03/02/2021
Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft
/ Key word(s): Miscellaneous
- Announced cornerstones of "Strategy 2024" confirmed - Supervisory Board supports content and technical aspects of strategy proposed by Board of Managing Directors and constructively backs implementation - Initial arrangement has been made between the employee representatives and the Board of Managing Directors on provisions for employees as well as on negotiations - Private and Small-Business Customers: combination of a scalable online bank with personal advisory to increase efficiency - Corporate Clients: focus on clients with German connectivity and streamlining of international presence allow for consistent RWA management and higher profitability - CEO Manfred Knof: "Our new strategy creates the prerequisites for a sustainably profitable Commerzbank." - Preliminary financials 2020: operating profit at minus €233 million, net result at almost minus €2.9 billion
Today's resolution of the Board of Managing Directors initiates an in-depth restructuring programme as well as a comprehensive digitalisation of the Bank. The objective of the transformation is to combine the benefits of a fully digitalised bank with personal advice, consistent customer focus, and sustainability. Manfred Knof, Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors of Commerzbank AG: "Our new strategy creates a strong foundation for a sustainably profitable and highly efficient Commerzbank. The planned reductions are certainly very painful. We will implement this programme rigorously and consistently but also in a fair manner and with mutual respect. The agreement signed with the employee representatives today will contribute to creating clarity for our workforce soon." Agreement concluded with the Group Works Council Despite the significant restructuring, the Bank targets a common equity tier 1 ratio (CET 1) which is at least 200 to 250 basis points above the minimum regulatory requirements (MDA). This will enable Commerzbank to remain robust and resilient while efficiently managing its capital. As part of the Group, mBank will continue pursuing its growth strategy. Commerzbank will significantly transform its business with private and small-business customers. The objective is to create an attractive combination of a scalable online bank and a premium advisory offering. This will merge the digital and innovation strengths of comdirect with the advisory expertise of Commerzbank. Services will be based on the individual needs of customers. In future, the digital services of an online bank will be available to all eleven million private and small-business customers in Germany. Efficient use of data will enable customers to receive tailor made, needs-based solutions - at the right moment and through the right channel. The Bank will offer personal advice at branches and at central advisory centres 24/7. Commerzbank will reduce the number of branches from the current level of 790 to 450 locations across Germany. This is where customers will have access to advice on topics such as accounts, cards, and consumer loans and receive support on the Bank's digital offering. At 220 of these locations, wealth management and small-business customers with a greater need for advisory services will receive comprehensive, personal advisory support, and individual solutions on all issues relating to wealth management and finance. Commerzbank intends to significantly expand its business with wealthy customers and small-business customers in its Private Banking and Wealth Management segment. At the central advisory centres, personal banking advisors will support customers' service requirements for digital, mobile, or telephone banking 24/7. Customers will also receive comprehensive advice, for example in the areas of securities investment or mortgages. Corporate Clients: focus on clients with a clear German business angle and future-oriented sectors Commerzbank will adopt a more nuanced approach to advisory services for corporate clients and align them more directly with individual needs. Corporate clients will continue to receive personal advisory support and will have access to a network of regional branches. However, individual support for companies will focus on clients with a more sophisticated need for advice and where this can be delivered on a profitable basis. At the same time, an innovative online bank offering will gradually be rolled out for corporate clients with a standardised product and advisory requirement. Profitability is to be significantly enhanced by a number of measures including the digitalisation of processes, optimised pricing structure and, in particular, the use of data-based services. The product range is to be streamlined and will undergo additional digitalisation. Activities in investment banking will concentrate even more strongly on the requirements of corporate clients. This relates in particular to equity capital markets (ECM) and support for mergers & acquisitions (M&A). These services will be offered exclusively to the Bank's corporate clients with a corresponding need for advice (e.g. business succession). Cooperations are being examined for equity trading and sales as well as equity research. Commerzbank will remain a strong partner for its clients in international markets. Its local presence however will be structured more efficiently. This includes the bundling of back-office functions in regional hubs and the optimisation of the correspondent-bank portfolio. As a consequence, the Bank intends to exit 15 international locations and to convert 2 branches into representative offices. Accordingly, the Bank will be present in almost 40 countries going forward. 2020 earnings impacted by goodwill impairment and restructuring expenses According to preliminary figures, Commerzbank posted an operating profit of minus €233 million in the fiscal year 2020 (2019: +€1,253 million). This clearly reflects the burdens of the coronavirus pandemic. Overall, a net result of almost minus € 2.9 billion (2019: +€585 million) is expected. This includes the already announced restructuring charges of more than €800 million and a goodwill impairment of around €1.5 billion. Despite the loss, the common equity tier 1 ratio (CET 1 ratio) remained very comfortably above the regulatory requirements at 13.2 per cent as of the end of 2020. Commerzbank will present its complete financial results at the annual results press conference on 11 February 2021. ***** ***** About Commerzbank
03.02.2021 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. |
Language: | English |
Company: | Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft |
Kaiserstraße 16 | |
60311 Frankfurt am Main | |
Germany | |
Phone: | +49 (069) 136 20 |
Fax: | - |
E-mail: | pressestelle@commerzbank.com |
Internet: | www.commerzbank.de |
ISIN: | DE000CBK1001 |
WKN: | CBK100 |
Indices: | MDAX, CDAX, HDAX, PRIMEALL |
Listed: | Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange |
EQS News ID: | 1165644 |
End of News | DGAP News Service |
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1165644 03.02.2021