FHLB Cincinnati Announces Second Quarter 2017 Results

CINCINNATI, July 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati (the FHLB) today released unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017. The FHLB expects to file its second quarter 2017 Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about August 10, 2017.

The FHLB is a AA+ rated wholesale cooperative bank owned by 662 member financial institutions. The FHLB is a proven partner that supports housing and community development through a diverse membership base including commercial banks, thrifts, credit unions, insurance companies and community development financial institutions in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. It annually sets aside a portion of its profits for grants supporting affordable housing, and since 1990 has awarded more than $632 million in subsidies towards the creation of 80,900 units of affordable housing.

Operating Results and Profitability

• For the second quarter, net income was $87 million and return on average equity (ROE) was 6.94 percent. This compares to net income of $61 million and ROE of 4.93 percent for the same period of 2016. For the first six months of 2017, net income was $152 million and ROE was 6.10 percent, compared to net income of $118 million and ROE of 4.71 percent for the same period of 2016.
• The increase in net income and ROE for both comparison periods was primarily the result of higher net interest income. The increase in net interest income was mostly driven by higher net spreads earned on certain short-term and LIBOR-indexed assets and lower net amortization of premiums and discounts related to mortgage assets and Consolidated Obligations.

Dividend

• The FHLB paid its stockholders a cash dividend on June 15, 2017 at a 4.75 percent annualized rate, an increase of 25 basis points from the dividend rate paid in March 2017. The dividend paid in June was 3.55 percentage points above the second quarter average 3-month LIBOR.

Housing and Community Investment

• The FHLB's net income in the first six months of 2017 resulted in an accrual of $17 million to the Affordable Housing Program (AHP) pool of funds available to members in 2018.
• In addition to the required AHP assessment, the FHLB voluntarily awarded $1.7 million in the first six months of 2017 through two of its other housing programs. These programs provide grants to cover accessibility rehabilitation and emergency repairs for special needs and elderly homeowners, and for the replacement or repair of homes damaged or destroyed by natural disasters within the Fifth District.

Balance Sheet Highlights

• During the first six months of 2017, the FHLB fulfilled its mission by providing readily available and competitively priced wholesale funding to its member financial institutions as well as providing access to the secondary mortgage market through the Mortgage Purchase Program.
• Mission Asset Activity ? comprising major activities with members including Advances, Letters of Credit, and the Mortgage Purchase Program ? was $97.8 billion at June 30, 2017, an increase of $1.0 billion (one percent) from year-end 2016.
• The balance of investments at June 30, 2017 was $27.9 billion, an increase of $2.6 billion (10 percent) from year-end 2016. The investments balance at the end of the second quarter included $14.6 billion of mortgage-backed securities and $13.3 billion of other investments, which were mostly short-term instruments held for liquidity.
• The FHLB exceeded all minimum regulatory capital and liquidity requirements. On June 30, 2017, GAAP capital was $5.1 billion, an increase of two percent from year-end 2016. The GAAP and regulatory capital-to-assets ratios were 4.67 percent and 4.72 percent, respectively, at June 30, 2017. Retained earnings grew $56 million in the first six months of 2017 to end the quarter at $890 million.

About the FHLB

The FHLB provides members access to products and services (primarily Advances, which are a readily available, low-cost source of funds, purchases of certain mortgage loans from members, and issuance of Letters of Credit to members) and a competitive return through quarterly dividends on their capital investment in the FHLB. The FHLB funds these products and services by raising private-sector capital from member-stockholders and, with the other Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) in the FHLBank System, issuing high-quality debt in the worldwide capital markets. The FHLB also funds community investment programs that help its members create affordable housing and promote community economic development.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could affect the FHLB's financial condition and results of operations. These include, but are not limited to, the effects of economic and financial conditions, legislative or regulatory developments concerning the FHLBank System, financial pressures affecting other FHLBanks, competitive forces, and other risks detailed from time to time in the FHLB's annual report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements speak as of the date made and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results or developments could differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, and the FHLB undertakes no obligation to update any such statements.

SOURCE Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati