ZURICH, Switzerland, Dec. 7, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- In conjunction with its Investor Day event, Credit Suisse Group today announced its plans to fully integrate its banking units over the next 18 months to two years and to create distinct lines of business dedicated to private clients, corporate and investment banking clients, and asset management. The Group also presented specific growth plans for each of its individual businesses, including a more focused strategic direction for Institutional Securities and Wealth & Asset Management. In addition, Winterthur will continue its strategy of profitable growth with the aim of preparing for a capital market flotation. Furthermore, Credit Suisse Group announced that it expects to propose to the Annual General Meeting a dividend increase to approximately CHF 1.50 per share for 2004.
In order to better address client needs in a rapidly changing market environment, as well as making more efficient use of its resources, Credit Suisse Group today announced its plans to create a fully integrated bank, combining the current business units Credit Suisse and Credit Suisse First Boston, in a process that is expected to take between 18 months and two years. Activities geared towards the needs of private clients and those targeting corporate and investment banking clients will be bundled in two distinct lines of business, Private Client Services and Corporate & Investment Banking. A third business line will comprise all of Credit Suisse Group's asset management services, reflecting the Group's core strength and one of the key elements in its generation of value for clients across all its businesses. In addition, certain Corporate Center functions that are common to all businesses will be consolidated to accelerate the integration process. The new integrated bank will operate more efficiently and provide enhanced advisory services and products with a sharper focus on client needs, paving the way for increased revenues and considerable cost savings.
Oswald J. Grubel, CEO of Credit Suisse Group, stated: "Our operating environment has changed fundamentally over the past few years. Clients require increasingly sophisticated services and advice that are tailored to their specific needs. This means that now - more than ever before - we must bring together all the know-how in our entire company to offer our clients the professionalism and expertise they demand."
He added: "In addition to creating distinct lines of business that are focused on client needs, the steps involved in creating a 'one bank' organization will require substantial changes in our management approach and also in our culture - with a much greater focus on the Group as a whole than is presently the case. This will be a gradual process that cannot be achieved overnight. We will implement our plans as quickly as is practicable -- but also very carefully to avoid any disruption to our client service."
Business Growth Plans
In connection with its Investor Day, Credit Suisse Group also announced plans to enhance the level of performance of each of its individual businesses by addressing common strategic themes such as client service, integration, focus and growth.
Credit Suisse First Boston's strategy will be geared towards securing a leadership position in selected areas by creating a more focused franchise. It will achieve this by identifying and allocating resources to its most valuable clients and pursuing excellence in select high-margin services such as leveraged finance, M&A, IPOs, derivatives and mortgage securitization - all areas where it has competitive strengths and attractive growth opportunities. Increased earnings and a stronger capital base will allow Credit Suisse First Boston to capture trading opportunities through extended, disciplined and diversified risk-taking. Institutional Securities and Wealth & Asset Management will also make a number of structural changes within their various businesses to ensure greater bottom-line accountability, as well as to improve cost discipline and to capitalize on the integration with the Group's other banking businesses. The combination of these measures will prepare Credit Suisse First Boston for the realization of its net income goal of CHF 3 billion or more for 2007.
In line with this strategy, key growth initiatives at Institutional Securities will include the creation of a unified global proprietary trading group under a single management structure across equities and fixed income. In order to grow its derivatives business, it will also create a consolidated derivatives structuring group. Institutional Securities will grow its leading leveraged finance and mortgage franchises by expanding into Europe. It also plans to build up a commodities unit. In investment banking, Institutional Securities will consolidate its capital markets businesses as well as creating separate advisory and financing coverage capabilities in order to tailor its coverage more closely to its clients' needs. Investment banking growth will be generated by focusing coverage resources on high-margin businesses and clients, both in its leading middle-market business and among its targeted large-cap clients.
In Wealth & Asset Management, key initiatives will include the strengthening of internal funds in areas delivering strong growth and performance. In line with this approach, Credit Suisse First Boston intends to spin out its Merchant Banking Partners business, its Credit Opportunities Fund and the Diversified Credit Strategies Fund, while maintaining a significant financial interest in - and a strategic relationship with - these funds. It will also focus on expanding its services for limited partners, which has been identified as a prime growth area in the alternative capital arena. Credit Suisse Asset Management will focus on improving its investment performance and will expand global product offerings while maintaining regional distribution, as well as streamlining its businesses in the US and Asia. The Private Client Services business will better exploit the attractiveness of the global product platform and build upon its leading position in volatility management.
In Private Banking, Credit Suisse aims to expand its global leadership position by building on its strong Swiss onshore and European offshore businesses as a profit anchor. A further focus will be on continuing the expansion of its strong presence in the onshore and offshore businesses in Asia, the Middle East, Central & Eastern Europe and Latin America. In order to underscore its commitment to Asia and to further develop its private banking franchise in this key market, Credit Suisse will further increase its focus on - and strengthen its management resources in - the region. In the European onshore business, efforts will be concentrated on delivering profitable growth, with the aim of reaching break-even by 2007. In Switzerland, Private Banking and Corporate & Retail Banking will strive to gain further market share by delivering superior value that clearly sets their products and services apart from those of the competition. The net income goal for Private Banking and Corporate & Retail Banking for 2007 is CHF 4 billion or more.
With regard to Winterthur, Credit Suisse Group announced in June that it will manage Winterthur as a financial investment and explore all strategic options to maximize the value of the insurance business for all stakeholders. This analysis has now been finalized and Credit Suisse Group has subsequently reached the conclusion that at this point in time, the market is not prepared to pay an adequate price for what it believes is the full value of Winterthur. Given the successful operational and financial turnaround of the insurance business, Credit Suisse Group is convinced that the best option for Winterthur is for it to move forward with its strategy of profitable growth in order to realize its full potential. As announced today, Winterthur's profitability goal is to achieve sustainable net income of CHF 1.2 billion or more in 2007. Based on its strong market presence and its own separate identity, Winterthur will continue to deliver improvements in its operating performance and further streamline and sharpen the focus of its business portfolio with the aim of preparing for a capital market flotation.
In the area of capital management, Credit Suisse Group wants to ensure a competitive dividend policy going forward, while at the same time prudently managing the Group's capital resources to fulfill the longer-term funding requirements for its strategy of profitable growth. For the business year 2004, Credit Suisse Group expects to propose to the Annual General Meeting a dividend increase to approximately CHF 1.50 per share, demonstrating its return to an attractive dividend payout for shareholders.
Oswald J. Grubel concluded: "As a management team, we have a clear and common view of where we want to take Credit Suisse Group over the coming years. We will be disciplined in executing each of the growth plans for our businesses. At the same time, we are determined to realize our roadmap for integration by creating a 'one bank' organization and preparing Winterthur for a capital market flotation. We are convinced that with these measures, Credit Suisse Group is on the right track to further consolidate its position among the world's leading financial institutions."
Enquiries
Credit Suisse Group, Media Relations Telephone +41 1 333 88 44 Credit Suisse Group, Investor Relations Telephone +41 1 333 31 69
Credit Suisse Group Credit Suisse Group is a leading global financial services company headquartered in Zurich. It provides private clients and small and medium-sized companies with private banking and financial advisory services, and pension and insurance solutions from Winterthur. In the area of investment banking, it serves global institutional, corporate, government and individual clients in its role as a financial intermediary. Credit Suisse Group's registered shares (CSGN) are listed in Switzerland and in the form of American Depositary Shares (CSR) in New York. The Group employs around 60,000 staff worldwide. As of September 30, 2004, it reported assets under management of CHF 1,232.2 billion.
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