JPMorgan Chase and different massive US banks on Friday reported bumper earnings within the first three months of 2023 as they raked in billions of {dollars} in deposits from prospects fleeing smaller lenders following Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse in March.
The upbeat first-quarter earnings from JPMorgan, Citigroup and Wells Fargo spotlight how larger US banks have benefited at a time of broader fears over the soundness of regional banks after the failure of SVB and Signature Bank.
The greater earnings additionally underscored how banks are making hay after a yr of rate of interest rises from the Federal Reserve, which lenders have used to bolster earnings quite than considerably rising charges for depositors.
JPMorgan led the pack on Friday, with earnings within the first three months of 2023 up greater than 50 per cent on the again of upper earnings from lending, identified as internet curiosity revenue. The bank additionally lifted its outlook for internet curiosity revenue for the remainder of 2023 by nearly 10 per cent to about $81bn.
The largest US bank by property added $37bn in new deposits in the course of the first three months of 2023, bringing complete deposits to $2.38tn, defying analyst expectations of a decline.
Wells Fargo analyst Mike Mayo wrote in a analysis word that the outcomes confirmed “no evidence of a banking crisis . . . it seems that JPM has been a port in the storm”.
JPMorgan shares have been up 7 per cent in early-afternoon buying and selling in New York.
Before the collapse of SVB, JPMorgan and different massive banks had been steadily shedding deposits as prospects transferred their money to higher-yielding merchandise such as cash market funds with a view to benefit from the Fed’s price rises.
Meanwhile, Citigroup additionally mentioned it had seen roughly $30bn of deposit inflows in March, serving to it to report a modest decline of 2.5 per cent to $1.33tn for the quarter total, which barely beat analyst expectations.
“We did see a pick-up from March 7 to the end of the quarter,” mentioned Citi chief monetary officer Mark Mason mentioned on a name with reporters. “It was associated with the sector turmoil.”
Citi reported greater earnings than anticipated on the again of robust shopper spending and company exercise.
Wells reported greater than anticipated first-quarter earnings too however warned of potential losses in industrial actual property lending. Deposits fell 2 per cent quarter on quarter to $1.36tn.
“We did see some moderate inflows from the few specific banks that have been highlighted in the press but those inflows have abated,” mentioned chief government Charles Scharf.
Citi shares have been up 4.3 per whereas Wells inventory was 0.4 per cent decrease, having rallied earlier within the buying and selling session.
Pittsburgh-based PNC, a so-called superregional US bank, additionally reported earnings on Friday that confirmed common deposits had edged barely greater within the quarter to $436bn.
Despite the upbeat earnings, the big banks struck a cautious tone for the yr forward.
JPMorgan chief government Jamie Dimon informed analysts that “the short-term read is higher recessionary risk” and that “people need to be prepared for the potential of higher rates for longer”.
Jeremy Barnum, JPMorgan chief monetary officer, mentioned the lender didn’t anticipate to carry on to the entire latest deposit inflows provided that they have been “somewhat flighty”.
JPMorgan additionally reported a internet reserve of $1.1bn for credit score losses, an indication that the bank is getting ready for losses on loans to creep up.
Citi put aside $2bn for mortgage losses within the quarter, which was greater than anticipated. Mason mentioned the bank’s comparatively robust outcomes had not modified his view that the financial system was prone to enter a recession within the second half of the yr.
Bank of America reviews outcomes on Tuesday whereas Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, which have companies that skew extra in the direction of funding banking, buying and selling and asset administration, report earnings on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Numerous regional banks whose share costs have been hit following SVB’s collapse additionally report outcomes subsequent week.
Dimon mentioned “you’re going to see next week, [that] regional banks have pretty good numbers”.