Deposits of approximately 19 billion euros have returned to banks from households and businesses since 2021, reflecting a 16% increase, according to a note on the Greek economy from the Bank of Greece.

The BoG’s economic bulletin highlights significant inflows of deposits from households primarily during the 2021-2023 period, while the fatigue observed in the first quarter of 2024 is attributed mainly to a shift toward alternative savings options offering higher returns than traditional deposits.

Original Story: Ekathimerini
Edition: Prime Yield

Nearly one in 10 firms in Greece in 2021 were “zombie” companies, according to a recent report by the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), which revealed that 4,500 of 51,000 firms surveyed were at least 10 years old and had an interest coverage ratio of less than one percentage point for three consecutive years.

Stressing that such a large number of underperforming firms harmed healthy competition in the product and service markets, IOBE found that the ratio of “zombies” rose between 2004 and 2013, from 10% or 3,400, to 18.6%, or 7,200 companies. However, their number started to decline in 2014, dropping from 16.5% or 6,900 to 8.9% and 4,500 companies in 2021.

The study links the increase in the number of companies that struggle to repay the interest on their loan obligations over the course of several years to the non-performing loans (NPL) crisis, going on to highlight the need for measures to prevent a repetition of the phenomenon. 

IOBE notes that a high NPL burden negatively affects credit expansion rates, while the reduction of NPLs frees up resources that stimulate credit expansion. Based on estimates with an average value of business loan stock close to 85 billion euros for the period 2010-2023, every reduction in non-performing business loans by 1 or 5 percentage points leads to new annual net flows of business loans of €200 million or €1 billion, respectively.

As a result, IOBE concludes that the cumulative reduction of non-performing loans on bank books by more than 40 percentage points in 2016-2023 resulted in an increase in net business loan flows by approximately €8 billion out of the €22.5 billion (36% of credit expansion) recorded during the same period.

IOBE notes that despite showing a marked improvement, the reduction of non-performing loans (NPLs) by banks is largely due to write-offs, sales and securitizations during the 2016-2022 period and less so to a conventional improvement. 

As a result, most of the NPL stock moved off bank balance sheets came under the management of servicers. Consequently, business non-performing loans in the overall economy decreased by only 28% during the 2016-2022 period, reaching approximately €42 billion in 2022.

Original Story: Ekathimerini | Author: Evgenia Tzortzi
Edition: Prime Yield

Greece’s mortgage market has registered consecutive negative records, with Greece being the only country in the European Union to be in negative territory for housing loans over the last three years.

With the decline in mortgage lending extending beyond the last three years due to the previous financial crisis, it is clear that mortgages are the main problem in the banking system, despite the fact that funding costs and interest rates for the housing market have fallen to average European levels.

The average interest rate in the country is 4%, down from a year ago and in line with the European average, but the annual financing rate was -2% at the end of July, compared with -3% a year ago and -2% over the last three years.

This is according to the report published by the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB), which warns of financial stability in the euro area following the intensity of recent geopolitical developments, which, as has been pointed out, could disrupt global trade and prices.

Corporate lending is bucking the downward trend in household borrowing, with Greece ranking second among EU countries – after Lithuania – with the highest annual growth rate in corporate financing, according to ESRB data.

Based on July data, the rate of credit expansion stood at 10% at the end of July, compared with 3% a year ago and 8% cumulatively over the past three years. Two-thirds of the portfolio of Greek banks – 77.7 billion euros out of a total of 118.6 billion euros – now consists of loans to enterprises, and the average cost of financing is the average of the euro area countries, namely 5.8%, with a downward trend compared to a year ago.

The decline in housing loans comes despite a narrowing of bank spreads on housing loans to close to 1.5% at the end of July, down from more than 2% a year ago, and is related to high house prices, according to the ESRB data, with Greece among the countries with the highest increase in house prices. The increase in house prices over the last year is more than 10%, while over a three-year period it is more than 40%, making Greece one of the countries with the highest increase after Poland and Bulgaria.

Fonte: Ekathimerini | Author: Evgenia Tzortzi
Edition: Prime Yield

Greece’s request to the EU’s Directorate General for Competition, to be submitted in early October, foresees €1 billion of new guarantees under Hercules III to help banks reduce non-performing loans (NPLs).

The extension of the programme by €1 billion brings to €3 billion the amount of guarantees that the State has provided or intends to provide under Hercules III (from the €2 billion initially approved), while the total guarantees under the three successive extensions of Hercules are estimated to be close to €23 billion.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance has already started exploratory contacts with the relevant EU Directorate for the approval of the additional amount of guarantees.

DBRS estimates the amount of guarantees repaid so far at €2.2 billion out of a total of €19.2 billion guaranteed by the state for 17 securitisation transactions totalling €42.8 billion. Based on the same analysis, the outstanding balance of guarantees was €17 billion at the end of June and, as DBRS notes, “the decrease of around €2.2 billion, or 11.5%, shows that the majority of business plans still need to be worked out.

Original story: Kahtimerini | Author: Evgenia Tzortzi
Edition: Prime Yield

Consumer credit had been expanding at a 30% clip during the first half of the year, boosted by strong consumer demand and car sales, up 6.5% during the first six months of 2024.

Bank data show that disbursements of consumer loans nearly reached €650 million during the first half compared to €500 million during the same period in 2023.

Banks expect the figure to remain stable during the second half and reach €1.3 billion for the whole year, up from €1 billion in 2023.

Consumer loans were notoriously popular during the period, in the early and mid-2000s, that preceded the financial crisis. After tanking for several years, they once again reached the level of mortgages in 2023.

Of all consumer loans, 50% are simple loans concluded with banks, 30% concern buying a car, and the rest are concluded directly with retailers.

In the loans concluded with banks, the average loan is nearly €6,000, payable within four years. Car loans average €11,500, payable in 4.5 years, while loans from retailers are both much smaller and shorter-term, averaging €800 and payable in 1.5 years.

But the latter category is the fastest-growing because approval is immediate, provided – and this is the difference from 20 years ago – that the retailer accesses the borrower’s tax and credit history.

Besides buying a car, most consumer loans are used for renovations and buying household equipment. Many parents also borrow to cover the costs of their children’s studies, accommodation and spending, mostly abroad.

Original Story: Ekathimerini | Author: Evgenia Tzortzi
Edition: Prime Yield

Deposits showed a significant increase in the Greek banking system last month, while corporate credit also posted a notable expansion, according to the latest official figures.

Bank of Greece data showed a significant rise in new loans to businesses by €3.1 billion on a monthly basis in June, bringing credit expansion back to a double-digit upward rate of 10.3%.

The increase in disbursements from banks, combined with the strengthening of tourism revenues, also boosted business deposits by more than €3 billion in June compared to May, raising the total of deposits held by both businesses and households to €194.8 billion at the end of June.

Since the beginning of the year, household and corporate deposits have increased by €5.1 billion, most of which – close to €4 billion – comes from the increase in bank balances held by businesses: From €45 billion they jumped to €49 billion. Household savings have increased by €1.1 billion, as in end-June they reached €145.8 billion, from €144.7 billion in January.

That significant expansion is a result of the growth of the economy, fueled by the rise of tourism among other things. However, it is also due to a significant extent to the jump in new disbursements from banks to finance new investment projects through the Recovery Fund and other financing programs for businesses. 

New disbursements that are traditionally “rushed” at the end of each quarter due to the closure of banks’ balance sheets temporarily inflate the balances of deposits held by businesses in banks, until these funds are used up and spent on new investments. The acceleration of financing in the second quarter of the year was foreseen by the managements of the banks, as the disbursements were significantly short of the signed contracts of the Recovery Fund and are expected to accelerate further in the next two years in order to achieve the absorption of the resources.

Original Story: Ekathimerini | Author: Evgenia Tzortzi
Edition: Prime Yield

The latest data show that the non-performing loan (NPL) landscape in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe (CESEE) remains resilient, with stable volumes and ratios across most jurisdictions. As for Greece, the NPL market stayed buoyant, in contrast to the more subdued transaction flows in the CESEE region, says the latest NPL Monitor.

According to the study produced under the scope of the Vienna Initiative, the Greek market remained robust as a lot of market movements (some successful and some not) came in the form of smaller transactions in 2023, without hitting the headlines. And, although only €2.8 billion was sold directly by credit institutions, there was significant activity in secondary markets.

 Banks now approach portfolio sales more from a tactical perspective than as a crisis response. Consolidation dynamics in the credit servicers industry also helped to expand the secondary flow in 2023. 

Regulatory activity, rather than macroeconomic headwinds, has influenced deal activity in recent months. In Greece, the Hercules Asset Protection Scheme (HAPS) was renewed in December 2023 with a guarantee ceiling of €2 billion and expiry in 12 months, paving the way for more activity in the primary markets. Attica Bank and Pancreta Bank are expected to take advantage of the extension.

Original Story: EBRD (release) | Author: Nigina Mirbabaeva
Edition: Prime Yield

Bain Capital Special Situation has reached an agreement to acquire the the Andros Portfolio from Alpha Leasing, a subsidiary of Alpha Bank.

The Andros portfolio consists of Greek non-performing loans (NPL) and will, subject to regulatory consent, be acquired by Hellas Capital Leasing, a Greece leasing company wholly owned by funds managed or advised by Bain Capital.

This will be Bain Capital Special Situations’ seventh transaction involving European leasing portfolios, a sector in which it has acquired receivables with a c. €2.8 billion of gross book value.

Akin was the legal adviser of Bain Capital Special Situations in this agreement.

Original Story: Akin
Edition: Prime Yield

Attica Bank, Greece’s fifth largest lender, announced on Monday an initial agreement to merge with the smaller Pancretan Bank in an effort to clean up its balance sheet and create a new banking organisation.

The new entity will conduct later this year a capital boost that will be used to cover its capital needs and reduce its non-performing loan exposure.

“The two shareholders confirmed that an agreement in principle on a commonly accepted basis had been reached,” the bank said in a statement, without providing more details

The Greek banks bailout fund, the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, owns 72.5% of Attica, with Pancretan holding 5%, Thrivest Holding 4.4% and pension funds about 10%.

Original Story: Reuters
Edition: Prime Yield

Debt management companies, also known as servicers, have so far settled non-performing loans (NPL) amounting to €15.2 billion on the Greek market since 2022, according to Ekathimerini.

The total debt they manage amounts to 90 billion euros, representing the dues of 2,271,548 borrowers, of which 80% are loans sold to funds, while the rest are loans still owned by banks.

At the end of March, the total amount of loan agreements reached € 1.2 billion. Of this, bilateral agreements and settlements under the Katseli Law reached €1.1 billion, and the remaining €100 million was arranged through the out-of-court mechanism, where 65,790 applications were submitted, representing debts of €32.1 billion.

Original Story: Ekathimerini | Author: Evgenia Tzortzi
Edition: Prime Yield

Greek lender Eurobank is preparing to sell a mixed portfolio of non-performing loans (NPLs) worth €232 million, according to its first-quarter financial statements.

The portfolio includes housing, business, small business, and consumer loans.

At the end of 2023, Eurobank classified this portfolio, known as Portfolio Leon, as held for sale, initiating negotiations with potential investors. The bank also recognised an additional impairment loss of €55 million, impacting its 2023 financial results.

In March, Eurobank revised the portfolio’s scope, adding loans with a gross book value of approximately €240 million. This adjustment increased the portfolio’s total gross book value from €398 million to €638 million.

According to the financial statements, the expected sale price of the portfolio is €232 million, which is 36.3 per cent of its gross book value. Consequently, the impairment provision stands at €406 million.

The expansion of Project Leon by €240 million, with these loans reclassified as held for sale, reduced the group’s non-performing exposures (NPEs) by €0.2 billion to €1.3 billion.

This reduction lowered the NPE ratio from 3.5 per cent at the end of 2023 to 3 per cent. The coverage ratio of NPEs by provisions increased to 92.6 per cent from 86.4 per cent at the end of 2023.

Moreover, as part of its NPE management strategy for 2024-2026, submitted to the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) last March, Eurobank said that its aim was to achieve an NPE ratio of 3.2 per cent by the end of 2026. The bank has already reached this target.

Original Story: Cyprus Mail | Author: Kyriacos Nicolaou
Edition: Prime Yield

The Bank of Greece’s (BoG) data for the first quarter of the year confirm the recovery in corporate financing, which will support credit expansion in 2024, as the net flow of financing moved into positive territory in the order of 333 million euros.

The net flow of financing captures new loan disbursements after repayments of existing debt, and the positive sign in the first quarter is a consequence of the increase in borrowing of €1.9 billion in March, which raised the rate of credit expansion to businesses to 8%.

Loans to enterprises amounted to €76.4 bn, of which €67.4 bn are loans to industry, trade, tourism, construction, etc. – i.e. non-financial businesses (NFC) – and a further €8.9 bn are loans to insurance companies. A further €4.5 billion are loans to professionals, farmers and sole traders, which make up a small proportion of business loans. In addition to the high cost of money resulting from the rise in interest rates, the reluctance of sole proprietors and especially the self-employed to borrow is also attributed to widespread tax evasion and undeclared income, with the result that their low income status does not allow them access to bank loans.

According to the BoG’s figures, business lending, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), is the main driver of the acceleration in financing, which is currently being boosted by loans from the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF), which ensure low financing costs. According to the banks’ estimates, the rate of credit expansion to businesses will rise to an average of 5% over the three years 2024-2026, a period that coincides with the end of the RRF, whose resources should have been absorbed by August 2026.

On the contrary, loans to households continued to show a negative net financing flow both in March (-€21 million) and in the first quarter (-€201 million). The big problem is mortgages, whose balances are constantly shrinking as repayments exceed new disbursements, resulting in a negative flow of €292 million at the end of the first quarter.

Original Story: Ekathimerini | Author: Evgenia Tzortzi
Edition: Prime Yield

After being urged by Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras, the European Central Bank (ECB) is reportedly poised to let the country’s Big four banks pay dividends when supervisors take it under consideration in June.

That was reported by POLITICO, citing unnamed Greek banking sources who said the banks will be able to pay out €840 million as the financial institutions have come back to big profitability.

The country’s banks had to be bailed out with €50 billion during a 2010-18 financial and austerity crisis that also saw them under a mountain of bad loans since sold over to collection agencies hounding people to repay.

If approved, it would be the first time in 15 years that bank shareholders could cash in on their investments, another Greek banking source also not identified told Pro Morning Central Banker (MCB) Europe.

National Bank of Greece payouts will be capped at 20-25% of the lenders’ 2023 profits, Piraeus Bank is expected to return 10% of its profit to shareholders, Alpha Bank 20%, and Eurobank 25%, all in line with the banks’ own guidance, the source said.

National Bank of Greece shareholders will have to lower their expectations, as the ECB is only likely to let it pay out 25% of its profits, below the 30% the bank guided for in March.

The payouts of the four systemic lenders will be smaller than for most of their European peers, as the supervisor still has concerns about the quality of their capital. Around 40% of the groups’ capital is in the form of deferred tax credit (DTC), which the ECB sees as lower-quality equity, said Business Daily Greece.

Earlier, Stournas told Yahoo Finance in an interview in Frankfurt – the ECB’s home – that the recovery of Greek banks has to be acknowledged. “It’s the time to allow dividends,” Stournaras said. “This decision and the exact parameters will be taken later in the year — in June.”

“We all know the constraints, but nobody can deny the huge improvement in the NPL (Non-Performing Loan) situation, the profitability situation, the capital metric situation, the liquidity situation,” he said. “The time has come for the supervisors to consider allowing the shareholders of the banks to get some dividend.”

Original Story: The National Herald
Edition: Prime Yield

The sale of state stakes in five banks by the end of the year is expected to raise €3.5 bn for Greece, Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis told a parliamentary committee.

He said the New Democracy government was focused on “saving Greek deposits as well as Greek businesses and households from a wider collapse and crisis”, even as debt collectors hound those who can’t pay their loans.

Many defaulted during a 2010-18 economic crisis in which Greece received €326 bn in three international bailouts to stave off collapse, with banks receiving €50 bn in rescue packages to stay afloat.

The sale comes after the recovery of the investment grade, the high growth rates and the positive course of most of the main parameters of the economy,” he said, referring to Greece being upgraded to the highest level by most agencies and attracting foreign investors.

Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras said the sales, together with other proceeds from the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund (HFSF), would total about €53.7 bn.

Earlier, Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis told Reuters that “we’ve had very strong interest from many investors and that’s why we’re aiming to complete this process by the end of this year” as Greece recovers.

The state recently sold its stake in three major banks, raising more than €2 bn, with the latest sale of a 27% stake in Piraeus Bank oversubscribed eight times as investors jockeyed for position.

Under an agreement with creditors, Greece has until the end of 2025 to complete the sales, but has decided to move faster. The remaining 18.4% stake in National Bank, the country’s largest lender, and 72% in smaller Attica Bank will be sold this year.

“We found there was no reason to delay, to drag our feet,” said Hatzidakis, as banks have seen deposits return and made big profits after selling off bad loans to debt collectors who hound people to pay back debts even when they can’t.

Original Story: The National Herald
Edition: Prime Yield