S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stock Perpetual Ltd (ASX: PPT) could be trading for a discount at current levels.
Shares in the financial services company are up 0.9% in afternoon trade today, changing hands for $17.88 apiece.
That sees the company commanding a market cap just north of $2.0 billion.
Despite today's intraday boost, Perpetual shares are down around 18% over 12 months. Though those losses will have been somewhat mitigated by the $1.14 a share in partly franked dividends that Perpetual paid eligible stockholders over this time.
At the current price, Perpetual shares trade on a partly franked dividend yield of 6.4%.
And the year ahead could be looking brighter for the returns on offer from this ASX 200 stock.
That's according to Sanlam Private Wealth's Remo Greco (courtesy of The Bull).
Here's why.
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ASX 200 stock could benefit from divestments
"Perpetual has been in play for a long time, and a list of suitors have failed to swallow up this business," said Greco, who has a buy recommendation on the ASX 200 stock.
Those suitors have included Washington H Soul Pattinson & Company Ltd (ASX: SOL), a large Perpetual shareholder, which lobbed a bid to take over all the shares in December 2023. The Perpetual board rejected Soul Patts' proposal, saying the offer undervalued the company's growth potential.
Global investment giant KKR had then been in takeover discussions since May 2024. But that acquisition also fell through in February this year.
But Greco pointed out that the ASX 200 stock has other potentially beneficial divestment options it could enter into.
"Speculation exists that PPT is open to selling its wealth management business. If a successful sale occurs, PPT could clear its debt and provide the business with more options," he said.
Greco concluded:
Wealth Management's funds under administration of $20.6 billion in the first half of fiscal year 2025 was up 8% on the prior corresponding period. We believe transforming this business could unlock some decent value.
What's the latest from Perpetual?
Perpetual released its third-quarter update on 15 April.
The ASX 200 stock closed down 1.4% on the day after reporting a 4% quarter-on-quarter fall in total Assets Under Management (AUM) to $221.2 billion as at 31 March.
But it was a better picture for Perpetual's Wealth Management segment, with total FUA of $21.0 billion up 2% on the prior quarter.
"In Wealth Management, we delivered A$0.9 billion in net inflows, including a significant new client win, despite a competitive market environment. Pleasingly, the business remains resilient in what has been volatile financial markets," Perpetual CEO Bernard Reilly said on the day.
