Tratto da Moody's
German Shipping Lenders: Rising Problem Loans May Prompt Net Losses at Some Banks
[FONT=Bliss Pro ExtraLight,Bliss Pro ExtraLight][FONT=Bliss Pro ExtraLight,Bliss Pro ExtraLight]Regulatory scrutiny will contribute to persistent high loan loss provisions[/FONT]
[/FONT][FONT=Bliss Pro Bold,Bliss Pro Bold][FONT=Bliss Pro Bold,Bliss Pro Bold]Summary Opinion [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]Prolonged weakness in the global shipping industry since 2008 has raised credit risks for German banks, which rank among the world’s largest shipping lenders. Struggling shipping companies are finding it hard to service their loans, and consequently non-performing shipping loans have risen markedly at the eight German banking groups we examine in this report. We expect the shipping downturn to continue for several more years because the large volume of new vessels scheduled for delivery in 2013-14 exacerbates chronic overcapacity[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]1[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]. Under our base-case scenario, we foresee significant asset-quality challenges that may lead to net losses at some German shipping lenders. The assumptions for our base-case scenario are reflected in the current ratings and their outlooks of the banks covered in this report. [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]» [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro Bold,Adobe Garamond Pro Bold][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro Bold,Adobe Garamond Pro Bold]Several German banks have sizeable shipping exposure relative to their capital positions[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]. At year-end 2012 (latest comparable data available), the eight[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]2 [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]German banking groups considered in this report had €105 billion of shipping loans in their portfolios, representing 137% of their combined Tier 1 capital. These exposures contain considerable risk, evidenced by record-high problem loans that reached 21% of all shipping loans at end 2012, up from an already-elevated 14% at end-2011. [/FONT]
[FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]» [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro Bold,Adobe Garamond Pro Bold][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro Bold,Adobe Garamond Pro Bold]Less diversified banks with significant shipping sector concentrations are most exposed to persistent stress in the sector[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro][FONT=Adobe Garamond Pro,Adobe Garamond Pro]. DVB Bank, HSH Nordbank, KfW IPEX-Bank, and NORD/LB group (particularly its subsidiary Bremer Landesbank), are most vulnerable to our base-case scenario, which estimates lifetime loan losses in a prolonged shipping downturn (Appendix I). Taking into account the five banks’ one-year earnings capacity and shipping-related loan-loss reserves, their aggregate year-end 2012 Tier 1 capital would decline by 13%, if they had to recognize the estimated losses upfront [/FONT]
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