’s first-quarter results that showed a 14% decline in operating earnings, driven by a 48.6% plunge in insurance-underwriting profit. Berkshire said the Southern California wildfires led to a $1.1 billion loss during the period.
Berkshire shares have significantly outperformed the S&P 500, rising nearly 19% this year. Investors seeking relatively safe places to hide find Berkshire appealing because of the defensive nature of its huge insurance empire and the conglomerate’s unmatched balance sheet.