OREANDA-NEWS. Over the past week, Singapore’s three listed banks, which together represent just over a third of the Straits Times Index (STI) weighting, reported results for the three months and full year ended 31 December 2015. 

DBS Group Holdings (DBS), Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) and United Overseas Bank (UOB) averaged net interest income of S$1.49 billion for the fourth quarter, reflecting an average increase of 8.4% year-over-year and 2.5% quarter-on-quarter.

DBS posted the best quarterly performance, with a 10.8% YoY surge in net interest income to S$1.85 billion.

The three banks averaged a net profit of S$917 million for the quarter. OCBC’s net profit registered the largest YoY increase of 21.4% to S$960 million, while DBS posted the highest net profit of S$1.0 billion, up 19.6% YoY, and UOB posted a net profit of S$788 million, nearly flat from a year-ago. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, both DBS and UOB registered declines of 6.0% and 8.1% in their net profits respectively.

For full-year 2015, DBS posted the highest net profit – a record S$4.45 billion, up 10.1% YoY. This was followed by OCBC with S$3.90 billion, reflecting an increase of 1.6% YoY, and UOB with S$3.21 billion, down 1.2% YoY.

DBS’s net earnings were buoyed from the year ago by higher net interest margin and broad-based non-interest income growth, it said in its results statement dated 22 February. Fourth-quarter earnings fell QoQ due to lower non-interest income and higher allowances.

The three banks averaged a net interest margin (NIM) of 1.79% for the October-December quarter, compared with 1.69% in the year-ago quarter, and 1.74% in the July-September quarter.

DBS registered a five-year high of 1.84% for its NIM, which was also the highest among the three banks, due to a rise in Singapore dollar interest rates.

The three banks averaged a non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 1.1% in the December quarter, compared with 0.9% YoY and 1.0% QoQ.

UOB registered the highest NPL ratio of 1.4% among the three banks in the fourth quarter, up from 1.2% YoY and 1.3% QoQ, while DBS’s NPL ratio was steady versus the year-ago quarter and the previous quarter. OCBC’s NPL ratio rose to 0.9% in the quarter versus 0.6% YoY, but held steady from the previous quarter.

DBS, OCBC and UOB have averaged a total return of minus 12.6% in the 2016 year thus far. Over a 12-month and three-year period, their dividend-inclusive total returns were a negative 23.2% and negative 3.2% respectively.

Outlook

Singapore’s three banks are cautiously optimistic about the outlook despite increased market volatility and uncertainty. “While unsettled financial markets in recent weeks have created short-term uncertainty, the region’s economic fundamentals are sound and the risks associated with slower growth are manageable,” DBS CEO Piyush Gupta noted in the bank’s results statement dated 22 February.

OCBC CEO Samuel Tsien said in the bank’s results statement dated 17 February that management is positive on OCBC’s continued ability to deliver sustainable growth, and the bank will be conservative, prudent and focused on its long-term strategic priorities.

UOB CEO Wee Ee Cheong noted in the bank’s 16 February results statement that markets will continue to grapple with the impact of falling oil prices and China’s slowdown on the global economy. “Our view is that the risks are largely manageable and the underlying economic fundamentals are strong enough to withstand the shocks, even as we enter an environment of slower growth,” he added.

SGX lists a total of 37 structured warrants that provide exposure to DBS, OCBC and UOB. The five most active structured warrants are call warrants on UOB (expiring 5 July 2016 with strike price of S$18.90), DBS (expiring 4 Oct, 11 July and 5 July 2016 with strike prices of S$13.60, S$14.80 and S$16.00 respectively), and OCBC (expiring 4 Oct 2016 with strike price of S$8.20).

The table below details the warrants, and is sorted according to year-to-date turnover.

Counter Name Stock Code Call/Put Expiry Date Strike Level YTD Turnover (S$)
UOB MB ECW160705 BNKW C 5-Jul-16 18.9 14,419,174.60
DBS MB ECW161004 BQEW C 4-Oct-16 13.6 14,397,198.00
DBS MB ECW160711 BPJW C 11-Jul-16 14.8 12,105,639.60
DBS MB ECW160705 BNMW C 5-Jul-16 16.0 8,004,692.80
OCBC BK MB ECW161004 BNPW C 4-Oct-16 8.2 6,538,316.90
UOB MB ECW160711 BPTW C 11-Jul-16 17.3 3,878,920.20
UOB MB ECW160704 BMMW C 4-Jul-16 20.3 3,591,050.00
UOB MB EPW160601 BKIW P 1-Jun-16 19.5 1,761,206.10
DBS MB EPW160215 BGWW P 15-Feb-16 15.5 1,179,490.00
DBS MB ECW160704 BMDW C 4-Jul-16 17.2 1,053,899.00
OCBC BK MB EPW161201 BNJW P 1-Dec-16 7.7 886,640.00
OCBC BK MB ECW161003 BMKW C 3-Oct-16 9.0 827,739.80
DBS MB EPW161003 BNOW P 3-Oct-16 15.0 644,805.00
DBS MB ECW161003 BNNW C 3-Oct-16 18.6 586,810.00
OCBC BK MB EPW160510 BIMW P 10-May-16 8.7 543,660.00
DBS MB EPW160404 BJPW P 4-Apr-16 16.2 396,632.00
DBS MB ECW160215 BIFW C 15-Feb-16 16.3 374,370.00
DBS MB EPW160601 BKCW P 1-Jun-16 16.5 299,962.00
UOB VT ECW160722 BPZW C 22-Jul-16 17.5 270,220.00
OCBC BK MB EPW160701 BKGW P 1-Jul-16 8.8 204,652.10
UOB MB EPW160404 BJMW P 4-Apr-16 19.3 182,580.00
UOB MB EPW160215 BHCW P 15-Feb-16 17.0 142,420.00
DBS MB EPW160201 BFMW P 1-Feb-16 16.8 104,050.00
UOB MB ECW160201 BFRW C 1-Feb-16 19.8 73,770.00
OCBC BK VT ECW160722 BQAW C 22-Jul-16 8.0 27,600.00
DBS VT ECW160722 BQBW C 22-Jul-16 14.9 15,000.00
UOB MB ECW160404 BJNW C 4-Apr-16 21.5 11,005.00
OCBC BK MB ECW160701 BKHW C 1-Jul-16 9.8 9,030.00
DBS MB ECW160701 BKDW C 1-Jul-16 19.0 7,900.00
DBS MB ECW160404 BJQW C 4-Apr-16 18.8 7,110.00
OCBC BK MB ECW160406 BIJW C 6-Apr-16 10.0 4,835.00
UOB MB EPW160201 BFSW P 1-Feb-16 18.0 2,560.00
UOB MB EPW160111 BEEW P 11-Jan-16 19.2 1,777.00
DBS MB ECW160601 ANBW C 1-Jun-16 23.0 945.00
UOB MB ECW160601A BKJW C 1-Jun-16 22.0 195.00
UOB MB ECW160601 AMVW C 1-Jun-16 25.9 110.00
DBS MB ECW160201 BFLW C 1-Feb-16 18.6 100.00

Source: SGX (data as of 23 February 2016)

Specified Investment Products

Structured warrants are an example of Specified Investment Products (SIPs). The MAS has introduced measures for intermediaries to safeguard the interests of individual investors investing in SIPs, which are products with features that might be more complex in nature.