JPMorgan Chase (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon mentioned in a brand new shareholder letter Monday that he’s nervous about a variety of dangers to a resilient US economic system that might “result in stickier inflation and better charges than markets anticipate.”
He cited giant quantities of presidency spending, efforts by the Federal Reserve to shrink its steadiness sheet, in addition to the continued wars within the Center East and Ukraine and their potential to disrupt important commodities markets, migration and geopolitical relationships.
“These vital and considerably unprecedented forces trigger us to stay cautious,” he added, noting that the financial institution is ready for charges “from 2% to eight% or much more.”
The CEO of the most important US financial institution used his 61-page letter to hold forth on a variety of subjects — from banking and AI to world financial dangers and geopolitical issues to administration classes and methods to strengthen the nation.
The 68-year-old govt did not say something about when he may depart the financial institution, however JPMorgan mentioned in a separate submitting Monday that one of many board’s prime priorities is “enabling an orderly CEO transition to happen within the medium-term.”
The board “has developed, and can proceed to develop, a number of working committee members who’re well-known to shareholders as sturdy potential candidates to succeed Mr. Dimon.”
The financial institution not too long ago reshuffled some executives as a part of that course of, reinforcing that there at the moment are roughly a handful of executives with a shot at succeeding Dimon, the longest-serving CEO of a serious nationwide financial institution.
One of many clear frontrunners is Jennifer Piepszak, who turned co-CEO of a brand new division encompassing JPMorgan’s business and funding financial institution.
If the financial institution wants to maneuver extra rapidly “within the near-term” the board views JPMorgan’s president and chief working officer Daniel Pinto “as a key govt who is straight away able to step into the position of sole CEO.”
An ‘endgame winner’
Dimon used his letter Monday to return to some acquainted themes, notably his issues in regards to the regulation of banks within the US.
Dimon mentioned the relationships between banks and US regulatory companies “have deteriorated considerably” and “are more and more much less constructive” within the years because the passage of the Dodd-Frank laws following the 2008 monetary disaster.
The most recent flashpoint between banks and Washington is a controversial rule requiring them to carry better buffers in opposition to future losses. The issues in regards to the capital rule vary from hurt it might do to the US economic system to methods by which it could scale back entry to mortgages for deprived residence patrons.
Dimon in his letter Monday mentioned the proposal “damages market making, hurts Individuals and drives exercise to much less clear, much less regulated markets.” He added that the “complete course of” might “be far more productive, streamlined, economical, environment friendly and protected.”
The CEO even requested in his letter for a evaluate of the “1000’s” of financial institution guidelines handed since Dodd-Frank in 2010 and hinted {that a} lawsuit was attainable if regulators don’t change the brand new capital proposal.
“You’ll be able to think about that nobody needs to sue their regulators,” he added.
Dimon additionally frolicked in his letter reflecting on the 20-year anniversary of JPMorgan’s merger with Financial institution One, a deal that introduced him to the corporate in 2004. He turned CEO in 2005.
Throughout that previous period of massive financial institution mergers, “a lot of the nation’s bigger banks have been making an attempt to place themselves to be an ‘endgame winner,'” he mentioned.
“We now have made our firm an endgame winner,” he mentioned.
Final 12 months, JPMorgan performed the position of rescuer but once more by buying San Francisco lender First Republic Financial institution after it was seized by regulators in Might. JPMorgan recorded a $3 billion accounting achieve and instructed traders the financial institution anticipated the acquisition would give it greater than $500 million in annual earnings.
In his letter Monday, Dimon mentioned JPMorgan now expects the additional annual earnings to be “nearer to $2 billion.”
Dimon provided a protection of a latest resolution to tug out of Local weather Motion 100+, a coalition shaped in 2017 to encourage firms to cut back their emissions. Monetary giants BlackRock (BLK), State Avenue (STT), and Pimco additionally ended their US involvement with the group.
“We’re going to go our personal means and make our personal impartial choices,” he mentioned.
Dimon additionally expressed concern over the dynamic between proxy advisors and public firms. Particularly, he referred to as out the US markets’ two two most outstanding advisors, Institutional Investor Service (ISS) and Glass Lewis, which suggest how shareholders ought to vote on sure proposals.
He criticized the companies for what he referred to as an inclination to “mechanically choose administrators unfavorably if they’ve an extended tenure on the board” and really helpful “break up[ing] the chairman and CEO position when there isn’t a proof this makes an organization higher off.”
Glass Lewis and ISS have extra not too long ago provided suggestions to separate Goldman Sachs’s CEO and govt chair roles. Each are held by CEO David Solomon.
Dimon himself was the goal of a shareholder marketing campaign a decade in the past that sought to separate his CEO and chair roles. He not too long ago backed Disney’s incumbent CEO Bob Iger throughout Disney’s personal proxy battle. JPMorgan additionally served as a defensive advisor to Disney.
He ended his letter on a considerably wistful notice.
“By means of these annual letters, I hope shareholders and all readers have gained a deeper understanding of what it takes to be an ‘endgame winner’ in a quickly altering world.”
“Extra vital, I hope you’re as happy with what all of us have achieved — as a enterprise, as a financial institution and as a group investor — as I’m. Thanks to your partnership.”
David Hollerith is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance overlaying banking, crypto, and different areas in finance.
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