OREANDA-NEWS. February 06, 2013. According to preliminary data, unaudited net profit earned over the year 2012 by AB SEB bankas is LTL 126,3 million (EUR 36,6 million) and by AB SEB bankas Group – LTL 86,3 million (EUR 25,0 million), reported the press-centre of SEB bankas.

The result has been calculated in accordance with the requirements set by the acts of the Bank of Lithuania and legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania. Over the year 2011, audited net profit earned by AB SEB bankas totaled LTL 379,8 million (EUR 110,0 million) and by AB SEB bankas Group – LTL 469,7 million (EUR 136,0 million).

Comment by Raimondas Kvedaras, President of AB SEB bankas:
The previous year for the country’s banking was some kind of a breakthrough point, when the credit portfolio of banks which until then was dramatically declining over a several-years’ period of time started stabilising in the market. A lot of uncertainty still remains in the global markets, however, we can see favourable economic preconditions for further sustainable development of the Lithuanian banking sector in 2013.

Last year, the SEB bankas Group’s income remained at the same level as in 2011, whereas ordinary operating costs shrank, however, due to additional one-off operating costs the bank group's operating profit before provisions was lower compared to that in 2011.

Over a year, there was a slight drop (2 per cent) in the SEB bankas Group’s credit and lease portfolio, however, last year the corporate credit portfolio stopped decreasing, and over a year the amount of new loans issued to large corporate customers increased by 12 per cent, i.e. from LTL 4.3 billion up to LTL 4.8 billion. In 2012, the volume of new issued loans increased by 19 per cent – our loans to corporate and private individual customers were worth LTL 4.12 billion.

In 2013, sustainable financing will remain our key priority. We will also have a strong focus on the development of electronic self-service that customers may use independently. We will implement our long-term strategy offering the most favourable conditions for our home bank customers. Cost efficiency will remain our important priority.

Key financial ratios of the SEB bankas Group:
AB SEB bankas Group’s equity as of 31 December 2012 was LTL 2.4 billion (LTL 2.3 billion, year-on-year), i. e. it increased by 4 per cent.

AB SEB bankas Group’s assets as of 31 December 2012 was LTL 23.2 billion, i. e. it decreased by 13 per cent (LTL 26.6 billion, year-on-year).

In the period from 31 December 2011 till 31 December 2012, the bank's deposit portfolio increased from LTL 12.2 billion to LTL 12.4 billion, i.e. by 2 per cent.

As of 31 December 2012, AB SEB bankas Group’s credit and leasing portfolio was worth in total LTL 18.2 billion, i. e. it decreased by 2 per cent (as of 30 September 2011 it was LTL 18.6 billion).

During 2012, an increase in amount of new loans (extended loans excluded) issued by AB SEB bankas was 19 per cent, up to LTL 4.12 billion, as compared to the result as of 31 December 2011.

AB SEB bankas Group’s income was LTL 541 million (542 million in 2011).

As of 31 December 2012, AB SEB bankas Group’s liquidity ratio was 36.9 per cent (regulatory standard being 30 per cent).

The number of registered users of AB SEB bankas’ Internet banking increased to 1.068 million, i. e. by 5 per cent as against the data of of 2011 (1.013 thousand).

The number of users of the bank's services via mobile phone increased up to 502 thousand, i.e. by 13 per cent as compared to the data of of 2011 (444 thousand).

Over a relevant period, the number of payment transactions via the Internet increased by 13 per cent, and the turnover in payment card accounts since 31 December of 2011 increased by 12 per cent, the number of POS terminals increasing by 7 per cent.

As at 31 December 2012, the bank had 46 customer service units all throughout Lithuania. AB SEB bankas’ customers may use an ATM network which is the largest one in Lithuania and includes ATMs of SEB and DNB Bank, i. e. 539 ATMs in 82 towns, large and small.