Category Archives: Consolidated Bank

Bank Review ’07 Part II

Small banks, range from $40 to $100 million

Showed an inability to grow as faster as the bigger bank, with few exceptions. Yet they are still profitable and reluctant to merge

The banks got a temporary reprieve when parliament shot down the government’s proposal that banks should have a minimum capital of 1 billion ($15 million) 3 years from the current 250 million shilling minimum’ but that proposal is likely to be revisited by future finance ministers.

35. (38) Fidelity Bank: Estimated assets 3.2 billion ($45.7M), profit of 45 million ($0.7 million) shillings for this quiet bank with little marketing activity but which was able to grow 40% during 2007.

34. (36) Credit Bank: Estimated assets of 3,300 million and profit of 120 million, for another quiet bank which grew about 15% in 2007.

33. (33) Middle East: Estimated 3.2 billion assets and profit of 80 million in 2007. However deposits and loans are down 6% from a year ago.

32. (35) Habib Bank: Estimated 3.5 billion assets and profit of 90 million, with growth of 12% from a year ago. Participated in the first Diamond trust rights first issue as a possible merger step.

31. (29) Victoria: Estimated 4.2 billion assets 140m in profit. Flat growth expect in loans and deposits (1%), but great in profitability which is improved by over 40% in 2007.

30. (32) Consolidated Bank: Estimated 4.5 billion assets, 20 million profit with the 30% growth from a year ago. There was public fallout between the MD and the board resulting in the board being fired by the Finance Minister. The Deposit protection fund (DPF) of the Central Bank plans to sell its 51% stake to private sector, and is likely to be found next year by private sale. A loss in 2005 makes the bank ineligible for an NSE listing and the owners the collapsed banks that form Consolidated Bank are likely to figure in as potential buyers.

30. (31) Equatorial: 4.7 billion assets and 90m in profit. The Sameer group bank Out-performed corporate big sister CBA growing by about 15% in 2007.

29. (34) Development Bank of Kenya: Estimated 4.8 billion and 200m in profit. Remarkable growth fro a development finance institution to record 45% growth in loans & deposits. Part of ICDC’s (Government) 90% stake in the bank is up for sale in 2008.

28. (28) Southern Credit: Estimated 4.9 billion assets, 80m in profit. 10% growth in loans and deposits, with about 40% growth in profits in 2007. Bank with a lady MD focus on cards

27. (30) Chase Bank: Estimated assets of 5.0 billion, and profit of 130 million. The winner of small bank awards, will open new branches next year and has set about achieveing a recapitalization target of 1 billion, through retained earnings.

26. (26) Giro: Estimated 5.3 billion assets, 70m in profit. With 7% growth in the year, It was supposed to be sold to state bank of India, but the deal is yet to be approved by regulators.

25. (27) Guardian: Estimated 5.8 billion assets, 45 million profit. Growth of about 15%

24. (23) ABC: Estimated 5.8 billion assets, 170 million in profits. With 12% growth from a year ago, ABC was one of the few ‘small’ banks that had a marketing push to target new customers in 2007 in addition to a recapitalization drive. Launched ‘kisima’ a flat fee account and has new branches.

23. (24) Habib AG Zurich: Estimated 6.1 billion assets, 200 million profit for another quiet bank which grew about 15% in 2007.

22. (25) K-Rep: Estimated 7.2 billion assets, 200 million profit . With international shareholding and micro-finance expertise is an natural candidate for a merger Was 29th two years ago and recorded about 60% growth in 2007.

21. (21) Bank of Africa 7.2 billion ($103 million) assets 160 million shillings ($2.3 million) profit in 2007. What is hopefully the first of many West African banks spreading eastwards has opened new branches and targeted growth of new business like asset finance.
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Bank Briefs

Barclays has sweetened its’ mortgage terms

Consolidated: The deposit protection fund (DPF) will sell it’s 50% stake in Consolidated Bank back to the government –who are likely to hold on to the stake until the Bank has a profitable streak that will enable a public listing (e.g. Kenya Re) in a few years. The DPF which guarantees funds of Kenyan bank account holders (up to 100,000 shillings), is now only allowed to invest in government securities.

Equity: As usual, is the first bank to report their September results and Kenya’s fastest growing bank has doubled in almost all measures since a year ago. With assets up 42% and profits up 54% (already exceeded 2005’s) the bank is on track to reach the 1 billion shillings in pre-tax profit mark – a feat the established Nation media group only achieved this year. (See other Bank rankings)

HFCK now offers 20-year mortgage plans.

KCB has four buildings up for sale this month: Hamburg house (Tom Mboya St) for 60 million shillings, Lakhani place (Moi Ave.) 40m, Diamond Building (Moi Ave.) 30m and Loncom Building (Kenyatta Ave – Nakuru) also for 30m. Deadline is 10 November.

Safaricom: Is this the future of money transfers and microfinance?. Safaricom will roll out M-pesa in 2007 which was developed with CBA and Faulu Kenya. Some rough numbers from the trials: Average transaction (1,000 shilling or $14), 0.6 transactions per day, average cash deposit and transfers – 1,500 ($20), and average transfers and withdrawals were 300 shillings each.

Stanchart
– Has a new CEO: Richard Etemesi replaces Mike Hart
– To get new software: CR2’s BankWorld integrated channel banking solution (source: Factiva)

Bank consulting opportunities

Investment Banking
The Government of Kenya has re-activated plans to privatize two banks (likely to be National Bank of Kenya and Consolidated Bank) and is inviting investment banks or consultants to advise on the preparation of the two banks for privatization. Some aspects of the work include marketing the banks to buyers, feasibility & valuations, and selling off non-performing assets of the banks. Deadline for applications to the Bank Restructuring & Privatization Project (info@brpp.go.ke) is June 30 and the banks are expected to be sold on or before December 2007.

Technology
Kenya Commercial Bank is seeking companies to provide a core system to support the bank’s operations. Deadline is June 2.

Politicians stalls bank reform process

According to Jaindi Kisero, the East African editor, the donor-funded restructuring of Kenyan government banks has ground to a halt and the consultants hired to advise the process remain idle.

Government influence and investment was supposed to be reduced/removed at four state-influenced commercial banks, namely, the National Bank of Kenya, the Kenya Commercial Bank, Consolidated Bank of Kenya and the Industrial Development Bank in the exercise which began in 2003.

The sticking point is that directors of these banks were to be drawn from the private sector and not be political appointees as was the case in the past. He also argues that any donor projects that conflict with interests of the Kenyan political class are doomed to fail.

Banking, Corruption, Jobs

IMF on Kenya
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will only support drought operations in Kenya until their next review of country operations at the end of April.

Report corruption online
At the new Kenya Anti Corruption Commission KACC website. The launch was graced by Parliament Speaker, Francis Ole Kaparo, whose office is not so not so enthusiastic about websites.

Barclays improves
Barclays has joined the growing list of progressive banks by installing an ATM that accepts cash & cheque deposits at its Queensway House Branch. Many more are sure to follow.

More 2005 banks
I&M (No. 10). Loans and customer deposits increased by over 3 billion to 11b and 14.8b respectively. The Bank also increased its share capital by 500m during year.

Housing Finance (No. 14) reduced government securities from 1,346m to 796m while loans were flat at 6.5b. Profit before tax was also the same at around 100m.

Baroda (No. 15) loans increased from 2.7b to 3.4b while customer deposits also increased from 7.1b to 8b. However paying higher interest on customer deposits resulted in profit before tax dipping from 274m to 238m.

Bank of India (No. 17) Loans increased by 700m, deposits by 800m, and profit before tax increased from 73m to 80m.

Fina (No. 19) which has a significant Rwanda operation bounced back from a 2004 loss of 51m to a 2005 profit of 95m largely from reduced provision for bad debts.

Giro (No. 21) which was acquired in September by the State Bank of India went from an 04 profit of 14m to a loss of 6m in 2005 largely due to increased operating expenses.

Southern Credit (No. 26) the credit card powerhouse increased deposits by 500m to 3.6b. But paying higher interest on deposits and increased operating expenses halved profits from 61m to 31m.

Victoria (No. 27) customer deposits and placements were each up by 500m to 5.58b and 1.56b respectively. While fee income was flat, profit before tax increased from 45m to 124m largely from increased interest income.

Habib (No. 32) bank (not to be confused with the other Habib AG Zurich) posted a reduced profit of 21m, down from 94m, owing to increased interest on deposits and provision for bad debts.

Consolidated (No. 33) reduced their ’04 loss from 90m to 13m in 2005. While staff costs increased from 150m to 195m, they were able to contain other operating expenses.

Fidelity (No. 37) improved from a ’04 profit of 1m to a 23m in 2005 owing to increased fee and commission income and reduced provisions for bad debts.

Paramount Universal (No. 39) loans increased from 758m to 892m and profit also went up from 12 to 16m.

Other Developments

Tax war
Between the United Business Association and the Kenya Revenue Authority over the issue of electronic tax registers

Tourism
The 2006 tourism expo targeting the low season kicks off at the Sarit Center on March 31.

Solar for tourists: Mombasa beach hotel is seeking a solar-based water heating system (deadline is April 28).

Jobs

British American tobacco
– Accounts assistants
– Trainee technical operators
Apply by April 12 to hr_batkenya@bat.com

CFC Bank
– Communications/network engineer
– Database administrator
– Software engineer
Apply to the senior manager HR P O Box 72833-00200 Nairobi by April 10

East African Breweries
– Demand planning manager
– Field logistic coordinators
Apply by April 12 to hrrecruitment@eabl.com

East African Standard
– Head of ICT services
– Head of HR services
Apply to pa-gceo@eastandard.net by April 10

Research & development manager at an investment bank. Apply to fke@wananchi.com by April 12.

Manager customs & excise at Pricewaterhousecoopers. apply to recruitment.ke@ke.pwc.com by April 13

Various jobs at the Kenya Meat Commission which plans to resume operations in June ’06.
– Apply to the Federation of Kenya employers at fke@wananchi.com for production manager, quality control manager livestock manager, internal auditor, HR & admin manager and finance manager positions.
– Former employees under 55 years who were in following departments – technicians, production, machine operators meat cutters, and packers are invited to apply to kenyameatcom@africaonline.com.