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OP Financial Group's Interim Report for 1 January–30 September 2024: Strong business performance continued – operating profit EUR 1,948 million
OP Financial Group
Interim Report 1 January–30 September 2024
Stock Exchange Release 31 October 2024 at 9.00 EET
OP Financial Group's Interim Report for 1 January–30 September 2024: Strong business performance continued – operating profit EUR 1,948 million
OP Financial Group's key indicators
Comparatives for the income statement are based on the corresponding figures in 2023. Unless otherwise specified, figures from 31 December 2023 are used as comparatives for balance-sheet and other cross-sectional items.
* Change in ratio, percentage point(s).
** OP bonuses to owner-customers, which were previously shown on a separate line in the income statement, have been divided under the following items based on their accrual: interest income, interest expenses, and commission income from mutual funds. The line 'OP bonuses to owner-customers' is no longer shown in the income statement. Comparative information has been adjusted accordingly. For more detailed information on the change, see Note 1 to the Half-year Financial Report 1 January–30 June 2024, Accounting policies and changes in accounting policies and presentation.
Comments by the President and Group Chief Executive Officer
The Finnish economy is recovering as forecast – inflation continued to slow and market rates fell markedly
Finland's recovery, which began in the first half of the year, seems to be continuing into late 2024, mainly because the domestic market has been stronger than forecast. Consumer demand has been the mainstay of the economy this year. In contrast, investments have sharply reduced and exports are slightly down.
Finland's economy seems to have bottomed out in the summer. Annual GDP growth is expected to reach 2% next year, when exports should clearly outpace the current year's performance as industry perks up and service exports recover.
Inflation in Finland fell to 0.8%, which was clearly below the average for the euro area (1.7%). Short-term market rates fell sharply in the third quarter and the 12-month Euribor (the most commonly used reference rate for home loans) was at 2.75% at the end of September. Consumers, in particular, have benefited from lower inflation and interest rates.
Third-quarter home purchase volumes and home loan demand were clearly higher than in the same period last year: there are signs of a gradual recovery in the housing market.
Stock markets continued to perform well in July–September due to enduringly moderate global growth, better private-sector results and falling market rates.
OP Financial Group's business operations continued to grow strongly – the excellent results will benefit OP's owner-customers
OP Financial Group's operating profit continued its excellent trend into the third quarter, growing by 24% year on year to EUR 1,948 million in January–September. This strong profit performance guarantees the continuance of highly competitive benefits for our owner-customers.
We will increase the OP bonuses earned by owner-customers for 2025 by 40% compared to the normal level of 2022. Moreover, in 2025, we will not collect monthly charges from our owner-customers for use of daily banking services. Next year, these benefits will add up to more than EUR 400 million in value for our owner-customers. Being customer-owned, OP Financial Group will continue to share its financial success through a range of financial and other benefits for its owner-customers.
OP Financial Group's CET1 ratio strengthened again in the third quarter, to 21.4%, which exceeds the minimum regulatory requirement by 7.9 percentage points. OP Financial Group is one of Europe's most financially solid large banks. Excellent profitability and strong capital adequacy and liquidity are critical factors for banks and insurance companies, building trust among customers, partners and other stakeholders. Trust is vital in the banking and insurance businesses.
OP Financial Group's income from customer business grew considerably in January–September 2024, mainly owing to the strong increase in net interest income. Net commissions and fees decreased by 9%, due to the benefit (provided for owner-customers) of zero monthly charges for daily banking services.
The insurance service result for January–September clearly improved year on year, rising to EUR 95 million. It also improved considerably compared to the first half of 2024. Since the first quarter, there have been fewer large claims than usual and vehicle and health insurance claims fell in the summer months as favourable weather began and the flu season ended.
Income from investment activities has fared extremely well this year, the result of EUR 419 million being 43% higher than for the same period in 2023. Total income was EUR 3,650 million, or 10% more year on year.
At EUR 1,629 million, total expenses in January–September were 4% higher than in the same period in 2023, mainly due to rising personnel costs and higher investments in ICT development. OP Financial Group's cost/income ratio markedly improved year on year, to an excellent 45%.
All three business segments performed well in January–September. The Retail Banking segment's operating profit rose by 13% from the same period in 2023, to EUR 1,037 million. Corporate Banking's operating profit was EUR 418 million, up by 30% year on year. Operating profit in the Insurance segment totalled EUR 458 million, a rise of 54% on January–September 2023, largely because of the excellent result in investment income.
Deposits grew strongly – but the loan portfolio decreased slightly
OP Financial Group's deposit portfolio grew by 5% year on year. There was moderate growth both in household and corporate deposits. OP Financial Group strengthened its position as Finland's leading deposit bank in the first half of 2024; OP's market share is now almost 40%.
OP Financial Group's loan portfolio shrank by around 1% year on year. Demand for new home loans and corporate loans remained fairly low. In the first half of 2024, OP Financial Group further strengthened its position as a provider of home loans in Finland; with a market share of 39%, it is the clear market leader. OP's home loan customers have continued to manage their repayments well despite the general economic downturn. The number of loan modification applications was lower than the year before. Non-performing exposures totalled 2.9% (2.9). Impairment loss on receivables markedly decreased year on year.
Strong growth in wealth management continued
OP Financial Group aims to coach its customers to help them make better financial choices. We are therefore investing heavily in the range, quality and availability of the wealth management services we provide for our various customer categories. We want to promote our customers' long-term financial wellbeing.
Our customers remain interested in systematically investing in funds, with 33% more new systematic investment agreements being made in January–September than in the same period last year. The number of OP mutual fund unitholders rose to almost 1.38 million. There was also considerable growth in the number of active equity investors. At EUR 111 billion in value, investment assets managed by OP Financial Group grew by 13% year on year.
Corporate Banking succeeded well as a provider of financing for big companies
Corporate Banking had a highly successful nine months as a versatile intermediary of financing for large corporations. It was the lead arranger or arranger of 11 bond issues, which raised EUR 2.6 billion for companies from the capital markets. Sustainable financing provided by Corporate Banking also grew in the first half of 2024. By the end of September, the commitment portfolio totalled EUR 8.0 billion.
The insurance business's profitability improved in the third quarter
Insurance revenue for January–September grew by 7% year on year. The rapid growth in claims expenditure of early 2024 slowed in the third quarter, but claims expenditure in January–September was still 8% higher than in the same period in 2023. Non-life insurance reported a combined ratio of 95%. Compensation was paid for 94% of all claims reported to Pohjola Insurance. There was a clear improvement in non-life insurance's profitability in the third quarter.
Life insurance's performance has been excellent this year, with 10% growth in unit-linked insurance assets. Growing this business is one of OP Financial Group's strategic focus areas.
Strong growth in the number of customer interactions through the AI-based OP Aina
In June, we launched OP Aina, a new personal assistant on OP-mobile. OP Aina helps our customers with a range of banking and insurance matters on a 24/7 basis. It is the first financial service in Finland to use artificial intelligence and alerts. We use the service to provide even more personalised and readily available services than before. Customers have been actively using the service. There have already been 4.8 million customer interactions with OP Aina and feedback has been positive.
Cybersecurity is at the core of our operations
OP Financial Group's service availability has been excellent despite the rapidly growing number of denial of service attacks. We are investing strongly in cybersecurity to ensure that our customers' money and data are secure and our service level is maintained under all circumstances. As phishing and scam attempts directed at our customers have proliferated, we have created several new ways of providing even better protection.
Owner-customers have been benefiting from OP bonuses for more than 25 years and will continue to do so
A total of more than EUR 3.7 billion in OP bonuses have accumulated for OP Financial Group's owner-customers in more than 25 years. OP Financial Group has prepared for the possible change in the tax treatment of financial-sector customer bonuses in early 2026. A bill has been presented to the Finnish Parliament, which would bring OP bonuses accumulated from banking services under capital gains tax if they were used for non-banking services – to pay insurance premiums, for example. However, there is no need for concern among OP Financial Group's 2.1 million owner-customers, who will continue to receive at least the same level of financial benefits as before, regardless of possible changes in the law. It therefore pays to be an owner-customer of OP Financial Group. In line with our mission, we will continue to promote the sustainable prosperity, security and wellbeing of our owner-customers.
OP Financial Group is an attractive employer
This year, OP Financial Group was ranked for the first time as Finland's most attractive employer by business sector professionals, and as the fourth most attractive by IT professionals, in an annual employer branding survey by Universum. Year after year in the survey, professionals and students have ranked us as top performers.
Over the years, one of our strategic priorities has been to ensure that our personnel are highly skilled, motivated and satisfied. The survey results are strong evidence of our success in fulfilling this priority. Our employer image, as a genuinely inclusive workplace based on high-level competencies, is critical to retaining our current talent and continuing to recruit the best for OP Financial Group.
Together through time
OP Financial Group is in great shape to be there for its customers through economic ups and downs. We want to be a pioneer in Finnish society, pointing the way towards futures filled with hope. The success of Finland and all those who live here is our number one priority now and in the future.
My warm thanks to all our customers for the trust they have shown in OP Financial Group. We want to continue being worthy of your trust going forward. I would also like to give my heartfelt thanks to our employees and governing bodies for their fine work and commitment during the year. We have a superb basis for continuing to be successful in the times ahead.
Timo Ritakallio
President and Group CEO
January–September
OP Financial Group's operating profit was EUR 1,948 million (1,570), up by 24.1% or EUR 378 million year on year. Income from customer business, or net interest income, net commissions and fees and insurance service result, increased by a total of 6.8% to EUR 2,813 million (2,634). The cost/income ratio improved to 44.6% (47.3). New OP bonuses accrued to owner-customers, which are included in earnings, increased by 14.1% to EUR 233 million.
Net interest income grew by 10.4% to EUR 2,118 million. The development of market rates continued to increase net interest income. Net interest income reported by the Retail Banking segment increased by 10.7% to EUR 1,615 million and that by the Corporate Banking segment increased by 11.9% to EUR 493 million. OP Financial Group's loan portfolio decreased by 1.0% to EUR 98.0 billion while deposits grew by 5.0% to EUR 76.2 billion, year on year. Household deposits increased by 1.7% year on year, to EUR 47.8 billion. New loans drawn down by customers during the reporting period totalled EUR 15.0 billion (16.0).
Impairment loss on loans and receivables, which reduces earnings, totalled EUR 72 million (170). A year ago, expected credit losses concerning the real estate and construction sector increased the impairment loss on receivables. Final credit losses totalled EUR 38 million (42). At the end of the reporting period, loss allowance was EUR 964 million (929), of which management overlay accounted for EUR 85 million (109). Non-performing exposures accounted for 2.9% (2.9) of total exposures. Impairment loss on loans and receivables accounted for 0.10% (0.22) of the loan and guarantee portfolio.
Owner-customers have received daily banking services without monthly charges since October 2023. This contributed to the decrease in payment transfer net commissions and fees. Net commissions and fees decreased by a total of 8.7% to EUR 599 million. Net commissions and fees for payment transfer services decreased by EUR 58 million to EUR 175 million, and those for residential brokerage by EUR 4 million to EUR 43 million. Meanwhile, commission income from life insurance investment contracts increased by EUR 3 million to EUR 21 million.
Insurance service result increased by EUR 37 million to EUR 95 million. Insurance service result includes EUR 387 million (348) in operating expenses. Non-life insurance net insurance revenue including reinsurer's share grew by 7.3% to EUR 1,299 million. Net claims incurred after reinsurer's share grew by 7.9% to EUR 859 million. Combined ratio reported by non-life insurance was 95.0% (94.8).
Investment income, or net investment income, net insurance finance expenses and income from financial assets held for trading, increased by a total of 42.7% to EUR 419 million. Investment income grew as a result of the increase in the value of equity and fixed income investments. Net investment income together with net finance income describe investment profitability in the insurance business. The combined return on investments at fair value of OP Financial Group's insurance companies was 6.4% (2.7).
Net income from financial assets recognised at fair value through profit or loss, or notes and bonds, shares and derivatives, totalled EUR 1,605 million (591). Net income from investment contract liabilities totalled EUR –689 million (–241). Net insurance finance expenses totalled EUR –565 million (–102). In banking, net income from financial assets held for trading grew by 77.2% to EUR 43 million due to the increase in interest income from derivatives.
Other operating income increased to EUR 31 million (28).
Total expenses grew by 4.2% to EUR 1,629 million. Personnel costs rose by 11.3% to EUR 781 million. The increase was affected by headcount growth and pay increases. OP Financial Group's personnel increased by approximately 1,061 year on year. Depreciation/amortisation and impairment loss on PPE and intangible assets decreased by 22.1% to EUR 107 million. Other operating expenses grew by 2.3% to EUR 741 million. ICT costs increased to EUR 372 million (318). Development costs were EUR 249 million (194) and capitalised development expenditure EUR 43 million (66). Charges of financial authorities fell by EUR 62 million to EUR 1 million. The EU's Single Resolution Board (SRB) will not collect stability contributions from banks for 2024. In 2023, OP Financial Group paid a total of EUR 62 million in stability contributions.
The new OP bonuses to owner-customers have been divided under the following items based on their accrual: EUR 125 million (116) under interest income, EUR 61 million (49) under interest expenses, EUR 36 million (29) under commission income from mutual funds, and EUR 12 million (11) under insurance service result.
Income tax amounted to EUR 388 million (312). The effective tax rate for the reporting period was 19.9% (19.9). Comprehensive income after tax totalled EUR 1,644 million (1,279).
OP Financial Group's equity amounted to EUR 17.7 billion (16.3). Equity included EUR 3.2 billion (3.3) in Profit Shares, terminated Profit Shares accounting for EUR 0.3 billion (0.4).
OP Financial Group's funding position and liquidity is strong. At the end of the reporting period, the Group's LCR was 214% (199) and NSFR was 130% (130).
Outlook towards the year end
The Finnish economy was sluggish in the first half. GDP contracted over the previous year and unemployment increased. Forecast data suggests that the Finnish economy began to grow in the third quarter of 2024. Falling inflation and interest rates provide a basis for the recovery to continue. Risks associated with the economic outlook are still higher than usual. The escalation of geopolitical crises may abruptly affect capital markets and the economic environment.
OP Financial Group's operating profit for 2024 is expected to be higher than that for 2023.
The key uncertainties affecting OP Financial Group's earnings performance in late 2024 relate to developments in the business environment, changes in the interest rate and investment environment, and developments in impairment loss on receivables. Forward-looking statements in this Interim Report expressing the management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions are based on the current view on developments in the economy, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.
Press conference
OP Financial Group's financial performance will be presented to the media by President and Group Chief Executive Officer Timo Ritakallio in a press conference on 31 October 2024 at 11am at Gebhardinaukio 1, Vallila, Helsinki.
Media enquiries: OP Corporate Communications, tel. +358 10 252 8719, viestinta@op.fi
OP Corporate Bank plc and OP Mortgage Bank will publish their own interim reports.
Schedule for financial reports for 2024:
Schedule for Financial Statements Bulletin 2024 and Interim Reports and Half-year Financial Report in 2025:
Helsinki, 31 October 2024
OP Cooperative
Board of Directors
Additional information:
Timo Ritakallio, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, tel. +358 (0)10 252 4500
Mikko Timonen, Chief Financial Officer, tel. +358 (0)10 252 1325
Piia Kumpulainen, Chief Communications Officer, tel. +358 (0)10 252 7317
DISTRIBUTION
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London Stock Exchange
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op.fi
OP Financial Group is Finland's largest financial services group, with more than two million owner-customers and over 14,000 employees. We provide a comprehensive range of banking and insurance services for personal and corporate customers. OP Financial Group consists of OP cooperative banks, its central cooperative OP Cooperative, and the latter's subsidiaries and affiliates. Our mission is to promote the sustainable prosperity, security and wellbeing of our owner-customers and operating region. Together with our owner-customers, we have been building Finnish society and a sustainable future for 120 years now. www.op.fi
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