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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATIONSBANK EARNED $2.5 BILLION IN OPERATING PROFITS
IN 1996, UP 26%
CHARLOTTE, NC, Jan. 13, 1997 -- With solid revenue growth outpacing expense
growth in 1996, NationsBank generated a 26-percent increase in 1996 operating
profits to $2.45 billion.
"During 1996, we continued to improve our performance for both customers and
shareholders," said Hugh L. McColl Jr., chief executive officer. "We implemented
programs, products and systems over the past year that enable us to more
effectively meet customers' needs.
"At the same time, we focused on using our capital wisely on behalf of our
shareholders. This focus has been visible in our acquisitions, the shifting of
capital away from less profitable businesses, the reduction of low-yielding
assets and the aggressive repurchases of common stock. These actions, combined
with excellent financial performance, were rewarded with a 40-percent increase
in our stock price in 1996."
Earnings Highlights (1996 compared to 1995)
o Revenues (net interest income plus noninterest income) grew 17 percent
to more than $10 billion
o Operating earnings per share rose 16 percent to $8.26
o Operating return on average common shareholders' equity increased more
than 150 basis points to 18.53 percent Efficiency ratio improved 351
basis points to 56.3 percent Capital ratios strengthened, with the total
equity to assets ratio rising to 7.38 percent from 6.83 percent
NationsBank earned $2.45 billion in 1996, before a merger charge primarily
related to Bank South. This represented a 26-percent increase over the $1.95
billion earned in 1995. Operating earnings per common share for 1996 rose 16
percent to $8.26, from $7.13 per common share in 1995. Operating return on
common shareholders' equity rose to 18.53 percent in 1996, up from 17.01 percent
last year.
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Cash basis earnings (operating net income excluding amortization of intangibles)
increased 25 percent to $2.58 billion in 1996, equaling $8.69 per common share.
As a result of the merger-related, after-tax charge of $77 million, reported net
income and earnings per share were $2.38 billion and $8.00, respectively, in
1996.
For the fourth quarter of 1996, net income rose 24 percent to $632 million,
compared to $510 million in the fourth quarter of 1995. Earnings per common
share in the fourth quarter of 1996 increased 17 percent to $2.19, from $1.87
per common share in 1995.
1996 results include the impact of several acquisitions and loan securitizations
completed primarily in 1996 and at the end of 1995.
Net Interest Income
In 1996, average loans and leases grew 12 percent over year-earlier levels to
$122 billion. This increase was driven primarily by a 19-percent increase in
average consumer loans. This loan growth, combined with a taxable-equivalent
29-basis-point increase in the net interest yield, led to a 16-percent increase
in net interest income to $6.42 billion in 1996. The continuing improvement in
the net interest yield to 3.62 percent from 3.33 percent in 1995 was primarily
driven by ongoing initiatives focused on balance sheet efficiency and
discipline.
Noninterest Income
Noninterest income rose 18 percent to $3.65 billion in 1996. The year-over-year
increase was driven by higher income from investment banking, deposit accounts
and mortgage-related activities.
Efficiency
Revenue growth outpaced expense growth in 1996, improving the efficiency ratio
351 basis points to 56.3 percent, compared to 59.8 percent in 1995. This
improvement reflected continued productivity increases and the rationalization
of business units.
Credit Quality
Total nonperforming assets were $1.04 billion on Dec. 31, 1996, or .85 percent
of net loans, leases and factored receivables and other real estate owned. This
compared to $853 million, or .73 percent of net levels on Dec. 31, 1995. The
allowance for credit losses totaled $2.32 billion at year-end, equaling 260
percent of nonperforming loans, compared to $2.16 billion, or 306 percent one
year earlier. In 1996, net charge-offs were $598 million. This equaled .48
percent of average net loans, leases and factored receivables, compared to .38
percent of average levels in 1995.
Capital Strength
Total shareholders' equity climbed to $13.7 billion on Dec. 31, 1996, up 7
percent from levels one year ago. This represented 7.38 percent of period-end
assets, compared to 6.83 percent at Dec. 31, 1995. Book value per common share
rose to $47.38 at the end of the 1996. NationsBank repurchased approximately 17
million of its common shares in 1996.
NationsBank Corporation, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a bank holding
company that provides financial products and services nationally and
internationally to individuals, businesses, corporations, institutional
investors and government agencies. Following its Jan. 7, 1997 merger with
Boatmen's Bancshares Inc. of St. Louis, Mo., NationsBank has primary retail and
commercial banking operations in 16 states and the District of Columbia. On a
pro forma combined basis, NationsBank had total assets of approximately $227
billion at year-end.
NATIONSBANK CORPORATION FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
THREE MONTHS TWELVE MONTHS
ENDED DECEMBER 31 ENDED DECEMBER 31
1996 1995 1996 1995
FINANCIAL OPERATING SUMMARY
(In millions except per-share data)
Net income $632 $510 $2,452 $1,950
Earnings per common share 2.19 1.87 8.26 7.13
Fully diluted earnings
per common share 2.14 1.85 8.10 7.04
Cash basis earnings (1) 669 539 2,580 2,069
Cash basis earnings per share 2.31 1.98 8.69 7.56
Average common shares issued 287.173 271.558 295.108 272.480
Average fully diluted common
shares issued 294.591 276.009 301.765 277.134
Price per share of common
stock at period end $97.750 $69.625 $97.750 $69.625
Common dividends paid 189 158 707 567
Common dividends paid per share .66 .58 2.40 2.08
Preferred dividends paid 4 2 15 8
OPERATING EARNINGS SUMMARY (Taxable-equivalent in millions)
Net interest income $1,612 $1,438 $6,423 $5,560
Provision for credit losses (150) (142) (605) (382)
Gains on sales of securities 33 21 67 29
Noninterest income 958 846 3,646 3,078
Other real estate owned expense (7) (8) (20) (18)
Other noninterest expense (1,466) (1,342) (5,665) (5,163)
Income before income taxes 980 813 3,846 3,104
Income taxes - including
FTE adjustment* 348 303 1,394 1,154
Net income $632 $510 $2,452 $1,950
*FTE adjustment $22 $25 $94 $113
AVERAGE BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY (In billions)
Loans and leases, net $120.892 $114.604 $122.268 $109.487
Securities held for investment 2.585 12.945 3.442 15.521
Securities available for sale 11.540 10.689 17.295 10.272
Total securities 14.125 23.634 20.737 25.793
Earning assets 171.249 169.334 177.400 167.004
Total assets 194.321 191.693 200.885 188.547
Noninterest-bearing deposits 23.971 21.908 23.990 21.128
Interest-bearing deposits 81.794 76.694 83.595 78.150
Total deposits 105.765 98.602 107.585 99.278
Shareholders' equity 13.224 11.903 13.263 11.451
Common shareholders' equity 13.108 11.866 13.149 11.415
OTHER OPERATING FINANCIAL DATA
Net interest yield 3.75% 3.38% 3.62% 3.33%
Return on average assets 1.29 1.06 1.22 1.03
Return on average
tangible assets 1.38 1.12 1.30 1.11
Return on average common
shareholders' equity 19.06 16.98 18.53 17.01
Return on average tangible
common shareholders' equity 23.81 20.46 22.80 20.74
Total equity to assets ratio
(period end) 7.38 6.83 7.38 6.83
Gross charge-offs (in millions) $208 $211 $836 $636
Net charge-offs (in millions) 151 156 598 421
% of average loans, leases and
factored accounts receivable, net .49% .53% .48% .38%
Efficiency ratio 57.11 58.73 56.26 59.77
REPORTED RESULTS(Operating results including merger-related charge)
Net income $632 $510 $2,375 $1,950
Earnings per common share 2.19 1.87 8.00 7.13
Fully diluted earnings per
common share 2.14 1.85 7.85 7.04
Return on average common
shareholders' equity 19.06 16.98 17.95 17.01
(1) Cash basis earnings equal net income excluding amortization of
intangibles.
DECEMBER 31
1996 1995
BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY (In billions)
Loans and leases, net $121.583 $116.042
Securities held for investment 2.110 4.432
Securities available for sale 12.277 19.415
Total securities 14.387 23.847
Earning assets 165.276 167.945
Factored accounts receivable 1.047 .991
Mortgage servicing rights .946 .707
Goodwill, core deposit and
other intangibles 2.030 1.514
Total assets 185.794 187.298
Noninterest-bearing deposits 25.738 23.414
Interest-bearing deposits 80.760 77.277
Total deposits 106.498 100.691
Shareholders' equity 13.709 12.801
Common shareholders' equity 13.586 12.759
Per common share (not in billions) 47.38 46.52
RISK-BASED CAPITAL
Tier 1 capital $12.384 $10.799
Tier 1 capital ratio 7.76% 7.24%
Total capital $20.208 $17.264
Total capital ratio 12.66% 11.58%
Leverage ratio 7.09% 6.27%
Common shares issued (in millions) 286.746 274.269
Allowance for credit losses $2.315 $2.163
Allowance for credit losses
as % of net loans, leases
and factored accounts receivable 1.89% 1.85%
Allowance for credit losses
as % of nonperforming loans 260.02 306.49
Nonperforming loans $.890 $.706
Nonperforming assets 1.043 .853
Nonperforming assets as % of:
Total assets .56% .46%
Net loans, leases, factored accounts
receivable and other real estate owned .85% .73%
OTHER DATA
Full-time equivalent headcount 62,971 58,322
Banking centers 1,979 1,833
ATMs 3,948 2,292
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BUSINESS UNIT RESULTS - Three months ended December 31, 1996
(in millions)
Return on Average Loans
Total Revenue Net Income Equity and Leases,net
General Bank $1,786 70% $373 59% 21% $76,728 63%
Global Finance 597 23 186 29 19 36,511 30
Financial Services 173 7 45 7 15 8,282 7