The Board of Directors of BNP Paribas met on 2 November 2011. The meeting was chaired by Michel Pébereau and the Board examined the Group's results for the third quarter of the year.
POSITIVE NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY HOLDERS, AFTER IMPAIRMENT OF GREEK SOVEREIGN DEBT RAISED TO 60% (OF TOTAL EXPOSURE)
In an environment marked by a worsening of the sovereign debt crisis in certain euro zone countries, plummeting equity markets and a deteriorating economic growth outlook, the third quarter 2011 results were affected significantly by exceptional items, in particular the Greek debt restructuring plan.
Rather than implementing the agreement reached on 21 July, EU authorities formulated a new Greek assistance package on 27 October. As a result of this plan, whose implementation is still shrouded by uncertainty, BNP Paribas set aside a provision for 60% of the full amount of all Greek sovereign debt it holds, which equates to further provision of 2,094 million euros for the banking book and of 47 million euros for the insurance portfolio. Furthermore, the effect of the additional impairment of Greek bonds on associated companies was negative to the tune of 116 million euros.
The Group's revenues, which totalled 10,032 million euros, were down 7.6% compared to the third quarter 2010. They grew in Retail Banking (+2.2% at constant scope and exchange rates with 100% of the domestic networks' private banking businesses, excluding PEL/CEL effects), and Investment Solutions (+2.5%) but fell 39.8% at Corporate and Investment Banking due to very challenging market conditions and losses on sales of sovereign bond debt (-362 million euros). Corporate Centre revenues were affected by two exceptional items related to the valuing of long-term assets and liabilities at market price (+786 million euros in own debt revaluation and -299 million euros in additional impairment on the equity investment in AXA).
Thanks in part to CIB's cost flexibility, operating expenses, which came to 6,108 million euros, were down 7.7% compared to the third quarter 2010. Excluding the effect of the bank levies introduced in 2011 in a number of European countries, they were down 8.3%.
Gross operating income was down 7.4% compared to the third quarter 2010.
With the additional provision set aside for Greek government bonds, the cost of risk was 3,010 million euros.
Excluding this effect, it continued its downward trend (-28.9%) in all the business units, coming in at 869 million euros, or 50 basis points of outstanding customer loans compared to 72 basis points in the third quarter 2010.
The Group reported 541 million euros in net profits (attributable to equity holders) (-71.6% compared to the third quarter 2010). Excluding the Greek debt provision, net profits were 1,952 million euros, up 2.4% compared to the same period a year earlier.
For the first nine months of the year, the Group's revenues totalled 32,698 million euros, a limited decline compared to the first nine months of 2010 (-2.6%). Thanks to CIB's flexible costs, and despite the effect of the bank levies, operating expenses edged down 1.0% (-1.7% excluding the bank levies). Gross operating income was down 4.8% at 13,260 million euros and net income (attributable to equity holders) down 16.0% at 5,285 million euros. Excluding the impact of the provision set aside in connection with the Greek assistance programme, the cost of risk was down 28.5% during the period and net income (attributable to equity holders) totalled 7,034 million euros, up +11.8% compared to the first nine months of 2010.
Net earnings per ordinary share was 4.2 euros compared to 5.1 euros in the first nine months of 2010. Annualised return on equity came to 10.2%, down 3 points. The net asset value per share was 57.4 euros, up 5.8% compared to 30 September 2010.
The integration of BNP Paribas Fortis and BGL BNP Paribas is still under way. In the first nine months of the year, 414 million euros in synergies were booked, bringing total combined synergies since 2009 to 1,012 million euros, ahead of the integration plan's schedule.
Read the Press Release "BNP Paribas Group: Results as at 30 September 2011" (unavailable link)
View the slides of the presentation (unavailable link)