Popular, Inc. (NASDAQ:BPOP) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

If we fall in any of those areas, then we could become , and we are not about to let that happen. So yes, we know that technology is a tough game, and we may not be able to match the investments of some of the bigger huge banks. But we have to stay at least given our clients what they expect in today’s world. And our clients in Puerto Rico are just like anywhere else. They expect a better digital experience, and they expect a more personalized digital experience. And we’re going to work hard to give them that.

Lidio Soriano: To give some more color on Ignacio’s comment, Gerard, when I talked about our data offered to our clients, I said it was market-leading, which it is. And I spoke about the back end, the architecture of it, we find ourselves wanting to roll out more things at a faster speed than our present architecture allows us to do. So again, what we’re doing is doing a lot of work in the back end. The client will never even new. This was happening, but it will — the client will feel it because the speed at which we’ll be able to offer new things and more things will go up. So that is the kind of thing we’re talking about. It is improving the core of our technology. And again, the client may not see that in their phone app but they’ll see it in our capacity to offer them more personalized offerings for personalized services and new services faster than we can do today.

Gerard Cassidy: Very good. And then, Lidio, you mentioned you gave us some insights into credit and credit obviously, has been strong for you folks and your peers. Two questions. One, you gave us some of the assumptions, I think, in the Moody’s outlook on real GDP growth what kind of unemployment rates are you factoring in? I think you said they’re constant, but what are those numbers? And two, are there any sectors within the portfolio that you’re currently spending more time really focusing on just to make sure nothing gets tripped up if we go into some sort of shallow recession.

Carlos Vazquez: We have on a yearly basis, you have on Page 13 of the deck, the assumptions for unemployment rates, also Puerto Rico and the U.S. under the baseline, stronger growth and recession scenarios. So I will leave you to look at those as to what’s the second part of the question? I’m sorry, Gerard?

Gerard Cassidy: That’s okay. And — and just what parts of the portfolio are you guys really focused on to make sure that if we do go into a shallow recession, you’re prepared to handle it.

Lidio Soriano: I would say small business lending is an area of focus. I mean we continue to be pleased how the Popular has continued to behave post-pandemic or is an area where increasing interest rate inflationary pressures, increases in energy prices could have a potential higher impact than other sectors. I think it’s important to highlight that one area where we see a lot of press in the U.S. in terms of office space, we don’t have any significant exposure to the office space in Puerto Rico to the U.S.

Gerard Cassidy: Very good. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. The next question today is a follow-up from Alex Twerdahl from Piper Sandler. Please go ahead. Your line is now open.

Alex Twerdahl: I just wanted to ask for the loan growth that you guys are seeing, what kind of yields new production is coming on in the various categories?