LUXEMBOURG/PORTUGAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Société Anonyme
Registered Office: 21/25 Allée
Scheffer, L- 2520 Luxembourg
R.C.S. Luxembourg B 22.232
Espírito Santo Financial Group S.A. informs on Bank of Portugal disclosure
Espírito Santo Financial Group S.A. (“ESFG”) (NYSE Euronext Lisbon: ESF; Bloomberg: ESF PL; Reuters: ESF LS) informs that it has received the following statement for disclosure from the Bank of Portugal:
1. In the light of the substantial increase in systemic risk triggered by the sovereign debt crisis in the Euro area, it was decided that the banking groups subject to the EBA stress tests should strengthen their levels of capital in order to reach, by 30 June 2012, a core Tier 1 capital of 9%, after careful evaluation, at market value, of the sovereign debt as at 30 September 2011.
2. The total amount of capital identified as needed for the ESFG Group, which includes the full consolidation of Banco Espírito Santo (“BES”), is EUR 1.487 billion, with EUR 44 million resulting from the evaluation at market prices of exposure to sovereign debt.
3. The remaining amount is included in the capitalization plans presented to the Bank of Portugal, as part of the Plan of Financing Assistance, which permit regular monitorization of the relevant capital ratios.
4. This preliminary and indicative estimate may suffer an alteration based on the information relative to the end of September.
Qualifying statement:
ESFG is a Luxembourg based financial holding company with banking, insurance and healthcare interests. ESFG Group conducts its banking activities principally through BES which it fully consolidates.
On the 11th November 2011 BES will convene an EGM which will resolve on a proposal by the Board of Directors to increase its capital by up to EUR 790.7 million through an exchange offer of securities issued by BES, BES Investment and BES Finance.
ESFG will continue to adopt measures in order to meet the Bank of Portugal’s new minimum levels of Core Tier 1 capital.
Contacts:
Filipe Worsdell
Espírito Santo
Financial Group S.A.
+44 203 4292100
fworsdell@esfg.com
Faisal Kanth
Taylor Rafferty
+44 207 6142900
fkanth@king-worldwide.com
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The Espírito Santo Financial Group provides, through its subsidiaries, a global and diversified range of
financial services to its clients including Commercial banking, Insurance, Investment banking, Stockbrokerage and Asset management in Portugal and internationally. For additional information on Espírito
Santo Financial Group, its subsidiaries, operations and results, please visit the Company’s website on