ING Launches Share Repurchase Programme to Support Share-Based Compensation Plans

ING Launches Share Repurchase Programme to Support Share-Based Compensation Plans

(IN BRIEF) ING has announced a share repurchase programme, under which it plans to repurchase ordinary shares of ING Groep N.V. for up to €50 million to meet obligations under share-based compensation plans. The programme is expected to start on March 1, 2023, and end no later than March 7, 2023, and will have a negligible impact on ING’s CET1 ratio, which was 14.5% at the end of Q4 2022, well above the prevailing CET1 ratio requirement of 10.58%. The European Central Bank has approved the repurchase, which will be executed in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation and within the limitations of the existing authority to acquire a maximum of 10% of the issued shares.

(PRESS RELEASE) AMSTERDAM, 1-Mar-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — ING (AMS: INGA), a global financial institution of Dutch origin, has announced the launch of a share repurchase programme, with plans to repurchase ordinary shares of ING Groep N.V. for up to €50 million. The buyback programme is intended to meet obligations under the share-based compensation plans.

ING Group’s CET1 ratio, a measure of financial strength, was 14.5% at the end of Q4 2022, well above the prevailing CET1 ratio requirement of 10.58%. After fulfilling delivery obligations under the employee share-based compensation scheme, the share repurchase programme will have a negligible impact on ING’s CET1 ratio.

The share repurchase programme will begin on 1 March 2023 and is expected to conclude no later than 7 March 2023. The European Central Bank has approved the repurchase, which will be executed in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation and within the limitations of the existing authority to acquire a maximum of 10% of the issued shares, as granted by the general meeting of shareholders on 25 April 2022.

ING will provide regular updates on the progress of the share repurchase programme via a press release and on the Investor Relations section of the ING website. Investors can visit https://www.ing.com/Investor-relations/Share-information/Share-buyback-programme.htm for more information.

This share repurchase programme is a part of ING’s commitment to maintaining a strong financial position and supporting its employees through share-based compensation plans. The programme also reflects ING’s confidence in its financial strength and long-term growth prospects.

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ING PROFILE

ING is a global financial institution with a strong European base, offering banking services through its operating company ING Bank. The purpose of ING Bank is empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and in business. ING Bank’s more than 58,000 employees off er retail and wholesale banking services to customers in over 40 countries.

ING Group shares are listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam (INGA NA, INGA.AS), Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange (ADRs: ING US, ING.N).

Sustainability is an integral part of ING’s strategy, evidenced by ING’s leading position in sector benchmarks. ING’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating by MSCI was affirmed ‘AA’ in September 2022. As of August 2022, Sustainalytics considers ING’s management of ESG material risk to be ‘strong’, and in June 2022 ING received an ESG rating of ‘strong’ from S&P Global Ratings. ING Group shares are also included in major sustainability and ESG index products of leading providers Euronext, STOXX, Morningstar and FTSE Russell.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION

Elements of this press release contain or may contain information about ING Groep N.V. and/ or ING Bank N.V. within the meaning of Article 7(1) to (4) of EU Regulation No 596/2014.

Certain of the statements contained herein are not historical facts, including, without limitation, certain statements made of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to a number of factors, including, without limitation: (1) changes in general economic conditions and customer behaviour, in particular economic conditions in ING’s core markets, including changes affecting currency exchange rates and the regional and global economic impact of the invasion of Russia into Ukraine and related international response measures (2) effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and related response measures, including lockdowns and travel restrictions, on economic conditions in countries in which ING operates, on ING’s business and operations and on ING’s employees, customers and counterparties (3) changes affecting interest rate levels (4) any default of a major market participant and related market disruption (5) changes in performance of financial markets, including in Europe and developing markets (6) fiscal uncertainty in Europe and the United States (7) discontinuation of or changes in ‘benchmark’ indices (8) inflation and deflation in our principal markets (9) changes in conditions in the credit and capital markets generally, including changes in borrower and counterparty creditworthiness (10) failures of banks falling under the scope of state compensation schemes (11) non-compliance with or changes in laws and regulations, including those concerning financial services, financial economic crimes and tax laws, and the interpretation and application thereof (12) geopolitical risks, political instabilities and policies and actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, including in connection with the invasion of Russia into Ukraine and related international response measures (13) legal and regulatory risks in certain countries with less developed legal and regulatory frameworks (14) prudential supervision and regulations, including in relation to stress tests and regulatory restrictions on dividends and distributions (also among members of the group) (15) regulatory consequences of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, including authorizations and equivalence decisions (16) ING’s ability to meet minimum capital and other prudential regulatory requirements (17) changes in regulation of US commodities and derivatives businesses of ING and its customers (18) application of bank recovery and resolution regimes, including write down and conversion powers in relation to our securities (19) outcome of current and future litigation, enforcement proceedings, investigations or other regulatory actions, including claims by customers or stakeholders who feel misled or treated unfairly, and other conduct issues (20) changes in tax laws and regulations and risks of non-compliance or investigation in connection with tax laws, including FATCA (21) operational and IT risks, such as system disruptions or failures, breaches of security, cyber-attacks, human error, changes in operational practices or inadequate controls including in respect of third parties with which we do business (22) risks and challenges related to cybercrime including the effects of cyberattacks and changes in legislation and regulation related to cybersecurity and data privacy (23) changes in general competitive factors, including ability to increase or maintain market share (24) inability to protect our intellectual property and infringement claims by third parties (25) inability of counterparties to meet financial obligations or ability to enforce rights against such counterparties (26) changes in credit ratings (27) business, operational, regulatory, reputation, transition and other risks and challenges in connection with climate change and ESG-related matters (28) inability to attract and retain key personnel (29) future liabilities under defi ned benefit retirement plans (30) failure to manage business risks, including in connection with use of models, use of derivatives, or maintaining appropriate policies and guidelines (31) changes in capital and credit markets, including interbank funding, as well as customer deposits, which provide the liquidity and capital required to fund our operations, and (32) the other risks and uncertainties detailed in the most recent annual report of ING Groep N.V. (including the Risk Factors contained therein) and ING’s more recent disclosures, including press releases, which are available on www.ING.com.

This document may contain inactive textual addresses to internet websites operated by us and third parties. Reference to such websites is made for information purposes only, and information found at such websites is not incorporated by reference into this document. ING does not make any representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of, or take any responsibility for, any information found at any websites operated by third parties. ING specifically disclaims any liability with respect to any information found at websites operated by third parties. ING cannot guarantee that websites operated by third parties remain available following the publication of this document, or that any information found at such websites will not change following the filing of this document. Many of those factors are beyond ING’s control.

Any forward looking statements made by or on behalf of ING speak only as of the date they are made, and ING assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or for any other reason.

This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction.

Media contact:

Daan Wentholt
Press officer
+31 20 576 63 86
daan.wentholt@ing.com

SOURCE: ING