Ameriabank tightens retail lending for leading positions

ArmInfo.Ameriabank, holding the leadership in the main financial indicators, pulls up retail lending to the leading positions in the banking system of Armenia. Thus, according to the Financial Rating of Banks of Armenia as of December 31, 2018, prepared by ArmInfo IC, the bank's assets amounted to 779.8 billion drams ($ 1.6 billion, 1st position).  In their structure, 70% or 545.8 billion drams ($ 1.13 billion, first position) accounted for credit investments, and 8.3% or 64.4 billion drams ($ 133.1 million) - on investments in securities.

In 2018, Ameriabank's loan portfolio increased the growth rate to 15%, which was mainly ensured by a significant increase in retail lending (loans to individuals), the bank's volume increased by 65.3% to 102.3 billion drams ($ 211.4 million).  According to this indicator, the bank rose by two steps and is located on the 4th position.  At the same time, Ameriabank developed the dynamics of corporate lending by 5.7% growth, having consolidated its position on the 1st position - 440.3 billion drams ($ 910.2 million).

In the leaders of Ameriabank and on investments in securities, including government bonds (including Armenian Eurobonds), holding the 2nd position - 64.4 billion drams ($ 133.1 million, with an annual growth of 4%).

Improving the dynamics of these main components allowed the bank to increase its assets by 15%, due to which interest income was kept in growth (by 8.7%).  As a result, the total income of the bank grew by 8.8%, increasing its profit by 39.7% - to 13.3 billion drams (1st position), which, after deducting taxes, formed the net profit at the level of  10.5 billion drams ($ 21.7 million, with an annual growth of 37.3%).  As a result.  The bank secured the championship and the size of the net arrived.

The bank is in the lead in lending to the industrial sector (including the energy complex), agriculture, the construction sector, trade, transport and communications, catering and services, mortgage lending.  The bank is also one of the leaders in SME lending.  But the main concentration of credit investments falls on the industrial sector and trade.

Ameriabank is very active in the corporate bonds market of Armenia, having started issuing its securities from March 2016.  As of March 5, 2019, 11 issues of Ameriabank's bonds are listed on the Armenian stock exchange AMX, of which 8 dollars in a total amount of $ 76 million, 1 in euro in a volume of 3 million and 2 drams in a total of  5 billion.  in the lists of "Abond" and "Bbond".  Along with this, in June 2016, Ameriabank, through responsAbility Investments AG, successfully placed $ 20 million in debt securities in 4 Luxembourg investment funds.

Recall that Ameriabank is a universal bank providing investment, corporate and retail banking services in the form of a comprehensive package of banking solutions. The bank has been operating in the Armenian market since October 31, 1996. Ameriabank has a branch network of 16 divisions, of which 10 are metropolitan and 6 are regional.

The shareholders of Ameribank on January 1, 2019 are: Ameria Group CY Ltd.  - 56.6%, EBRD - 17.8%, Asian Development Bank (ADB) - 13.98% and ESPS Holding Limited - 11.62%.  The bank is awarded annually distinctive awards from Euromoney, from Global Finance, from The Banker / FT, from Commerzbank.  Ameriabank has credit ratings from two of the top three agencies: S & P (B +, with "Stable" outlook) and Moody's (B1, with "Positive" outlook).