25 July 2012
Raiffeisen Bank Aval (BAVL UK) reported tiny net income of USD 0.7 mln as it kept allocating nearly all of its pre-impairment profit (which declined 28% yoy in 2Q12 and 15% yoy in 1H12) to loan loss reserve. Aval’s net interest income was down 7% yoy in 2Q12 as its net loan book contracted 6% qoq and 12% yoy. The decline in net interest revenues was only partly offset with stronger net fees and commissions (+9% yoy).
Raiffeisen Bank Aval’s 2Q12 and 1H12 results, USD mln                                                    
—————————————————————-
                                                     1H12   yoy  2Q12   qoq   yoy
—————————————————————-
Net interest income                         395   -5%    191   -6%    -7%
Net fees and commissions                82     12%    43    10%     9%
Operating expenses                        -206   13%  -110   15%    18%
Pre-impairment profit                      136   -15%    54   -33%   -28%
Impairment charge for credit losses -128  -16%   -49   -38%   -29%
Net income                                       2      8%      1    -49%   -59%
—————————————————————-
                                         1H12   qoq   yoy        
—————————————————————-
Assets                             5,940   -7%  -14%        
 Gross corporate loans      2,653   -6%   -6%        
 Gross retail loans            2,047   -2%  -24%        
 Loan loss reserve            -1,263    0%  -23%        
Liabilities                         5,142   -7%  -16%        
 Corporate deposits          1,470   -9%  -12%        
 Retail deposits                1,972    2%   -4%        
Equity                             798       -1%   -1%        
—————————————————————-
Source: Company data 
Olena Zuikova: The key concerns about Aval’s 2Q12 financials is continued rapid declines in assets and net loan book. Growth in operating expenses against weaker revenues is also a disappointment – the bank’s Cost/Income was up from 55% in 2Q11 to 67% in 2Q12. We expect the bank will report a nearly zero bottom line under UAS, but its net income under IFRS should be much stronger, with ROE expected to be near 10% with the discrepancy mainly attributed to different provisioning policies. We maintain a HOLD recommendation on the stock as the bank is facing risks of further contraction in its balance sheet and a related decline in revenue.