10-QPeriod: Q1 FY2017

GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC Quarterly Report for Q1 Ended Mar 31, 2017

Filed May 4, 2017For Securities:GSGS-PAGS-PCGS-PDGSCE

Summary

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) reported strong first-quarter 2017 financial results, with net earnings of $2.26 billion, nearly doubling the $1.14 billion reported in the first quarter of 2016. Diluted earnings per common share also saw a substantial increase, reaching $5.15 compared to $2.68 in the prior year's quarter. This performance was driven by a significant increase in net revenues, which grew by 27% to $8.03 billion, largely due to robust performance in the Investing & Lending segment and higher contributions from Investment Banking and Investment Management. The company also benefited from the adoption of ASU No. 2016-09, which provided a $475 million tax benefit, positively impacting earnings per share and return on equity. Despite an increase in operating expenses, up 15% to $5.49 billion, primarily due to higher compensation and benefits reflecting increased net revenues, the firm maintained strong capital ratios, with a Common Equity Tier 1 ratio of 14.2% and global core liquid assets of $222 billion.

Financial Highlights

36 data points
Beta

Net Income

$2.25B

EPS (Diluted)

$5.15

Total Assets

$894.07B

Cash & Equivalents

$123.03B

Free Cash Flow

-$4.23B

Financial Statements
Beta
Interest Expense$2.23B
Net Income$2.25B
EPS (Basic)$5.23
EPS (Diluted)$5.15
Shares Outstanding (Basic)412.50M
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)420.10M

Key Highlights

  • 1Net earnings more than doubled year-over-year, reaching $2.26 billion in Q1 2017.
  • 2Net revenues increased by 27% to $8.03 billion, driven by strong performance across multiple segments.
  • 3Investing & Lending segment saw a significant revenue surge, turning a loss in Q1 2016 into a substantial pre-tax profit.
  • 4Investment Banking revenues grew 16%, supported by stronger underwriting activity, despite a slight decline in advisory.
  • 5Institutional Client Services revenues saw a slight decrease of 2%, impacted by lower equity client execution and commissions.
  • 6Common Equity Tier 1 ratio remained strong at 14.2%, indicating robust capital adequacy.
  • 7Tax benefits from adopting ASU No. 2016-09 significantly boosted net earnings and return on equity.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary driver was a significant increase in net revenues, which grew by 27% to $8.03 billion. This growth was largely fueled by a substantial improvement in the Investing & Lending segment, which moved from a loss in Q1 2016 to a strong profit in Q1 2017, alongside higher revenues from Investment Banking and Investment Management.

The adoption of ASU No. 2016-09, related to employee share-based payment accounting, resulted in a $475 million reduction in the provision for taxes. This tax benefit significantly boosted diluted earnings per common share by $1.13 and increased the annualized return on average common shareholders' equity by 2.5 percentage points.

Yes, the Institutional Client Services segment saw a slight decrease in net revenues by 2% to $3.36 billion. This was primarily due to lower revenues in commissions and fees, reflecting decreased transaction volumes in Equities, and a decrease in securities services revenue.

Goldman Sachs maintained strong capital ratios. The Common Equity Tier 1 ratio was 14.2% under the Standardized approach and 12.9% under the Basel III Advanced approach as of March 2017. Additionally, the firm held $222 billion in global core liquid assets, indicating a solid liquidity position.