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Credit Agricole vs Societe Generale

Side-by-side credit pricing comparison from Pillar 3 disclosures.

Last updated: March 2026 · Data source: public Pillar 3 disclosures
Verdict:

On a representative BBB+ EUR 25M 5-year term loan, Credit Agricole is the cheaper lender by 3bp in minimum spread. For a EUR 25M facility, that's EUR 6,846 per year.

Bank profiles compared

Metric Credit Agricole
France		 Societe Generale
France
IRB approachMixedMixed
Cost-to-income55.7%63.6%
Effective tax rate24.0%20.1%
Avg corporate PD2.14%3.21%
Avg LGD unsecured40.0%34.8%
Avg LGD secured24.0%20.9%
Funding spread (bp)12bp20bp
Corporate EADEUR 184bnEUR 176bn

Sample RAROC: BBB+ EUR 25M 5Y term loan

Both banks priced on the exact same deal — 150bp spread, 20bp commitment fee, 60-month maturity. Higher RAROC means the bank earns more from this deal. Lower min-spread means the borrower gets a better rate.

Component Credit Agricole Societe Generale
Annual revenueEUR 385,000EUR 385,000
Operating costEUR 154,000EUR 154,000
Expected lossEUR 28,750EUR 28,750
Capital required (FPE)EUR 2,451,320EUR 2,451,320
RAROC (after tax)7.67%7.31%
Min spread for 12% RAROC243bp246bp
This is just one sample deal.

Your actual portfolio has different ratings, sizes, maturities, and collateral. The cheapest bank for one deal isn't always cheapest for another. Upload your real facilities and OpenRAROC will run the same calculation on each, against Credit Agricole, Societe Generale, and 57 other banks.

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Credit Agricole full profile Societe Generale full profile All banks RAROC methodology

FAQ: Credit Agricole vs Societe Generale

Which bank is cheaper on corporate credit: Credit Agricole or Societe Generale?
On a BBB+ EUR 25M 5-year term loan, Credit Agricole requires a minimum spread of 243bp to reach a 12% RAROC hurdle, versus 246bp at the other bank — a difference of 3bp on the same deal.
How do Credit Agricole and Societe Generale compare on corporate PD?
Credit Agricole reports an EAD-weighted corporate PD of 2.14%, while Societe Generale reports 3.21%. The gap reflects differences in obligor mix and geography rather than underwriting quality.
How do the two banks differ on IRB approach?
Credit Agricole uses Mixed and Societe Generale uses Mixed. The IRB approach determines whether internal LGD models or supervisory LGDs apply, which materially affects capital required on every corporate facility.
What deal is used in this comparison?
A single standardised facility: BBB+ rated, EUR 25M drawn on a EUR 30M commitment, 5-year tenor, 150bp spread, 20bp commitment fee. Both banks are priced on this exact deal using their own disclosed Pillar 3 parameters.