THEUbi Banca shareholders' meeting, held strictly behind closed doors due to the coronavirus emergency, approved the 99,9 financial statements with the favorable vote of 2019% of the capital present, closed with revenues up by 3,4%, operating result in progress of 18,5 .1,3% to approximately 251,2 billion and a net profit of XNUMX million euro.
As established on March 31st, the resolution on the dividend has not been submitted to the shareholders. In fact, last week Ubi decided to follow the recommendation of the European Central Bank di defer coupon payment at least until October. "After the date of October 2020, XNUMX and in the absence of different indications from the ECB - reads the bank's press release - the board reserves the right to convene a meeting to discuss the issue in question". Green light for shareholders also for proposals relating to remuneration policies.
During the assembly they could not miss references to the offer presented by Intesa Sanpaolo. Responding to a shareholder's written question on the possibility that the merger with the bank led by Carlo Messina may not make it more solid, also taking into account the crisis triggered by the coronavirus, the Institute underlined how the results "confirmed the ever-growing improvement in balance sheet and financial situation, with the significant reduction in non-performing loans and the strengthening of the Cet1, as well as the bank's efficiency and soundness”. These elements, "together with the planning and development strategy pursued over the years, with primary attention to human resources and technological investments, represent solid foundations for dealing with the serious health emergency caused by the Covid-19 virus and the related repercussions on the social, economic and financial". "In this context - it continues - the bank's ability to act as a solid operator is fully confirmed and fulfill that role that has historically distinguished its activity”.
The President of UBI Banca, Letizia Moratti, on the other hand, remarked that the bank's autonomy “is a value for all the stakeholders, whether they are shareholders, customers or employees", reassuring that "this phase of forced slowdown will not stop us".
Words that appear to be one indirect response to the statements made by the CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo, Carlo Messina, La Repubblica. "The Ops is more valid than ever, we are moving forward with great determination by focusing on a greater supply of credit, valorisation of people and territories, employment protection and social interventions", declared Messina, then pronouncing very harsh words towards the Patto Car that just 24 hours ago, has redefined Intesa's ops is "unacceptable".. “When, among other things, I see entrepreneurs who buy Ubi shares, they put them in the pacts, claim to intervene heavily in governance, they talk about the bank as if it were their own, I am perplexed because it seems to me a pathology, certainly an anomaly: the shareholder entrepreneurs who intervene in governance have never done the good of the banks”, said Messina.
Returning to the Ubi assembly, President Moratti also recalled the historic proximity of the institute to local entrepreneurs and the territories of Bergamo and Brescia, the most battered by the Coronavirus pandemic. “UBI – continues Moratti – is an integral and essential part of this productive fabric and for this reason it has launched an integrated programme, which we have called Rilancio Italia, which provides for up to 10 billion euros to give concrete support to all businesses and families of Bergamo and Brescia, and of those areas of the country most affected by the virus". “We are here. And we are ready, with even greater commitment, to relaunch the country's economy and restore security and prosperity to our communities,” he concluded.
