Basel III: Impact on Banks in Brazil

Abstract

This article evaluates the potential impacts deriving from the change in required capital of banks in Brazil, with the implementation of Basel III. To do this, a sample of 58 banks was used, which accounts for 80% of the assets in the Brazilian National Financial System, according to the balance sheets of December 2012. The methodology adopted has simulated the need for regulatory capital that will be mandatory in the end of the transition period, in 2019, considering the continuity of risk-weighted assets (RWAs) contained in these balance sheets. Assuming that some banks will resort to the capital market to raise their capitalization level, the return on equity (ROE) for the previous three years was analyzed, compared to the cost of equity, estimated by the International Capital Asset Pricing Model (ICAPM). It was found that 23 institutions had some kind of noncompliance with the new regulatory capital, among them the 3 largest federal public banks. It was also observed that 39 banks have a ROE insufficient to attract new investors. The joint analysis of the adequacy of capital structure and the return level may identify occasional vulnerabilities. It is concluded that implementing Basel III in Brazil may increase the search for greater efficiency and profitability. In a future scenario, the Brazilian banking system may observe a wave of mergers and acquisitions and an increased number of initial public offerings (IPOs).