Annual report 2009 - Santander

157Acquisition of property assets (Spain)One of the mechanisms used in Spain to manage risk moreefficiently is to acquire real estate assets. The volume ofacquisitions was reduced significantly in 2009; the net balanceof property acquired at the end the year was EUR 2,935 million.The net initial balance was EUR 3,768 million and during 2009purchases amounted to EUR 908 million, mostly in the first halfof the year, and provisions and writedowns amounted to EUR947 million.The reasons for this option as opposed to initiating legalproceedings are as follows:• The length of legal proceedings as against the immediateavailability of these assets.• Cost savings.• It facilitates the viability of companies as liquidity is injectedinto their activity.• Reduction in the possible loss of value in the loans of theseclients.• Reduction in the exposure and in the expected loss.Furthermore, and as part of normal banking practice in riskmanagement, the Group was awarded properties during 2009for a gross amount of EUR 1,357 million. The net balance of theawarded assets is EUR 1,595 million.At the end of 2009, the gross amount of acquired propertieswas EUR 4,304 million and those awarded EUR 2,217 million.It should also be noted that this process is conducted with apolicy of provisions that follows the Group’s usual prudentcriteria. The value of these assets is assessed regularly in order toguarantee an appropriate level of provisions (31% coverage atthe end of 2009, clearly above the regulatory requirements).As well as the usual structure for management of these assets,there is a specialised company firm to manage and sell theproperties so that the acquired and awarded assets can betreated more efficiently.Analysis of the potentially problematic exposureGiven the economic circumstances affecting these sectors andthe need for adjustments in them, and taking as a basis theaforementioned figures, the potentially problematic exposure–the combined figure of doubtful and sub-standard assets plusthe total assets acquired and awarded plus write-offs– in theconstruction and real estate development sectors is EUR13,961 million.The specific provisions for this portfolio amount to EUR 4,024million (coverage of 29%), in line with the banking sector’saverage as they are regulatory provisions. If we add to theseprovisions the generic ones available in Spain coverage is 50%.Coverage would be 93% if one took into account the Group’snet operating income in Spain (Banco Santander plus Banesto)at the end of 2009 1 .These coverage levels are higher than the sector’s average, giventhe higher amount of both available generic provisions as wellas Grupo Santander’s net operating income in Spain.Exposure and coverage of the construction and real estate development sectors. December 2009Total SystemGrupo Santander SpainMillion euros % Million euros %Exposure 445,000 48,299 1Non-performing loans 42,800 9.6 2 2,972 3 6.2 2Sub-standard 59,000 13.3 2 4,332 3 9.0 2Acquired and awarded (gross) 59,700 11.8 2 6,521 3 11.9 2Write-offs 4,000 0.9 2 137 3 0.3 2Potentially problematic exposure 165,500 33 2 13,961 3 25 2CoverageSpecific provisions 42,300 26 2 4,024 3 29 2Non-performing loans 17,700 41 2 1.323 3 45 2Sub-standard 7,600 13 2 573 3 13 2Acquired and awarded (gross) 13,000 22 2 1,991 3 31 2Write-offs 4 4,000 137 3Specific plus generic 35 2 50 2(1) Consolidated figure of EUR 42,256 million(2) The percentage is calculated over total non-consolidated investment+acquired and awarded assets.(3 ) Data for 2009(4 ) Fully covered with provisions.(1) This information is given in order to follow the systematics of the Bank of Spain’s March 2010Financial Stability Report. For the whole system, this report puts coverage at 71%.Risk management Annual Report 2009