Original-Research: UmweltBank AG (von GBC AG): BUY

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Original-Research: UmweltBank AG - von GBC AG

Einstufung von GBC AG zu UmweltBank AG

Unternehmen: UmweltBank AG
ISIN: DE0005570808

Anlass der Studie: Research Report (Anno)
Empfehlung: BUY
Kursziel: 14.40 EUR
Kursziel auf Sicht von: 31.12.2024
Letzte Ratingänderung:
Analyst: Cosmin Filker, Marcel Goldmann

- Transformation process 'umwelt.neo' makes the Bank future proof
- Two transitional years expected
- Growth is expected again from 2025 onwards
 
In the past financial year 2022, UmweltBank AG was able to further expand
its business volume to EUR 6,602.1 million (31.12.21: EUR 6,451.0 million),
even in a difficult market environment. The basis for this increase is the
newly granted loans in the amount of EUR 623 million (previous year: EUR 845
million), which increased the outstanding loan volume to EUR 3,139.03 million
(31.12.21: EUR 3,072.52 million) and therefore to a new record value. The
decreasing dynamics in the volume of new loans is primarily due to a
decline in demand in the area of private construction financing, i.e. it is
a consequence of the more expensive financing on the one hand and the still
high price levels on the other. New loans also decreased in the renewable
energy sector, although this also includes the postponement of loans to the
current financial year in the amount of EUR 170 million.
 
Based on the expanded loan portfolio, interest income increased to EUR 74.40
million (previous year: EUR 70.90 million), the interest result, on the other
hand, declined to EUR 58.79 million (previous year: EUR 63.24 million). This
includes a further reduction of the interest margin to 1.07% (previous
year: 1.21%). On the one hand, higher interest rates can be enforced for
new loans, but the extensive loan portfolio only leads to a delayed
adjustment of interest rates instead. On the other hand, the interest rate
increases have made liabilities, which mainly consist of short-term
deposits, more expensive. In addition, part of the TLTRO funds at
favourable interest rates were repaid.
 
In contrast to the decline in net interest income, UmweltBank AG recorded a
significant increase in net commission income and other income to a total
of EUR 34.55 million (previous year: EUR 12.60 million). The sale of an
investment in a wind farm company, which generated net proceeds of
approximately EUR 20 million, played a special role in this development.
 
With an EBT of EUR 39.21 million (previous year: EUR 38.09 million), UmweltBank
AG met expectations. The only slight increase in earnings compared to the
significant rise in total income is a result of higher administrative
expenses, which include costs for the change of the core banking system (EUR
3.6 million) as well as increased expenses from the continued expansion of
the workforce. Another factor that led to the increase in costs was the
higher allocations to risk provisions for customer loans, which at EUR 9.29
million (previous year: EUR 3.26 million) were significantly above the
previous year's level.
 
The UmweltBank management considers the current and coming financial years
2023 and 2024 as transitional years, which will be characterised by a
declining development of the interest result and increasing expenses. For
the current financial year, the Board of Management expects EBT before the
formation of reserves to amount to approximately EUR 20 million. As in the
previous business year, proceeds from disposals are expected to contribute
significantly to this. Although an increase in the volume of new loans is
expected, net interest income should decrease significantly due to the
expected decline in the interest margin. Here, too, the effect that
interest rate increases being passed on more quickly on the deposit side
plays an important role. In addition, the expiry of the ECB's special
corona conditions will lead to a further increase in the cost of financing.
A noticeable improvement in the interest margin is not expected until 2025.
 
The decline in net interest income is to be offset by an increase in net
commission income and net trading income. The expansion of sales activities
for own funds of the 'UmweltSpektrum' brand as well as an expansion of the
issuing business should contribute to this. In addition to the planned
increase in awareness of this brand, investments in green projects are also
to be expanded, so that the contribution to income and results of business
outside of lending, i.e. in the business segments 'securities business' and
'investments', should increase. We expect a decline in income from
disposals and thus a decline in other income, so that overall a declining
income picture should prevail.
 
On the cost side, the migration costs to the new core banking system, for
which investments of around EUR 10 million are estimated for 2023 and around
EUR 4 million for 2024, are likely to lead to an increase in administrative
expenses. In addition, the expansion of the workforce is to be continued.
In this respect, the company is undergoing a transformation process in the
financial years 2023 and 2024, at the end of which a modern IT
infrastructure will be in place from 2025 and more employees will be
employed at the new company headquarters 'UmweltHaus'. Finally, from 2025
onwards, significant improvements in earnings and results are to be
generated, also against the background of the then-increasing interest
margin.
 
For the financial years 2023 and 2024, we expect net interest income of EUR
49.81 million (2023) and EUR 53.25 million (2024), which should be below the
level of the past two financial years. We do not expect a noticeable
increase in the financial result until 2025, driven in particular by an
increase in the interest margin and lending. We assume a visible reduction
in other income (including commission income) due to the decline in
proceeds from disposals, before rising income from investments and
securities should lead to an increase from 2024. 
 
Due to the strong increase in administrative expenses, which include both
the higher personnel expenses and the increased transformation costs, we
forecast a pre-tax result (before the formation of reserves) of EUR 20.84
million for the current financial year, which is in line with the company's
guidance. After another year of transformation, the pre-tax result should
not be above the level of the previous financial years until the 2025
financial year.
 
We have valued UmweltBank within the framework of a residual income
procedure. The sum of the discounted residual income results in a value of
EUR 14.40 million (previously: EUR 14.65 million) per share. The price target
reduction is exclusively a consequence of the increased cost of equity
capital of 4.97% (previously: 4.20%), resulting from an increase in the
risk-free interest rate and the company-specific beta. At a current share
price of EUR 11.20, we continue to give the rating BUY.

Die vollständige Analyse können Sie hier downloaden:
http://www.more-ir.de/d/27351.pdf

Kontakt für Rückfragen
GBC AG
Halderstraße 27
86150 Augsburg
0821 / 241133 0
research@gbc-ag.de
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Offenlegung möglicher Interessenskonflikte nach § 85 WpHG und Art. 20 MAR Beim oben analysierten Unternehmen ist folgender möglicher Interessenkonflikt gegeben: (1,4,5a,6a,7,11); Einen Katalog möglicher Interessenkonflikte finden Sie unter:
http://www.gbc-ag.de/de/Offenlegung
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Date (time) completion of the study: 17.07.2023 (09:47 am)
Date (time) first publication: 17.07.2023 (11:30 am)

-------------------übermittelt durch die EQS Group AG.-------------------

Für den Inhalt der Mitteilung bzw. Research ist alleine der Herausgeber bzw.
Ersteller der Studie verantwortlich. Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung
oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Börsengeschäfte.

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Quelle: dpa-AFX