Despite a highly unfavourable environment in the second half of the year, BNP Paribas achieved in 2007 the best performance of its history with revenues totalling 31,037 million, up 11.1% compared to 2006 and net income group share of 7,822 million, up 7.0% compared to 2006.
Beyond the substantial capital gains generated by BNP Paribas Capital in 2007, the robustness of BNP Paribas’ business development model is illustrated by the growing revenues in all the core operating businesses compared to the already high levels in 2006.
Operating expenses, which totalled 18,764 million, were up 10.0% reflecting the powerful growth drive. The core businesses’ cost/income ratio remained stable, at 60.8%, compared to 60.6% in 2006 thanks to the continued improvement of FRB’s and AMS’ operating efficiency, the benefit of integration synergies at BNL bc, as well as the efficiency of CIB whose cost/income ratio, at 57.8%, remained below the ceiling target of 60% and placed it at the forefront of comparable banks. Gross operating income thus came to 12,273 million euros, up 12.8% compared to 2006.
In an environment marked by a deep financial crisis, the cost of risk was 1,725 million euros for the group compared to 783 million euros in 2006. Part of this increase, 424 million euros, is linked to the direct impact of the crisis in the third and fourth quarters that weighed in on BancWest’s cost of risk and CIB’s. The rest of the difference comes primarily from lesser write-backs by CIB and from Cetelem’s higher provisions due to the increased outstandings in the emerging countries as well as greater consumer lending risk levels in Spain. The cost of risk of the retail banking businesses in France and Italy remained stable and showed no signs of deteriorating.
The net income group share thus came to 7,822 million, up 7.0% compared to 2006. Return on equity was at the high level of 19.6%, down only 1.6 points compared to 2006 despite a much more difficult environment.
The board of directors resolved to propose at the Annual General Shareholder’s Meeting to pay out a 3.35 dividend per share, up 8.1% compared to 2006.
The fourth quarter 2007 was marked by extremely erratic markets along with rising counterparty risks, in particular with respect to monoline insurers.
In this environment, BNP Paribas posted 1,006 million in net income. In line with the amounts announced when reporting estimated results on 30 January, these results include 589 million in depreciations and fair value adjustments affecting CIB’s revenues as well as 309 million in provisions directly related to the crisis, impacting BancWest’s and CIB’s cost of risk. Despite all of this, CIB generated a positive pre-tax income of 343 million.
BNP Paribas’ revenues came to 6,920 million, down 1.9% compared to the fourth quarter 2006 due to these depreciations and fair value adjustments. Operating expenses rose moderately by 0.7% compared to the fourth quarter 2006.
Therefore, gross operating income reached 2,233 million, down 6.9% compared to the fourth quarter 2006.
The cost of risk reached 745 million in the fourth quarter 2007, of which 309 million were a direct impact of the crisis. This figure should be compared with the fourth quarter 2006 cost of risk, 282 million, which included provision write backs by Cetelem and CIB.