2015-07-24 08:00:00 CEST

2015-07-24 08:00:04 CEST


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Ålandsbanken - Interim report (Q1 and Q3)

Bank of Åland Plc: Interim Report for the period January–June 2015


Mariehamn, 2015-07-24 08:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 

Bank of Åland Plc
Interim Report
July 24, 2015, 9.00 a.m.



Interim Report for the period January-June 2015

“During the first half of 2015, we saw stable and very satisfactory volume
growth in our Private Banking and Premium Banking operations. This growth
enables us to maintain strong net commission income and rising net interest
income, despite falling market interest rates. 

 “The market turbulence in Europe caused by the Greek debt crisis seems to have
calmed down temporarily, but financial markets are very likely to be
characterised by high volatility and underlying worries during the foreseeable
future.” 

Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director


January−June 2015 compared to January−June 2014

  -- Net operating profit improved by EUR 9.4 M to EUR 17.3 M (7.9).
  -- Profit for the period attributable to shareholders improved by EUR 8.6 M to
     EUR 14.0 M (5.4).
  -- Net interest income increased by 7 per cent to EUR 25.6 M (23.9).
  -- Net commission income increased by 17 per cent to EUR 24.7 M (21.2).
  -- Total expenses decreased by 7 per cent to EUR 45.3 M (48.7).
  -- Net impairment losses on loans (including recoveries) decreased by 49 per
     cent to EUR 0.5 M (1.0), equivalent to a loan loss level of 0.03 (0.06) per
     cent.
  -- Return on equity after taxes (ROE) increased to 14.2 per cent (6.0).
  -- Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.92 (0.38).
  -- The core Tier 1 capital ratio amounted to 11.1 per cent (December 31, 2014:
     10.9 per cent).

The second quarter of 2015 compared to the second quarter of 2014

  -- Net operating profit improved by 41 per cent to EUR 7.8 M (5.5).
  -- Profit for the period attributable to shareholders improved by 56 per cent
     to EUR 6.2 M (4.0).
  -- Net interest income increased by 7 per cent to EUR 12.9 M (12.1).
  -- Net commission income increased by 13 per cent to EUR 11.9 M (10.5).
  -- Total expenses decreased by 7 per cent to EUR 22.5 M (24.1).
  -- Net impairment losses on loans (including recoveries) increased to EUR 0.3
     M (0.1), equivalent to a loan loss level of 0.04 (0.01) per cent.
  -- Return on equity after taxes (ROE) increased to 12.5 per cent (8.8).
  -- Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.41 (0.28).

Financial summary                                                               
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- 
Bank of Åland Group            Q2      Q1    %      Q2    %  Jan-Ju  Jan-Ju    %
                             2015    2015         2014            n       n     
                                                               2015    2014     
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EUR M                                                                           
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Income                                                                          
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Net interest income          12.9    12.7    2    12.1    7    25.6    23.9    7
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Net commission income        11.9    12.9   -7    10.5   13    24.7    21.2   17
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Net income from financial     1.6     2.4  -33     1.5    9     4.1     2.6   54
 items at fair value                                                            
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Other income                  4.1     4.5   -8     5.7  -28     8.6     9.8  -12
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Total income                 30.6    32.4   -6    29.8    3    63.0    57.5   10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Staff costs                 -14.1   -13.7    3   -13.3    6   -27.8   -26.6    4
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Other expenses               -6.7    -7.2   -8    -8.8  -24   -13.9   -17.8  -22
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Depreciation/amortisation    -1.7    -1.9  -10    -2.0  -17    -3.6    -4.3  -16
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Total expenses              -22.5   -22.8   -2   -24.1   -7   -45.3   -48.7   -7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Profit before impairment      8.1     9.6  -16     5.6   44    17.8     8.8     
 losses                                                                         
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impairment losses on         -0.3    -0.2   65    -0.1         -0.5    -1.0  -49
 loans and other                                                                
 ­commitments                            
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Net operating profit          7.8     9.4  -17     5.5   41    17.3     7.9     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Income taxes                 -1.6    -1.7   -5    -1.3   28    -3.3    -1.7   93
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Profit for the report         6.2     7.7  -20     4.3   45    14.0     6.1     
 period                                                                         
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Attributable to:                                                                
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Non-controlling interests     0.0     0.0          0.3          0.0     0.7     
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Shareholders in Bank of       6.2     7.7  -20     4.0   56    14.0     5.4     
 Åland Plc                                                                      
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Volume                                                                          
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Lending to the public       3,515   3,416    3   3,159   11                     
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Deposits from the public    2,755   2,507   10   2,492   11                     
 1                                                                              
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Investment volume 2         6,696   6,973   -4   6,047   11                     
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Equity capital                200     203   -1     187    7                     
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Balance sheet total         4,851   4,418   10   4,041   20                     
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Risk exposure amount        1,619   1,599    1   1,469   10                     
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Financial ratios                                                                
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Return on equity after       12.5    15.9          8.8         14.2     6.0     
 taxes, % (ROE) 3                                                               
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Expense/income ratio 4       0.73    0.70         0.81         0.72    0.85     
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Loan loss level, % 5         0.04    0.02         0.01         0.03    0.06     
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Gross non-performing         0.65    0.61         1.07                          
 receivables, % 6                                                               
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Level of provisions for        43      68           47                          
 doubtful receivables, %                                                        
 7                                                                              
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Core funding ratio, % 8        93     103          100                          
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Equity/assets ratio, % 9      4.1     4.6          4.6                          
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Tier 1 capital ratio, %      11.1    11.2         11.3                          
 10                                                                             
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Earnings per share, EUR      0.41    0.54  -24    0.28   48    0.92    0.38     
 11                                                                             
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Earnings per share after     0.41    0.54  -24    0.28   48    0.92    0.38     
 dilution, EUR                                                                  
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Equity capital per share,   13.18   14.04   -6   12.63    4                     
 EUR 12                                                                         
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Equity capital per share    13.15   14.01   -6   12.63    4                     
 after dilution, EUR                                                            
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Market price per Series A   15.50   15.10    3   10.27   51                     
 share, EUR                                                                     
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Market price per Series B   15.75   14.15   11    8.45   86                     
 share, EUR                                                                     
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Number of shares           15,178  14,415    5  14,398    5                     
 outstanding (not own                                                           
 shares), 000s                                                                  
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Number of shares           15,278  14,515    5  14,398    6                     
 outstanding (not own                                                           
 shares), after dilution,                                                       
 000s                                                                           
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Working hours                 672     645    4     642    5     658     639    3
 re-calculated to                                                               
 fulltime equivalent                                                            
 positions                                                                      
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1 Deposits from the public and public sector entities, including certificates
of deposit, index bonds and debentures issued to the public 
2 Investment volume encompasses actively managed assets (the Group's own mutual
funds, discretionary and advisory managed assets) plus other securities volume
in brokerage accounts 
3 Profit for the report period attributable to shareholders / Average
shareholders' portion of equity capital 
4 Expenses / Income
5 Impairment losses on loan portfolio and other commitments / Lending to the
public at the beginning of the period 
6 Non-performing receivables more than 90 days / Lending to the public before
provisions for impairment losses 
7 Provisions for individual impairment losses / Doubtful receivables
8 Lending to the public / Deposits including certificates of deposit, index
bonds and debentures issued to the public plus covered bonds issued 
9 Equity capital / Balance sheet total
10 (Core Tier 1 capital / Capital requirement) x 8 %
11 Shareholders' portion of earnings for the period/ Number of shares adjusted
for share issue 
12 Equity capital/Number of shares on closing day


The Bank of Åland (Ålandsbanken) follows the disclosure procedure stipulated in"Disclosure obligation of the issuer (7/2013)", published by the Finnish
Financial Supervisory Authority and hereby publishes its Interim Report for the
period January - June 2015, which is enclosed with this stock exchange release.
The Bank`s Interim Report for the period January - June 2015 is attached to
this release in PDF format and is also available on the company's web site at
https://www.alandsbanken.com/uploads/pdf/result/en_resultat_jan-jun_15.pdf 

Mariehamn, July 24, 2015

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For more information please contact:

Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director and Chief Executive, Bank of Åland, tel. + 358
(0)40 512 7505