UNIBANK CONTINUES ITS GROWTH PROCESS
Noyan Tapan
March 20, 2009
YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. After 7 years of successful activities,
Unibank continues its growth process. In 2008 the bank strengthened
its positions in Armenia’s deposit and crediting markets: Unibank was
in second place in the mortgage sector and in first place in terms
of attraction of natural persons’ deposits, while more than 50% of
remittances to Armenia is transferred through Unibank. Gagik Zakarian
– chairman of Unibank’s board and chairman of the bank’s founder –
Uniastrum Bank (Russia) stated this at the March 19 press conference.
He said that in February 2009 the capital of Unibank was replenished
by nearly 10 million USD (3 billion drams), which was conditioned
by the fact that there is demand for credits, especially credits for
small and medium business, at the bank so the number of programs in
this direction will grow.
In the opinion of G. Zakarian, crediting volumes of enterprises
engaged in food processing as well as in sectors with potential to
replace import will also increase.
After the replenishment of the bank’s capital, authorized capital
of Unibank amounted to 8 billion 599.7 million drams, its overall
capital – to 11.5 billion drams.
The CEO of Unibank Vardan Atayan said that under an agreement recently
signed with Uniastrum Bank, Unibank attracted credit resources of
50 million USD, which were allocated for implementation of crediting
programs.
The share of natural persons’ deposits in overall liabilities made
up 62% in late December 2008, and by this index Unibank was in first
position in the Armenian banking system. The total amount of natural
persons’ deposits made 36.6 billion drams, with Unibank taking second
place by this index.
In 2008 Unibank serviced more than 1.4 million customers. Over half of
Armenia’s remittances was made by Unisream system. By the 2008 results,
the circulation of the system amounted to over 801 million USD.
As of December 30, 2008, time deposits of natural persons at Unibank
amounted to 32 billion 541 million drams (27% growth in 2008). The
bank’s assets increased by 49.9% to 68 billion 141 million drams. The
overall capital grew by 25.8% to 8 billion 822 million drams. The net
profit of the bank amounted to 1 billion 729 million drams, exceeding
5fold the index of the previous year. Unibank’s laibilities grew
53.7% to 59 billion 319 million drams in 2008. The credit portfolio
increased by 17 billion drams and made 46 billion 691 million drams
as of December 30, 2008.