Sign in

Craig Smith

Research Analyst at Anchor Capital Management Company, LLC

Craig Smith is Head of Research and Property at Anchor Stockbrokers, specializing in South African REITs and listed property sectors, where he directs research, business development, and mentorship. He covers major South African property investment companies and REITs, offering market analysis and consistently recognized for his insights in renowned industry publications; specific performance metrics are not publicly listed, but his research leadership is noted for its influence across sub-Saharan Africa. Smith began his career at Standard Bank Group, with subsequent roles at STANLIB, JLL (Associate Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Capital Markets), and LaSalle (Associate Director, Indirect Investments UK & Europe), and has led Anchor Stockbrokers’ research since his transition from these roles. His credentials include CFA charterholder status, an MSc in Real Estate Finance & Investment from the University of Reading, a BCom (Honours) in Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management from UCT, and committee memberships with the CFA Institute Society South Africa and RICS South Africa.

Craig Smith's questions to LESAKA TECHNOLOGIES (LSAK) leadership

Question · Q4 2025

Craig Smith inquired about the remaining requirements and expected timing for the BankZero transaction to close, whether the transaction signifies Lesaka becoming a bank, and how quickly the consumer and merchant loan books are expected to move to BankZero to retire ZAR 1 billion of gross debt.

Answer

Steven Heilbron (CEO, Connect Group South Africa) stated the BankZero transaction requires PA and Competition Commission approval, with FinServe already approved, and is hoped to go unconditional by end of March/April, closing before June 2026. Ali Mazanderani (Executive Chairman, Lesaka technologies) clarified that Lesaka is not 'becoming a bank' but will have BankZero as a subsidiary to enhance solutions for consumers and merchants. Steven Heilbron added that the consumer and merchant loan books will move to BankZero as quickly as possible, with the majority expected at deal close, and the remainder as the retail deposit base grows.

Ask follow-up questions

Question · Q4 2025

Craig Smith inquired about the remaining requirements and expected timeline for the BankZero transaction to close. He also asked if the acquisition signifies Lesaka Technologies becoming a bank and how quickly consumer and merchant loan books could be moved to BankZero to reduce gross debt.

Answer

Ali Mazanderani (Executive Chairman, Lesaka technologies) clarified that Lesaka is not becoming a bank but will have BankZero as a subsidiary to enhance customer solutions. Steven Heilbron (CEO, Connect Group South Africa) stated that the transaction requires PA and Competition Commission approval, with an expected closing before June 2026, ideally by March/April. He added that loan books would be moved to BankZero as quickly as possible, depending on the deposit book size at closing, with the majority expected to be exercised then.

Ask follow-up questions

Get Instant Answers from SEC Filings & Earnings Calls

Ask complex financial questions and get precise answers in seconds. Fintool scans millions of documents to surface insights beyond timely human analysis.

Search across 8,000+ companies
Access millions of SEC filings & transcripts
Get answers cited to the source
Try Fintool for Free

Trusted by leading investment firms and analysts