SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ:SIVB) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

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Daniel Beck: Yes, Chris. This is Dan. I think if you look at our disclosure of what we’re talking about for potential rate increases, you start to see that that which is factored at least the next couple increases are factored into our guidance, you start to see that we could be liability sensitive associated with that. So in the case that the Fed starts to decrease rates, and again, we don’t have any of that baked into our estimates, that could start to be a bit more of a tailwind from an NII perspective, reducing the overall pricing on some of those more expensive deposits faster than what we have incorporated in our model. So I think you can look to the asset sensitivity disclosure and look to the same potential for a reduction to the extent that rates come down.

Greg Becker: And maybe Chris just to add-on, because I think you’ve kind of had two questions. One is maybe short-term and long-term. And I think, when we settle out to find out kind of that kind of normalization. And then when you see, let’s say, you got back to whatever that normal floor is, or flattening of rates at some points and lower level. And then at that point, I think if you saw some rate increases, modest ones, I think we’d be back into the more assets sensitive side. I think it’s just right now, and you said it, we saw such a rapid increase in rates, which we’ve never seen before. And that’s what kind of made the biggest change, in addition to this kind of construction of the balance sheet. Those two things, cause it to be kind of out of historical norm. And it’s going to take a little while for us to get back to that place where we can eventually get back to a base level, although less level of asset sensitivity.

Christopher McGratty: That’s great. Thank you for that. If I could just follow it up. One of your competitors. Last week talked about deferring costs into the out year, given the environment, appreciating the low single digit guide for expense this year. Were certain projects just pushed to next year, or is there, I know you talked about hiring slowing, but is there a natural ramp that comes back into the expense growth rate once environments get a little better?

Greg Becker: Yes. I’ll talk about Chris philosophically how we’ve operated from an expense perspective over years and cycles. And then, more specifically about the guidance that you gave, and then Dan can add comments to it. And we’ve said this, when you go back and look at the pace of investment we made in digital infrastructure, and a whole variety of risk management, a lot of different things. We looked at it and said, look, when times are better, we are earning more money. We’re going to we’re going to kind of accelerate that investment level. Because we have an insatiable appetite for investment, because of our target market and the market overall, and where it’s growing and how large it is. And so when you have times like this, that’s just a more challenging, more uncertain market are more headwinds, you’re going to take a look, and you’re going to say, you’re going to basically prioritize, and you’re going to kind of optimize what you have.

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