Driven by strong top-line performance, Brazil’s Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. ITUB reported third-quarter 2015 recurring earnings of R$6.1 billion ($1.7 billion), up 10.9% year over year. Including non-recurring items, net income came in at R$5.9 billion ($1.68 billion), up 9.3% year over year.
Results reflected elevated operating revenues, increased managerial financial margin along with higher banking service fees and income from banking charges. However, increase in non-interest expenses was the headwind.
Performance in Detail
Operating revenues of R$26.9 billion ($7.7 billion) at Itau Unibanco in the reported quarter climbed 15.5% on a year-over-year basis. Managerial financial margin increased 22.2% year over year to R$17.6 billion ($5.0 billion). Annualized net interest margin with clients came in at 10.9%, up from 10.3% in the prior-year quarter.
Banking Service Fees and Income from Banking Charges moved up 8% year over year to R$7.1 billion ($2.0 billion) in the first quarter. Revenues from insurance, pension plans and capitalization operations decreased 4.6% from the prior-year quarter to R$2.3 billion ($0.65 billion).
Itau Unibanco’s non-interest expenses came in at R$10.9 billion ($3.1 billion), up 11.8% year over year. Moreover, expenses for provision for loan and lease losses at Itau Unibanco increased 21.3% on a year-over-year basis to R$5.7 billion ($1.6 billion).
In the quarter under review, the efficiency ratio reached 44.2%, reflecting a decrease of 180 basis points from the prior-year quarter. A decrease in the efficiency ratio reflects an upswing in profitability.
The nonperforming loan ratio (loan transactions more than 90 days overdue) was 3.3% in the reported quarter, increasing 10 basis points year over year. Itau Unibanco’s credit portfolio, including endorsements and sureties, reached R$552.3 billion ($157.1 billion) as of Sep 30, 2015, up 9.7% year over year.
As of Sep 30, 2015, Itau Unibanco’s total assets amounted to R$1.32 trillion ($0.32 trillion), up 13.8% from the end of the prior-year quarter. Assets under administration stood at R$749.8 billion ($182.7 billion), up 16% year over year.
Yet, annualized recurring return on average equity decreased to 24.0% in the reported quarter from 24.7% in the prior-year quarter. As of Sep 30, 2015, estimated BIS ratio reached 16.1%, down 50 basis points year over year.
Outlook
For the year 2015, the company expects loan loss provision net of recovery in the range of R$15 billion – R$18 billion. Moreover, non-interest expenses are expected to increase in the range of 7% – 10%.
Moreover, the total credit portfolio is expected to increase in the range of 3% – 7%, while banking service fees and revenue of insurance, pension plan and capitalization are expected to rise in the range of 9.5% – 11.5%. Managerial financial margin is expected to grow in the range of 14.5%–17.5%.
In Conclusion
Though increasing competition, elevated expenses and the stressed conditions in the Brazilian economy pose risks, Itau Unibanco’s diversified product mix, increasing operating revenues and expanded credit portfolio are encouraging. Additionally, we believe that the strong asset base remains a positive catalyst for Itau Unibanco.
Moreover, the merger with Chile-based bank CorpBanca (BCA) in a stock-plus-cash offer will help enhance Itau Unibanco’s footprint in Chile as it penetrated the market back in 2007 through the acquisition of the operations of BankBoston. Later in 2011, it acquired HSBC’s premium banking operations. Further, this will aid the company to gain a greater market share in Latin America with its entry into Peru and Central America, apart from its presence in Chile, Columbia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Itau Unibanco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Competitive Landscape
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc RBS reported third-quarter 2015 earnings attributable to shareholders of £952 million ($1.5 billion), up 6.3% year over year. Results were driven by lower expenses. However, reduced net interest as well non-interest income was on the downside.
Including certain one-time expenses, Deutsche Bank AG DB reported net loss of €6 billion ($6.7 billion) in the third quarter of 2015, as compared with €92 million ($122 million) in the prior-year quarter. The bank reported loss before income taxes of €6.1 billion ($6.8 billion), as compared with income of €266 million ($352.9 million) in the prior-year quarter.
Another foreign bank – Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. MTU is scheduled to report September quarter-end results on Nov 13.
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