HSBC RESULTS

Highlights

• Reported profit before tax in Asia up 4% to $4.7bn in 3Q19, with a resilient performance in Hong Kong.
• Growth in both loans and advances to customers and customer accounts, up 4% and 2% respectively on a reported basis compared with 3Q18, and up 7% and 5% on a constant currency basis.
• Commercial Banking (‘CMB’) and Retail Banking delivered revenue growth compared with 3Q18. Continued momentum in Global Private Banking (‘GPB’) with net new money of $19bn in 9M19. Performance in Retail Banking and Wealth Management (‘RBWM’) in HSBC UK in 3Q19 was adversely impacted by additional customer redress charges.
• Global Banking and Markets (‘GB&M’) performance continued to reflect low levels of client activity in Global Markets, although our transaction banking franchises delivered a resilient performance. In 3Q19, GB&M‘s adjusted revenue in Asia increased by 9% compared with 3Q18 and represented over 50% of total GB&M adjusted revenue.
• Continued strong capital levels, with common equity tier 1 (‘CET1’) ratio of 14.3%, including the completion of a $1bn share buy-back.

• Financial performance (vs. 3Q18)

  • Profit attributable to ordinary shareholders in 3Q19 down 24% to $3.0bn, reflecting challenging market conditions. Return on tangible equity (annualised) (‘RoTE’) for 3Q19 of 6.4%.
  • Reported profit before tax down 18% to $4.8bn, which included additional customer redress provisions of $606m and $120m of severance costs. Adjusted profit before tax down 12% to $5.3bn.
  • Reported revenue down 3% to $13.4bn, due to lower client activity in Global Markets, compared with a strong 3Q18. In RBWM, continued growth in Retail Banking was broadly offset in insurance manufacturing due to higher adverse market impacts of $177m, while revenue increased in CMB and GPB. Adjusted revenue down 2% to $13.3bn
  • The reduction in revenue included an adverse movement in credit and funding valuation adjustments in GB&M of $196m, while the adverse impact of hyperinflation accounting in Argentina in 3Q19 was $132m, compared with $304m in 3Q18.
  • Reported operating expenses up 2% due to significant items. Adjusted operating expenses up 0.8%, reflecting cost discipline while continuing to invest.
  • Reported change in expected credit losses (‘ECL’) increased by $0.4bn, mainly on unsecured lending in RBWM and higher charges in CMB in the UK and Hong Kong. ECL in 3Q19 included a charge to reflect the economic outlook in Hong Kong

Noel Quinn, Group Chief Executive, said:

“Parts of our business, especially Asia, held up well in a challenging environment in the third quarter. However, in some parts, performance was not acceptable, principally business activities within continental Europe, the non-ring-fenced bank in the UK, and the US. Our previous plans are no longer sufficient to improve performance for these businesses, given the softer outlook for revenue growth. We are therefore accelerating plans to remodel them, and move capital into higher growth and return opportunities.”