OREANDA-NEWS. February 14, 2013. In 2012, Uniastrum Bank started to actively implement the retail segment strategy. A triple growth in consumer loan disbursements was the first result of the strategy implementation, reported the press-centre of Uniastrum Bank.      

In 2012, UB disbursed Rb 5 bn in consumer loans which is by 3.5 times more than in 2011. The consumer loan portfolio grew during the year by 86% to amount to Rb 6.2 bn as of 01.01.2013. The Bank’s interest rate income in this segment increased in December 2012 more than twice as opposed to the previous year result.

The consumer portfolio quality has also improved; in 2012 the share of overdue loans in this segment went down by 5%. Thanks to roll-out of the new automated decision-making and borrower appraisal systems the projected losses in new consumer loan disbursements will not exceed 6%.

During the year, the share of retail loans and SME loans in the total loan portfolio of the Bank increased to reach 48% and to amount to Rb 32 bn. Within the nearest three years, Uniastrum Bank is planning to increase it to 75% (the share of retail loans will make 50%, the share of SME loans - 25%).

Besides the traditional lending programs, UB is active in developing new products such as loan insurance and pension insurance coverage, and late in 2012, UB launched a pilot lending program, a conceptually new one – for nonresidents. Also in 2012, UB made a new up-to-date Internet-Bank system available to its customers in all the regions of its presence. In H2 2012 only, more than 20 thousand customers were connected to the system.

The UB extensive branch network which included 188 outlets as of the year start remains its main retail segment development resource. In 2012, 5 new format outlets were opened: 4 satellite offices in Moscow and a branch in Orenburg.

“In 2013, we will continue to actively develop consumer lending, and our nearest plans include disbursements of more than Rb 1 bn in consumer loans on a monthly basis, comments President of Uniastrum Bank Gagik Zakaryan. – Today we have all opportunities to offer to our customers practical, affordable, quick products competitive by all characteristics.”