Credicorp .(US:BAP)2025-08-15 15:32Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a return on equity (ROE) of 20.7% for Q2 2025, reflecting strong operating performance and disciplined risk management [13][52] - Net interest income increased by 4.2%, supported by a contraction in interest expenses and an improved funding mix [25][50] - The efficiency ratio stood at 44.2%, indicating effective cost control and scalability of digital investments [15][51] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Universal banking and insurance and pensions posted strong results, while microfinance continued to recover [13] - Fee income increased by 8.2%, driven by transactional activity at JAPI and BCP [26] - The innovation portfolio contributed 6.2% of risk-adjusted revenues, on track towards a 10% target for 2026 [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Peru's GDP is expected to grow by 3.2% in 2025, with domestic demand growing around 4.5% [8][29] - Inflation in Peru has remained below 2% for seven consecutive months, supporting recovery in private consumption [31][29] - The terms of trade have reached their highest level in 75 years, driven by elevated prices of gold, silver, and copper [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on building a more agile, balanced, and forward-looking platform, emphasizing digital infrastructure and client engagement [10][16] - Investments in disruptive innovation are a key pillar of the long-term strategy, with a goal to enhance financial inclusion and sustainability [19][21] - The company aims to transition towards a more diversified business model where fee generation and client engagement are as critical as lending [16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in a favorable resolution regarding the tax case with Sunnab, despite the payment of approximately 1.6 billion soles [12][53] - The macroeconomic environment is improving, with expectations of sustained engagement in the second half of the year [10][28] - The company anticipates loan growth to accelerate, particularly in retail banking, supporting a resilient net interest margin (NIM) [57] Other Important Information - The company has revised its full-year ROE guidance to around 19%, reflecting solid core performance and disciplined risk management [59] - The ongoing economic recovery is positively impacting the microfinance sector, with Mibanco's profitability rising by 16.3% [41] - Yape continues to scale, serving nearly 50 million monthly active users, and is expected to become a significant contributor to the company's revenue [17][39] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is driving the improvement in cost of risk? - Management explained that measures taken last year ensured portfolios are under risk appetite, leading to a low cost of risk. They anticipate higher yielding portfolios in the second half of the year [63][66] Question: What is the long-term vision for the physical branch network? - Management indicated that the role of branches has shifted from transactional to educational and commercial, with a significant reduction already made in the branch network [70][72] Question: What are the expectations for loan growth this year? - Management expects loan growth to be around 6.5%, primarily driven by retail segments, including mortgages and consumer credit [80][85] Question: How much can Yape contribute in the future? - Management anticipates Yape could become the second largest line of business for Credicorp, primarily due to its lending business in retail and SME segments [94][95]