The Top 1000: how we did it

摘要

The Top 1000 is a ranking of the world's commercial banks. Wherever possible, consolidated figures have been taken for the banking group. However, in the case of bancassurance groups, where possible the figures reflect the banking business only. The rankings are based on the definition of Tier 1 capital as defined by Basel's Bank for International Settlements (BIS). The definition is stricter than total stockholders equity and covers only the core of the bank's strength - the shareholders' equity available to cover actual or potential losses. Tier 1 includes common stock, disclosed reserves and retained earnings, and in the case of consolidated accounts, minority interests in the equity of subsidiaries that are less than wholly owned, but excludes cumulative preference shares, revaluation reserves, hidden reserves, subordinated and other long-term debt. These are defined as Tier 2 capital. Goodwill is deducted from Tier 1. The object of the survey is to show the banks' soundness in relation to the Basel requirement of a minimum Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 4%, and a minimum ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets of 8%. The published assets figures differ from the risk-weighted assets figures used to calculate BIS ratios