What is the problem then?
While the derivatives pile may not be as large as the headline number suggests, Deutsche Bank is sitting on a pile of assets that are hard to value when some investors don’t need much excuse to sell its stock. That unknown is contained in the Level 3 assets it holds, or those whose value is difficult to determine, such as complex derivatives and distressed debt.
Deutsche Bank has more Level 3 assets compared with its common equity Tier 1 ratio, a measure of financial strength, than its peers. Its Level 3 assets are estimated as being valued at 72% of its Tier 1 assets, according to J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. analysts. That compares with a 38% average for 12 global banks.
The difference is in part because of derivatives. At the end of last year, Deutsche Bank was sitting on a pool of $10.2 billion in illiquid derivatives, according to the bank’s own valuations, compared with $8 billion for Barclays PLC and $5.9 billion for Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
For illiquid assets, investors have to rely largely on the bank’s internal valuations, which S&P Global Ratings noted “could be vulnerable to adverse changes in the underlying assumptions.”