In This Article:
-
Net Profit: 20% above target.
-
Return on Tangible Equity: 14%, 2 percentage points above target.
-
Cost-Income Ratio: Below the target ceiling of 58%.
-
Dividend Proposal: EUR1.1, a 5% increase from 2023.
-
Revenue Growth: 17.4% increase on a stated basis, 18.2% on an underlying basis.
-
Home Loan Production in France: Up 18% compared to Q4 2023.
-
Insurance Premium Income: EUR43.6 billion for 2024.
-
Amundi Net Inflows: EUR55 billion for the full year.
-
Assets Under Management: EUR2.240 trillion.
-
Cost Increase: 5.6% on a stated basis, 4.4% on an underlying basis.
-
Cost of Risk: Increase mainly due to IFRS 9 provisions.
-
Solvency Ratio: Stable at 11.7%, target is 11%.
-
Liquidity Coverage Ratio: 131% for Credit Agricole SA, 127% for the group.
Release Date: February 05, 2025
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Positive Points
-
Credit Agricole SA (CRARF) exceeded its 2025 profitability targets a year early, with net profit 20% above target and return on tangible equity 2% points above target.
-
The company reported a record level of profit for both the fourth quarter and the full year of 2024, driven by a high level of revenues.
-
The capital and liquidity positions are very strong, with a proposed dividend increase of 5% compared to 2023.
-
There was a significant increase in loan production, particularly in home loans in France, which rose by 18% compared to the last quarter of 2023.
-
Asset management and insurance activities posted record levels, with Amundi achieving EUR55 billion in net inflows and insurance activities reaching EUR43.6 billion in net premium income for 2024.
Negative Points
-
There is an apparent increase in the cost of risk, primarily driven by IFRS 9 provisions, although Stage 3 provisions have decreased.
-
The solvency ratio decreased by 10 basis points over the full year, despite organic growth and M&A operations.
-
The macro hedging strategy at LCL led to a decrease in net interest income in the fourth quarter, with only a slight increase expected in 2025.
-
The company faces potential legal risks in the UK related to car loans, although its market share is small.
-
There is no immediate plan to change the 50% payout policy, despite having excess capital and ongoing M&A activities.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Do you think the bank has structurally shifted to a materially higher Return on Tangible Equity (ROTE) versus previous plans? A: Jerome Grivet, Deputy CEO, explained that while the bank has achieved a high ROTE of 14% for 2024, the future medium-term plan will be updated by the new CEO, likely in the fourth quarter of this year. The bank aims to maintain a ROTE above 12% for 2025, considering both tailwinds and headwinds. The structural shift will be part of the new medium-term plan, taking into account Basel IV impacts and business breakdown modifications.