What is Tier 1 Common Capital Ratio?

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Tier 1 common capital ratio is a measurement of a bank's core equity capital, compared with its total risk-weighted assets, and signifies a bank's financial strength. The Tier 1 common capital ratio is utilized by regulators and investors because it shows how well a bank can withstand financial stress and remain solvent. Tier 1 common capital excludes any preferred shares or non-controlling interests, which makes it differ from the closely-related tier 1 capital ratio.

Definition

The Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) Capital Ratio is the ratio of a bank's core equity capital to its total risk-weighted assets, representing the bank's financial strength. Regulators and investors use the CET1 ratio to assess a bank's ability to maintain solvency under financial stress. The CET1 ratio excludes any preferred stock or non-controlling interests, differing from the broader Tier 1 Capital Ratio.

Origin

The concept of the CET1 ratio originates from the Basel Accords, a series of international banking regulations aimed at enhancing the stability of the banking system. Basel III, introduced after the 2009 financial crisis, implemented stricter capital requirements to ensure banks have sufficient capital buffers to withstand potential financial shocks.

Categories and Features

The CET1 ratio primarily focuses on a bank's core capital, which includes common stock and retained earnings. This form of capital is considered the most loss-absorbing as it does not involve fixed repayment obligations. In contrast, the broader Tier 1 Capital Ratio includes other forms of capital, such as preferred stock and subordinated debt, which are less capable of absorbing losses.

Case Studies

During the 2008 financial crisis, many banks saw significant declines in their CET1 ratios, prompting regulators to require banks to increase their capital levels. For example, Citigroup raised its CET1 ratio post-crisis by issuing new shares and cutting dividends. Another example is HSBC, which enhanced its capital base by retaining more earnings after the crisis, thereby improving its CET1 ratio.

Common Issues

Investors often misunderstand the difference between the CET1 ratio and the broader Tier 1 Capital Ratio. The CET1 ratio is more stringent as it only considers core capital, excluding preferred stock or subordinated debt. Additionally, banks may temporarily boost their capital ratios through complex financial maneuvers, requiring investors to carefully analyze their financial statements.

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Liquidity risk refers to the potential difficulty an entity may face in meeting its short-term financial obligations due to an inability to convert assets into cash without incurring a substantial loss. This risk is inherent in both financial institutions and corporations, significantly impacting their operational and financial stability.Liquidity risk is often characterized by two main aspects: market liquidity risk and funding liquidity risk. Market liquidity risk is associated with an entity's inability to execute transactions at prevailing market prices due to insufficient market depth or disruptions. On the other hand, funding liquidity risk pertains to the inability to obtain sufficient funding to meet financial obligations.Liquidity risk is not confined to any particular sector, as it is an important consideration across banks, financial institutions, corporations, and even some individual investors. For banks and financial institutions, liquidity risk management is underscored by regulatory frameworks that mandate certain liquidity standards to ensure financial stability and protect depositor interests. Corporations, too, need to be vigilant in managing liquidity risk to ensure they have adequate cash or credit lines to meet their operational and financial commitments. The ability to manage liquidity risk is essential for ensuring it has enough cash on hand to meet its short term needs and obligations.

Liquidity Risk

Liquidity risk refers to the potential difficulty an entity may face in meeting its short-term financial obligations due to an inability to convert assets into cash without incurring a substantial loss. This risk is inherent in both financial institutions and corporations, significantly impacting their operational and financial stability.Liquidity risk is often characterized by two main aspects: market liquidity risk and funding liquidity risk. Market liquidity risk is associated with an entity's inability to execute transactions at prevailing market prices due to insufficient market depth or disruptions. On the other hand, funding liquidity risk pertains to the inability to obtain sufficient funding to meet financial obligations.Liquidity risk is not confined to any particular sector, as it is an important consideration across banks, financial institutions, corporations, and even some individual investors. For banks and financial institutions, liquidity risk management is underscored by regulatory frameworks that mandate certain liquidity standards to ensure financial stability and protect depositor interests. Corporations, too, need to be vigilant in managing liquidity risk to ensure they have adequate cash or credit lines to meet their operational and financial commitments. The ability to manage liquidity risk is essential for ensuring it has enough cash on hand to meet its short term needs and obligations.

Zero-Proof Bookkeeping

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Zero-Proof Bookkeeping

Zero-proof bookkeeping is a manual bookkeeping procedure used in accounting in which posted entries are systematically subtracted from an ending balance to check for errors. In zero-proof bookkeeping, a balance of zero when all entries have been subtracted is proof that the accounting entries have been entered correctly. In this way, this practice is quite similar to keeping a balance sheet, which is a common financial statement issued by firms that balances assets with liabilities and shareholder's equity - such that subtracting the left side from the right side of the balance sheet results in a sum of zero.Zero-proof bookkeeping is employed as part of a double-entry bookkeeping system, where credits (liabilities) and debits (assets) are kept track of simultaneously.

Zero-Gap Condition

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Zero-Gap Condition

A zero-gap condition exists when a financial institution's interest-rate-sensitive assets and liabilities are in perfect balance for a given maturity. The condition derives its name from the fact that the duration gap—or the difference in the sensitivity of an institution's assets and liabilities to changes in interest rates—is exactly zero. Under this condition, a change in interest rates will not create any surplus or shortfall for the company, since the firm is immunized to its interest rate risk for a given maturity.

Like-Kind Exchange

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Like-Kind Exchange

A like-kind exchange is a tax-deferred transaction that allows for the disposal of an asset and the acquisition of another similar asset without generating a capital gains tax liability from the sale of the first asset.Until the passage of tax legislation in December 2017, that could have included the exchange of one business for another—or one piece of tangible property, such as artwork or heavy equipment, for another. After 2017, a like-kind exchange applies only to the exchange of a business or real estate investment property for another property.

Identifiable Asset

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Identifiable Asset

An identifiable asset is an asset whose commercial or fair value can be measured at a given point in time, and which is expected to provide a future benefit to the company. These assets are an important consideration in the context of mergers and acquisitions.Because not all assets on a company's balance sheet are able to be quickly and accurately valued at a point in time, only those which are may be classified as identifiable. Examples include cash, short-term liquid investments, property, inventories, and equipment, among others.Identifiable assets may be contrasted with goodwill.

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Equity Multiplier

The term equity multiplier refers to a risk indicator that measures the portion of a company’s assets that is financed by shareholders' equity rather than by debt. The equity multiplier is calculated by dividing a company's total asset value by the total equity held in the company's stock. A high equity multiplier indicates that a company is using a high amount of debt to finance its assets. A low equity multiplier means that the company has less reliance on debt. The equity multiplier is also known as the leverage ratio or financial leverage ratio and is one of three ratios used in the DuPont analysis.