BNY Mellon (BK) Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates As Costs Decline

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation’s (NYSE:BK) second-quarter 2019 earnings per share of $1.01 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 94 cents. However, the figure reflects a decline of 1.9% from the prior-year quarter.

Results benefited from a decline in expenses along with growth in assets under management (AUM). Moreover, the company’s capital position improved in the quarter. However, a decline in revenues was a headwind.

Net income applicable to common shareholders for the quarter under review was $969 million, down from $1.1 billion recorded in the prior-year quarter.

Revenues Decline, Costs Drop

Total revenues (GAAP basis), excluding income from consolidated investment management funds declined 5.1% year over year to $3.91 billion. The figure marginally surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.90 billion.

Net interest revenues, on a fully taxable-equivalent basis (non-GAAP basis), were $806 million, down 12.5% year over year. This decline was due to lower non-interest bearing deposits, and loan balances and higher deposit rates, partly offset by higher asset yields.

Also, non-GAAP net interest margin (FTE basis) contracted 14 basis points year over year to 1.12%.

Total fee and other revenues declined 3.1% year over year to $3.11 billion. This decrease was due to a fall in all components of fee revenues except for total investment services fees.

Total non-interest expenses were $2.65 billion, down nearly 3.6% year over year. This reflects a decrease in all expense components, except for professional, legal and other purchased services, software and equipment, and sub-custodian and clearing costs.

Solid Asset Position

As of Jun 30, 2019, AUM was $1.8 trillion, up 2.1% year over year. This reflects higher market value, partly offset by net outflows and the unfavorable impact of stronger U.S. dollar.

Assets under custody and/or administration of $35.5 trillion increased 5.7% year over year, reflecting higher market values and net new businesses, partly offset by the unfavorable impact of stronger U.S. dollar.

Credit Quality: Mixed Bag

As of Jun 30, 2019, non-performing assets were $186 million, up from $82 million registered at the end of the prior-year quarter. Provision for credit losses in the quarter under review was a benefit of $8 million compared with a benefit of $3 million in the year-ago quarter. Allowance for loan losses decreased 6.4% year over year to $146 million.

Capital Position Improves

As of Jun 30, 2019, common equity Tier 1 ratio was 11.2% compared with 11% as of Jun 30, 2018. Tier 1 Leverage ratio was 6.8%, up from 6.7% registered as of Jun 30, 2018.

Capital Deployment Update

During the second quarter, BNY Mellon bought back 15.3 million shares for $750 million. Further, it paid dividends worth $270 million to common shareholders.

Our Viewpoint

While the company’s restructuring initiatives and inorganic growth strategy will go a long way in supporting its bottom line; concentration risk, rising from significant dependence on fee-based income, remains a major near-term concern. Moreover, higher expenses (mainly due to rise in investment-related costs, and litigation and restructuring charges) are likely to hamper bottom-line growth to some extent.

Currently, BNY Mellon carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Earnings Release Schedule of Other Banks

Among other banks, FB Financial Corp. (NYSE:BK) and Community Bank System (NYSE:CBU) are scheduled to release quarterly results on Jul 22 while Atlantic Capital Bancshares (NASDAQ:ACBI) will report earnings on Jul 25.

Today's Best Stocks from Zacks

Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%.

This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 – 2018, while the S&P averaged +4.8% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +56.2% per year.

See their latest picks free >>