DGAP-News

Bank of Scotland plc: ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2016 - Seite 2

Examples of such forward looking statements include, but are not limited to: projections or expectations of the Bank of Scotland Group's future financial position including profit attributable to shareholders, provisions, economic profit, dividends, capital structure, portfolios, net interest margin, capital ratios, liquidity, risk-weighted assets (RWAs), expenditures or any other financial items or ratios; litigation, regulatory and governmental investigations; the Bank of Scotland Group's future financial performance; the level and extent of future impairments and write-downs; statements of plans, objectives or goals of the Bank of Scotland Group or its management including in respect of statements about the future business and economic environments in the UK and elsewhere including, but not limited to, future trends in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, credit and equity market levels and demographic developments; statements about competition, regulation, disposals and consolidation or technological developments in the financial services industry; and statements of assumptions underlying such statements.

Factors that could cause actual business, strategy, plans and/or results (including but not limited to the payment of dividends) to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward looking statements made by the Bank of Scotland Group or on its behalf include, but are not limited to: general economic and business conditions in the UK and internationally; market related trends and developments; fluctuations in interest rates (including low or negative rates), exchange rates, stock markets and currencies; the ability to access sufficient sources of capital, liquidity and funding when required; changes to the Bank of Scotland Group's or Lloyds Banking Group plc's or Lloyds Bank plc's or HBOS plc's credit ratings; the ability to derive cost savings and other benefits including, but without limitation as a result of any acquisitions, disposals and other strategic transactions; changing customer behaviour including consumer spending, saving and borrowing habits; changes to borrower or counterparty credit quality; instability in the global financial markets, including Eurozone instability, the exit by the UK from the European Union (EU) and the potential for one or more other countries to exit the EU or the Eurozone and the impact of any sovereign credit rating downgrade or other sovereign financial issues; technological changes and risks to cyber security; natural, pandemic and other disasters, adverse weather and similar contingencies outside the Bank of Scotland Group's or Lloyds Banking Group plc's or Lloyds Bank plc's or HBOS plc's control; inadequate or failed internal or external processes or systems; acts of war, other acts of hostility, terrorist acts and responses to those acts, geopolitical, pandemic or other such events; changes in laws, regulations, accounting standards or taxation, including as a result of the exit by the UK from the EU, or a further possible referendum on Scottish independence; changes to regulatory capital or liquidity requirements and similar contingencies outside the Bank of Scotland Group's or Lloyds Banking Group plc's or Lloyds Bank plc's or HBOS plc's control; the policies, decisions and actions of governmental or regulatory authorities or courts in the UK, the EU, the US or elsewhere including the implementation and interpretation of key legislation and regulation; the ability to attract and retain senior management and other employees; requirements or limitations on Lloyds Banking Group plc, Lloyds Bank plc, HBOS plc and the Bank of Scotland Group as a result of HM Treasury's investment in Lloyds Banking Group plc; actions or omissions by the Bank of Scotland Group's directors, management or employees including industrial action; the extent of any future impairment charges or write-downs caused by, but not limited to, depressed asset valuations, market disruptions and illiquid markets; the value and effectiveness of any credit protection purchased by the Bank of Scotland Group; the inability to hedge certain risks economically; the adequacy of loss reserves; the actions of competitors, including non-bank financial services, lending companies and digital innovators and disruptive technologies; and exposure to regulatory or competition scrutiny, legal, regulatory or competition proceedings, investigations or complaints. Please refer to the latest Annual Report on Form 20-F filed by Lloyds Banking Group plc with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of certain factors together with examples of forward looking statements.