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Supplemental Capital Pros, Cons Discussed At ACUC

NEWS RELEASE:
From CUNA Mutual Group Public Relations
www.cunamutual.com

For more information:
Rick Uhlmann 608/231-8940 rick.uhlmann@cunamutual.com
Phil Tschudy 608/231-7188 philip.tschudy@cunamutual.com

SAN ANTONIO – The pros and cons of building a sustainable financial model through the use of supplemental capital were presented by CUNA Mutual Group’s John Lass at an America’s Credit Union Conference Discovery breakout session Monday.

Lass, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at CUNA Mutual, answered some of the most common questions credit unions ask about the use of supplemental capital as a strategy to build a sustainable business. As part of the discussion, he explored the potential benefits and costs associated using subordinated debt to strengthen a business.

Most U.S. credit unions generate capital entirely through retained earnings, said Lass. However, major financial cooperatives elsewhere effectively use subordinated debt that can count as capital and it doesn’t violate cooperative principles.

“Supplemental capital can enable individual credit unions to grow even if capital has been drawn down,” Lass said. “There are many examples of financial cooperative systems around the world that have effectively used alternative capital to build sustainable financial models.”

Lass cited Desjardins, which is based in Quebec and is the largest Canadian cooperative, as one of several examples of financial cooperatives that have successfully utilized subordinated debt to strengthen their businesses and gain market share. Other cooperatives such as DZ Bank of Germany, Rabobank of the Netherlands and the Farm Credit system in the U.S. have also tapped the capital markets to infuse their businesses with capital.

“As with any other debt, a business’s subordinated debt has expenses tied to it in the form of interest rates that are determined by the capital markets,” Lass said. “If a credit union is going to raise supplemental capital it must have a solid business plan in place to show an ability to repay the cost of the debt.”

For federally insured, natural-person credit unions, only those with a low income designation are currently able to include debt capital as part of their regulatory capital.  Low-income designated credit unions only comprise 15 percent of all federally insured credit unions and 4 percent of assets.

Lass said supplemental capital has its potential benefits but with it comes costs and tradeoffs. In addition, because credit unions are tax exempt they do not benefit from interest payment tax deductions enjoyed by for-profit institutions.

There are also non-financial costs associated with raising supplemental capital. Lass said subordinated debt may involve restrictive covenants that constrain future management options.

“The important thing to remember about raising alternative capital is that it’s not an end-all silver bullet. In order for it to even be an option, a credit union must have the combination of a strong financial structure and a strong value proposition to members and prospective members,” Lass added.

CUNA Mutual Group insurance, retirement and investment products provide financial security and protection to credit unions and their members worldwide. With more than 75 years of true market commitment, CUNA Mutual’s vision is unwavering: To be a trusted business partner who delivers service excellence through customer-focused products and market-driven insight. More information on the company is available on the company’s Web site at www.cunamutual.com.

CUNA Mutual Group is the marketing name of CUNA Mutual Insurance Society, its affiliates and subsidiaries, including CUMIS Insurance Society, Inc.  Product availability and features may vary by jurisdiction and are subject to actual policy language. Corporate headquarters are located in Madison, Wisconsin.


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