ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares have delivered the best 12-month gains of any of the big four S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stocks.
On Tuesday, ANZ stock closed up 1.05%, trading for $36.59 a share.
That sees shares in the ASX 200 bank stock up 21.24% since this time last year.
Atop those capital gains, ANZ shares also trade on a 4.5% trailing dividend yield, franked at 70%.
That sees ANZ surpassing the second-best-performing big four bank, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC). Westpac shares have gained 18% over 12 months. And on the passive income front, Westpac shares trade on a fully-franked trailing dividend yield of 3.9%.
National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares come in a distant third, up 8.83% over 12 months. NAB shares trade on a fully-franked trailing dividend yield of 4%.
Which brings us to the laggard, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA). After leading the pack in 2024 and the first half of 2025, shares in Australia's biggest bank have come under pressure. CBA shares are now down 5.41% since this time last year. CBA shares trade on a fully-franked trailing dividend yield of 3.2%.
But with ANZ shares having delivered the best 12-month gains among the big four Aussie banks, and trading at the highest dividend yield, Sanlam Private Wealth's Remo Greco believes now is an opportune time to take some profits off the table (courtesy of The Bull).
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Time to sell ANZ shares?
"Investors responded positively after the bank unveiled its 2030 strategy in late 2025," said Greco, who has a sell rating on ANZ shares. "The shares rose from $32.67 on September 24, 2025 to close at $38.85 on November 12."
ANZ released its 2030 strategy update on 13 October.
"Under our new strategy, customers are at the centre of everything we do – whether it's improving their experiences, offering them leading technologies and platforms, or keeping them safe," ANZ CEO Nuno Matos said on the day.
"Given ANZ was the cheapest major bank in the sector with the highest yield, the bounce was understandable. The shares were trading at $36.34 on January 22, 2026," Greco noted.
According to Greco:
The 2030 strategy included ceasing the $800 million share buy-back and accelerating delivery of the ANZ Plus digital front end to all retail and business customers. Reducing duplication and simplifying the bank is part of the plan.
Explaining his sell rating on ANZ shares, Greco concluded, "We believe the ANZ is trading at a premium given the early stages of an ambitious strategy. We would be inclined to lock in some profits at these levels."
