(Sixth Power) – Bologna, 18 June 2024 – Direct funding at 16.8 billion euros (+1.4%), members over 148,000 (+2.5%), credit quality growing, profits increasing and all the indices which perform better than the national banking industry: the BCCs of Emilia-Romagna are solid and healthy and have a growing specific weight, with a deposit market share of 11.7% at regional level (+0.5 points compared to 2022).
It is the synthesis of budget 2023 from the Federation of Cooperative Credit Banks of Emilia-Romagna approved yesterday, June 17, during the meeting which also saw the participation of the president of Federcasse, Augustus of Erba, of the president of Confcooperative Emilia Romagna, Francesco Milzaof the general director of Federcasse, Sergio Gatti, of the sustainable finance and European regulations expert from Federcasse, Giovanni Betti, of the professor of the University of Bologna as well as director of the MUEC (University Master’s Degree in Economics of Cooperation), Flavio Delbono and the regional coordinator of the Young Members and Young BCC Members of Emilia-Romagna, Chiara Bedei.
“The data confirms that the cooperative credit model in Emilia-Romagna, quoting a local term that became well known in 2023, “holds its own” and creates solid relationships in the area – comment the president of the Federation Mauro Fabbretti –. A heritage that must be protected and preserved because, in turn, it protects and preserves the territory in which it operates and the communities that populate it. The mutual banks, even in a difficult year like 2023 (characterized by the flood in Romagna and the consequences of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine), have recorded better performance indices than the banking industry in terms of loans and, even more so, in terms of financing for families and businesses, demonstrating the anti-cyclical role that distinguishes them. A solid presence, with branches substantially unchanged compared to last year, which sees us operating in 162 municipalities in Emilia-Romagna, in 13 of which the mutual banks represent the only banking presence: an important added value if we consider the decline of agency networks of other banks”.
The numbers in the budget
As of 31 December 2023, the nine Cooperative Credit Banks associated with the regional Federation (Banca Centro Emilia, Banca Malatestiana, BCC Felsinea, BCC Romagnolo, BCC Sarsina, Emil Banca, BCC Ravenna, Forlì, Imola, Riviera Banca, RomagnaBanca), they could count on346 branches, equal to 18% of those in the region, 148.144 members (increasing by +2.5%) And 2,844 employees (+1.25%).
A widespread presence also in terms of coverage of internal areas: the BCCs of Emilia-Romagna are in fact present in 162 municipalities and in 13 of these they represent the only banking reality.
On the front of direct collection (deposits and bonds) 2023 ended at 16.8 billion euros (increasing by 1.4% against -3.3% in the regional banking industry): thanks to the significant increase in that with a pre-established duration. The market share of customer deposits is 11.7% at a regional level (+0.5% compared to 2022) which rises to 12.8% if only current account deposits are analyzed.
Gyou employ them to customers instead, they mark quota 13.5 billion of euros (-0.14% against -2.7% of the banking system), for a share of 11.2% at regional level, which rises to 14.3% for consumer families and 17.9% for micro-enterprises, with average levels of 24% for accommodation and catering services, 18.2% for agriculture and 23.2% for artisan businesses.
For the BCCs, an important part of the financing for the regional production sector is represented by support for micro-enterprises (with fewer than 5 employees) and smaller enterprises (between 5 and 20 employees) which reach 31.5% on the total in December 2023 (against 15.5% for the banking industry).
It also improves credit quality: ithe deteriorated/loans ratio at the end of 2023 it stood at 3.3%, progressively decreasing compared to 2022 and almost in line with the banking system 3.1%, while the bad debts/loans ratio stopped at 1.1% against 1.7% in the banking industry. Finally, profits also grew, reaching just above 267 million.
