Media Release
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Credit Suisse Announces Settlement of FHFA Litigation Relating to Mortgage-backed Securities Purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac between 2005 and 2007
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Zurich, March 21, 2014 Credit Suisse today announced that it has entered into an agreement with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). As a result of this settlement, Credit Suisse Group AG will incur an after tax charge in respect of its 4Q13 and full-year 2013 financial results of CHF 275 million.
The agreement announced today with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as conservator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, settles claims pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York related to the sale of approximately USD 16.6 billion of residential mortgage-backed securities between 2005 and 2007. Under the terms of the agreement, Credit Suisse will pay USD 885 million to resolve all claims in two pending securities lawsuits filed by FHFA against Credit Suisse: FHFA v. Credit Suisse, et al. and FHFA v. Ally Financial Inc., et al. This agreement resolves Credit Suisse’s largest mortgage-related investor litigation.
As this agreement occurred prior to the filing of Credit Suisse Group’s 2013 Annual Report scheduled for April 3, 2014, applicable accounting standards require recognition of a charge of CHF 275 million after tax in the 2013 financial statements. Adjusting the preliminary financial results announced on February 6, 2014 for this charge, the reported 4Q13 net loss was CHF 8 million. For the full year 2013, making the same adjustment, reported core results pre-tax income was CHF 3,994 million, compared to CHF 1,888 million in 2012, and reported 2013 net income attributable to shareholders was CHF 2,794 million, compared to CHF 1,349 million in 2012.
Credit Suisse’s Look-through Total Capital ratio after reflecting this charge was 15.9%, the Look-through Basel III CET1 ratio was 10.2%, and the Basel III CET1 ratio was 15.9% as of the end of 2013.
Credit Suisse Group is due to publish its final audited 2013 financial statements as part of the Annual Report on April 3, 2014. A final version of the 4Q13 interim report will be published at that time.
Information
Media Relations Credit Suisse AG, telephone +41 844 33 88 44, media.relations@credit-suisse.com
Investor Relations Credit Suisse AG, telephone +41 44 333 71 49, investor.relations@credit-suisse.com
Credit Suisse AG
Credit Suisse AG is one of the world's leading financial services providers and is part of the Credit Suisse group of companies (referred to here as 'Credit Suisse'). As an integrated bank, Credit Suisse offers clients its combined expertise in the areas of private banking, investment banking and asset management. Credit Suisse provides advisory services, comprehensive solutions and innovative products to companies, institutional clients and high-net-worth private clients globally, as well as to retail clients in Switzerland. Credit Suisse is headquartered in Zurich and operates in over 50 countries worldwide. The group employs approximately 46,000 people. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse's parent company, Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information
This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition, in the future we, and others on our behalf, may make statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the following:
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our plans, objectives or goals;
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Media Release
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March 21, 2014
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our future economic performance or prospects;
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the potential effect on our future performance of certain contingencies; and
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assumptions underlying any such statements.
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Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends” and “plans” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. We do not intend to update these forward-looking statements except as may be required by applicable securities laws. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that predictions, forecasts, projections and other outcomes described or implied in forward-looking statements will not be achieved. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include:
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the ability to maintain sufficient liquidity and access capital markets;
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market and interest rate fluctuations and interest rate levels;
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the strength of the global economy in general and the strength of the economies of the countries in which we conduct our operations, in particular the risk of continued slow economic recovery or downturn in the US or other developed countries in 2014 and beyond;
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the direct and indirect impacts of continuing deterioration or slow recovery in residential and commercial real estate markets;
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adverse rating actions by credit rating agencies in respect of sovereign issuers, structured credit products or other credit-related exposures;
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the ability to achieve our strategic objectives, including improved performance, reduced risks, lower costs, and more efficient use of capital;
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the ability of counterparties to meet their obligations to us;
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the effects of, and changes in, fiscal, monetary, trade and tax policies, and currency fluctuations;
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political and social developments, including war, civil unrest or terrorist activity;
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the possibility of foreign exchange controls, expropriation, nationalization or confiscation of assets in countries in which we conduct our operations;
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operational factors such as systems failure, human error, or the failure to implement procedures properly;
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actions taken by regulators with respect to our business and practices in one or more of the countries in which we conduct our operations;
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the effects of changes in laws, regulations or accounting policies or practices;
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competition in geographic and business areas in which we conduct our operations;
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the ability to retain and recruit qualified personnel;
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the ability to maintain our reputation and promote our brand;
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the ability to increase market share and control expenses;
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the timely development and acceptance of our new products and services and the perceived overall value of these products and services by users;
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acquisitions, including the ability to integrate acquired businesses successfully, and divestitures, including the ability to sell non-core assets;
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the adverse resolution of litigation and other contingencies;
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the ability to achieve our cost efficiency goals and cost targets; and
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our success at managing the risks involved in the foregoing.
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We caution you that the foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. When evaluating forward-looking statements, you should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and events, including the information set forth in “Risk Factors” in I – Information on the company in our Annual Report 2012.
Capital, liquidity and leverage disclosures
As of January 1, 2013, Basel III was implemented in Switzerland along with the Swiss “Too Big to Fail” legislation and regulations thereunder. Our related disclosures are in accordance with our current interpretation of such requirements, including relevant assumptions. We have calculated our Basel III NSFR based on the current FINMA framework. Changes in the interpretation of these requirements in Switzerland or in any of our assumptions or estimates could result in different numbers from those shown herein. Capital and ratio numbers for periods prior to 2013 are based on estimates, which are calculated as if the Basel III framework had been in place in Switzerland during such periods. For Private Banking & Wealth Management’s strategic businesses, after-tax return on Basel III allocated capital is calculated using income after tax denominated in Swiss francs and assumes (i) a tax rate of 30% in 4Q13 and 29% in 2013 and (ii) that capital is allocated at 10% of average Basel III risk-weighted assets. For Investment Banking’s strategic businesses, after-tax return on Basel III allocated capital is calculated using income after tax denominated in US Dollars and assumes (i) a tax rate of 30% in 4Q13 and 28% in 2013 and (ii) that capital is allocated at 10% of average Basel III risk-weighted assets.
Unless otherwise noted, leverage ratio, leverage exposure and total capital amounts included herein are based on the current FINMA framework. The Swiss Total Capital leverage ratio is calculated as Swiss Total Capital, divided by a three-month average leverage exposure, which consists of balance sheet assets, off-balance sheet exposures, which consist of guarantees and commitments, and regulatory adjustments, which include cash collateral netting reversals and derivative add-ons.