NEW YORK – The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) today reported net earnings of $2.11 billion for the year ended November 29, 2002. Earnings per diluted share were $4.03 compared to $4.26 for the year ended November 30, 2001. Return on average tangible shareholders’ equity (1) was 15.3% and return on average shareholders’ equity was 11.3% for the full year of 2002.
Fourth quarter net earnings were $505 million. Earnings per diluted share were $0.98 compared to $0.93 for the same 2001 quarter and $1.00 for the third quarter of 2002. Annualized return on average tangible shareholders’ equity (1) was 14.4% and annualized return on average shareholders’ equity was 10.7% for the fourth quarter.
“While results for the year reflect the challenges of the environment, they also demonstrate our ability to execute in difficult markets and maintain expense discipline,” said Henry M. Paulson, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Looking ahead, our confidence in the strength of our franchise and in Goldman Sachs’ long-term prospects remains high, but we continue to be cautious in our near-term forecasts.”
Investment Banking
Full Year
Net revenues in Investment Banking were $2.83 billion for the year compared to $3.84 billion in 2001.
Net revenues in Financial Advisory decreased 28% from the prior year to $1.50 billion, reflecting a 49% decline in industry-wide completed mergers and acquisitions. (3) Net revenues in the firm’s Underwriting business declined 25% to $1.33 billion, primarily reflecting a 17% decline in industry-wide initial public offerings and a 7% decline in industry-wide total equity underwriting volume, (3) as well as lower net revenues from debt underwriting.
The reduction in Investment Banking net revenues was primarily due to lower levels of activity across all sectors, particularly communications, media and entertainment, natural resources, high technology and healthcare. The firm’s investment banking backlog increased slightly during the fourth quarter but was significantly lower than at the end of 2001.
Fourth Quarter
Net revenues in Investment Banking were $523 million, compared to $797 million for the fourth quarter of 2001 and $652 million for the third quarter of 2002.
Net revenues in Financial Advisory were $299 million, compared to $381 million for the fourth quarter of 2001, reflecting significantly reduced industry-wide activity in mergers and acquisitions. Net revenues in the firm’s Underwriting business were $224 million compared to $416 million for the same 2001 period, primarily reflecting lower equity issuance activity.
Trading and Principal Investments
Full Year
Net revenues in Trading and Principal Investments were $5.25 billion for the year, compared to $6.35 billion in 2001.
FICC net revenues of $4.47 billion increased 10% compared to 2001, reflecting strong performances in the firm’s currencies, mortgages, fixed income derivatives, and investment-grade credit businesses, partially offset by decreased net revenues in commodities and leveraged finance.
Net revenues in Equities were $1.01 billion compared to $2.92 billion for 2001, primarily reflecting lower net revenues in the firm’s global shares businesses, which were affected by the continued weakness in the equity markets, the transfer of the Nasdaq fee-based business into Commissions (4) and the negative effect of a single block trade in the first quarter of 2002. In addition, net revenues in equity derivatives and equity arbitrage were lower than the prior year.
Principal Investments recorded negative net revenues of $229 million primarily due to declines in the value of certain investments in the high technology and telecommunications sectors, partially offset by real estate and energy sector disposition gains.
As of November 29, 2002, the aggregate carrying value of the firm’s principal investments held directly or through the firm’s merchant banking funds was $1.78 billion, consisting of corporate principal investments of $1.04 billion and real estate principal investments of $744 million.
Fourth Quarter
Net revenues in Trading and Principal Investments were $990 million for the fourth quarter, 21% below the fourth quarter of 2001 and 34% below the third quarter of 2002.
FICC net revenues were $793 million compared to $867 million for the fourth quarter of 2001, reflecting lower net revenues in commodities, fixed income derivatives and global money markets, partially offset by strong performances in the firm’s currencies and investment-grade credit businesses.
Net revenues in Equities were $204 million compared to $435 million for the fourth quarter of 2001, primarily reflecting lower net revenues in the firm’s global shares businesses, in part due to the transfer of the Nasdaq fee-based business into Commissions (4), as well as lower net revenues in equity derivatives, partially offset by higher net revenues in equity arbitrage.
Principal Investments recorded negative net revenues of $7 million, primarily due to declines in the value of certain private investments, partially offset by real estate disposition gains.
Asset Management and Securities Services
Full Year
Net revenues in Asset Management and Securities Services were $5.91 billion for the year, 5% higher than 2001.
Asset Management net revenues of $1.65 billion increased 12% compared to last year, primarily reflecting an 8% increase in average assets under management and increased incentive income. Assets under management were $348 billion at the end of 2002, essentially flat compared to the end of 2001. Market depreciation of $12 billion, primarily in equity assets, was partially offset by net asset inflows of $9 billion, primarily in fixed income and equity assets.
Securities Services net revenues were $981 million compared to $1.13 billion for 2001, primarily reflecting lower net revenues in the firm’s margin lending business and fixed income matched book.
Commissions were $3.27 billion, up 8% compared to 2001, primarily due to increased net revenues in the firm’s shares businesses, in part due to 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 when the return on the fund’s investments exceeds certain threshold returns) and reduced clearing fees.
Fourth Quarter
Net revenues in Asset Management and Securities Services were $1.38 billion, essentially unchanged compared to the fourth quarter of 2001 and 9% lower than the third quarter of 2002.
Asset Management net revenues of $387 million increased 5% compared to last year’s fourth quarter, primarily due to higher management fees and increased incentive income. During the quarter, assets under management increased 4% reflecting $10 billion in net asset inflows, primarily in money market and equity assets, and $2 billion in market appreciation.
Securities Services net revenues were $246 million compared to $270 million for the fourth quarter of 2001, primarily reflecting lower net revenues in the firm’s fixed income matched book and margin lending business.
Commissions were $742 million compared to $731 million for the same period last year, reflecting higher equity commissions, in part due to the transfer of the Nasdaq fee-based business into Commissions, partially offset by lower merchant banking overrides.
Operating expenses were $10.73 billion for 2002, 11% below 2001.
Compensation and benefits of $6.74 billion decreased 12% compared to the prior year, commensurate with lower net revenue levels. The ratio of compensation and benefits to net revenues for fiscal year 2002 was 48% compared to 49% for fiscal 2001. Employment levels decreased 13% from November 2001.
Non-compensation-related expenses were $3.70 billion for 2002, 6% below 2001. Excluding amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets, these expenses decreased 3% compared to last year reflecting lower market development and communications and technology costs, partially offset by higher occupancy expenses. Amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets was lower than in 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 2002 was 35.0%, down from 37.5% for 2001. The decline in the effective income tax rate as compared to 2001 was primarily due to a change in the firm’s geographic earnings mix combined with ongoing efforts to convert major operating subsidiaries around the world to corporate form, an increase in tax-exempt income and an increase in domestic tax credits.
On November 20, 2002, the Board of Directors of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (the Board) authorized the repurchase of an additional 15 million shares of common stock pursuant to the firm’s existing share repurchase program. The firm repurchased 19.4 million shares of its common stock during 2002, including 6.4 million shares in the fourth quarter. The remaining share authorization under the repurchase program, including the newly-authorized amount, is 19.3 million shares.
The Board declared a dividend of $0.12 per share to be paid on February 27, 2003 to common shareholders of record on January 28, 2003.
| (1) | Tangible shareholders’ equity, which excludes goodwill and other intangible assets, represents the equity deployed in the businesses of Goldman Sachs. Annualized return on tangible shareholders’ equity is computed by dividing annualized net earnings by average monthly tangible shareholders’ equity. The following table sets forth the reconciliation of average shareholders’ equity to average tangible shareholders’ equity: |
| Fourth Quarter 2002 |
Fiscal Year 2002 |
|
| (in millions) | ||
| Average Shareholders’ Equity | $18,879 | $18,659 |
| Less: Average Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets | 4,854 | 4,837 |
| Average Tangible Shareholders’ Equity | $ 14,025 | $ 13,822 |
| (2) | Thomson Financial Securities Data - January 1, 2002 through November 29, 2002. |
| (3) | Thomson Financial Securities Data - December 1, 2001 through November 29, 2002 and November 25, 2000 through November 30, 2001. |
| (4) | 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. |
A conference call to discuss the firm’s results, outlook and related matters will be held at 12:00 pm (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 Investor Relations 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 6916836, beginning approximately two hours after the event.
Financial data are available in a spreadsheet [Microsoft® Excel®, 93KB].
You may also wish to view a printable version [PDF, 40KB] of the press release and financial data.
Contacts
Investor Contact:
John Andrews
Tel: 1-212-357-2674
Media Contact:
Kathleen Baum
Tel: 1-212-902-5400
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