Public Bank posts RM2.1bil profitKUALA LUMPUR: Public Bank Bhd posted a
23% jump in net profit to RM2.1bil for the year ended Dec 31, 2007 (FY07), thanks to higher net interest and financing income as well as other operating income and lower loan loss provisions.
Earnings per share improved to 63.3 sen from 52.1 sen in FY06 while net return on equity rose to 26.3% from 21.9% previously.
The board has proposed a final dividend of 40 sen per share and a special dividend of 10 sen. Together with the interim dividend of 25 sen paid in August last year, the total dividend for FY07 amounted to 75 sen a share.
In the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2007, net profit surged 30% to RM580mil from RM445mil in the previous corresponding period. It was also 7% higher than the net profit of RM543.6mil reported in the preceding quarter.
In FY07, net interest income increased 13% and Islamic banking income, 12%. Cost-to-income ratio remained low at 33.1% compared with the industry average of 44%.
Total assets rose 18% to RM174.2bil as of end-2007, or three times the group's asset size of RM61.9bil in 2002.
Total loans grew 20% to RM101.4bil, with the bulk of lending for the purchase of property and vehicles as well as to businesses. Public Bank's share of the loan market rose to 14% as at November 2007 from 13.2% as at end-2006.
Customer deposits expanded 24% to RM138.8bil as at the end of last year, with its market share at 14.3% as at November 2007.
The bank's net non-performing loan (NPL) ratio improved to 1.2% in FY07 from 1.6% a year earlier. Loan loss coverage stood at 119%, the highest in the country's banking industry.
After deducting the proposed final and special dividends, the risk-weighted capital ratio remains strong at 12.4%.
The group's unit trust management subsidiary grew total fund assets by 75% to RM28.4bil, with a market share of 40% compared with 27.6% in the beginning of 2006.
Managing director Datuk Seri Tay Ah Lek said the bank anticipated a 15% growth in loans and about 18% to 20% for deposits.
He said net NPLs were likely to fall below 1% this year due to fewer NPLs, low unemployment and stable interest rates.
"Loan demand remains strong, driven by consumer financing like hire purchase, mortgage, personal financing and SMEs (small and medium enterprises)," he told reporters after announcing the results yesterday.
This year's prospects remain positive given the resilience of the domestic economy buoyed by a large current account surplus, ample liquidity and a strengthening ringgit.
Tay said the Government's targeted 6% gross domestic product growth would be supported by domestic demand, the salary increase for civil servants, withdrawal from the Employees Provident Fund to pay housing loans, public spending under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the various economic corridors and intra-regional trade.
Inflationary pressure was mainly cost-push while demand was not excessive, he said, adding that the stronger local currency would moderate the pressure.
The group intends to enhance long-term fee-based revenue by expanding on its fund management, bancasurrance and wealth management services.
Its 10-year regional alliance with ING/Asia Pacific Ltd for bancasurrance distribution took effect from Jan 1 and is expected to boost fee-based commission income in the mid- to longer term.
Public Bank expects overseas contribution to increase to 20% in the next one to three years from 15% currently. The bulk of the profits in FY07 came from Hong Kong and Cambodia.
Tay said the group planned to open more branches, with two each in Hong Kong, Cambodia and Laos, and one in Vietnam.
OSK Investment Bank analyst Chan Ken Yew said Public Bank's results were within expectation but added that the higher dividend was "a sweet surprise."
He said the present consensus net profit of RM2.3bil was likely to be revised upwards.
"The group should be able to achieve the targeted loans growth as its operations in Hong Kong and Cambodia are doing very well," Chan added.
URL:
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...74&sec=business 
Jan 12 2008, 12:33 PM, updated 15y ago
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Just joking..
Gua also have some public mutual. in my pocket 
agent keep asking me to top up. advice me not to play so much on shares.
(mutual funds) and I got itchy hands 
. This a good sites to monitor stock.
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