NEW YORK – The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) today reported net earnings of $563 million for its fiscal second quarter ended May 31, 2002. Earnings per diluted share were $1.06 compared to $0.98 for the 2002 first quarter and $1.06 for the second quarter of 2001. Annualized return on average tangible shareholders’ equity (1) was 16.3% for the second quarter and 15.8% for the first half of 2002.
“Our business continues to be affected by weakness in investor and executive confidence which has led to difficult markets and lower levels of corporate activity,” said Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Despite these challenges, Goldman Sachs executed well across its core businesses. Looking ahead, we remain cautious about the near-term outlook.”
(1) Tangible shareholders’ equity excludes goodwill and other intangible assets.
(2) Thomson Financial Securities Data – January 1, 2002 through May 31, 2002.
Investment Banking
Net revenues in Investment Banking were $762 million, compared to $893 million for the first quarter of 2002 and $792 million for the second quarter of 2001.
Net revenues in Financial Advisory were $428 million, 33% higher than the second quarter of 2001, principally due to increased mergers and acquisitions in the financial institutions, real estate and consumer sectors. Net revenues in the firm’s Underwriting business were $334 million compared to $471 million for the same 2001 period, primarily reflecting lower equity issuance activity in the natural resources and communications, media and entertainment sectors and lower net revenues in debt underwriting. The firm’s backlog declined slightly during the quarter.
Trading and Principal Investments
Net revenues in Trading and Principal Investments were $1.44 billion for the second quarter, 8% higher than the first quarter of 2002 and 15% lower than the second quarter of 2001.
FICC net revenues of $1.14 billion increased 21% compared to the same 2001 period, primarily reflecting strong performances in leveraged finance, currencies and fixed income derivatives, partially offset by decreased net revenues in commodities.
Net revenues in Equities were $418 million compared to $739 million for the second quarter of 2001, primarily due to lower net revenues in the firm’s U.S. shares trading business, reflecting the continued weakness in the equity markets and the transfer of the Nasdaq fee-based business to Commissions (1), as well as lower net revenues in equity arbitrage.
Principal Investments recorded negative net revenues of $125 million due to declines in the fair value of certain private investments, primarily in the high technology and telecommunications sectors.
(1) In January 2002, the firm began to implement a new fee-based pricing structure in its Nasdaq trading business. Previously the firm did not charge explicit fees in this business but rather earned market-making revenues based generally on the difference between bid and ask prices. As a result of this change, a substantial portion of the firm’s Nasdaq net revenues is now reported in Commissions.
Asset Management and Securities Services
Net revenues in Asset Management and Securities Services were $1.65 billion, 20% higher than the first quarter of 2002 and 10% above the second quarter of 2001.
Asset Management net revenues of $443 million increased 24% compared to last year’s second quarter, reflecting a 13% increase in average assets under management, higher incentive income and increased fund origination fees.
Securities Services net revenues were $262 million compared to $287 million for the same 2001 period, primarily due to decreased spreads in the firm’s fixed income matched book. Net revenues from the firm’s securities and margin lending business were essentially unchanged compared to the same prior year period.
Commissions were $948 million compared to $862 million for the same period last year due to higher net revenues in the firm’s global shares businesses, in part reflecting the transfer of the Nasdaq fee-based business into Commissions, partially offset by lower merchant banking overrides (i.e., an increased share of a fund’s income and gains) and reduced clearing and execution fees.
Operating expenses were $2.95 billion, 7% above the first quarter of 2002 and 3% below last year’s second quarter.
Compensation and benefits of $1.93 billion increased 1% compared to the same period last year. The ratio of compensation and benefits to net revenues was 50% for the first half of 2002 compared to 49% for the first half of 2001. Employment levels decreased 4% during the quarter and 7% compared to the end of 2001.
Non-compensation-related expenses were $941 million for the quarter. Excluding amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets, these expenses declined 4% compared to the same period last year, primarily due to lower levels of business activity and the continued effect of expense reduction initiatives implemented during 2001. Amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets was lower than in the second quarter of 2001 reflecting the adoption of the goodwill non-amortization provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.”
The effective income tax rate for the second quarter of 2002 was 37.5%, unchanged from the first quarter of 2002 and fiscal year 2001 and down compared to 39% for the second quarter of 2001.
As of May 31, 2002, total capital was $53.36 billion, consisting of $18.86 billion in shareholders’ equity and $34.50 billion in long-term debt. Book value per share was $38.13, based on common shares outstanding, including restricted stock units granted to employees with no future service requirements, of 494.6 million at period end. The firm repurchased 4.2 million shares of its common stock during the quarter.
The Board of Directors of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. declared a dividend of $0.12 per share to be paid on August 29, 2002 to common shareholders of record on July 30, 2002.
On June 21, 2002, approximately 39 million shares of common stock related to the firm’s initial public offering (IPO) and subsequent acquisitions become eligible for sale. In addition, approximately 12 million employee stock options granted at the time of the IPO and in subsequent acquisitions become exercisable on that date. Separately, in connection with the firm’s ongoing policy of facilitating the orderly entry of shares into the market, up to an additional 14 million shares of common stock may become eligible for sale during the third quarter. Substantially all of the above-referenced shares are subject to compliance with blackout procedures and volume restrictions.
Goldman Sachs is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of services worldwide to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high net worth individuals. Founded in 1869, it is one of the oldest and largest investment banking firms. The firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong and other major financial centers around the world.
This press release contains “forward-looking statements”. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the firm’s belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the firm’s control. It is possible that the firm’s actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. For a discussion of some of the risks and important factors that could affect the firm’s future results, see “Business – Certain Factors That May Affect Our Business” in the firm’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2001.
Statements about the firm’s investment banking transaction backlog also may constitute forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to the risk that the terms of these transactions may be modified or that they may not be completed at all; therefore, the net revenues that we expect to earn from these transactions may differ, possibly materially, from those currently expected. Important factors that could result in a modification of the terms of a transaction or a transaction not being completed include, in the case of underwriting transactions, a decline in general economic conditions, volatility in the securities markets generally or an adverse development with respect to the issuer of the securities and, in the case of financial advisory transactions, a decline in the securities markets, an adverse development with respect to a party to the transaction or a failure to obtain a required regulatory approval. For a discussion of other important factors that could adversely affect our investment banking transactions, see “Business – Certain Factors That May Affect Our Business” in the firm’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2001.
A conference call to discuss the firm’s results, outlook and related matters will be held at 11:00 am (ET). The call will be open to the public. Members of the public who would like to listen to the conference call should dial 1-888-281-7154 (US domestic) and 1-706-679-5627 (international). The number should be dialed at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the conference call. The conference call will also be accessible as an audio webcast through the Shareholders section of the firm’s Web site, http://www.gs.com/our_firm/investor_relations. There is no charge to access the call. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available on the firm’s Web site or by dialing 1-800-642-1687 (US domestic) or 1-706-645-9291 (international) passcode number 4448748, beginning approximately two hours after the event.
Financial data are available in a spreadsheet [Microsoft® Excel®, 83 KB].
You may also wish to view a printable version [PDF, 32KB] of the press release and financial data.
Investor Contact:
John Andrews
Tel: 1-212-357-2674
Media Contact:
Kathleen Baum
Tel: 1-212-902-5400
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