OREANDA-NEWS. Raiffeisen International Bank-Holding AG, a part of the RZB Group, significantly improved its business results in 2006 and once again achieved a record profit.

Adjusted for one-off effects, the consolidated profit (after tax and minorities) rose by 55 per cent to 594 million euros (2005: 382 million euros). Profit before tax (excluding one-off effects) amounted to 891 million euros (2005: 569 million euros), while profit after tax (excluding one-off effects) was 686 million euros (2005: 460 million euros). Earnings per share (excluding one-off effects) increased from 2.79 euros in 2005 to 4.17 euros. All data according to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The segment of the Commonwealth of Independent States comprises Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine and includes the above-mentioned one-off effects. Without these effects, the following figures would apply: profit before tax 290.7 million euros (2005: 151.0 million euros), a stable ROE before tax of 32.3 per cent (2005: 32.3 per cent) and the cost/income ratio 57.9 per cent (2005: 50.9 per cent). Including the one-off effects, the profit before tax amounted to 879.1 million euros. The ROE before tax was 97.6 per cent and the cost/income ratio 57.9 per cent