The Board of Directors of BNP Paribas met on 29 October 2015. The meeting was chaired by Jean Lemierre and the Board examined the Group’s results for the third quarter 2015.
GOOD INCOME GROWTH AND SOLID ORGANIC CAPITAL GENERATION
In a context of a gradual return to growth in Europe, BNP Paribas delivered a good overall performance this quarter.
Revenues totalled 10,345 million euros, up by 8.5% compared to the third quarter 2014. They included this quarter an exceptional impact of +37 million euros in Own Credit Adjustment (OCA) and own credit risk included in derivatives (DVA) (-197 million euros in the third quarter 2014).
The revenues were up in all the operating divisions compared to the third quarter 2014: +0.8% in Domestic Markets(1), +11.6% at International Financial Services and +4.2% at Corporate and Institutional Banking. They also benefited from the positive impact of the acquisitions made in 2014 and were up by 1.7% at constant scope and exchange rates.
Operating expenses (6,957 million euros) were up by 7.3%. They included the one-off impact of Simple & Efficient transformation costs and the restructuring costs of the acquisitions made in 2014 which totalled 160 million euros (154 million euros in the third quarter 2014).
The operating expenses of the operating divisions were up by 7.3%. They increased by 2.4% in Domestic Markets(1), 12.4% at International Financial Services and 8.3% in CIB. At constant scope and exchange rates, they rose by 2.2% notably due to the investments made to implement new regulations and reinforce compliance.
Gross operating income increased by 10.9%, at 3,388 million euros. It was up by 3.2% for the operating divisions.
The Group’s cost of risk was still at a moderate level and came to 882 million euros (50 basis points of outstanding customer loans). The basis of comparison of the same quarter a year earlier had limited significance due to the scope effect related to the acquisitions made in 2014(2) and a net write-back of provisions(3) at CIB in the third quarter 2014.
Non-operating items totalled 163 million euros (149 million euros in the third quarter 2014).
Pre-tax income came to 2,669 million euros compared to 2,450 million euros in the third quarter 2014. It was up by 0.8% for the operating divisions.
Net income attributable to equity holders thus came to 1,826 million euros (1,595 million euros in the third quarter 2014). Excluding one-off items, it was up by 4.3%, illustrating the Group’s good overall performance this quarter.
As at 30 September 2015, the fully loaded Basel 3 common equity Tier 1 ratio(4) stood at 10.7%, up by 10 basis points compared to 30 June 2015. The fully loaded Basel 3 leverage ratio(5) came to 3.8% (+10 basis points compared to 30 June 2015). The Group’s immediately available liquidity reserve was 301 billion euros (291 billion euros as at 31 December 2014), equivalent to over one year of room to manoeuvre in terms of wholesale funding.
The net book value per share reached 69.8 euros, equivalent to a compounded annualised growth rate of 6.5% since 31 December 2008, illustrating the continuous value creation throughout the cycle.
Lastly, the Group is actively implementing the remediation plan agreed as part of the comprehensive settlement with the U.S. authorities and is continuing to reinforce its internal control and compliance system.
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For the first nine months of the year, revenues totalled 32,489 million euros, up by 12.0% compared to the first nine months of 2014. They include the one-off impact of +154 million euros in Own Credit Adjustment (OCA) and own credit risk included in derivatives (DVA). The one-off revenue items in the first nine months of 2014 totalled -313 million euros.
The revenues of the operating divisions were up sharply (+10.6%) illustrating the Group’s very good performance during the period: they were up by +1.9% for Domestic Markets(6), +17.4% for International Financial Services and +14.7% for CIB.
Operating expenses, at 21,848 million euros, were up by 11.2%. They include the one-off impact of Simple & Efficient transformation costs and the restructuring costs of the acquisitions made in 2014 which totalled 507 million euros (503 million euros in the first nine months of 2014). They also include the 245 million euro impact(7) of the first contribution to the Single Resolution Fund, whose entire contribution for 2015 was fully booked in the first quarter of the year based on the IFRIC 21 “Levies” interpretation.
The operating expenses of the operating divisions were up by 9.8%, resulting in a positive jaws effect of 0.8 point. They were up 1.9% in Domestic Markets(6), 17.8% in International Financial Services and 11.7% in CIB.
Gross operating income increased by 13.5%, to 10,641 million euros. It was up by 12.0% for the operating divisions.
The Group’s cost of risk was up by 5.1% compared to the same period a year earlier (2,829 million euros), due to the scope effect related to the acquisitions made in 2014(8). It was down by 1.1% excluding this effect.
Non-operating items totalled 1,094 million euros. They include in particular a dilution capital gain from the merger between Klépierre and Corio and a capital gain from the sale of a 7% stake in Klépierre-Corio for a total amount of 487 million euros as well as a 94 million euro capital gain from the sale of a non-strategic stake(9). Non-operating items totalled 399 million euros in the first nine months of 2014.
The Group had separately booked in the first half of last year a total of 5,950 million euros in costs related to the comprehensive settlement with the U.S. authorities.
Pre-tax income thus came to 8,906 million euros (1,130 million euros in the first nine months of 2014). It was up sharply by 17.2% for the operating divisions.
The Group generated 6,029 million euros in net income attributable to equity holders (-1,220 million euros in the first nine months of 2014). Excluding the impact of one-off items, it was up sharply by 10.5%, illustrating the Group’s very good performance during the period. The annualised return on equity, excluding exceptional items, was 9.6% (11.7% on tangible equity).
(1) Including 100% of Private Banking in the domestic networks (excluding PEL/CEL effects)
(2) Scope effect of 24 million euros
(3) +88 million euros in net write-backs at CIB (of which +68 million euros in Corporate Banking) in the third quarter 2014
(4) Ratio taking into account all the CRD4 rules with no transitory provisions
(5) Ratio taking into account all the rules of the CRD4 directives with no transitory provisions, calculated according to the delegated act of the European Commission dated 10 October 2014, including the forthcoming replacement of Tier 1 instruments that have become ineligible with equivalent eligible instruments
(6) Including 100% of Private Banking in the domestic networks (excluding PEL/CEL effects)
(7) Estimated impact, net of the reduction of the French systemic tax
(8) Scope effect of 166 million euros
(9) CIB-Corporate Banking (€74m), Corporate Centre (€20m)
•Read the press release "BNP Paribas Group: Results as at 30 September 2015"
•View the slides of the presentation
•View the Quarterly Series