Goldman Beats The Street - CEO 'Pleased With Solid Performance'

Highlights

• Goldman Sachs continued its leadership in investment banking, ranking first in worldwide announced mergers and acquisitions for the year-to-date.

• Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Client Execution generated net revenues of $3.46 billion, reflecting improved activity levels across most major businesses.

• Book value per common share and tangible book value per common share both increased approximately 3% during the quarter to $134.48 and $123.94, respectively.

• The firm continues to manage its liquidity and capital conservatively. The firm’s global core excess liquidity was $171 billion as of March 31, 2012. In addition, the firm’s Tier 1 capital ratio under Basel 1 was 14.7% and the firm’s Tier 1 common ratio under Basel 1 was 12.9% as of March 31, 2012, up from 13.8% and 12.1%, respectively, as of the end of 2011.

'We are pleased with the firm’s solid performance for the quarter', said Lloyd C. Blankfein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. 'Stronger global markets, together with the firm’s deep and broad client franchise, drove improved results across most of our businesses. Because client activity remains relatively low in certain areas, especially in parts of Investment Banking, we believe that our mix of businesses gives the firm significant room for revenue growth as economic and market conditions continue to improve'.

Net Revenues

Investment Banking

Net revenues in Investment Banking were $1.15 billion, 9% lower than the first quarter of 2011 and 35% higher than the fourth quarter of 2011. Net revenues in Financial Advisory were $489 million, 37% higher than the first quarter of 2011. Net revenues in the firm’s Underwriting business were $665 million, 27% lower than the first quarter of 2011. Net revenues in equity underwriting were significantly lower than the first quarter of 2011, primarily reflecting a decline in industry-wide activity. Net revenues in debt underwriting were lower compared with a strong first quarter of 2011, primarily reflecting a decline in leveraged finance activity. The firm’s investment banking transaction backlog was essentially unchanged compared with the end of 2011.

Institutional Client Services

Net revenues in Institutional Client Services were $5.71 billion, 14% lower than the first quarter of 2011 and 87% higher than the fourth quarter of 2011.

Net revenues in Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Client Execution were $3.46 billion, 20% lower than a solid first quarter of 2011, as higher net revenues in interest rate products were more than offset by lower net revenues in the other major businesses. During the first quarter of 2012, Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Client Execution operated in an environment generally characterized by tighter credit spreads and improved activity levels compared with the fourth quarter of 2011.

Net revenues in Equities were $2.25 billion, 3% lower than the first quarter of 2011, as higher net revenues in equities client execution, reflecting an increase in derivatives, were more than offset by lower commissions and fees, consistent with lower market volumes. Securities services net revenues were essentially unchanged compared with the first quarter of 2011. During the first quarter of 2012, Equities operated in an environment generally characterized by an increase in global equity prices and lower volatility levels compared with the fourth quarter of 2011.

The net loss attributable to the impact of changes in the firm’s own credit spreads on borrowings for which the fair value option was elected was approximately $225 million for the first quarter of 2012.

Investing & Lending

Net revenues in Investing & Lending were $1.91 billion for the first quarter of 2012. An increase in global equity prices and tighter credit spreads contributed to positive results in Investing & Lending. Results for the first quarter of 2012 included a gain of $169 million from the firm’s investment in the ordinary shares of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC), net gains of $891 million from other investments in equities (with public and private equities each contributing approximately one-half of the net gains), net gains and net interest of $585 million from debt securities and loans, and other net revenues of $266 million, principally related to the firm’s consolidated entities held for investment purposes.

Investment Management

Net revenues in Investment Management were $1.18 billion, 8% lower than the first quarter of 2011 and 7% lower than the fourth quarter of 2011. The decrease in net revenues compared with the first quarter of 2011 was primarily due to lower management and other fees and lower transaction revenues. During the quarter, assets under management decreased $4 billion to $824 billion, reflecting net outflows of $26 billion, including net outflows in money market assets and, to a lesser extent, equity and alternative investment assets. This decrease was partially offset by net market appreciation of $22 billion, primarily in equity and fixed income assets.

Expenses

Operating expenses were $6.77 billion, 14% lower than the first quarter of 2011 and 41% higher than the fourth quarter of 2011.

Compensation and Benefits

The accrual for compensation and benefits expenses (including salaries, estimated year-end discretionary compensation, amortization of equity awards and other items such as benefits) was $4.38 billion for the first quarter of 2012, a 16% decline compared with the first quarter of 2011. The ratio of compensation and benefits to net revenues for the first quarter of 2012 was 44.0%. Total staff decreased 3% compared with the end of 2011.

Non-Compensation Expenses

Non-compensation expenses were $2.39 billion, 9% lower than the first quarter of 2011 and 8% lower than the fourth quarter of 2011. The decrease compared with the first quarter of 2011 reflected lower impairment charges, lower market development expenses, principally reflecting the impact of expense reduction initiatives, lower occupancy expenses and lower brokerage, clearing, exchange and distribution fees. These decreases were partially offset by increased reserves related to the firm’s insurance business. The first quarter of 2012 included impairment charges related to consolidated investments of $116 million and net provisions for litigation and regulatory proceedings of $59 million.

Provision for Taxes

The effective income tax rate for the first quarter of 2012 was 33.7%, up from 28.0% for 2011. The increase in the effective income tax rate was primarily due to the earnings mix and a decrease in the impact of permanent benefits.

Capital

As of March 31, 2012, total capital was $243.25 billion, consisting of $71.66 billion in total shareholders’ equity (common shareholders’ equity of $68.56 billion and preferred stock of $3.10 billion) and $171.59 billion in unsecured long-term borrowings. Book value per common share was $134.48 and tangible book value per common share was $123.94, both approximately 3% higher compared with the end of 2011. Book value and tangible book value per common share are based on common shares outstanding, including restricted stock units granted to employees with no future service requirements, of 509.8 million at period end.

During the quarter, the firm repurchased 3.3 million shares of its common stock at an average cost per share of $111.28, for a total cost of $362 million. The remaining share authorization under the firm’s existing repurchase program is 60.3 million shares.

Under the regulatory capital guidelines currently applicable to bank holding companies (Basel 1), the firm’s Tier 1 capital ratio was 14.7% and the firm’s Tier 1 common ratio was 12.9% as of March 31, 2012, up from 13.8% and 12.1%, respectively, as of the end of 2011.

Other Balance Sheet and Liquidity Metrics

• Total assets were $951 billion as of March 31, 2012, compared with $923 billion as of December 31, 2011.

• Level 3 assets were $48 billion as of March 31, 2012, essentially unchanged compared with December 31, 2011 and represented 5.0% of total assets.

• The firm’s global core excess liquidity was $171 billion as of March 31, 2012 and averaged $167 billion for the first quarter of 2012, unchanged compared with the average for the fourth quarter of 2011. 

Dividends

The Board of Directors of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. increased the firm’s quarterly dividend to $0.46 per common share from $0.35 per common share. The dividend will be paid on June 28, 2012 to common shareholders of record on May 31, 2012. The firm declared dividends of $234.38, $387.50, $250.00 and $250.00 per share of Series A Preferred Stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock and Series D Preferred Stock, respectively (represented by depositary shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of preferred stock), to be paid on May 10, 2012 to preferred shareholders of record on April 25, 2012.

Source - Goldman Sachs