Our Activity archivos - Asociación Española de Banca

2023. AEB Banks’ Financial Performance

theoms — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 11:05:00 +0000

The banks of the Spanish Banking Association (AEB) are among the most profitable and efficient in the European Union in 2023, enabling them to guarantee their support to families and businesses through financing, and to continue driving economic and social progress with their activities.

In a context of moderate economic growth, a return to normal central bank monetary policy, and persistent geopolitical tensions, the entities achieved a return on equity (ROE) of 12.6%, the result of a commercial business model based on deposit collection and credit granting.

Profitability is the first line of defense for the soundness and sustainability of results and strengthens the banks’ ability to contribute to the welfare state through tax payments, to the economy’s progress through financing, and to dividend distribution to over 5 million predominantly retail shareholders.

The attributed profit of 23 billion euros (+20.3%) in 2023 is a consequence of improved interest margins and efficiency, alongside increased provisioning efforts.

Download the presentation on banks’ activity in 2023

Download the press release

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2022. The strength and social commitment of Spanish banking

theoms — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:00:00 +0000

The banks of the Spanish Banking Association have demonstrated their strength in an environment of constant change and uncertainty, shaped by geopolitical events that have contributed to a sharp rise in inflation and the return to normality in central banks’ monetary policy.

Institutions are facing the new monetary and financial environment with a sound and sustainable business model. A diversified and profitable retail commercial banking sector for which 2022 was a year of healthy growth, driven by an increase in lending and customer deposits, which reached a record balance of €1.7 trillion.

Despite the complexity of the environment, non-performing loans remain at 3.4% for both corporate and household lending, the lowest level since the financial crisis, with high coverage close to recent highs. In addition, the sector has improved its profitability, with an ROE of 10.9%, which strengthens its capacity to provide credit and generate wealth and employment, remunerate its more than 5 million shareholders, and pay taxes that help sustain the welfare state.

Thanks to their strength and social commitment, AEB banks have provided solutions to the challenges facing the country, with measures to improve services for older people and ensure full financial inclusion in rural Spain, as well as the agreement to ease the mortgage burden for households in difficulty.

Download the presentation on banks’ activity in 2022

Download the press release

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2021. A pillar of stability in an environment of uncertainty

theoms — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 22:00:00 +0000

In an environment still marked by the impact of the pandemic and an incipient economic recovery, Spanish banks redoubled their support for families and businesses in 2021, with a 5% increase in credit granting.

At the same time, AEB member banks have strengthened their capacity to face challenges, with a significant improvement in key indicators of solvency, profitability, non-performing loan control, and efficiency.

Thanks to their strength, the banking sector has adopted a wide range of measures to support society: it has maintained the continuity of financing lines for companies and self-employed individuals with ICO guarantees in the face of the COVID crisis, and has established payment moratoria for residents affected by the eruption of the La Palma volcano.

Furthermore, this year banking entities have expanded the Strategic Protocol to Reinforce the Social and Sustainable Commitment of Banking, signed in 2021, with new measures to promote financial inclusion, and have taken aid measures to alleviate the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.

Download the 2021 AEB banks’ results presentation

Download the press release and results tables

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2020. A pause on the road to profitability

theoms — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 22:00:00 +0000

At present, the priority of the Spanish Banking Association is to continue helping Spanish families and businesses overcome the deep economic crisis caused by the pandemic, and to contribute, as much as possible, to driving the recovery of activity and growth once COVID-19 has been overcome.

With this mission, the Association is redoubling its efforts to support its member banks in the many initiatives they have undertaken to support their customers, such as deferrals of mortgage and consumer loan payments for individuals, or financing for companies through ICO loans guaranteed by the State, among many other measures.

This was stated today by our President, José María Roldán, at the press conference to analyse banks’ annual results and the situation and outlook for the sector in the current challenging context, still marked by the pandemic, which has caused an unprecedented contraction in global economic activity.

Despite the persistence of the health crisis and the prolonged environment of low official interest rates in Europe, Spanish banks have been able to put in place a broad range of effective measures to meet the needs of households and businesses thanks to their solvency and comfortable liquidity position, as shown by the annual results analysed today.

Banks sustained the flow of financing to the economy in 2020: lending to companies increased, while, in the case of households, the reduction in consumption was accompanied by an increase in savings. And with the measures adopted by banks and the authorities, non-performing loans are contained.

The decline in profit and loss account margins and the extraordinary effort made in provisions are the main effects explaining the 2020 results for banks across the euro area, our President explained when presenting the annual results.

Download the 2020 results presentation for Spanish banks

Download the press release and results tables

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2019. Committed to Addressing the Pandemic

theoms — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 22:00:00 +0000

The Spanish Banking Association’s primary objective at this time is to help Spanish businesses and families overcome the consequences left in our economy by COVID-19. To this end, it has been committed to supporting its members in the numerous initiatives they have adopted to provide liquidity to businesses and facilitate mortgage and personal loan payments for their clients, among many other measures. Our banks can do this thanks to their strong solvency and liquidity position, as shown by the 2019 results presented today.

The results of Spanish banks show how they have improved their solvency and asset quality, as well as their coverage ratio throughout 2019, in line with the efforts made in recent years to strengthen their balance sheets. This translates into a comfortable capital and liquidity position that enables them to face the crisis caused by the pandemic by deploying a wide range of support measures for their clients: families and businesses.

Also noteworthy is the high recurrence of the main business margins and the fact that they maintain profitability and efficiency above the European average, despite the current interest rate environment. This was explained by the AEB President, José María Roldán, in the presentation of the annual results.

Download the 2019 results presentation for Spanish banks

Download press release and results table

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2018. The profitability challenge

theoms — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 22:00:00 +0000

The results of Spanish banks in 2018 reflect the continued strength of the most recurring income margins, cost containment, and lower provisioning and impairment needs. In a challenging low interest rate environment, attributable profit grew by 23% compared with the previous year, solvency and profitability increased, and non-performing loans declined.

Customer lending grew by 2.6% and exceeded €1.5 trillion at year-end 2018, coming to represent 60% of the consolidated balance sheet and recovering the share it accounted for in total assets five years earlier. This was explained by the President of the AEB, José María Roldán, at the presentation of the annual results.

José María Roldán, Chairman of the Spanish Banking Association

Download the presentation of the 2018 results of Spanish banks

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2017. An industry in transformation: results and challenges

theoms — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 22:00:00 +0000

The results of Spanish banks in 2017 are the combined product of a more favourable cycle but, above all, of a sector-wide effort to clean up institutions’ balance sheets. In terms of solvency, capitalisation and profitability, Spanish banking has made considerable progress over the past four years. In the coming years, banking in Spain will face deep-rooted challenges that will require institutions to have strong strategic capabilities in order to get their future business model right. Nevertheless, Spanish banks have sufficient strengths to succeed in their endeavour to continue fulfilling their role of financing businesses and households. This was stated by the Chairman of AEB, José María Roldán, when presenting the annual results.

Profitability is an absolute priority for the sustainability of banking activity, and we must not rely on interest rate normalisation to solve the problem.
The reduction of non-performing assets has become a priority issue for the European authorities.
A more stable and predictable regulatory horizon is beginning, although no less demanding for that.
Adapting to digitalisation affects all financial institutions.
The growing importance of non-financial risks should drive a change in banking culture.

José María Roldán, Chairman of the Spanish Banking Association

Download the 2017 results presentation of Spanish banks

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2016. A transition exercise

theoms — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 22:00:00 +0000

Following a severe recessionary phase, the Spanish economy has grown above the European average over the last three years, leveraged by robust employment growth and competitiveness gains, and supported by a more solid and solvent financial sector that is once again in a position to contribute to economic growth, allowing GDP to approach pre-crisis levels.

The internationalization of Spanish goods and services companies provides a solid foundation for growth.

However, Spain still needs to address several essential adjustments to increase its growth potential.

The evolution of the balance sheet in 2016 reflects an economic scenario that remains unfavorable for financial intermediation, with moderate variations in its main items, allowing for an improved liquidity position and a focus on balance sheet cleaning, capital reinforcement, and the consolidation of solvency.

José María Roldán, Chairman of the Spanish Banking Association

Download the presentation

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2015. Adapting to the “new normal”

theoms — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 22:00:00 +0000

The pace of global economic growth has stagnated in recent years, but since late 2013, Spain has once again registered growth rates close to its potential and has laid the foundations to consolidate sustained growth near 3%, largely explained by competitiveness gains and the internationalization efforts of Spanish companies.

However, Spain still needs to address several essential adjustments to increase its growth potential. In an unfavorable economic scenario, the consolidated balance sheet maintains a growth rate of 9% for the second consecutive year, reflected in the increase in customer loans and deposits, with the LtD (Loan to Deposit) ratio remaining stable and funding requirements for this item at minimum levels. Non-performing loans continue to decline and coverage levels continue to increase.

View the complete 2015 results presentation.

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2014. The profitability challenge

theoms — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 22:00:00 +0000

I. Economy in recovery

II. Expansionary monetary policy

III. New supervisory environment

IV. Spanish banking in 2014. Results

An economy in recovery, with a normalisation of financial and real conditions, while keeping in mind the challenges that persist in the medium term.

View the full 2014 results presentation.

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