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Bank of Georgia Group Q2 net profit doubles on one-offs
"Despite recent board changes, we continue to operate in our usual manner capitalising on our leading market share, strong capital and liquidity positions and operational excellence for the benefit of our shareholders. I welcome the supporting statements made by the National Bank of the Georgia, European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and International Finance Corp in support of TBC," said chief executive Vakhtang Butskhrikidze.
Chairman Mamuka Khazaradze and deputy chairman Badri Japaridze stepped down from their roles after the Georgian public prosecutor charged the duo over transactions at the lender's banking subsidiary in 2007 and 2008. They stated that they had resigned to concentrate on fighting the charges, which they deny.
Bank of Georgia Group has reported its second-quarter net profit adjusted for one-offs at GEL111.1mn ($38.3mn), marking a rise of 7.3% y/y, with the same category of profit in the first half hitting GEL223.4mln, up 8.8% y/y. It added that profitability remained high with adjusted returns on equity (ROE) of 22.9% and 23.7% in Q2 and H1, respectively.
The bottom line figure, unadjusted, more than doubled to GEL107.4mn ($37.0mn). Large one-off demerger expenditures were incurred last year. The bank’s assets rose by 22% y/y to GEL16.13bn ($5.56bn) at end-June.
The non-performing loans (NPLs) to gross loans ratio stood at 3.2% at end-June, while the NPL coverage ratio was 88.1% and the NPL coverage ratio adjusted for the discounted value of collateral was 131.5%.
Loan book growth expanded 30.5% y/y by the end of the first half.
8.1.2 Loans
Bankers say tighter regulations to constrain lending by 3.5%-4%
Forecasts of the Georgian Banking Association show the effect of new retail lending regulations across the next 12 months will reflect negatively on Georgia’s total credit portfolio, reducing it by 3.5-4%, Interpress News informed.
The latest tightening in lending constraints comes on top of others, which have not passed through the financial intermediation mechanism, and will result in a significant economic slowdown, the bankers’ association warned.
The tighter regulations are in principle needed, but excessive provisions and complicated procedures will result in an excessively negative impact on small businesses, bankers cautioned. Thus, the new regulations will push down GDP as well (by 3%, the association anticipates), since small businesses account for a significant share of economic activity in the country.
Georgian banks and financial organisations will have to stick to local currency denominations when issuing loans of up to GEL200,000 (€69,000) under a regulation enacted by the government in September. Foreign currency loans accounted for 53% of total non-government loans in Georgia as of the end of June. The regulation was first introduced as of January 2017, when the threshold was set at GEL100,000.
Starting from May, commercial banks in Georgia were restricted in issuing a
37 GEORGIA Country Report November 2019 www.intellinews.com
