ZURICH - Julius Baer Group (OTC:JBAXY) Ltd., the Swiss private banking group, is setting aside provisions for potential credit losses following a significant exposure to a European conglomerate's commercial real estate and luxury retail assets. The bank confirmed that it had allocated CHF 70 million in loan-loss provisions after assessing the risk at the end of October. Despite the financial setback, Julius Baer maintains a robust Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 16.1%, showcasing the bank's financial resilience.
This development comes as the bank reported an exposure totaling CHF 606 million to the unnamed conglomerate, which according to Bloomberg reports is linked to Rene Benko’s Signa group. Signa is currently undergoing debt restructuring within its corporate entities, prompting scrutiny from Swiss regulator Finma after an insolvency filing by a Signa unit in Berlin. The filing raises concerns about the potential impact on Europe’s property market, considering Signa Prime and Signa Development’s asset valuation exceeded €23 billion last year.
In light of these events, CEO Philipp Rickenbacher has announced a strategic review of Julius Baer's private debt business framework. The bank's total loan book stands at CHF 41 billion, including a diverse private debt loan book valued at CHF 1.5 billion. With assets under management reaching CHF 435 billion, Julius Baer remains committed to its capital distribution policy, aiming for a dividend payout ratio around 50% and prepared for share buy-backs if CET1 capital significantly exceeds the roughly 14% threshold after year-end.
Adding to the bank's challenges, an unforeseen loan provision totaling 82 million Swiss francs was predominantly recorded after October 31st, leading to an adjustment in profit forecasts and causing Julius Baer's shares to hit an annual low. Rickenbacher acknowledged the negative impact on stakeholders and confirmed that the firm's interim financial report reflects their ability to withstand potential risks thanks to their strong loan book and overall financial resilience.
Julius Baer is now taking protective measures with commercial real estate and luxury retail collaterals while pursuing restructuring efforts to secure its financial interests amidst the ongoing scrutiny of Europe’s property market dynamics.
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