The Board of Directors of BNP Paribas met on 29 April 2014. The meeting was chaired by Baudouin Prot and the Board examined the Group’s results for the first quarter 2014.
SOLID NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EQUITY HOLDERS AT €1.7BN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2014-2016 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The Group posted this quarter solid earnings in an economic environment still lacklustre in Europe.
Revenues were 9,913 million euros, down 0.6% compared to the first quarter 2013. It included this quarter the impact of two exceptional items for a net total of +237 million euros: a 301 million euro capital gain from exceptional sales of equity investments and a -64 million euro Own Credit Adjustment (OCA) and own credit risk included in derivatives (DVA). The one-off revenue items for the same period last year totalled +149 million euros.
The revenues of the operating divisions were practically stable [-0.2%(1) compared to the first quarter 2013]: they were up 0.8%(1) in Retail Banking2, up 2.7%(1) in Investment Solutions and held up well in Corporate and Investment Banking [-3.7%(1)].
Operating expenses, which totalled 6,382 million euros, were down 1.4%. They included this quarter the one-off 142 million euro impact of Simple & Efficient transformation costs (155 million euros in the first quarter 2013). The operating expenses of the operating divisions were up 1.8%(1), reflecting both ongoing cost control and the implementation of the 2014-2016 business development plan. They were thus up 1.2%(1) in Retail Banking(2), 2.3%(1) in Investment Solutions and 2.8%1 in CIB.
Gross operating income rose by 0.8% during the period to 3,531 million euros. It was down 3.6%(1)for the operating divisions.
The Group’s cost of risk was up 173 million euros this quarter, at 1,084 million euros(68 basis points of outstanding customer loans), in particular due to a 100 million euro portfolio provision due to the exceptional situation in Eastern Europe and an increase at BNL bc given the still challenging environment in Italy.
Pre-tax income was thus 2,547 million euros, down 3.7% compared to the same quarter a year earlier.
Given the 156 million euro decrease in the minority interests due in particular to the acquisition of the Belgian government’s stake in BNP Paribas Fortis in the fourth quarter 2013, BNP Paribas posted 1,668 million euros in net income attributable to equity holders, up 5.2% compared to the first quarter 2013. One-off items had no impact on the quarter’s net income, as in the first quarter 2013. Annualised return on equity was 7.2%. This quarter net earnings per share came to €1.30.
The Group’s balance sheet is rock-solid. The Group’s solvency was very high with a fully loaded Basel 3 common equity Tier 1 ratio(3) at 10.6% and a fully loaded Basel 3 leverage ratio(3) at 3.7%(4). The Group’s immediately available liquidity reserve was 264 billion euros (247 billion euros at the
end of 2013), equivalent to over one year of room to manoeuvre in terms of wholesale funding.
(1) At constant scope and exchange rates
(2) Including 100% of Private Banking of the domestic markets, BancWest and TEB (excluding PEL/CEL effects)
(3) Ratio taking into account all the CRD4 rules with no transitory provisions
(4) Including the forthcoming replacement of Tier 1 instruments that have become ineligible with equivalent eligible
instruments
- Read the press release “BNP Paribas Group: Results as at 31 March 2014” (unavailable link)
- View the slides of the presentation (unavailable link)
- View the Quarterly Series (unavailable link)