Saarbrucken. The financial years of the banks and savings banks have been subject to very special challenges for a long time: Against the background of a long phase of low interest rates, the custodial fee and extremely labour-intensive, excessive regulation by the banking supervisory authority, it is nonetheless important to survive in the market, remain attractive with the products and ensure stability and at the same time position yourself in a crisis-proof manner.
In retrospect, the 2021 financial year was a positive one for Sparkasse Saarbrücken. The effects of the pandemic were not noticeable in the lending business, but the low interest rate had an impact on the annual surplus, which was EUR 5.8 million after taxes – compared to EUR 6.7 million in 2020.
Sparkasse Saarbrücken was able to rely on its customers again. The customer credit volume increased by a total of 1.3 percentage points: by 4.1 percent for companies and the self-employed, and by as much as around 7 percent in private customer business. Here the undiminished interest in real estate, especially for old-age provision, was evident under extremely low-interest conditions.
As before, savers are also drawn to the deposit business, although the priorities are shifting. Sight deposits, i.e. money available on an ad hoc basis, are particularly in demand. Those who want to generate returns are increasingly choosing alternative investment models such as investment fund and securities savings. Good returns combined with a high level of security have allowed Sparkasse Saarbrücken’s portfolio of securities to grow by 19.5 percent to EUR 1.857 billion.
The newly formed Executive Board, headed by Frank Saar, Boris Christmann and Helge Heyd, expects a noticeable increase in the lending and securities business for 2022 as well. According to CEO Saar, the end of the custody fee can also be expected for the third quarter.
The current development in Ukraine and the resulting consequences, which are bundled in a high, sustained inflation dynamic and could possibly show the first negative trends in the second half of the year, are viewed with concern.
Sparkasse Saarbrücken currently employs around 1,100 people. It operates 39 personalized branches, 19 self-service centers and five ATM locations. The digitization rate is constantly increasing. There is a “relatively high usage rate in the digital channels,” emphasized Frank Saar. 65 percent of the 170,000 private current accounts are now used online. With the UNO accounts, the target group of young bank customers is increasingly being tapped
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