Nicolas Rivia's questions to Grupo Aval Acciones Y Valores (AVAL) leadership • Q1 2023
Question
Nicolas Rivia of Bank of America asked about the holding company's double leverage ratio exceeding the 120% threshold and plans to reduce it, including potential bond buybacks. He also questioned the impact of the new net stable funding ratio (NSFR) on the bank's net interest margins.
Answer
CEO Luis Carlos Sarmiento Gutierrez confirmed the goal is to return the double leverage ratio to the 120% target through equity buildup and a future AT1 bond call. Regarding the NSFR, he explained that its implementation caused a significant, temporary distortion in the cost of funds by driving up time deposit rates and shifting the deposit mix, which compressed margins.