Economy and Finance

Juan Blasco, Global Head of Institutional Business at BBVA CIB, has been appointed Chair of the Board of the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME). Blasco takes on this role with the goal of contributing to the strengthening of European capital markets, fostering their integration and enhancing their ability to meet the needs of businesses and investors.

BBVA Mexico has become the first financial institution in the country to manage 1.012 trillion pesos in investment funds, according to the latest report by the Asociación Mexicana de Instituciones Bursátiles (Mexican Association of Stock Market Institutions, or AMIB). Now, as part of the bank’s strategy to professionalize its team, BBVA Mexico has reached an agreement with the CFA Institute to allow 140 of the bank’s investment advisors to obtain certifications with a focus on socially responsible investing and data science.

BBVA has been awarded the Inhouse Team of the Year in the Banks & Financial Institutions category at the 2024 Iberian Lawyer Gold Awards, in recognition of the work of its legal team and their ability to address challenges within the financial sector.

The top sectors investing through BBVA Mexico's Nearshoring unit are manufacturing, automotive, electronics, technology, and logistics.

The US magazine also proclaimed BBVA the best bank in Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, three key markets for the Group in Latin America.

During BBVA’s earnings presentation for the third quarter of 2024, the bank’s CEO, Onur Genç was upbeat about the bank’s prospects looking forward, predicated on a clear strategy of profitable growth and sound risk management. Geographic diversification and the ability to adapt to changes in interest rates place BBVA in good stead to face the challenges on the near horizon. Genç also appeared confident that the combination with Banco Sabadell will ultimately go ahead and have a positive impact for Spanish businesses and for the country as a whole.

BBVA’s CEO Onur Genç remarked on Monday that the integration of BBVA and Banco Sabadell will be beneficial to Spain and its economy, and made a point of emphasizing the bank’s “firm commitment to SMEs.” According to Genç, this integration will enhance lending to small and mid-sized companies (SMEs). “We are doing this transaction to boost lending, particularly to SMEs,” he stated while taking part in the 15th Financial Forum organized by Spanish newspaper Expansión and KPMG. “It wouldn’t make sense to carry out this transaction to reduce the segment we value the most at Banco Sabadell,” he added.

BBVA shareholders will receive on Oct. 10 a gross dividend, against 2024 earnings, of €0.29 per share, 81 percent higher than a year earlier. This is the highest interim dividend to be paid by BBVA to date. The bank will thus distribute about €1.7 billion in cash to shareholders. Following this dividend, from 2021 BBVA will have distributed about €15 billion in dividends and share buybacks.

BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila spoke in Barcelona on Tuesday, emphasizing Catalonia's strong "future appeal" and the bank's commitment to supporting its growth. He stressed the region's importance to BBVA, noting that Catalonia is the largest contributor to the bank’s business in Spain, with one in four new SME customers coming from the region. The combination with Banco Sabadell, he added, will further strengthen BBVA’s commitment to Catalonia and its SMEs: “We aim to continue growing with Catalonia and the transaction with Banco Sabadell reflects that.” On the topic of post-merger concentration in the banking sector, the BBVA Chair stated that "this transaction will not create competition issues, as it will result in a smaller institution compared to previous mergers.”

BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila spoke on Tuesday at a conference hosted by the business confederation Cecot, where he shared with Catalan business owners his vision of the global context and the role played by companies in economic growth and job creation. In his speech, he underscored BBVA's commitment to SMEs, a business in which it wants to continue to grow with the integration of Banco Sabadell. Regarding competition, he pointed out that the decision rests with the Spanish Competition Commission (CNMC), for which BBVA has the utmost respect. “The transaction at no time exceeds the market share thresholds established in the competition analysis. Moreover, if we compare it with previous transactions, many of them are of similar size, so, applying the same methodology, we expect it to be approved with similar parameters," he added. Therefore, in the opinion of Carlos Torres Vila, “We do not see any competition issues in the transaction with Banco Sabadell.”

The bank expects to bring in investments from 65 companies in its first year. Mexico has more trade per year with Texas than with Asia.

BBVA’s strategy in Spain of targeting companies and SMEs has scooped three awards from Global Finance magazine at this year’s edition of its ‘Best Digital Bank Awards’: Most Innovative Bank, Best Mobile Banking App and Best Open Banking Strategy.

The ‘Sharing Knowledge’ project is a further show of BBVA’s commitment to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Through this initiative, the bank supports, teaches, inspires and transforms businesses and their management team by staging talks among industry experts and discussing specific SME success stories.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç discussed the transaction with Banco Sabadell during the earnings presentation for the first half of the year. Genç stressed that this combination creates value for both Sabadell and BBVA shareholders. “We both win in this transaction: we create value and we share it,” he said. Specifically, thanks to the substantial synergies created, Banco Sabadell shareholders would obtain 27 percent higher earnings per share (EPS) in the combined bank than if the bank continued as a separate entity¹, according to calculations based on analyst consensus for both banks.

Türkiye Garanti Bankası A.Ş. has released its financial statements for the period ending June 30, 2024. According to its consolidated statements, the bank’s net income in the first six months of the year came to TRY 44.59 billion. Total assets stood at TRY 2.6 trillion, while the bank’s contribution to the economy through cash and non-cash loans amounted to TRY 1.98 trillion.

The financial magazine honored BBVA for the fourth time and second consecutive year with the top corporate banking award in its 'World's Best Bank Awards' for 2024, which set the standard for excellence in the financial sector.

The British publication also recognized BBVA as the best bank in Mexico—one of the Group's main markets— the best bank in Colombia, and the best bank for corporate clients in Spain.

BBVA Research is forecasting GDP growth of 2.6 percent for Catalonia in 2024, outpacing the average for Spain (2.5 percent). It also reckons that GDP will grow by 2.1 percent in 2025, supported by a wider economic improvement across Europe, albeit shackled by tourism, which is nearing maximum capacity in peak season. If these forecasts are met, in 2025 the GDP of the Catalan economy would be 7 points above the 2019 level. This growth comes on the back of a strong services sector, coupled with a recent improvement in industry, which are managing to offset weak exports of goods. For the third year running, Catalonia has outperformed Spain when it comes to GDP growth, as reflected in the creation of new jobs, with more sizable increases seen in Barcelona and Girona. In addition, the unemployment rate might well fall to 8.3 percent in 2025 and 192,000 new jobs could be created by the end of 2025. According to these forecasts, Catalonia is expected to create the most new jobs over this year and the next.

Throughout its history, BBVA has played a prominent role in the economic and social development of Spain, propeling its progress and constantly adapting the bank in order to be at the forefront of innovation and technology. Since it was first established in the mid-19th Century (1857), BBVA has been known for being a visionary bank, with the ability to anticipate the trends that will change the financial industry and the future needs of its customers. Some of its noteworthy milestones include financing the construction of the Madrid subway system; being the first bank to allow women to do their banking without the permission of a legal guardian through the creation of the  Women’s Bank; and being the first bank to introduce credit cards as a payment method. A track record that has established BBVA as a crucial ally to face future challenges and thus encourage economic growth and the transformation of businesses.

This Wednesday, BBVA Spain Country Manager Peio Belausteguigoitia underscored that Spain is meeting its growth targets, including adding 3.6 million new customers in Spain and boosting its main lines of business, such as the corporate banking segment. His presentation took place at a summer course held at the Menéndez Pelayo International  University, and was organized by the financial press association APIE and BBVA. BBVA also had a strong performance in Italy, where the bank has now reached 500,000 customers. The success of this digital banking model has led BBVA to consider expanding to other countries in Europe, with the focus currently on Germany.

BBVA has completed the sale of a portfolio of unsecured non-performing loans valued at approximately €270 million. This transaction is expected to positively impact the bank's non-performing loan (NPL) ratio in Spain, which was 4.11 percent at the close of the first quarter of 2024.

BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila and Spanish Minister of the Economy Carlos Cuerpo launched the 41st edition of the APIE Seminar in Santander, Spain on Monday. The event focuses on the role of companies in the new economy. In his presentation Torres Vila emphasized BBVA's support for Spanish businesses, particularly SMEs, which he identified as key drivers of the country’s growth and development. Specifically, he said, “our view of the importance of SMEs is one of the reasons for the offer we presented to Banco Sabadell shareholders a little over a month ago,” as the bank holds a strong position in this segment. “The transaction represents a clear commitment to SMEs, and will further reinforce our commitment to this kind of businesses,” Torres Vila stated.

BBVA has convened an Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting on July 5th¹ at the Euskalduna Conference Center in Bilbao. The bank is proposing to its shareholders the capital increase needed to proceed with the share exchange with Banco Sabadell. This capital increase will consist of issuing new BBVA shares that will be given to Banco Sabadell shareholders who take up the offer. BBVA shareholders are not required to make any disbursements.

A takeover bid happens when an investor or a group of investors offers to buy shares from all the shareholders of a listed company. They usually offer a specific price for these shares or other securities that give them an ownership stake in the company.

BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila gave the opening presentation at the BBVA Mexico's annual National Meeting of Regional Advisors 2024, the Group's flagship summit in Mexico. Addressing more than 400 business leaders, he reasserted BBVA's commitment to Mexico by announcing that the bank's investments in the country will reach 81.4 billion pesos, or around €4.45 billion, well above the amount originally foreseen in the 2019-2024 plan.

Garanti BBVA announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2024. The bank’s net income for the first three months of the year stood at TL 22.48 billion; total  assets were TL 2.46 trillion; and cash and non-cash loans reached TL 1.85 trillion. Customer deposits represented 71 percent of assets - the main source of funding. The total deposit base reached TL 1.75 trillion, up 9.3 percent this quarter.  Garanti BBVA’s capital adequacy ratio was 15.4 percent,*  its return on average equity (ROAE) was 36 percent, and return on average assets (ROAA) was 3.9 percent.

*Does not include  the forbearance introduced by BRSA

Bonus, Garanti BBVA’s most popular credit card, is now celebrating its 24th anniversary. Bonus also happens to be a credit card platform, having amassed some 18 million users and eight partner banks.