2015-02-13 08:00:00 CET

2015-02-13 08:00:06 CET


REGULATED INFORMATION

Ålandsbanken - Financial Statement Release

Bank of Åland Plc: Year-end Report for the period January–December 2014


Mariehamn, 2015-02-13 08:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 

Bank of Åland Plc
Year-end Report
February 13, 2015,  9.00



Year-end Report for the period January-December 2014

“We closed the year strongly with another improved quarter. Altogether during
the year, we more than doubled our net operating profit, which totalled EUR
22.4 M. It is especially satisfying to see the earnings improvements on the
Finnish mainland and in Sweden, with Sweden now having clearly begun to
contribute positive earnings. We are continuing to strengthen our offering in
the financial investment field, and during 2014 the investment volume that we
manage on behalf of our customers grew by 14 per cent to a new record level of
EUR 5,042 M. 



“Growth remains weak in our vicinity, and central banks are competing to see
which can stimulate the economy most. This will lead to continued great market
uncertainty and to extremely low market interest rates, which among other
things will squeeze our net interest income and that of other banks during
2015.” 


Peter Wiklöf, Managing Director



January−December 2014 compared to January−December 2013

• Net operating profit improved by EUR 12.0 M or 116 per cent to EUR 22.4 M
(10.4). 

• Profit for the period attributable to shareholders improved by EUR 9.4 M or
141 per cent to EUR 16.1 M (6.7). 

• Net interest income increased by 16 per cent to EUR 49.3 M (42.4).

• Net commission income increased by 9 per cent to EUR 46.2 M (42.4).

• Total expenses increased by 3 per cent to EUR 96.4 M (93.5).

• Net impairment losses on loans (including recoveries) decreased by 57 per
cent to EUR 1.8 M (4.1), equivalent to a loan loss level of 0.06 (0.14) per
cent. 

• Return on equity after taxes (ROE) increased to 8.7 per cent (3.8).

• Earnings per share increased to EUR 1.12 (0.46).

• The core Tier 1 capital ratio, excluding the Basel I floor effect, amounted
to 10.9 per cent 

(December 31, 2013: 10.8 per cent).

• The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of EUR 0.40 per share (0.15).

The fourth quarter of 2014 compared to the fourth quarter of 2013

• Net operating profit improved by EUR 4.0 M or 110 per cent to EUR 7.6 M (3.6).

• Profit for the period attributable to shareholders improved by EUR 2.5 M or
84 per cent to EUR 5.6 M (3.1). 

• Net interest income increased by 9 per cent to EUR 12.6 M (11.6).

• Net commission income increased by 13 per cent to EUR 14.5 M (12.8).

• Total expenses increased by 5 per cent to EUR 25.8 M (24.6).

• Net impairment losses on loans (including recoveries) amounted to EUR 0.5 M
(1.5), equivalent 

to a loan loss level of 0.06 (0.19) per cent.

• Return on equity after taxes (ROE) increased to 11.7 per cent (6.9).

• Earnings per share increased to EUR 0.39 (0.21).



Financial summary                                                               
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Bank of Åland Group             Q4      Q3   %      Q4    %  Jan-De  Jan-De    %
                              2014    2014        2013       c 2014  c 2013     
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EUR M                                                                           
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Income                                                                          
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Net interest income           12.6    12.7  -1    11.6    9    49.3    42.4   16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net commission income         14.5    10.5  39    12.8   13    46.2    42.4    9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income from financial      2.2     1.9  17     1.0          6.8     7.4   -8
 items at fair value                                                            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other income                   4.6     4.0  16     4.2    9    18.3    15.8   16
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total income                  34.0    29.1  17    29.7   14   120.6   108.0   12
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff costs                  -14.5   -12.0  21   -13.6    7   -53.1   -51.5    3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses                -9.3    -7.8  19    -8.8    6   -34.9   -34.0    3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Depreciation/amortisation     -2.0    -2.1  -2    -2.2   -7    -8.4    -8.0    5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total expenses               -25.8   -21.9  18   -24.6    5   -96.4   -93.5    3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Profit before impairment       8.1     7.2  13     5.1   60    24.2    14.5   67
 losses                                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impairment losses on loans    -0.5    -0.3  88    -1.5  -65    -1.8    -4.1  -57
 and other ­commitments                                                         
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Net operating profit           7.6     6.9  10     3.6  110    22.4    10.4  116
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income taxes                  -1.6    -1.5   6    -0.4         -4.8    -2.7   78
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Profit for the report          6.1     5.4  11     3.3   85    17.6     7.7  129
 period                                                                         
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Attributable to:                                                                
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Non-controlling interests      0.4     0.3  28     0.2          1.5     1.0   47
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Shareholders in Bank of        5.6     5.1  10     3.1   84    16.1     6.7  141
 Åland Plc                                                                      
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Volume                                                                          
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Lending to the public        3,343   3,258   3   3,104    8                     
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Deposits from the public 1   2,391   2,482  -4   2,460   -3                     
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Managed assets               5,042   4,770   6   4,407   14                     
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Equity capital                 196     193   2     184    7                     
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Balance sheet total          4,292   4,183   3   3,887   10                     
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Risk exposure amount         1,554   1,532   1   1,475    5                     
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Financial ratios                                                                
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Return on equity after        11.7    10.9         6.9          8.7     3.8     
 taxes, % (ROE) 2                                                               
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Expense/income ratio 3        0.76    0.75        0.83         0.80    0.87     
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Loan loss level, % 4          0.06    0.03        0.19         0.06    0.14     
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Gross non-performing          0.65    1.04        1.02                          
 receivables, % 5                                                         
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Level of provisions for         66      47          48                          
 doubtful receivables, % 6                                                      
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Core funding ratio, % 7        105     107         103                          
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Equity/assets ratio, % 8       4,6     4.6         4.7                          
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Tier 1 capital ratio,         10.9    11.1        10.8                          
 excluding Basel 1 floor                                                        
 effect, % 9                                                                    
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Earnings per share, EUR 10    0.39    0.35  10    0.21   83    1.12    0.46     
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Earnings per share after      0.39    0.35  10    0.21   83    1.11    0.46     
 dilution, EUR                                                                  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity capital per share,    13.49   13.14   3   12.54    8                     
 EUR 11                                                                         
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Equity capital per share     13.46   13.11   3   12.54                          
 after dilution, EUR                                                            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market price per Series A    11.27   11.32   0   10.88    4                     
 share, EUR                                                                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Market price per Series B    10.87    9.63  13    7.94   37                     
 share, EUR                                                                     
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Number of shares            14,398  14,398   0  14,395    0                     
 outstanding (not own                                                           
 shares), 000s                                                                  
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Number of shares            14,498  14,498   0  14,395    0                     
 outstanding (not own                                                           
 shares),after dilution,                                                        
 000s                                                                           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Working hours                  643     656  -2     631    2     644     617    4
 re-calculated to                                                               
 full-time 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 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 Year-end Report for
the period January - December 2014, which is enclosed with this stock exchange
release. The Bank's Interim Report for the period January - December 2014 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-dec_14.pdf

Mariehamn, February 13, 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