2013-02-15 13:00:00 CET

2013-02-15 13:00:07 CET


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Ålandsbanken - Financial Statement Release

Bank of Åland Plc: Year-end report for the period January – December 2012


Mariehamn, 2013-02-15 13:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 

Bank of Åland Plc    Year-end report    15.02.2013 14.00 hrs



Year-end report for the period January - December 2012

  “The fourth quarter was strong in terms of earnings, mainly due to income
from the divestment of the Swedish subsidiary, which had been emptied of
operations. At the quarterly level, how­ever, we can also see that our measures
to improve profitability are beginning to have an impact. Yet the conditions
for conducting banking operations in the euro zone remain challenging, although
there are signs of increased optimism both in the stock market and the fixed
income market. The significant cost increases affecting banks because of new
legislation and expanded regulatory requirements will be passed on to
customers. This will lead to a continued rise in margins, especially on
lending.” 

Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director



January−December 2012 compared to January−December 2011

• Net operating profit amounted to EUR 10.0 M (-5.7).

• Profit for the period attributable to shareholders was EUR 11.6 M (-6.5).

• Net interest income decreased by 4 per cent to EUR 41.2 M (43.1).

• Net commission income decreased by 16 per cent to EUR 32.7 M (38.7).

• Total expenses decreased by 9 per cent to EUR 94.0 M (103.1).

• Net loan losses were EUR 6.4 M (1.8), equivalent to a loan loss level of 0.22
(0.07) per cent. 

• Return on equity after taxes (ROE) amounted to 6.4 per cent (-3.9).

• Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.80 (-0.54).

• The Tier 1 capital ratio increased to 10.9 per cent (8.4).

• The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of EUR 0.15 (0.00) per share.

• The Bank's earnings performance is determined to a significant degree by
external factors that are difficult to predict. Since new securities
legislation removes the explicit obligation in an interim report to provide an
account of probable developments during the current financial period, the Bank
of Åland is henceforth choosing to refrain from providing earnings forecasts in
interim reports. 



The fourth quarter of 2012 compared to the third quarter of 2012

• Net operating profit amounted to EUR 14.5 M (-0,5). Of this, EUR 13.8 M was
proceeds from the divestment of the Bank's Swedish subsidiary, which had been
emptied of operations. 

• Profit for the period attributable to shareholders was EUR 14.9 M (-0.3).

• Net interest income decreased by 3 per cent to EUR 9.9 M (10.2).

• Net commission income increased by 20 per cent to EUR 9.2 M (7.7).

• Total expenses increased by 17 per cent to EUR 25.2 M (21.5).

• Net loan losses were EUR 3.1 M (1.0), including EUR 2.0 M in group impairment
losses for the shipping industry. 

• Earnings per share amounted to EUR 1.03 (-0.02).



Financial summary                                                               
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- 
Bank of Åland Group             Q4      Q3   %      Q4    %    2012    2011    %
                              2012    2012        2011                          
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EUR M                                                                           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income                                                                          
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net interest income            9.9    10.2  -3    12.1  -18    41.2    43.1   -4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net commission income          9.2     7.7  20     8.3   11    32.7    38.7  -16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other income                  23.6     4.1         2.6         36.5    17.4     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total income                  42.7    22.0  94    23.0   86   110.4    99.2   11
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff costs                  -13.7   -12.3  11   -16.7  -18   -52.3   -60.0  -13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses               -11.5    -9.2  26   -12.6   -8   -41.7   -43.1   -3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total expenses               -25.2   -21.5  17   -29.3  -14   -94.0  -103.1   -9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Profit before loan losses     17.5     0.5        -6.3         16.4    -3.9     
 etc.                                                                           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impairment losses on loans    -3.1    -1.0        -0.8         -6.4    -1.8     
 and other ­commitments                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net operating profit          14.5    -0.5        -7.1         10.0    -5.7     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income taxes                   0.6     0.3         2.6  -75     2.2     0.4     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Profit for the report         15.1    -0.2        -4.5         12.2    -5.3     
 period                                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attributable to:                                                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-controlling interests      0.2     0.2  56     0.2   32     0.6     1.2  -47
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholders in Bank of       14.9    -0.3        -4.7         11.6    -6.5     
 Åland Plc                                                                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOLUME                                                                          
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Lending to the public        2,906   2,895   0   2,737    6                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deposits from the public     2,447   2,557  -4   2,544   -4                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Managed assets               4,292   4,230   1   3,814   13                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity capital                 186     178   5     181    3                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance sheet total          3,637   3,620   0   3,400    7                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Risk-weighted assets         1,402   1,420  -1   1,729  -19                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCIAL RATIOS                                                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Return on equity after        33.3    -0.4       -11.4          6.4    -3.9     
 taxes, % (ROE)                                                                 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expenses/income ratio, %        59      98         127           85     104     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loan loss level, %            0.42    0.14        0.12         0.22    0.07     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gross non-performing          0.64    0.86        0.70         0.64    0.70     
 assets, %                                                                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Level of provisions for        108      67          71          108      71     
 doubtful receivables, %                                                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Core funding ratio, %          104     106         108          104     108     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity/assets ratio, %         5.1     4.9         5.3          5.1     5.3     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Core Tier 1 capital ratio,    10.9     9.7         8.4         10.9     8.4     
 %                                                                              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings per share before     1.03   -0.02       -0.34         0.80   -0.54     
 dilution, %                                                                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity capital per share,    12.70   12.12       12.34        12.70   12.34     
 EUR                                                                            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market price per Series A    10.04   10.04       14.15        10.04   14.15     
 share, EUR                                                                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market price per Series B     7.10    7.77        8.68         7.10    8.68     
 share, EUR                                                                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of shares            14,395  14,395      14,441       14,395  14,441     
 outstanding (not own                                                           
 shares) thousands                                                              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Working hours                  626     633         697          640     690     
 re-calculated to                                                               
 full-time ­equivalent                                                          
 positions                                                                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Ålandsbanken follows the disclosure procedure enabled by Standard 5.2b
published by the Finnish Financial Supervision Authority and hereby publishes
its Year-end report for the period January - December 2012 enclosed to this
stock exchange release. Ålandsbanken's Year-end report for the period January -
December 2012 is attached to this release in pdf format and is also available
on the company's web site at www.alandsbanken.fi. 



Mariehamn, February 15, 2013

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For more information please contact:

Managing Director, Peter Wiklöf +358 204 291255