Royal Bank of Canada reported a 15% drop in quarterly profit on Thursday, as provisions for bad loans more than doubled and “market environment impacts” cut earnings by $646 million.

The bank said net income fell to $1.05 billion, or 73¢ a share, in the first quarter ended on January 31, from $1.25 billion, or 95¢ a share, a year earlier.

The bank said excluding items such as “unfavourable credit valuation adjustments,” earnings per share were c$1.14.

Return on common equity, a measure of profitability, was 13.8% for the quarter, down from 21.5% a year ago.

“These results reflect the strength of our Canadian businesses and demonstrate the value of our diversified business model. We earned over $1 billion this quarter for our shareholders, notwithstanding market impacts,” said Gordon Nixon, RBC president and CEO.

Canadian banking net income was $696 million, up 3% or $23 million from last year reflecting volume growth across all businesses, a favourable adjustment relating to our credit card customer loyalty reward program liability and effective cost management. Provision for credit losses increased $56 million over last year and $45 million over last quarter, reflecting higher loss rates and portfolio growth.

Wealth management net income was $128 million, down 29% or $53 million over last year due to the impact of capital markets on fee-based client assets and transaction volumes.

Insurance net income was $112 million, up 26% or $23 million over last year.

International banking generated a net loss of $144 million, down $175 million from net income of $31 million a year ago. This drop was primarily due to performance of RBC’s U.S. banking business, which had investment portfolio losses of $113 million and a higher provision for credit losses. Provision for credit losses in the segment increased $129 million over last year and was essentially unchanged from the previous quarter. Appreciation of the U.S. dollar versus the Canadian dollar also reduced earnings by $36 million over last year.

Capital markets net income was $225 million, down 26% or $79 million from a year ago due to primarily due to higher losses and higher unfavourable credit valuation adjustments resulting from the market environment, and an increase in provision for credit losses.

Standard and Poor’s is maintaining its “buy” recommendation on shares of the bank.

S&P says it views RBC “as having the best fee income growth among Canadian peers, helping it to remain profitable in the recession.”

RBC also announced a domestic public offering of $200 million of Non-Cumulative, 5 year rate reset Preferred Shares Series AT.

The bank will issue 8 million preferred shares Series AT priced at $25 per share and holders will be entitled to receive non-cumulative quarterly fixed dividend for the initial period ending Aug. 24, 2014 in the amount of $1.5625 per share, to yield 6.25% annually.

The bank has granted to underwriters an option, exercisable in whole or in part, to purchase up to an additional 3 million preferred shares at the same offering price.

IE