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Sub-sector: Consumer Finance and Banking
BMO Financial
- Sector: Financial Services
- Sub Sector: Consumer Finance and Banking
- Region: Canada
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Fundamental View
AS OF 20 Dec 2024BMO Financial Group is rated Aa2/A+/AA-, but bail-in senior debt for BMO is rated A2 by Moody’s and A- by S&P.
BMO is geographically diversified within Canada & via its commercial banking business in the U.S. and is also well-diversified by revenue with contribution from fee income businesses. Credit has performed worse than peers in 2024, but losses are likely to stabilize and gradually improve in 2025.
Business Description
AS OF 20 Dec 2024- BMO Financial Group is the fourth largest depository institution in Canada with C$1.41 tn in assets as of F4Q24 and a market capitalization of US$70 bn. Total deposits were C$982 bn at F4Q24.
- BMO operates 1,890 branches in Canada and the United States in 2024.
- As of YE23, BMO had 1,013 branches within the United States, mostly in the Midwest. BMO ranked 11th in deposit market share in the U.S. (SNL), with a top-2 share in Illinois.
Risk & Catalysts
AS OF 20 Dec 2024BMO has a strong core deposit base in Canada and in the U.S., which mitigates the potential for a liquidity event. BMO remains well-capitalized relative to requirements with a target CET1 ratio of 12.5% (13.6% at F4Q24).
BMO closed the acquisition of Bank of the West from BNP Paribas in February 2023, significantly expanding its footprint in the U.S. We don’t expect deal integration to have much impact on the credit profile.
We view real estate-related risk in Canada as manageable for BMO given low LTV of exposures in vulnerable markets and conservative underwriting. Commercial real estate accounts for ~10% of total loans, and office is quite manageable at ~1% of total.
Credit deterioration was worse than peers in 2024, leading to elevated provisions in 2H24; BMO has indicated the problem loans were mostly originated in 2021, and provisions should start to improve in 2025.
Key Metric
AS OF 20 Dec 2024| $ mn | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | LTM 4Q24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 17,461 | 20,509 | 26,727 | 21,694 | 24,095 |
| Net Income | 3,790 | 6,167 | 10,519 | 3,291 | 5,380 |
| ROAE | 0.94% | 0.92% | 0.92% | 0.92% | 0.92% |
| NIM | 1.58% | 1.53% | 1.53% | 1.53% | 1.53% |
| Net Charge-offs / Loans | 0.25% | 0.14% | 0.08% | 0.14% | 0.39% |
| Total Assets | 713,376 | 797,018 | 860,451 | 969,851 | 1,011,587 |
| Unsecured LT Funding | 51,916 | 51,915 | 64,886 | 63,418 | 66,700 |
| CET1 Ratio (Fully-Phased-In) | 11.9% | 13.7% | 16.7% | 12.5% | 13.6% |
CreditSight View Comment
AS OF 11 Dec 2024We maintain our Market perform for BMO, with our preference within the group remaining to trade up in quality to RBC and TD. Surprising deterioration in asset quality metrics has been the story throughout the latter part of F2024, with provisions well above historical average levels. Management has attributed the weakness largely to large wholesale loans to new borrowers originated in 2021, but given the steady climb in reserve coverage as well as changes to risk management and underwriting in recent years, BMO is confident quarterly provision ratios should moderate across F2025 alongside further potential benefits from efficiency initatives.
Recommendation Reviewed: December 11, 2024
Recommendation Changed: August 26, 2020
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