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SNB posts 7.9 billion CHF Profit in Q1

Summary:
From the official news release Interim results of the Swiss National Bank as at 31 March 2017 The Swiss National Bank (SNB) reports a profit of CHF 7.9 billion for the first quarter of 2017. A valuation gain of CHF 2.2 billion was recorded on gold holdings. The profit on foreign currency positions amounted to CHF 5.3 billion. The SNB’s financial result depends largely on developments in the gold, foreign exchange and capital markets. Strong fluctuations are therefore to be expected, and only provisional conclusions are possible as regards the annual result. The increasing volatility of SNB Earnings Annual results are not really definite. Given that the SNB accumulates foreign currencies with interventions, they have huge swings. But the SNB may lose 50 billion in one year and win 60 billion in the next year or vice verse SNB Results Longterm 2016 - Click to enlarge Profit on foreign currency positions The net result on foreign currency positions amounted to CHF 5.3 billion. Interest income accounted for CHF 2.1 billion and dividends for CHF 0.6 billion. Movements in bond prices differed from those in share prices. A loss of CHF 1.6 billion was recorded on interest-bearing paper and instruments.

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From the official news release

Interim results of the Swiss National Bank as at 31 March 2017

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) reports a profit of CHF 7.9 billion for the first quarter of 2017.
A valuation gain of CHF 2.2 billion was recorded on gold holdings. The profit on foreign currency positions amounted to CHF 5.3 billion.
The SNB’s financial result depends largely on developments in the gold, foreign exchange and capital markets. Strong fluctuations are therefore to be expected, and only provisional conclusions are possible as regards the annual result.

The increasing volatility of SNB Earnings

Annual results are not really definite. Given that the SNB accumulates foreign currencies with interventions, they have huge swings.

But the SNB may lose 50 billion in one year and win 60 billion in the next year or vice verse

SNB Results Longterm 2016

SNB posts 7.9 billion CHF Profit in Q1

- Click to enlarge

Profit on foreign currency positions

The net result on foreign currency positions amounted to CHF 5.3 billion.
Interest income accounted for CHF 2.1 billion and dividends for CHF 0.6 billion. Movements in bond prices differed from those in share prices. A loss of CHF 1.6 billion was recorded on interest-bearing paper and instruments. By contrast, equity securities and instruments benefited from the favourable stock market environment and contributed CHF 6.3 billion to the net result. Overall, exchange rate-related losses amounted to CHF 2.2 billion.
SNB results Q1 2017
(in bn CHF)
Profit BalanceSheet Profit in %
Total Profit on foreign currencies 5.3 763 0.69%
Interest income(coupons) 2.1 763 0.28%
Dividend income 0.6 763 0.08%
Price changes in bonds -1.6 763 -0.21%
Price changes in equities 6.3 763 0.83%
Exchange Rate Losses -2.2 763 -0.29%

SNB Results in the first 1 Quarters 2017: +2.2 billion CHF

SNB posts 7.9 billion CHF Profit in Q1

Source: snb.ch - Click to enlarge

Valuation gain on gold holdings

A valuation gain of CHF 2.2 billion was achieved on gold holdings, which were unchanged in volume terms. Gold was trading at CHF 40,045 per kilogram at end-March 2017 (end-2016: CHF 37,885).
SNB Results Q1/2017
(in bn CHF)
Profit Balance Sheet Profit in %
Total Profit on Gold………………………….. 41.6 763 5.45%

Percentage of gold to balance sheet

After long years, the part of gold is rising again, albeit only slightly.

SNB Balance Sheet items 
(in bn CHF)
Q1/2017 2016
Gold……………………………………………. 41.6 39.4
Total Balance Sheet 763 746
Gold in % of Balance Sheet 5.45% 5.28%

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet has expanded by over 16,7 bn. francs

2017 2016 Increase in %
SNB balance sheet in CHF………………. 763.2 746.5 1.02%
Swiss GDP in CHF 650 650 1.00%
% of GDP 117.41% 114,85%

Balance Sheet at 31 March 2017

SNB posts 7.9 billion CHF Profit in Q1

Source: snb.ch - Click to enlarge

Profit on Swiss franc positions

The SNB maintains its profitability, last but not least, thanks to the reduction of the profitability of banks. When too many funds arrive on their accounts, they must deposit them on their sight deposit account at the SNB.

The profit on Swiss franc positions, which totalled CHF 0.5 billion, essentially resulted from the negative interest on sight deposit account balances.

Negative Interest rates

Furthermore, the SNB harms the Swiss economy, when it reduces the profits of Swiss banks by negative interest rates. But with this measure she maintains her own profitability.

2017 2016 Change in %
Income through negative interest rates 2.08 2.06 0.97%
SNB balance sheet 763.2 746.5
in % of balance sheet 0.27% 0.28%

One essential part of SNB profits are negative interest rates

SNB posts 7.9 billion CHF Profit in Q1

Source: snb.ch - Click to enlarge

SNB Liabilities

Sight deposits is the biggest part of SNB interventions

2017 2016 Change in%
Total Sight Deposits 532.5 500 106.50%
Balance Sheet 763.2 746.5 102.24%
% of balance sheet 69.77% 66.98%

Banknotes in circulation: -1.9 bn francs to 76 bn. CHF
The old form of a printing press, today a less important form of central bank interventions.

Provisions for currency reserves

As at end-March 2017, the SNB recorded a profit of CHF 7.9 billion, before the allocation to the provisions for currency reserves.
In accordance with art. 30 para. 1 of the National Bank Act (NBA), the SNB is required to set aside provisions permitting it to maintain the currency reserves at the level necessary for monetary policy. The allocation for 2017 will be determined at the end of the year.

Liabilities track the SNB interventions

SNB posts 7.9 billion CHF Profit in Q1

Source: snb.ch - Click to enlarge


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George Dorgan
George Dorgan (penname) predicted the end of the EUR/CHF peg at the CFA Society and at many occasions on SeekingAlpha.com and on this blog. Several Swiss and international financial advisors support the site. These firms aim to deliver independent advice from the often misleading mainstream of banks and asset managers. George is FinTech entrepreneur, financial author and alternative economist. He speak seven languages fluently.

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