Leumi Reports Net Income of NIS 2,780 Million ($798 Million) and 10.4% ROE in the First Nine Months of 2019

TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

    --  Net income in the first nine months of 2019 reached NIS 2,780 million
        ($798 million), compared with NIS 2,569 million ($738 million) in the
        same period last year - a 8.2% year-over-year increase.
    --  Net income in the third quarter of 2019 reached NIS 765 million ($220
        million), compared with NIS 936 million ($269 million) in the same
        period last year - a 18.3% decrease, and compared with NIS 894 million
        ($257 million) in the same period last year when excluding the effect of
        Leumi Card - a 14.4% decrease. The lower profitability compared to the
        same quarter last year mainly stems from a negative CPI in the quarter
        at a rate of 0.7%, compared to a positive CPI at a rate of 0.2% in the
        same quarter last year.
    --  Return on equity in the first nine months of 2019 was 10.4%, compared
        with 10.2% in the same period last year. Excluding the effect of the
        sale of Leumi Card - the ROE was 9.6%, similar to the same period last
        year.
    --  Return on equity in the third quarter of 2019 was 8.7%, compared with
        11.2% in the same period last year. Excluding the effect of the sale of
        Leumi Card - the ROE in the third quarter of 2018 was 10.6%.
    --  Efficiency ratio continues to improve - A 55.2% ratio in the first nine
        months of 2019, compared with 59.5% in the same period last year.
        Excluding the effect of Leumi Card - the efficiency ratio was 56.9%,
        compared with 59.6% in the same period last year. The Bank is currently
        implementing a voluntary retirement plan for 400 employees, which is
        expected to be completed by the end of the year.
    --  Growth in the loan portfolio - The Bank's loan portfolio as at September
        30, 2019 totaled NIS 279.7 billion ($80.3 billion), a 4.5% increase
        compared to the same period last year. The commercial portfolio
        increased by 8.6%, the mortgage portfolio increased by 4.8% and the
        corporate portfolio increased by 10.9%.
    --  Credit loss expenses in the first nine months of 2019 reached 0.21% of
        the credit portfolio, compared with 0.12% in the same period last year
        (excluding Leumi Card). The increase in expenses stems from credit
        growth, a decrease in collections and reclassifications.
    --  Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio as at September 30, 2019 was 11.73%,
        and the total capital ratio reached 15.55%.
    --  Dividend and share buybacks - The Bank will distribute a dividend of 40%
        of its net income in the third quarter of 2019, totaling NIS 306 million
        ($88 million). The accumulated dividend for the first nine months of
        2019 totaled NIS 1.1 billion ($316 million). In addition, the Bank
        executed a share buyback plan during the third quarter of 2019, totaling
        NIS 353 million ($101 million). Since the beginning of the year, the
        Bank purchased shares totaling NIS 700 million ($201 million).
    --  Net interest income in the first nine months of 2019, excluding the
        effect of Leumi Card, was up by NIS 287 million ($82 million) compared
        with the same period last year, a 4.5% increase.
    --  Total operating and other expenses in the first nine months of 2019,
        excluding the effect of Leumi Card, were up by NIS 173 million ($50
        million) compared with the same period last year, a 3.1% increase. The
        increase mainly stems from a provision for bonuses, including a sign-on
        bonus in respect of the collective salary agreement, and a one-time
        expense in respect of the exchange of bond series.

An Improvement in Balance Sheet Parameters:

    --  Shareholders' equity totaled NIS 35.1 billion ($10.1 billion) as at
        September 30, 2019, compared with NIS 34.8 billion ($10.0 billion) as at
        September 30, 2018.
    --  Net credit to the public totaled NIS 279.7 billion ($80.3 billion) as at
        September 30, 2019, compared with NIS 267.7 billion ($76.9 billion) as
        at September 30, 2018 (excluding Leumi Card). The increase is mainly
        attributed to mortgage, middle-market and corporate loans.
    --  Deposits by the public totaled NIS 358.9 billion ($103.1 billion) as at
        September 30, 2019, similar to last year.
    --  Leverage ratio as at September 30, 2019 was 7.41%, compared to the 6%
        minimum required by the Bank of Israel.
    --  Liquidity coverage ratio as at September 30, 2019 was 121%, compared to
        the 100% minimum required by the Bank of Israel.

Leumi Group - Principal Data from the Financial Statements

Profit and Profitability (in NIS millions)


                                                                           For the nine months      Change in % 
     
          December 31

                                                                           ended September 30                                   2018



                                              
            
            2019  2018

                                                        ---                                                ---


            Net interest income                                     6,678  6,616               0.9                  8,890

    ---


            Credit loss expenses                                      451    314              43.6                    519

    ---


            Non-interest income                                     3,881  3,724               4.2                  4,871

    ---


            Operating and other expenses                            5,832  6,154             (5.2)                 8,337

    ---


            Profit before taxes                                     4,276  3,872              10.4                  4,905

    ---


            Provision for taxes                                     1,444  1,298              11.2                  1,619

    ---


            Profit after taxes                                      2,832  2,574              10.0                  3,286

    ---


            The Bank's share in profits of companies included        (22)    47                                      36
    on equity basis

    ---


            Net income attributed to non-controlling interests       (30)  (52)             42.3                   (65)

    ---


            Net income attributed to shareholders of the            2,780  2,569               8.2                  3,257
    banking corporation

    ---


            Return on equity (%)                                    10.4   10.2                                     9.5

    ---


            Earnings per share (NIS)                                 1.87   1.69                                    2.15

    ---

Development of Balance Sheet Items (in NIS millions)


                                                                                  As at September 30                           December 31

                                                                                                                   2018

                                                                                                      ---

            
              
                2019                        2018

                        ---                                                          ---


       Net credit to the public (a)                         279,678       267,681                                271,173

    ---                                                                                                             ---


       Deposits by the public (a)                           358,921       358,875                                364,591

    ---                                                                                                             ---


       Shareholders' equity                                  35,144        34,760                                 35,305

    ---                                                                                                             ---


       Total assets                                         454,508       450,675                                460,657

    ---                                                                                                             ---

        a)  Excluding the balances for Leumi Card, which have been classified as held-for-sale assets and liabilities since the
         balance sheet as at March 31, 2018.

Principal Financial Ratios (%)


                                                            As at September 30                           December 31

                                                                                           2018

                                                                                ---


              
                2019          2018

                 ---                             ---

               Net credit
                to the
                public to
                total
                assets (a)                61.5          59.4                                   58.9

    ---                                                                                       ---

               Deposits by
                the public
                to total
                assets (b)                79.0          79.6                                   79.1

    ---                                                                                       ---

               Total
                equity to
                risk
                assets                   15.55         14.69                                  14.54

    ---                                                                                       ---

               Total Tier
                1 equity
                to risk
                assets                   11.73         11.25                                  11.07

    ---                                                                                       ---

               Leverage
                ratio                     7.41          7.05                                   7.05

    ---                                                                                       ---

               Liquidity
                coverage
                ratio                      121           121                                    121

    ---                                                                                       ---

               (a)  Excluding the credit for Leumi Card (comparative results), which have been classified as
                held-for-sale assets and liabilities since the balance sheet as at March 31, 2018.


               (b)  Excluding the deposits by Leumi Card (comparative results), which have been classified as
                held-for-sale assets and liabilities since the balance sheet as at March 31, 2018.


               The data in this press release has been converted into US dollars solely for convenience
                purposes, at
    the representative exchange rate published by the Bank of Israel on September 30, 2019, NIS
     3.482.

Conference Call Details:

A conference call to discuss the results will be held today at 5 PM (Israel); 3 PM (UK); 10:00 AM (ET).

It is recommended to connect to the link at least 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the call. An archived recording will be available on the Leumi website one business day after the call ends.

Conference Call Dial-in Details (no passcode required):

Israel: 03-9180608
UK: 0-800-051-8913
US & Canada: 1-866-652-8972
All other locations: +972-3-918-0608

The conference call does not replace the need to review the latest periodic/quarterly reports containing full information, including forward-looking information, as defined in the Israeli Securities Law, and set out in the aforementioned reports.

For more information visit www.leumi.co.il or contact Daphna Golden, VP, Head of Investor Relations, at Daphna.Golden@bankleumi.co.il.

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SOURCE Bank Leumi