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BKS Bank, Moving Ahead Responsibly
01-Apr-2009
„Our creed has remained the same: safe, secure jobs for our employees, sensible profits for our investors and being a dependable partner for our customers – it’s perhaps not very spectacular, but confidence inspiring, risk conscious and calculable“, BKS Bank CEO, Heimo Penker, summarizes the business management of his institute. It was evident in the past fiscal year that this strategy leads to success even in more critical times and is appreciated deeply by the customers.
Penker names the realized deposit increases as clear evidence of this trust. “The constant inflow of customer funds is a gratifying manifestation of the trust our customers have in us. We were able to increase the primary funds from 3,78 billion euros to 3,95 billion euros. Saving deposits totaling 1,68 billion euros was at an all time high for our institute”, according to Penker. The balance sheet also showed a gratifying picture on the asset side. “We were able to expand the loan volume by 17,1 % to 4,28 billion euros“, reported the CEO. All in all, the business expansion lead to an increase in the balance sheet total to 5,98 billion euros (+3,9 %).
Respectable Annual Net Profit
Looking from the income side, 2008 was an all-over good business year for the BKS Bank. “With 41,9 million euros, we‘ve realized a respectable consolidated profit for the year after tax again. In addition to the loan and deposit business we’ve already mentioned, the net interest income before risk provisions represented a large portion of the income increase. At 130,2 million euros, it substantially exceeded last year’s figure”, reports Penker.
BKS Bank managed the expenses, as always, very carefully. The general administrative expenses totaled 87,9 million euros. Staff costs rose 3,2 million euros to 59,2 million euros.
BKS Bank, Well Established Internationally
Up to now, BKS has been affected by the financial crisis only peripherally, even in its international markets. “Our strategy for internationalization can be explained very easily: we are growing responsibly with our own strength – at times preferably slower, but all the more successfully in the long term”, says Herta Stockbauer, Chairman of the Board of BKS Bank. As highlights of the past year, she mentions becoming a universal bank in Slovenia and the opening of the first branch in Zagreb.
„We rounded out the services we had offered before in Slovenia with the introduction of accounts, credit cards, insurances and savings books for retail customers. We also opened our first cash desk in Ljubljana. In 2009 we’ll follow up with securities“, says the Chairman of the Board. Since beginning, Slovenia has become one of BKS Bank‘s most important markets. With a financing volume of 492,4 million euros (including cross boarder activities), our southern neighbor has caught up to Carinthia and Styria. BKS Bank has 37 employees in Slovenia. In addition to the branches in Ljubljana and Maribor, the BKS Bank also has a leasing subsidiary. A further branch is planned in Celje in 2009.
In Croatia, where BKS Bank is also present with a leasing subsidiary and the BKS Bank d.d., the first branch was opened in the capital Zagreb. “Up to then, the BKS Bank d.d. had an office in Rijeka and with the opening in Zagreb we’ve taken an important step, as Zagreb is economically more dynamic”, explains Stockbauer. Up to now the emphasis of the BKS Bank d.d. has been placed on services for corporate and business customers and in 2009 this will be expanded to include retail customers. “We can already accept term deposits in our branches. This is particularly profitable from April 6 to May 8 because we are celebrating a sort of savings month and are offering especially high interest for our Croatian customers”, according to Stockbauer. With 45 employees, the BKS Bank d.d. realized a balance sheet total of 60,5 million euros in 2008.
In Slovakia the BKS Bank has the leasing company BKS-Leasing a.s., which was strategically reoriented last year and now specializes in new vehicle and real estate leasing. With 32 employees, BKS-Leasing a.s. reached a leasing volume of 52,5 million euros.
Up to now only cross-border business is done with customers in Italy and Hungary. In order to offer better service to Italian customers, the BKS Bank is working on founding a bank situated in Padua. The licensing process has already begun.
BKS Bank CEO Mr. Heimo Penker and Chairman of the Board Ms. Herta Stockbauer are pleased with the business development of BKS Bank.
The most important key figures of the BKS Bank Group, klick here
Further Information:
Ms. Petra Ibounig-Eixelsberger, BKS Bank-Public Relations
T: 0463/5858-104,
M: 0664/805 567 194
E: petra.ibounig@bks.at
Ms. Claudia Wolfahrt, BKS Bank-Public Relations
T: 0463/5858-373,
M: 0664/805 567 234
E: claudia.wolfahrt@bks.at
