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Economics Group
Special Commentary
Demand for and the decline has actually accelerated rather than slowed as is usually seen at this stage of a
consumer loans recovery. While lending terms remain tight, banks have also reported very weak demand for
has improved, but consumer loans over the past few years. Demand for consumer loans finally returned to positive
net loan growth territory in the fourth quarter, but new loan growth will likely not be enough to overcome
remains elusive. continued deleveraging by consumers and charge-offs by banks for quite some time as job growth
remains less than desired and built-up savings reduces consumers’ need to borrow.
The improvement in both personal and business bankruptcies seen in the third quarter continued
in the fourth quarter. Better job and income growth has helped households to repair their balance
sheets and avoid bankruptcy. However, the slowdown in foreclosure filings by banks during the
fourth quarter may have also resulted in delayed bankruptcy filings since bankruptcy is often the
last resort to save one’s home before going into foreclosure. On the business side, improved
revenues and continued vigilance on keeping costs contained have supported profit growth.
However, rising input costs could crimp profits as the year progresses, though we do not think
this will materially impact business bankruptcies. The recent downward trend in business
bankruptcies is likely to continue.
Although there has been improvement in some consumer confidence indicators, purchasing plans
remain quite low by historical standards. Plans to buy a home have continually trended lower
over the past several years. Home buying plans may have perked up a bit over the last few
months, but due to the new methodology used by the Conference Board, as well as the fact that
data prior to November have not been revised to reflect the new methodology, it is impossible to
discern clearly the current trend or to compare to past history. Plans to buy an auto have clearly
improved over the last few months though, and sales have consequently rebounded as well.
Income expectations have also improved a bit but remain historically weak. Still, thanks to
improved job growth, tax cuts, ample built-up savings and a resurgent stock market, consumer
spending has been robust recently, helping to offset the drag from inventories and government
Uncertainty spending on fourth quarter economic growth.
regarding
On balance, credit quality is improving, albeit gradually, though there is still a long way to go
regulations, taxes,
before credit markets return to normal. The extreme depth and length of the recession means the
budget deficits,
road back to normality will be long, while the swath of new regulations and continued economic
inflation and
uncertainty suggests it will be anything but smooth. While we believe the worst is behind us, we
geopolitical issues
must keep in mind that there are still millions of homes that could enter foreclosure in the coming
are risks for the
months and years. This will likely keep home prices under pressure for a considerable period,
economy and credit
which could lead to more foreclosures and further price declines. In addition, steep budget cuts
quality.
and tax increases at the state level in many regions of the country could crimp employment
growth and lead to deterioration in credit quality. Another concern is inflation, which was starting
to creep higher on rising food and fuel prices even before the recent unrest in the Middle East.
Should geopolitical tensions remain high, rising oil and gas prices could filter into core prices and
slow down the recovery. This would certainly not bode well for credit quality. With so much
uncertainty regarding regulation, taxes, budget deficits, inflation and geopolitical issues, cautious
optimism is the rule of the day, which is why lending terms will likely remain tighter than usual.
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Credit Quality Monitor: March 2011 WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
March 11, 2011 ECONOMICS GROUP
bad debt out of the system. This, along with tighter Commercial Real Estate
help profit margins and should lead to stronger -300 -200 -100 0 100
lending in the quarters ahead. Still, at $15.8 billion,
total consumer loan charge-offs remain nearly three
Net Charge-offs
times higher than pre-recession levels. Billions
$20 $8
Credit Card Loans: Q4 @ $12.8 (Left Axis)
Commercial R/E Loan Delinquency Rates Non-Credit Card Loans: Q4 @ $3.0 (Right Axis)
Percent
14% 14%
Commercial Real Estate: Q4 @ 7.9% $15 $6
12% 12%
10% 10%
$10 $4
8% 8%
6% 6% $5 $2
4% 4%
$0 $0
2% 2% 85 90 95 00 05 10
0% 0%
92 95 98 01 04 07 10 Source: FDIC, Federal Reserve and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
3
Credit Quality Monitor: March 2011 WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
March 11, 2011 ECONOMICS GROUP
450
7
400
260 5.0%
6
350
250
4
160 4.0%
200 Jan-09 Apr-09 Jul-09 Oct-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Jul-10 Oct-10 Dec-10
Mortgage Purchase Apps: Feb @ 172.80 (Left Axis)
Existing Home Sales: Jan @ 5.36 (Right Axis)
150 3 Source: Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association, National
Jan-01 Jan-03 Jan-05 Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11
Association of Realtors and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
4
Credit Quality Monitor: March 2011 WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
March 11, 2011 ECONOMICS GROUP
Lending trends were mixed over the past three 80% Consumer Loan Growth: Q4 @ -8.6% (Right Axis) 24%
months. According to the Federal Reserve’s latest 60% More Willing 18%
without the need for a loan. Thus, the lack of loan $300 $300
60% 60% 0% 0%
0% 0% -60% -60%
92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10
5
Credit Quality Monitor: March 2011 WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
March 11, 2011 ECONOMICS GROUP
16 16
$40 $40
12 12
$30 $30
8 8
$20 $20
4 4
$10 $10
Light Vehicle Sales: Feb @ 13.4 Million
0 0
$0 $0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
-$10 -$10 Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, FDIC, Federal Reserve Board
85 90 95 00 05 10 and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
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Credit Quality Monitor: March 2011 WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
March 11, 2011 ECONOMICS GROUP
Bankruptcies
Bankruptcies 3,000
Thousands, 3-Month Ending, Seasonally-adjusted Annual Rate
90
has picked up again. Over the last five months, the Personal: Q4 @ 1,437 (Left Axis)
Business: Q4 @ 52 (Right Axis)
economy has added 671,000 jobs, helping to drive 0 0
00 02 04 06 08 10
down the unemployment rate from 9.8 percent in
November to 8.9 percent in February, the lowest
level since April 2009. This has fueled better growth Nonfarm Employment Change
Change in Employment, In Thousands
in personal disposable income, which was up 3.9 600 600
percent in January from a year ago. This, along with
400 400
falling debt levels, has aided the continuing decline
in the debt-to-income ratio, which stood at about 200 200
109 percent in the fourth quarter, down from a peak
of 123 percent right before the recession hit. 0 0
$1,400 $1,400
90% 90%
$1,200 $1,200
80% 80%
$1,000 $1,000
70% 70%
$800 $800
60% 60%
$600 $600
50% 50%
Household Debt: Q4 @ 108.6%
$400 $400
40% 40%
$200 $200 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 05 10
Coporate Profits: Q3 @ $1640.1B
$0 $0 Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Administrative Office of U.S.
80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 10 District Courts, Federal Reserve, U.S. Department of Labor
and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
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Credit Quality Monitor: March 2011 WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
March 11, 2011 ECONOMICS GROUP
history was not revised, making historical Home: Jan @ 2.1% (Left Axis)
Auto: Jan @ 5.0% (Right Axis)
comparisons virtually impossible. Still, we can put
2.0% 4.5%
two and two together to get some idea of consumers’ 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
purchasing plans.
Over the last few months, plans to buy a home have Consumer Purchasing Plans
Percent Planning to Buy in Next 6 Months, 12-M Moving Average
remained at historically low levels. The last four 32% 32%
months of data using the new method show a slight
uptrend. This is in line with what we have seen with
home sales, which have rebounded over the last 30% 30%
several months. Still, with plans to buy remaining
low and investors and foreclosures accounting for
more of the sales activity, it is clear the housing
28% 28%
market is a long way away from normality.
In contrast, plans to purchase an auto have
improved noticeably of late as interest rates remain
26% 26%
low and job and income growth have improved.
Auto sales have risen for six straight months.
Income expectations ticked up in February but, if 24%
Major Appliance: Jan @ 25.8%
24%
recent history is any indication, remain historically 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
4% 4%
2% 2% 15% 15%
0% 0%
-2% -2%
10% 10%
-4% -4%
-6% -6%
Income Expectations: Jan @ 11.4%
-8% -8% 5% 5%
05 06 07 08 09 10 11
-10% Real Ex-gas Retail Sales: Jan @ 5.6% -10%
Real Hourly Earnings: Jan @ 0.6%
-12% -12% Source: The Conference Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S.
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Department of Labor and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
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Wells Fargo Securities, LLC Economics Group
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