UBS, the Swiss banking giant, has announced a loss in the third quarter, mainly attributed to the high costs associated with its merger with Credit Suisse.
Merger Takes a Toll
After merging with its rival Credit Suisse earlier this year, UBS (ticker: UBS) recorded its first loss in six years. The integration process resulted in significant layoffs, write-downs, and administrative expenses. If it weren’t for these integration costs, UBS would have achieved a pretax profit of $800 million. However, the actual loss for the quarter amounted to $785 million.
A Price Worth Paying
Despite the losses incurred, the scale of UBS’s gains through the acquisition remains remarkable. The purchase price of Credit Suisse was merely a fraction of the value of its assets. Consequently, UBS enjoyed a staggering $29 billion profit in the second quarter, setting a new record for any bank.
Controversy and Criticism
The mega-deal raised concerns in Switzerland regarding potential job losses and reduced competition. Moreover, the terms of the acquisition appeared overwhelmingly advantageous for UBS. In fact, one politician described it as the “deal of the century.”
Government Intervention
Initially hesitant to take over its crosstown rival, UBS eventually succumbed to market pressure. The Swiss government stepped in to facilitate the deal by providing guarantees against losses, ensuring its successful completion.
Wealth Management Wins
In the third quarter, UBS announced impressive results in its wealth management business, attracting $22 billion in new investments. Notably, $3 billion of these new investments came from Credit Suisse’s wealth management team, which experienced net inflows for the first time since Q1 2022.
Market Response
Following the announcement, UBS shares surged by 5% in Swiss trading on Tuesday. In premarket trading, its American depositary receipts also saw a positive gain of 3.2%.