BBVA: a powerful ability to generate earnings
BBVA executive chairman Francisco González this morning commented on the bank's results for 2015, pointing out that "BBVA showed its considerable ability to generate results."
He also drew attention to the bank's gross income, which for the first time ever exceeded €23 billion. "Our earnings after tax but before one-off operations came to €3.75 billion and, for the first time ever, gross income exceeded €23 billion.
Apart from these figures Francisco González emphasized the strength of the Group's capital in the latest quarter. "In terms of the fully-loaded capital ratio we ended the year at 10.33%. This is the figure the markets and the regulators are watching. Furthermore last year we generated more than 40 basis points of capital."
On the question of capital adequacy he pointed out that "our 6% leverage ratio is the best in practically the entire banking sector, whether at national or global level. Therefore all metrics point to BBVA as an extremely sound bank from the point of view of capital and solvency".
Impact of transformation
Francisco González also referred to the transformation the bank is going through and how it is leading this process at global level. He explained the Group has made considerable progress.
He said the primary short-term goal is to be number 1 in customer satisfaction in all the regions where BBVA is present. As an example he pointed out that "in this regard we are already number 1 in Spain". "If we are not number 1, we will be soon," he added.
However that is not the only achievement. The executive chairman explained that the number of customers who use their mobile devices to interact with BBVA is growing rapidly. He said, "We have 8.5 million customers who use their mobile but the important factor is not the number but rather the rate of growth. Mobile users are up 45% compared to 2014. Therefore the pace of digital transformation is going very well."