53
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This
Form
10-K contains
“forward-looking statements”
within the
meaning
of
the
U.S. Private
Securities Litigation
Reform Act
of
1995,
including,
without
limitation,
statements
about
Popular,
Inc.’s
(the
“Corporation,”
“Popular,”
“we,”
“us,”
“our”)
business,
financial condition, results
of operations, plans,
objectives and future
performance. These statements
are not
guarantees of future
performance,
are
based
on
management’s
current
expectations
and,
by
their
nature,
involve
risks,
uncertainties,
estimates
and
assumptions. Potential
factors, some
of which
are beyond
the Corporation’s
control, could
cause actual
results to
differ materially
from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation the effect
of competitive and
economic factors, and our
reaction to those factors,
the adequacy of
the allowance for loan
losses, delinquency
trends, market
risk and
the impact
of interest
rate changes
(including on
our cost
of deposits),
capital markets
conditions, capital
adequacy
and
liquidity,
and
the
effect
of
legal
and
regulatory
proceedings
and
new
accounting
standards
on
the
Corporation’s
financial condition
and results
of operations.
All statements
contained herein
that
are not
clearly
historical in
nature are
forward-
looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continues,”
“expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “project” and similar expressions
and future
or conditional verbs
such as
“will,” “would,” “should,”
“could,” “might,” “can,”
“may” or similar
expressions are
generally intended to
identify forward-looking statements.
Various factors, some of which
are beyond Popular’s control, could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in,
or implied by,
such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a
difference include, but are not limited to
the rate of
growth or
decline in the
economy and employment
levels, as well
as general
business and economic
conditions in the
geographic
areas we serve and,
in particular, in
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
(the “Commonwealth” or “Puerto Rico”), where
a significant
portion of our business is concentrated; adverse economic conditions, including high levels of inflation, that adversely affect housing
prices, the
job market,
consumer confidence
and spending
habits which
may affect
in turn,
among other
things, our
level of
non-
performing assets,
charge-offs
and
provision expense;
changes in
interest
rates
and
market liquidity,
which may
reduce interest
margins,
impact
funding
sources,
reduce
loan
originations,
affect
our
ability
to
originate
and
distribute
financial
products
in
the
primary and secondary markets and impact the value of our investment portfolio and our ability to return capital to our shareholders;
the impact of bank failures or adverse
developments at other banks and related negative media coverage of
the banking industry in
general
on
investor
and
depositor
sentiment
regarding
the
stability
and
liquidity
of
banks;
the
impact
of
the
current
fiscal
and
economic challenges
of Puerto
Rico and
the measures
taken and
to be
taken by
the Puerto
Rico Government and
the Federally-
appointed oversight board on the economy,
our customers and our business; the amount of Puerto
Rico public sector deposits held
at the Corporation, whose future balances are uncertain
and difficult to predict and may
be impacted by factors such as the
amount
of
Federal funds
received by
the P.R.
Government and
the rate
of expenditure
of such
funds, as
well as
the financial
condition,
liquidity
and
cash
management
practices
of
the
Puerto
Rico
Government
and
its
instrumentalities;
unforeseen
or
catastrophic
events, including extreme
weather events such
as hurricanes and
other natural disasters,
man-made disasters, acts
of violence or
war or
pandemics, epidemics
and other
health-related crises,
or the
fear of
any such
event occurring,
any of
which could
cause
adverse
consequences
for
our
business,
including,
but
not
limited
to,
disruptions
in
our
operations;
our
ability
to
achieve
the
expected benefits
from
our transformation
initiative, including
our ability
to achieve
projected earnings,
efficiencies and
return on
tangible common equity and
accurately anticipate costs and expenses
associated therewith; the fiscal and
monetary policies of the
federal
government
and
its
agencies;
changes
in
federal
bank
regulatory
and
supervisory
policies,
including
required
levels
of
capital, liquidity, resolution-related requirements and the impact of other proposed capital standards on our capital ratios; changes in
and
uncertainty
regarding
federal
funding,
tax
and
trade
policies,
and
rulemaking,
supervision,
examination
and
enforcement
priorities
of
the
current
federal
administration;
increases
to
or
additional
Federal
Deposit
Insurance
Corporation
(“FDIC”)
assessments, such as the special assessment implemented by the FDIC
to recover the losses to the deposit insurance fund
(“DIF”)
resulting
from
the
receiverships
of
Silicon
Valley
Bank
and
Signature
Bank;
regulatory
approvals
that
may
be
necessary
to
undertake
certain
actions
or
consummate
strategic
transactions,
such
as
acquisitions
and
dispositions;
the
relative
strength
or
weakness of
the consumer
and commercial
credit sectors
and of
the real
estate markets
in Puerto
Rico and
the other
markets in
which our borrowers are located; a deterioration in the credit
quality of our clients, customers and counterparties; the performance
of
the stock and bond markets; competition in the financial services industry; possible legislative, tax or regulatory changes; a failure in
or breach of our
operational or security systems or
infrastructure or those of Evertec,
Inc., our provider of core
financial transaction
processing and information technology services, or
of third parties providing services to
us, including as a
result of cyberattacks, e-
fraud, denial-of-services and computer intrusion, that might result
in, among other things, loss or breach of customer data, disruption
of services, reputational damage or additional costs to Popular; changes in market rates and prices which may adversely impact the
value of financial assets and liabilities; potential judgments, claims, damages, penalties, fines, enforcement actions and reputational
damage resulting
from
pending or
future litigation
and regulatory
or government
investigations or
actions; changes
in accounting
standards,
rules
and
interpretations;
our
ability
to
grow
our
core
businesses;
decisions
to
downsize,
sell
or
close
branches
or
business units or otherwise change our business
mix; and management’s ability to identify and manage
these and other risks.