BBVA gives a new boost to its strategy, promoting sustainability to the highest level of the organization. Javier Rodríguez Soler, current country manager in the U.S., will head the new area, which aims to make BBVA the leading bank for clients in sustainability solutions. Separately, Jaime Sáenz de Tejada (CFO) and Rafael Salinas (CRO) are exchanging responsibilities.

BBVA's Investor Relations team received two awards from IR Magazine in the ´Crisis Management´ and ´Best Use of Multimedia for IR´ categories. This is considered one of the most reputable accolades in the investor relations industry in Europe.

BBVA and the majority of the labor union representatives (CC.OO., ACB and UGT) have reached an agreement on the adjustment plan in Spain, which involves redundancies of part of the workforce (a total of 2,935 people, about 10 percent of employees of the Group in Spain) through layoffs and voluntary terminations, and an outplacement program for 100 percent of the affected employees through Randstad. The agreement also includes the closing of 480 branches. The process has been characterized by a constructive dialogue between the parties to reach the best agreement for everyone.

BBVA is embarking on a new phase in the US following the sale of BBVA USA to PNC. The bank, which has been present in the United States for more than 45 years through its New York branch, is working on a long-term growth plan focused on the wholesale banking business. Víctor Martínez, recently appointed Head of BBVA CIB in the United States, will be heading the business in the country.

BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc., a Sunbelt-based bank holding company (BBVA USA), reported today net income of $385 million for the first quarter of 2021 compared to net income of $334 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and net loss of $2.2 billion in the first quarter of 2020.  Return on average assets and return on average tangible equity(1) for the first quarter of 2021 were 1.49 percent and 16.57 percent, respectively.

The BBVA Group obtained a net attributable profit of €1.21 billion in the first quarter of 2021 - a figure that shows a return to levels prior to the outbreak of the COVID pandemic. These results were achieved thanks to strong recurring revenue - despite the complex environment - and lower impairments and provisions compared to those made in the first quarter of 2020 in anticipation of the crisis. “In the first quarter of 2021, we produced positive results in an environment that continues to be very challenging. In a context of profound change in our sector, we continue to move forward in key areas of our strategy: sustainability and digital transformation,” said Onur Genç, CEO of BBVA.

The BBVA Group earned €1.21 billion in 1Q21, in line with quarterly earnings prior to the pandemic. In the year ago period, BBVA posted a €1.79 billion loss when it recorded a goodwill adjustment in its U.S. subsidiary and higher impairments. This quarter’s result was driven by strong recurring revenue and lower impairments and provisions than in 1Q20. Thanks to these earnings, BBVA generated 15 basis points of capital in the January-March period.

BBVA shareholders backed the possibility of redeeming up to 10 percent of the bank’s share capital, equivalent to 667 million shares, with 99.6 percent of the votes at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Bilbao today. This item on the agenda aims to be able to implement a relevant share buyback, as means of distribution to shareholders.

The Spanish National Police’s Unit of Internal Affairs (UAI, in Spanish) has issued a report on its investigation of the 2.3 million documents (hits) provided by BBVA in the Cenyt case. The report does not provide any information that had not already been made available by BBVA to the Judge and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. This confirms that not only the internal investigation ordered by BBVA was objective, rigorous and thorough, but it also shows the full cooperation with the judicial authorities in clarifying the facts, a priority set by the bank since the onset of the proceedings.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç said today that the sale of the U.S. subsidiary is a historic milestone for the bank, and that value creation will continue to be the guiding force in all decisions related to the use of the excess capital from that transaction. “We have a lot of ammunition, a lot of capital” to create value for shareholders, he added. Regarding Turkey, he said that: “We are prepared to manage the risks in emerging markets.”

BBVA has named Patricia Bueno as new Head of Investor & Shareholder relations, within the area of Finance.

BBVA's CFO, Jaime Sáenz de Tejada, shared his optimism with international investors regarding the medium-term growth prospects for lending in Spain and Mexico. In Spain, he noted the impact of the EU recovery fund - Next Generation EU- which will expedite the transformation of the production model. The financial sector will be able to amplify its impact through by offering greater financing. As for Mexico, he underscored the positive effect of the new tax stimulus package in the U.S., which will boost remittances and manufacturing activity, along with the new free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

BBVA has called its Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held virtual-only on April 20th, 2021. With the goal of being able to implement a significant potential share buyback, it will be submitted for approval of the AGM the possibility of reducing the bank’s share capital up to 10 percent - the equivalent of approximately 667 million shares. Additionally, BBVA proposes the re-election of seven board members, whose term ends in 2021. It would thus maintain unchanged the composition of the Group’s highest governing body, which currently has two thirds of independent members and an appropriate balance and diversity in several areas: experience, knowledge and expertise, gender and international representation.

BBVA earned €1.32 billion between October and December, its highest quarterly result over the past two years. In 2020 BBVA helped three million clients affected by the pandemic, with about €63 billion in government-backed credit lines and loan deferrals. The sale of the U.S. subsidiary will provide some €8.5 billion in capital to grow in a profitable way across its footprint and increase shareholder distributions. BBVA will make a gross cash payment of €0.059 per share against 2020 earnings, and expects to resume its shareholder distribution policy in 2021 with a payout of 35-40 percent of profits. Additionally, the bank is targeting a buyback of about 10 percent of the Group’s shares, after the close of the sale of the U.S. franchise. All this subject to market conditions and the required approvals.

BBVA has successfully closed the sale of its 100 percent share capital in BBVA Paraguay to Banco GNB Paraguay, a unit of Grupo Gilinski, after obtaining all required authorizations.

BBVA has appointed José Luis Elechiguerra, current Head of Client Solutions in the United States, as Global Head of Engineering & Organization, replacing Ricardo Forcano who, after a successful decade at BBVA, is leaving the bank to start an academic research project.

Following the relevant event released on November 16, 2020, BBVA announces on another relevant event filed with Spanish regulator CNMV that the conversations in relation to a potential merger transaction with Banco de Sabadell have come to an end without any agreement.

BBVA has agreed to sell to PNC its subsidiary in the U.S. for $11.6 billion (€9.7 billion¹) in cash, an amount that represents 19.7 times the unit’s 2019 earnings², and that is almost 50% of BBVA’s current market capitalization, creating significant value for shareholders. The transaction will have a positive impact on BBVA’s fully loaded CET1 ratio of c.300 basis points, or €8.5 billion of CET1 generation.

BBVA´s CEO presented this year´s third quarter results on Friday, October 30. At the press conference, Onur Genç affirmed that BBVA's leadership in transformation has a "true competitive advantage" and reiterated the institution´s focus on organic growth. In the first nine months of 2020, "we have attracted 350,000 clients in Spain", something that is especially relevant in the current context marked by the COVID-19 crisis. "We have shown that we can grow using digital channels in Spain," he said.

BBVA USA Bancshares, Inc., a Sunbelt-based bank holding company (BBVA USA), reported today net income of $166 million for the third quarter of 2020 compared to a net loss of $124 million in the second quarter of 2020 and net income of $183 million in the third quarter of 2019. Return on average assets and return on average tangible equity(1) for the third quarter of 2020 were 0.63 percent and 7.32 percent, respectively.

The BBVA Group’s results have been improving throughout 2020. The bank earned €1.14 billion in the third quarter (-6.8 percent in current euros, +4.1 percent at constant rates). This result is 79.5 percent higher than this year’s second quarter results in current euros (+83.4 percent at constant rates).  In addition, the strength of recurring revenues and cost containment efforts helped to boost operating income compared to the third quarter of 2019. “Net attributable profit grew significantly in the third quarter compared to previous quarters. This positive performance was the result of our resilient recurrent income, coupled with our focus on cost control and a better evolution of impairments, thanks to the significant provisioning effort in the first half of the year,” said BBVA CEO Onur Genç.

BBVA earned €1.14 billion in the third quarter of 2020. It is the best quarterly result of the year and far exceeds the figure for 2Q20 (+79.5 percent in current euros, +83.4 percent at constant rates). Compared to the same period a year earlier, the 3Q20 result is 6.8 percent lower (+4.1 percent at constant rates). The strength of recurring revenues and cost containment efforts drove quarterly operating income to grow 13.5 percent yoy at constant exchange rates. In a challenging context marked by the pandemic, BBVA has shown a solid capacity to generate capital, with risk indicators having a positive performance. BBVA’s quarterly results also beat market expectations by 48 percent, as analysts’ consensus expected a result of €773 million.

Onur Genç, BBVA CEO:

The judge underlines that BBVA has contributed all relevant results for the preliminary investigation, accepts the bank's offer to make documents available and dismisses all requests from other parties.

BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group operates in more than 25 countries and has a strong leadership position in the Spanish market, is the largest financial institution in Mexico, it has leading franchises in South America. It is also the leading shareholder in Turkey’s Garanti BBVA.

In a presentation for investors organized by Bank of America (BoFA) and in which BBVA CEO took part this morning, BBVA raised the Group’s guidance for 2020, thanks mostly to an improvement in its business activity in Mexico. At Group level, recurring revenues in constant euros will grow in 2H20 compared to the previous half of the year thanks to a recovery in new retail loan production and focus on price management. Furthermore, BBVA expects to beat its expectations regarding cost reductions for 2020, and improves its cost of risk expectations for 2020, to a range between 1.5 and 1.6 percent in cumulative terms for the year, thanks to a better performance in Mexico. The Group plans to close 2020 with a fully-loaded CET1 capital ratio above the target range. BBVA’s intention is to resume dividend payments once the existing supervisory recommendation is eliminated and COVID-19 uncertainties dissipate.

BBVA placed on Thursday a $2-billion issue of senior preferred debt filed with the U.S. SEC. The issue consists of two tranches, with a maturity of three and five years: The three-year tranche accounted for $1.2 billion, while the five-year one reached $800 million. Demand topped a maximum of $5 billion, with 210 orders, and the book closed with orders of $4.5 billion: $2.5 billion for the three-year tranche and $2 billion for the five-year tranche. Investors' appetite allowed for the starting price to be set lower. The interest rate has been set at the U.S. Treasury rate plus 75 basis points spread for the three-year tranche (versus a starting spread of 100 bps) and a 100 bps spread for the five-year tranche (vs. a starting spread of 125 bps).

As companies across the globe struggle to find a balance between protecting the health and safety of employees and maintaining an efficient and effective workforce, BBVA is using its highly visible leadership team to meet that challenge with frequent transparent updates.