Listen to the audio version of the article
Return to profit for Banca Popolare di Bari, Banca del Mezzogiorno since last July, BdM spa. High rates and better performance of the commercial network have brought the ex-popolare – 3 years after the acquisition by Mcc and 4 after the administration of Bankitalia – to net profit, equal to 9.87 million euros, in line with the the trend of the first months of 2023 which had recorded, with the first half-yearly report, the reduction in net losses to 3.16 million, compared to 45.34 in 2022 and 170 in 2021.
The interest margin (+34.0%) amounted to 197.21 million euros compared to 147.13 in 2022 and the intermediation margin increased by 20.3% compared to 31 December 2022, reaching 300, 30 million. The cost/income (administrative expenses/intermediation margin) fell to 79.2 compared to 85.8% in 2022. In 2023 both global collections grew to 10.95 billion (+8.9%) and loans to customers at 5.57 billion. The latter, in particular, increased by 5% compared to 5.30 in 2022, thanks to the contribution of new disbursements of medium/long-term loans to families and SMEs (+36% equal to approximately 629 million compared to 463 in 2022) Segmenting the total collection, direct collection, for 6.97 billion, grew by 9.1%, compared to 8.6% for indirect collection, equal to 3.98 billion. The coverage of non-performing loans rose to 51.6% against 50.5% in 2022.
As for the capital solidity ratios, the CET1/Tier1 ratio reached 10.96% (compared to 9.65% fully phased at 31 December 2022) and the Total Capital ratio 12.77% (compared to 9.90% fully phased as of December 31, 2022). Both the synergies with the parent company grew and consolidated, such as for the distribution of MCC Factor products dedicated to SMEs in the South, and the integration process within the group, maintaining the strong focus on the territories of establishment. Territories served by a commercial network in which there was also the entry, from July 2022 onwards, of a force of permanent managers dedicated to a specific market of companies with a turnover exceeding 2.5 million.
Cristiano Carrus, CEO since December 2021, is satisfied: «The data shows, without a doubt, that the recovery has begun, the result of great teamwork, management, employees, the parent company and all those who believed in this bank and its rebirth ».