Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>* BDO Unibank (BDO.PM) [BDO] reported 4Q21net income of PHP 11.0 bn, a PHP 1.0 bn (10.0%) linked quarter increase, driven by surprisingly positive operating jaws; </li>
<li>The level of net new NPLs declined PHP 319 mn or 1.7% on an annualized basis which is a wonderful turn of events for BDO; and</li>
<li>By our calculation, BDO’s reserves appear fine where they are provided credit quality doesn’t reverse course -suggesting earnings strength on the horizon.</li>
</ul>


* BDO Unibank (BDO.PM) [BDO] reported 4Q21net income of PHP 11.0 bn, a PHP 1.0 bn (10.0%) linked quarter increase, driven by surprisingly positive operating jaws; 
The level of net new NPLs declined PHP 319 mn or 1.7% on an annualized basis which is a wonderful turn of events for BDO; and
By our calculation, BDO’s reserves appear fine where they are provided credit quality doesn’t reverse course -suggesting earnings strength on the horizon.


<ul>
<li>
<em><strong>Another Fraud In The Philippines:</strong></em> Nearly 700 BDO Unibank customers have reported unauthorized account transactions of between PHP 25,000-PHP 50,000 with accounts at UnionBank of the Philippines (UBP PM);</li>
<li>
<em><strong>Small Risk:</strong></em>Assuming that the affected customers are capped at 700, losses from this incident would amount to USD 700,000 – well under 1% of consensus forecasts for 2022; and</li>
<li>
<em><strong>Weak Fundamentals:</strong></em> Net new NPLs increased an alarming PHP 17.8 bn or 115.8% annualized.  BDO’s reserves are light in the neighborhood of PHP 66 bn or six quarters of results.</li>
</ul>



Another Fraud In The Philippines: Nearly 700 BDO Unibank customers have reported unauthorized account transactions of between PHP 25,000-PHP 50,000 with accounts at UnionBank of the Philippines (UBP PM);

Small Risk:Assuming that the affected customers are capped at 700, losses from this incident would amount to USD 700,000 – well under 1% of consensus forecasts for 2022; and

Weak Fundamentals: Net new NPLs increased an alarming PHP 17.8 bn or 115.8% annualized.  BDO’s reserves are light in the neighborhood of PHP 66 bn or six quarters of results.


Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Metropolitan Bank & Trust / Equity Bottom-Up

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<p>On the <a href="https://www.phcc.gov.ph/press-releases/banks-mca-moa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 November</a>, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP - the central bank of the Philippines), the Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp, and the Cooperative Development Authority signed a multi-agency agreement to streamline the merger, consolidation, and acquisition (MCA) process to encourage consolidation in the banking sector.</p>
<p>BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the agreement "<em>aims to streamline processes, reduce processing time, and facilitate prompt action of applications for mergers, consolidations, and acquisitions</em>". PCC's Arsenio Balisacan added: "<em>We acknowledge that mergers, consolidations, and acquisitions can catalyse innovation in any industry, including banking, because of combined resources and expertise". </em></p>
<p>The agreement, in effect, harmonizes the paperwork across the various regulators, by reducing the number of documentary requirements to 30 from 58, which in turn lowers the total processing time to an expected 55 business days from an average of 160 business days currently.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.phcc.gov.ph/press-releases/banks-mca-moa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PCC</a>, the "<em>Implementing Guidelines on the procedures for MCA applications will subsequently be issued via a Joint Circular by the partner-agencies</em>".</p>
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<div id="gpt-ad-Instream_Video">For years, the various regulators have aimed to consolidate the Philippines' highly fragmented banking sector comprising mostly small rural lenders. Such inefficiencies have led to nine problematic banks being shut this year, including BSP's recent order to close United People’s Rural Bank Inc.</div>
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<div>The accord was also promulgated after the BSP stopped accepting digital banking license applications from 1 September 2021, with the number of digital lenders expected to be capped at seven for the next three years.</div>
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<div>The question is: who stands to benefit from this MCA streamlining?</div>
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<div><em>For more on M&amp;A in the Philippines, please see the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/quiddity-philippines-m-a-guide-2019" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:31122" rel="noopener">Quiddity Philippines M&amp;A Guide 2019</a>. </em></div>
</div>
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On the 5 November, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP - the central bank of the Philippines), the Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp, and the Cooperative Development Authority signed a multi-agency agreement to streamline the merger, consolidation, and acquisition (MCA) process to encourage consolidation in the banking sector.
BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the agreement "aims to streamline processes, reduce processing time, and facilitate prompt action of applications for mergers, consolidations, and acquisitions". PCC's Arsenio Balisacan added: "We acknowledge that mergers, consolidations, and acquisitions can catalyse innovation in any industry, including banking, because of combined resources and expertise". 
The agreement, in effect, harmonizes the paperwork across the various regulators, by reducing the number of documentary requirements to 30 from 58, which in turn lowers the total processing time to an expected 55 business days from an average of 160 business days currently.
According to the PCC, the "Implementing Guidelines on the procedures for MCA applications will subsequently be issued via a Joint Circular by the partner-agencies".

For years, the various regulators have aimed to consolidate the Philippines' highly fragmented banking sector comprising mostly small rural lenders. Such inefficiencies have led to nine problematic banks being shut this year, including BSP's recent order to close United People’s Rural Bank Inc.

The accord was also promulgated after the BSP stopped accepting digital banking license applications from 1 September 2021, with the number of digital lenders expected to be capped at seven for the next three years.


The question is: who stands to benefit from this MCA streamlining?




For more on M&amp;A in the Philippines, please see the Quiddity Philippines M&amp;A Guide 2019. 





Bank of the Philippine Islands / Equity Bottom-Up

<p><strong><em>*</em></strong><strong><em>Credit Leverage On Its Way: </em></strong>Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI.PM) [BPI] reported 3Q21 results of PHP 5.7 bn, declining PHP 1.1 bn (16.6%) linked quarter. While results were down linked quarter, what impressed us most was how well controlled credit metrics appear to be; and</p><p><strong><em>*Significant Credit Improvement: </em></strong>Our net new NPL figure of PHP 152 mn or 1.5% annualized (65.4% at 4Q20) intimate that management may actually be on to something. Given where BPI and the Philippines are with credit, it would not surprise us in the least if BPI reverses loss reserves.</p>

*Credit Leverage On Its Way: Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI.PM) [BPI] reported 3Q21 results of PHP 5.7 bn, declining PHP 1.1 bn (16.6%) linked quarter. While results were down linked quarter, what impressed us most was how well controlled credit metrics appear to be; and*Significant Credit Improvement: Our net new NPL figure of PHP 152 mn or 1.5% annualized (65.4% at 4Q20) intimate that management may actually be on to something. Given where BPI and the Philippines are with credit, it would not surprise us in the least if BPI reverses loss reserves.

Bank Of Philippine Islands – Asia’s Top Performer

Financials Credit Analyst

Hank Calenti, CFA

CreditContinuum

Credit

<p><strong>Executive Sum</strong><strong>mary:</strong>  A slightly declining US interest rate yield curve aided in driving credit spreads tighter during the month of May while Asia’s bank credit market conditions remained largely positive, despite the recent flare-up in Covid-19 cases across the region. Global market liquidity metrics continued to push investors into risk assets and Asia’s bank debt benefitted from concerns in other parts of the market.</p><p>Asia’s Tier 2 bonds slightly outperformed Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds during May. Both bank debt capital components generated positive total returns during the month. Given five-year effective durations, Asia's AT1 bonds have generated slightly positive total returns year-to-date while Tier 2 notes lag. </p><p>As with April, Asia’s (x-Japan) US$-denominated bank bond performance diverged by duration during the month of May. Shorter-duration bonds outperformed and, for the most part, longer duration notes underperformed in Option Adjusted Spread terms.</p><p>Longer duration, high BB rated bonds led spread widening over the month. These bonds were also predominantly Basel III debt capital securities. Unlike in April, there was a mixture of low and high spread bonds amongst underperformers. This suggests greater investor differentiation, via credit fundamentals, in longer duration notes.</p>

Executive Summary:  A slightly declining US interest rate yield curve aided in driving credit spreads tighter during the month of May while Asia’s bank credit market conditions remained largely positive, despite the recent flare-up in Covid-19 cases across the region. Global market liquidity metrics continued to push investors into risk assets and Asia’s bank debt benefitted from concerns in other parts of the market.Asia’s Tier 2 bonds slightly outperformed Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds during May. Both bank debt capital components generated positive total returns during the month. Given five-year effective durations, Asia's AT1 bonds have generated slightly positive total returns year-to-date while Tier 2 notes lag. As with April, Asia’s (x-Japan) US$-denominated bank bond performance diverged by duration during the month of May. Shorter-duration bonds outperformed and, for the most part, longer duration notes underperformed in Option Adjusted Spread terms.Longer duration, high BB rated bonds led spread widening over the month. These bonds were also predominantly Basel III debt capital securities. Unlike in April, there was a mixture of low and high spread bonds amongst underperformers. This suggests greater investor differentiation, via credit fundamentals, in longer duration notes.

Bank Credit Compass: Asia Tier 2 and Short Duration Notes Sit in the Sweet Spot

Philippines

Philippine National Bank (PNB) is a major Filipino bank offering a comprehensive range of banking and financial services, including deposit accounts, loans, trade financing, foreign exchange dealings, and asset management. It serves corporations, small and medium enterprises, retail customers, government units, and overseas Filipinos. PNB is headquartered in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, and was established on July 22, 1916.

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Philippine National Bank (PNB PM)

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Thomas J. Monaco

Bank Credit Compass: Asia Tier 2 and Short Duration Notes Sit in the Sweet Spot

Asia’s Tier 2 notes slightly outperformed AT1 in May. Shorter-duration bonds outperformed although there was greater differentiation in longer...

Hank Calenti, CFA

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