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LHV Group unaudited results for Q1 2022
In Q1 2022, AS LHV Group earned a total of EUR 12.4 million in consolidated net profit. Within the quarter, AS LHV Bank earned EUR 14.9 million in net profit, including EUR 2.7 million from servicing clients related to the United Kingdom branch. During Q1, AS LHV Varahaldus generated EUR 0.6 million in net loss, and AS LHV Kindlustus generated EUR 0.5 million in net loss. LHV UK Limited had a loss of EUR 1.6 million. The Group’s return on equity in Q1 was 14.7%.
The net profit for Q1 was EUR 1 million higher than Q1 a year ago (+8%), and EUR 7 million lower than in 2021 Q4 (-36%), when the profit also included the success fee related to managing pension funds. The Group’s consolidated revenue in Q1 was EUR 34.8 million, i.e. EUR 6 million more than a year earlier (+21%) and EUR 7.9 million less than in Q4 (-18%). At the same time, the Group’s expenses for Q1 increased by EUR 5.1 million (+37%) year-on-year and by EUR 0.6 million (+3%) compared to Q4.
LHV Group’s consolidated assets stood at EUR 6.52 billion as at the end of March. The Group’s consolidated deposits decreased by EUR 397 million to EUR 5.41 billion over Q1 (+7%; +EUR 351 million in Q4). The decrease in deposits is due to a planned reduction of around EUR 400 million in deposits from payment intermediaries. The volume of the consolidated loan portfolio increased by EUR 75 million over the quarter (+3%; +EUR 128 million in Q4). Corporate loans increased by EUR 32 million and retail loans by EUR 43 million.
The total volume of funds managed by LHV increased by EUR 13 million to EUR 1.36 billion (+1%; +EUR 65 million in Q4). The number of processed payments from financial intermediaries amounted to 6.6 million in Q1 (-10% compared to 7.3 million payments in Q4).
By the end of Q1, LHV was behind in its financial plan for 2022, published in February, by EUR 2.6 million in profit.
Income statement, EUR thousand | Q1-2022 | Q1-2021 | 3 months 2022 | 3 months 2021 |
Net interest income | 25 787 | 20 371 | 25 787 | 20 371 |
Net fee and commission income | 10 346 | 8 729 | 10 346 | 8 729 |
Net gains from financial assets | -1 314 | -375 | -1 314 | -375 |
Other income | -35 | 39 | -35 | 39 |
Total revenue | 34 784 | 28 765 | 34 784 | 28 765 |
Staff costs | -10 249 | -7 253 | -10 249 | -7 253 |
Office rent and expenses | -522 | -463 | -522 | -463 |
IT expenses | -1 649 | -1 005 | -1 649 | -1 005 |
Marketing expenses | -957 | -532 | -957 | -532 |
Other operating expenses | -5 487 | -4 507 | -5 487 | -4 507 |
Total operating expenses | -18 866 | -13 760 | -18 866 | -13 760 |
EBIT | 15 919 | 15 005 | 15 919 | 15 005 |
Earnings before impairment losses | 15 919 | 15 005 | 15 919 | 15 005 |
Impairment losses on loans and advances | -735 | -1 601 | -735 | -1 601 |
Income tax | -2 801 | -1 988 | -2 801 | -1 988 |
Net profit | 12 383 | 11 416 | 12 383 | 11 416 |
Profit attributable to non-controlling interest | 503 | 373 | 503 | 373 |
Profit attributable to share holders of the parent | 11 880 | 11 043 | 11 880 | 11 043 |
Balance sheet, EUR thousand | Mar 2022 | Dec 2021 | Mar 2021 |
Cash and cash equivalents | 3 247 918 | 3 987 312 | 3 193 146 |
Financial assets | 475 843 | 135 856 | 149 739 |
Loans granted | 2 771 767 | 2 696 210 | 2 322 518 |
Loan impairments | -19 244 | -19 049 | -18 170 |
Receivables from customers | 6 531 | 9 746 | 5 185 |
Other assets | 33 604 | 34 856 | 30 005 |
Total assets | 6 516 418 | 6 844 930 | 5 682 423 |
Demand deposits | 5 247 061 | 5 648 013 | 4 272 474 |
Term deposits | 163 314 | 159 607 | 461 369 |
Loans received | 546 215 | 546 280 | 508 801 |
Loans received and deposits from customers | 5 956 590 | 6 353 899 | 5 242 644 |
Other liabilities | 113 510 | 55 852 | 73 668 |
Subordinated loans | 110 374 | 110 378 | 110 876 |
Total liabilities | 6 180 474 | 6 520 130 | 5 427 188 |
Equity | 335 944 | 324 801 | 255 235 |
Minority interest | 6 787 | 8 384 | 6 756 |
Total liabilities and equity | 6 516 418 | 6 844 930 | 5 682 423 |
The results at the beginning of the year were impacted by lower activity from clients related to the Russian-Ukrainian war, a donation of EUR 500,000 to the Estonian Refugee Council and also, as a specific item, a EUR 1.4 million negative revaluation on the value of bonds in the liquidity portfolio.
The Bank was active at the beginning of the year. More than 16,000 new bank clients joined LHV during the quarter (+5%). During the quarter, the bank launched a new virtual bank card, which will add speed and convenience to client payments. Cryptocurrency trading was added to the Internet Bank, and more tradable currencies were added. Regarding home loans, the conditions for families with many children were renewed from March, they can apply for a home loan with 5% co-financing with a guarantee from KredEx. At the end of March, LHV opened a new client office in the Graf Zeppelin building, in Pärnu. The bank now has three offices in Estonia. Once again, LHV’s service was rated the best among Estonian banks, and it was also voted the best employer in Estonia in a CV-Online survey.
In the context of a tense international situation, LHV has begun to apply international sanctions. This has led to restrictions for some clients. Refugees who have arrived in Estonia are also interested in opening bank accounts. LHV has simplified the account opening process for them. We have also abolished the service fee on payments to Ukraine. The impact of the war has not been felt in the loan portfolio, which has remained strong overall and the share of overdue loans is very low.
Q1 was successful for the funds actively managed by Asset Management, as these were the best performing funds on the market, with the rate of return of M, L and XL pension funds being 2.0%, 3.8% and 2.3%, respectively, in the quarter. However, the quarter presented more of a challenge for the pension funds Index and Green, as their share values fell by 3.6% and 5.0%, respectively. The number of active Pillar II clients fell by 3,000 (-2%) over the quarter, while market share remained at the same level.
The number of insurance clients increased by 3,000 (+2%) over the quarter. There has been a steady increase in the interest of insurance intermediaries, and business volumes are growing. For the convenience of clients, insurance contracts were added to the LHV Internet Bank and mobile app. Client satisfaction with claims handling remains at a high 97% level. However, the insurance surplus continued to be negatively impacted by the high number of COVID losses in travel insurance.
In other significant events in Q1, AS LHV Group acquired EveryPay, a platform for accepting payments. The transaction will help LHV to grow in the strategically important area of payments, both in Estonia and internationally. During Q1, LHV UK Limited also submitted an application for a banking licence to the UK regulator, which is expected to be approved later this year. In the UK, recruitment and preparations continue. AS LHV Group also announced that it plans to raise capital this year for the upfront capitalisation of its UK business line. AS LHV Group is also in the process of applying to the Financial Supervision Authority for a financial holding company licence, which is currently pending.
Comment by Madis Toomsalu, the CEO of LHV Group:
"The first quarter was dominated by the impact of the war and the difficult international situation. Client activity fell somewhat, but despite the stormy weather we remain open to clients.
Estonia’s open economy is moving in an amplified way with European trends. Inflation is higher and the risk of recession is real. The likelihood of stagflation has increased, with the outcome depending mainly on the ability of companies to cope with wage growth expectations. However, the inflationary environment, combined with rising interest rates, has typically meant higher revenues and profits for banks.
LHV is carried forward by our ambition to build good and lasting long-term relationships with our clients, the people who work for LHV, and our shareholders. It is a pleasure to be able to provide a professional relationship and a sense of value to all. I believe that we will be able to achieve our planned results for the year as a whole. We have a clear outlook for revenue growth in the second half of the year. To confirm this, we plan to raise new capital later this year. Although the specific conditions in this respect have yet to be decided. The capital we need is mainly to capitalise our UK business. Similarly, we plan to make a smaller follow-up investment in Bank North, assuming the company is able to raise capital from other investors."
AS LHV Group reports are available at: https://investor.lhv.ee/en/reports/.
In order to introduce the quarterly results, LHV Group will organise an investor meeting via the Zoom webinar environment. The virtual investor meeting will take place on 19 April, at 9:00, before the market opens. The presentation will be in Estonian. We kindly ask you to register at the following address: https://lhvbank.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TuuISGl1R8KAY9jCEPBqfw.
LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. LHV Group’s key subsidiaries are LHV Pank, LHV Varahaldus, and LHV Kindlustus. LHV employs over 700 people. As at the end of March, LHV’s banking services are being used by 337,000 clients, the pension funds managed by LHV have 135,000 active clients, and LHV Kindlustus is protecting a total of 147,000 clients. LHV’s UK branch offers banking infrastructure to 200 international financial services companies, via which LHV’s payment services reach clients around the world.
Priit Rum
LHV Communication Manager
Phone: +372 502 0786
E-mail: priit.rum@lhv.ee
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