KfW: successful financial year 2014

• Increased total commitment volume of EUR 74.1 billion
• Consolidated profit increased to EUR 1.5 billion
• Total assets risen to EUR 489.1 billion
• Tier 1 capital ratio pursuant to Basel III: 14.1%

In spite of the challenging market environment, KfW Group in 2014 registered high demand for its financial products, as had also been the case in previous years. The volume of new promotional commitments rose to a total of EUR 74.1 billion (2013: EUR 72.5 billion). The focus of these commitments was still on promoting SMEs, start-ups and innovative companies. KfW also continued to strengthen its position as one of the world’s leading financiers in the field of climate and environmental financing (EUR 26.6 billion). In particular, KfW’s international operations (including KfW Development Bank, KfW IPEX-Bank and DEG) grew by 25% to EUR 25.5 billion (2013: EUR 20.5 billion).

Recording a consolidated profit of EUR 1,514 million, KfW achieved a very good result in the 2014 financial year, which exceeded expectations and also the previous year’s result (EUR 1,273 million). The positive trend primarily results from the very good valuation result, which in particular more than offset the decline in net interest income caused by the difficult interest environment. Posting a result of EUR 364 million, the promotional activity that KfW provided – mainly in the form of interest rate reductions – was down on the previous year’s level (EUR 597 million) due to a decline in demand.

“KfW has achieved a very good result in 2014 too; this includes, however, extraordinary effects and is above the sustainable yield potential” said Dr Ulrich Schröder, Chief Executive Officer of KfW Group, during the press conference on annual results held on Wednesday in Frankfurt am Main. “Against the backdrop of the persistently difficult interest environment and the additional costs to be expected for modernisation and application of the German Banking Act, the result strengthens our capital base and helps to ensure KfW’s promotional capability”.

The operating result before valuation (before promotional activity) of EUR 2,023 million was below the previous year’s value (EUR 2,302 million) as expected. The interest result – the most important source of income within the Group – amounted to EUR 2,768 million (EUR 2,997 million). With stable interest margins in asset operations, the decline largely resulted from declining interest structure contributions in line with expectations, due to the very low interest level and the interest curve which is persistently flattening out. KfW continued to benefit from its first-class creditworthiness. The result was still impacted by the rise in administrative expenses due to the regulatory measures implemented and the investments made in modernising KfW.

The risk provisions for the lending business had a total impact on earnings of EUR 143 million. This is well below the planned value and still below what was already a low value from the previous year (EUR 311 million), which was still characterised by high net allocations in the Maritime Industries business department.

The central banks’ monetary policy shaped the situation on the financial markets during 2014. The securities portfolio subsequently enjoyed another positive trend and contributed to a very good valuation result with EUR 57 million, as it had done in the previous year.

The contribution to earnings of EUR 122 million (EUR 46 million) from the equity investment portfolio largely resulted from the Promotion of developing and transition countries business sector, in particular from DEG.

During the 2014 financial year, KfW Group’s consolidated total assets increased by EUR 24.3 billion to EUR 489.1 billion. The rise is primarily due to interest-rate and exchange-rate-induced fair value changes in derivatives used for hedging purposes and their recognition in hedge accounting. The increase in the volume of new business is reflected in the net loans and advances which rose by EUR 7.1 billion to EUR 365.3 billion. In this regard, unscheduled repayments in the domestic promotional lending business were down on the previous year.

In 2014, KfW changed the way it calculates the Group’s regulatory capital ratios. The ratios are now calculated based on the regulatory requirements according to CRR (Basel III) and IFRS accounting. As a result, capital ratios recorded a significant decline year-on-year, with comparability of figures being very limited. As of 31 December 2014, the total capital ratio taking into account consolidated comprehensive income was 15.1% (22.3%), while the tier 1 capital ratio was 14.1% (20.6%). There is still clear compliance with the current regulatory capital requirements.

Key financials (IFRS)

¹⁾For internal purposes, voluntarily calculated on the basis of the main legal provisions. The calculation of the key figures as of 31 December 2014 was based on the CRR (Basel III) regulations which entered into force on 1 January 2014 and established, for the first time, on the basis of IFRS accounting; the comparative figures from the previous year were not adjusted.