2015-04-28 08:00:01 CEST

2015-04-28 08:00:05 CEST


REGULATED INFORMATION

Swedish English
Ålandsbanken - Interim report (Q1 and Q3)

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


Mariehamn, 2015-04-28 08:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 

Bank of Åland Plc
Interim Report
April 28, 2015, 9.00 a.m.



Interim Report for the period January-March 2015"The Bank of Åland reported its best-ever net operating profit, excluding
nonrecurring income, for a single quarter: EUR 9.4 million. All busi-ness areas
continued to strengthen their earnings, and consolidated return on equity after
taxes amounted to 15.9 per cent. 

“Our operations in Sweden showed continued good volume and earnings growth, and
profitability in this business area is approaching the levels we already have
in the Finnish Mainland and Åland business areas. 

“Despite the Bank's positive earnings trend, it is essential to understand that
today's volatile capital markets and the many sources of concern that exist in
our surroundings can rapidly change the operating conditions of banks and the
capital markets for the worse."

Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director



January−March 2015 compared to January−March 2014

  -- Net operating profit improved by EUR 7.1 M to EUR 9.4 M (2.3).
  -- Profit for the period attributable to shareholders improved by EUR 6.3 M to
     EUR 7.7 M (1.4).
  -- Net interest income increased by 7 per cent to EUR 12.7 M (11.9).
  -- Net commission income increased by 20 per cent to EUR 12.9 M (10.7).
  -- Total expenses decreased by 7 per cent to EUR 22.8 M (24.6).
  -- Net impairment losses on loans (including recoveries) decreased by 78 per
     cent to EUR 0.2 M  (0.9), equivalent to a loan loss level of 0.02 (0.11)
     per cent.
  -- Return on equity after taxes (ROE) increased to 15.9 per cent (3.2).
  -- Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.54 (0.10).
  -- The core Tier 1 capital ratio amounted to 11.3 per cent (December 31, 2014:
     10.9 per cent).



Financial summary                                                               
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- 
Bank of Åland Group                               Q1      Q4     %      Q1     %
                                                2015    2014          2014      
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EUR M                                                                           
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Income                                                                          
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Net interest income                             12.7    12.6     0    11.9     7
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Net commission income                           12.9    14.5   -12    10.7    20
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Net income from financial items at fair          2.4     2.2    10     1.1      
 value                                                                          
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other income                                     4.5     4.6    -2     4.0    11
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total income                                    32.4    34.0    -5    27.7    17
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff costs                                    -13.7   -14.5    -6   -13.3     3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses                                  -7.2    -9.3   -22    -9.0   -20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Depreciation/amortisation                       -1.9    -2.0    -6    -2.2   -15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total expenses                                 -22.8   -25.8   -12   -24.6    -7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Profit before impairment losses                  9.6     8.1    18     3.2      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impairment losses on loans and other            -0.2    -0.5   -64    -0.9   -78
 ­commitments                                                                   
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Net operating profit                             9.4     7.6    24     2.3      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income taxes                                    -1.7    -1.6     8    -0.5      
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Profit for the report period                     7.7     6.1    28     1.8      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Attributable to:                                                                
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Non-controlling interests                        0.0     0.4  -100     0.4  -100
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Shareholders in Bank of Åland Plc                7.7     5.6    37     1.4      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Volume                                                                          
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Lending to the public                          3,416   3,343     2   3,161     8
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Deposits from the public 1                     2,507   2,391     5   2,549    -2
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Managed assets                                 5,589   5,042    11   4,560    23
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Equity capital                                   203     196     4     185    10
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Balance sheet total                            4,418   4,292     3   4,069     9
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Risk exposure amount                           1,599   1,554     3   1,534     4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Financial ratios                                                                
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Return on equity after taxes, % (ROE) 2         15.9    11.7           3.2      
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Expense/income ratio 3                          0.70    0.76          0.89      
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Loan loss level, % 4                            0.02    0.06          0.11      
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Gross non-performing receivables, % 5           0.61    0.65          1.07      
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Level of provisions for doubtful                  68      66            47      
 receivables, % 6                                                               
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Core funding ratio, % 7                          103     105           102      
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Equity/assets ratio, % 8                         4.6     4.6           4.5      
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Tier 1 capital ratio, % 9                       11.2    10.9     3    10.6     6
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Earnings per share, EUR 10                      0.54    0.39    37    0.10      
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Earnings per share after dilution, EUR          0.54    0.39    38    0.10      
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Equity capital per share, EUR 11               14.04   13.49     4   12.63    11
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Equity capital per share after dilution, EUR   14.01   13.46     4   12.63    11
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Market price per Series A share, EUR           15.10   11.27    34   10.24    47
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Market price per Series B share, EUR           14.15   10.87    30    8.25    72
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Number of shares outstanding (not own         14,415  14,398     0  14,398     0
 shares), 000s                                                                  
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Number of shares outstanding (not own         14,515  14,498     0  14,398     1
 shares), after dilution, 000s                                                  
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Working hours re-calculated to fulltime          645     643     0     636     1
 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 Profit for the report period attributable to shareholders / Average
shareholders' portion of equity capital 

3 Expenses / Income

4 Impairment losses on loan portfolio and other commitments / Lending to the
public at the beginning of the period 

5 Non-performing receivables more than 90 days / Lending to the public before
provisions for impairment losses 

6 Provisions for individual impairment losses / Doubtful receivables

7 Lending to the public / Deposits including certificates of deposit, index
bonds and debentures issued to the public plus covered bonds issued 

8 Equity capital / Balance sheet total

9 (Core Tier 1 capital / Capital requirement) x 8 %

10 Shareholders' portion of earnings for the period/ Number of shares adjusted
for share issue 

11 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 - March 2015, which is enclosed with this stock exchange
release. The Bank's Interim Report for the period January - March 2015 is
attached to this release in PDF format and is also available on the company's
web site at 

http://www.alandsbanken.fi/info/opencms/pdf/result/en_resultat_jan-mar_15.pdf



Mariehamn, April 28, 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