BANK OF AMERICA CORP DE

GWIM consists of two primary businesses: Merrill Wealth Management and Bank of America Private Bank.

Merrill Wealth Management’s advisory business provides a high-touch client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on clients with over $250,000 in total investable assets. Merrill Wealth Management provides tailored solutions to meet clients’ needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking and retirement products.

Bank of America Private Bank, together with Merrill Wealth Management’s Private Wealth Management business, provides comprehensive wealth management solutions targeted to high net worth and ultra high net worth clients, as well as customized solutions to meet clients’ wealth structuring, investment management, trust and banking needs, including specialty asset management services.

Net income for GWIM increased $316 million to $4.3 billion primarily due to higher revenue, partially offset by higher noninterest expense. The operating margin was 25 percent, unchanged from the same period a year ago.

Net interest income decreased $178 million to $7.0 billion primarily driven by lower average deposit balances.

Noninterest income, which primarily includes investment and brokerage services income, increased $2.0 billion to $16.0 billion. The increase was primarily driven by higher asset management fees due to higher average equity market

valuations and positive AUM flows, as well as higher brokerage fees due to increased transactional volume, partially offset by the impact of lower AUM pricing.

Noninterest expense increased $1.4 billion to $17.2 billion primarily due to higher revenue-related incentives.

The return on average allocated capital was 23 percent, up from 21 percent, due to higher net income. For information on capital allocated to the business segments, see Business Segment Operations on page 35.

Average loans increased $4.4 billion to $223.9 billion, primarily driven by custom lending and residential mortgage loans. Average deposits decreased $10.8 billion to $287.5 billion primarily driven by clients moving deposits to higher yielding investment cash alternatives, including offerings on our investment and brokerage platforms.

Merrill Wealth Management revenue of $19.1 billion increased nine percent primarily driven by higher asset management fees due to the impact of higher average equity market valuations and positive AUM flows, as well as higher brokerage fees due to increased transactional volume.

Bank of America Private Bank revenue of $3.9 billion increased six percent primarily driven by higher asset management fees due to the impact of higher average equity market valuations and client flows.

(1)Includes margin receivables, which are classified in customer and other receivables on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Client Balances

Client balances managed under advisory and/or discretion of GWIM are AUM and are typically held in diversified portfolios. Fees earned on AUM are calculated as a percentage of clients’ AUM balances. The asset management fees charged to clients per year depend on various factors but are commonly driven by the breadth of the client’s relationship. The net client AUM flows

represent the net change in clients’ AUM balances over a specified period of time, excluding market appreciation/depreciation and other adjustments.

Client balances increased $462.7 billion, or 12 percent, to $4.3 trillion at December 31, 2024 compared to December 31, 2023. The increase in client balances was primarily due to the impact of higher market valuations and positive net client flows.

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