05/08/2021
12:27

Banca Ifis: net profit for the half year at 48,3 million Euro, up 31,5% on the same period of 2020

SDIR: REGEM 2.2
Inside information

Double digit growth in the first half for the Bank’s revenues which reached 292,6 million Euro and reached an all time high, net of PPA (277 million Euro). Record also for cash recoveries of Npl portfolios purchased amounting to 170 million Euro. In an improving macroeconomic environment, more than 70% of customers who had requested the moratorium resumed making regular payments. The programme for the digitisation of the Bank continues as planned.

 

2021 guidance: Banca Ifis estimates revenues between 540 and 560 million Euro and net income between 80 and 90 million Euro

 

The guidance was prepared on the assumption that the macroeconomic environment is gradually improving, that there will be no shocks from new lockdowns in the United States, Europe or Italy and that governments and central banks will continue to support the economic recovery.

 

Results first half 2021
Reclassified data – 1 January 2021/30 June 2021

 

  • Net banking income grew to 292,6 million Euro (+37,5% compared to 30.06.2020), benefiting from both the improved performance of the Npl Segment and the dynamism of the Commercial & Corporate Banking Segment.
  • Operating costs come to 178,2 million Euro (+14,6% on 30.06.2020) due to higher variable costs linked to the legal business of the Npl Segment, the entry of Farbanca into the scope and ICT projects.
  • The Parent Company’s net profit of 48,3 million Euro grows in two figures (+31,5%) on the 36,8 million Euro of the same period last year. It is an even more important result if we consider that the first half of 2020 benefited from an extraordinary capital gain of 24,2 million Euro and the related tax effect for the sale of the Milan property in Corso Venezia.
  • Cost of credit of 42,6 million Euro, including provisions of 9 million Euro in the Npl portfolio and 5 million Euro on loans, for the long-term effects of Covid-19.
  • Solid liquidity position: approximately 1,9 billion Euro at 30 June 2021 in reserves and free assets that can be financed by the ECB (LCR above 1.700%).
  • Retail funding stable at 4,5 billion Euro. The portion tied up for more than 18 months increased compared to 31 December 2020, accounting for 30,6% of the total.

Capital requirements with the consolidation within La Scogliera

  • CET1 at 11,44% (11,29% at 31 December 2020) with respect to an SREP requirement of 8,12%; TCR: 15,08% (14,85% at 31 December 2020) with respect to an SREP requirement of 12,5%. These results are calculated without including the profits generated by the Banking Group during the first six months of 2021.

Capital requirements without the consolidation within La Scogliera

  • CET1: 15,51% (15,47% at 31 December 2020); TCR: 19,86% (19,87% at 31 December 2020). These results are calculated net of the profits generated by the Banking Group during the first six months of 2021.

 

Mestre (Venice), 05 August 2021 – The Board of Directors of Banca Ifis, chaired by the Deputy Chairman, Ernesto Fürstenberg Fassio, today approved the results for the first half of 2021.

“The results of the first half of the year confirm the solidity of our business model, which was able to immediately take advantage of the improvements in the macroeconomic context” – explains Frederik Geertman, CEO of Banca Ifis – “Revenues grew double-digit, reaching 292,6 million Euro and, net of PPA (277 million Euro), reaching an all-time high, confirming the Bank’s ability to generate sustainable revenues in the long term. The Parent Company’s net profit increased by 31,5% to 48,3 million Euro, compared with 36,8 million Euro in the same period last year.

Positive signs, linked to the recovery, also come from the monitoring of loans in moratorium where 70% of our customers have resumed regular payments. The remaining receivables in arrears, amounting to 221 million Euro,
consist mainly of lease receivables, underlying vehicles and capital goods, and loans mainly government-backed.

From a strategic point of view, the programme of digitisation and omnichannel business services continues. After the July opening of “Ifis4business” to some large factoring customers, in the coming months we will extend access to the platform to all our factoring customers and, by the first half of 2022, to all the products in our portfolio. This will allow
us to reach customers in an omnichannel fashion, further enriching the customer experience, as well as offering new opportunities in terms of marketing.

During the first six months of the year, cash recoveries on Npl portfolios acquired reached an all time high and amounted to 170 million Euro, +45,4% compared to 116,9 million Euro in the first half of 2020. Recoveries benefited from precise managerial actions aimed at increasing the productivity of our servicing and reducing the recovery times
for positions characterised by greater uncertainty.

In the second quarter of 2021, in a sign of further caution regarding the long-term impacts of Covid-19, we initiated a review of our Npl and commercial portfolio, primarily on positions with high vintage. The analysis, which is still in progress, has led to prudent provisions of 9 million Euro on the Npl portfolio and 5 million Euro on the commercial portfolio, already included in the second quarter results. The Bank’s portfolio review will be completed in the second half of 2021.

With respect to the outlook for the current year, I am firmly convinced of the Bank’s ability to generate sustainable and recurring profits: for 2021 we estimate net interest and other banking income in the range of 540 to 560 million Euro and operating profit in the range of 80 to 90 million Euro, assuming a gradually improving macroeconomic environment, no shocks from new lockdowns in the US, Europe or Italy and continued support from governments and central banks for the economic recovery”, concludes Frederik Geertman.