Aktia Bank Plc’s Half-year report January-June 2023: Continued strong growth in net interest income

Aktia Bank Plc
Stock Exchange Release
9 August 2023 at 8.00 a.m.  

Aktia Bank Plc’s Half-year report January-June 2023: Continued strong growth in net interest income

April-June in short

• Net interest income grew by 31% from the previous year and amounted to EUR 33.8 (25.8) million.
• Net commission income decreased by 4% from the previous year and amounted to EUR 30.4 (31.6) million. Positive net subscriptions were EUR 73 million.
• Net income from life insurance amounted to EUR 5.7 (34.9) million. The recalculated comparative figures for 2022 according to the new accounting standard IFRS 17 include considerable positive changes in market value, thus making the comparison significantly more difficult.
• Comparable operating expenses were on the previous year's level and amounted to EUR 42.2 (41.8) million.
• The business developed according to the company's expectations, but due to the accounting standard change (IFRS 17) the comparable operating profit decreased to EUR 26.5 (49.7) million. The comparable operating profit during the second quarter of last year, according to the accounting standard used at the time, amounted to EUR 24.7 million.
• Credit loss provisions remained at a very moderate level at EUR -1.3 million.

January-June in short

• Net interest income increased by 29% from the previous year and amounted to EUR 65.6 (50.9) million.
• Net commission income decreased by 4% from the previous year and amounted to EUR 60.6 (63.0) million.
• Net income from life insurance amounted to EUR 12.9 (56.3) million. The recalculated comparative figures for 2022 according to the new accounting standard IFRS 17 include considerable positive changes in market value, thus making the comparison significantly more difficult.
• Comparable operating expenses increased by 3% and were EUR 87.9 (85.1) million. The Inflation and outsourcing of certain IT operations increased IT expenses.
• The business developed according to the company's expectations, but due to the accounting standard change (IFRS 17) the comparable operating profit decreased to EUR 50.1 (85.3) million.
  
  

Outlook 2023 (unchanged)

Aktia's comparable operating profit for 2023 is expected to be clearly higher than the EUR 65.2 million reported for 2022 (under the accounting standard previously applied for the life insurance business).

The outlook has been prepared based on the following assumptions:

• Net interest income is expected to be significantly higher than in 2022.
• Net commission income is expected to increase slightly in 2023.
• Life insurance business is expected to develop stably. However, the result is affected by changes in market values. The recalculated result for 2022 according to the new accounting standard IFRS 17 is exceptionally high due to accounting technical changes.
• Operating expenses are expected to be on the same level or increase somewhat from 2022, due in particular to higher inflation and the start-up expenses of IT outsourcings (updated, earlier: are expected to be on the same level as in 2022).
• Credit loss provisions are expected to be at the same level as in 2022.
  
  

Juha Hammarén, interim CEO

Aktia’s strong financial development continued during the second quarter of the year. Interest income from lending continued to grow as the interest rate adjustments in the loan book increased faster than the financing costs. Aktia issued a EUR 500 million covered bond in May. The bond was oversubscribed 2.5-fold and priced very competitively, which considering the market conditions was an excellent result and an example of successful investor work both in Finland and internationally. However, it should be noted that the rise in interest rates also increases the costs for market-based and deposit financing. Our deposit base remained stable also during the second quarter.

The demand for housing loans remained soft as in the beginning of the year due to the housing market slowing down and the continuing general market uncertainty. So far, the employment rate in Finland has remained high and we have not seen an increase in the demand for instalment-free periods in housing loans. However, the strong demand for hire purchase and leasing financing among corporate customers continued. The quality of the loan book was still on a high level, and the average margin for the entire loan book continued to grow. Aktia's credit loss provisions during the quarter remained at a very moderate level at EUR -1.3 million.

Net commission income for the quarter decreased somewhat compared to the reference period. The market environment was still unstable, and the development especially in the Finnish equity market was regrettably modest. Market changes put pressure on customer assets under management, which nevertheless remained almost at the same level as at the beginning of the year and amounted to EUR 13.8 billion. I am especially happy with the positive net subscriptions of EUR 73 million. This is proof of our successful advisory and sales efforts.

Aktia's position at the top of the European fixed income fund houses was strengthened further when Aktia was awarded as the best European fixed income fund house in the small fund houses category in the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards. The rise in interest rates has restored customers’ interest in fixed income investments, which further strengthens Aktia’s position among asset managers. The cooperation with Taaleri within alternative investments also continued successfully. Together with Taaleri, Aktia launched the Article 9 fund Aurinkotuuli III in February. The fund raised more than EUR 160 million in its first round of funding, exceeding its target. The Aurinkotuuli III fund strongly supports the green transition in the energy economy.

Good profit development continued

The life insurance business, and hence the net income from life insurance, also continued their positive development during the second quarter. The sales of risk life insurances in particular remained strong, and the actuarially calculated result increased to EUR 7.7 million. In this context it should be noted that the recalculated comparative figures for 2022 according to the new accounting standard IFRS 17 include considerable positive changes in market value, thus making the comparison of net income from life insurance significantly more difficult throughout 2023.

Higher inflation made the cost development for the first half of the year more challenging than we expected at the beginning of the year. The costs increased also due to the start-up expenses of IT outsourcings. We will pay special attention to cost control during the rest of the year.

Aktia’s comparable operating profit in the second quarter amounted to EUR 26.5 million, which I am very happy with. The figure was considerably lower than in the reference period (49.7) due to the recalculation of the net income from life insurance according to the IFRS 17 accounting standard. The comparable operating profit from the reference period last year, according to the accounting standard used at the time, amounted to EUR 24.7 million, which includes capital gains of EUR 11 million in the life insurance company’s investment portfolio.

Key Figures

1) Alternative performance measures
2) At the end of the period

Reference periods 2022 have been recalculated according to the new IFRS 17 standard for insurance contracts.

Webcast from the results event

A live webcast from the results event will take place on 9 August 2023 at 10.30 a.m. (EEST). interim CEO Juha Hammarén and CFO Outi Henriksson will present the results. The event is held in English and can be seen live at https://aktia.videosync.fi/2023-q2-results. A recording of the webcast will be available at www.aktia.com after the event.

AKTIA BANK PLC

For more information:
Outi Henriksson, CFO, tel. +358 10 247 6236
Lotta Borgström, Director, Investor Relations and Communications, tel. +358 10 247 6838, lotta.borgstrom (at) aktia.fi

Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
Central media
www.aktia.com

Aktia is a Finnish asset manager, bank and life insurer that has been creating wealth and wellbeing from one generation to the next for 200 years. We serve our customers in digital channels everywhere and face-to-face in our offices in the Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Oulu regions. Our award-winning asset management business sells investment funds internationally. We employ approximately 900 people around Finland. Aktia's assets under management (AuM) on 30 June 2023 amounted to EUR 13.8 billion, and the balance sheet total was EUR 12.3 billion. Aktia's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (AKTIA). aktia.com.

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