Emporiki nine-month net profit rises 39.8 percent
Emporiki Bank, majority-owned by France’s Credit Agricole, said yesterday nine-month group net profit grew 39.8 percent year-on-year, below forecasts, contained by higher loan-loss provisions. The bank said net profit was 94.2 million euros. Provisions rose 48.4 percent in the nine-month period year-on-year, amounting to 0.94 percent of its average loan portfolio. New owner Credit Agricole has said it intends to streamline credit risks with the group’s, meaning an increase in provisions. «Given that Credit Agricole’s intention to clean up the balance sheet and increase provisions, short-term results will not be a catalyst for the share,» said analyst Dimitris Apistoulas at EFG Eurobank Securities. The bank said net interest income rose 14.7 percent to 540.2 million euros. Net interest margin improved to 3.39 from 3.3 percent in the same period a year earlier. Emporiki said mortgage loans grew 26.8 percent in the nine-month period to 5.0 billion euros, claiming a 9.2 percent market share. Consumer loans were up 28 percent to 2.1 billion euros.
