Note 4 - Capital adequacy

Capital adequacy is calculated and reported in accordance with the EU capital requirements regulations for banks and investment firms (CRR/CRD IV). SpareBank 1 SMN utilises the Internal Rating Based Approach (IRB) for credit risk. Advanced IRB Apporoach is used for the corporate portfolios. Use of IRB imposes wide-ranging requirements on the bank’s organisational set-up, competence, risk models and risk management systems.

As of 31 December 2021 the overall minimum requirement on CET1 capital is 12.5 per cent. The capital conservation buffer requirement is 2.5 per cent, the systemic risk requirement for Norwegian IRB-banks is 4.5 per cent and the Norwegian countercyclical buffer is 1.0 per cent. These requirements are additional to the requirement of 4.5 per cent CET1 capital. In addition the financial supervisory authority has set a Pillar 2 requirement of 1.9 per cent for SpareBank 1 SMN, however not below NOK 1,794 million in monetary terms. The Norwegian countercyclical buffer will rise to 1.5 per cent with effect from 30 June 2022, and to 2.0 per cent from 31 December 2022.

Under the CRR/CRDIV regulations the average risk weighting of exposures secured on residential property in Norway cannot be lower than 20 per cent. As of 31 December 2021 an adjustment was made in both the parent bank and the group to bring the average risk weight up to 20 per cent. This is presented in the note together with ‘mass market exposure, property’ under ‘credit risk IRB’.

The systemic risk buffer stands at 4.5 per cent for the Norwegian exposures. For exposures in other countries, the particular country’s systemic buffer rate shall be employed. As of 31 December 2021 the effective rate for the parent bank and for the group is accordingly 4.4 per cent.

The countercyclical buffer is calculated using differentiated rates. For exposures in other countries the countercyclical buffer rate set by the authorities in the country concerned is applied. If that country has not set a rate, the same rate as for exposures in Norway is applied unless the Ministry of Finance sets another rate. As of 31 December 2021 both the parent bank and the group is below the capital deduction threshold such that the Norwegian rate is applied to all relevant exposures.