Credit Suisse Group AG’s rescue has largely decimated the deferred compensation of its employees, with the share plunge wiping out much of the value of various stock awards bankers received.
(Bloomberg) — Credit Suisse Group AG’s rescue has largely decimated the deferred compensation of its employees, with the share plunge wiping out much of the value of various stock awards bankers received.
But the fate of one award is less clear. The lender’s contingent capital awards — meant to mirror risky bonds that were wiped out in the takeover — have yet to be written down to zero, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The CCA awards were worth about 360 million francs ($388 million) at the end of 2022. Some bankers at Credit Suisse were told that Finma, the Swiss regulator, is examining the matter, another person familiar with the matter said, who also asked not to be identified discussing compensation.
One of the conditions of the awards is that the instruments should be written to zero in the event of a collapse of the bank. But the nature of the rescue — couched as a private takeover — means it is feasible the weekend’s events may not trigger this.
That possibility is a small glimmer of light — however slender or shortlived — in what is otherwise a generally bleak outlook for bankers at Credit Suisse, which announced a state-arranged takeover by UBS Group AG on Sunday. As well as the threat of sweeping job cuts, several other parts of the pay structure will be hit.
Any shares earned in long-term awards will be worth a fraction of what current and former staffers might have hoped even a week ago. Credit Suisse stock will be converted into UBS shares at a ratio of 22.48 for one, once the deal is finalized.
The share fall wiped more than $600 million from the value of deferred stock held by the firm’s bankers, according to calculations by Bloomberg. Another 210 million francs of special share awards that were handed out just last month only paid out if the share price reached 3.82 francs on Dec. 31, 2025, which would be impossible now.
Spokespeople for Credit Suisse and Finma declined to comment.
Contingent Awards
Thousands of managing directors and director-level staff at Credit Suisse have received at least part of their bonus in contingent capital units in recent years. These assets mimic many of the features of the bank’s 16 billion-franc stack of additional tier 1 securities, which were designed to give the bank more capital in times of crisis. The Swiss regulator Finma wrote off the AT1s on Sunday to help cover the cost of the emergency tie-up with UBS.
In 2021, just over 5,000 Credit Suisse employees received contingent capital awards, of which 1,229 were classified as material risk takers, performing jobs considered most vital to the bank’s health.
The lender stated in its annual report that the contingent capital awards carry “risks similar” to other contingent capital securities it issues.
Credit Suisse granted the latest tranche of contingent awards to staff on Feb. 11. This marks the last award of these instruments, which were already set to be discontinued.
Contingent awards generally vest over three years, though in some countries it is longer depending on local rules, and are denominated in either dollars or Swiss francs. Holders are eligible to receive semi-annual interest payments, and upon maturity receive either cash or a contingent capital instrument.
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