Whereas RBC posted stronger-than-expected earnings outcomes, the financial institution stated it expects credit score losses to accentuate within the coming months as rates of interest stay elevated.
In feedback made throughout the financial institution’s Q3 earnings name, chief threat officer Graeme Hepworth stated the affect of inflation and excessive rates of interest is anticipated to play out over the approaching years.
“We’re nonetheless within the early phases of the present credit score cycle,” he stated. “As we transfer additional into the credit score cycle, we anticipate to see losses pushed by extra systemic elements arising from the anticipated financial slowdown.”
The total extent of the anticipated slowdown or potential recession stays largely within the arms of the Financial institution of Canada, Hepworth added.
“In the end, the timing and magnitude of elevated credit score prices proceed to rely upon the central financial institution’s success in contributing to inflation whereas making a tender touchdown for the economic system,” he stated.
For now, nonetheless, the financial institution’s retail portfolio continues to “outperform expectations,” supported by the present low unemployment charges, Hepworth added.
Whereas slower than earlier quarters, mortgage volumes stay up 5% in comparison with final yr.
RBC additionally elevated its provisions for credit score losses barely to $616 million in Q3, up from $600 million final quarter.
Amortization durations normalizing
Much like what TD Financial institution reported in its third-quarter earnings outcomes, RBC additionally noticed the remaining amortization durations for its residential mortgage portfolio begin to lower.
In earlier quarters, banks that supply fixed-payment variable-rate mortgages, like RBC, TD, BMO and CIBC, had seen the amortization durations for these mortgages lengthen dramatically.
Typically, nonetheless, the mortgage reverts to the unique amortization schedule at renewal, which might usually lead to a better month-to-month cost.
In Q3, RBC noticed the proportion of mortgages with a remaining amortization above 35% begin to ease to 23% of its portfolio, down from a peak of 25% in Q2.
RBC residential mortgage portfolio by remaining amortization interval
| Q3 2022 | Q2 2023 | Q3 2023 | |
| Underneath 25 years | 60% | 57% | 57% |
| 25-29 years | 16% | 17% | 19% |
| 30-34 years | 4% | 1% | 1% |
| 35+ years | 20% | 25% | 23% |
RBC earnings spotlights
Q3 internet revenue: $3.9 billion (+8.9% Y/Y)
Earnings per share: $2.73
| Q3 2022 | Q2 2023 | Q3 2023 | |
| Residential mortgage portfolio | $347B | $356B | $363.2B |
| HELOC portfolio | $36B | $35B | $35B |
| Share of mortgage portfolio uninsured | 75% | 76% | 77% |
| Avg. loan-to-value (LTV) of uninsured ebook | 45% | 69% | 69% |
| Portfolio combine: share with variable charges | NA | 32% | 29% |
| Common remaining amortization | NA | 26 yrs | 24 yrs |
| 90+ days late | 0.10% | 0.12% | 0.13% |
| Mortgage portfolio gross impaired loans | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.11% |
| Canadian banking internet curiosity margin (NIM) | 2.42% | 2.65% | 2.68% |
| Provisions for credit score losses | $340M | $600M | $616M |
Supply: RBC Q3 investor presentation
Convention Name
- Mortgage quantity moderated to five% in comparison with final yr.
- RBC stated it “stays targeted on the trade-offs between spreads and new mortgage originations as intense pricing competitors is limiting growth in asset betas.”
- On mortgage underwriting, president and CEO David McKay stated, “we are going to stay disciplined to make sure new originations proceed to fulfill inside hurdles of financial worth.”
- Requested in regards to the robust competitors the financial institution is at the moment seeing in mortgages, Neil McLaughlin, Group Head, Private & Business Banking, stated the next: “Regardless of the competitors…the speedy volatility in swaps has impacted mortgages I believe throughout the [board]. We stated the market is aggressive, however we do take a look at it and anticipate some normalization, as we noticed that volatility and swaps begin to abate. Once we take a look at it total when it comes to profitability, we do take a look at the levers we’ve got within the brief time period and long run, and I believe we really feel very assured that we’ve got levers over the medium time period if we have to pull them to handle the profitability there.”
- McLaughlin additionally famous that many variable-rate mortgage shoppers have been making lump sum funds so as to reduce the “cost shock” at renewal time. He stated that’s resulted in a “slight lower” of LTVs at origination, “however not one thing I might say price calling out the portfolio total.”
- On the subject of delinquencies, Chief Threat Officer Graeme Hepworth stated the next: “Anticipated losses within the retail portfolio continued to be delayed on account of robust employment and elevated ranges of client deposits. We do anticipate credit score traits in retail to weaken because the labor markets soften and extra shoppers are impacted by greater mortgage funds. These credit score traits will likely be led by bank cards and unsecured strains of credit score according to the standard credit score cycle.”
- RBC reported that its full-time worker depend fell by 1% in comparison with the earlier quarter, with the majority of cuts effecting the financial institution’s private and business banking unit, and wealth administration unit.
- Increased staffing prices drove the financial institution’s bills greater by 23% to $7.86 billion within the quarter.
Supply: RBC Q3 convention name
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