What’s Tier 1 capital?

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Tier 1 capital refers to the financial health of a bank. Often used by regulatory agencies in developed economies, this type of capital is considered in determining the solvency of a financial institution. Common equity capital is a key measure of a bank’s financial strength and represents the most commonly used component in calculating a bank’s Tier 1 capital. Its use in assessing a company’s financial health is useful because it is a measure of liquid assets that has a clear value and provides a degree of certainty to both regulators and investors.

Technically, Tier 1 capital is a measure of a bank’s core capital, which includes its common shares and disclosed reserves. Common stock represents a percentage of the company that is owned by common stock shareholders. Revealed reserves are earnings generated by a company outside of distributions made to shareholders in the form of cash or stock dividends. This capital is also measured in a mathematical equation known as the Tier 1 capital ratio. This calculation is made by dividing a company’s Tier 1 capital by its risk-weighted assets, or those assets on a balance sheet, such as loans, which are measured based on credit risk.

Another way to measure this capital is to consider an investor’s holding. It is a calculation of the amount paid by shareholders to obtain a partial ownership interest in a bank, that is, the price paid for the purchase of shares, combined with the profits generated by the bank, with the exception of losses that could have occurred. The original investment amount for each individual share combined with the increase in value per share represents the amount of Tier 1 capital for investors.

By law, banks are required to maintain a certain level of Tier 1 capital on the balance sheet, depending on the region where their headquarters are located. In the United States, that level must be maintained at 4% or higher. A ratio of more than 13 percent implies that a company is conservative and prudent with its capital spending and reserves.

In some cases, a Tier 1 relationship can be a misleading measure of a company’s financial strength. This is because, in addition to disclosed capital stock and reserves, there may be other hidden assets that are not reported on the balance sheet. Level 3 assets, for example, cannot be valued directly. These assets can be a piece of real estate or complex trading instruments, such as derivatives, whose values ​​are based on assumptions or expectations. Without adding these assets to a bank’s overall financial structure, the actual financial health of the institution could be compromised.

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