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Category: Banking

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transcript of Global Financial Stability Report October 2024 Press Briefing

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    October 22, 2024

    Speakers:

     

    Tobias Adrian, Financial Counselor and Director, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF

    Caio Ferreira, Deputy Division Chief, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF

    Jason Wu, Assistant Director, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF

     

    Moderator: Alexander Müller, Communications Analyst, IMF

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: OK. Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, depending on where you are joining us from. Welcome to this press briefing on our latest Global Financial Stability Report, titled “Steadying the Course: Uncertainty, Artificial Intelligence, and Financial Stability.”

     

    I am Alex Müller with the Communications Department here at the IMF. I am joined today by Tobias Adrian, the IMF’s Financial Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department; to Tobias’s left, Jason Wu, assistant director at the Monetary and Capital Markets Department; and to his left, Caio Ferreira, deputy chief of the Global Markets Analysis Division.

     

    Our latest GFSR is out as of right now, so you can download the full text, our executive summary, and the latest blog on our website at IMF.org/GFSR.

     

    This press briefing is on the record. And we’ll start things off with some opening remarks just to set the stage before opening the floor to your questions. As a reminder we do have simultaneous interpretation into Arabic, French, and Spanish, both in the room and online.

     

    With that, I think we can get started.

     

    Tobias, when we released our last GFSR in April, optimism in financial markets was fueling asset valuations, credit spreads had compressed, and valuations in riskier asset markets had ratcheted up. At the time, you warned of some short‑term risks, like persistent inflation, as well as the tension between these narrowing credit spreads and the deteriorating underlying credit quality in some regions; but you also warned of some more medium‑term risks, like heightened vulnerabilities amidst elevated debt levels globally. So where are we now since then, six months later?

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Thanks so much. And let me welcome all of to you this launch of the Global Financial Stability Report.

     

    So the themes that you highlight, Alex, have broadly continued.

     

    Let me start with inflation. So global inflation has progressed toward target in most countries. So most central banks continue with a tight stance of policy but have started to cut rates. Now, with inflation heading towards target in many countries, the focus of the central banks has shifted from being primarily focused on inflation toward also considering real activity.

     

    So, concerning real activity, we have seen upward surprises relative to expectations. In financial markets, that has been particularly visible in earnings surprises that have been on the positive side. So as a result, the likelihood of a global recession has continued to recede. So the baseline forecast is one of a soft landing globally. And that is the optimism that we had flagged already in April. That has been reinforced in many ways. And that is fueling optimism in financial markets. So financial conditions globally continue to be accommodative. Credit spreads continue to be tight. Implied volatility, particularly in risky asset markets, such as equity markets, continues to be fairly low.

     

    Now, you know, our main theme in Chapter 1, which was released today, is a tension between this financial market assessment of volatility‑‑i.e. the implied volatility in the equity market is perhaps the best indicator here‑‑which is at fairly low levels by historical standards, relative to measures of global geopolitical uncertainty.

     

    So in the report, we’re showing two measures that are computed not at the Fund but by other institutions. One on geopolitical uncertainty. The other one on economic uncertainty. And those continue to be relatively elevated. So there’s a kind of wedge in between the financial market‑implied volatility and the assessment of political or economic uncertainty. So this tension worries us, as it gives rise to the potential for a sharp readjustment of financial conditions. So we saw a little bit of that in August in a sell‑off that was very brief. So it’s a blip, in retrospect; but it does raise the concern, whether there are some vulnerabilities in the financial system that could be triggered if adverse shocks hit.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you, Tobias. That sets the stage nicely for us, I think.

     

    We will turn to your questions now. We do have runners in the room with mics, so please do raise your hand. You can raise your hand both online or in the room, and we’ll come to you. Please do remember to state your name and affiliation. And keep it as brief as possible so we can get to as many questions as possible.

     

    Let’s start over here with the first question.

     

    QUESTION: Thank you so much. I am not asking you to comment on the presidential election in the U.S. But we have a presidential election here in 14 days, and President Trump or Vice President Harris may win the election. And that election will have ramifications not just in the U.S. but around the world.

     

    How does the IMF assess the outlook for the U.S. economy in the lead‑up to the presidential election? And what implications could a potential economic shift have for emerging markets in Africa, particularly regarding investment flows and debt sustainability? Thank you.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Thank you so much.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Do you want to group some questions? Do we have similar questions on the election or the U.S.? Can we take the question over there, please?

     

    QUESTION: How do you explain the recent backup in U.S. yields? And are you concerned about financial stability in the United States, given the rising projections of federal debt, irrespective of the outcome of the election? Thank you.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: I think we can start with that for now.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: OK. Sounds good. Yes.

     

    You know, we don’t comment on specific election outcomes. Of course, this year is an unusual year, in that over half of the population globally either has elected already this year or will elect this year new governments. And so that is certainly part of the reason why this policy uncertainty globally is high. There’s some uncertainty as to, you know, what the policy path for economic policies and broader policies is going to be going forward.

     

    When we look at volatility, as I said, that uncertainty in equity markets is relatively contained. But in interest rates, volatility is somewhat more elevated than it was, say, in the decade after the global financial crisis. So we are back to levels that are more similar to pre‑financial crisis. So interest rate volatility is relatively high. And that answers to some degree the second question.

     

    We have seen volatile longer‑term yields throughout the year, but we don’t think that that volatility is excessive, relative to the fact that monetary policy has become more data dependent. You know, after the global financial crisis, there was this challenge of the zero lower bound for monetary policy; so forward guidance was a very important tool. And that had even been phase in prior to the financial crisis with, you know, forward guidance being a compressor of volatility for interest rates. And that is less the case today. So interest rate volatility has increased.

     

    When we look at the longer‑term yields, we do certainly see that term premia have decompressed to some extent. So after the global financial crisis, we had seen negative term premia at a 10‑year level in the U.S. and many other countries, and some of that has decompressed. And that is, as would be expected, as the interest rate wall is coming up, asset purchases are normalizing, and quantitative tightening is being phased in.

     

    Now turning to Africa. Of course, you know, financial markets are global. So the base level of interest rates is moving across the world in a common fashion. So you can think about sort of like the base level of interest rates and then the spreads in countries, relative to that. So what we see in sub‑Saharan Africa is that countries with market access‑‑so those are the frontier economies‑‑they have seen spreads being compressed, so financial conditions have eased. And you know, relative to, say, 12 months ago, interest rates have certainly declined as a base. And many frontier markets have reissued, sort of accessed international capital markets. So, of course, there are countries that do face debt challenges, that do face liquidity challenges; and we’re actively engaged with the membership to address those.

     

    Mr. WU: Just to quickly add to what Tobias said about Africa.

     

    As he pointed out, the backdrop heading into this year was one of improvement, both in terms of growth, as well as financing conditions and spreads. Inflation is still high in the region, but it is coming down and stabilizing. Debt is an issue, but we have seen several cases this year being resolved. So that is good news.

     

    I think to your broader point, you know, we don’t comment on election outcomes; but we do know that financial markets tend to see, you know, more uncertainty around those outcomes. And this may affect financing conditions around the world, including in Africa. Uncertainty can also bring, you know, some slowdown in investments in the near term or the medium term. And so those are all possible outcomes. I think the key thing is for the macroeconomic framework to remain stable to address domestic situations and for countries that may be facing debt issues to engage with their creditors early, including through the Common Framework and other international setups.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you. Can we take other questions? I think we have a question here in the middle, at the center.

     

    QUESTION: I was hoping you could talk about quantitative tightening. The Fed is still doing it. What are the risks now going forward? When do you think they might stop it? Thanks.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Thanks so much.

     

    As I mentioned earlier, you know, during the global financial crisis and then in the decade after the global financial crisis and then again with the COVID crisis, central banks‑‑advanced economy central banks around the world engaged in a quantitative easing. So these are asset purchases, called large‑scale asset purchases, in the U.S. that led to an increase in the balance sheet size of the central banks. So in the U.S. case, it grew roughly by a factor of 10. And the Fed has started to move towards a normalization of the balance sheet size. So that is generally referred to as quantitative tightening. And that has proceeded in a very orderly fashion. So when we look at market functioning, we see orderly markets in money markets. We see ample liquidity in core funding markets, including Treasury markets. And that is generally the case in other advanced economies that are doing quantitative tightening, as well.

     

    Of course, there is the question of how far the balance sheet normalization is going to go. And policymakers in the U.S. and other advanced economies have indicated how far this normalization would be going. So what is notable here is that the operational framework of the Federal Reserve changed to a floor system, so having a sufficient amount of reserves in the system to operate that floor system is key. So, you know, looking at funding conditions in money markets and market functioning is absolutely key. Back in 2019, there were some dislocations, and that is certainly something that policymakers are watching out for. But I would say that this balance sheet normalization has proceeded in a satisfactory and very orderly manner.

     

    Mr. FERREIRA: Tobias, just a quick complement.

     

    I think that we have seen a quantitative tightening from all of the major central banks. And I think that from the peak in 2022, of about 28 trillion in terms of assets in their balance sheets, it has come down by about one‑quarter already and, as Tobias was saying, in a very orderly fashion.

     

    The main risk that I think is important to monitor going forward is the potential drain on reserves, as Tobias was saying, to avoid the kind of episodes that we have seen in 2019. But there is also a potential risk for a bounce of increasing volatility, in the sense that we are moving from central banks being one of the main buyers of Treasuries to more price‑sensitive buyers. And this might cause volatility coming from data releases.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: OK. Let’s take it back as well. We have a question in the front here, in the center, that we can take.

     

    QUESTION: Thank you for taking my question. I want to ask about the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy and its impact, spillover impact. I think recently, it started to cut rates, and it’s going to cut rates further going forward. And it seems to be allowing other governments, other policymakers to have more room, including the People’s Bank of China. I want to ask Tobias whether he could comment on the latest action by China’s central bank and what’s the IMF’s suggestion going forward. Thank you.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. Absolutely.

     

    What we have seen in China is an easing of monetary policy. So the question is referring to the most recent action, which was a cut in interest rates. And, of course, we have seen PBoC engaging in asset purchases, which has supported the easing of financial conditions. So when we look at financial conditions‑‑so, you know, the cost of funding for households and corporations in China, those financial conditions have eased quite markedly. Equity markets have rallied. Longer‑term bond yields have declined. And we generally welcome that easing. We think that is the appropriate policy for monetary policy.

     

    There have been also some announcements on the fiscal side that are indicating support ‑‑ to the real estate sector, in particular. And, of course, authorities in China had already engaged for some time in terms of addressing the exposure of the banking system to the real estate sector. The real estate sector has cooled off in China, and that has created some risks in the banking sector. So authorities are working actively at addressing those by merging banks and using asset management corporations (AMCs) in an active manner. And we welcome that, as well.

     

    You know, we are watching closely how financial stability policies are going to evolve going forward, relative to the real sector but also the broader economy, and how fiscal policy is evolving going forward.

     

     

    Mr. FERREIRA: Maybe on this last point, Tobias, on financial stability.

     

    Of course, there’s some slowdown in economic activity, and the problems that we are seeing in the property sector are exerting some pressure on the financial system. The good news I think is that particularly the large banks seem to have strong capital buffers and liquidity buffers. The authorities also have the capacity to make target interventions, and this somewhat limits the risks of spillovers.

     

    There are some vulnerabilities that need to be monitored. Right? So one, of course, is this potential pressure on asset deterioration coming from this slowdown in the property market. So far, banks have been quite good in terms of being able to deal with this potential deterioration, particularly using asset management companies to dispose of some of the nonperforming assets. The capacity of these asset management companies to keep absorbing these assets needs to be monitored going forward. It’s also important to monitor the stability of the smaller banks that are not as strong as the larger banks.

     

    And the last point I think that’s important to mention is that the financial sector holds a lot of exposure to local government financing vehicles. And if there is‑‑and there are some pressures on these vehicles, and a potential restructuring of these debts might cause some losses to the banking sector, as well.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you, Caio. Do we have any other questions on China before we move to anything else?

     

    So we can turn over to the side.

     

    QUESTION: Thank you. My question will be for Tobias and Jason.

     

    Of course, reading your report, you talked about financial fragilities, so I would like to know what financial fragilities you see in developing economies and what policymakers should do to keep financial markets resilient and stable in the face of high interest rates as a result of high inflation in developing economies like Nigeria, too.

     

    The question I have for Jason would be around, what does vigilance really mean for policymakers? Because in your report, you said that the policymakers need to be vigilant. Because vigilance in European economies or advanced economies is also different vigilance for developing economies. Thank you.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Thank you so much. Those are very pertinent questions. And thanks so much for taking a close look at the report.

     

    For developing economies broadly, I would say that there are three priorities. In terms of financial stability, we are engaging with many countries in terms of building capacity on regulatory issues, so making sure that banks are well capitalized, that monetary policy frameworks are sound. And Nigeria is a good example, where the central bank has been moving toward an inflation‑targeting regime, has liberalized the exchange rate. And we welcome that direction.

     

    Secondly‑‑and I think you alluded to that‑‑is, of course, the overall indebtedness. That is a challenge for some countries. As I mentioned earlier, frontier markets are developing economies with market access. And we have seen many frontier markets issue this year. The issuance levels are fairly high. And we think market access is there, though, of course, financing conditions have improved but are still more expensive than they were, say, in 2021, before the run‑up in inflation.

     

    So with inflation coming down and interest rates expected to further normalize, we would also expect that frontier market funding conditions will improve. And as I said, interest rate spreads are fairly tight.

     

    Now, of course, there are some countries a that do not have market access, and many of those countries are in programs with the IMF. And we are working actively with authorities on the debt issue. We do feel we have made good progress within the Common Framework, but there is certainly more to be done.

     

    Now, of course, it remains key to also work on structural issues to enhance the growth outlook. And that is really something that the regional economic briefings are going to address in detail.

     

    Mr. WU: Maybe just a quick word, to add to what Tobias said about Nigeria, in particular. We recognize that many citizens do face difficulty. The flood was quite devastating. Inflation is still very high, at some 30 percent. So in that regard, the central bank’s rate hikes so far this year have been appropriate.

     

    You asked a question about vigilance. I think importantly, macroeconomic conditions within the country should stabilize. Right? And that includes inflation that will provide room to guard against external shocks, which is less controllable, right, for the economy of Nigeria. So when appropriate, the various foreign exchange measures that were taken by authorities earlier this year are also appropriate in improving vigilance, as are the banking sector‑related measures that Tobias has mentioned.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: All right. Do we have any more questions on that side of the room before we turn it back over here?

     

    QUESTION: Thank you very much.

    So Ghana has just completed its debt restructuring. It’s good news for Ghanians. However, it appears the government is looking at the capital market. What advice do you have for the government at this point? And also because we have an election around the corner.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. As I noted earlier, we don’t really comment on elections in the countries of our membership. You know, these are democratic processes. And the people in each country are‑‑it’s their liberty to vote for the government, so we don’t comment on that.

     

    We are, of course, engaged very closely with Ghana. Ghana is in a program. Ghana did restructure its debt. And we are confident that the outlook is going to improve going forward. The regional economic press briefing on Africa is going to go further into detail on those issues.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you, Tobias.

     

    As a reminder these regional press briefings will be on Thursday and Friday. So they’re all going to be here, so you will have the opportunity to ask those specific questions then.

     

    Can we turn it over here to the middle for a question, please? Right in the center. Thank you.

     

    QUESTION: Thank you.

     

    A follow‑up question related to the yields going up for the Treasury. In simple words, do you see them going up as a source of a potential sell‑off in the financial markets?

     

    And a separate question, if possible. For the same token, yields are going up because of the fiscal trajectory in the U.S. that is worrisome for some, at least, although the candidates are not talking about it. For the same token, considering that the Italian debt is only going up, according to the latest estimates from the IMF, does that represent a source of financial instability for the euro zone?

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. Thanks so much for this question.

     

    We have, indeed, done work on the interconnection or the nexus between fiscal‑‑or, you know, sovereign debt and financial market debt. So in the euro area, of course, we are watching closely the sovereign‑bank nexus, so the exposure of banks to the sovereign. And you know, in general, we have seen an amelioration there. So, you know, debt‑to‑GDP has been increasing. And that’s very broadly the case around the world. It’s really in the pandemic that we see a sharp upward move in debt‑to‑GDP in both advanced economies and emerging and developing economies. And you know, the fiscal outlook in many countries does imply that debt-to-GDP may continue to rise. So that could‑‑you know, that is certainly a backdrop for the financial system.

     

    Now having said that, governments in advanced economies and major emerging markets have ample room to adjust the fiscal situation going forward through spending measures, through revenue measures. So it is not an immediate financial stability concern in those advanced economies or major emerging markets.

     

    You know, in terms of the pricing of sovereign debt‑‑so, you know, Treasury yields and other benchmark yields around the world‑‑as I said earlier, volatility in those longer‑term yields has increased relative to the decade of the post‑crisis environment, where central banks were constrained at the zero lower bound or the effective lower bound, so had very low interest rates; so they deployed forward guidance and these quantitative asset purchases. So that really compressed longer‑term yields. And that has normalized to some degree, but we don’t think that it is an unusual move. So we are quite comfortable with the kind of levels that we are seeing.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you. Let’s bring it back over here. I think we have a few questions. Can we take the one in the middle right at the center? Thank you.

     

    QUESTION: A question for Tobias, if I may.

     

    There has been quite a lot of talk about fragmentation and geopolitical risk. Do you think that, as others have said, the momentum for financial regulation and for completing the job on a lot of areas of that is fading? Is there a risk of complacency there? Thank you.

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. So let me note that we are working around the membership on the regulation of banks but also non‑banks, including security markets, insurance companies, pension funds, and other non‑bank financial institutions.

     

    Concerning banking regulation, of course, there was a major initiative after the global financial crisis to improve capital and liquidity in the banks and to improve the supervision of the banks, primarily of internationally active banks. So the members of the Basel Committee‑‑this is, you know, a group of countries that roughly maps into the G‑20‑‑have committed to phasing in Basel III as a standard for capital and liquidity requirements in those banks. And our understanding is that the membership is still committed to that phase‑in.

     

    I would note that it has taken longer than was initially anticipated, but we are very confident for now that, you know, the major advanced economies and major emerging markets that have signed onto this Basel III framework are going to phase that in.

     

    In the broader membership of the IMF, there’s also a substantial improvement in the regulation of banks. And I would note that there has also been quite a bit of progress in terms of regulations of non‑banks, including insurance companies but also security markets, though we do think that more needs to be done going forward.

     

    Mr. FERREIRA: We have seen important progress in the post‑crisis. Our baseline is still that all the internationally agreed standards will be implemented. Although, as Tobias was saying, there are some major jurisdictions that are facing some challenges implementing that.

     

    We see this with some concern because when you see a major jurisdiction not implementing any standard or implementing it with substantial deviations from what has been agreed, it kind of jeopardizes the international standard‑setting process. That seems to be working fine, but we still are concerned with the delays in the implementation of these regulations that are important for the banks but also to maintain trust in the international standard setting process.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: Thank you. We are coming close on time. So let’s take two or three last questions from this side. Then I think we still have one more question online. Can we do the three over here in the front, on the right?

     

    QUESTION: [Through interpreter]

     

    Good day. Jesus Antonio Vargas. Chucho Lo Sabe Newsletter.

     

    This is the ninth time I come to the Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank. Six times in Washington. I come from Medellín, Colombia. I have also been in Lima, in Bali, last year in Marrakech. And it is a pleasure to see Tobias Adrian here. He has been year in, year out heading the endeavors. Congratulations.

     

    First, a surprise positively since there’s measures to come from the effort to the citizens. In Bogota, they’ve been talking about building a Metro system for 60 years, and they’re attempting it yet again now.

     

    Now, leaving that aside, we have spoken about, it is unlikely there will be a global recession, which is a relief.

     

    I was talking about the risk of a recession. You were talking about a positive surprise in terms of the gains. What do you mean exactly by that? Thank you.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: If we could take two more questions over here.

     

    QUESTION:

     

    You just mentioned there is a disconnect between market volatility and also market economic uncertainties. Could you please just elaborate a little bit more on these risks. And also, more importantly, how will it affect global financial stability if it persists? Thank you.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: One last question in the back there.

     

    QUESTION:

     

    I’ve got a question on liquidity mismatch, in the world of DC pensions. The report mentions the U.K.’s desire to shift toward unlisted assets as investments. And our current Chancellor has also expressed an interest in this. What are the risks in this? Should the shift toward these assets be limited? And how should we guard against them?

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: Yeah. Let me perhaps start with the question on macro uncertainty, which was the second question.

     

    So yeah, you know, what we’re seeing is that there is leverage and there are maturity mismatches in the financial sector in many different parts. You know, some of those are contained through prudential regulations, but not all institutions are subject to prudential regulations. So when there’s a sudden burst of uncertainty, some institutions may be forced to unwind their positions. So this includes, say, leveraged trades in fixed‑income markets or in equity markets.

     

    We saw some of that in August, when there was a sharp sell‑off in global equity markets but also in some fixed‑income markets, such as the carry trade across countries. And you know, volatility increased very quickly, leading to this forced deleveraging, and that can amplify downward moves in asset markets.

     

    In August, this episode was very short‑lived. So the sell‑off was followed by a buying of longer‑term investors, such as insurance companies and pension funds. But if such a sell‑off persists for more than‑‑or is more sharp, that could lead to financial stability problems or financial sector distress.

     

    Concerning the U.K. situation and the liquidity mismatches, let me just point out that the Bank of England and the FCA are very focused on those issues. And they do have, you know, broad authorities to regulate those mismatches. And I think they’re actively looking at how to model stress and how to make sure that these investments are sort of balancing risks and returns in an appropriate manner. I think Andrew Bailey made some remarks just this morning in that regard, and we’re fully aligned with his views there.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: I’ll take one last question we have from WebEx, online on the Mexican central bank lowering interest rates. For future adjustments and to maintain financial stability, what should it take into account more, the movements of the Federal Reserve, internal inflation, or the depreciation of the currency?

     

    Mr. ADRIAN: OK. I don’t want to go too specifically into Mexico. Again, there is the Regional Economic Outlook that will speak more closely to specific country issues. So, you know, in general, in the major emerging markets, such as Mexico, that have open capital markets and have inflation targeting regimes, you know, inflation targeting and monetary policy credibility has proven to be very powerful in terms of generating macroeconomic stability, relative to both domestic and external shocks. And you know, in those frameworks, central banks look at both internal and external conditions and are targeting the medium‑term convergence of inflation back to target rates. That has proven very successful. And I would argue that in the major emerging markets, we really see a great deal of improvement in those monetary policy frameworks. So let me stop here.

     

    Mr. WU: Just to quickly complement.

     

    Hence, this is why we have seen major emerging markets come through this rate hike cycle with reasonable resilience across the board. This inflation‑targeting framework has obviously done work, to an extent. Having said that, we are now on the opposite side of the cycle, where interest rates are being cut. That, in theory, should be conducive to emerging markets. Financial conditions could ease. We just want to point out that, as we said in the report, expectations could change. Volatility could be introduced and suddenly surge. So this may have spillovers to emerging market economies, you know, sentiment, financial market sentiment, as well. So policymakers need to remain vigilant on monetary policy and on other aspects of financial sector policies in order to guard against those risks.

     

    Mr. MÜLLER: All right. Great. Thank you.

     

    Unfortunately, that does bring us to a close because we do have to respect the next press briefing in this room.

     

    If you do have any questions that we weren’t able to address, please do send them over to me or someone from our team. We’ll make sure to get back to you as soon as we can.

     

    Meanwhile, the events here at the IMF do continue. We still have a host of press conferences this week, from our Fiscal Monitor tomorrow at 9 a.m. Eastern Time to the Managing Director’s Global Policy Agenda on Thursday to our five regional briefings that we talked about, on Thursday and Friday, not to mention the seminars. We have the Managing Director joining the debate on the global economy. That is on Thursday afternoon, which is always a hit that you won’t want to miss. On Friday, the First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath will participate in a panel discussion on monetary policy in a shock‑prone world on Friday afternoon. And there’s a whole lot more, so do check the full schedule online at IMFConnect or at meetings.imf.org.

     

    With that, Tobias, Jason, Caio, thank you for your insights. And thank you all for joining us for this event. We look forward to seeing you at the next one. Thank you.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Alexander Muller

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    MIL OSI Economics –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transcript of G24 October 22 Press Briefing

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    October 22, 2024

    Speakers
    Chair: Ralph Recto, Secretary of Finance, Philippines

    First Vice‑Chair: Candelaria Alvarez Moroni, Argentina, representing Ministry of Economy Luis Caputo
    Second Vice‑Chair: Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Nigeria
    Iyabo Masha, G‑24 Secretariat

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Thank you, all. We had a productive exchange of views and experiences on some of the most pressing issues, confronting the global economy today. We are hard‑pressed on multiple fronts. The suffering costs by conflicts and humanitarian crisis around the world is vast and the affected region’s recovery, the construction, and long‑term development, cannot wait. They demand immediate forceful multilateral action.    

    While the global economy shows signs of stabilization, the outlook for many vulnerable nations, particularly in the global south, remains bleak. These weak economic prospects continue to haunt those already struggling to recover from the pandemic.      

    Inflation may be easing, but rising geopolitical tensions are keeping the threat of commodity price spikes and elevated interest rates alive. These risks impair capital flows, fiscal stability and the very survival of economies on the brink.          

    One thing is clear. Any slowdown in the global economy due to these new economic realities is bound to hit developing countries the hardest. While current circumstances have made it more difficult for us to achieve a sustainable and inclusive future by 2030, we believe that it remains possible with the right priorities and concerted international cooperation.         

    Thus, we continue to call for a more agile and strong will IMF and World Bank. We need heightened development cooperation, scale‑up support, and innovative solutions as we now begin the headwinds to foster peace, stability, and prosperity for all. And the key issue that underpins our discussions is the 80th Anniversary of the Bretton Woods System.         

    We acknowledge the significant evolution of the system over the decades. Yet, we must recognize that rapid transformations are occurring at an unprecedented base. We must therefore critically assess if the Bretton Woods System is adopting fast enough to the rapidly changing and increasingly volatile global environment.         

    To this end, the G‑24 has identified four key reforms that will enhance the system’s effectiveness and empower both the IMF and the World Bank Group to better serve their members.              

    First, the IMF must create a new mechanism to support countries with sound fundamentals during liquidity crisis.

    Second, the immediate submission of eradicating poverty on a livable planet, the World Bank needs more ambitious goals for its concessional and non‑concessional windows, commensurate with the challenges of achieving inclusive and sustainable development by 2030.    

    Third, the sovereign debt resolution framework must be reformed to deliver comprehensive, predictable, swift, and impactful debt relief, addressing the urgent needs of vulnerable economies.               

    Fourth, we must accelerate governance and institutional reforms of the Bretton Woods Institutions, to increase the voice and representation of developing nations. Without improvements and both actions, decades of individual and global efforts to eradicate poverty and inequality, combat climate change, and invest in growth‑enhancing projects will be put to a halt, if not reversed. Thus, we are counting on our recently concluded meeting to set an unprecedented multilateral cooperation and action. All of these points are comprehensively discussed in the communiqué and press release we have prepared for your perusal. With that, we are now ready to take your questions. Thank you.         

    MODERATOR: Thank you, Mr. Chair. So now moving on to the Q&A section, I would like to remind you that when you raise your hand, please identify yourself, your outlet, and please identify the Chair members that you would like to address the question to. Now moving on to the gentleman in the third row, please.       

    QUESTIONER: Thank you so much. I have a question actually for the three of you. Mr. Recto, you talked about the need for liquidity and buffers. The Philippines serves as a really good example. You are one of the fastest growing economies in the developing Asia region. Business process outsourcing, revenues have passed $35 billion. I wanted to find out, what is the Philippines doing so well? Is it a well‑educated workforce or is it constant electricity; what is the secret; and is AI going to disrupt that going forward?        

    For Candelaria Alvarez, reforms have been taking in Argentina. Javier Milei recently, I think it was in the last month, vetoed a bill that was going to increase financing for public universities, and students have been protesting. How patient do you expect the residents of Argentina to be with the reforms that are taking place?               

    And for Mr. Olawale Edun, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, at the last monetary policy meeting in Nigeria mentioned that the FAAC allocations, the Federation Account Allocation Committee, are causing—he noted they are causing the naira to depreciate when those disbursements are made. What do you think need to be done to address that?

    Then, two, you recently, I think it was a month or two, you talked about the need for single‑digit interest rates in Nigeria. Do you think that is ever going to happen with inflation being in double digits and a hawkish monetary policy path in Nigeria? Thank you.              

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Let me remind you that I hope that your question will be under the purview of G‑24 discussions but let ask the Chair to respond to the questions.               

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Thank you very much for your question. Thank you for noticing the Philippines. The Philippines at the second quarter grew by roughly 6.3 percent. For the first 2 years of this administration, we have grown about 6 percent. We are following our macro fiscal framework of reducing the deficit over time. We expect the good debt‑to‑GDP to be way below 60 percent by 2028. Today are roughly at 60 percent.               

    On the expenditure side, we are spending roughly 5 to 6 percent on infrastructure, maybe a similar amount also for human resource development, particularly in health and education.               

    You are correct that the BPO industry is growing by about—well, we collect roughly 35 billion in revenues a year. We also have a robust remittance of roughly the same amount, about $35 billion a year as well. That helps our consumption. 70 percent of the economy is household consumption. And public investments have also generated most of that growth as well.                 

    AI is a challenge, but in the Philippines the BPO industry is already adapting to AI. So thank you for your question. Thank you.               

    MODERATOR: Mr. Edun, would you like to address the question?              

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you very much. Let me answer it within the context of the discussions of the G‑24. Fundamentally, of course, foreign exchange and liquidity generally is very difficult. There are countries that are—they are reforming their economies domestically. They key into the rules‑based world trading system. And they do have debt sustainability in terms of debt‑to‑GDP. However, they have liquidity constraints, particularly foreign exchange with relation to debt servicing of the foreign debt but also their domestic debt. And I think to bring that—that is the context within which the questions of how to help. In fact, the IMF is specifically focusing on how to help is sort of a bridge financing that takes a question that does have its fundamentals right, but it gives it enough time for that adjustment and probably helps it with heightened debt servicing, which is just for a period.

    Clearly with regard to Nigeria, the key about the foreign exchange market really is supply. And, of course, as you know we have the—we are an oil‑producing country. We just need to get our oil production up, and that will deal with that issue of foreign exchange supply, and pressure on foreign exchange every time there are large flows.                  

    In terms of single‑digit inflation, of course, the western world, the rich countries, they have effectively defeated inflation. That is why the interest rates can come down. The Governor of the Central Bank in Nigeria, in the context of high inflation, is continuing with monetary tightening. That is the orthodoxy of the day. And it is one which is following. Thank you.               

    MODERATOR: Ms. Moroni on Argentina.          

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): Thank you. Going back to the question on Argentina, just as an important framework, G‑24 has been working on the need for emerging market and developing economies to try to put their economies in the right place. The Minister mentioned the need for the international financial organizations to give liquidity or to provide access to liquidity for countries like Argentina and others to be able to get back on our feet. For the government of Argentina, it is really relevant. We do think there is a need for a fiscal anchor on that sense. What happened with the education law had to do with the idea to keep the budget where it has to be, and it has not to do with kind of cutting education. It has to do with evaluating costs and expenditure in the right way. I think that is it.          

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Going back to the floor. The gentleman in the fourth row, please.            

    QUESTION: Just turning to the U.S. election, obviously we have seen the U.S. follow suit on trade change to a more protectionist stance. We have seen more industrial policy. Regardless of who wins the election, how do you see the U.S. involvement with multilateral organizations represented here and the WTO; and what is the impact of maybe a lessen gauged, more transactional U.S. on the group of countries, the G‑24?           

    MODERATOR: Mr. Chairman, maybe the Secretariat would like to respond?               

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): We are concerned that there will be a setback on multilateralism, particularly on trade as well. And we know the driver of global growth is more trade. So that is a concern. In the Philippines, we count on our relationship with the United States to do maybe more out‑shoring to the Philippines, and hopefully that will be done also with other members of the G‑24.            

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): If I can add, if you look at the communiqué, the last paragraph there actually addresses this issue. It is not just about the U.S. it is also about different countries all over the world implementing protectionist policies. And we have seen the impact of that in sectors that continue to build more to growth and development in many countries. So where do we go from here? What we are calling on is for the WTO to become the center of trade discussions, trade negotiations, and for the World Bank and the IMF to rise up to a much more multilaterally‑engaged organization that will be able to at least influence the kind of policies that countries take one way or the other. Thank you.            

    MODERATOR: Thank you. We are going to go online. The question that was just received from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka as a member of G‑24 is currently making attempts to emerge out of a crisis. What can you tell us about a G‑24 position to support countries like Sri Lanka and also for the island nations to secure financial facilities at reasonable conditions. Mr. Chair, maybe Iyabo?            

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes. So I would say that Sri Lanka has come a long way from where it was 2 years ago. The last IMF Article IV Consultation assessment does show that growth is picking up, that fiscal buffers are coming up, and also import duties are rising, so that indicates that the countries are making some recovery.           

    As for the position that the G‑24 takes on this issue, the way it affects Sri Lanka most is on the debt sustainability issue. So what we are calling for is that countries, especially middle‑income countries, should also have a framework, a forum where they can negotiate with their debtors. As it is now, the Common Framework only works for low‑income countries. Only low‑income countries are part of the Common Framework, but middle‑income countries can be part of another forum called the Sovereign Debt Resolution Roundtable, which is not really an association—an organization that delivers any form of debt relief. It just fosters common understanding. So that is what we are calling for. We want very timely, very comprehensive reduction in debt for countries, and also for both middle and low‑income countries to qualify. So that is where I see it working out. If things work out and the discussion in that area picks up quite fastly, then we can see the likes of Sri Lanka and maybe Lebanon and a few other countries benefiting from that. Thank you.          

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Back to the floor. Maybe I will take one question from the side and come back to you. I’ve seen your hand, sir, in the third row. Sorry, the fourth row. Yes.               

    QUESTION: Hi, there. Mr. Recto, you said that developing countries would be hit by the hardest by any slowdown. I am going to ask an uncomfortable question, but the U.S. election has two very different results, one of which will likely be much more inflationary and lead to more trade tensions. Could each of you tell me a little bit about how your economies are preparing or thinking about the possibility of a Trump victory and associated trade tensions and inflationary pressures that could be a headwind to growth?              

    MODERATOR: Yes, please.             

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Well, in the Philippines, we do have a relationship with the U.S. We have a mutual defense treaty. We are hoping to leverage that relationship so that we do not get much affected. We understand that many U.S. companies are also interested to invest in the Philippines. We do have a partnership also, the U.S.-Japan-and the Philippines, with regards to our security arrangements. We expect more investments to take place also in the Philippines.             

    MODERATOR: Anything to add from Mr. Edun or Ms. Moroni?             

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you. I think the issues that we are contending with in Africa, in many ways, we are bystanders to this all‑important election. Yes, we do have African Growth and Opportunity Act, which tries to open up the U.S. market to African‑manufactured products. I do not think that will be affected in any way by the results of this election. Generally, what we are finding is that at this particular time, the economies of trade generally, there is a reversal of globalization, of trade. There is a move to protectionism in these countries. There is on‑boarding of production. All these things tend to work against the developing world’s ability to benefit from expanding trade and thereby use that opportunity for investment, for growth, and for job creation and poverty reduction.            

    Overall, I think that we are not that affected specifically or that in general we continue to ask for an improved global financial architecture that provides us with more concessional funding, add skill, particularly for those countries that, as I said earlier, are undertaking the macroeconomic reforms that everybody agrees are sensible and will lead to better lives for their people. Thank you.             

    MODERATOR: Anything to add from the macro, broad perspective?             

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): Very briefly. What was mentioned by both Ministers is the right sentimenting in the emerging markets. We do think, at least for Argentina, the U.S. is a strategic partner and whatever the elections go, we do think that we need to keep having that channel open. Trade is quite a relevant issue. Financial issues are quite relevant. Governance issues in institutions also will be something sensitive to work with the new administration. We do think it is going to be something quite interesting to see in the short‑term. Thank you.           

    MODERATOR: You, sir, in the second row right here.            

    Question: My question is meant for Mr. Wale. Like Mr. Recto said in his opening remarks, a lot of G‑24 countries are having challenges implementing structural reforms and adjustment programs. I would like you to speak specifically to the case of Nigeria. What are the key lessons to learn from the structural reforms being implemented in Nigeria today. And looking back, are there better ways these reforms would have been implemented to limit the level of disruptions? Also, you met with the IMF MD and the team yesterday. We would like to know some of the discussions on that meeting and how does that relate to debt sustainability for Nigeria. Thank you.           

    MODERATOR: Mr. Edun, would you like to respond?         

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you very much. When we talk about—I will take the last one—debt sustainability, and also reforms generally, the G‑24 I think is better to talk within the framework, to talk beyond Nigeria and more about developing countries as a whole. The requirement really for support from the international community, from the development partners, from the multilateral development banks is that you undertake reforms that lead to sustainability at the macro level.             

    The key lesson that I think I would focus on is that in devising these programs and carrying out the reforms, what is particularly important — because the benefits over the longer term and the costs are frontloaded, it is important that the social safety nets that will help the poor and the vulnerable cope with the up‑front costs with a spike in their cost‑of‑living is adequately planned for and dealt with. So, it should not be an issue of it is an afterthought that you decide now that there need to be certain poverty alleviation initiatives. And linked to that, focus on helping the poor and the most vulnerable, [what can] cope with the cost is communication. I think one of the critical things in carrying out these economy reforms that are so fundamental and clearly they are necessary, otherwise they would not be implemented, is that communicating what is being done, what was to be expected, and also the timing as much as possible, the timing of the various activities, and then communicating what actually has been done so if it is a program to give direct benefits, direct transfers of funds to a group of people, then it should be published. There should be a dashboard that people can follow, thereby engendering and building public trust. I think those are the two important things that I would say you need to have for all of us at the G‑24 and developing countries in general. Thank you.         

    MODERATOR: Thank you, Minister. I have time for two more questions. Let me go back to the far end of the room right there. Thank you.

    QUESTION: Thank you. A question on climate change. Do you think the development banks, MDBs, are doing enough to tackle climate change? And especially our shareholders of MDBs, are they doing enough to tackle this issue? Thank you.            

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Mr. Recto, you would like to comment?        

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): The short comment is, it is never enough.     

    MODERATOR: Minister, do you want to chime in or, Ms. Moroni, or Iyabo on climate change.        

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes, I will say that the ambition is there. They really want to do a lot. The finance is just not commensurate with the level of ambition, so that is also one area where we have called on them to demonstrate the ambition. Thank you.     

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Sorry. If I may, since you asked me.     

    MODERATOR: Please.

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): The thing I would say on climate change, for a poor country such as Nigeria and others that are actually endowed with fossil fuels in particular, must take a realistic approach to climate change because it is the resources that we have that we must use to industrialize, to modernize our economies while being members of the global fight against climate change. We are signatories to the Paris Accord. We have our target for net zero, and while sticking to those, we must take a realistic view that we need to use our fossil fuels to develop our economies. Thank you.        

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): The recent issue we had been discussing on G‑24, G‑20, and other forums, the need for development banks to keep in mind their core objective. Then as you mentioned, there is a need to kind of—we do have an ambition, a climate agenda, but we do need to respect the emerging markets’ right to develop first. So, there is a need to—for financing for other development issues that are not directly linked to this, thank you.      

    MODERATOR: Last question to the lady up‑front.       

    QUESTION: Thank you. My question will be to Ms. Director and Mr. Olawale. Earlier on the World Economic Outlook, we were told that inflation is almost won, so I would like to know how the Group of Twenty‑Four is actually interpreting that, especially with the fundamentals in the developed world getting a little bit better; and what are the risks that are posed to the Group of 24. Also, to you, Mr. Recto, you rolled out four key reforms that G‑24 is asking from the World Bank and the IMF. Are you looking at timelines for these reforms? Then over to Nigeria’s Finance Minister and the Second Vice Chair. One of the reforms is heightened development support. That reform, what does it mean for African economies? For example, so I would really like you to take a look at that and perhaps what are the timelines that you are expecting? Is there a Nigerian agenda within these four key reforms?         

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Also, I would like to invite Iyabo to address on the reforms of the Bretton Woods institutions as well, but first, the Director or Mr. Edun, would you like to respond on inflation?         

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): On inflation, I think for next year, the global inflation rate will still be relatively high, lower than this year, but something like 5.8 percent, thereabouts. I still think that will be high, and because of that, the interest rate, while it is going down, it remains high. That is why we are also calling for the World Bank to reduce cost of borrowing. This will be very beneficial to the developing economies. On the time frame, maybe Iyabo can elaborate more.              

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes. Yes, the Bretton Woods initiative itself, the reform, they just started, so now they are in the process of consultations, going around countries, going around regions, so I will say that at a minimum, maybe by next Spring Meeting, they will have an update on where they are in the process and maybe some final decision by the Annual Meetings. In any case, these things have to go through the boards of both the IMF and the World Bank for ratification.        

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Mr. Edun.

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): I think I think around this time last year, we were still dealing with heightened levels of inflation, particularly in the developed countries. That means elevated rates of interest as they put as their number one priority, the fight against inflation and tight monetary policy by the central banks. That has changed. And there is now as we are seeing monetary easing or at least easing of rates of interest by central banks, but that is in the developed world.

    In the developing world, rates are still high and that fight against inflation means that the interest rates also will remain high. But as far as the developed world is concerned, lower interest rates translate to more affordability. Nobody wants to borrow. Nobody likes to borrow. But when it becomes necessary. It is something that must be managed as well as possible. So the first port of call is concessional financing; IDA financing, for instance, from the World Bank. And what the developing world continues to call for is larger sums that can really make a difference, not just to be able to help a country cope with its immediate payment needs, but to have funds to grow the economies. That is what the fight against inflation translates to for the developing countries. Victory therefore or success therefore in the developed world means that they should be able to make more resources available. I must note here that the IMF has reduced their charges. 36 percent reduction in the rates and the excess charges is significant, and it is in the right direction to help developing countries get the resources they need to develop and grow.

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Minister and

    Secretariat. Thank you so much for the questions. Unfortunately, we are out of time. Thank you so much again for joining this press conference. The G‑24 communique is being posted on IMF.org and the transcript of this press briefing will be made available later. Have a good rest of your day. Thank you.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Germany: How climate risk will complicate central bankers’ jobs | Guest contribution in the Financial Times

    Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English

    It is clear that the effects of climate change have started to influence the monetary policy considerations of several central banks. Unfortunately, such factors will become even more relevant in the future.
    Severe weather events are intensifying, and so too are their economic impacts. Tropical storm Helene in south-eastern US is just the latest reminder of the damage that can be wrought. The annual damages on properties caused by natural catastrophes have more than doubled in real terms over the past two decades, reaching $280bn globally in 2023, according to Swiss Re. The overall impact is much larger, as acute physical effects ripple through the economy, influencing supply, demand and financial flows – and thus also monetary policy.
    A new Network for Greening the Financial System report compellingly illustrates how natural catastrophes such as floods and hurricanes affect the economy. They destroy homes, local infrastructure and production sites, requiring years and enormous amounts of money to rebuild. Waning confidence could prompt companies and households to cut back on spending, further undermining economic growth prospects.
    Price impacts are not spared, as severe weather events, among other factors, damage agricultural production and drive up food prices across regions. These sectoral effects can lead to an increase in overall inflationary pressures, depending on how much a drop in demand balances them out. For instance, droughts tend to exert upward pressure on headline inflation for several years, with developing economies especially affected, because of their higher dependency on agriculture.
    Against this backdrop, central banks might face the complicated task of taming inflationary pressure in a weak economy. Think of a situation when rising inflationary pressure might warrant policy tightening – particularly for central banks, whose primary mandate is price stability – even though this could contribute to economic strain. The State Bank of Pakistan, for instance, in 2022 opted to continue raising policy rates after the devastating floods caused a sharp increase in food prices.
    Climate change – and its uncertain outcomes – mean that central banks must focus on looking ahead and extend their horizon beyond the usual projection period. Estimates of future impacts illustrate what could be in store for the economy and the financial sector. At a global level, climate change could drive up annual food price inflation by between one and three percentage points by 2035, according to a study of the European Central Bank and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
    However, most studies still fail to consider the risk of crossing climate tipping points, which can significantly accelerate climate change. According to the OECD, ignoring these critical thresholds results in a severe underestimation of the economic costs. Extreme weather events can also bring us closer to these tipping points. The current drought in the Amazon region – the most severe since systematic recording began in 1950 – exemplifies this risk. With one-fifth of the Amazon rainforest already lost, mostly due to deforestation, concerns are mounting that this carbon sponge is on the brink of collapse. That would trigger a cascade of climate events, leading to higher economic costs globally.
    What is more, uncertainties surrounding the magnitude and duration of severe weather events – coupled with governments’ responses – will make the short-term forecasting of key economic indicators particularly challenging. An example is Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the subsequent landfalls of hurricanes Rita and Wilma. In the highly dynamic weeks and months that followed, staff of the Federal Reserve adjusted their estimates of output and inflation a few times, as new information trickled in. Throughout the process, the Fed remained predictable in its actions, highlighting that good communication is key.
    Central banks have another side to watch, too, namely the green transition. Inflation and output may become more volatile as we undergo a transformation of the energy sector and supply chains. In the short term, carbon pricing and rising climate investments could reinforce inflationary pressures.
    Intensifying climate change adds to the array of challenges that monetary policy needs to adjust to. As extreme weather events become more frequent, central banks must pay even greater attention to longer-term inflation expectations. Though the reaction of each central bank will depend on its mandate, clear communication is essential to guide market expectations and ensure that policy decisions are well understood.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI German News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Development Minister to push for gender equality at World Bank Annuals

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Anneliese Dodds to outline priorities for gender equality and announce funding to boost women’s economic and social empowerment during visit to Washington D.C.

    • World’s finance and development ministers gather in Washington D.C. to discuss pressing international development issues at Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and IMF.
    • UK Development Minister to announce funding to boost women’s economic and social empowerment in speech on priorities for gender equality.
    • UK to send two female governors to the World Bank Group and IMF Annual Meetings for the first time.

    The UK’s Development Minister Anneliese Dodds will arrive at the World Bank Group and IMF Annual Meetings in Washington D.C. today [23 October] for a series of engagements focused on advancing gender equality.

    It will mark the Minister’s first time attending in her capacity as the UK’s Governor to the World Bank Group. Her visit coincides with Chancellor Reeves attending the IMF Annual Meetings, marking the first time for the UK to send two female governors to the Meetings.

    In a speech at the conference tomorrow [24 October], the Minister will outline her priorities for gender equality and announce a £7.5 million investment over the next two years, and continued support beyond that, in the World Bank’s Umbrella Facility for Gender Equality (UFGE). The facility supports the generation of high-quality data and evidence to address gender inequality and boost women’s economic and social empowerment.

    The UFGE, which has received funding from the UK since 2012, has, for example, benefitted half a million women in Rwanda who were found to be losing rights over land due to not having marriage certificates. In Nigeria, the programme funded research on the benefits of cash transfers, which the government used to inform the expansion of its national livelihoods programme, covering more than 4 million vulnerable households.

    The new funding will enable the UK’s support to the UFGE to expand beyond Africa into Asia and the Pacific and support the development of new methods to collect and use gender data, including through the adoption of AI technology.

    The UK’s Development Minister Anneliese Dodds said: 

    My mission is to help create a world free from poverty, on a livable planet, for all. Women and girls are at the heart of this.

    Britain is back with a voice on the world stage. We are playing a leading role with the World Bank to improve the lives of women and girls around the world.

    The funding announced today will deliver projects that will have an enormous impact on the lives and economic situations of women and girls across the globe and drive economic growth.

    This year’s Meetings come as the World Bank Group and IMF celebrate their 80th founding anniversary and will bring together finance and development ministers from all over the world to agree joint approaches to addressing pressing international development issues.

    Minister Dodds’ attendance follows a keynote speech at Chatham House, in which she outlined her vision for a modern approach to international development.

    Over the course of the Annual Meetings, the Minister will also host an event on conflict prevention, bringing together ministers from the Global South, international financial institutions, humanitarian actors, and academics, to discuss how the World Bank Group and IMF can work better in an increasingly fragile world.

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    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Xi highlights BRICS’ role in driving multipolarity, globalization ahead of Kazan Summit

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Xi highlights BRICS’ role in driving multipolarity, globalization ahead of Kazan Summit

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    KAZAN, Russia, Oct. 22 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday underscored the role of BRICS as “a pillar” in promoting a multipolar world and fostering an inclusive economic globalization ahead of leaders’ formal meetings at the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

    The BRICS mechanism is the world’s most important platform for solidarity and cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries, Xi said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit.

    The Kazan Summit marks the first in-person BRICS gathering since the group expanded its membership last year in Johannesburg, South Africa. More than 30 countries attend this year’s summit which runs until Thursday.

    Xi told Putin, who chairs the summit, that he expected to have an in-depth discussion with Putin and other world leaders on the future development of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, so as to secure more opportunities for the Global South.

    One of the key priorities of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship is integrating the new members into the BRICS framework, according to the official website. Other areas of practical cooperation include boosting trade and direct investment, as well as fostering a balanced and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy.

    BRICS countries are expected to deepen consensus on strategic communication and practical cooperation for the group’s future development, said Wang Lei, director of the BRICS Cooperation Research Center at Beijing Normal University.

    Wang also expressed hope for productive engagement between BRICS and the broader Global South at the summit to promote shared global development and uphold the effectiveness of multilateral governance systems.

    Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan and the fifth-largest city in Russia, holds historical and cultural significance. During their meeting, Xi told Putin that around 400 years ago, the Great Tea Road that connected the two countries went past Kazan, through which tea leaves from China’s Wuyi Mountain region found their way into many Russian households.

    The city is also home to Kazan Federal University, where notable figures like the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin studied.

    Around noon on Tuesday, Xi arrived at Kazan International Airport, greeted by Russian officials. Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin told Xinhua that the city is honored to host the Chinese leader.

    Guards of honor lined both sides of a red carpet to salute the Chinese leader, while Russian youths in traditional attire offered a warm welcome. Russian fighter jets escorted Xi’s plane before its landing.

    “It is very important that, at the moment, we have such a good leader who can introduce new initiatives,” said Timirkhan Alishev, vice rector for International Affairs, Kazan Federal University, speaking of Xi’s role in international affairs.

    Alishev told Xinhua that all initiatives introduced by China are rooted in multilateralism, fostering communication and dialogue on multiple levels.

    “We see China puts a lot of efforts to develop BRICS,” said Alishev. “There are no preconditions for BRICS cooperation … You can start dialogue on equal basis with everybody.”

    The term BRIC was initially coined in 2001 by Jim O’Neill, former chief economist at Goldman Sachs, as an investment concept referring to emerging market economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. With South Africa’s inclusion in 2010, BRICS officially took shape.

    After last year’s expansion, BRICS grouping now accounts for about 30 percent of the global GDP, nearly half of the global population and one-fifth of global trade. “Measured by GDP, the BRICS countries have already surpassed the G7 in importance,” said Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank (NDB), in a recent interview with Xinhua.

    “I think this BRICS meeting is very important … At the moment, the countries of the Global South are in great need of funding. And the conditions for obtaining it are quite complicated,” Rousseff said during a meeting with Putin in Kazan on Tuesday.

    Observers see the BRICS Summit as an opportunity for Global South countries to voice their needs. Victoria Fedosova, deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Research and Forecasts of the Russian Peoples’ Friendship University, said the very dynamic development of BRICS and the growth in membership reflect a demand for a platform for addressing global issues.

    “The BRICS mechanism has enormous potential in adjusting the imbalances in global development accumulated over the last 80 years,” said Fedosova.

    Other than the countries that became new full members on Jan. 1, 2024, over 30 countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have either formally applied for or expressed interest in its membership, while many other developing countries are seeking deeper cooperation with the group.

    As its influence expands, BRICS has gained appeal among many countries, particularly in the Global South, by offering them concrete advantages, said Zukiswa Roboji, a researcher at Walter Sisulu University in South Africa.

    “BRICS has undoubtedly made notable strides in recent years,” said Roboji. It offers emerging economies easier access to financial resources and better opportunities for trade, investment and development, the expert added.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SHREVEPORT, La. – Brian T. Owen, 52, of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, pleaded guilty yesterday to money laundering, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. presided over the hearing.  

    A Bill of Information was filed September 30, 2024, charging Owen with one count of money laundering. This charge was the result of an investigation conducted by state and federal law enforcement agencies into the unlawful activities of Owen, who was the president of an oilfield consulting service business headquartered in Bossier City. On June 22, 2020, the company filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana. 

    In January 2021, as part of the company’s bankruptcy plan of reorganization, a Distribution Trust was established to pay back creditors, and Owen executed a Distribution Trust Agreement in his role as president of the company. According to this plan, if Owen received any additional compensation from the company, he was required to pay 30% of that directly to the Distribution Trust. 

    In 2021, the company began applying for Employee Retention Credits (“ERCs”), which are a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Owen then devised a scheme to defraud the Distribution Trust by intercepting the physical U.S. Department of Treasury Checks before they were deposited into the company’s working accounts. Unbeknownst to other senior leadership at the company, Owen had opened a bank account in the name of the company while it was still in bankruptcy. As part of the scheme, he deposited a total of $3.8 million in ERC funds for himself as additional compensation. Owen did not pay the Distribution Trust the 30% as he had agreed, but instead used the money for his own personal expenses, including to pay off gambling debts. In total, he defrauded the Distribution Trust out of $1,157,154.39.           

    Owen faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.  

    The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Risch to introduce Stand with Israel Act to combat UN’s persecution of Israel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and colleagues in announcing their intent to introduce the Stand with Israel Act to combat the United Nation’s (U.N.) persecution of Israel. The legislation would block any U.S. dollars from going to the U.N. if it downgrades Israel’s status in any way, such as preventing Israel from having certain voting powers, access to committees or other roles within the organization.
    “The U.N. has failed to pass any resolution to condemn the October 7 terrorists, yet the Palestinian delegation has tried to delegitimize Israel by introducing radical resolutions. Even though the U.N.’s policies often run against American interests, we remain its biggest funder. We shouldn’t send American tax dollars to groups that demonize our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East while elevating terrorist-sympathizers and the Palestinian Authority,” said Kennedy.
    Last month, Kennedy criticized the Palestinian Authority for introducing a U.N. resolution that would reward terrorism. The resolution would have supported an end to Israel’s presence in the West Bank, sanction Israeli officials and block other countries’ arms transfers to Israel. The U.N. General Assembly adopted the one-sided resolution without U.S. support. 
    “Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic. That said, if the UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN, the U.S. must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted that this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all I can to ensure any changes to Israel’s status will come with consequences,” said Risch. 
    The legislation is the companion to the House of Representative’s bipartisan H.R. 9394, which Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) introduced. 
    Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) also cosponsored the legislation.
    Full text of the Stand with Israel Act is available here.  
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business and Tech – Connecting Kiwi cleantech ventures with global opportunities

    Source: Callaghan Innovation

    23 October 2024 – Fourteen ambitious Kiwi cleantech startups will soon chase global investment and partnership opportunities as part of the 2024 Cleantech Trek to the USA and Europe.

    Estimated to be worth more than NZD$1 trillion annually by 2030, the global cleantech market is growing rapidly due to investment in clean energy technologies like solar and wind, and growing consumer demand for more sustainably produced materials.  

    The 2024 Cleantech Trek is a New Zealand Cleantech Mission initiative to support innovative Kiwi startups to access the multi-billion-dollar global cleantech market.

    Participating companies will attend key industry events to pitch to investors, meet multinationals and make connections as they seek to participate in this market.

    A highlight of the trip will be a visit to leading global steelmaker ArcelorMittal’s commercial flagship carbon capture and utilisation facility in Ghent, Belgium.

    The commercial-scale facility uses Lanzatech’s carbon capture process to capture carbon-rich waste gases from steelmaking and convert these into advanced ethanol.

    Nasdaq listed Lanzatech began as a cleantech startup based in Auckland. “As Lanzatech has shown, we have the world-class science and engineering expertise, and vision, to develop cleantech solutions that can make a global impact,” says New Zealand Cleantech Mission Lead, Callaghan Innovation’s Phil Anderson.

    Because cleantech solutions are addressing the most difficult to solve environmental and sustainability challenges, their commercialisation typically requires more capital, stronger networks, and a longer path to market than is the case in most other sectors.

    “To succeed, Kiwi cleantech startups need to build long-term relationships with multi-nationals and investors to develop and commercialise their solutions on a global scale,” says Phil Anderson.

    The 2024 Cleantech Trek will begin in the USA in late October, and head to Europe, where three participating startups will be recognised on US-based Cleantech Group’s 2024 50 to Watch list, in Paris, at the 2024 Cleantech Forum Europe in early November.

    Cetogenix, Mushroom Material, and Nilo will be recognised on the Cleantech Group’s 2024 50 to Watch list of the top cleantech ventures globally in the early stages of commercialising solutions to global environmental problems and climate change.  

    “Having three Kiwi cleantech startups on this influential list shows that the world is beginning to see just how much potential Kiwi cleantech startups have to offer,” says Phil Anderson.  

    “This country is such a small player it’s really important that we work together when it comes to getting in front of potential investors and partners overseas.

    “That’s why I’m thrilled this year that the Cleantech Trek will be supported by NZTE, Are Ake, Auckland Unlimited and ASB Bank, who have come on board as our Europe leg sponsor, as well as our Verge stand partner Climate Salad,” he says.

    About Callaghan Innovation

    Callaghan Innovation is New Zealand’s innovation agency. It activates innovation and helps businesses grow faster for a better New Zealand. The government agency partners with ambitious businesses of all sizes, delivering a range of innovation and research and development (R&D) services to suit each stage of their growth. Its staff – including more than 150 of New Zealand’s leading scientists and engineers – empower innovators by connecting people, opportunities and networks, and providing tailored technical solutions, skills and capability development programmes, and grants co-funding. Callaghan Innovation also enhances the operation of New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem, working closely with MBIE, NZTE, NZVIF, Crown Research Institutes, and other organisations that help increase business investment in R&D and innovation. The agency operates from five urban offices and a regional partner network in a further 12 locations across Aotearoa.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pule Fakamotu 2024 (Constitution Day Flag Raising) Commemoration

    Source: New Zealand Governor General

    Fakaalofa lahi atu – and my very warmest Pacific greetings.

    I’d like to specifically acknowledge: Prime Minister Tagelagi; Prime Minister Mark Brown of the Cook Islands; Alapati Tavite, Ulu of Tokelau; President Williame Katonivere of Fiji; Ministers and Members of Parliament of Niue; and Members of the Diplomatic Corps.

    Thank you, Prime Minister Tagelagi for inviting Richard and me to join leaders of our ‘Realm family’ and members of the Diplomatic Corps in celebrating this year’s Constitution Day, marking the 50th year of self-government and enduring freedom of association with New Zealand.

    I am honoured to represent His Majesty King Charles III, our Head of State of the Realm of New Zealand, and affirm his best wishes to you all on this very special day for Niue.

    I also wish to convey warmest congratulations from the nearly 31,000 New Zealanders who regard Niue as home. You will be aware of the great pride they take in their distinctive culture, language and traditions, and the strength of their connections to Niue.

    I’m sure those who witnessed that historic moment fifty years ago, on the 19th of October 1974, would be delighted to see what has been achieved in the intervening years: the upgraded roads and airport, the growth of tourism with Matavai Resort and other outstanding new accommodation options, the sea tracks, Niue Development Bank, new government buildings, a supermarket complex, and Millenium Hall.

    Similarly, I hope they would applaud the emphasis on sustainability and the protection of biodiversity, the establishment of a maritime protection area, and modernised waste management systems.

    I hope they would also be pleased to see Niue’s connections to the world, enabled by jet travel and internet access. I’m sure they would be astonished and delighted to see the growth of media and educational opportunities, solar power, electronic banking, an emergency operations centre, and the facilities of a truly modern hospital.

    I was pleased to learn how closely Niue and New Zealand worked to minimise the impact of COVID-19, and I wish to congratulate Prime Minister Tagelagi and everyone involved in keeping the people of Niue safe.

    Nationhood is necessarily an ongoing project, based on a shared understanding of identity, values, and culture.

    All Niueans contribute to this vision, whether they be Assembly Members, Ministers of Cabinet, the Speakers of the Fale Fono, the Public Service Commissioners, Secretaries of Government, the Judges and Judiciary, Niue’s High Commissioners in New Zealand, the Public Service, educators, the keepers of traditional knowledge and crafts, or artists, composers and cultural performers. So too do those Niueans engaged in fishing, growing crops, joining in community and church activities, and hosting tourists – as well as tupuna and spiritual leaders providing wise guidance and counsel across communities.

    I commend the people of Niue for working to sustain and transfer their cultural heritage and traditions. Showdays and Taoga Festivals have brought villages together with the Niuean diaspora to celebrate community, tradition and whanaungatanga. It must be gratifying to see Niueans born in New Zealand choosing to live here, and renew their ties with their culture and history.

    Since 1974, New Zealand has been proud to be Niue’s Constitutional partner, with responsibilities to provide necessary administrative support. The bonds between our two nations have flourished, nurtured by our shared history, language, culture and citizenship.

    The people-to-people links, forged through family ties, friendships, and shared experiences, have created a tapestry of interwoven lives between Niue and New Zealand, and Niue and the Pacific. 

    Today, we are joined by Niueans who have travelled from New Zealand, Australia and beyond to be part of these celebrations.

    Over these past fifty years, Niue has developed its own network of diplomatic, political, trade and economic relationships – and I acknowledge the support and collaboration of such partners and friends who are with us in celebration today. As Niue continues its journey of growth and development, I pay tribute to those partners who have supported those development aspirations, and your vision of a connected and prosperous Niue.

    All of us share in the challenges of our times – particularly climate change – and it is in the absolute interests of all of us to do what is right and what is necessary to build greater resilience and wellbeing for the people of the Pacific.

    This special Aho Pulefakamotu is a time for Niueans to celebrate the legacy of your forebears, and to look forward to how you might shape the destiny of your nation.

    I wish the people of Niue every success with the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead – strengthened by the executive, legislative and judicial processes established by your Constitution – and secure in the knowledge that you will be supported, as always, by your friends in New Zealand.

    Kia moui olaola a Niue. Kia tumau a Niue.  Niue ke Monuina. Niue ko Kaina. Niue ki Mua.

    Now, onwards to the next 50 glorious years. May God Bless Niue. May God Bless you all. Kia fakamonuina mai he Atua a Niue Fekai.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Capital City Bank Group, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Capital City Bank Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CCBG) today reported net income attributable to common shareowners of $13.1 million, or $0.78 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2024 compared to $14.2 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2024, and $12.7 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2023.

    QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS (3rdQuarter 2024 versus 2ndQuarter 2024)

    Income Statement

    • Tax-equivalent net interest income totaled $40.3 million compared to $39.3 million for the prior quarter
      • Net interest margin increased 10 basis points to 4.12% (earning asset yield up 7 basis points and total deposit cost down 3 basis points to 92 basis points)
    • Stable credit quality metrics and credit loss provision – net loan charge-offs were 19 basis points (annualized) of average loans – allowance coverage ratio increased to 1.11% at September 30, 2024
    • Noninterest income remained stable, decreasing $0.1 million, or 0.5%, and reflected a $0.4 million decline in mortgage banking revenues partially offset by a $0.3 million increase in wealth management fees
    • Noninterest expense increased $2.5 million, or 6.1%, due to increases in compensation (annual merit and health care) and other expenses (professional and processing). Other expense also included a $0.5 million expense related to a counterparty payment for our VISA Class B share swap

    Balance Sheet

    • Loan balances decreased $33.2 million, or 1.2% (average), and declined $7.1 million, or 0.3% (end of period)
    • Deposit balances decreased by $69.0 million, or 1.9% (average), and decreased $29.5 million, or 0.8% (end of period), reflecting the seasonal decline in our public fund balances
    • Tangible book value per diluted share (non-GAAP financial measure) increased $0.91, or 4.2%

    Commenting on the company’s results, William G. Smith, Jr., Capital City Bank Group Chairman, President, and CEO, said, “I am pleased with what we accomplished in the quarter to enhance shareowner value – 4.2% growth in tangible book value per share and a 9.5% increase in the dividend. Earnings for the quarter remained stable driven by margin expansion, stable credit, and core deposit growth. Looking ahead, I remain optimistic about our full year financial performance and beyond, driven by our balance sheet flexibility, revenue diversification, and focus on continuous improvement.”      

    Discussion of Operating Results

    Net Interest Income/Net Interest Margin

    Tax-equivalent net interest income for the third quarter of 2024 totaled $40.2 million, compared to $39.3 million for the second quarter of 2024, and $39.3 million for the third quarter of 2023. Compared to the second quarter of 2024, the increase was primarily due to increases in loan and investment interest income and a decrease in deposit interest expense, partially offset by a decrease in overnight funds interest income. One additional calendar day also contributed to the increase. Favorable repricing of existing adjustable/fixed rate loans at higher rates drove the increase in loan interest income. The increase in investment interest income was due to the reinvestment of maturing securities at higher rates. The decrease in deposit interest expense was attributable to lower average NOW account balances and average rate, in addition to lower rates on promotional deposit products.

    Compared to the third quarter of 2023, the $0.9 million increase was primarily driven by an increase in loan interest income and to a lesser extent overnight funds interest income, partially offset by an increase in deposit interest expense. For the first nine months of 2024, tax-equivalent net interest income totaled $118.0 million compared to $120.1 million for the same period of 2023 with the decrease primarily attributable to an increase in deposit interest expense and a decrease in investment interest income, partially offset by an increase in loan interest income.

    Our net interest margin for the third quarter of 2024 was 4.12%, an increase of 10 basis points over the second quarter of 2024 and an increase of nine basis points over the third quarter of 2023. For the month of September 2024, our net interest margin was 4.16%. For the first nine months of 2024, our net interest margin was 4.05% compared to 4.04% for the same period of 2023. The increase over the second quarter of 2024 reflected favorable loan and investment repricing, partially offset by a lower overnight funds rate. The increase over both prior year periods reflected higher loan rates partially offset by a higher cost of deposits. For the third quarter of 2024, our cost of funds was 93 basis points, a decrease of four basis points from the second quarter of 2024 and an increase of 27 basis points over the third quarter of 2023. Our cost of deposits (including noninterest bearing accounts) was 92 basis points, 95 basis points, and 58 basis points, respectively, for the same periods.

    Provision for Credit Losses

    We recorded a provision expense for credit losses of $1.2 million for the third quarter of 2024, comparable to the second quarter of 2024 and a $1.2 million decrease from the third quarter of 2023. The provision expense for the third quarter of 2024 reflected a $0.7 million increase in the provision for loans held for investment (“HFI”), a $0.6 million provision benefit for unfunded loan commitments, and a $0.1 million provision benefit for debt securities. The increase in the provision for loans HFI was primarily due to loan grade migration and slightly higher loss rates partially offset by lower loan balances. A lower level of commitments drove the provision benefit for unfunded loan commitments. For the first nine months of 2024, we recorded a provision expense for credit losses of $3.3 million compared to $7.7 million for the same period of 2023 with the decrease driven primarily by lower new loan volume in 2024. We discuss the allowance for credit losses further below.

    Noninterest Income and Noninterest Expense

    Noninterest income for the third quarter of 2024 totaled $19.5 million compared to $19.6 million for the second quarter of 2024 and $16.7 million for the third quarter of 2023. The slight decrease from the second quarter of 2024 reflected a $0.4 million decrease in mortgage banking revenues partially offset by a $0.3 million increase in wealth management fees. Compared to the third quarter of 2023, the $2.8 million increase was primarily attributable to a $2.1 million increase in mortgage banking revenues driven by a higher gain on sale margin, and a $0.8 million increase in wealth management fees.

    For the first nine months of 2024, noninterest income totaled $57.2 million compared to $54.5 million for the same period of 2023, primarily attributable to a $3.2 million increase in mortgage banking revenues and a $1.8 million increase in wealth management fees, partially offset by a $2.1 million decrease in other income. The increase in mortgage banking revenues was due to a higher gain on sale margin. The increase in wealth management fees was primarily driven by higher retail brokerage fees and to a lesser extent trust fees, primarily attributable to both new account growth and higher account values driven by higher market returns. The decrease in other income was primarily attributable to a $1.4 million gain from the sale of mortgage servicing rights in the second quarter of 2023, and to a lesser extent a decrease in vendor bonus income and miscellaneous income.

    Noninterest expense for the third quarter of 2024 totaled $42.9 million compared to $40.4 million for the second quarter of 2024 and $39.1 million for the third quarter of 2023. The $2.5 million increase over the second quarter of 2024 was primarily due to a $1.4 million increase in compensation and a $1.0 million increase in other expense. The increase in compensation reflected higher salary expense of $0.9 million and associate benefit expense of $0.5 million. The increase in salary expense was driven by annual merit adjustments, and the increase in other associate benefit expense was primarily attributable to higher health insurance cost, and to a lesser extent higher stock-based compensation expense. The increase in other expense was primarily due to a $0.5 million increase in professional fees, processing fees of $0.3 million, and higher miscellaneous expense which included a $0.5 million payment to the counterparty for our VISA Class B share swap due to revision to the share conversion rate related to additional funding by VISA of the merchant litigation reserve. Compared to the third quarter of 2023, the $3.8 million increase was primarily attributable to a $2.8 million increase in compensation expense and a $0.9 million increase in other expense. The unfavorable variance in compensation expense reflected higher salary expense of $2.2 million and associate benefit expense of $0.6 million, with the salary variance driven by merit adjustments and the associate benefit expense variance reflective of higher health insurance cost. Further, salary expense was unfavorably impacted by lower realized loan cost (credit offset to salary expense) of $1.0 million which reflected lower loan volume in 2024. The increase in other expense was attributable to a $0.6 million increase in professional fees and higher miscellaneous expense due to the aforementioned $0.5 million share swap payment in the third quarter of 2024.  

    For the first nine months of 2024, noninterest expense totaled $123.5 million compared to $117.1 million for the same period of 2023 with the $6.4 million increase primarily attributable to increases in compensation expense of $4.6 million, occupancy expense of $0.5 million, and other expense of $1.3 million. The increase in compensation expense reflected a $3.9 million increase in salary expense and a $0.7 million increase in associate benefit expense. The increase in salary expense was primarily due to a lower level of realized loan cost (credit offset to salary expense) of $2.9 million (lower new loan volume) and higher base salary expense of $1.9 million (primarily annual merit raises), partially offset by lower commission expense of $1.3 million (lower residential mortgage volume). The increase in occupancy was primarily attributable to an increase in maintenance agreement expense (security upgrades and addition of interactive teller machines). The increase in other expense reflected a $1.8 million gain from the sale of a banking office in the first quarter of 2023 and higher miscellaneous expense due to the aforementioned $0.5 million share swap payment in 2024, that was partially offset by lower pension plan expense (service cost) of $1.0 million.         

    Income Taxes

    We realized income tax expense of $3.0 million (effective rate of 19.1%) for the third quarter of 2024 compared to $3.2 million (effective rate of 18.5%) for the second quarter of 2024 and $3.0 million (effective rate of 20.7%) for the third quarter of 2023. For the first nine months of 2024, we realized income tax expense of $9.7 million (effective rate of 20.1%) compared to $10.1 million (effective rate of 20.5%) for the same period of 2023. The decrease in our effective tax rate from both prior year periods was primarily due to a higher level of tax benefit accrued from investments in solar tax credit equity funds. Absent discrete items, we expect our annual effective tax rate to approximate 20-21% for 2024.

    Discussion of Financial Condition

    Earning Assets

    Average earning assets totaled $3.883 billion for the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of $51.9 million, or 1.3%, from the second quarter of 2024, and an increase of $59.4 million, or 1.6%, over the fourth quarter of 2023. The change for both prior periods was driven by variances in deposit balances (see below – Deposits). Compared to the second quarter of 2024, the change in the earning asset mix reflected a $33.2 million decrease in loans HFI, a $11.4 million decline in investment securities, and a $5.6 million decrease increase in overnight funds sold. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, the change in the earning asset mix reflected a $157.1 million increase in overnight funds that was partially offset by a $17.7 million decrease in loans HFI, a $54.7 million decrease in investment securities and a $25.2 million decline in loans held for sale.

    Average loans HFI decreased $33.2 million, or 1.2%, from the second quarter of 2024 and decreased $17.7 million, or 0.7%, from the fourth quarter of 2023. Compared to the second quarter of 2024, the decrease was driven by a $19.4 million decrease in consumer loans (primarily indirect auto), commercial loans of $13.2 million, and commercial real estate loans of $7.7 million, partially offset by a $7.4 million increase in residential real estate loans. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, the decrease was primarily attributable to a $54.5 million decrease in consumer loans (primarily indirect auto) and commercial loans of $24.2 million (primarily tax-exempt loans) that was partially offset by a $59.2 million increase in residential real estate loans.

    Period end loans HFI decreased $7.1 million, or 0.3%, from the second quarter of 2024 and decreased $50.8 million, or 1.9%, from the fourth quarter of 2023. Compared to the second quarter of 2024, the decline reflected a $20.9 million decrease in consumer loans (primarily indirect auto), a $10.4 million decrease in commercial loans, and a $3.2 million decline in commercial real estate loans, partially offset by a $10.9 million increase in residential real estate loans and a $18.1 million increase in construction loans. The decrease from the fourth quarter of 2023 was primarily attributable to a $57.7 million decrease in consumer loans (primarily indirect auto), a $30.6 million decline in commercial loans, and a $5.5 million decrease in commercial real estate loans, partially offset by a $22.2 million increase in residential real estate loans and a $22.8 million increase in construction real estate loans.     

    Allowance for Credit Losses

    At September 30, 2024, the allowance for credit losses for loans HFI totaled $29.8 million compared to $29.2 million at June 30, 2024 and $29.9 million at December 31, 2023. Activity within the allowance is provided on Page 9. The increase in the allowance over June 30, 2024 was primarily attributable to slightly higher forecasted unemployment rate utilized in calculating loan loss rates and loan grade migration (see above – Provision for Credit Losses). Net loan charge-offs were 19 basis points of average loans for the third quarter of 2024 versus 18 basis points for the second quarter of 2024. At September 30, 2024, the allowance represented 1.11% of loans HFI compared to 1.09% at June 30, 2024, and 1.10% at December 31, 2023.

    Credit Quality

    Nonperforming assets (nonaccrual loans and other real estate) totaled $7.2 million at September 30, 2024 compared to $6.2 million at June 30, 2024 and $6.2 million at December 31, 2023. At September 30, 2024, nonperforming assets as a percent of total assets equaled 0.17%, compared to 0.15% at June 30, 2024 and 0.15% at December 31, 2023. Nonaccrual loans totaled $6.6 million at September 30, 2024, a $1.1 million increase over June 30, 2024 and a $0.3 million increase over December 31, 2023. Further, classified loans totaled $25.5 million at September 30, 2024, a $0.1 million decrease from June 30, 2024 and a $3.3 million increase over December 31, 2023.

    Deposits

    Average total deposits were $3.572 billion for the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of $69.0 million, or 1.9%, from the second quarter of 2024 and an increase of $23.5 million, or 0.7%, over the fourth quarter of 2023. Compared to the second quarter of 2024, the decrease was primarily attributable to lower NOW account balances primarily due to the seasonal decline in our public fund balances. The increase over the fourth quarter of 2023 reflected growth in both money market and certificate of deposit balances which reflected a combination of balances migrating from savings and noninterest bearing accounts, in addition to receiving new deposits from existing and new clients via various deposit strategies.     

    At September 30, 2024, total deposits were $3.579 billion, a decrease of $29.5 million, or 0.8%, from June 30, 2024, and a decrease of $122.7 million, or 3.3%, from December 31, 2023. The decrease from June 30, 2024 was primarily due to lower noninterest bearing, money market, and savings account balances. The decrease from December 31, 2023 was primarily due to lower NOW account balances, primarily due to the seasonal decline in our public funds, partially offset by higher money market and certificate of deposit balances from both new and existing clients. Total public funds balances were $516.2 million at September 30, 2024, $575.0 million at June 30, 2024, and $709.8 million at December 31, 2023.

    Liquidity

    The Bank maintained an average net overnight funds (i.e., deposits with banks plus FED funds sold less FED funds purchased) sold position of $256.9 million in the third quarter of 2024 compared to $262.4 million in the second quarter of 2024 and $99.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Compared to the second quarter of 2024, the decrease reflected lower average deposits (primarily seasonal public funds) that was substantially offset by a decline in average loans. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, the increase was primarily driven by higher average deposits and lower average investments.       

    At September 30, 2024, we had the ability to generate approximately $1.522 billion (excludes overnight funds position of $262 million) in additional liquidity through various sources including various federal funds purchased lines, Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings, the Federal Reserve Discount Window, and brokered deposits.  

    We also view our investment portfolio as a liquidity source as we have the option to pledge securities in our portfolio as collateral for borrowings or deposits, and/or to sell selected securities in our portfolio. Our portfolio consists of debt issued by the U.S. Treasury, U.S. governmental agencies, municipal governments, and corporate entities. At September 30, 2024, the weighted-average maturity and duration of our portfolio were 2.51 years and 2.17 years, respectively, and the available-for-sale portfolio had a net unrealized after-tax loss of $15.5 million.    

    Capital

    Shareowners’ equity was $476.5 million at September 30, 2024 compared to $461.0 million at June 30, 2024 and $440.6 million at December 31, 2023. For the first nine months of 2024, shareowners’ equity was positively impacted by net income attributable to shareowners of $39.8 million, a $8.7 million decrease in the net unrealized loss on available for sale securities, net adjustments totaling $0.9 million related to transactions under our stock compensation plans, and stock compensation accretion of $1.1 million. Shareowners’ equity was reduced by a common stock dividend of $11.0 million ($0.65 per share), the repurchase of common stock of $2.3 million (82,540 shares), a $0.6 million increase in the fair value of the interest rate swap related to subordinated debt, and a $0.7 million reclassification to temporary equity.

    At September 30, 2024, our total risk-based capital ratio was 17.97% compared to 17.50% at June 30, 2024 and 16.57% at December 31, 2023. Our common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 14.88%, 14.44%, and 13.52%, respectively, on these dates. Our leverage ratio was 10.89%, 10.51%, and 10.30%, respectively, on these dates. At September 30, 2024, all our regulatory capital ratios exceeded the thresholds to be designated as “well-capitalized” under the Basel III capital standards. Further, our tangible common equity ratio (non-GAAP financial measure) was 9.28% at September 30, 2024 compared to 8.91% and 8.26% at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. If our unrealized held-to-maturity securities losses of $12.9 million (after-tax) were recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss, our adjusted tangible capital ratio would be 9.00%.

    About Capital City Bank Group, Inc.

    Capital City Bank Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CCBG) is one of the largest publicly traded financial holding companies headquartered in Florida and has approximately $4.2 billion in assets. We provide a full range of banking services, including traditional deposit and credit services, mortgage banking, asset management, trust, merchant services, bankcards, securities brokerage services and financial advisory services, including the sale of life insurance, risk management and asset protection services. Our bank subsidiary, Capital City Bank, was founded in 1895 and now has 63 banking offices and 105 ATMs/ITMs in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. For more information about Capital City Bank Group, Inc., visit http://www.ccbg.com.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    Forward-looking statements in this Press Release are based on current plans and expectations that are subject to uncertainties and risks, which could cause our future results to differ materially. The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “target,” “vision,” “goal,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause our actual results to differ: our ability to successfully manage credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and other risks inherent to our industry; the effects of changes in the level of checking or savings account deposits and the competition for deposits on our funding costs, net interest margin and ability to replace maturing deposits and advances; legislative or regulatory changes; adverse developments in the financial services industry; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; uncertainty in the pricing of residential mortgage loans that we sell, as well as competition for the mortgage servicing rights related to these loans; interest rate risk and price risk resulting from retaining mortgage servicing rights and the effects of higher interest rates on our loan origination volumes; changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government; the cost and effects of cybersecurity incidents or other failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our systems or those of our customers or third-party providers; the effects of fraud related to debit card products; the accuracy of our financial statement estimates and assumptions; changes in accounting principles, policies, practices or guidelines; the frequency and magnitude of foreclosure of our loans; the effects of our lack of a diversified loan portfolio; the strength of the local economies in which we operate; our ability to declare and pay dividends; structural changes in the markets for origination, sale and servicing of residential mortgages; our ability to retain key personnel; the effects of natural disasters (including hurricanes), widespread health emergencies (including pandemics), military conflict, terrorism, civil unrest or other geopolitical events; our ability to comply with the extensive laws and regulations to which we are subject; the impact of the restatement of our previously issued consolidated statements of cash flows; any deficiencies in the processes undertaken to effect these restatements and to identify and correct all errors in our historical financial statements that may require restatement; any inability to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and/or disclosure control or inability to remediate our existing material weaknesses in our internal controls deemed ineffective; the willingness of clients to accept third-party products and services rather than our products and services; technological changes; the outcomes of litigation or regulatory proceedings; negative publicity and the impact on our reputation; changes in consumer spending and saving habits; growth and profitability of our noninterest income; the limited trading activity of our common stock; the concentration of ownership of our common stock; anti-takeover provisions under federal and state law as well as our Articles of Incorporation and our Bylaws; other risks described from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and our ability to manage the risks involved in the foregoing. Additional factors can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as amended, and our other filings with the SEC, which are available at the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Forward-looking statements in this Press Release speak only as of the date of the Press Release, and we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements or the reasons why actual results could differ, except as may be required by law.

    USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    Unaudited

    We present a tangible common equity ratio and a tangible book value per diluted share that removes the effect of goodwill and other intangibles resulting from merger and acquisition activity. We believe these measures are useful to investors because it allows investors to more easily compare our capital adequacy to other companies in the industry.

    The GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations are provided below.

    (Dollars in Thousands, except per share data) Sep 30, 2024 Jun 30, 2024 Mar 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Sep 30, 2023
    Shareowners’ Equity (GAAP)     $ 476,499   $ 460,999   $ 448,314   $ 440,625   $ 419,706  
    Less: Goodwill and Other Intangibles (GAAP)       92,813     92,853     92,893     92,933     92,973  
    Tangible Shareowners’ Equity (non-GAAP) A     383,686     368,146     355,421     347,692     326,733  
    Total Assets (GAAP)       4,225,316     4,225,695     4,259,922     4,304,477     4,138,287  
    Less: Goodwill and Other Intangibles (GAAP)       92,813     92,853     92,893     92,933     92,973  
    Tangible Assets (non-GAAP) B   $ 4,132,503   $ 4,132,842   $ 4,167,029   $ 4,211,544   $ 4,045,314  
    Tangible Common Equity Ratio (non-GAAP) A/B     9.28%     8.91%     8.53%     8.26%     8.08%  
    Actual Diluted Shares Outstanding (GAAP) C     16,980,686     16,970,228     16,947,204     17,000,758     16,997,886  
    Tangible Book Value per Diluted Share (non-GAAP) A/C   $ 22.60   $ 21.69   $ 20.97   $ 20.45   $ 19.22  
     
    CAPITAL CITY BANK GROUP, INC.                      
    EARNINGS HIGHLIGHTS                      
    Unaudited                      
                           
        Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended  
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)   Sep 30, 2024   Jun 30, 2024   Sep 30, 2023   Sep 30, 2024   Sep 30, 2023  
    EARNINGS                      
    Net Income Attributable to Common Shareowners $ 13,118 $ 14,150 $ 12,655 $ 39,825 $ 40,539  
    Diluted Net Income Per Share $ 0.78 $ 0.83 $ 0.74 $ 2.35 $ 2.38  
    PERFORMANCE                      
    Return on Average Assets (annualized)   1.24 % 1.33 % 1.19 % 1.26 % 1.26 %
    Return on Average Equity (annualized)   10.87   12.23   11.74   11.39   13.00  
    Net Interest Margin   4.12   4.02   4.03   4.05   4.04  
    Noninterest Income as % of Operating Revenue   32.67   33.30   29.87   32.69   31.25  
    Efficiency Ratio   71.81 % 68.61 % 69.88 % 70.49 % 67.07 %
    CAPITAL ADEQUACY                      
    Tier 1 Capital   16.77 % 16.31 % 15.11 % 16.77 % 15.11 %
    Total Capital   17.97   17.50   16.30   17.97   16.30  
    Leverage   10.89   10.51   9.98   10.89   9.98  
    Common Equity Tier 1   14.88   14.44   13.26   14.88   13.26  
    Tangible Common Equity (1)   9.28   8.91   8.08   9.28   8.08  
    Equity to Assets   11.28 % 10.91 % 10.14 % 11.28 % 10.14 %
    ASSET QUALITY                      
    Allowance as % of Non-Performing Loans   452.64 % 529.79 % 619.58 % 452.64 % 619.58 %
    Allowance as a % of Loans HFI   1.11   1.09   1.08   1.11   1.08  
    Net Charge-Offs as % of Average Loans HFI   0.19   0.18   0.17   0.20   0.16  
    Nonperforming Assets as % of Loans HFI and OREO   0.27   0.23   0.17   0.27   0.17  
    Nonperforming Assets as % of Total Assets   0.17 % 0.15 % 0.11 % 0.17 % 0.11 %
    STOCK PERFORMANCE                      
    High $ 36.67 $ 28.58 $ 33.44 $ 36.67 $ 36.86  
    Low   26.72   25.45   28.64   25.45   28.03  
    Close $ 35.29 $ 28.44 $ 29.83 $ 35.29 $ 29.83  
    Average Daily Trading Volume   37,151   29,861   26,774   32,720   33,936  
                           
    (1) Tangible common equity ratio is a non-GAAP financial measure. For additional information, including a
    reconciliation to GAAP, refer to Page 6.    
                           
    CAPITAL CITY BANK GROUP, INC.          
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
    Unaudited          
                         
      2024     2023  
    (Dollars in thousands) Third Quarter   Second Quarter   First Quarter   Fourth Quarter   Third Quarter
    ASSETS                    
    Cash and Due From Banks $ 83,431   $ 75,304   $ 73,642   $ 83,118   $ 72,379  
    Funds Sold and Interest Bearing Deposits   261,779     272,675     231,047     228,949     95,119  
    Total Cash and Cash Equivalents   345,210     347,979     304,689     312,067     167,498  
                         
    Investment Securities Available for Sale   336,187     310,941     327,338     337,902     334,052  
    Investment Securities Held to Maturity   561,480     582,984     603,386     625,022     632,076  
    Other Equity Securities   6,976     2,537     3,445     3,450     3,585  
    Total Investment Securities   904,643     896,462     934,169     966,374     969,713  
                         
    Loans Held for Sale   31,251     24,022     24,705     28,211     34,013  
                         
    Loans Held for Investment (“HFI”):                    
    Commercial, Financial, & Agricultural   194,625     204,990     218,298     225,190     221,704  
    Real Estate – Construction   218,899     200,754     202,692     196,091     197,526  
    Real Estate – Commercial   819,955     823,122     823,690     825,456     828,234  
    Real Estate – Residential   1,023,485     1,012,541     1,012,791     1,001,257     966,512  
    Real Estate – Home Equity   210,988     211,126     214,617     210,920     203,606  
    Consumer   213,305     234,212     254,168     270,994     285,122  
    Other Loans   461     2,286     3,789     2,962     1,401  
    Overdrafts   1,378     1,192     1,127     1,048     1,076  
    Total Loans Held for Investment   2,683,096     2,690,223     2,731,172     2,733,918     2,705,181  
    Allowance for Credit Losses   (29,836 )   (29,219 )   (29,329 )   (29,941 )   (29,083 )
    Loans Held for Investment, Net   2,653,260     2,661,004     2,701,843     2,703,977     2,676,098  
                         
    Premises and Equipment, Net   81,876     81,414     81,452     81,266     81,677  
    Goodwill and Other Intangibles   92,813     92,853     92,893     92,933     92,973  
    Other Real Estate Owned   650     650     1     1     1  
    Other Assets   115,613     121,311     120,170     119,648     116,314  
    Total Other Assets   290,952     296,228     294,516     293,848     290,965  
    Total Assets $ 4,225,316   $ 4,225,695   $ 4,259,922   $ 4,304,477   $ 4,138,287  
    LIABILITIES                    
    Deposits:                    
    Noninterest Bearing Deposits $ 1,330,715   $ 1,343,606   $ 1,361,939   $ 1,377,934   $ 1,472,165  
    NOW Accounts   1,174,585     1,177,180     1,212,452     1,327,420     1,092,996  
    Money Market Accounts   401,272     413,594     398,308     319,319     304,323  
    Savings Accounts   507,604     514,560     530,782     547,634     571,003  
    Certificates of Deposit   164,901     159,624     151,320     129,515     99,958  
    Total Deposits   3,579,077     3,608,564     3,654,801     3,701,822     3,540,445  
                         
    Repurchase Agreements   29,339     22,463     23,477     26,957     22,910  
    Other Short-Term Borrowings   7,929     3,307     8,409     8,384     18,786  
    Subordinated Notes Payable   52,887     52,887     52,887     52,887     52,887  
    Other Long-Term Borrowings   794     1,009     265     315     364  
    Other Liabilities   71,974     69,987     65,181     66,080     75,585  
    Total Liabilities   3,742,000     3,758,217     3,805,020     3,856,445     3,710,977  
                         
    Temporary Equity   6,817     6,479     6,588     7,407     7,604  
    SHAREOWNERS’ EQUITY                    
    Common Stock   169     169     169     170     170  
    Additional Paid-In Capital   36,070     35,547     34,861     36,326     36,182  
    Retained Earnings   454,342     445,959     435,364     426,275     418,030  
    Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net of Tax   (14,082 )   (20,676 )   (22,080 )   (22,146 )   (34,676 )
    Total Shareowners’ Equity   476,499     460,999     448,314     440,625     419,706  
    Total Liabilities, Temporary Equity and Shareowners’ Equity $ 4,225,316   $ 4,225,695   $ 4,259,922   $ 4,304,477   $ 4,138,287  
    OTHER BALANCE SHEET DATA                    
    Earning Assets $ 3,880,769   $ 3,883,382   $ 3,921,093   $ 3,957,452   $ 3,804,026  
    Interest Bearing Liabilities   2,339,311     2,344,624     2,377,900     2,412,431     2,163,227  
    Book Value Per Diluted Share $ 28.06   $ 27.17   $ 26.45   $ 25.92   $ 24.69  
    Tangible Book Value Per Diluted Share(1)   22.60     21.69     20.97     20.45     19.22  
    Actual Basic Shares Outstanding   16,944     16,942     16,929     16,950     16,958  
    Actual Diluted Shares Outstanding   16,981     16,970     16,947     17,001     16,998  
    (1) Tangible book value per diluted share is a non-GAAP financial measure. For additional information, including a reconciliation to GAAP, refer to Page 6.
     
    CAPITAL CITY BANK GROUP, INC.              
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS           
    Unaudited              
                                 
        2024   2023   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)   Third
    Quarter
      Second
    Quarter
      First
    Quarter
      Fourth
    Quarter
      Third
    Quarter
      2024   2023
    INTEREST INCOME                            
    Loans, including Fees $ 41,659 $ 41,138 $ 40,683 $ 40,407 $ 39,344 $ 123,480 $ 111,845
    Investment Securities   4,155   4,004   4,244   4,392   4,561   12,403   14,300
    Federal Funds Sold and Interest Bearing Deposits   3,514   3,624   1,893   1,385   1,848   9,031   8,741
    Total Interest Income   49,328   48,766   46,820   46,184   45,753   144,914   134,886
    INTEREST EXPENSE                            
    Deposits   8,223   8,579   7,594   5,872   5,214   24,396   11,710
    Repurchase Agreements   221   217   201   199   190   639   314
    Other Short-Term Borrowings   52   68   39   310   440   159   1,228
    Subordinated Notes Payable   610   630   628   627   625   1,868   1,800
    Other Long-Term Borrowings   11   3   3   5   4   17   15
    Total Interest Expense   9,117   9,497   8,465   7,013   6,473   27,079   15,067
    Net Interest Income   40,211   39,269   38,355   39,171   39,280   117,835   119,819
    Provision for Credit Losses   1,206   1,204   920   2,025   2,393   3,330   7,689
    Net Interest Income after Provision for Credit Losses   39,005   38,065   37,435   37,146   36,887   114,505   112,130
    NONINTEREST INCOME                            
    Deposit Fees   5,512   5,377   5,250   5,304   5,456   16,139   16,021
    Bank Card Fees   3,624   3,766   3,620   3,713   3,684   11,010   11,205
    Wealth Management Fees   4,770   4,439   4,682   4,276   3,984   13,891   12,061
    Mortgage Banking Revenues   3,966   4,381   2,878   2,327   1,839   11,225   8,072
    Other   1,641   1,643   1,667   1,537   1,765   4,951   7,093
    Total Noninterest Income   19,513   19,606   18,097   17,157   16,728   57,216   54,452
    NONINTEREST EXPENSE                            
    Compensation   25,800   24,406   24,407   23,822   23,003   74,613   69,965
    Occupancy, Net   7,098   6,997   6,994   7,098   6,980   21,089   20,562
    Other   10,023   9,038   8,770   9,038   9,122   27,831   26,539
    Total Noninterest Expense   42,921   40,441   40,171   39,958   39,105   123,533   117,066
    OPERATING PROFIT   15,597   17,230   15,361   14,345   14,510   48,188   49,516
    Income Tax Expense   2,980   3,189   3,536   2,909   3,004   9,705   10,130
    Net Income   12,617   14,041   11,825   11,436   11,506   38,483   39,386
    Pre-Tax Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest   501   109   732   284   1,149   1,342   1,153
    NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO
    COMMON SHAREOWNERS
    $ 13,118 $ 14,150 $ 12,557 $ 11,720 $ 12,655 $ 39,825 $ 40,539
    PER COMMON SHARE                            
    Basic Net Income $ 0.77 $ 0.84 $ 0.74 $ 0.69 $ 0.75 $ 2.35 $ 2.38
    Diluted Net Income   0.78   0.83   0.74   0.70   0.74   2.35   2.38
    Cash Dividend $ 0.23 $ 0.21 $ 0.21 $ 0.20 $ 0.20 $ 0.65 $ 0.56
    AVERAGE SHARES                            
    Basic   16,943   16,931   16,951   16,947   16,985   16,942   17,001
    Diluted   16,979   16,960   16,969   16,997   17,025   16,966   17,031
     
    CAPITAL CITY BANK GROUP, INC.              
    ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES (“ACL”)
    AND CREDIT QUALITY              
    Unaudited              
                                 
        2024     2023     Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)   Third
    Quarter
      Second
    Quarter
      First
    Quarter
      Fourth
    Quarter
      Third
    Quarter
      2024     2023
    ACL – HELD FOR INVESTMENT LOANS                            
    Balance at Beginning of Period $ 29,219   $ 29,329   $ 29,941   $ 29,083   $ 28,243   $ 29,941   $ 25,068
    Transfer from Other (Assets) Liabilities   –     –     (50 )   66     –     (50 )   –
    Provision for Credit Losses   1,879     1,129     932     2,354     1,993     3,940     7,175
    Net Charge-Offs (Recoveries)   1,262     1,239     1,494     1,562     1,153     3,995     3,160
    Balance at End of Period $ 29,836   $ 29,219   $ 29,329   $ 29,941   $ 29,083   $ 29,836   $ 29,083
    As a % of Loans HFI   1.11%     1.09%     1.07%     1.10%     1.08%     1.11%     1.08%
    As a % of Nonperforming Loans   452.64%     529.79%     431.46%     479.70%     619.58%     452.64%     619.58%
    ACL – UNFUNDED COMMITMENTS                            
    Balance at Beginning of Period   3,139   $ 3,121   $ 3,191   $ 3,502   $ 3,120   $ 3,191   $ 2,989
    Provision for Credit Losses   (617 )   18     (70 )   (311 )   382     (669 )   513
    Balance at End of Period(1)   2,522     3,139     3,121     3,191     3,502     2,522     3,502
    ACL – DEBT SECURITIES                            
    Provision for Credit Losses $ (56 ) $ 57   $ 58   $ (18 ) $ 18   $ 59   $ 1
    CHARGE-OFFS                            
    Commercial, Financial and Agricultural $ 331   $ 400   $ 282   $ 217   $ 76   $ 1,013   $ 294
    Real Estate – Construction   –     –     –     –     –     –     –
    Real Estate – Commercial   3     –     –     –     –     3     120
    Real Estate – Residential   –     –     17     79     –     17     –
    Real Estate – Home Equity   23     –     76     –     –     99     39
    Consumer   1,315     1,061     1,550     1,689     1,340     3,926     4,065
    Overdrafts   611     571     638     602     659     1,820     2,187
    Total Charge-Offs $ 2,283   $ 2,032   $ 2,563   $ 2,587   $ 2,075   $ 6,878   $ 6,705
    RECOVERIES                            
    Commercial, Financial and Agricultural $ 176   $ 59   $ 41   $ 83   $ 28   $ 276   $ 194
    Real Estate – Construction   –     –     –     –     –     –     2
    Real Estate – Commercial   5     19     204     16     17     228     36
    Real Estate – Residential   88     23     37     34     30     148     219
    Real Estate – Home Equity   59     37     24     17     53     120     209
    Consumer   405     313     410     433     418     1,128     1,503
    Overdrafts   288     342     353     442     376     983     1,382
    Total Recoveries $ 1,021   $ 793   $ 1,069   $ 1,025   $ 922   $ 2,883   $ 3,545
    NET CHARGE-OFFS (RECOVERIES) $ 1,262   $ 1,239   $ 1,494   $ 1,562   $ 1,153   $ 3,995   $ 3,160
    Net Charge-Offs as a % of Average Loans HFI(2)   0.19%     0.18%     0.22%     0.23%     0.17%     0.20%     0.16%
    CREDIT QUALITY                            
    Nonaccruing Loans $ 6,592   $ 5,515   $ 6,798   $ 6,242   $ 4,694          
    Other Real Estate Owned   650     650     1     1     1          
    Total Nonperforming Assets (“NPAs”) $ 7,242   $ 6,165   $ 6,799   $ 6,243   $ 4,695          
                                 
    Past Due Loans 30-89 Days $ 9,388   $ 5,672   $ 5,392   $ 6,855   $ 5,577          
    Classified Loans   25,501     25,566     22,305     22,203     21,812          
                                 
    Nonperforming Loans as a % of Loans HFI   0.25%     0.21%     0.25%     0.23%     0.17%          
    NPAs as a % of Loans HFI and Other Real Estate   0.27%     0.23%     0.25%     0.23%     0.17%          
    NPAs as a % of Total Assets   0.17%     0.15%     0.16%     0.15%     0.11%          
                                 
    (1)Recorded in other liabilities              
    (2)Annualized              
     
    CAPITAL CITY BANK GROUP, INC.      
    AVERAGE BALANCE AND INTEREST RATES      
    Unaudited                                                     
                                                                                                       
        Third Quarter 2024     Second Quarter 2024     First Quarter 2024     Fourth Quarter 2023     Third Quarter 2023     Sep 2024 YTD     Sep 2023 YTD  
    (Dollars in thousands)   Average
    Balance
      Interest   Average
    Rate
        Average
    Balance
      Interest   Average
    Rate
        Average
    Balance
      Interest   Average
    Rate
        Average
    Balance
      Interest   Average
    Rate
        Average
    Balance
      Interest   Average
    Rate
        Average
    Balance
      Interest   Average
    Rate
        Average
    Balance
      Interest   Average
    Rate
     
    ASSETS:                                                                                                  
    Loans Held for Sale $ 24,570   $ 720   7.49 % $ 26,281   $ 517   5.26 % $ 27,314   $ 563   5.99 % $ 49,790     817   6.50 % $ 62,768   $ 971   6.14 % $ 26,050   $ 1,800   6.22 % $ 57,438   $ 2,416   5.62 %
    Loans Held for Investment(1)   2,693,533     40,985   6.09     2,726,748     40,683   6.03     2,728,629     40,196   5.95     2,711,243     39,679   5.81     2,672,653     38,455   5.71     2,716,220     121,864   6.02     2,637,911     109,688   5.56  
                                                                                                       
    Investment Securities                                                                                                  
    Taxable Investment Securities   907,610     4,148   1.82     918,989     3,998   1.74     952,328     4,239   1.78     962,322     4,389   1.81     1,002,547     4,549   1.80     926,241     12,385   1.78     1,034,825     14,265   1.84  
    Tax-Exempt Investment Securities(1)   846     10   4.33     843     9   4.36     856     9   4.34     862     7   4.32     2,456     17   2.66     848     28   4.34     2,649     50   2.49  
                                                                                                       
    Total Investment Securities   908,456     4,158   1.82     919,832     4,007   1.74     953,184     4,248   1.78     963,184     4,396   1.82     1,005,003     4,566   1.81     927,089     12,413   1.78     1,037,474     14,315   1.84  
                                                                                                       
    Federal Funds Sold and Interest Bearing Deposits   256,855     3,514   5.44     262,419     3,624   5.56     140,488     1,893   5.42     99,763     1,385   5.51     136,556     1,848   5.37     220,056     9,031   5.48     237,987     8,741   4.91  
                                                                                                       
    Total Earning Assets   3,883,414   $ 49,377   5.06 %   3,935,280   $ 48,831   4.99 %   3,849,615   $ 46,900   4.90 %   3,823,980   $ 46,277   4.80 %   3,876,980   $ 45,840   4.69 %   3,889,415   $ 145,108   4.98 %   3,970,810   $ 135,160   4.55 %
                                                                                                       
    Cash and Due From Banks   70,994               74,803               75,763               76,681               75,941               73,843               75,483            
    Allowance for Credit Losses   (29,905 )             (29,564 )             (30,030 )             (29,998 )             (29,172 )             (29,833 )             (27,581 )          
    Other Assets   291,359               291,669               295,275               296,114               295,106               292,762               297,688            
                                                                                                       
    Total Assets $ 4,215,862             $ 4,272,188             $ 4,190,623             $ 4,166,777             $ 4,218,855             $ 4,226,187             $ 4,316,400            
                                                                                                       
    LIABILITIES:                                                                                                  
    Noninterest Bearing Deposits $ 1,332,305             $ 1,346,546             $ 1,344,188             $ 1,416,825             $ 1,474,574             $ 1,340,981             $ 1,538,268            
    NOW Accounts   1,145,544   $ 4,087   1.42 %   1,207,643   $ 4,425   1.47 %   1,201,032   $ 4,497   1.51 %   1,138,461   $ 3,696   1.29 %   1,125,171   $ 3,489   1.23 %   1,184,596   $ 13,009   1.47 %   1,184,453   $ 8,679   0.98 %
    Money Market Accounts   418,625     2,694   2.56     407,387     2,752   2.72     353,591     1,985   2.26     318,844     1,421   1.77     322,623     1,294   1.59     393,294     7,431   2.52     293,089     2,249   1.03  
    Savings Accounts   512,098     180   0.14     519,374     176   0.14     539,374     188   0.14     557,579     202   0.14     579,245     200   0.14     523,573     544   0.14     603,643     396   0.09  
    Time Deposits   163,462     1,262   3.07     160,078     1,226   3.08     138,328     924   2.69     116,797     553   1.88     95,203     231   0.96     153,991     3,412   2.96     90,970     386   0.57  
    Total Interest Bearing Deposits   2,239,729     8,223   1.46     2,294,482     8,579   1.50     2,232,325     7,594   1.37     2,131,681     5,872   1.09     2,122,242     5,214   0.97     2,255,454     24,396   1.44     2,172,155     11,710   0.72  
    Total Deposits   3,572,034     8,223   0.92     3,641,028     8,579   0.95     3,576,513     7,594   0.85     3,548,506     5,872   0.66     3,596,816     5,214   0.58     3,596,435     24,396   0.91     3,710,423     11,710   0.42  
    Repurchase Agreements   27,126     221   3.24     26,999     217   3.24     25,725     201   3.14     26,831     199   2.94     25,356     190   2.98     26,619     639   3.21     17,588     314   2.39  
    Other Short-Term Borrowings   2,673     52   7.63     6,592     68   4.16     3,758     39   4.16     16,906     310   7.29     24,306     440   7.17     4,334     159   4.88     26,586     1,228   6.17  
    Subordinated Notes Payable   52,887     610   4.52     52,887     630   4.71     52,887     628   4.70     52,887     627   4.64     52,887     625   4.62     52,887     1,868   4.64     52,887     1,800   4.49  
    Other Long-Term Borrowings   795     11   5.55     258     3   4.31     281     3   4.80     336     5   4.72     387     4   4.73     447     17   5.16     433     15   4.78  
    Total Interest Bearing Liabilities   2,323,210   $ 9,117   1.56 %   2,381,218   $ 9,497   1.60 %   2,314,976   $ 8,465   1.47 %   2,228,641   $ 7,013   1.25 %   2,225,178   $ 6,473   1.15 %   2,339,741   $ 27,079   1.55 %   2,269,649   $ 15,067   0.89 %
                                                                                                       
    Other Liabilities   73,767               72,634               68,295               78,772               83,099               71,574               82,877            
                                                                                                       
    Total Liabilities   3,729,282               3,800,398               3,727,459               3,724,238               3,782,851               3,752,296               3,890,794            
    Temporary Equity   6,443               6,493               7,150               7,423               8,424               6,694               8,719            
                                                                                                       
    SHAREOWNERS’ EQUITY:   480,137               465,297               456,014               435,116               427,580               467,197               416,887            
                                                                                                       
    Total Liabilities, Temporary Equity and Shareowners’ Equity $ 4,215,862             $ 4,272,188             $ 4,190,623             $ 4,166,777             $ 4,218,855             $ 4,226,187             $ 4,316,400            
                                                                                                       
    Interest Rate Spread     $ 40,260   3.49 %     $ 39,334   3.38 %     $ 38,435   3.43 %     $ 39,264   3.55 %     $ 39,367   3.54 %     $ 118,029   3.43 %     $ 120,093   3.66 %
                                                                                                       
    Interest Income and Rate Earned(1)       49,377   5.06         48,831   4.99         46,900   4.90         46,277   4.80         45,840   4.69         145,108   4.98         135,160   4.55  
    Interest Expense and Rate Paid(2)       9,117   0.93         9,497   0.97         8,465   0.88         7,013   0.73         6,473   0.66         27,079   0.93         15,067   0.51  
                                                                                                       
    Net Interest Margin     $ 40,260   4.12 %     $ 39,334   4.02 %     $ 38,435   4.01 %     $ 39,264   4.07 %     $ 39,367   4.03 %     $ 118,029   4.05 %     $ 120,093   4.04 %
                                                                                                       
    (1)Interest and average rates are calculated on a tax-equivalent basis using a 21% Federal tax rate.                                    
    (2)Rate calculated based on average earning assets.      
     

    For Information Contact:
    Jep Larkin
    Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
    850.402. 8450

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Acceleration in Core Deposit Growth Drives Increase in Quarterly Net Interest Margin to 2.50%

    Balance Sheet Well Positioned to Benefit From Federal Reserve Rate Cuts

    HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCOM) (the “Company” or “Dime”), the parent company of Dime Community Bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income available to common stockholders of $11.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, or $0.29 per diluted common share, compared to $16.7 million, or $0.43 per diluted common share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, and $13.2 million, or $0.34 per diluted common share for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.

    Stuart H. Lubow, President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company, stated, “Strong growth in low-cost core deposits drove a significant linked quarter expansion in the Net Interest Margin. Importantly, following the recent 50 basis point reduction in the Federal Funds rate, we lowered deposit costs and expect to benefit from these actions in the fourth quarter and beyond. Since the Federal Reserve rate cut in mid-September, the spread between the weighted average rate on loans and core deposits has improved by approximately 15 basis points. We anticipate the full quarter impact of this spread improvement to drive continued Net Interest Margin expansion in the fourth quarter.”

    Mr. Lubow commented, “During the third quarter, our Business loan portfolio increased by over $120 million and we continue to have strong pipelines in our Middle Market and Healthcare verticals. Compared to the prior quarter, the level of net charge-offs and criticized and classified loans remained stable and we continued to prudently build our allowance for credit losses to total loans and risk-based capital levels. In conclusion, I am extremely proud of our employees for their unwavering focus on our customers and enabling us to be the premier business bank on Greater Long Island.”

    Highlights for the Third Quarter of 2024 Included:

    • Total deposits increased $389 million compared to the second quarter of 2024;
    • Core deposits (excluding brokered and time deposits) increased $505 million compared to the second quarter of 2024;
    • The ratio of average non-interest-bearing deposits to average total deposits for the third quarter was 29% compared to 28% for the second quarter of 2024;
    • The cost of total deposits declined by 4 basis point versus the prior quarter;
    • The net interest margin increased to 2.50% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 2.41% for the prior quarter;
    • The loan to deposit ratio declined to 95.4% at the end of the third quarter compared to 98.2% for the prior quarter;
    • Net charge-offs to average loans was 0.15% for the third quarter of 2024 compared to 0.14% for prior quarter;
    • The allowance for credit losses to total loans increased to 0.78% at the end of the third quarter compared to 0.72% for the prior quarter; and
    • The Company’s total risk based capital ratio increased to 14.76% at the end of the third quarter compared to 14.46% for the prior quarter.

    Management’s Discussion of Quarterly Operating Results

    Net Interest Income

    Net interest income for the third quarter of 2024 was $79.9 million compared to $75.5 million for the second quarter of 2024 and $76.5 million for the third quarter of 2023.

    The table below provides a reconciliation of the reported net interest margin (“NIM”) and adjusted NIM excluding the impact of purchase accounting accretion on the loan portfolio.

                         
    (Dollars in thousands)   Q3 2024   Q2 2024   Q3 2023  
    Net interest income   $ 79,924     $ 75,502     $ 76,479  
    Purchase accounting amortization (accretion) on loans (“PAA”)     (266 )     (101 )     186  
    Adjusted net interest income excluding PAA on loans (non-GAAP)   $ 79,658     $ 75,401     $ 76,665  
                         
    Average interest-earning assets   $ 12,734,246     $ 12,624,556     $ 12,984,061  
                         
    NIM (1)     2.50   %   2.41   %   2.34 %
    Adjusted NIM excluding PAA on loans (non-GAAP) (2)     2.49   %   2.40   %   2.34 %

    (1) NIM represents net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.
    (2) Adjusted NIM excluding PAA on loans represents adjusted net interest income, which excludes PAA amortization on acquired loans divided by average interest-earning assets.

    During the quarter ended June 30, 2024, there was a recovery of interest income from a loan that was previously on non-accrual status in the amount of $1.3 million. Excluding the impact of this item, the second quarter NIM was 2.37%.

    Loan Portfolio

    The ending WAR on the total loan portfolio was 5.40% at September 30, 2024, a 1 basis point increase compared to the ending WAR of 5.39% on the total loan portfolio at June 30, 2024.

    Outlined below are loan balances and WARs for the quarter ended as indicated.

                                     
        September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   September 30, 2023  
    (Dollars in thousands)      Balance      WAR (1)      Balance      WAR (1)      Balance      WAR (1)  
    Loans held for investment balances at period end:                                
    Business loans (2)   $ 2,653,624   6.82 % $ 2,530,896   6.92 % $ 2,271,768   6.72 %
    One-to-four family residential, including condominium and cooperative apartment     934,209   4.65     906,949   4.55     892,869   4.39  
    Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use (3)(4)     3,866,931   4.60     3,920,354   4.59     4,102,024   4.45  
    Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate     3,281,923   5.25     3,315,100   5.25     3,374,281   5.09  
    Acquisition, development, and construction     149,299   8.46     144,860   8.96     203,402   8.92  
    Other loans     6,058   10.71     6,699   3.39     6,267   6.28  
    Loans held for investment   $ 10,892,044   5.40 % $ 10,824,858   5.39 % $ 10,850,611   5.20 %

    (1) WAR is calculated by aggregating interest based on the current loan rate from each loan in the category, adjusted for non-accrual loans, divided by the total balance of loans in the category.
    (2) Business loans include commercial and industrial loans and owner-occupied commercial real estate loans.
    (3) Includes loans underlying multifamily cooperatives.
    (4) While the loans within this category are often considered “commercial real estate” in nature, multifamily and loans underlying cooperatives are reported separately from commercial real estate loans in order to emphasize the residential nature of the collateral underlying this significant component of the total loan portfolio.

    Outlined below are the loan originations, for the quarter ended as indicated.

                       
    (Dollars in millions)   Q3 2024   Q2 2024   Q3 2023
    Loan originations   $ 122.7   $ 162.4   $ 153.4


    Deposits and Borrowed Funds

    Period end total deposits (including mortgage escrow deposits) at September 30, 2024 were $11.42 billion, compared to $11.03 billion at June 30, 2024 and $10.53 billion at December 31, 2023.

    Total Federal Home Loan Bank advances were $508.0 million at September 30, 2024 compared to $633.0 million at June 30, 2024 and $1.31 billion at December 31, 2023.

    Mr. Lubow commented, “During the third quarter of 2024, we continued our strategy of utilizing core deposit growth to reduce our wholesale funding position.”

    Non-Interest Income

    Non-interest income was $7.6 million during the third quarter of 2024, $11.8 million during the second quarter of 2024, and $7.9 million during the third quarter of 2023. Included in non-interest income for the second quarter of 2024, was income related to the sale of premises of approximately $3.7 million.

    Non-Interest Expense

    Total non-interest expense was $57.7 million during the third quarter of 2024, $55.7 million during the second quarter of 2024, and $59.5 million during the third quarter of 2023. Excluding the impact of the loss on extinguishment of debt, amortization of other intangible assets and severance expense, adjusted non-interest expense was $57.4 million during the third quarter of 2024, $55.4 million during the second quarter of 2024, and $50.6 million during the third quarter of 2023 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).

    Mr. Lubow commented, “As we have communicated previously, the increase in non-interest expense has been due to the significant investments and hires in the Private and Commercial Bank and the Middle Market C&I Lending operations. Third quarter results reflected a fully-loaded run-rate for these initiatives and we expect to keep our expense base relatively flat in the fourth quarter of 2024.”

    The ratio of non-interest expense to average assets was 1.71% during the third quarter of 2024, compared to 1.66% during the linked quarter and 1.73% for the third quarter of 2023. Excluding the impact of the loss on extinguishment of debt, amortization of other intangible assets and severance expense, the ratio of adjusted non-interest expense to average assets was 1.70% during the third quarter of 2024, compared to 1.65% during the linked quarter and 1.48% for the third quarter of 2023 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).

    The efficiency ratio was 65.9% during the third quarter of 2024, compared to 63.8% during the linked quarter and 70.5% during the third quarter of 2023. Excluding the impact of net (gain) loss on sale of securities and other assets, fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale, severance expense, loss on extinguishment of debt and amortization of other intangible assets the adjusted efficiency ratio was 65.6% during the third quarter of 2024, compared to 65.9% during the linked quarter and 59.7% during the third quarter of 2023 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).

    Income Tax Expense

    The reported effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2024 was 26.9% compared to 29.0% for the second quarter of 2024, and 35.1% for the third quarter of 2023.

    Credit Quality

    Non-performing loans were $49.5 million at September 30, 2024, compared to $24.8 million for the prior quarter.

    A credit loss provision of $11.6 million was recorded during the third quarter of 2024, compared to a credit loss provision of $5.6 million during the second quarter of 2024, and a credit loss provision of $1.8 million during the third quarter of 2023.

    Capital Management

    The Company’s and the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios continued to be in excess of all applicable regulatory requirements as of September 30, 2024. All risk-based regulatory capital ratios increased in the third quarter of 2024.

    Dividends per common share were $0.25 during the third and second quarters of 2024, respectively.

    Book value per common share was $29.31 at September 30, 2024 compared to $28.97 at June 30, 2024.

    Tangible common book value per share (which represents common equity less goodwill and other intangible assets, divided by the number of shares outstanding) was $25.22 at September 30, 2024 compared to $24.87 at June 30, 2024 (see “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables at the end of this news release).

    Earnings Call Information

    The Company will conduct a conference call at 9:00 a.m. (ET) on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, during which CEO Lubow will discuss the Company’s third quarter 2024 financial performance, with a question-and-answer session to follow.

    Participants may access the conference call via webcast using this link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/hfnjf6ym. To participate via telephone, please register in advance using this link: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI017781a02def49c0ad228b72ba201600. Upon registration, all telephone participants will receive a one-time confirmation email detailing how to join the conference call, including the dial-in number along with a unique PIN that can be used to access the call. All participants are encouraged to dial-in 10 minutes prior to the start time.

    A replay of the conference call and webcast will be available on-demand for 12 months at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/hfnjf6ym.

    ABOUT DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.
    Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Dime Community Bank, a New York State-chartered trust company with over $13.7 billion in assets and the number one deposit market share among community banks on Greater Long Island(1).

    (1) Aggregate deposit market share for Kings, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk counties for community banks with less than $20 billion in assets.

    This news release contains a number of forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements may be identified by use of words such as “annualized,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions.

    Forward-looking statements are based upon various assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of management’s experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors (many of which are beyond the Company’s control) that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on such statements. Factors that could affect our results include, without limitation, the following: the timing and occurrence or non-occurrence of events may be subject to circumstances beyond the Company’s control; there may be increases in competitive pressure among financial institutions or from non-financial institutions; changes in the interest rate environment may affect demand for our products and reduce interest margins and the value of our investments; changes in deposit flows, the cost of funds, loan demand or real estate values may adversely affect the business of the Company; changes in the quality and composition of the Company’s loan or investment portfolios or unanticipated or significant increases in loan losses may negatively affect the Company’s financial condition or results of operations; changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines may cause the Company’s financial condition to be perceived differently; changes in corporate and/or individual income tax laws may adversely affect the Company’s financial condition or results of operations; general socio-economic conditions, public health emergencies, international conflict, inflation, and recessionary pressures, either nationally or locally in some or all areas in which the Company conducts business, or conditions in the securities markets or the banking industry may be less favorable than the Company currently anticipates and may adversely affect our customers, our financial results and our operations; legislation or regulatory changes may adversely affect the Company’s business; technological changes may be more difficult or expensive than the Company anticipates; there may be failures or breaches of information technology security systems; success or consummation of new business initiatives may be more difficult or expensive than the Company anticipates; there may be difficulties or unanticipated expense incurred in the consummation of new business initiatives or the integration of any acquired entities; and litigation or other matters before regulatory agencies, whether currently existing or commencing in the future, may delay the occurrence or non-occurrence of events longer than the Company anticipates. For discussion of these and other risks that may cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to the sections entitled “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and updates set forth in the Company’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.

    Contact: Avinash Reddy  
    Senior Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer  
    718-782-6200 extension 5909  
    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
    (In thousands)
                       
        September 30,    June 30,    December 31, 
        2024
      2024
      2023
    Assets:                    
    Cash and due from banks   $ 626,056     $ 413,983     $ 457,547  
    Securities available-for-sale, at fair value     774,608       819,222       886,240  
    Securities held-to-maturity     592,414       588,000       594,639  
    Loans held for sale     13,098       14,766       10,159  
    Loans held for investment, net:                  
    Business loans (1)     2,653,624       2,530,896       2,310,379  
    One-to-four family and cooperative/condominium apartment     934,209       906,949       889,236  
    Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use (2)(3)     3,866,931       3,920,354       4,017,703  
    Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate     3,281,923       3,315,100       3,381,842  
    Acquisition, development and construction     149,299       144,860       168,513  
    Other loans     6,058       6,699       5,755  
    Allowance for credit losses     (85,221 )     (77,812 )     (71,743 )
    Total loans held for investment, net     10,806,823       10,747,046       10,701,685  
    Premises and fixed assets, net     35,066       36,054       44,868  
    Premises held for sale     —       —       905  
    Restricted stock     64,235       68,445       98,750  
    Bank Owned Life Insurance (“BOLI”)     372,367       354,761       349,816  
    Goodwill     155,797       155,797       155,797  
    Other intangible assets     4,181       4,467       5,059  
    Operating lease assets     48,537       51,703       52,729  
    Derivative assets     105,636       134,489       122,132  
    Accrued interest receivable     54,578       55,588       55,666  
    Other assets     93,133       104,442       100,013  
    Total assets   $ 13,746,529     $ 13,548,763     $ 13,636,005  
    Liabilities:                   
    Non-interest-bearing checking (excluding mortgage escrow deposits)   $ 3,231,160     $ 3,012,481     $ 2,884,378  
    Interest-bearing checking     938,070       633,721       515,987  
    Savings (excluding mortgage escrow deposits)     1,845,266       2,340,222       2,335,354  
    Money market     3,898,509       3,607,090       3,125,996  
    Certificates of deposit     1,416,467       1,382,271       1,607,683  
    Deposits (excluding mortgage escrow deposits)     11,329,472       10,975,785       10,469,398  
    Non-interest-bearing mortgage escrow deposits     87,841       52,647       61,121  
    Interest-bearing mortgage escrow deposits     5       2       136  
    Total mortgage escrow deposits     87,846       52,649       61,257  
    FHLBNY advances     508,000       633,000       1,313,000  
    Subordinated debt, net     272,300       262,814       200,196  
    Derivative cash collateral     68,960       130,090       108,100  
    Operating lease liabilities     51,362       54,530       55,454  
    Derivative liabilities     98,108       122,567       121,265  
    Other liabilities     66,552       66,732       81,110  
    Total liabilities     12,482,600       12,298,167       12,409,780  
    Stockholders’ equity:                   
    Preferred stock, Series A     116,569       116,569       116,569  
    Common stock     416       416       416  
    Additional paid-in capital     488,607       488,760       494,454  
    Retained earnings     827,690       826,080       813,007  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss (“AOCI”), net of deferred taxes     (72,970 )     (82,780 )     (91,579 )
    Unearned equity awards     (10,111 )     (12,023 )     (8,622 )
    Treasury stock, at cost     (86,272 )     (86,426 )     (98,020 )
    Total stockholders’ equity     1,263,929       1,250,596       1,226,225  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 13,746,529     $ 13,548,763     $ 13,636,005  

    (1) Business loans include commercial and industrial loans, owner-occupied commercial real estate loans and Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans.
    (2) Includes loans underlying multifamily cooperatives.

    (3) While the loans within this category are often considered “commercial real estate” in nature, multifamily and loans underlying cooperatives are here reported separately from commercial real estate loans in order to emphasize the residential nature of the collateral underlying this significant component of the total loan portfolio.

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
    (Dollars in thousands except share and per share amounts)
                                   
        Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
        September 30,    June 30,    September 30,    September 30,    September 30, 
        2024   2024
      2023
      2024
      2023
    Interest income:                               
    Loans   $ 151,828   $ 147,099     $ 142,995     $ 442,492     $ 409,744  
    Securities     7,766     7,907       7,916       23,553       24,261  
    Other short-term investments     4,645     4,412       6,930       18,621       16,599  
    Total interest income     164,239     159,418       157,841       484,666       450,604  
    Interest expense:                                
    Deposits and escrow     74,025     72,878       62,507       219,972       152,395  
    Borrowed funds     8,764     9,033       16,925       32,494       50,855  
    Derivative cash collateral     1,526     2,005       1,930       5,244       4,904  
    Total interest expense     84,315     83,916       81,362       257,710       208,154  
    Net interest income     79,924     75,502       76,479       226,956       242,450  
    Provision (recovery) for credit losses     11,603     5,585       1,806       22,398       (950 )
    Net interest income after provision (recovery)     68,321     69,917       74,673       204,558       243,400  
    Non-interest income:                                
    Service charges and other fees     4,267     3,972       3,963       12,783       12,633  
    Title fees     190     294       291       617       829  
    Loan level derivative income     132     1,085       783       1,623       6,353  
    BOLI income     2,606     2,484       2,317       7,551       7,332  
    Gain on sale of Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans     19     113       335       385       1,061  
    Gain on sale of residential loans     38     27       21       142       103  
    Fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale     39     (416 )     (299 )     (1,219 )     (1,079 )
    Net loss on sale of securities     —     —       —       —       (1,447 )
    Gain (loss) on sale of other assets     2     3,695       (22 )     6,665       (22 )
    Other     338     554       539       1,359       1,571  
    Total non-interest income     7,631     11,808       7,928       29,906       27,334  
    Non-interest expense:                                
    Salaries and employee benefits     36,132     32,184       30,520       100,353       87,054  
    Severance     —     —       8,562       42       9,068  
    Occupancy and equipment     7,448     7,409       7,277       22,225       21,794  
    Data processing costs     4,544     4,405       4,309       13,262       12,744  
    Marketing     1,629     1,637       2,079       4,763       5,016  
    Professional services     2,036     2,766       1,277       6,269       4,876  
    Federal deposit insurance premiums     2,105     2,250       1,866       6,594       5,613  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     1     —       —       454       —  
    Amortization of other intangible assets     286     285       349       878       1,075  
    Other     3,548     4,758       3,284       11,094       11,944  
    Total non-interest expense     57,729     55,694       59,523       165,934       159,184  
    Income before taxes     18,223     26,031       23,078       68,530       111,550  
    Income tax expense     4,896     7,552       8,093       19,033       31,764  
    Net income     13,327     18,479       14,985       49,497       79,786  
    Preferred stock dividends     1,822     1,822       1,822       5,465       5,465  
    Net income available to common stockholders   $ 11,505   $ 16,657     $ 13,163     $ 44,032     $ 74,321  
    Earnings per common share (“EPS”):                                
    Basic   $ 0.29   $ 0.43     $ 0.34     $ 1.13     $ 1.92  
    Diluted   $ 0.29   $ 0.43     $ 0.34     $ 1.13     $ 1.92  
                                   
    Average common shares outstanding for diluted EPS     38,366,619     38,329,485       38,203,961       38,317,223       38,177,704  
    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
    (Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)
                                             
        At or For the Three Months Ended   At or For the Nine Months Ended  
        September 30,      June 30,      September 30,    September 30,      September 30,   
        2024     2024     2023   2024     2023  
    Per Share Data:                                        
    Reported EPS (Diluted)   $ 0.29     $ 0.43     $ 0.34     $ 1.13     $ 1.92  
    Cash dividends paid per common share     0.25       0.25       0.25       0.75       0.74  
    Book value per common share     29.31       28.97       28.03       29.31       28.03  
    Tangible common book value per share (1)     25.22       24.87       23.87       25.22       23.87  
    Common shares outstanding     39,152       39,148       38,811       39,152       38,811  
    Dividend payout ratio     86.21 %       58.14 %     73.53 %     66.37 %     38.54 %
                                             
    Performance Ratios (Based upon Reported Net Income):                                         
    Return on average assets     0.39 %       0.55 %     0.44 %     0.49 %     0.78 %
    Return on average equity     4.19       5.88       4.91       5.24       8.78  
    Return on average tangible common equity (1)     4.70       6.88       5.69       6.06       10.73  
    Net interest margin     2.50       2.41       2.34       2.37       2.52  
    Non-interest expense to average assets     1.71       1.66       1.73       1.63       1.56  
    Efficiency ratio     65.9       63.8       70.5       64.6       59.0  
    Effective tax rate     26.87       29.01       35.07       27.77       28.48  
                                             
    Balance Sheet Data:                                         
    Average assets   $ 13,502,753     $ 13,418,441     $ 13,759,493     $ 13,571,710     $ 13,623,570  
    Average interest-earning assets     12,734,246       12,624,556       12,984,061       12,791,233       12,853,701  
    Average tangible common equity (1)     996,578       979,611       943,805       981,614       933,072  
    Loan-to-deposit ratio at end of period (2)     95.4       98.2       102.0       95.4       102.0  
                                             
    Capital Ratios and Reserves – Consolidated: (3)                                         
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets (1)     7.27 %       7.27 %     6.87 %                
    Tangible equity to tangible assets (1)     8.13       8.14       7.73                  
    Tier 1 common equity ratio     10.16       10.06       9.67                  
    Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio     11.28       11.17       10.76                  
    Total risk-based capital ratio     14.76       14.46       13.33                  
    Tier 1 leverage ratio     8.76       8.78       8.38                  
    Consolidated CRE concentration ratio (4)     487       499       547                  
    Allowance for credit losses/ Total loans     0.78       0.72       0.67                  
    Allowance for credit losses/ Non-performing loans     172.29       313.21       311.16                  

    (1) See “Non-GAAP Reconciliation” tables for reconciliation of tangible equity, tangible common equity, and tangible assets.
    (2) Total deposits include mortgage escrow deposits, which fluctuate seasonally.
    (3) September 30, 2024 ratios are preliminary pending completion and filing of the Company’s regulatory reports.

    (4) The Consolidated CRE concentration ratio is calculated using the sum of commercial real estate, excluding owner-occupied commercial real estate, multifamily, and acquisition, development, and construction, divided by consolidated capital. The September 30, 2024 ratio is preliminary pending completion and filing of the Company’s regulatory reports.

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED AVERAGE BALANCES AND NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Dollars in thousands)
                                                       
        Three Months Ended  
        September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   September 30, 2023  
                    Average               Average               Average  
        Average         Yield/   Average         Yield/   Average         Yield/  
        Balance   Interest   Cost   Balance   Interest   Cost   Balance   Interest   Cost  
    Assets:                                                     
    Interest-earning assets:                                                     
    Business loans (1)   $ 2,609,934   $ 46,656   7.11 %   $ 2,400,219   $ 42,933   7.19 % $ 2,260,203   $ 38,384   6.74 %
    One-to-four family residential, including condo and coop     924,150     11,024   4.75     886,037     9,968   4.52     879,688     9,165   4.13  
    Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use     3,902,220     45,790   4.67     3,958,617     45,775   4.65     4,114,476     46,099   4.45  
    Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate     3,297,760     44,804   5.40     3,359,004     44,728   5.36     3,382,927     44,184   5.18  
    Acquisition, development, and construction     147,875     3,505   9.43     164,283     3,638   8.91     222,039     5,075   9.07  
    Other loans     4,891     49   3.99     5,100     57   4.50     6,156     88   5.67  
    Securities     1,493,492     7,766   2.07     1,537,487     7,907   2.07     1,619,960     7,916   1.94  
    Other short-term investments     353,924     4,645   5.22     313,809     4,412   5.65     498,612     6,930   5.51  
    Total interest-earning assets     12,734,246     164,239   5.13 %     12,624,556     159,418   5.08 %   12,984,061     157,841   4.82 %
    Non-interest-earning assets     768,507                 793,885               775,432            
    Total assets   $ 13,502,753               $ 13,418,441             $ 13,759,493            
                                                       
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity:                                                  
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                                                  
    Interest-bearing checking (2)   $ 798,024   $ 4,635   2.31 %   $ 631,403   $ 1,499   0.95 % $ 786,892   $ 2,896   1.46 %
    Money market     3,771,562     36,841   3.89     3,495,989     33,193   3.82     2,975,267     24,275   3.24  
    Savings (2)     2,102,282     19,492   3.69     2,336,202     23,109   3.98     2,342,424     20,316   3.44  
    Certificates of deposit     1,232,984     13,057   4.21     1,393,678     15,077   4.35     1,494,491     15,020   3.99  
    Total interest-bearing deposits     7,904,852     74,025   3.73     7,857,272     72,878   3.73     7,599,074     62,507   3.26  
    FHLBNY advances     528,652     4,455   3.35     671,242     6,429   3.85     1,250,717     14,370   4.56  
    Subordinated debt, net     271,450     4,307   6.31     202,232     2,604   5.18     200,232     2,553   5.06  
    Other short-term borrowings     131     2   6.07     —     —   —     120     2   6.61  
    Total borrowings     800,233     8,764   4.36     873,474     9,033   4.16     1,451,069     16,925   4.63  
    Derivative cash collateral     91,305     1,526   6.65     145,702     2,005   5.53     156,795     1,930   4.88  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities     8,796,390     84,315   3.81 %     8,876,448     83,916   3.80 %   9,206,938     81,362   3.51 %
    Non-interest-bearing checking (2)     3,209,502                 3,042,382               3,065,186            
    Other non-interest-bearing liabilities     223,546                 242,980               265,559            
    Total liabilities     12,229,438                 12,161,810               12,537,683            
    Stockholders’ equity     1,273,315                 1,256,631               1,221,810            
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 13,502,753               $ 13,418,441             $ 13,759,493            
    Net interest income          $ 79,924              $ 75,502             $ 76,479      
    Net interest rate spread                 1.32 %               1.28 %             1.31 %
    Net interest margin                 2.50 %               2.41 %               2.34 %
    Deposits (including non-interest-bearing checking accounts) (2)   $ 11,114,354   $ 74,025   2.65 %   $ 10,899,654   $ 72,878   2.69 % $ 10,664,260   $ 62,507   2.33 %

    (1) Business loans include commercial and industrial loans, owner-occupied commercial real estate loans and PPP loans.
    (2) Includes mortgage escrow deposits.

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED SCHEDULE OF NON-PERFORMING ASSETS
    (Dollars in thousands)
                       
        At or For the Three Months Ended
        September 30,    June 30,    September 30, 
    Asset Quality Detail   2024
      2024
      2023
    Non-performing loans (“NPLs”)                   
    Business loans (1)   $ 25,411     $ 20,287     $ 19,555  
    One-to-four family residential, including condominium and cooperative apartment     3,880       3,884       2,874  
    Multifamily residential and residential mixed-use     —       —       —  
    Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate     19,509       15       15  
    Acquisition, development, and construction     657       657       657  
    Other loans     6       —       219  
    Total Non-accrual loans   $ 49,463     $ 24,843     $ 23,320  
    Total Non-performing assets (“NPAs”)   $ 49,463     $ 24,843     $ 23,320  
                       
    Total loans 90 days delinquent and accruing (“90+ Delinquent”)   $ —     $ —     $ —  
                       
    NPAs and 90+ Delinquent   $ 49,463     $ 24,843     $ 23,320  
                       
    NPAs and 90+ Delinquent / Total assets     0.36 %     0.18 %     0.17 %
    Net charge-offs (“NCOs”)   $ 4,199     $ 3,640     $ 4,864  
    NCOs / Average loans (2)     0.15 %     0.14 %     0.18 %

    (1) Business loans include commercial and industrial loans, owner-occupied commercial real estate loans and PPP loans.
    (2) Calculated based on annualized NCOs to average loans, excluding loans held for sale.

                         

    DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION
    (Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)

    The following tables below provide a reconciliation of certain financial measures calculated under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) (as reported) and non-GAAP measures. A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of historical or future financial performance, financial position or cash flows that excludes or includes amounts that are required to be disclosed in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP in the United States. The Company’s management believes the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures provides investors with a greater understanding of the Company’s operating results in addition to the results measured in accordance with GAAP. While management uses these non-GAAP measures in its analysis of the Company’s performance, this information should not be viewed as a substitute for financial results determined in accordance with GAAP or considered to be more important than financial results determined in accordance with GAAP.

    The following non-GAAP financial measures exclude pre-tax income and expenses associated with the fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale, net (gain) loss on sale of securities and other assets, severance, the FDIC special assessment and loss on extinguishment of debt:  

                                     
        Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended  
        September 30,    June 30,       September 30,    September 30,    September 30,   
        2024
      2024
      2023
      2024
      2023
     
    Reconciliation of Reported and Adjusted (non-GAAP) Net Income Available to Common Stockholders                                
    Reported net income available to common stockholders   $ 11,505     $ 16,657     $ 13,163     $ 44,032     $ 74,321    
    Adjustments to net income (1):                                 
    Fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale     (39 )     416       299       1,219       1,079    
    Net (gain) loss on sale of securities and other assets     (2 )     (3,695 )     22       (6,665 )     1,469    
    Severance     —       —       8,562       42       9,068    
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     1       —       —       454       —    
    Income tax effect of adjustments     13       1,043       (176 )     1,574       (985 )  
    Adjusted net income available to common stockholders (non-GAAP)   $ 11,478     $ 14,421     $ 21,870     $ 40,656     $ 84,952    
                                     
    Adjusted Ratios (Based upon Adjusted (non-GAAP) Net Income as calculated above)                                
    Adjusted EPS (Diluted)   $ 0.29     $ 0.37     $ 0.56     $ 1.04     $ 2.19    
    Adjusted return on average assets     0.39   %     0.48   %   0.69   %   0.45   %   0.88   %
    Adjusted return on average equity     4.18       5.17       7.76       4.89       9.95    
    Adjusted return on average tangible common equity     4.69       5.97       9.38       5.60       12.25    
    Adjusted non-interest expense to average assets     1.70       1.65       1.48       1.62       1.46    
    Adjusted efficiency ratio     65.6       65.9       59.7       65.5       54.7    

    (1) Adjustments to net income are taxed at the Company’s approximate statutory tax rate.

    The following table presents a reconciliation of operating expense as a percentage of average assets (as reported) and adjusted operating expense as a percentage of average assets (non-GAAP):

                                   
        Three Months Ended     Nine Months Ended
           September 30,      June 30,      September 30,      September 30,         September 30,   
        2024       2024       2023       2024       2023    
    Operating expense as a % of average assets – as reported   1.71   %     1.66   %   1.73   %   1.63   %     1.56   %
    Loss on extinguishment of debt   —       —       —       —       —    
    Severance   —       —       (0.25 )     —       (0.09 )  
    Amortization of other intangible assets   (0.01 )     (0.01 )     —       (0.01 )     (0.01 )  
    Adjusted operating expense as a % of average assets (non-GAAP)   1.70   %     1.65   %   1.48   %   1.62   %   1.46   %

    The following table presents a reconciliation of efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) and adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP):

                                     
        Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended  
           September 30,       June 30,       September 30,       September 30,    September 30,   
        2024
      2024
      2023
      2024
      2023
     
    Efficiency ratio – as reported (non-GAAP) (1)        65.9   %     63.8   %   70.5   %   64.6   %     59.0   %
    Non-interest expense – as reported   $ 57,729     $ 55,694     $ 59,523     $ 165,934     $ 159,184    
    Severance     —       —       (8,562 )     (42 )     (9,068 )  
    Loss on extinguishment of debt     (1 )     —       —       (454 )     —    
    Amortization of other intangible assets     (286 )     (285 )     (349 )     (878 )     (1,075 )  
    Adjusted non-interest expense (non-GAAP)   $ 57,442     $ 55,409     $ 50,612     $ 164,560     $ 149,041    
    Net interest income – as reported   $ 79,924     $ 75,502     $ 76,479     $ 226,956     $ 242,450    
    Non-interest income – as reported   $ 7,631     $ 11,808     $ 7,928     $ 29,906     $ 27,334    
    Fair value change in equity securities and loans held for sale     (39 )     416       299       1,219       1,079    
    Net (gain) loss on sale of securities and other assets     (2 )     (3,695 )     22       (6,665 )     1,469    
    Adjusted non-interest income (non-GAAP)   $ 7,590     $ 8,529     $ 8,249     $ 24,460     $ 29,882    
    Adjusted total revenues for adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP)   $ 87,514     $ 84,031     $ 84,728     $ 251,416     $ 272,332    
    Adjusted efficiency ratio (non-GAAP) (2)     65.6   %     65.9   %   59.7   %   65.5   %     54.7   %

    (1) The reported efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing GAAP non-interest expense by the sum of GAAP net interest income and GAAP non-interest income.
    (2) The adjusted efficiency ratio is a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing adjusted non-interest expense by the sum of GAAP net interest income and adjusted non-interest income.

    The following table presents the tangible common equity to tangible assets, tangible equity to tangible assets, and tangible common book value per share calculations (non-GAAP):

                         
           September 30,       June 30,       September 30,   
        2024
      2024
      2023
     
    Reconciliation of Tangible Assets:                    
    Total assets   $ 13,746,529     $ 13,548,763     $ 13,651,405    
    Goodwill     (155,797 )     (155,797 )     (155,797 )  
    Other intangible assets     (4,181 )     (4,467 )     (5,409 )  
    Tangible assets (non-GAAP)   $ 13,586,551     $ 13,388,499     $ 13,490,199    
                         
    Reconciliation of Tangible Common Equity – Consolidated:                    
    Total stockholders’ equity   $ 1,263,929     $ 1,250,596     $ 1,204,344    
    Goodwill     (155,797 )     (155,797 )     (155,797 )  
    Other intangible assets     (4,181 )     (4,467 )     (5,409 )  
    Tangible equity (non-GAAP)     1,103,951       1,090,332       1,043,138    
    Preferred stock, net     (116,569 )     (116,569 )     (116,569 )  
    Tangible common equity (non-GAAP)   $ 987,382     $ 973,763     $ 926,569    
                         
    Common shares outstanding     39,152       39,148       38,811    
                         
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP)     7.27   %   7.27   %   6.87   %
    Tangible equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP)     8.13       8.14       7.73    
                         
    Book value per common share   $ 29.31     $ 28.97     $ 28.03    
    Tangible common book value per share (non-GAAP)     25.22       24.87       23.87    

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Old National Bancorp Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EVANSVILLE, Ind., Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ: ONB) reports 3Q24 net income applicable to common shares of $139.8 million, diluted EPS of $0.44; $147.2 million and $0.46 on an adjusted1basis, respectively.

    CEO COMMENTARY:

    “Old National’s strong 3rd quarter was driven by a focus on our fundamentals: continuing to grow deposits and loans, effectively managing both credit and capital, and creating positive operating leverage through disciplined expense management,” said Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan. “As a result of our ability to execute on this fundamental strategy, we find ourselves well positioned to continue to invest in new markets while attracting exceptional talent to our franchise.”


    THIRD
    QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS2:

    Net Income
    • Net income applicable to common shares of $139.8 million; adjusted net income applicable to common shares1 of $147.2 million
    • Earnings per diluted common share (“EPS”) of $0.44; adjusted EPS1 of $0.46
       
    Net Interest Income/NIM
    • Net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis1 of $397.9 million
    • Net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent basis1 (“NIM”) of 3.32%, down 1 basis point (“bp”)
       
    Operating Performance
    • Pre-provision net revenue1 (“PPNR”) of $219.7 million; adjusted PPNR1 of $229.3 million
    • Noninterest expense of $272.3 million; adjusted noninterest expense1 of $262.8 million
    • Efficiency ratio1 of 53.8%; adjusted efficiency ratio1 of 51.2%
       
    Deposits and Funding
    • Period-end total deposits of $40.8 billion, up $0.8 billion; core deposits up $1.0 billion
    • Granular low-cost deposit franchise; total deposit costs of 225 bps
       
    Loans and Credit Quality
    • End-of-period total loans3 of $36.5 billion, up 2.7% annualized
    • Provision for credit losses4 (“provision”) of $28.5 million
    • Net charge-offs of $17.5 million, or 19 bps of average loans; 16 bps excluding purchased credit deteriorated (“PCD”) loans that had an allowance at acquisition
    • 30+ day delinquencies of 0.26% and non-performing loans of 1.22% of total loans
     
    Return Profile & Capital
    • Return on average tangible common equity1 of 16.0%; adjusted return on average tangible common equity1 of 16.8%
    • Tangible common equity to tangible assets1 of 7.4%, up 7.2%
       
    Notable Items
    • $6.9 million of pre-tax merger-related charges
    • $2.6 million of pre-tax separation expense5


    1 
    Non-GAAP financial measure that management believes is useful in evaluating the financial results of the Company – refer to the Non-GAAP reconciliations contained in this release 2 Comparisons are on a linked-quarter basis, unless otherwise noted 3 Includes loans held-for-sale 4 Includes the provision for unfunded commitments 5 Expense associated with a mutual separation agreement with a former Old National executive

    RESULTS OF OPERATIONS2
    Old National Bancorp (“Old National”) reported third quarter 2024 net income applicable to common shares of $139.8 million, or $0.44 per diluted common share.

    Included in third quarter results were pre-tax charges of $6.9 million primarily related to the April 1, 2024 acquisition of CapStar Financial Holdings, Inc. (“CapStar”) and $2.6 million of pre-tax separation expense5. Excluding these transactions and realized debt securities gains from the current quarter, adjusted net income1 was $147.2 million, or $0.46 per diluted common share.

    DEPOSITS AND FUNDING
    Growth in deposits driven by increases in commercial and community deposits and normal seasonal patterns in public funds, partially offset by lower brokered deposits.

    • Period-end total deposits were $40.8 billion, up 8.5% annualized; core deposits up 10.1% annualized.
    • On average, total deposits for the third quarter were $40.6 billion, up 4.8% annualized.
    • Granular low-cost deposit franchise; total deposit costs of 225 bps.
    • A loan to deposit ratio of 89%, combined with existing funding sources, provides strong liquidity.

    LOANS
    Broad-based disciplined commercial loan growth.

    • Period-end total loans3 were $36.5 billion, up 2.7% annualized.
    • Total commercial loan production in the third quarter was $1.7 billion; period-end commercial pipeline totaled $2.8 billion.
    • Average total loans in the third quarter were $36.3 billion, an increase of $235.9 million.

    CREDIT QUALITY
    Resilient credit quality continues to be a hallmark of Old National.

    • Provision4 expense was $28.5 million compared to $36.2 million, or $20.9 million excluding $15.3 million of current expected credit loss (“CECL”) Day 1 non-PCD provision expense related to the allowance for credit losses established on acquired non-PCD loans in the CapStar transaction in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net charge-offs were $17.5 million, or 19 bps of average loans compared to net charge-offs of 16 bps of average loans.
      • Excluding PCD loans that had an allowance for credit losses established at acquisition, net charge-offs to average loans were 16 bps.
    • 30+ day delinquencies as a percentage of loans were 0.26% compared to 0.16%.
    • Nonaccrual loans as a percentage of total loans were 1.22% compared to 0.94%.
    • Loans acquired from previous acquisitions were recorded at fair value at the acquisition date. The remaining discount on these acquired loans was $174.0 million.
    • The allowance for credit losses, including the allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments, stood at $405.9 million, or 1.12% of total loans, compared to $392.1 million, or 1.08% of total loans.

    NET INTEREST INCOME AND MARGIN
    Higher net interest income and stable margin reflective of the rate environment.

    • Net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis1 increased to $397.9 million compared to $394.8 million, driven by loan growth as well as higher asset yields and accretion, partly offset by higher funding costs.
    • Net interest margin on a fully taxable equivalent basis1 modestly decreased 1 bps to 3.32%.
    • Accretion income on loans and borrowings was $15.6 million, or 13 bps of net interest margin1, compared to $11.6 million, or 10 bps of net interest margin1.
    • Cost of total deposits was 2.25%, increasing 9 bps and the cost of total interest-bearing deposits increased 9 bps to 2.93%.

    NONINTEREST INCOME
    Increase driven by higher service charges, mortgage fees, capital markets income, and other income.

    • Total noninterest income was $94.1 million compared to $87.3 million.
    • Noninterest income was up 7.9% driven by higher service charges, mortgage fees, capital markets income, and other income.

    NONINTEREST EXPENSE
    Disciplined expense management.

    • Noninterest expense was $272.3 million and included $6.9 million of merger-related charges and $2.6 million of pre-tax separation expense5.
      • Excluding these items, adjusted noninterest expense1 was $262.8 million, compared to $263.6 million.
    • The efficiency ratio1 was 53.8%, while the adjusted efficiency ratio1 was 51.2% compared to 57.2% and 52.6%, respectively.

    INCOME TAXES

    • Income tax expense was $41.3 million, resulting in an effective tax rate of 22.3% compared to 22.5%. On an adjusted fully taxable equivalent (“FTE”) basis, the effective tax rate was 24.8% compared to 25.5%.
    • Income tax expense included $4.0 million of tax credit benefit compared to $3.5 million.

    CAPITAL
    Capital ratios remain strong.

    • Preliminary total risk-based capital up 23 bps to 12.94% and preliminary regulatory Tier 1 capital up 27 bps to 11.60%, as strong retained earnings drive capital.
    • Tangible common equity to tangible assets was 7.44% compared to 6.94%.

    CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST
    Old National will host a conference call and live webcast at 9:00 a.m. Central Time on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, to review third quarter financial results. The live audio webcast link and corresponding presentation slides will be available on the Company’s Investor Relations website at oldnational.com and will be archived there for 12 months. To listen to the live conference call, dial U.S. (800) 715-9871 or International (646) 307-1963, access code 1586600. A replay of the call will also be available from approximately noon Central Time on October 22, 2024 through November 5, 2024. To access the replay, dial U.S. (800) 770-2030 or International (647) 362-9199; Access code 1586600.

    ABOUT OLD NATIONAL
    Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ: ONB) is the holding company of Old National Bank. As the sixth largest commercial bank headquartered in the Midwest, Old National proudly serves clients primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. With approximately $54 billion of assets and $31 billion of assets under management, Old National ranks among the top 30 banking companies headquartered in the United States. Tracing our roots to 1834, Old National focuses on building long-term, highly valued partnerships with clients while also strengthening and supporting the communities we serve. In addition to providing extensive services in consumer and commercial banking, Old National offers comprehensive wealth management and capital markets services. For more information and financial data, please visit Investor Relations at oldnational.com. In 2024, Points of Light named Old National one of “The Civic 50” – an honor reserved for the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.

    USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    The Company’s accounting and reporting policies conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and general practices within the banking industry. As a supplement to GAAP, the Company provides non-GAAP performance results, which the Company believes are useful because they assist investors in assessing the Company’s operating performance. Where non-GAAP financial measures are used, the comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as the reconciliation to the comparable GAAP financial measure, can be found in the tables at the end of this release.

    The Company presents EPS, the efficiency ratio, return on average common equity, return on average tangible common equity, and net income applicable to common shares, all adjusted for certain notable items. These items include merger-related charges associated with completed and pending acquisitions, separation expense, debt securities gains/losses, CECL Day 1 non-PCD provision expense, distribution of excess pension assets expense, FDIC special assessment expense, gain on sale of Visa Class B restricted shares, contract termination charges, expenses related to the tragic April 10, 2023 event at our downtown Louisville location (“Louisville expenses”), and property optimization charges. Management believes excluding these items from EPS, the efficiency ratio, return on average common equity, and return on average tangible common equity may be useful in assessing the Company’s underlying operational performance since these items do not pertain to its core business operations and their exclusion may facilitate better comparability between periods. Management believes that excluding merger-related charges from these metrics may be useful to the Company, as well as analysts and investors, since these expenses can vary significantly based on the size, type, and structure of each acquisition. Additionally, management believes excluding these items from these metrics may enhance comparability for peer comparison purposes.

    Income tax expense, provision for credit losses, and the certain notable items listed above are excluded from the calculation of pre-provision net revenues, adjusted due to the fluctuation in income before income tax and the level of provision for credit losses required. Management believes adjusted pre-provision net revenues may be useful in assessing the Company’s underlying operating performance and their exclusion may facilitate better comparability between periods and for peer comparison purposes.

    The Company presents adjusted noninterest expense, which excludes merger-related charges associated with completed and pending acquisitions, separation expense, distribution of excess pension assets expense, FDIC special assessment expense, contract termination charges, Louisville expenses, and property optimization charges, as well as adjusted noninterest income, which excludes debt securities gains/losses and the gain on sale of Visa Class B restricted shares. Management believes that excluding these items from noninterest expense and noninterest income may be useful in assessing the Company’s underlying operational performance as these items either do not pertain to its core business operations or their exclusion may facilitate better comparability between periods and for peer comparison purposes.

    The tax-equivalent adjustment to net interest income and net interest margin recognizes the income tax savings when comparing taxable and tax-exempt assets. Interest income and yields on tax-exempt securities and loans are presented using the current federal income tax rate of 21%. Management believes that it is standard practice in the banking industry to present net interest income and net interest margin on a fully tax-equivalent basis and that it may enhance comparability for peer comparison purposes.

    In management’s view, tangible common equity measures are capital adequacy metrics that may be meaningful to the Company, as well as analysts and investors, in assessing the Company’s use of equity and in facilitating comparisons with peers. These non-GAAP measures are valuable indicators of a financial institution’s capital strength since they eliminate intangible assets from stockholders’ equity and retain the effect of accumulated other comprehensive loss in stockholders’ equity.

    Although intended to enhance investors’ understanding of the Company’s business and performance, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered an alternative to GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from those used by other financial institutions to assess their business and performance. See the following reconciliations in the “Non-GAAP Reconciliations” section for details on the calculation of these measures to the extent presented herein.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
    This communication contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”), notwithstanding that such statements are not specifically identified as such. In addition, certain statements may be contained in our future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in press releases, and in oral and written statements made by us that are not statements of historical fact and constitute forward‐looking statements within the meaning of the Act. These statements include, but are not limited to, descriptions of Old National’s financial condition, results of operations, asset and credit quality trends, profitability and business plans or opportunities. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “would,” and “will,” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements express management’s current expectations or forecasts of future events and, by their nature, are subject to risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such statements, including, but not limited to: competition; government legislation, regulations and policies; the ability of Old National to execute its business plan; unanticipated changes in our liquidity position, including but not limited to changes in our access to sources of liquidity and capital to address our liquidity needs; changes in economic conditions and economic and business uncertainty which could materially impact credit quality trends and the ability to generate loans and gather deposits; inflation and governmental responses to inflation, including increasing interest rates; market, economic, operational, liquidity, credit, and interest rate risks associated with our business; our ability to successfully manage our credit risk and the sufficiency of our allowance for credit losses; the expected cost savings, synergies and other financial benefits from the merger (the “Merger”) between Old National and CapStar Financial Holdings, Inc. not being realized within the expected time frames and costs or difficulties relating to integration matters being greater than expected; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the completion of the Merger; the potential impact of future business combinations on our performance and financial condition, including our ability to successfully integrate the businesses and the success of revenue-generating and cost reduction initiatives; failure or circumvention of our internal controls; operational risks or risk management failures by us or critical third parties, including without limitation with respect to data processing, information systems, cybersecurity, technological changes, vendor issues, business interruption, and fraud risks; significant changes in accounting, tax or regulatory practices or requirements; new legal obligations or liabilities; disruptive technologies in payment systems and other services traditionally provided by banks; failure or disruption of our information systems; computer hacking and other cybersecurity threats; the effects of climate change on Old National and its customers, borrowers, or service providers; political and economic uncertainty and instability; the impacts of pandemics, epidemics and other infectious disease outbreaks; other matters discussed in this communication; and other factors identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and other filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this communication and are not guarantees of future results, performance or outcomes, and Old National does not undertake an obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or conditions after the date of this communication.

    CONTACTS:    
    Media: Kathy Schoettlin   Investors: Lynell Durchholz
    (812) 465-7269   (812) 464-1366
    Kathy.Schoettlin@oldnational.com   Lynell.Durchholz@oldnational.com
                   
    Financial Highlights (unaudited)
    ($ and shares in thousands, except per share data)
                     
      Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
      September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,   September 30, September 30,
        2024     2024     2024     2023     2023       2024     2023  
    Income Statement                
    Net interest income $ 391,724   $ 388,421   $ 356,458   $ 364,408   $ 375,086     $ 1,136,603   $ 1,138,745  
    FTE adjustment1,3   6,144     6,340     6,253     6,100     5,837       18,737     17,328  
    Net interest income – tax equivalent basis3   397,868     394,761     362,711     370,508     380,923       1,155,340     1,156,073  
    Provision for credit losses   28,497     36,214     18,891     11,595     19,068       83,602     47,292  
    Noninterest income   94,138     87,271     77,522     100,094     80,938       258,931     233,248  
    Noninterest expense   272,283     282,999     262,317     284,235     244,776       817,599     742,071  
    Net income available to common shareholders $ 139,768   $ 117,196   $ 116,250   $ 128,446   $ 143,842     $ 373,214   $ 437,411  
    Per Common Share Data                
    Weighted average diluted shares   317,331     316,461     292,207     292,029     291,717       308,605     291,809  
    EPS, diluted $ 0.44   $ 0.37   $ 0.40   $ 0.44   $ 0.49     $ 1.21   $ 1.50  
    Cash dividends   0.14     0.14     0.14     0.14     0.14       0.42     0.42  
    Dividend payout ratio2   32 %   38 %   35 %   32 %   29 %     35 %   28 %
    Book value $ 19.20   $ 18.28   $ 18.24   $ 18.18   $ 17.07     $ 19.20   $ 17.07  
    Stock price   18.66     17.19     17.41     16.89     14.54       18.66     14.54  
    Tangible book value3   11.97     11.05     11.10     11.00     9.87       11.97     9.87  
    Performance Ratios                
    ROAA   1.08 %   0.92 %   0.98 %   1.09 %   1.22 %     0.99 %   1.25 %
    ROAE   9.4 %   8.2 %   8.7 %   10.2 %   11.4 %     8.8 %   11.7 %
    ROATCE3   16.0 %   14.1 %   14.9 %   18.1 %   20.2 %     15.0 %   20.8 %
    NIM (FTE)   3.32 %   3.33 %   3.28 %   3.39 %   3.49 %     3.31 %   3.59 %
    Efficiency ratio3   53.8 %   57.2 %   58.3 %   59.0 %   51.7 %     56.4 %   51.9 %
    NCOs to average loans   0.19 %   0.16 %   0.14 %   0.12 %   0.24 %     0.16 %   0.19 %
    ACL on loans to EOP loans   1.05 %   1.01 %   0.95 %   0.93 %   0.93 %     1.05 %   0.93 %
    ACL4 to EOP loans   1.12 %   1.08 %   1.03 %   1.03 %   1.03 %     1.12 %   1.03 %
    NPLs to EOP loans   1.22 %   0.94 %   0.98 %   0.83 %   0.80 %     1.22 %   0.80 %
    Balance Sheet (EOP)                
    Total loans $ 36,400,643   $ 36,150,513   $ 33,623,319   $ 32,991,927   $ 32,577,834     $ 36,400,643   $ 32,577,834  
    Total assets   53,602,293     53,119,645     49,534,918     49,089,836     49,059,448       53,602,293     49,059,448  
    Total deposits   40,845,746     39,999,228     37,699,418     37,235,180     37,252,676       40,845,746     37,252,676  
    Total borrowed funds   5,449,096     6,085,204     5,331,161     5,331,147     5,556,010       5,449,096     5,556,010  
    Total shareholders’ equity   6,367,298     6,075,072     5,595,408     5,562,900     5,239,537       6,367,298     5,239,537  
    Capital Ratios                
    Risk-based capital ratios (EOP):                
    Tier 1 common equity   11.00 %   10.73 %   10.76 %   10.70 %   10.41 %     11.00 %   10.41 %
    Tier 1 capital   11.60 %   11.33 %   11.40 %   11.35 %   11.06 %     11.60 %   11.06 %
    Total capital   12.94 %   12.71 %   12.74 %   12.64 %   12.32 %     12.94 %   12.32 %
    Leverage ratio (average assets)   9.05 %   8.90 %   8.96 %   8.83 %   8.70 %     9.05 %   8.70 %
    Equity to assets (averages)3   11.60 %   11.31 %   11.32 %   10.81 %   10.88 %     11.41 %   10.95 %
    TCE to TA3   7.44 %   6.94 %   6.86 %   6.85 %   6.15 %     7.44 %   6.15 %
    Nonfinancial Data                
    Full-time equivalent employees   4,105    4,267    3,955    3,940    3,981      4,105    3,981 
    Banking centers   280    280    258    258    257      280    257 
    1 Calculated using the federal statutory tax rate in effect of 21% for all periods.          
    2 Cash dividends per common share divided by net income per common share (basic).          
    3 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the “Non-GAAP Measures” table for reconciliations to GAAP financial measures.
        September 30, 2024 capital ratios are preliminary.
    4 Includes the allowance for credit losses on loans and unfunded loan commitments.          
                     
    FTE – Fully taxable equivalent basis ROAA – Return on average assets ROAE – Return on average equity ROATCE – Return on average tangible common equity
    NCOs – Net Charge-offs ACL – Allowance for Credit Losses EOP – End of period actual balances NPLs – Non-performing Loans TCE – Tangible common equity TA – Tangible assets
                     
    Income Statement (unaudited)
    ($ and shares in thousands, except per share data)
      Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
      September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,   September 30, September 30,
        2024     2024     2024     2023     2023       2024     2023  
    Interest income $ 679,925   $ 663,663   $ 595,981   $ 589,751   $ 576,519     $ 1,939,569   $ 1,617,070  
    Less: interest expense   288,201     275,242     239,523     225,343     201,433       802,966     478,325  
    Net interest income   391,724     388,421     356,458     364,408     375,086       1,136,603     1,138,745  
    Provision for credit losses   28,497     36,214     18,891     11,595     19,068       83,602     47,292  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   363,227     352,207     337,567     352,813     356,018       1,053,001     1,091,453  
    Wealth and investment services fees   29,117     29,358     28,304     27,656     26,687       86,779     80,128  
    Service charges on deposit accounts   20,350     19,350     17,898     18,667     18,524       57,598     53,278  
    Debit card and ATM fees   11,362     10,993     10,054     10,700     10,818       32,409     31,453  
    Mortgage banking revenue   7,669     7,064     4,478     3,691     5,063       19,211     12,628  
    Capital markets income   7,426     4,729     2,900     5,416     5,891       15,055     19,003  
    Company-owned life insurance   5,315     5,739     3,434     3,773     3,740       14,488     11,624  
    Gain on sale of Visa Class B restricted shares   —     —     —     21,635     —       —     —  
    Other income   12,975     10,036     10,470     9,381     10,456       33,481     30,574  
    Debt securities gains (losses), net   (76 )   2     (16 )   (825 )   (241 )     (90 )   (5,440 )
    Total noninterest income   94,138     87,271     77,522     100,094     80,938       258,931     233,248  
    Salaries and employee benefits   147,494     159,193     149,803     141,649     131,541       456,490     404,715  
    Occupancy   27,130     26,547     27,019     26,514     25,795       80,696     80,162  
    Equipment   9,888     8,704     8,671     8,769     8,284       27,263     23,394  
    Marketing   11,036     11,284     10,634     10,813     9,448       32,954     28,698  
    Technology   23,343     24,002     20,023     20,493     20,592       67,368     59,850  
    Communication   4,681     4,480     4,000     4,212     4,075       13,161     12,768  
    Professional fees   7,278     10,552     6,406     8,250     5,956       24,236     19,085  
    FDIC assessment   11,722     9,676     11,313     27,702     9,000       32,711     29,028  
    Amortization of intangibles   7,411     7,425     5,455     5,869     6,040       20,291     18,286  
    Amortization of tax credit investments   3,277     2,747     2,749     7,200     2,644       8,773     8,167  
    Other expense   19,023     18,389     16,244     22,764     21,401       53,656     57,918  
    Total noninterest expense   272,283     282,999     262,317     284,235     244,776       817,599     742,071  
    Income before income taxes   185,082     156,479     152,772     168,672     192,180       494,333     582,630  
    Income tax expense   41,280     35,250     32,488     36,192     44,304       109,018     133,118  
    Net income $ 143,802   $ 121,229   $ 120,284   $ 132,480   $ 147,876     $ 385,315   $ 449,512  
    Preferred dividends   (4,034 )   (4,033 )   (4,034 )   (4,034 )   (4,034 )     (12,101 )   (12,101 )
    Net income applicable to common shares $ 139,768   $ 117,196   $ 116,250   $ 128,446   $ 143,842     $ 373,214   $ 437,411  
                     
    EPS, diluted $ 0.44   $ 0.37   $ 0.40   $ 0.44   $ 0.49     $ 1.21   $ 1.50  
    Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding                
    Basic   315,622     315,585     290,980     290,701     290,648       307,426     290,763  
    Diluted   317,331     316,461     292,207     292,029     291,717       308,605     291,809  
    Common shares outstanding (EOP)   318,955     318,969     293,330     292,655     292,586       318,955     292,586  
                     
                     
     
    End of Period Balance Sheet (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
      September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,
        2024     2024     2024     2023     2023  
    Assets          
    Cash and due from banks $ 498,120   $ 428,665   $ 350,990   $ 430,866   $ 381,343  
    Money market and other interest-earning investments   693,450     804,381     588,509     744,192     1,282,087  
    Investments:          
    Treasury and government-sponsored agencies   2,335,716     2,207,004     2,243,754     2,453,950     2,515,249  
    Mortgage-backed securities   6,085,826     5,890,371     5,566,881     5,245,691     4,906,290  
    States and political subdivisions   1,665,128     1,678,597     1,672,061     1,693,819     1,705,200  
    Other securities   783,079     775,623     760,847     779,048     751,404  
    Total investments   10,869,749     10,551,595     10,243,543     10,172,508     9,878,143  
    Loans held-for-sale, at fair value   62,376     66,126     19,418     32,006     122,033  
    Loans:          
    Commercial   10,408,095     10,332,631     9,648,269     9,512,230     9,333,448  
    Commercial and agriculture real estate   16,356,216     16,016,958     14,653,958     14,140,629     13,916,221  
    Residential real estate   6,757,896     6,894,957     6,661,379     6,699,443     6,696,288  
    Consumer   2,878,436     2,905,967     2,659,713     2,639,625     2,631,877  
    Total loans   36,400,643     36,150,513     33,623,319     32,991,927     32,577,834  
    Allowance for credit losses on loans   (380,840 )   (366,335 )   (319,713 )   (307,610 )   (303,982 )
    Premises and equipment, net   599,528     601,945     564,007     565,396     565,607  
    Goodwill and other intangible assets   2,305,084     2,306,204     2,095,511     2,100,966     2,106,835  
    Company-owned life insurance   863,723     862,032     767,423     767,902     774,517  
    Accrued interest receivable and other assets   1,690,460     1,714,519     1,601,911     1,591,683     1,675,031  
    Total assets $ 53,602,293   $ 53,119,645   $ 49,534,918   $ 49,089,836   $ 49,059,448  
               
    Liabilities and Equity          
    Noninterest-bearing demand deposits $ 9,429,285   $ 9,336,042   $ 9,257,709   $ 9,664,247   $ 10,091,352  
    Interest-bearing:          
    Checking and NOW accounts   7,314,245     7,680,865     7,236,667     7,331,487     7,495,417  
    Savings accounts   4,781,447     4,983,811     5,020,095     5,099,186     5,296,985  
    Money market accounts   11,601,461     10,485,491     10,234,113     9,561,116     8,793,218  
    Other time deposits   6,010,070     5,688,432     4,760,659     4,565,137     4,398,182  
    Total core deposits   39,136,508     38,174,641     36,509,243     36,221,173     36,075,154  
    Brokered deposits   1,709,238     1,824,587     1,190,175     1,014,007     1,177,522  
    Total deposits   40,845,746     39,999,228     37,699,418     37,235,180     37,252,676  
               
    Federal funds purchased and interbank borrowings   135,263     250,154     50,416     390     918  
    Securities sold under agreements to repurchase   244,626     240,713     274,493     285,206     279,061  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances   4,471,153     4,744,560     4,193,039     4,280,681     4,412,576  
    Other borrowings   598,054     849,777     813,213     764,870     863,455  
    Total borrowed funds   5,449,096     6,085,204     5,331,161     5,331,147     5,556,010  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities   940,153     960,141     908,931     960,609     1,011,225  
    Total liabilities   47,234,995     47,044,573     43,939,510     43,526,936     43,819,911  
    Preferred stock, common stock, surplus, and retained earnings   6,971,054     6,866,480     6,375,036     6,301,709     6,208,352  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax   (603,756 )   (791,408 )   (779,628 )   (738,809 )   (968,815 )
    Total shareholders’ equity   6,367,298     6,075,072     5,595,408     5,562,900     5,239,537  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 53,602,293   $ 53,119,645   $ 49,534,918   $ 49,089,836   $ 49,059,448  
     
                             
    Average Balance Sheet and Interest Rates (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
                             
                             
        Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended
        September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   September 30, 2023
        Average Income1/ Yield/   Average Income1/ Yield/   Average Income1/ Yield/
    Earning Assets:   Balance Expense Rate   Balance Expense Rate   Balance Expense Rate
    Money market and other interest-earning investments   $ 904,176   $ 11,696 5.15 %   $ 814,944   $ 11,311 5.58 %   $ 980,813   $ 13,194 5.34 %
    Investments:                        
    Treasury and government-sponsored agencies     2,255,629     21,851 3.87 %     2,208,935     21,531 3.90 %     2,376,864     23,037 3.88 %
    Mortgage-backed securities     5,977,058     48,425 3.24 %     5,828,225     47,904 3.29 %     5,079,091     33,237 2.62 %
    States and political subdivisions     1,668,454     14,042 3.37 %     1,686,994     14,290 3.39 %     1,737,037     14,220 3.27 %
    Other securities     785,107     12,547 6.39 %     788,571     12,583 6.38 %     793,196     10,127 5.11 %
    Total investments     10,686,248     96,865 3.63 %     10,512,725     96,308 3.66 %     9,986,188     80,621 3.23 %
    Loans:2                        
    Commercial     10,373,340     183,878 7.09 %     10,345,098     183,425 7.09 %     9,612,102     163,869 6.82 %
    Commercial and agriculture real estate     16,216,842     274,832 6.78 %     15,870,809     260,407 6.56 %     13,711,156     219,575 6.41 %
    Residential real estate loans     6,833,597     67,084 3.93 %     6,952,942     67,683 3.89 %     6,712,269     62,775 3.74 %
    Consumer     2,891,260     51,714 7.12 %     2,910,331     50,869 7.03 %     2,614,928     42,322 6.42 %
    Total loans     36,315,039     577,508 6.36 %     36,079,180     562,384 6.24 %     32,650,455     488,541 5.98 %
                             
    Total earning assets   $ 47,905,463   $ 686,069 5.73 %   $ 47,406,849   $ 670,003 5.66 %   $ 43,617,456   $ 582,356 5.34 %
                             
    Less: Allowance for credit losses on loans     (366,667 )         (331,043 )         (300,071 )    
                             
    Non-earning Assets:                        
    Cash and due from banks   $ 413,583         $ 430,256         $ 382,755      
    Other assets     5,394,032           5,341,022           4,960,383      
                             
    Total assets   $ 53,346,411         $ 52,847,084         $ 48,660,523      
                             
    Interest-Bearing Liabilities:                        
    Checking and NOW accounts   $ 7,551,264   $ 29,344 1.55 %   $ 8,189,454   $ 34,398 1.69 %   $ 7,515,439   $ 25,531 1.35 %
    Savings accounts     4,860,161     5,184 0.42 %     5,044,800     5,254 0.42 %     5,414,775     4,268 0.31 %
    Money market accounts     11,064,433     106,148 3.82 %     10,728,156     102,560 3.84 %     7,979,999     65,549 3.26 %
    Other time deposits     5,928,241     64,435 4.32 %     5,358,103     56,586 4.25 %     4,229,692     37,110 3.48 %
    Total interest-bearing core deposits     29,404,099     205,111 2.78 %     29,320,513     198,798 2.73 %     25,139,905     132,458 2.09 %
    Brokered deposits     1,829,218     24,616 5.35 %     1,244,237     17,008 5.50 %     1,183,228     14,970 5.02 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits     31,233,317     229,727 2.93 %     30,564,750     215,806 2.84 %     26,323,133     147,428 2.22 %
                             
    Federal funds purchased and interbank borrowings     14,549     292 7.98 %     148,835     1,986 5.37 %     62,921     910 5.74 %
    Securities sold under agreements to repurchase     239,524     612 1.02 %     249,939     639 1.03 %     302,305     710 0.93 %
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     4,572,046     47,719 4.15 %     4,473,978     44,643 4.01 %     4,537,250     40,382 3.53 %
    Other borrowings     754,544     9,851 5.19 %     891,609     12,168 5.49 %     841,307     12,003 5.66 %
    Total borrowed funds     5,580,663     58,474 4.17 %     5,764,361     59,436 4.15 %     5,743,783     54,005 3.73 %
                             
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   $ 36,813,980   $ 288,201 3.11 %   $ 36,329,111   $ 275,242 3.05 %   $ 32,066,916   $ 201,433 2.49 %
                             
    Noninterest-Bearing Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity                      
    Demand deposits   $ 9,371,698         $ 9,558,675         $ 10,338,267      
    Other liabilities     970,662           980,322           961,268      
    Shareholders’ equity     6,190,071           5,978,976           5,294,072      
                             
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 53,346,411         $ 52,847,084         $ 48,660,523      
                             
    Net interest rate spread       2.62 %       2.61 %       2.85 %
                             
    Net interest margin (GAAP)       3.27 %       3.28 %       3.44 %
                             
    Net interest margin (FTE)3       3.32 %       3.33 %       3.49 %
                             
    FTE adjustment     $ 6,144       $ 6,340       $ 5,837  
                             
    1 Interest income is reflected on a FTE basis.  
    2 Includes loans held-for-sale.  
    3 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the “Non-GAAP Measures” table for reconciliations to GAAP financial measures.  
     
                     
    Average Balance Sheet and Interest Rates (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
                     
                     
        Nine Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
        September 30, 2024   September 30, 2023
        Average Income1/ Yield/   Average Income1/ Yield/
    Earning Assets:   Balance Expense Rate   Balance Expense Rate
    Money market and other interest-earning investments   $ 825,743   $ 32,992 5.34 %   $ 736,225   $ 25,258 4.59 %
    Investments:                
    Treasury and government-sponsored agencies     2,275,607     66,648 3.91 %     2,266,177     58,923 3.47 %
    Mortgage-backed securities     5,721,725     135,217 3.15 %     5,268,509     102,618 2.60 %
    States and political subdivisions     1,678,504     42,308 3.36 %     1,771,155     43,306 3.26 %
    Other securities     781,385     37,303 6.37 %     785,474     28,726 4.88 %
    Total investments   $ 10,457,221   $ 281,476 3.59 %   $ 10,091,315   $ 233,573 3.09 %
    Loans:2                
    Commercial     10,087,322     534,566 7.07 %     9,644,541     475,210 6.57 %
    Commercial and agriculture real estate     15,488,010     765,325 6.59 %     13,180,509     598,337 6.05 %
    Residential real estate loans     6,826,809     197,770 3.86 %     6,626,551     181,592 3.65 %
    Consumer     2,815,837     146,177 6.93 %     2,612,519     120,428 6.16 %
    Total loans     35,217,978     1,643,838 6.22 %     32,064,120     1,375,567 5.72 %
                     
    Total earning assets   $ 46,500,942   $ 1,958,306 5.62 %   $ 42,891,660   $ 1,634,398 5.08 %
                     
    Less: Allowance for credit losses on loans     (337,168 )         (301,909 )    
                     
    Non-earning Assets:                
    Cash and due from banks   $ 402,213         $ 412,998      
    Other assets     5,232,807           4,917,592      
                     
    Total assets   $ 51,798,794         $ 47,920,341      
                     
    Interest-Bearing Liabilities:                
    Checking and NOW accounts   $ 7,627,029   $ 88,994 1.56 %   $ 7,793,561   $ 69,248 1.19 %
    Savings accounts     4,976,361     15,455 0.41 %     5,791,780     9,745 0.22 %
    Money market accounts     10,571,821     302,921 3.83 %     6,577,317     120,917 2.46 %
    Other time deposits     5,327,361     168,453 4.22 %     3,660,156     79,032 2.89 %
    Total interest-bearing core deposits     28,502,572     575,823 2.70 %     23,822,814     278,942 1.57 %
    Brokered deposits     1,375,231     55,149 5.36 %     879,886     32,053 4.87 %
    Total interest-bearing deposits     29,877,803     630,972 2.82 %     24,702,700     310,995 1.68 %
                     
    Federal funds purchased and interbank borrowings     77,262     3,239 5.60 %     306,480     11,404 4.97 %
    Securities sold under agreements to repurchase     261,818     2,168 1.11 %     351,362     2,389 0.91 %
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances     4,477,851     133,529 3.98 %     4,699,074     123,466 3.51 %
    Other borrowings     823,746     33,058 5.36 %     806,575     30,071 4.98 %
    Total borrowed funds     5,640,677     171,994 4.07 %     6,163,491     167,330 3.63 %
                     
    Total interest-bearing liabilities     35,518,480     802,966 3.02 %     30,866,191     478,325 2.07 %
                     
    Noninterest-Bearing Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity              
    Demand deposits   $ 9,396,081         $ 10,864,375      
    Other liabilities     971,687           944,619      
    Shareholders’ equity     5,912,546           5,245,156      
                     
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 51,798,794         $ 47,920,341      
                     
    Net interest rate spread       2.60 %       3.01 %
                     
    Net interest margin (GAAP)       3.26 %       3.54 %
                     
    Net interest margin (FTE)3       3.31 %       3.59 %
                     
    FTE adjustment     $ 18,737       $ 17,328  
                     
    1 Interest income is reflected on a FTE.
    2 Includes loans held-for-sale.                
    3 Represents a non-GAAP financial measure. Refer to the “Non-GAAP Measures” table for reconciliations to GAAP financial measures.    
     
                     
    Asset Quality (EOP) (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
                     
      Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
      September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,   September 30, September 30,
        2024     2024     2024     2023     2023       2024     2023  
    Allowance for credit losses:                
    Beginning allowance for credit losses on loans $ 366,335   $ 319,713   $ 307,610   $ 303,982   $ 300,555     $ 307,610   $ 303,671  
    Allowance established for acquired PCD loans   2,803     23,922     —     —     —       26,725     —  
    Provision for credit losses on loans   29,176     36,745     23,853     13,329     23,115       89,774     46,520  
    Gross charge-offs   (18,965 )   (17,041 )   (14,020 )   (13,202 )   (22,750 )     (50,026 )   (55,261 )
    Gross recoveries   1,491     2,996     2,270     3,501     3,062       6,757     9,052  
    NCOs   (17,474 )   (14,045 )   (11,750 )   (9,701 )   (19,688 )     (43,269 )   (46,209 )
    Ending allowance for credit losses on loans $ 380,840   $ 366,335   $ 319,713   $ 307,610   $ 303,982     $ 380,840   $ 303,982  
    Beginning allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments $ 25,733   $ 26,264   $ 31,226   $ 32,960   $ 37,007     $ 31,226   $ 32,188  
    Provision (release) for credit losses on unfunded commitments   (679 )   (531 )   (4,962 )   (1,734 )   (4,047 )     (6,172 )   772  
    Ending allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments $ 25,054   $ 25,733   $ 26,264   $ 31,226   $ 32,960     $ 25,054   $ 32,960  
    Allowance for credit losses $ 405,894   $ 392,068   $ 345,977   $ 338,836   $ 336,942     $ 405,894   $ 336,942  
    Provision for credit losses on loans $ 29,176   $ 36,745   $ 23,853   $ 13,329   $ 23,115     $ 89,774   $ 46,520  
    Provision (release) for credit losses on unfunded commitments   (679 )   (531 )   (4,962 )   (1,734 )   (4,047 )     (6,172 )   772  
    Provision for credit losses $ 28,497   $ 36,214   $ 18,891   $ 11,595   $ 19,068     $ 83,602   $ 47,292  
    NCOs / average loans1   0.19 %   0.16 %   0.14 %   0.12 %   0.24 %     0.16 %   0.19 %
    Average loans1 $ 36,299,544   $ 36,053,845   $ 33,242,739   $ 32,752,406   $ 32,639,812     $ 35,202,727   $ 32,057,989  
    EOP loans1   36,400,643     36,150,513     33,623,319     32,991,927     32,577,834       36,400,643     32,577,834  
    ACL on loans / EOP loans1   1.05 %   1.01 %   0.95 %   0.93 %   0.93 %     1.05 %   0.93 %
    ACL / EOP loans1   1.12 %   1.08 %   1.03 %   1.03 %   1.03 %     1.12 %   1.03 %
    Underperforming Assets:                
    Loans 90 days and over (still accruing) $ 1,177   $ 5,251   $ 2,172   $ 961   $ 1,192     $ 1,177   $ 1,192  
    Nonaccrual loans   443,597     340,181     328,645     274,821     261,346       443,597     261,346  
    Foreclosed assets   4,077     8,290     9,344     9,434     9,761       4,077     9,761  
    Total underperforming assets $ 448,851   $ 353,722   $ 340,161   $ 285,216   $ 272,299     $ 448,851   $ 272,299  
    Classified and Criticized Assets:                
    Nonaccrual loans $ 443,597   $ 340,181   $ 328,645   $ 274,821   $ 261,346     $ 443,597   $ 261,346  
    Substandard loans (still accruing)   1,074,243     841,087     626,157     599,358     563,427       1,074,243     563,427  
    Loans 90 days and over (still accruing)   1,177     5,251     2,172     961     1,192       1,177     1,192  
    Total classified loans – “problem loans”   1,519,017     1,186,519     956,974     875,140     825,965       1,519,017     825,965  
    Other classified assets   59,485     60,772     54,392     48,930     48,998       59,485     48,998  
    Special Mention   837,543     967,655     827,419     843,920     775,526       837,543     775,526  
    Total classified and criticized assets $ 2,416,045   $ 2,214,946   $ 1,838,785   $ 1,767,990   $ 1,650,489     $ 2,416,045   $ 1,650,489  
    Loans 30-89 days past due (still accruing) $ 91,750   $ 51,712   $ 53,112   $ 71,868   $ 56,772     $ 91,750   $ 56,772  
    Nonaccrual loans / EOP loans1   1.22 %   0.94 %   0.98 %   0.83 %   0.80 %     1.22 %   0.80 %
    ACL / nonaccrual loans   92 %   115 %   105 %   123 %   129 %     92 %   129 %
    Under-performing assets/EOP loans1   1.23 %   0.98 %   1.01 %   0.86 %   0.84 %     1.23 %   0.84 %
    Under-performing assets/EOP assets   0.84 %   0.67 %   0.69 %   0.58 %   0.56 %     0.84 %   0.56 %
    30+ day delinquencies/EOP loans1   0.26 %   0.16 %   0.16 %   0.22 %   0.18 %     0.26 %   0.18 %
                     
    1 Excludes loans held-for-sale.            
                     

                    

                     
    Non-GAAP Measures (unaudited)
    ($ and shares in thousands, except per share data)
                     
      Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
      September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,   September 30, September 30,
        2024     2024     2024     2023     2023       2024     2023  
    Earnings Per Share:                
    Net income applicable to common shares $ 139,768   $ 117,196   $ 116,250   $ 128,446   $ 143,842     $ 373,214   $ 437,411  
    Adjustments:                
    Merger-related charges   6,860     19,440     2,908     5,529     6,257       29,208     23,187  
    Tax effect1   (1,528 )   (4,413 )   (710 )   (1,343 )   (1,042 )     (6,651 )   (4,491 )
    Merger-related charges, net   5,332     15,027     2,198     4,186     5,215       22,557     18,696  
    Separation expense   2,646     —     —     —     —       2,646     —  
    Tax effect1   (589 )   —     —     —     —       (589 )   —  
    Separation expense, net   2,057     —     —     —     —       2,057     —  
    Debt securities (gains) losses   76     (2 )   16     825     241       90     5,440  
    Tax effect1   (17 )   1     (4 )   (200 )   (40 )     (20 )   (1,175 )
    Debt securities (gains) losses, net   59     (1 )   12     625     201       70     4,265  
    CECL Day 1 non-PCD provision expense   —     15,312     —     —     —       15,312     —  
    Tax effect1   —     (3,476 )   —     —     —       (3,476 )   —  
    CECL Day 1 non-PCD provision expense, net   —     11,836     —     —     —       11,836     —  
    Distribution of excess pension assets   —     —     13,318     —     —   —   13,318     —  
    Tax effect1   —     —     (3,250 )   —     —   —   (3,250 )   —  
    Distribution excess pension assets, net   —     —     10,068     —     —       10,068     —  
    FDIC special assessment   —     —     2,994     19,052     —       2,994     —  
    Tax effect1   —     —     (731 )   (4,628 )   —       (731 )   —  
    FDIC special assessment, net   —     —     2,263     14,424     —       2,263     —  
    Gain on sale of Visa Class B restricted shares   —     —     —     (21,635 )   —       —     —  
    Tax effect1   —     —     —     5,255     —       —     —  
    Gain on sale of Visa Class B restricted shares, net   —     —     —     (16,380 )   —       —     —  
    Contract termination charge   —     —     —     4,413     —       —     —  
    Tax effect1   —     —     —     (1,072 )   —       —     —  
    Contract termination charge, net   —     —     —     3,341     —       —     —  
    Louisville expenses   —     —     —     —     —       —     3,361  
    Tax effect1   —     —     —     —     —       —     (392 )
    Louisville expenses, net   —     —     —     —     —       —     2,969  
    Property optimization charges   —     —     —     —     —       —     1,559  
    Tax effect1   —     —     —     —     —       —     (315 )
    Property optimization charges, net   —     —     —     —     —       —     1,244  
    Total adjustments, net   7,448     26,862     14,541     6,196     5,416       48,851     27,174  
    Net income applicable to common shares, adjusted $ 147,216   $ 144,058   $ 130,791   $ 134,642   $ 149,258     $ 422,065   $ 464,585  
    Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding   317,331     316,461     292,207     292,029     291,717       308,605     291,809  
    EPS, diluted $ 0.44   $ 0.37   $ 0.40   $ 0.44   $ 0.49     $ 1.21   $ 1.50  
    Adjusted EPS, diluted $ 0.46   $ 0.46   $ 0.45   $ 0.46   $ 0.51     $ 1.37   $ 1.59  
    NIM:                
    Net interest income $ 391,724   $ 388,421   $ 356,458   $ 364,408   $ 375,086     $ 1,136,603   $ 1,138,745  
    Add: FTE adjustment2   6,144     6,340     6,253     6,100     5,837       18,737     17,328  
    Net interest income (FTE) $ 397,868   $ 394,761   $ 362,711   $ 370,508   $ 380,923     $ 1,155,340   $ 1,156,073  
    Average earning assets $ 47,905,463   $ 47,406,849   $ 44,175,079   $ 43,701,283   $ 43,617,456     $ 46,500,942   $ 42,891,660  
    NIM (GAAP)   3.27 %   3.28 %   3.23 %   3.34 %   3.44 %     3.26 %   3.54 %
    NIM (FTE)   3.32 %   3.33 %   3.28 %   3.39 %   3.49 %     3.31 %   3.59 %
                     
    Refer to last page of Non-GAAP reconciliations for footnotes.            
                     
    Non-GAAP Measures (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
                     
      Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
      September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,   September 30, September 30,
        2024     2024     2024     2023     2023       2024     2023  
    PPNR:                
    Net interest income (FTE)2 $ 397,868   $ 394,761   $ 362,711   $ 370,508   $ 380,923     $ 1,155,340   $ 1,156,073  
    Add: Noninterest income   94,138     87,271     77,522     100,094     80,938       258,931     233,248  
    Total revenue (FTE)   492,006     482,032     440,233     470,602     461,861       1,414,271     1,389,321  
    Less: Noninterest expense   (272,283 )   (282,999 )   (262,317 )   (284,235 )   (244,776 )     (817,599 )   (742,071 )
    PPNR $ 219,723   $ 199,033   $ 177,916   $ 186,367   $ 217,085     $ 596,672   $ 647,250  
    Adjustments:                
    Gain on sale of Visa Class B restricted shares $ —   $ —   $ —   $ (21,635 ) $ —     $ —   $ —  
    Debt securities (gains) losses   76     (2 )   16     825     241       90     5,440  
    Noninterest income adjustments   76     (2 )   16     (20,810 )   241       90     5,440  
    Adjusted noninterest income   94,214     87,269     77,538     79,284     81,179       259,021     238,688  
    Adjusted revenue $ 492,082   $ 482,030   $ 440,249   $ 449,792   $ 462,102     $ 1,414,361   $ 1,394,761  
    Adjustments:                
    Merger-related charges $ 6,860   $ 19,440   $ 2,908   $ 5,529   $ 6,257     $ 29,208   $ 23,187  
    Separation expense   2,646     —     —     —     —       2,646     —  
    Distribution of excess pension assets   —     —     13,318     —     —       13,318     —  
    FDIC Special Assessment   —     —     2,994     19,052     —       2,994     —  
    Contract termination charges   —     —     —     4,413     —       —     —  
    Louisville expenses   —     —     —     —     —       —     3,361  
    Property optimization charges   —     —     —     —     —       —     1,559  
    Noninterest expense adjustments   9,506     19,440     19,220     28,994     6,257       48,166     28,107  
    Adjusted total noninterest expense   (262,777 )   (263,559 )   (243,097 )   (255,241 )   (238,519 )     (769,433 )   (713,964 )
    Adjusted PPNR $ 229,305   $ 218,471   $ 197,152   $ 194,551   $ 223,583     $ 644,928   $ 680,797  
    Efficiency Ratio:                
    Noninterest expense $ 272,283   $ 282,999   $ 262,317   $ 284,235   $ 244,776     $ 817,599   $ 742,071  
    Less: Amortization of intangibles   (7,411 )   (7,425 )   (5,455 )   (5,869 )   (6,040 )     (20,291 )   (18,286 )
    Noninterest expense, excl. amortization of intangibles   264,872     275,574     256,862     278,366     238,736       797,308     723,785  
    Less: Amortization of tax credit investments   (3,277 )   (2,747 )   (2,749 )   (7,200 )   (2,644 )     (8,773 )   (8,167 )
    Less: Noninterest expense adjustments   (9,506 )   (19,440 )   (19,220 )   (28,994 )   (6,257 )     (48,166 )   (28,107 )
    Adjusted noninterest expense, excluding amortization $ 252,089   $ 253,387   $ 234,893   $ 242,172   $ 229,835     $ 740,369   $ 687,511  
    Total revenue (FTE)2 $ 492,006   $ 482,032   $ 440,233   $ 470,602   $ 461,861     $ 1,414,271   $ 1,389,321  
    Less: Debt securities (gains) losses   76     (2 )   16     825     241       90     5,440  
    Total revenue excl. debt securities (gains) losses   492,082     482,030     440,249     471,427     462,102       1,414,361     1,394,761  
    Less: Gain on sale of Visa Class B restricted shares   —     —     —     (21,635 )   —       —     —  
    Total adjusted revenue $ 492,082   $ 482,030   $ 440,249   $ 449,792   $ 462,102     $ 1,414,361   $ 1,394,761  
    Efficiency Ratio   53.8 %   57.2 %   58.3 %   59.0 %   51.7 %     56.4 %   51.9 %
    Adjusted Efficiency Ratio   51.2 %   52.6 %   53.4 %   53.8 %   49.7 %     52.3 %   49.3 %
                     
    Refer to last page of Non-GAAP reconciliations for footnotes.            
                     
    Non-GAAP Measures (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
                     
      Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
      September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,   September 30, September 30,
        2024     2024     2024     2023     2023       2024     2023  
    ROAE and ROATCE:                
    Net income applicable to common shares $ 139,768   $ 117,196   $ 116,250   $ 128,446   $ 143,842     $ 373,214   $ 437,411  
    Amortization of intangibles   7,411     7,425     5,455     5,869     6,040       20,291     18,286  
    Tax effect1   (1,853 )   (1,856 )   (1,364 )   (1,467 )   (1,510 )     (5,073 )   (4,572 )
    Amortization of intangibles, net   5,558     5,569     4,091     4,402     4,530       15,218     13,714  
    Net income applicable to common shares, excluding intangibles amortization   145,326     122,765     120,341     132,848     148,372       388,432     451,125  
    Total adjustments, net (see pg.12)   7,448     26,862     14,541     6,196     5,416       48,851     27,174  
    Adjusted net income applicable to common shares, excluding intangibles amortization $ 152,774   $ 149,627   $ 134,882   $ 139,044   $ 153,788     $ 437,283   $ 478,299  
    Average shareholders’ equity $ 6,190,071   $ 5,978,976   $ 5,565,542   $ 5,281,487   $ 5,294,072     $ 5,912,546   $ 5,245,156  
    Less: Average preferred equity   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )     (243,719 )   (243,719 )
    Average shareholders’ common equity $ 5,946,352   $ 5,735,257   $ 5,321,823   $ 5,037,768   $ 5,050,353     $ 5,668,827   $ 5,001,437  
    Average goodwill and other intangible assets   (2,304,597 )   (2,245,405 )   (2,098,338 )   (2,103,935 )   (2,109,944 )     (2,216,437 )   (2,115,953 )
    Average tangible shareholder’s common equity $ 3,641,755   $ 3,489,852   $ 3,223,485   $ 2,933,833   $ 2,940,409     $ 3,452,390   $ 2,885,484  
    ROAE   9.4 %   8.2 %   8.7 %   10.2 %   11.4 %     8.8 %   11.7 %
    ROAE, adjusted   9.9 %   10.0 %   9.8 %   10.7 %   11.8 %     9.9 %   12.4 %
    ROATCE   16.0 %   14.1 %   14.9 %   18.1 %   20.2 %     15.0 %   20.8 %
    ROATCE, adjusted   16.8 %   17.2 %   16.7 %   19.0 %   20.9 %     16.9 %   22.1 %
                     
    Refer to last page of Non-GAAP reconciliations for footnotes.            
               
    Non-GAAP Measures (unaudited)
    ($ in thousands)
               
      As of
      September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, September 30,
        2024     2024     2024     2023     2023  
    Tangible Common Equity:          
    Shareholders’ equity $ 6,367,298   $ 6,075,072   $ 5,595,408   $ 5,562,900   $ 5,239,537  
    Less: Preferred equity   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )   (243,719 )
    Shareholders’ common equity $ 6,123,579   $ 5,831,353   $ 5,351,689   $ 5,319,181   $ 4,995,818  
    Less: Goodwill and other intangible assets   (2,305,084 )   (2,306,204 )   (2,095,511 )   (2,100,966 )   (2,106,835 )
    Tangible shareholders’ common equity $ 3,818,495   $ 3,525,149   $ 3,256,178   $ 3,218,215   $ 2,888,983  
               
    Total assets $ 53,602,293   $ 53,119,645   $ 49,534,918   $ 49,089,836   $ 49,059,448  
    Less: Goodwill and other intangible assets   (2,305,084 )   (2,306,204 )   (2,095,511 )   (2,100,966 )   (2,106,835 )
    Tangible assets $ 51,297,209   $ 50,813,441   $ 47,439,407   $ 46,988,870   $ 46,952,613  
               
    Risk-weighted assets3 $ 40,584,608   $ 40,627,117   $ 37,845,139   $ 37,407,347   $ 37,501,646  
               
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets   7.44 %   6.94 %   6.86 %   6.85 %   6.15 %
    Tangible common equity to risk-weighted assets3   9.41 %   8.68 %   8.60 %   8.60 %   7.70 %
    Tangible Common Book Value:          
    Common shares outstanding   318,955     318,969     293,330     292,655     292,586  
    Tangible common book value $ 11.97   $ 11.05   $ 11.10   $ 11.00   $ 9.87  
               
    1 Tax-effect calculations use management’s estimate of the full year FTE tax rates (federal + state).
    2 Calculated using the federal statutory tax rate in effect of 21% for all periods.
    3 September 30, 2024 figures are preliminary.

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: First Financial Corporation Reports Third Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:THFF) today announced results for the third quarter of 2024. During the quarter, the Corporation closed its acquisition of SimplyBank, Dayton, Tennessee. The quarter was impacted by purchase accounting adjustments and charges, which are reflected in the results.

    • Net income was $8.7 million compared to $16.3 million reported for the same period of 2023;
    • Diluted net income per common share of $0.74 compared to $1.37 for the same period of 2023;
    • Return on average assets was 0.64% compared to 1.35% for the three months ended September 30, 2023;
    • Credit loss provision was $9.4 million compared to provision of $1.2 million for the third quarter 2023; and
    • Pre-tax, pre-provision net income was $19.9 million compared to $20.5 million for the same period in 2023.1

    The Corporation further reported results for the nine months ended September 30, 2024:

    • Net income was $31.0 million compared to $48.3 million reported for the same period of 2023;
    • Diluted net income per common share of $2.63 compared to $4.02 for the same period of 2023;
    • Return on average assets was 0.82% compared to 1.33% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023;
    • Credit loss provision was $14.2 million compared to provision of $4.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023; and
    • Pre-tax, pre-provision net income was $51.1 million compared to $63.1 million for the same period in 2023.1

    ________________
    1Non-GAAP financial measure that Management believes is useful for investors and management to understand pre-tax profitability before giving effect to credit loss expense and to provide additional perspective on the Corporation’s performance over time as well as comparison to the Corporation’s peers and evaluating the financial results of the Corporation – please refer to the Non GAAP reconciliations contained in this release.

    Average Total Loans

    Average total loans for the third quarter of 2024 were $3.71 billion versus $3.15 billion for the comparable period in 2023, an increase of $558 million or 17.74%. On a linked quarter basis, average loans increased $508 million or 15.89% from $3.20 billion as of June 30, 2024. Increases in average loans over both periods were mostly a result of the acquisition of SimplyBank as further detailed in Total Loans Outstanding section below.

    Total Loans Outstanding

    Total loans outstanding as of September 30, 2024, were $3.72 billion compared to $3.12 billion as of September 30, 2023, an increase of $598 million or 19.17%. On a linked quarter basis, total loans increased $511 million or 15.96% from $3.20 billion as of June 30, 2024. The main driver of the increase was $467 million in loans acquired in the SimplyBank acquisition. Organic growth was primarily driven by increases in Commercial Construction and Development, Commercial Real Estate, and Consumer Auto loans.

    Norman D. Lowery, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “During the quarter, we closed the acquisition of SimplyBank, which gives us access to very attractive markets in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. We also experienced another sound quarter of loan and net interest income growth. During the quarter our net interest margin expanded, and we expect continued improvement in coming quarters.”

    Average Total Deposits

    Average total deposits for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, were $4.71 billion versus $4.00 billion as of September 30, 2023, an increase of $705 million or 17.63%. Increases in average deposits over both periods were mostly a result of the acquisition of SimplyBank as further detailed in Total Deposits section below.

    Total Deposits

    Total deposits were $4.72 billion as of September 30, 2024, compared to $4.04 billion as of September 30, 2023, a $676 million increase, or 16.74%. On a linked quarter basis, total deposits increased $585.2 million, or 14.16%. $622 million in deposits were acquired in the SimplyBank acquisition. Non-interest bearing deposits were $831.6 million, and time deposits were $791.1 million as of September 30, 2024, compared to $770.5 million and $471.6 million, respectively for the same period of 2023.

    Shareholders’ Equity

    Shareholders’ equity at September 30, 2024, was $566.0 million compared to $470.2 million on September 30, 2023. During the last twelve months, the Corporation has not repurchased any shares of its common stock. 518,860 shares remain available for repurchase under the current repurchase authorization. The Corporation paid a $0.45 per share quarterly dividend in July and declared a $0.45 quarterly dividend, which was paid on October 15, 2024.

    Book Value Per Share

    Book Value per share was $47.93 as of September 30, 2024, compared to $40.00 as of September 30, 2023, an increase of $7.93 per share, or 19.82%. Tangible Book Value per share was $37.84 as of September 30, 2024, compared to $32.10 as of September 30, 2023, an increase of $5.74 per share, or 17.88%.

    Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Asset Ratio

    The Corporation’s tangible common equity to tangible asset ratio was 8.33% at September 30, 2024, compared to 8.04% at September 30, 2023.

    Net Interest Income

    Net interest income for the third quarter of 2024 was $47.2 million, compared to $41.2 million reported for the same period of 2023, an increase of $6.0 million, or 14.63%.

    Net Interest Margin

    The net interest margin for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, was 3.78% compared to the 3.74% reported at September 30, 2023. On a linked quarterly basis, the net interest margin increased 21 basis points from 3.57% at June 30, 2024.

    Nonperforming Loans

    Nonperforming loans as of September 30, 2024, were $14.1 million versus $12.6 million as of September 30, 2023. The increase was due primarily to the SimplyBank acquisition. The ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans and leases was 0.38% as of September 30, 2024, versus 0.40% as of September 30, 2023.

    Credit Loss Provision

    The provision for credit losses for the three months ended September 30, 2024, was $9.4 million, compared to $1.2 million for the third quarter 2023. The Corporation recorded $5.5 million in provision for the acquisition of SimplyBank. The increase in provision was also related to one previously identified credit, reflecting further deterioration in collateral values during the quarter.

    Net Charge-Offs

    Third quarter net charge-offs were $4.6 million compared to $2.1 million in the same period of 2023.

    Allowance for Credit Losses

    The Corporation’s allowance for credit losses as of September 30, 2024, was $46.2 million compared to $39.0 million as of September 30, 2023. The allowance for credit losses as a percent of total loans was 1.24% as of September 30, 2024, compared to 1.25% as of September 30, 2023. On a linked quarter basis, the allowance for credit losses as a percent of total loans increased 4 basis points from 1.20% as of June 30, 2024. The Corporation recorded $8.5 million in allowance for the acquisition of SimplyBank, which included $3 million to record purchased credit deteriorated (“PCD”) reserves.

    Non-Interest Income

    Non-interest income for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 was $11.2 million and $11.6 million, respectively.

    Non-Interest Expense

    Non-interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2024, was $38.6 million compared to $32.3 million in 2023. This includes $844 thousand of acquisition-related expenses during the quarter, as well as an overall increase in operating expenses as a result of the acquisition.

    Efficiency Ratio

    The Corporation’s efficiency ratio was 64.43% for the quarter ending September 30, 2024, versus 59.57% for the same period in 2023.

    Income Taxes

    Income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2024, was $1.7 million versus $3.0 million for the same period in 2023. The effective tax rate for 2024 was 16.44% compared to 17.37% for 2023.

    About First Financial Corporation

    First Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:THFF) is the holding company for First Financial Bank N.A., which is the fifth oldest national bank in the United States, operating 83 banking centers in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. Additional information is available at http://www.first-online.bank.

    Investor Contact:
    Rodger A. McHargue
    Chief Financial Officer
    P: 812-238-6334
    E: rmchargue@first-online.com

                                   
        Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
        September 30,    June 30,   September 30,    September 30,    September 30, 
        2024   2024   2023   2024   2023
    END OF PERIOD BALANCES                              
    Assets   $ 5,483,351   $ 4,891,068   $ 4,784,806   $ 5,483,351   $ 4,784,806
    Deposits   $ 4,717,489   $ 4,132,327   $ 4,040,995   $ 4,717,489   $ 4,040,995
    Loans, including net deferred loan costs   $ 3,715,235   $ 3,204,009   $ 3,117,626   $ 3,715,235   $ 3,117,626
    Allowance for Credit Losses   $ 46,169   $ 38,334   $ 39,034   $ 46,169   $ 39,034
    Total Equity   $ 565,951   $ 530,670   $ 470,168   $ 565,951   $ 470,168
    Tangible Common Equity (a)   $ 446,786   $ 438,569   $ 377,367   $ 446,786   $ 377,367
                                   
    AVERAGE BALANCES                              
    Total Assets   $ 5,483,572   $ 4,813,308   $ 4,814,251   $ 5,033,748   $ 4,828,165
    Earning Assets   $ 5,165,520   $ 4,556,839   $ 4,575,996   $ 4,762,940   $ 4,590,258
    Investments   $ 1,342,037   $ 1,279,278   $ 1,351,433   $ 1,309,879   $ 1,384,941
    Loans   $ 3,705,779   $ 3,197,695   $ 3,147,317   $ 3,361,207   $ 3,104,623
    Total Deposits   $ 4,705,614   $ 4,113,826   $ 4,000,302   $ 4,288,426   $ 4,124,520
    Interest-Bearing Deposits   $ 4,403,454   $ 3,413,752   $ 3,222,633   $ 3,714,432   $ 3,309,111
    Interest-Bearing Liabilities   $ 157,227   $ 152,303   $ 309,948   $ 176,985   $ 197,142
    Total Equity   $ 546,912   $ 517,890   $ 493,764   $ 529,174   $ 494,428
                                   
    INCOME STATEMENT DATA                              
    Net Interest Income   $ 47,170   $ 39,294   $ 41,150   $ 125,384   $ 127,672
    Net Interest Income Fully Tax Equivalent (b)   $ 48,630   $ 40,673   $ 42,539   $ 129,600   $ 131,774
    Provision for Credit Losses   $ 9,400   $ 2,966   $ 1,200   $ 14,166   $ 4,800
    Non-interest Income   $ 11,223   $ 9,905   $ 11,627   $ 30,559   $ 31,455
    Non-interest Expense   $ 38,564   $ 32,651   $ 32,265   $ 104,637   $ 95,932
    Net Income   $ 8,741   $ 11,369   $ 16,285   $ 31,034   $ 48,252
                                   
    PER SHARE DATA                              
    Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Common Share   $ 0.74   $ 0.96   $ 1.37   $ 2.63   $ 4.02
    Cash Dividends Declared Per Common Share   $ 0.45   $ 0.45   $ —   $ 1.35   $ 0.54
    Book Value Per Common Share   $ 47.93   $ 44.92   $ 40.00   $ 47.93   $ 40.00
    Tangible Book Value Per Common Share (c)   $ 36.22   $ 36.04   $ 33.69   $ 37.84   $ 32.10
    Basic Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding     11,808     11,814     11,901     11,809     11,993

    ________________
    (a)  Tangible common equity is a non-GAAP financial measure derived from GAAP-based amounts. We calculate tangible common equity by excluding goodwill and other intangible assets from shareholder’s equity.
    (b)  Net interest income fully tax equivalent is a non-GAAP financial measure derived from GAAP-based amounts. We calculate net interest income fully tax equivalent by adding back the tax equivalent factor of tax exempt income to net interest income. We calculate the tax equivalent factor of tax exempt income by dividing tax exempt income by the net of tax rate of 75%.
    (c)  Tangible book value per common share is a non-GAAP financial measure derived from GAAP-based amounts. We calculate the factor by dividing average tangible common equity by average shares outstanding. We calculate average tangible common equity by excluding average intangible assets from average shareholder’s equity.

                           
    Key Ratios   Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended  
        September 30,   June 30,   September 30,   September 30,   September 30,  
        2024   2024   2023   2024   2023  
    Return on average assets   0.64 % 0.94 % 1.35 % 0.82 % 1.33 %
    Return on average common shareholder’s equity   6.39 % 8.78 % 13.19 % 7.80 % 12.98 %
    Efficiency ratio   64.43 % 64.56 % 59.57 % 65.33 % 58.77 %
    Average equity to average assets   9.97 % 10.76 % 10.26 % 10.51 % 10.24 %
    Net interest margin (a)   3.78 % 3.57 % 3.74 % 3.63 % 3.83 %
    Net charge-offs to average loans and leases   0.49 % 0.59 % 0.24 % 0.43 % 0.24 %
    Credit loss reserve to loans and leases   1.24 % 1.20 % 1.25 % 1.24 % 1.25 %
    Credit loss reserve to nonperforming loans   326.65 % 240.85 % 310.19 % 326.65 % 310.19 %
    Nonperforming loans to loans and leases   0.38 % 0.50 % 0.40 % 0.38 % 0.40 %
    Tier 1 leverage   10.25 % 12.14 % 11.72 % 10.25 % 11.72 %
    Risk-based capital – Tier 1   13.63 % 14.82 % 14.61 % 13.63 % 14.61 %

    ________________
    (a)  Net interest margin is calculated on a tax equivalent basis.

                                   
                                   
    Asset Quality   Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
        September 30,   June 30,   September 30,   September 30,   September 30,
        2024   2024   2023   2024   2023
    Accruing loans and leases past due 30-89 days   $ 16,391   $ 14,913   $ 15,961   $ 16,391   $ 15,961
    Accruing loans and leases past due 90 days or more   $ 1,517   $ 1,353   $ 1,370   $ 1,517   $ 1,370
    Nonaccrual loans and leases   $ 12,617   $ 14,563   $ 11,214   $ 12,617   $ 11,214
    Other real estate owned   $ 169   $ 170   $ 63   $ 169   $ 63
    Nonperforming loans and other real estate owned   $ 14,303   $ 16,086   $ 12,647   $ 14,303   $ 12,647
    Total nonperforming assets   $ 17,179   $ 18,978   $ 15,671   $ 17,179   $ 15,671
    Gross charge-offs   $ 6,936   $ 6,091   $ 3,601   $ 16,219   $ 11,520
    Recoveries   $ 2,365   $ 1,414   $ 1,528   $ 5,449   $ 5,975
    Net charge-offs/(recoveries)   $ 4,571   $ 4,677   $ 2,073   $ 10,770   $ 5,545
                     
    Non-GAAP Reconciliations   Three Months Ended September 30,
        2024   2023
    ($in thousands, except EPS)                
    Income before Income Taxes   $ 10,429     $ 19,312  
    Provision for credit losses     9,400       1,200  
    Provision for unfunded commitments     100       —  
    Pre-tax, Pre-provision Income   $ 19,929     $ 20,512  
                 
    Non-GAAP Reconciliations   Nine Months Ended September 30,
        2024    2023 
    ($ in thousands, except EPS)            
    Income before Income Taxes   $ 37,140     $ 58,395  
    Provision for credit losses     14,166       4,800  
    Provision for unfunded commitments     (200 )     (100 )
    Pre-tax, Pre-provision Income   $ 51,106     $ 63,095  
     
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)
           
        September 30,   December 31, 
        2024   2023
        (unaudited)
    ASSETS            
    Cash and due from banks   $ 77,312     $ 76,759  
    Federal funds sold     1,356       282  
    Securities available-for-sale     1,271,992       1,259,137  
    Loans:            
    Commercial     2,112,738       1,817,526  
    Residential     924,276       695,788  
    Consumer     671,353       646,758  
          3,708,367       3,160,072  
    (Less) plus:            
    Net deferred loan costs     6,868       7,749  
    Allowance for credit losses     (46,169 )     (39,767 )
          3,669,066       3,128,054  
    Restricted stock     15,366       15,364  
    Accrued interest receivable     25,386       24,877  
    Premises and equipment, net     82,213       67,286  
    Bank-owned life insurance     128,242       114,122  
    Goodwill     93,363       86,985  
    Other intangible assets     25,802       5,586  
    Other real estate owned     169       107  
    Other assets     93,084       72,587  
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 5,483,351     $ 4,851,146  
                 
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY            
    Deposits:            
    Non-interest-bearing   $ 831,575     $ 750,335  
    Interest-bearing:            
    Certificates of deposit exceeding the FDIC insurance limits     159,618       92,921  
    Other interest-bearing deposits     3,726,296       3,246,812  
          4,717,489       4,090,068  
    Short-term borrowings     84,363       67,221  
    FHLB advances     30,456       108,577  
    Other liabilities     85,092       57,304  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES     4,917,400       4,323,170  
                 
    Shareholders’ equity            
    Common stock, $.125 stated value per share;            
    Authorized shares-40,000,000            
    Issued shares-16,165,023 in 2024 and 16,137,220 in 2023            
    Outstanding shares-11,808,304 in 2024 and 11,795,024 in 2023     2,016       2,014  
    Additional paid-in capital     144,785       144,152  
    Retained earnings     677,155       663,726  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)     (102,800 )     (127,087 )
    Less: Treasury shares at cost-4,356,719 in 2024 and 4,342,196 in 2023     (155,205 )     (154,829 )
    TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY     565,951       527,976  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 5,483,351     $ 4,851,146  
     
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
    (Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)
                 
        Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
        September 30,   September 30,
        2024   2023   2024   2023
            (unaudited)
    INTEREST INCOME:                        
    Loans, including related fees   $ 61,367   $ 49,146     $ 162,878   $ 140,220  
    Securities:                        
    Taxable     6,319     6,164       18,083     18,631  
    Tax-exempt     2,715     2,661       7,919     7,937  
    Other     1,294     752       2,989     2,864  
    TOTAL INTEREST INCOME     71,695     58,723       191,869     169,652  
    INTEREST EXPENSE:                        
    Deposits     22,197     13,627       59,622     35,111  
    Short-term borrowings     993     1,923       2,928     4,025  
    Other borrowings     1,335     2,023       3,935     2,844  
    TOTAL INTEREST EXPENSE     24,525     17,573       66,485     41,980  
    NET INTEREST INCOME     47,170     41,150       125,384     127,672  
    Provision for credit losses     9,400     1,200       14,166     4,800  
    NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION                        
    FOR LOAN LOSSES     37,770     39,950       111,218     122,872  
    NON-INTEREST INCOME:                        
    Trust and financial services     1,251     1,140       3,903     3,642  
    Service charges and fees on deposit accounts     8,139     7,099       21,576     20,971  
    Other service charges and fees     191     213       700     613  
    Securities gains (losses), net     103     —       104     —  
    Interchange income     177     —       490     47  
    Loan servicing fees     274     447       957     997  
    Gain on sales of mortgage loans     411     321       886     811  
    Other     677     2,407       1,943     4,374  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST INCOME     11,223     11,627       30,559     31,455  
    NON-INTEREST EXPENSE:                        
    Salaries and employee benefits     18,521     17,159       53,231     51,263  
    Occupancy expense     2,556     2,389       7,116     7,120  
    Equipment expense     4,280     3,580       12,736     10,404  
    FDIC Expense     558     613       1,721     1,977  
    Other     12,649     8,524       29,833     25,168  
    TOTAL NON-INTEREST EXPENSE     38,564     32,265       104,637     95,932  
    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES     10,429     19,312       37,140     58,395  
    Provision for income taxes     1,688     3,027       6,106     10,143  
    NET INCOME     8,741     16,285       31,034     48,252  
    OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)                        
    Change in unrealized gains/(losses) on securities, net of reclassifications and taxes     31,628     (34,934 )     24,067     (36,504 )
    Change in funded status of post retirement benefits, net of taxes     73     146       220     440  
    COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)   $ 40,442   $ (18,503 )   $ 55,321   $ 12,188  
    PER SHARE DATA                        
    Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share   $ 0.74   $ 1.37     $ 2.63   $ 4.02  
    Weighted average number of shares outstanding (in thousands)     11,808     11,901       11,809     11,993  

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: QNB Corp. Reports Earnings for Third Quarter 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    QUAKERTOWN, Pa., Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QNB Corp. (the “Company” or “QNB”) (OTC Bulletin Board: QNBC), the parent company of QNB Bank (the “Bank”), reported net income for the third quarter of 2024 of $3,338,000, or $0.91 per share on a diluted basis. This compares to net income of $2,344,000, or $0.65 per share on a diluted basis, for the same period in 2023. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, QNB reported net income of $8,397,000, or $2.29 per share on a diluted basis. This compares to net income of $8,349,000, or $2.32 per share on a diluted basis, reported for the same period in 2023.

    For the third quarter of 2024, the annualized rate of return on average assets and average shareholders’ equity was 0.72% and 8.13%, respectively, compared with 0.52% and 5.88%, respectively, for the third quarter 2023. 

    The operating performance of the Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of QNB Corp., improved for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, in comparison with the same period in 2023, due primarily to improvement in the interest margin causing a $1,182,000 increase in net interest income, decreased provision for credit losses on loans and unfunded commitments of $300,000 and a decrease in non-interest expense of $37,000; this was partly offset by a decrease in non-interest income of $96,000. The change in contribution from QNB Corp. for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared with the same period in 2023, is primarily due to more gains on sales from the equities portfolio and less unrealized losses on the equity portfolio; partly offset by interest expense on subordinated debt held at the holding company.

    The following table presents disaggregated net income (loss):

      Three months ended,           Nine months ended,        
      9/30/2024     9/30/2023     Variance     9/30/2024     9/30/2023     Variance  
    QNB Bank $ 3,394,000     $ 2,334,000     $ 1,060,000     $ 8,466,000     $ 8,568,000     $ (102,000 )
    QNB Corp   (56,000 )     10,000       (66,000 )     (69,000 )     (219,000 )     150,000  
    Consolidated net income $ 3,338,000     $ 2,344,000     $ 994,000     $ 8,397,000     $ 8,349,000     $ 48,000  
     

    Total assets as of September 30, 2024 were $1,841,563,000 compared with $1,706,318,000 at December 31, 2023. Total available-for-sale debt securities increased $19,855,000, or 7.9%, to $510,036,000, primarily due to purchases of higher-yielding securities partly offset be the sales of lower-yielding securities and payments. Loans receivable increased $77,828,000, or 7.1%, to $1,171,361,000. Total deposits increased $137,571,000, or 9.2%, to $1,626,284,000. Short-term borrowing declined $71,176,000, or 75.6%. During the third quarter of 2024, the QNB Corp. issued $40,000,000 of subordinated debt; the carrying value net of deferred costs was $39,030,000 at September 30, 2024.

    “We continue to experience strong growth in customer loan and deposit balances, which has led to improvement in our net interest income and margin. Growth combined with solid liquidity and good asset quality, has our franchise positioned for positive momentum,” stated David W. Freeman, President and Chief Executive Officer. Freeman continued, “Our successful Sub-Debt issuance has further strengthened our Capital position and will enable continued growth in the future. I am optimistic that we are well positioned to capitalize on the foundation we have built.”

    Net Interest Income and Net Interest Margin

    Net interest income for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 totaled $11,127,000, an increase of $914,000, from the same period in 2023. Net interest margin was 2.48% for the third quarter of 2024 and 2.38% for the same period in 2023. Net interest margin was 2.45% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared with 2.40% for the same period in 2023.

    The yield on earning assets was 4.86% for the third quarter 2024, compared with 4.28% in the third quarter of 2023; an increase of 58 basis points. For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2024, the yield on earning assets was 4.71%, compared with 3.97% for the same period in 2023. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities was 2.90% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared with 2.35% for the same period in 2023, an increase of 55 basis points. For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2024, the cost of interest-bearing liabilities was 2.77% compared with 1.96% for the same period in 2023.

    Proceeds from the growth in average deposits and proceeds from the issuance of subordinated debt and the sale and payments received on investment securities over the past year were invested in loans and other interest earning assets, and used to pay down short-term borrowings. Loan growth was primarily in commercial real estate, which comprised 45% of average earning assets in the third quarter of 2024 compared with 42% for the same period in 2023, and the increases in both rates and volume in commercial real estate loans majorly contributed to the 47 basis-point increase in the yield on loans. The decline in the available-for-sale portfolio was primarily in mortgage-backed securities, which comprised 19% of average earnings assets in the third quarter of 2024 compared with 23% for the same period in 2023. The 40-basis point increase in rate on investments was primarily due to the impact of the interest rate swaps entered into at the end of the second quarter of 2023, contributing to the increase in net interest margin. The 55 basis-point increase in the rate paid on deposits and the issuance of subordinated debt were the primary contributors to the increase in the cost of funds of 55 basis points.

    Asset Quality, Provision for Credit Losses on Loans and Allowance for Credit Losses

    QNB recorded $154,000 in provision for credit losses on loans in the third quarter of 2024 compared to $452,000 in provision in the third quarter of 2023. QNB’s allowance for credit losses on loans of $8,987,000 represents 0.77% of loans receivable at September 30, 2024, compared to $8,852,000, or 0.81% of loans receivable at December 31, 2023. Net loan charge-offs were $25,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared with $275,000 for the same period in 2023. Annualized net loan charge-offs for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 were 0.01% and 0.10% for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, of average loans receivable, respectively. Net loan charge-offs were $58,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared with recoveries of $219,000 for the same period in 2023 were primarily due to two large commercial customers. Annualized net loan charge-offs for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 were 0.01% compared to annualized net recoveries of 0.03% for the same period in 2023, of average loans receivable, respectively.

    Total non-performing loans, which represent loans on non-accrual status and loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing interest, were $1,696,000, or 0.14% of loans receivable at September 30, 2024, compared with $1,940,000, or 0.18% of loans receivable at December 31, 2023. In cases where there is a collateral shortfall on non-accrual loans, specific reserves have been established based on updated collateral values even if the borrower continues to pay in accordance with the terms of the agreement. At September 30, 2024, $1,021,000, or approximately 60% of the loans classified as non-accrual, are current or past due less than 30 days. Commercial loans classified as substandard or doubtful loans totaled $26,883,000 at September 30, 2024, compared with $11,747,000 at December 31, 2023; these were comprised primarily of commercial real estate loans.

    Non-Interest Income

    Total non-interest income was $1,967,000 for the third quarter of 2024 compared with $1,755,000 for the same period in 2023. There was a net realized gain of $224,000 on the sale of investments for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to a net gain of $131,000 on the sales of securities in the same period in 2023. Unrealized net gain on investment equity securities was $143,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 compared to a net loss of $138,000 for the same period in 2023. During the third quarter of 2024 the Bank sold lower yielding securities to better position its net interest margin.

    Fees for service to customers increased $48,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as overdraft fees decreased $16,000 and other deposit-related fees increased $32,000. Retail brokerage and advisory income decreased $80,000 to $139,000 for the same period, due to a decrease in customer balances following employee turnover. Other non-interest income decreased $151,000 for the same period due to a sales tax refund of $115,000 received in 2023 and a decline in merchant fee income of $16,000 due to value.

    For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, non-interest income was $5,268,000 an increase of $714,000 compared to the same period in 2023, primarily due to the change in fair value of the equities portfolio of $1,783,000. QNB completed the exchange offer to convert the Bank’s Visa B-1 shares to B-2 and C shares in the second quarter of 2024; the fair value of the Visa C shares was a gain of $1,419,000 at September 30, 2024. Realized loss on sale of securities was $495,000, a decline of $680,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared with the same period in 2023. Net gain on sale of loans increased $27,000 when comparing the nine months ended September 30, 2024 with the same period in 2023. Increases in non-interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 comprise: fees for services to customers which increased $79,000. Decreases in non-interest income comprised: ATM and debit card fees, retail brokerage and advisory income, and other which decreased $16,000, $297,000 and $182,000, respectively. Other non-interest income decreased the $182,000 due primarily to a sales tax refund of $115,000 received in 2023, losses on disposals of furniture and equipment, mortgage servicing fees and letter of credit fees.

    Non-Interest Expense

    Total non-interest expense was $8,636,000 for the third quarter of 2024 compared with $8,671,000 for the same period in 2023. Salaries and benefits expense decreased $321,000, or 6.5%, to $4,650,000 when comparing the two quarters. Salary expense and related payroll taxes increased $77,000, or 1.9%, to $4,209,000 during the third quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Benefits expense decreased $400,000, or 81.1%, when comparing the two periods primarily due to a reduction in medical costs and stop-loss reimbursements.

    Net occupancy and furniture and equipment expense increased $27,000, or 1.8%, to $1,531,000 for the third quarter of 2024 primarily due to software maintenance costs partly offset by a reduction in repairs and maintenance. Other non-interest expense increased $259,000, or 11.8%, when comparing third quarter of 2024 with the same period in 2023 due to an increase in Bank shares tax of $89,000, due to the timing of tax credits received, an increase of $50,000 in debit card expense, an increase in FDIC insurance of $67,000, an increase in third-party services of $69,000, and an increase in write-offs due to fraud on customer accounts of $44,000, partly offset by decreases in director fees of $16,000, a decrease in marketing expense of $19,000 and a reduction loan-related costs of $23,000.

    For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, non-interest expense was $26,403,000, an increase of $1,040,000, or 4.1%, compared to the same period in 2023.

    Income Taxes

    Provision for income taxes increased $467,000 to $961,000 in the third quarter of 2024 due to increased pre-tax income, compared with the same period in 2023. The effective tax rates for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was 22.4% compared with 17.4% for the same period in 2023. The effective tax rates for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 was 20.5% compared with 18.9% for the same period in 2023. 

    About the Company

    QNB Corp. is the holding company for QNB Bank, which is headquartered in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. QNB Bank currently operates twelve branches in Bucks, Lehigh and Montgomery Counties and offers commercial and retail banking services in the communities it serves. In addition, the Company provides securities and advisory services under the name of QNB Financial Services through a registered Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Advisor, and title insurance as a member of Laurel Abstract Company LLC. More information about QNB Corp. and QNB Bank is available at QNBBank.com.

    Forward Looking Statement

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Actual results and trends could differ materially from those set forth in such statements due to various factors. Such factors include the possibility that increased demand or prices for the Company’s financial services and products may not occur, changing economic and competitive conditions, technological developments, and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including “Item lA. Risk Factors,” set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release, even if subsequently made available by the Company on its website or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

    QNB Corp.  
    Consolidated Selected Financial Data (unaudited)  
    (Dollars in thousands)                    
    Balance Sheet (Period End) 9/30/24   6/30/24   3/31/24   12/31/23   9/30/23  
    Assets $ 1,841,563   $ 1,761,487   $ 1,716,081   $ 1,706,318   $ 1,684,392  
    Cash and cash equivalents   104,232     76,909     50,963     62,657     55,141  
    Investment securities                    
    Debt securities, AFS   510,036     460,418     481,596     490,181     505,390  
    Equity securities   2,760     7,233     6,217     5,910     4,765  
    Loans held-for-sale   294     786     —     549     446  
    Loans receivable   1,171,361     1,162,310     1,122,616     1,093,533     1,060,450  
    Allowance for loan losses   (8,987 )   (8,858 )   (8,738 )   (8,852 )   (8,542 )
    Net loans   1,162,374     1,153,452     1,113,878     1,084,681     1,051,908  
    Deposits   1,626,284     1,572,839     1,536,188     1,488,713     1,483,333  
    Demand, non-interest bearing   190,240     190,333     188,260     185,098     192,226  
    Interest-bearing demand, money market and savings   1,055,409     1,003,813     990,451     988,634     1,000,921  
    Time   380,635     378,693     357,477     314,981     290,186  
    Short-term borrowings   22,918     49,066     55,088     94,094     96,703  
    Long-term debt   30,000     30,000     20,000     20,000     20,000  
    Subordinated debt   39,030     —     —     —     —  
    Shareholders’ equity   105,340     96,885     93,686     90,824     74,081  
                         
    Asset Quality Data (Period End)                    
    Non-accrual loans $ 1,696   $ 2,078   $ 2,001   $ 1,940   $ 1,893  
    Loans past due 90 days or more and still accruing   —     —     —     —     —  
    Non-performing loans   1,696     2,078     2,001     1,940     1,893  
    Other real estate owned and repossessed assets   —     —     —     —     —  
    Non-performing assets $ 1,696   $ 2,078   $ 2,001   $ 1,940   $ 1,893  
                         
    Allowance for credit losses on loans $ 8,987   $ 8,858   $ 8,738   $ 8,852   $ 8,542  
                         
    Non-performing loans / Loans excluding held-for-sale   0.14 %   0.18 %   0.18 %   0.18 %   0.18 %
    Non-performing assets / Assets   0.09 %   0.12 %   0.12 %   0.11 %   0.11 %
    Allowance for credit losses on loans / Loans excluding held-for-sale   0.77 %   0.76 %   0.78 %   0.81 %   0.81 %
    QNB Corp.
    Consolidated Selected Financial Data (unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) Three months ended,   Nine months ended,
    For the period: 9/30/24 6/30/24 3/31/24 12/31/23 9/30/23   9/30/24 9/30/23
    Interest income $ 21,945   $ 20,345   $ 19,569   $ 19,257   $ 18,497     $ 61,859   $ 49,825  
    Interest expense   10,818     9,753     9,401     9,065     8,284       29,972     19,862  
    Net interest income   11,127     10,592     10,168     10,192     10,213       31,887     29,963  
    Provision for credit losses   159     114     (86 )   293     459       187     (1,137 )
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   10,968     10,478     10,254     9,899     9,754       31,700     31,100  
    Non-interest income:                
    Fees for services to customers   469     427     420     414     421       1,316     1,237  
    ATM and debit card   691     705     636     687     685       2,032     2,048  
    Retail brokerage and advisory income   139     126     93     207     219       358     655  
    Net realized (loss) gain on investment securities   224     (1,096 )   377     (2,262 )   131       (495 )   185  
    Unrealized gain (loss) on equity securities   143     1,016     (30 )   904     (138 )     1,129     (654 )
    Net gain on sale of loans   19     (2 )   15     11     4       32     5  
    Other   282     289     325     322     433       896     1,078  
    Total non-interest income   1,967     1,465     1,836     283     1,755       5,268     4,554  
    Non-interest expense:                
    Salaries and employee benefits   4,650     5,038     4,974     4,717     4,971       14,662     14,309  
    Net occupancy and furniture and equipment   1,531     1,481     1,515     1,477     1,504       4,527     4,348  
    Other   2,455     2,415     2,344     2,552     2,196       7,214     6,706  
    Total non-interest expense   8,636     8,934     8,833     8,746     8,671       26,403     25,363  
    Income before income taxes   4,299     3,009     3,257     1,436     2,838       10,565     10,291  
    Provision for income taxes   961     544     663     302     494       2,168     1,942  
    Net income $ 3,338   $ 2,465   $ 2,594   $ 1,134   $ 2,344     $ 8,397   $ 8,349  
                     
    Share and Per Share Data:                
    Net income – basic $ 0.91   $ 0.67   $ 0.71   $ 0.31   $ 0.65     $ 2.29   $ 2.32  
    Net income – diluted $ 0.91   $ 0.67   $ 0.71   $ 0.31   $ 0.65     $ 2.29   $ 2.32  
    Book value $ 28.57   $ 26.34   $ 25.57   $ 24.86   $ 20.35     $ 28.57   $ 20.35  
    Cash dividends $ 0.37   $ 0.37   $ 0.37   $ 0.37   $ 0.37     $ 1.11   $ 1.11  
    Average common shares outstanding -basic   3,679,799     3,665,695     3,655,176     3,642,096     3,613,230       3,666,937     3,600,137  
    Average common shares outstanding -diluted   3,682,773     3,665,695     3,655,176     3,642,096     3,613,230       3,666,937     3,600,137  
    Selected Ratios:                
    Return on average assets   0.72 %   0.55 %   0.59 %   0.25 %   0.52 %     0.62 %   0.64 %
    Return on average shareholders’ equity   8.13 %   6.14 %   6.53 %   2.83 %   5.88 %     6.95 %   7.13 %
    Net interest margin (tax equivalent)   2.48 %   2.46 %   2.39 %   2.36 %   2.38 %     2.45 %   2.40 %
    Efficiency ratio (tax equivalent)   65.28 %   73.26 %   72.73 %   82.38 %   71.59 %     70.28 %   72.55 %
    Average shareholders’ equity to total average assets   8.80 %   8.97 %   8.98 %   8.93 %   8.91 %     8.92 %   9.01 %
    Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) $ 25   $ 12   $ 21   $ (19 ) $ 275     $ 58   $ (219 )
    Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) – annualized / Average loans excluding held-for-sale   0.01 %   0.00 %   0.01 %   -0.01 %   0.10 %     0.01 %   -0.03 %
    Balance Sheet (Average)                
    Assets $ 1,856,034   $ 1,798,040   $ 1,778,585   $ 1,779,627   $ 1,773,138     $ 1,811,051   $ 1,737,417  
    Investment securities (AFS & Equities)   552,323     569,135     578,615     604,292     624,423       566,638     636,498  
    Loans receivable   1,158,731     1,139,874     1,108,836     1,072,616     1,039,170       1,135,898     1,029,042  
    Deposits   1,600,925     1,542,661     1,497,692     1,490,244     1,488,632       1,547,290     1,443,816  
    Shareholders’ equity   163,274     161,340     159,739     158,987     158,063       161,458     156,499  
    QNB Corp. (Consolidated)  
    Average Balances, Rate, and Interest Income and Expense Summary (Tax-Equivalent Basis)  
                               
      Three Months Ended  
      September 30, 2024     September 30, 2023  
      Average   Average         Average   Average      
      Balance   Rate   Interest     Balance   Rate   Interest  
    Assets                          
    Investment securities:                          
    U.S. Treasury $ 12,811     4.94 % $ 159     $ 7,111     5.17 % $ 92  
    U.S. Government agencies   75,956     1.18     224       101,947     1.11     283  
    State and municipal   105,674     3.74     989       109,157     3.30     901  
    Mortgage-backed and CMOs   345,119     2.84     2,453       394,607     2.53     2,500  
    Corporate debt securities and mutual funds   8,804     5.97     131       6,648     4.40     73  
    Equities   3,959     4.61     46       4,953     4.70     59  
    Total investment securities   552,323     2.90     4,002       624,423     2.50     3,908  
    Loans:                          
    Commercial real estate   819,091     5.60     11,525       722,833     5.10     9,288  
    Residential real estate   110,760     4.21     1,165       107,332     3.81     1,022  
    Home equity loans   66,239     6.84     1,138       57,694     6.65     967  
    Commercial and industrial   140,980     7.61     2,696       128,601     7.23     2,343  
    Consumer loans   3,613     7.75     70       3,823     7.53     73  
    Tax-exempt loans   18,305     3.88     179       19,630     3.59     178  
    Total loans, net of unearned income*   1,158,988     5.76     16,773       1,039,913     5.29     13,871  
    Other earning assets   95,780     5.43     1,307       62,420     5.48     862  
    Total earning assets   1,807,091     4.86     22,082       1,726,756     4.28     18,641  
    Cash and due from banks   15,540               15,679          
    Allowance for loan losses   (8,860 )             (8,396 )        
    Other assets   42,263               39,099          
    Total assets $ 1,856,034             $ 1,773,138          
                               
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity                          
    Interest-bearing deposits:                          
    Interest-bearing demand $ 356,763     1.00 %   898     $ 319,335     0.74 %   600  
    Municipals   154,619     4.69     1,823       157,391     4.63     1,837  
    Money market   238,494     3.56     2,132       201,277     3.01     1,527  
    Savings   278,247     1.28     896       325,567     1.27     1,038  
    Time < $100   178,228     4.12     1,846       128,884     2.92     947  
    Time $100 through $250   152,416     4.64     1,777       106,920     3.69     996  
    Time > $250   49,506     4.61     573       43,856     3.41     377  
    Total interest-bearing deposits   1,408,273     2.81     9,945       1,283,230     2.26     7,322  
    Short-term borrowings   34,078     2.18     186       95,568     3.07     740  
    Long-term debt   30,000     4.75     364       20,000     4.36     222  
    Subordinated debt   13,716     9.42     323       —     —     —  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   1,486,067     2.90     10,818       1,398,798     2.35     8,284  
    Non-interest-bearing deposits   192,652               205,402          
    Other liabilities   14,041               10,875          
    Shareholders’ equity   163,274               158,063          
    Total liabilities and                          
    shareholders’ equity $ 1,856,034             $ 1,773,138          
    Net interest rate spread       1.96 %             1.93 %    
    Margin/net interest income       2.48 % $ 11,264           2.38 % $ 10,357  
    Tax-exempt securities and loans were adjusted to a tax-equivalent basis and are based on the Federal corporate tax rate of 21%  
    Non-accrual loans and investment securities are included in earning assets.  
    * Includes loans held-for-sale  
    QNB Corp. (Consolidated)  
    Average Balances, Rate, and Interest Income and Expense Summary (Tax-Equivalent Basis)  
                               
      Nine Months Ended  
      September 30, 2024     September 30, 2023  
      Average   Average         Average   Average      
      Balance   Rate   Interest     Balance   Rate   Interest  
    Assets                          
    Investment securities:                          
    U.S. Treasury $ 8,820     5.10 % $ 337     $ 3,618     4.97 % $ 134  
    U.S. Government agencies   81,800     1.17     718       101,945     1.11     849  
    State and municipal   107,237     3.56     2,860       109,877     2.64     2,173  
    Mortgage-backed and CMOs   355,878     2.72     7,262       405,979     1.96     5,971  
    Corporate debt securities and mutual funds   7,416     5.78     321       6,637     4.41     219  
    Equities   5,487     3.87     159       8,442     4.07     257  
    Total investment securities   566,638     2.74     11,657       636,498     2.01     9,603  
    Loans:                          
    Commercial real estate   798,714     5.47     32,701       700,375     4.79     25,091  
    Residential real estate   109,463     4.07     3,337       106,817     3.67     2,943  
    Home equity loans   64,700     6.83     3,307       57,317     6.44     2,762  
    Commercial and industrial   141,148     7.57     7,997       141,176     7.55     7,977  
    Consumer loans   3,679     7.78     214       3,942     7.15     211  
    Tax-exempt loans   18,410     3.86     532       19,984     3.53     527  
    Total loans, net of unearned income*   1,136,114     5.65     48,088       1,029,611     5.13     39,511  
    Other earning assets   61,999     5.45     2,530       27,195     5.67     1,153  
    Total earning assets   1,764,751     4.71     62,275       1,693,304     3.97     50,267  
    Cash and due from banks   13,880               14,046          
    Allowance for loan losses   (8,897 )             (8,871 )        
    Other assets   41,317               38,938          
    Total assets $ 1,811,051             $ 1,737,417          
                               
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity                          
    Interest-bearing deposits:                          
    Interest-bearing demand $ 337,632     0.89 %   2,243     $ 314,012     0.52 %   1,227  
    Municipals   139,810     4.76     4,987       128,270     4.34     4,163  
    Money market   232,140     3.57     6,196       169,308     2.30     2,913  
    Savings   288,885     1.28     2,769       363,496     1.18     3,208  
    Time < $100   168,894     3.98     5,027       113,951     2.30     1,960  
    Time $100 through $250   141,156     4.53     4,790       104,697     3.42     2,676  
    Time > $250   50,855     4.49     1,709       36,590     2.80     767  
    Total interest-bearing deposits   1,359,372     2.72     27,721       1,230,324     1.84     16,914  
    Short-term borrowings   57,880     2.33     1,010       112,724     2.99     2,518  
    Long-term debt   26,058     4.63     918       14,267     3.98     430  
    Subordinated debt   4,605     9.35     323       —     —     —  
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   1,447,915     2.77     29,972       1,357,315     1.96     19,862  
    Non-interest-bearing deposits   187,918               213,492          
    Other liabilities   13,760               10,111          
    Shareholders’ equity   161,458               156,499          
    Total liabilities and                          
    shareholders’ equity $ 1,811,051             $ 1,737,417          
    Net interest rate spread       1.94 %             2.01 %    
    Margin/net interest income       2.45 % $ 32,303           2.40 % $ 30,405  
    Tax-exempt securities and loans were adjusted to a tax-equivalent basis and are based on the Federal corporate tax rate of 21%  
    Non-accrual loans and investment securities are included in earning assets.  
    * Includes loans held-for-sale                          

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: LHV Group’s unaudited financial results for Q3 and nine months of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Q3 of 2024 for LHV was marked by strong loan portfolio growth and the highest business volumes so far.

    AS LHV Group earned EUR 84.9 million in revenue on a consolidated basis in Q3 of this year, which is 3% less than in Q2, but 4% more than at the same time a year ago. Of the revenue, net interest income accounted for EUR 67.4 million, and net fee and commission income for EUR 16.3 million. The Group’s operating expenses amounted to EUR 37.2 million in Q3, which is 1% less than in the previous quarter, but 14% more than a year earlier.

    In Q3, AS LHV Group earned EUR 34.7 million in consolidated net profit. It was 10% lower than in Q2 and 12% less than in Q3 of 2023. The return on equity attributable to the Group’s shareholders was 22.4% in Q3.

    During the quarter, AS LHV Pank earned EUR 34.1 million euros in net profit, AS LHV Varahaldus EUR 0.6 million, and AS LHV Kindlustus EUR 0.5 million. LHV Bank Limited reported a net loss of EUR 0.6 million in Q3.

    By the end of September, the volume of LHV Group’s consolidated assets increased to EUR 7.82 billion. Over the quarter, the volume of assets increased by EUR 491 million, i.e. 7%. Compared to the previous quarter, the Group’s consolidated loan portfolio increased by EUR 236 million to EUR 4.13 billion (+6%; + EUR 246 million in Q2). Consolidated deposits increased by EUR 502 million to EUR 6.29 billion during the quarter (+9%; + EUR 150 million in Q2). The total volume of funds managed by LHV was EUR 1.52 billion at the end of September, which is EUR 8 million less than in the previous quarter (-1%; – EUR 11 million in Q2). The number of processed payments to financial intermediaries’ clients amounted to 18.8 million in Q3 (+3% compared to 18.3 million payments in Q2).

    In the nine months of 2024, LHV Group has earned EUR 257.6 million in net income on a consolidated basis (+15% compared to 2023), and the total expenses have been EUR 110.4 million (+14%). This year, LHV’s consolidated loan portfolio has increased by EUR 564 million, i.e. 16%, and deposits (excluding deposits of financial intermediaries) by EUR 659 million (+14%).

    The Group’s consolidated net profit for the nine months was EUR 114 million, which is EUR 5.8 million more than a year earlier (+5%). In nine months, AS LHV Pank earned EUR 105.7 million, LHV Bank Limited EUR 5.2 million, AS LHV Varahaldus EUR 1.1 million, and AS LHV Kindlustus EUR 1.1 million in net profit. LHV Group’s nine-month return on equity was 25.6%.

    LHV’s nine-month net profit fell EUR 0.4 million short of the financial plan published at the beginning of October.

    Income statement, EUR thousand Q3-2024 Q2-2024 Q3-2023
       Net interest income 67 427 70 424 68 141
       Net fee and commission income 16 320 16 262 13 617
       Net gains from financial assets 798 -37 -589
       Other income 355 638 311
    Total revenue 84 900 87 287 81 480
       Staff costs -20 166 -21 108 -16 308
       Office rent and expenses -854 -609 -1 085
       IT expenses -3 820 -3 471 -3 379
       Marketing expenses -1 338 -973 -845
       Other operating expenses -11 066 -11 426 -11 190
    Total operating expenses -37 245 -37 587 -32 807
    EBIT 47 655 49 700 48 673
    Earnings before impairment losses 47 655 49 700 48 673
       Impairment losses on loans and advances -7 276 -5 043 -2 883
       Income tax -5 681 -6 071 -6 314
    Net profit 34 697 38 586 39 476
       Profit attributable to non-controlling interest 312 300 418
       Profit attributable to share holders of the parent 34 385 38 286 39 058
           
       Profit attributable to non-controlling interest 0.11 0.12 0.12
       Profit attributable to share holders of the parent 0.10 0.12 0.12
    Balance sheet, EUR thousand Sep 2024 Jun 2024 Sep 2023
       Cash and cash equivalents 3 376 016 3 217 448 2 857 964
       Financial assets 259 933 157 131 269 828
       Loans granted 4 168 778 3 925 877 3 396 048
       Loan impairments -42 543 -35 333 -20 466
       Receivables from customers 10 598 15 919 36 873
       Other assets 47 567 48 681 50 924
    Total assets 7 820 348 7 329 723 6 591 170
          Demand deposits 4 160 516 3 882 999 3 814 480
          Term deposits 2 125 844 1 900 930 1 501 724
          Loans received 679 550 735 281 461 635
       Loans received and deposits from customers 6 965 910 6 519 211 5 777 839
       Other liabilities 108 605 100 710 124 238
       Subordinated loans 106 079 107 521 166 848
    Total liabilities 7 180 595 6 727 441 6 068 925
    Equity 639 754 602 282 522 245
       Minority interest 8 006 7 695 7 706
    Total liabilities and equity 7 820 348 7 329 723 6 591 170

    Although the business environment is still affected by the economic downturn, both the growth and quality of LHV’s loan portfolio remained at a strong level. In addition to the growing number of clients, the activity of clients was also at a good level. The share of overdue loans remains low, but both model-based discounts and discounts to individual clients have been added.

    The number of clients of LHV Pank increased by 11,200 during the quarter, and a total of 37,200 bank clients (+9%) have been added in a year. The activity of clients in terms of settlements and the use of bank cards was good, and the active issuance of home loans continued: one in four home loans in Estonia continued to be taken out with LHV Pank. Retail loans increased by EUR 112 million over the quarter and corporate loans by EUR 47 million. The growth in deposits resulted in EUR 174 million from regular clients and EUR 52 million from financial intermediaries. Platform deposits were added in the amount of EUR 92 million. In a situation where interest rates on fixed-term deposits are falling, the bank’s focus remains on attracting deposits.

    During the quarter, the offer of student loans was reopened, and with the help of LHV Pank, both Estonian Treasury Bills and several other securities offers were organised on the Baltic markets. In September, the Instar survey identified LHV Pank as the most preferred employer in Estonia in terms of students, business students, and experienced employees.

    For LHV Bank operating in the United Kingdom, Q3 saw record loan growth, as the loan portfolio increased by EUR 76 million. There are EUR 150 million of loans approved by the Credit Committee but not yet issued. The quality of the loan portfolio remains strong, as there are no debtors. The focus on loans will continue to be relevant: to date, LHV Bank has entered into cooperation agreements with more than 50 loan brokers and has assembled the entire team. The deposits included by LHV Bank increased by EUR 189 million over the quarter. The payment volumes of financial intermediaries remained at the same level as in Q2. In September, the results reflected one-off expenses incurred in the previous months, which affected the quarterly profit.

    The development of LHV Bank’s retail banking offering, mobile bank, and website continued. At the beginning of October, the mobile bank was opened for testing by own employees, the first accounts were opened and the first payments were made. At the beginning of July, LHV Bank joined the SEPA scheme, and joining the TIPS scheme is scheduled for April 2025.

    All pension funds managed by LHV Varahaldus had a positive rate of return in Q3. The quarter was characterised by a more volatile and weaker time in the markets. The volume of the II pillar was affected by the movements of clients at the beginning of September and the exit from the II pillar, which reduced the number of active clients making monthly contributions by 2,000. At the same time, the volume of the III pillar exceeded the level of EUR 100 million. Business results were largely in line with the financial plan revised in October. Approximately 8,000 people had submitted applications for larger contributions to the II pillar by the end of the quarter, and applications for the coming year can be submitted until the end of November.

    LHV Kindlustus continued on the path of good sales performance and profitability. For the second quarter in a row, home and travel insurance sales showed excellent growth. At the same time, there were few major loss events. The number of clients continued to grow. Net earned bonuses are outpacing the financial plan, with operating expenses being lower than planned. The decreasing net cost ratio supports the achievement of profitability goals.

    As at the end of the quarter, LHV Group is well capitalised and the Group’s internal capital generation capacity exceeds loan growth. If the growth continues, there is a possibility that LHV Group will organise the offering of T2 bonds in Q4.

    Comment by Madis Toomsalu, Chairman of the Management Board of the LHV Group: “During Q3, we achieved the highest business volumes in history, both in Estonian home and corporate loans, and in UK corporate loans. The total loan portfolio increased by EUR 236 million, showing a very strong result. To finance loan growth, deposits increased by EUR 502 million. In Estonia, the activity of clients continued to grow, and free euro payments bring in clients who make settlements and receive wages to their account. More and more clients are also using the insurance services of LHV. In the United Kingdom, the focus is on preparing for the launch of mobile banking, payments, and bank cards aimed at retail clients.”

    To access the reports of AS LHV Group, please visit the website at https://investor.lhv.ee/en/reports/.

    In order to present the results of the quarter, LHV Group will organise an investor meeting via the Zoom webinar platform. The virtual investor meeting will take place on 22 October at 9.00, before the market opens. The presentation will be in Estonian. We kindly ask you to register at the following address: https://lhvbank.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3bEDDGaqQL-Q3rXLMkk-eA.

    LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. The LHV Group’s key subsidiaries are LHV Pank, LHV Varahaldus, LHV Kindlustus, and LHV Bank Limited. The Group employs nearly 1,200 people. As at the end of September, LHV’s banking services are being used by 445,000 clients, the pension funds managed by LHV have 116,000 active clients, and LHV Kindlustus protects a total of 169,000 clients. LHV Bank Limited, a subsidiary of the Group, holds a banking licence in the United Kingdom and provides banking services to international financial technology companies, as well as loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.

    Priit Rum
    Communications Manager
    Phone: +372 502 0786
    Email: priit.rum@lhv.ee 

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: eQ Plc’s interim report Q3 2024 – eQ’s operating profit EUR 27.6 million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    eQ Plc interim report
    22 October 2024 at 8:00 AM

    January to September 2024 in brief

    • During the period under review, the Group’s net revenue totalled EUR 50.9 million (EUR 52.3 million from 1 Jan. to 30 Sept. 2023). The Group’s net fee and commission income was EUR 49.8 million (EUR 51.5 million).
    • The Group’s operating profit fell by 8% to EUR 27.6 million (EUR 30.0 million).
    • The Group’s profit was EUR 21.9 million (EUR 23.8 million).
    • The consolidated earnings per share were EUR 0.53 (EUR 0.59).
    • The net revenue of the Asset Management segment decreased by 10% to EUR 45.5 million (EUR 50.3 million) and the operating profit by 15% to EUR 26.9 million (EUR 31.7 million). The management fees of the Asset Management segment fell by 10% to EUR 42.0 million (EUR 46.8 million) and the performance fees increased by 3% to EUR 4.0 million (EUR 3.9 million). During the review period, the assets managed by eQ Asset Management grew by 3% to EUR 13.3 billion (EUR 12.9 billion on 31 Dec. 2023).
    • The net revenue of the Corporate Finance segment was EUR 4.3 million (EUR 1.2 million)
       and the operating profit was EUR 1.5 million (EUR -0.9 million).
    • The operating profit of the Investments segment was EUR 0.5 million (EUR 0.4 million).
    • The net cash flow from the Group’s own private equity and real estate fund investment operations was EUR 0.7 million (EUR 0.2 million).

    July to September 2024 in brief

    • In the third quarter, the Group’s net revenue totalled EUR 16.7 million (EUR 16.6 million from 1 July to 30 Sept. 2023). The Group’s net fee and commission income was EUR 16.6 million (EUR 16.2 million).
    • The Group’s operating profit fell by 6% to EUR 9.6 million (EUR 10.2 million).
    • The Group’s profit was EUR 7.6 million (EUR 8.1 million).
    • The consolidated earnings per share were EUR 0.18 (EUR 0.20).
    Key ratios 1-9/24 1-9/23 Change 7-9/24 7-9/23 Change 1-12/23
    Net revenue, Group, MEUR 50.9 52.3 -3% 16.7 16.6 1% 70.9
    Net revenue, Asset Management, MEUR 45.5 50.3 -10% 15.2 15.9 -4% 66.9
    Net revenue, Corporate Finance, MEUR 4.3 1.2 251% 1.3 0.3 300% 3.9
    Net revenue, Investments, MEUR 0.5 0.4 15% -0.1 0.3 -133% -0.6
    Net revenue, Group administration and eliminations, MEUR 0.7 0.4   0.2 0.1    0.6
                   
    Operating profit, Group, MEUR 27.6 30.0 -8% 9.6 10.2 -6% 39.7
    Operating profit, Asset Management, MEUR 26.9 31.7 -15% 9.4 10.5 -10% 41.4
    Operating profit, Corporate Finance, MEUR 1.5 -0.9 265% 0.5 -0.2 331% 0.7
    Operating profit, Investments, MEUR 0.5 0.4 15% -0.1 0.3 -133% -0.6
    Operating profit, Group administration, MEUR -1.1 -1.3   -0.3 -0.4   -1.7
                   
    Profit for the period, MEUR 21.9 23.8 -8% 7.6 8.1 -6% 31.5
                   
    Key ratios 1-9/24 1-9/23 Change 7-9/24 7-9/23 Change 1-12/23
    Earnings per share, EUR 0.53 0.59 -9% 0.18 0.20 -8% 0.78
    Equity per share, EUR 1.64 1.65 -1% 1.64 1.65 -1% 1.85
    Cost/income ratio, Group, % 45.7 42.6 7% 42.8 38.5 11% 43.8
                   
    Liquid assets, MEUR 29.0 22.4 29% 29.0 22.4 29% 33.4
    Private equity and real estate fund investments, MEUR 16.5 17.1 -4% 16.5 17.1 -4% 16.6
    Interest-bearing loans, MEUR 0.0 0.0 0% 0.0 0.0 0% 0.0
                   
    Assets under management excluding reporting services, EUR billion 10.4 9.9 4% 10.4 9.9 4% 10.0
    Assets under management, EUR billion 13.3 12.8 4% 13.3 12.8 4% 12.9

    Mikko Koskimies, CEO

    Before the summer, it was expected that the Federal Reserve would not be able to cut its reference rate until late 2024 or in 2025. However, this view changed in early August, when labour market data was clearly weaker than expected. Strong fears emerged in the markets that the central bank acted too late when cutting interest rates and that the economy was at risk of a recession. Interest rate markets immediately anticipated that the Federal Reserve would cut its reference rate exceptionally quickly and sharply. Stock markets fell. Market positions were unwound at a rapid pace, resulting in Japanese yen’s sharp value increase and the Japanese stock market’s steep decline.

    Economic data released in the following weeks showed that market reactions had been disproportionate. However, the increased risk of recession was reflected in the Federal Reserve cutting its reference rate by 0.5 percentage points in September. The European Central Bank had already cut its reference rate in the summer and implemented another 0.25 percentage point cut in September. In Europe, economic growth differentials are exceptionally high, complicating the ECB’s monetary policy stance. Towards the end of the third quarter, China announced larger economic policy measures to boost growth. This led to a sharp rise in share prices at the very end of the quarter.

    Equity markets fluctuated in line with the recession, but as predictions of the economy’s soft landing returned, third-quarter returns turned clearly positive. At the beginning of the year, the US was the frontrunner, with the S&P 500 index returning as much as 21.7% in dollars (20.5% in euros). The rise of US share prices continues to be driven by a few technology companies. MSCI Europe had risen 11.6% since the beginning of the year. The Finnish stock market rose rapidly in the third quarter, up 8.8% from the start of the year. In emerging markets, share prices rose by 15.7% at the start of the year.

    eQ’s operating profit EUR 27.6 million

    The net revenue of the Group during the review period was EUR 50.9 million and the operating profit was EUR 27.6 million. Operating profit fell by 8 per cent from the previous year.

    eQ Asset Management’s assets under management increased

    eQ Asset Management’s net revenue in the review period fell by 10 per cent to EUR 45.5 million. The operating profit of the period fell by 15 per cent to EUR 26.9 million. The assets managed by eQ Asset Management grew by 3 per cent to EUR 13.3 billion during the period under review.

    As for traditional interest and equity investments, the returns of client portfolios in the first half were very good. Of the funds that eQ manages itself, 38 per cent surpassed their benchmark indices, and during a three-year period the corresponding figure was 62 per cent. During the review period eQ’s funds also received awards from both Morningstar and Lipper.

    As for sales, the year 2024 has gone well especially in Private Equity asset management. In 2024, Private Equity assets are raised to the eQ PE XVI North and eQ PE SF V funds, which make investments in Northern Europe. Their sizes increased to almost EUR 300 million in total at the end September. At the same time, the size the eQ VC II fund, which makes Venture Capital investments and which was started with the first closing of EUR 20 million last October, grew to 49 million dollars.

    Advium’s profit grew

    During the period under review, Advium’s net revenue totalled EUR 4.3 million (EUR 1.2 million). Operating profit was EUR 1.5 million (EUR -0.9 million).

    M&A activity in the third quarter of the year has remained at the same level as at the beginning of the year, but at a clearly lower level compared to the longer-term average. Volumes of the real estate transaction market are also still significantly below the long-term average.

    During the first nine months of 2024, Advium advised on four M&A transactions and one real estate transaction: Advising Aspo Plc on its minority investment in OP Suomi Infra, advising the eQ Commercial Properties fund on the sale of the Bredis retail park, advising an acquiring consortium on the public offer for Purmo Group, advising Innofactor Board of Directors on public cash offer for the company and advising Forcit on its agreement to acquire part of Orica’s Finnish and Swedish businesses.

    Jacob af Forselles was appointed as the Managing Director of Advium Corporate Finance Ltd and as a member to eQ Group’s Management Team. He started in his position at the beginning of August.

    The operating profit of Investments increased slightly

    The operating profit of the Investments segment was EUR 0.5 million (EUR 0.4 million), and the net cash flow was EUR 0.7 million (EUR 0.2 million). The balance sheet value of the private equity and real estate fund investments at the end of the period was EUR 16.5 million (EUR 16.6 million on 31 Dec. 2023). During the period, eQ Plc made a EUR 1 million investment commitment in the new eQ PE XVI North fund.

    Outlook

    The asset management market in Finland has grown strongly, and eQ’s growth has outpaced the market. We estimate that the long-term outlook for growth in the asset management market and for eQ in Finland is still good.

    For eQ’s real estate funds, 2023 was a difficult year due to an increase of the yields resulting from a strong rise in the interest rate level. As yields rose, values of properties clearly declined. Also, net subscriptions in funds were negative. The limited availability of real estate financing also contributed to a significant decrease in real estate transactions. With regard to the real estate funds, we expect 2024 to be a challenging year, although the long-term outlook for growth is good. Sales of eQ’s Private Equity products has continued to be strong, and the desire of Finnish asset management clients to increase Private Equity allocations in their portfolios will continue to support the growth of eQ’s Private Equity products. We also anticipate a growth in performance fees from 2025 onwards, due to the transfer of several Private Equity products to a performance fee stage. eQ’s competitive position in traditional asset management products and discretionary asset management is good thanks to excellent returns on investments. We believe that traditional asset management has great potential for growth in future years, considering however its characteristic short-term variation according to market conditions.

    ***

    eQ’s interim report 1 January to 30 September 2024 is enclosed to this release and it is also available on the company website at http://www.eQ.fi.

    eQ Plc

    Additional information:
    Mikko Koskimies, CEO, tel. +358 9 6817 8799
    Antti Lyytikäinen, CFO, tel. +358 9 6817 8741

    Distribution: Nasdaq Helsinki, http://www.eQ.fi, media

    eQ Group is a group of companies that concentrates on asset management and corporate finance business. eQ Asset Management offers a wide range of asset management services (including private equity funds and real estate asset management) for institutions and private individuals. The assets managed by the Group total approximately EUR 13.3 billion. Advium Corporate Finance, which is part of the Group, offers services related to mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions and equity capital markets. More information about the Group is available on our website http://www.eQ.fi.

    Attachment

    • eQ Plc interim report Q3 2024

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Greater BRICS spearheads Global South cooperation as leaders meet in Kazan

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo shows a view of the Kazan Kremlin in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 16th BRICS Summit on Oct. 22-24 in the Russian city of Kazan at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    BRICS is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, five major emerging markets with considerable economic potential. It has now evolved into an influential international cooperation mechanism with an expanded membership.

    Over the past 18 years, China has upheld the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation and helped drive the BRICS cooperation mechanism to a new level, serving as a constructive force for safeguarding world peace, promoting common development, improving global governance and facilitating democratization of international relations.

    This year marks the beginning of greater BRICS cooperation. During the upcoming summit, the first such gathering to be held after the BRICS expansion, Xi and leaders of other BRICS countries are expected to draw a blueprint for the development of its mechanism, inject new impetus into a multipolar world, facilitate economic globalization and democratization of international relations, and open up a new chapter for the solidarity and development of the Global South.

    New starting point

    “BRICS is an important force in shaping the international landscape. We choose our development paths independently, jointly defend our right to development, and march in tandem toward modernization. This represents the direction of the advancement of human society, and will profoundly impact the development process of the world,” said Xi during the 15th BRICS Summit in August 2023.

    Other than the countries that officially joined the BRICS family on Jan. 1, 2024, over 30 countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have either formally applied for or expressed interest in its membership.

    After the expansion, the BRICS countries account for about 30 percent of the global GDP, nearly half of the global population and one-fifth of global trade.

    China has been committed to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with its BRICS partners. In the first quarter of this year, China’s imports and exports to BRICS countries increased by more than 11 percent year on year.

    Ahmed Al-Ali, a researcher based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said that the BRICS has become an important engine to drive global economic recovery and maintain world peace and stability thanks to its steady economic growth, and equal and extensive cooperation opportunities.

    “Ethiopia’s BRICS membership could significantly boost the country’s socio-economic development through various economic opportunities, including increased investment, expanded South-South cooperation and trade partnerships,” said Balew Demissie, a researcher at the Policy Studies Institute of Ethiopia.

    China’s cooperation with other BRICS members has strongly defended multilateralism and promoted the democratization of international relations, said Evandro Carvalho, a Brazilian professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, an economic think tank.

    The appeal of the BRICS cooperation mechanism comes from its spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation. “BRICS countries gather not in a closed club or an exclusive circle, but a big family of mutual support and a partnership for win-win cooperation,” Xi said during the 14th BRICS Summit in June 2022.

    From the “BRICS Plus” cooperation approach proposed in 2017 to the historic expansion of BRICS membership, the mechanism is widely welcomed, with growing influence and appeal.

    The BRICS cooperation mechanism respects the interests of all parties involved and is an “attractive platform for cooperation and mutual benefit,” said Elshad Mammadov, an Azerbaijani economics expert.

    The BRICS Media Summit is held in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Fruitful achievements

    At present, the mechanism is at a crucial stage of building on past achievements and ushering in a new era of cooperation. China is working with other BRICS partners, embarking on a new journey of greater BRICS cooperation.

    “We should navigate the trend of our times and stay in the forefront. We should always bear in mind our founding purpose of strengthening ourselves through unity, enhance cooperation across the board, and build a high-quality partnership. We should help reform global governance to make it more just and equitable, and bring to the world more certainty, stability and positive energy,” Xi has said.

    Applauding more participants and exploring new ways of cooperation within the mechanism, the BRICS countries will also have more opportunities and their roles in the global arena will continue to expand, said Ivan Melnikov, first vice-chairman of the Russian State Duma and chairman of the Russia-China Friendship Association.

    China and its BRICS partners have worked together to advance practical cooperation and deepen mutual benefit, setting up projects such as the China-BRICS Science and Innovation Incubation Park for the New Era and the China-BRICS AI Development and Cooperation Center, as well as hosting the BRICS Forum on Partnership on New Industrial Revolution and BRICS Industrial Innovation Contest.

    Set up by the BRICS and opened in 2015, the New Development Bank (NDB) aims to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging market economies and developing countries.

    Meanwhile, people-to-people and cultural exchanges among BRICS countries are in full swing with popular events such as film festivals, sports games, and co-productions of films and documentaries.

    The first special session for BRICS countries of the International Youth Poetry Festival kicked off in the Southeastern Chinese city of Hangzhou in July, attracting 72 poets from BRICS countries.

    In mid-September, over 60 media leaders from more than 40 countries joined the BRICS Media Summit in Moscow, discussing the role of BRICS media in promoting a multipolar world.

    People-to-people exchanges have deepened among BRICS countries, and BRICS member states have worked towards a closer friendship, providing a “BRICS model” for promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, said Ahmed Hamadi, a political commentator of the Aletihad News Center of the UAE.

    A model of E190-E2 aircraft is on display at the exhibition of BRICS New Industrial Revolution 2024 in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian Province, Sept. 10, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Bright future

    Thanks to the concerted efforts of all parties, the BRICS has increasingly become an important force in shaping the international landscape and safeguarding global stability.

    The BRICS cooperation mechanism is now a key venue for emerging markets and developing countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and safeguard common interests, thereby serving as the most pivotal mechanism representing the Global South.

    China is a significant promoter of BRICS cooperation and a natural member of the Global South. Beijing has all along stood with other developing countries through thick and thin. While pursuing its own development, China has continuously provided new opportunities for the rest of the world by sharing its development dividends.

    “China’s role in promoting the continuous development of BRICS is significant,” said Zukiswa Roboji, a researcher at Walter Sisulu University in South Africa.

    The BRICS mechanism effectively promotes solidarity and cooperation among countries of the Global South, and enhances the representation of developing countries in global governance, and China has made positive contributions to raising the global influence of BRICS cooperation, Roboji said.

    The genuine multilateralism advocated by China and its efforts in promoting the modernization of the Global South have brought confidence and important strength to the world, said Bunn Nagara, director and senior fellow at Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia-Pacific.

    “Today, China is exactly what the countries of the Global South want to be,” said Dilma Rousseff, former Brazilian president and president of the NDB, adding that China’s advocacy of more just and effective global governance is helping the world build a bright shared future.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Revitalizing property, shares high on agenda

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s monetary policymakers are likely to continue next year to prioritize revitalizing market expectations for the ailing property sector and an undervalued capital market to help bring about a steady economic recovery, economists and market mavens said.

    Such a policy stance was clearly signaled by the larger-than-expected lending rate reduction on Monday and the country’s first monetary policy tools that channel funds to the capital market, which will substantively alleviate homebuyer burdens while repairing the valuation of Chinese equities.

    “Shoring up the real estate sector and stabilizing the capital market have become the critical premise for China to expand domestic demand,” said Liu Yuanchun, president of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

    On Monday, China cut its market-based benchmark lending rates, with the one-year loan prime rate down to 3.1 percent and the over-five-year LPR, on which lenders base their mortgage rates, to 3.6 percent, both 25 basis points below September levels.

    The cut was slightly larger than expected and marked the biggest cut since 2019 when LPRs became benchmarks.

    Wang Qing, chief macroeconomic analyst at Golden Credit Rating International, said the considerable LPR reduction reflects that the People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, is putting into place the “impactful interest rate cuts” outlined by the country’s top leadership, a move that will effectively ease homebuyers’ and enterprises’ financing costs.

    “To ensure that the real estate market stops falling, boosts economic momentum and drives price levels to recover moderately, there remains some room for LPR reductions in 2025,” Wang said.

    China’s A-share market ended higher following the cut, led by smaller-cap stocks, with Shanghai’s tech-heavy STAR 50 index up 2.22 percent to close at 1000.37 points. The market was also lifted by the implementation of a special central bank lending program to buy back shares and boost share holdings.

    The program, starting Friday, offers 300 billion yuan ($42.18 billion) in loans at a rate of 1.75 percent to 21 eligible banks, which will then lend to qualified companies and shareholders at a rate no higher than 2.25 percent.

    As of Sunday, 23 listed companies had applied for over 10 billion yuan of the loans, and more are expected to follow suit.

    Liu, the SUFE president, said the program signals a “significant paradigm shift” that the PBOC is now striving to correct a systemic stock pricing distortion.

    “This will help establish a floor for China’s capital market, addressing the widespread, persistent issue of stock market values falling below book values.”

    Addressing Sibos 2024, a financial services event organized by Swift on Monday, Lu Lei, deputy governor of the PBOC, said the country’s financial sector will continue to embrace opening-up and cooperation, vowing to encourage Chinese sovereign wealth funds and financial institutions to invest abroad.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Sibos conference reveals China’s financial openness

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Photo taken on Oct. 3, 2022 shows the view of skyscrapers of the Central Business District (CBD) at dusk in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The Swift International Banker’s Operation Seminar 2024 (Sibos 2024) opened Monday in Beijing, a milestone demonstrating the country’s openness in the finance sector as it is the first time the Chinese capital has hosted the event.

    Over 10,000 participants from more than 150 countries and regions have gathered for Sibos 2024, which covers a wide range of topics, including payments, digital assets, trade financing, artificial intelligence and sustainable finance.

    The forum also has an exhibition area covering 133 financial institutions and third-party organizations, such as J.P. Morgan, Citibank, HSBC and ICBC.

    Lu Lei, deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), said at the opening ceremony that China has removed foreign ownership restrictions on banking, securities and insurance, attracting over 110 foreign financial institutions to operate in the country.

    The PBOC will expand the interconnectivity of domestic and international financial markets, further support excellent Chinese companies in listing and issuing bonds overseas, and encourage China’s sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions and other business entities to invest overseas, Lu said.

    He also noted that the PBOC will support qualified global banking institutions to join the Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), facilitating the clearance of cross-border RMB transactions.

    Javier Pérez-Tasso, chief executive officer of Swift, highlighted the rapid economic development in China and the corresponding growth of Swift’s business in the country. Swift is collaborating closely with CIPS and other entities to ensure the security of global finance and payments, the CEO said.

    Rani Gu, managing director and head of Payments, Greater China at J.P. Morgan, said the conference will foster communication and cooperation between China and top financial institutions around the world, further promoting the interconnectivity of the global financial industry and contributing to the further openness of China’s financial market.

    Bill Winters, group chief executive of Standard Chartered, said China is at the heart of the global trade and cross-border payments.

    The opportunity to be in China — looking at the global payments infrastructure through the lens of the Chinese market and from a Chinese perspective — is a special opportunity for Standard Chartered and could not be more timely, he said.

    The annual conference will run until Oct. 24 at the China National Convention Center.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: FTZ reforms deepen China-ASEAN economic, trade ties

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    NANNING, Oct. 22 — In a bustling fruit processing facility in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the air is sweet with the luscious aroma of mangoes. Workers diligently manage a state-of-the-art, fully automated production line, preparing to send delectable products to eager markets across Southeast Asia.

    In recent years, with the deepening of economic cooperation and the trade exchange of agricultural products between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the complementary advantages of agricultural products trade between Guangxi and ASEAN have become more prominent. The geographical advantages of land and sea links with ASEAN have also injected vitality into the continuous expansion of Guangxi’s fruit exports.

    According to data from Nanning Customs, in 2023, Guangxi imported 16.71 billion yuan (about 2.4 billion U.S. dollars) of ASEAN agricultural products, a year-on-year increase of 43.1 percent. At the same time, Guangxi’s special fruits, such as orah mandarins and sweet tangerines, have also been well received in the ASEAN market.

    The thriving fruit trade has also spurred related companies to invest and establish their operations in Guangxi.

    Guangxi Junyi Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd, a mango-processing company established in 2020 in the Chongzuo area in the China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), is the region’s first border-based fruit processing enterprise with an annual main business turnover of at least 20 million yuan.

    “The pilot FTZ’s policies, including tax incentives, streamlined trade procedures and financial innovations, have not only laid fertile ground for growth but also provided substantial cost benefits to businesses,” said Shen Wuyang, the company’s deputy general manager.

    Guangxi, often described as China’s gateway to ASEAN, has risen to the forefront of China’s trade and cooperation with ASEAN in recent years, thanks to the establishment of the pilot FTZ.

    In 2019, the pilot FTZ was established to promote China’s opening up to ASEAN and to pilot new mechanisms in China-ASEAN cooperation. Since its inception, the pilot FTZ has proven to be a powerhouse, taking up a 37.7 percent share of Guangxi’s total foreign investment and a notable 38.6 percent share of the region’s foreign trade volume.

    The pilot FTZ comprises the Nanning area in the region’s capital city, the Qinzhou Port area along the coast and the Chongzuo area bordering Vietnam.

    The Chongzuo area is home to Youyiguan Port, or Friendship Pass, one of China’s busiest land ports for the trade of fruit.

    Thanks to the development of economic and trade relations between China and ASEAN, Youyiguan Port’s cargo clearance efficiency has doubled.

    “Our cargo predominantly goes to Southeast Asia, with Vietnam taking up 80 percent of our shipments and the remainder being distributed to places like Malaysia and Thailand,” noted Wang Shuqing, operations supervisor of a supply chain management company in Guangxi.

    The zone’s Nanning area focuses on the development of modern finance, the digital economy and modern services. It is pioneering innovation in cross-border finance and renminbi businesses, especially those working with ASEAN nations.

    “Previously, cross-border transactions between Guangxi and Indonesian companies involved an intermediate step of converting RMB to U.S. dollars before changing it to Indonesian rupiah. Now, we can achieve direct settlements,” said Bai Lili, deputy general manager of a China CITIC Bank branch located in the Nanning area of the pilot FTZ.

    As the pilot FTZ’s only coastal area, Qinzhou Port Area is establishing itself as a high-level gateway port that facilitates the transportation of cargo between China and ASEAN.

    According to Ye Jun, an official with the administrative committee of Qinzhou Port Area, the industrial focus of the area is on petrochemical projects, with quite a number of petrochemical enterprises having already set foot in raw material and preliminary processing in ASEAN countries.

    So far, more than 38,000 new enterprises have been established in Qinzhou Port Area, including 355 foreign-funded companies. Among the over 150 industrial projects operational or under construction, the area has attracted investments exceeding 300 billion yuan and is home to four enterprises with annual outputs of over 10 billion yuan.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Unreported in New Zealand

    Source: ACT Party

    The Haps

    The Solicitor General backed down on prosecution guidelines that told prosecutors to ‘think carefully’ about someone’s race before prosecuting. It shows New Zealand has really changed. Not so long ago such policies bucketed down and people felt helpless. Now we are getting real change.

    CPI inflation at 2.2 per cent, amidst the 1-3 per cent target band, is the news we’ve been waiting for. Inflation first broke out in 2021, with high interest rates following close behind. It’s taken less than a year of the new Government, one mini-budget, and one budget to get it under control. Now the way is clear for significant further rate cuts at the next Reserve Bank announcement on November 27.

    Unreported in New Zealand

    Last week, the Nobel Prize in economics was awarded to three economists, Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity.” You won’t have read about this in the New Zealand press, besides syndicated cut and paste jobs, even though it is about colonisation, institutions, and prosperity.

    The official Nobel Citation says: The richest 20 per cent of the world’s countries are now around 30 times richer than the poorest 20 per cent. Moreover, the income gap between the richest and poorest countries is persistent; although the poorest countries have become richer, they are not catching up with the most prosperous. Why? This year’s laureates have found new and convincing evidence for one explanation for this persistent gap – differences in a society’s institutions.

    The economists studied many countries’ histories over the last 400 years, focusing on the influence of European countries that colonised most of the world. They conclude that what kind of set-up, or institutions, those colonising countries left has a strong bearing on the colonised countries’ prosperity today.

    They divide countries into two types. There are inclusive countries, that give people equal rights, to vote, own property, and operate under the rule of law. There are extractive countries, set up to extract natural resources and benefit a small number of people.

    The extractive countries tend to be the ones that weren’t very welcoming to colonisers, for example if there was a lot of malaria. In these cases, e.g. African ones, a small number of settlers arranged to get the wealth out of the ground, and that was about it.

    The alternative is inclusive countries, with free markets, the rule of law and democracy. The United States is the obvious example, along with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. These countries attracted settlers in large numbers and there were too many of them to simply exploit natural resources. Instead they created inclusive institutions.

    There is a twist, an historic reversal of fortunes. The countries that were relatively poorer before colonisation, and ended up adopting more colonial institutions, are now relatively wealthier.

    Another important observation is that history is not static. Over time, countries liberalise. Colonial institutions were not set down in a state of perfection, far from it. But they were capable of improvement, widening voting rights, compensating for past wrongs, and enhancing civil liberties.

    You are probably starting to get a sense of why this work has not been discussed in the NZ Press. It finds that institutions matter if you want people to be prosperous. It doesn’t matter where you start, it’s where you finish that counts, and that depends on adopting the best institutions, democracy, the rule of law, property rights, free speech, and all of those values that allow people to flourish.

    No doubt New Zealand universities will be holding book burnings in case these Nobel Prize winners’ ideas make students ‘feel unsafe.’ The same institutions trained the journalists, which may be why there’s been so little discussion about this.

    Nonetheless, somewhere in our future is a country where free and open debate is not only allowed but cherished. It would be a country where we can discuss what works to create prosperity.

    The central lesson of these economists’ work is really that wealth is not given or taken, it is not ‘owned’ rightfully by any historic group. It can be created, to the point that everyone is richer than 200 years ago, but some people are 30 times richer. The trick is to adopt the right institutions, the policies that work, as quickly as possible, and those institutions are democracy, free markets, the rule of law, and equal rights for all.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2024 Article IV Consultation with Türkiye

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    October 11, 2024

    Washington, DC: On September 27, 2024, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation[1] with Türkiye.

    A decisive shift in economic policies over the past year has tightened Türkiye’s overall policy stance. The Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT) has brought the ex ante real policy rate into positive territory while reducing regulatory complexity. Tax and expenditure measures underpin efforts to restore fiscal prudence and the commitment to stronger incomes policies has strengthened credibility.

    The policy turnaround has reduced economic imbalances and revived confidence. Headline inflation has fallen as tighter financial conditions are weighing on domestic demand. Market sentiment has sharply improved, with domestic and foreign investors shifting into lira-denominated assets while lower commodity prices, buoyant exports, and reduced gold imports have strengthened the current account, supporting a large improvement in both the gross and net reserves position. The financial and corporate sectors appear to have weathered the policy tightening and financial liberalization so far. Credit default swaps (CDS) spreads are now at about half their mid-2023 levels.

    Under the authorities’ gradual policy adjustment, inflation is expected to further decline. Contractionary ex ante real policy rates, moderating wage growth, and more contractionary fiscal policy in 2025 are expected to reduce inflation to 43 percent this year and 24 percent in end-2025. After a strong first quarter, growth has weakened and is expected to fall to 3 percent in 2024 and 2.7 percent in 2025, recovering toward 4 percent in the medium term. Disinflation and improved confidence will support a narrowing of the current account deficit to about 2 percent of GDP and reserves to around 100 percent of the IMF’s adequacy metric.

    Risks around the baseline are significant and tilted to the downside. They include stronger-than-expected wage and price inertia, a reversal of capital flows, higher global energy prices, and escalating geopolitical tensions. Significant financial and external vulnerabilities remain. The authorities’ gradual approach to fighting inflation prolongs the period during which risks might occur.

    Executive Board Assessment[2]

    The Executive Directors agreed with the thrust of the staff appraisal. They commended the authorities for the decisive policy tightening since mid-2023, which has helped to significantly reduce macroeconomic imbalances and risks. However, with inflationary pressures still high, and significant downside risks, they urged the authorities to press ahead with coordinated fiscal, monetary, and incomes policies to anchor inflationary expectations and entrench macroeconomic stability.

    While noting sustainable public debt levels, Directors recommended a larger and more frontloaded fiscal consolidation to support disinflation efforts and further strengthen buffers. They supported strengthening tax administration, rationalizing tax expenditures, broadening the tax base, energy subsidy reform, limiting capital spending to essential projects, and enhancing risk monitoring while protecting earthquake related spending. Directors also urged further efforts to address fiscal risks arising from contingent liabilities in state owned enterprises, public private partnerships, and pension costs.

    While noting the challenges, Directors considered that phasing out backward looking indexation and shifting toward setting wages in line with inflation expectations could significantly help reduce inflation.

    Directors called for continued tight, data dependent monetary policy until inflation converges to target levels. They agreed that the central bank should stand ready to tighten further if needed to ensure that the path of disinflation stays on track. Directors highlighted that further strengthening the monetary transmission mechanism and central bank independence and communication would enhance policy credibility.

    Directors encouraged foreign exchange intervention to focus on smoothing potentially destabilizing exchange rate movements that could dislodge inflation expectations, and to be scaled back as inflation recedes. They highlighted the need to effectively manage volatile capital flows and agreed that capital flow measures should be discontinued gradually as FX liquidity risk and inflation recede.

    Directors underscored the importance of ongoing vigilance and further reforms to maintain financial stability. They supported continued implementation of the 2023 FSAP recommendations and efforts to align the supervisory and regulatory framework with Basel III standards. Directors commended the authorities for recent improvements to the AML/CFT framework and exit from the FATF grey list, while noting that further progress was needed, including to mitigate virtual assets risks.

    Directors called for advancing structural reforms to achieve more inclusive, greener, and higher medium-term growth. Further energy and labor market reforms, including to boost female participation, remain important priorities.

    Türkiye: Selected Economic Indicators, 2019−29

    Population (2023): 85.4 million

    Per capita GDP (2023): US$13,243

    Quota: SDR 4,658.6 million

     

    2019

    2020

    2021

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

     

    Proj.

    Real sector

    (Percent)

    Real GDP growth rate

    0.8

    1.9

    11.4

    5.5

    5.1

    3.0

    2.7

    3.2

    3.4

    3.7

    3.9

    Contributions to real GDP growth

    Private consumption

    0.9

    1.9

    9.2

    11.7

    9.5

    1.1

    0.3

    1.9

    2.0

    2.0

    2.0

    Public consumption

    0.5

    0.3

    0.4

    0.6

    0.3

    0.4

    0.5

    0.5

    0.4

    0.5

    0.4

    Investment (incl. inventories)

    -3.0

    4.8

    -3.2

    -7.5

    -1.6

    0.6

    2.6

    1.1

    1.2

    1.6

    1.7

    Net exports

    2.4

    -5.2

    5.0

    0.7

    -3.1

    0.9

    -0.6

    -0.2

    -0.2

    -0.3

    -0.2

    Output gap

    -2.1

    -4.6

    1.1

    1.5

    1.9

    0.7

    -0.3

    -0.5

    -0.5

    -0.2

    0.0

    GDP deflator growth rate

    13.9

    14.8

    29.0

    96.0

    68.2

    60.0

    31.4

    20.4

    16.6

    15.3

    15.2

    Inflation (period-average)

    15.2

    12.3

    19.6

    72.3

    53.9

    60.9

    33.0

    19.2

    16.0

    15.0

    15.0

    Inflation (end-year)

    11.8

    14.6

    36.1

    64.3

    64.8

    43.0

    24.0

    17.2

    15.3

    15.0

    15.0

    Unemployment rate

    13.7

    13.1

    12.0

    10.4

    9.4

    9.3

    9.9

    9.6

    9.5

    9.3

    9.2

    Fiscal sector

    (Percent of GDP)

    Nonfinancial public sector overall balance

    -5.0

    -4.7

    -3.0

    -2.7

    -5.4

    -5.3

    -3.7

    -3.1

    -3.2

    -3.1

    -3.1

    General government overall balance (headline) 1/

    -3.0

    -4.0

    -2.6

    -0.8

    -5.2

    -5.3

    -3.5

    -3.0

    -3.0

    -3.0

    -3.0

    General government gross debt (EU definition)

    32.4

    39.4

    40.4

    30.8

    29.3

    25.2

    26.0

    26.0

    26.0

    25.9

    25.6

    External sector

    (Percent of GDP)

    Current account balance

    2.0

    -4.3

    -0.8

    -5.1

    -4.0

    -2.2

    -2.1

    -2.0

    -1.9

    -1.9

    -1.9

    Gross external debt

    54.5

    59.8

    53.9

    50.5

    45.2

    41.3

    39.8

    40.9

    40.4

    39.9

    39.3

    Gross financing requirement

    18.0

    24.8

    21.0

    22.9

    21.2

    19.1

    20.0

    20.5

    20.1

    20.0

    19.8

    Monetary conditions (Percent)

    Real average cost of CBRT funding to banks

    5.4

    -1.7

    -1.9

    -59.4

    -35.4

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Growth of broad money (M2)

    27.3

    33.9

    53.0

    59.2

    70.1

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Growth of credit to private sector

    10.9

    34.7

    37.0

    54.7

    54.0

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Sources: Turkish authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections.

    1/ Headline (or authorities’ definition), which includes items excluded from the IMF ‘program’ definition.

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summing ups can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm .

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Eva-Maria Graf

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/11/pr-24369-turkiye-imf-executive-board-concludes-2024-aiv-consultation

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement with Tanzania on the Fourth Review of the Extended Credit Facility and the First Review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    October 17, 2024

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • The Tanzanian authorities and the IMF have reached staff-level agreement on the fourth review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the first review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
    • Economic growth momentum is picking up in 2024 with improved external and fiscal balances and low inflation. Policy priorities continue to be focused on enhancing exchange rate flexibility, strengthening the monetary policy framework, continuing to implement growth-friendly fiscal consolidation, enhancing domestic revenue mobilization, and expediting structural reform implementation.
    • The RSF is supporting the authorities’ efforts to advance structural reforms and investments in adaptation and mitigation to address risks and challenges associated with climate change.

    Washington, DC: A staff team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Mr. Charalambos Tsangarides, IMF mission chief for Tanzania, visited Dodoma and Dar es Salaam from October 2 to 17, 2024, to hold discussions with the authorities on the fourth review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the first review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). Subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board,  the review will make available SDR198.61 million (about US$265.78 million), bringing the total IMF financial support under the ECF arrangement to SDR568.84 million (about US$758.11 million), and SDR85.24 million (about US$114.07 million) under the RSF.

    At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Tsangarides issued the following statement:

    “I am pleased to announce that the IMF team and the Tanzanian authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the policies needed to complete the fourth review under Tanzania’s ECF-supported program, and the first review of the RSF arrangement. The IMF’s Executive Board will discuss these requests in the coming weeks.

    “The momentum in Tanzania’s economy is continuing in 2024 with economic activity growing at about 5.4 percent in the first half of 2024 after an annual growth of 5.1 percent in 2023. Inflation in September remained stable at 3.1 percent (yoy), well within the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) target. Earlier headwinds to the economy have subsided, and improved liquidity in the foreign exchange market has alleviated some of the shortage in the formal market, although pressures remain. The outlook is favorable, with growth expected to pick up to 5.4 percent in 2024; however, risks are tilted to the downside as intensification of regional conflicts, increased commodity price volatility, a global slowdown, reemergence of FX pressures in the first half of 2025, and climate related disasters, could weigh negatively on the economy.

    “The current account deficit improved markedly to about 3.1 percent of GDP in FY2023/24 from 6.5 percent of GDP the previous year, on the back of strong service exports growth and a slowdown in imports of goods and services helped by lower commodity prices. Improvements in the current account balance year-on-year, a 13 percent exchange rate depreciation over the same period, and the seasonal inflows of dollars in the second half of the year have helped ease some of the foreign exchange market pressures. The BoT remains committed to continue to allow exchange rate flexibility to ensure a market determined exchange rate, while limiting FX interventions to avoid disorderly market conditions, in line with its intervention policy. Maintaining a moderately tight monetary policy stance will complement efforts to ease pressures in the FX market, while preserving price stability.

    “Fiscal consolidation in FY2023/24 was achieved through improvements in tax revenue collections and adjustments in current spending. The FY2024/25 budget envisages continued growth-friendly consolidation, supported by tax policy and revenue administration efforts. The government is committed to increase priority social spending to protect the most vulnerable. The authorities’ structural reform agenda aims to support a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive growth through improving the business environment and strengthening governance.

    “At its meeting in October, the BoT Monetary Policy Committee maintained the policy rate, the Central Bank Rate, at 6 percent, to contain emerging inflationary pressures. The BoT will continue to calibrate its monetary policy to maintain low and stable prices, while safeguarding the recovery of economic activities from the impacts of global economic shocks and unfavorable weather conditions.

    “Supported by the RSF, the authorities are implementing their climate reform agenda to address climate policy challenges and enhance the resilience and sustainability of the Tanzanian economy. Efforts are underway to clearly define the institutional framework for climate change related policies and strengthen public investment management in line with climate impacts and risks. Progress on the implementation of the RSF reforms continues, and the authorities are mobilizing technical and financial assistance from development partners.

    “The mission met with Minister of Finance, Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, Bank of Tanzania Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Tutuba, other senior officials, development partners, and private sector representatives. The IMF team would like to thank the Tanzanian authorities and other counterparts for their hospitality, and the candid and productive discussions.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/17/pr-24378-tanzania-imf-reaches-staff-level-agreement-on-the-4th-rev-of-ecf-and-1st-rev-of-rsf

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Share buybacks in Spar Nord Bank – transactions in week 42

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 63
     

    In company announcement no. 10 2024, Spar Nord announced a share buyback programme of up to DKK 500 million. The share buyback was initiated on 12 February 2024.

    The purpose of the share buyback is to reduce the bank’s share capital by the shares acquired under the programme, and the programme is executed pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of 16 April 2014 (“Market Abuse Regulation”).

    In last week the following transactions were made under the share buyback programme.

      Number of shares Average purchase price (DKK) Transaction value (DKK)
    Accumulated from last announcement 2,650,197    332,897,389
    14 October 2024 17,000 133.48 2,269,160
    15 October 2024 17,000 135.01 2,295,170
    16 October 2024 15,000 136.07 2.041,050
    17 October 2024 14,000 138.43 1,938,020
    18 October 2024 14,000 139.02 1,946,280
    Total week 42 77,000   10,489,680
    Total accumulated 2,727,197   343,387,069

    Following the above transactions. Spar Nord holds a total of 2,822,917 treasury shares equal to 2.40 % of the Bank’s share capital.

    Please direct any questions regarding this release to Rune Brandt Børglum, Head of Investor Relations on tel. + 45 96 34 42 36.

    Rune Brandt Børglum
    Head of Investor Relation

    Attachment

    • No. 63 – Share buybacks – transactions in week 42 – UK

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Result of the 14-day Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction held on January 24, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Tenor 14-day
    Notified Amount (in ₹ crore) 1,75,000
    Total amount of bids received (in ₹ crore) 1,62,096
    Amount allotted (in ₹ crore) 1,62,096
    Cut off Rate (%) 6.51
    Weighted Average Rate (%) 6.51
    Partial Allotment Percentage of bids received at cut off rate (%) NA

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2024-2025/1993

    MIL OSI Economics –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Announcement on Open Market Operations No.18 [2025]

    Source: Peoples Bank of China

    Announcement on Open Market Operations No.18 [2025]

    (Open Market Operations Office, January 24, 2025)

    In order to keep liquidity adequate before the Spring Festival, the People’s Bank of China conducted reverse repo operations in the amount of RMB284 billion through quantity bidding at a fixed interest rate on January 24, 2025.

    Details of the Reverse Repo Operations

    Maturity

    Volume

    Rate

    14 days

    RMB284 billion

    1.65%

    Date of last update Nov. 29 2018

    2025年01月24日

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Adam Steer, Darwin Breakfast, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Adam Steer:

    The next federal election is due by May. You can expect a lot of pitches, promises over the next 18 weeks. And the battle ground, one of them at least, looks to be drawn around the cost of living. As we were chatting today, the Labor government is vowing to crack down on unfair card surcharges following the RBA’s review of the merchant card payment cost. Stephen Jones is the federal Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services Minister. Minister, happy new year. Welcome back to the program.

    Stephen Jones:

    Good to be back with you, and happy new year to you and your listeners.

    Steer:

    Let’s start with the credit card surcharges. They exist, but they’re quite minimal. Why is this a government priority above everything else?

    Jones:

    We’re doing a range of things to stop the rip‑offs that are putting billions of dollars worth of costs on consumers. Surcharges are costing consumers around about a billion dollars a year. The things that the – the other areas we’re focused on, in the unfair trading areas, subscription traps where it’s easy to sign up to a service and impossible to get out of. You know, online dynamic pricing where the price of a product increases over the course of the – while you’re online transacting and making a purchase. And drip pricing, which is when you go online to buy a hotel or a booking or an airline ticket and you get all these add‑on charges, junk charges that are added to the price of the transaction. There’s a range of things that we are looking at and as well, you know, pricing practices in supermarkets to stop the rip‑offs to ensure that Australians are getting a better deal.

    We’ve been working on it for about a year. Some of these things are more advanced than others. In the area of surcharging, between 0.5 and 1.5 per cent on average people are being charged regularly to use their own money, which is access to their debit cards. It’s in our focus. We’ve got the Reserve Bank doing a deep dive at it at the moment. We want to find out what the actual cost of providing these services are. And we want to ensure that when we do ban it doesn’t just pass the cost on to small businesses.

    Steer:

    It seems – I remember the royal commission into banking was very critical of the fees that the banks were charging, and the government moved to stop them doing it. How have they managed to creep back in, those charges? How has that happened?

    Jones:

    No, these are – the royal commission was looking at charges and commissions that were being paid for fees for no service in a range of different services, whether it was banking or whether it was superannuation or insurance. And this is different. These are transaction fees which the cards and the service providers say are the cost of providing the service. We know that it’s much more than that. We know that there are additional charges that are being put in place there and we want to drill down, ensure that Australians aren’t being whacked with these unfair prices and unfair charges. We’ll do it properly, because we’re adamant we’re not going to do it in – when we’ve raised this in the past small business have quite rightly raised concerns saying, ‘Well, if you ban this surcharge, us charging a surcharge, we’ll just have to absorb that cost.’ So we want to do it in a way that doesn’t whack small businesses but protects the interests of consumers as well.

    Steer:

    So just to clarify there are you suggesting scrapping the surcharge from banks to business or businesses to the consumer? Because if it’s business to consumer and you do nothing about the banks charging the business, then, you know, that’s going to create a lot of issues?

    Jones:

    Great point. There’s a complex web of services that are being provided. I don’t want to dive too deeply into the weeds, but there’s the people who provide the little terminal. There’s the people who provide the connection between the terminal and the banking services. There’s the people who provide the service between the banking services and the credit card providers. There’s a whole range of businesses and services that are invisible to the consumer but take a little bit along the way.

    Steer:

    But you can understand that small businesses today might hear, Assistant Treasurer, that they fear they’ll be slugged with the fee they can’t pass on to the consumers. Can you say with confidence they won’t be punished and it will be the banks who are faced with dealing with those fees?

    Jones:

    And that’s why we’re taking the time to get to the bottom of where all the costs and charges are so that we will be able to say with hand on heart, yes, the consumers will be protected, but so will small businesses. And here’s why we know there’s sharp business going on – if you go to a big supermarket like a Coles or a Woolworths, they are paying a small fraction of what the coffee shop or your small corner store is paying for their transaction fees. So we know – we know – that they’re having a lend here, and that’s what we’re getting to the bottom of.

    Steer:

    You’re on ABC Radio Darwin, Adam Steer with you. Stephen Jones is the federal Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services Minister. It is 22 to 9. On some other issues, the Australian Venue Co has been in the news for not advertising Australia as Australia Day but, rather, the January long weekend. Is there an expectation for our venues to celebrate calendar‑gazetted public holidays?

    Jones:

    Look, this is not a totalitarian regime and country. We don’t tell, you know, private companies what they do or don’t celebrate. I’ll be out there on Australia Day down in my electorate having breakfast by the beach and I’ll be doing about 3 or 4 Australia Day events there. And I think there’ll be hundreds of thousands of Australians that do it. It’s up to private businesses about what they do or don’t do. And I think their customers will make their own mind up about whether they support or don’t support that.

    Steer:

    The Prime Minister at the National Press Club today is expected to announce a new scheme offering payments to apprentices who work in residential construction in a bid to help address the nation’s housing shortage. Ten thousand dollars will be offered to electrical, plumbing and carpentry apprentices. The Master Builders Australia says improving apprenticeship completion rates is vital if Australia is to meet its housing targets. What can you tell me about this announcement today?

    Jones:

    Really important – it builds on our fee‑free TAFE initiative. We want to ensure that all the obstacles to young people getting into one of those traditional trades are removed. We’ve got a shortage of tradies. We need more of them. It’s a great line of work to get into. And we want to attract more people, particularly into the building trades, because lack of tradies means higher costs for building a home and it all adds into the housing shortage that we have at the moment. So we’re attacking this from every angle. We need more workers in the building and construction and in the housing industry, and that’s what this is all about – getting more people into the traditional trades via these apprenticeship bonuses.

    Steer:

    Well, the Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has told Channel Nine the government – you’ve been too late to act on the worker shortages, even though he says –

    Jones:

    He had 9 years. Nine years. We’ve been in government 2 years. He had 9 years, and they sat on this problem and made it worse. And because we haven’t fixed his 9 years’ worth of mistakes and inaction in 2 years we’re the problem? I think Peter Dutton needs to have a good, hard look at himself because Australians are sick of this sort of negativity. You’ve got the government having a crack at fixing a problem that we inherited and you’ve got the bloke who created the problem running around criticising us for doing it. Australians are rightly jack of that sort of mindless negativity.

    Steer:

    Well, over 14,000 electrician apprenticeships were commenced in 2023. That’s compared to just 8,000 in 2017. What’s the number you’re aiming for? What would you like to see here?

    Jones:

    We want to see more young people taking up a trade and more people sticking with that trade.

    Steer:

    Okay.

    Jones:

    I think that the Housing Industry Association are right – it’s not just the number of people who are starting; it’s the number of people who complete the trade, and these bonuses are around – are about ensuring people hit those completion rates.

    Steer:

    Okay. But doesn’t the Opposition have a point here? The Master Builders Association forecasts a shortage of 130,000 workers across the building and construction industry alone this year. Why didn’t you act sooner on the shortages? Is this not because it’s an election year you’re announcing this?

    Jones:

    We did. We did. Within the first 3 months we held a skills summit. We got all of the major players around the table in Canberra and we said we have got a crisis here, we need everyone playing a Team Australia moment on here. We need to get states and territories governments playing a part in this, because they run the TAFE system. We injected more money into the TAFE system to ensure that that was well supported. We instituted fee‑free TAFE. This is the third part of it, which is about ensuring that we make it more affordable for tradies to – for young apprentices to not only take up trade but to stick at the trade. So far from us doing it in the last few months; it was something we started in the first 3 months of being in government. It takes more than 2 years to turn around 10 years’ worth of inaction. So this is what I get a bit frustrated about. This other mob created the problem; we’re fixing it and they’re saying we’re not going fast enough when they did nothing for 9 years.

    Steer:

    New figures from ABS show Australia is 15,000 homes behind your national housing accord target. The territory is right at the back of the pack – 78.6 per cent fewer homes than we should have built last quarter. How does the $10,000 for apprenticeships turn that around?

    Jones:

    We’ve got to be doing everything in this. We’ve got to get more land released and we’ve got to speed up the development applications so that whole planning process has got to be accelerated. We’ve got to have more skilled workers in this. So that’s what the apprenticeship system is about – ensuring that over the long term we’ve got more people entering the industry, so more skilled tradies working in the industry in those traditional trades. So it’s not a – there’s no one silver bullet. We need workforce, we need land supply, we need planning, we need investment, we need the lot of it, and we need it all working together and every tier of government working in on this together with the private sector. No one silver bullet; we need all of it working together.

    Steer:

    Australia Day this weekend, it is a long weekend. There’ll be a few people, particularly in the Top End, I imagine, having some cold lemonades. The federal government’s biannual increase in alcohol excise on February 3 will see the price of a schooner rise as much by $1. Isn’t this going to hurt publicans and licensed venues by forcing people to stay in to entertain rather than spending money over the counter and at restaurants?

    Jones:

    Look, the excise, this has been a feature of the taxation system for several decades now. It’s been designed – it wasn’t designed by our government; it was designed by a previous Coalition government, if my memory serves me correctly. And it’s designed to ensure that the real value of that excise is maintained as prices increase over time –

    Steer:

    It is designed so that it is increased over time because of the perceived health risks of both alcohol and tobacco. When is enough enough on those alcohol excises? Because it’s a growing tax – 2 per cent on 2 per cent on 2 per cent.

    Jones:

    No plans to make any changes in this area at the moment.

    Steer:

    Stephen Jones, federal Assistant Treasurer, Financial Services Minister, one more question I reckon we’ve got time for. Let’s touch on the supermarkets. Long experience for Top Enders is the high cost we have for our supermarkets here. That seems to have spread now right across the country. What is your government’s plan to try and rein in what could appear from some sections as price gouging by the major supermarkets?

    Jones:

    Yes, so we’ve funded the ACCC to have an ongoing price monitoring and beefing up their legal enforcement of the supermarkets, which is why we’ve got them in court at the moment over deceptive pricing practices. It’s where they jack the prices up, say, 20 per cent and then drop them by 10 per cent and pretend that they’ve got a special going on. So there’s deliberate action going on, we’ve got going on, by the ACCC, the competition regulator at the moment. We’re also legislating a new code of practice around supermarkets to ensure that not only are they treating their consumers fairly, their customers fairly, but also their suppliers, because we want to crack down on both of those areas, so there will be a new mandatory code legally enforceable with millions of dollars worth of fines against these companies for doing the wrong thing.

    Steer:

    Minister, appreciate your time. Come into the studio next time you’re up here, please.

    Jones:

    Looking forward to it.

    Steer:

    Thank you, Stephen Jones, federal Assistant Treasurer and Financial Services Minister.

    MIL OSI News –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Blog: Driving Gender Equality: Solutions to Empower Women in a Digital Future

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Artificial intelligence presents both opportunities and risks for gender equality, with women facing unique vulnerabilities. Addressing these challenges requires reskilling women, strengthening social safety nets, and institutionalizing inclusive governance frameworks to ensure balanced benefits for all.

    Recently, the driverless taxi service Robotaxi Apollo Go expanded coverage in Wuhan in the People’s Republic of China. This sparked debate among women and men, with concerns ranging from passenger and pedestrian safety to unemployment among taxi drivers. 

    Robotaxis highlight gender dynamics in AI mobility. While some view it as a safer alternative, others fear it could reduce women’s transportation jobs and fail to address safety needs, especially for marginalized groups.  Robotaxis exemplify the “AI Era” – while it may promise prosperity, it is highly complex, especially when gender equality aspects are considered.

    To prepare for a possible AI-driven future, we need to identify the channels through which AI impacts gender equality and to configure a set of approaches to address them. We should consider the following:

    The digital divide between men and women could widen in an AI-driven society without proper policy intervention. Women constitute only around 22% of global AI professionals. Studies show that asymmetric gender power relations can be magnified from the education sphere to the workplace. 

    Women living in poverty are most likely to lag in AI-facilitated transformation, since they are already less represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, jobs, and access to relevant services. 

    AI will bring contextualized, intertwined, and uneven effects on the labor market which may either boost productivity or replace jobs. For instance, when manual or administrative work, predominantly undertaken by women, is substituted by AI technologies, women may be easily dragged into poverty, putting women who lack the necessary skills at greater risk of being displaced. 

    Nobel Prize Winner Daron Acemoglu has pointed out that less educated women may experience declines in wages, increased inequality, and the gap between capital and labor income will likely widen.

    Governing the AI Commons is a critical topic as AI fosters a borderless “knowledge commons”— or data collectively owned and managed by the online community. Research has argued that the digital transition, including the use of AI, accompanied by personal data commodification, can perpetuate gender discrimination while blurring public-private boundaries. 

    The AI era has the potential to bring prosperity with equality, but only if both women and men are equally equipped and updated with necessary skills.

    A gender perspective should be applied when evaluating ownership of digital properties to prevent overuse or underuse of shared resources, which lead to the tragedy of the commons or the tragedy of anti-commons. The tragedy of the commons involves over-exploiting shared resources due to self-interest, while the tragedy of the anti-commons highlights how prevalence of exclusion rights can hinder the use of resources, such as in digital patents and technology.

    By considering the unique needs and contributions of women, governance frameworks can balance sustainable digital resource management with inclusive benefits for all.

    Generative AI could be the “invisible hand” behind gendered hierarchy and gender-based violence. A recent study of 133 AI systems found that 44.2% exhibited gender bias. In AI-generated narratives, women are often associated with family roles and described as less powerful than men, reinforcing harmful stereotypes.

    Women are particularly vulnerable to AI-driven risks, including tech-facilitated gender-based violence. Biased algorithms, the rise of deepfake technologies that mimic real people doing or saying things they never did, and  AI-driven misinformation and disinformation amplify the multiple forms of online harassment and violence, threatening women’s rights.

    Machine learning is a self-reinforcing process that evolves based on the data it is fed. This places significant responsibility on decision-makers and AI developers to refine regulations, governance, and practices to address AI-driven inequalities and risks such as gender-based violence. 

    Given these drivers of impact, here are some proposed actions to ensure a gender-equal future with AI.

    Reskill and upskill women. The 2024 Greater Mekong Subregion Gender Equality and Inclusion Forum highlighted the need to prepare women for an AI-driven future. Initiatives like Sisters of Code, the first female coding club in Cambodia, are helping girls learn programming, while Bixie, a female-focused app, is improving financial inclusion through digital empowerment for women. 

    Governments, development institutions, private sector and relevant stakeholders should join hands and invest in women and girls in STEM, equipping them with skillsets to benefit from, frame, and lead the new era. 

    Strengthen the social safety net. Female workers, especially those in informal sectors are more likely to be affected by AI’s substitution effect. Countries are at a pivotal moment to formalize their social policy frameworks facing an AI future, for instance, experimenting with universal basic income to prepare their citizens for a new labor market dynamic. Meanwhile, AI can also serve as a tool for identifying vulnerable populations and as a bridge for delivering social assistance. 

    Institutionalize and harmonize the AI governance framework. The EU has taken the lead with its AI Act, the first comprehensive legislation on AI governance. Countries without relevant laws and regulations need to take proactive steps to develop their frameworks. 

    These frameworks should ensure that policy development equally involves women and men across sectors; country laws be updated to explicitly prevent and address AI-facilitated gender-based violence; and the global community make coordinated efforts on AI governance and align codes of conduct when using AI tools. 

     In AI projects, women should be consulted in the data collection process to mitigate and reduce biases from male-dominated inputs. Additionally, policy tools, such as an AI tax, can be leveraged to incentivize innovators and capital to “race to the most inclusive” rather than “race to the most lucrative.” 

    Jinan, Shandong Province of the People’s Republic of China recently began test-running its first batch of electric robo-buses. New job dynamics have been observed. Drivers are being replaced by safety controllers; while communications and coordination roles, primarily held by women, remain crucial, as passengers continue to seek instant reliable support from human operators. 

    The AI era has the potential to bring prosperity with equality, but only if both women and men are equally equipped and updated with necessary skills. 

    Ultimately,  the great potential of AI lies in the hands of humans who can build a future where women and men equally benefit from AI through increased human capital, stronger social welfare systems, and AI-facilitated digital commons.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Banking: Development Asia: Build Together, Benefit Together: Seoul’s Approach to Urban Development

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Strong leadership, planning, and stakeholder participation are crucial to the success of Seoul’s approach to its urban development.

    Figure 2: Seoul’s Approach to Urban Development

    Note: SMG–Seoul Metropolitan Government; IoT–Internet of Things
    Source: Created by author based on data from the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

    Leadership. City leadership is vital in spearheading urban planning efforts and creating an environment conducive to private sector growth and citizen well-being. Strong political commitment is crucial for prioritizing urban planning and allocating resources. Political leaders should champion sustainable development goals, advocate necessary policy changes, and garner support for urban planning initiatives among various stakeholders.

    Clear laws and regulations. Clear policies empower city governments to enforce planning standards, protect public interests, and guide private sector investments in alignment with city objectives. The Seoul Metropolitan Government developed policies and laws that incentivize sustainable development practices, encourage investment in critical sectors, and promote inclusivity and social equity. Robust enforcement mechanisms ensured compliance with urban planning measures and regulations.

    Urban planning. A comprehensive urban plan, which strikes a balance among economic, social, and environmental considerations, is paramount for creating vibrant, livable, sustainable, and resilient cities. A well-crafted urban plan: (i) fosters an environment conducive to business, which attracts investments, stimulates economic growth, and generates employment opportunities; (ii) ensures a high quality of life by providing access to green spaces, recreational facilities, efficient public transportation, and essential services (education, healthcare, water supply, sanitation); (iii) promotes healthy lifestyles through pedestrian-friendly streets and bike lanes; and (iv) enhances resilience to natural hazards through strategic land use, building codes that ensure structures can withstand floods and earthquakes, and effective emergency response plans.

    Compact development. Zoning regulations should encourage mixed-land use and compact growth to optimize land use (e.g., setting a maximum limit on a building’s footprint and floor area ratio promote compact neighborhoods and vertical growth while preventing oversized tower block development). Incentives, such as tax reduction and deregulation, encourage developers to build high-density areas or include a mix of residential, commercial, and retail spaces.

    Stakeholder participation. Engaging stakeholders is necessary to ensure proper project design, support implementation, local resource mobilization, and sustainability of project achievements.

    Smart use of public financing. Focus should be placed on essential urban infrastructure and services that support private sector activities and promote social equity and environmental sustainability. Public financing should also support innovation and technological development, where commercial payoffs may be uncertain or lengthy for private investors. Incentives and risk-sharing mechanisms (e.g., tax breaks, subsidies, preferential loans, matching funds) can attract private capital to city priorities.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    January 24, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese listed companies to receive loans for share buybacks, increasing shareholdings

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    More than 20 Chinese listed companies on Sunday announced that they have signed agreements with financial institutions or obtained commitment letters to secure loans for share buybacks and increasing shareholdings.

    The announcements came after China’s central bank launched a special re-lending facility aimed at guiding banks to provide loans to listed companies and their major shareholders for buybacks and increasing shareholdings on Friday.

    The initial re-lending scale is 300 billion yuan (about 42.09 billion U.S. dollars) at an interest rate of 1.75 percent. The facility can be applied to various types of companies regardless of their ownership, according to the central bank.

    To actively respond to and fully leverage the policy tool introduced by the relevant regulatory body for supporting share buybacks, the company on Oct. 19 signed a credit agreement with the Bank of China to obtain a credit line of no more than 900 million yuan, which will be used for the company’s share buybacks in the A-share market, Sinopec said in an online statement published Sunday.

    Sinopec also revealed that its controlling shareholder China Petrochemical Corporation signed an agreement with the bank to obtain a credit line of 700 million yuan. This funding will be used by the corporation to increase its shareholdings in Sinopec within the A-share market.

    Other companies that have announced plans to secure loans for share buybacks or increasing shareholdings include China Merchants Port Group Co., Ltd. and Sinotrans Limited.

    The re-lending facility offers low-cost funds to financial institutions, which in turn helps to reduce the financing costs for listed companies and major shareholders, said Tian Lihui, head of the Institute of Finance and Development at Nankai University.

    It also helps enhance the inherent stability of China’s capital market, maintain the stable operation of the market and boost market confidence, Tian added.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025
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