• Growth of loans (up 1 per cent y-o-y) and deposits (up 5.9 per cent y-o-y)
• Capital adequacy ratio of 16.8 per cent (considerably above the minimum requirement)
• Credit lines of EUR 376 million from international financial institutions

All figures mentioned in this press release are non-audited and have been prepared in accordance with local accounting legislation. The figures refer solely to the results posted by Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) EAD and might differ from those that Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) released for its operations in the Bulgarian market when RBI published its Q3-Results 2012 on 28 November 2012.

Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) EAD posted a profit after tax of BGN 18.9 million for the first nine months of 2012. Raiffeisenbank’s total assets decreased slightly compared to the same period of the previous year from BGN 6.45 billion to BGN 6.35 billion (down 1.55 per cent). As of 30 September 2012 Raiffeisenbank’s loan portfolio increased by 1 per cent to BGN 5 billion - compared to BGN 4.95 billion to the same period in the previous year. The bank's deposit base rose by 5.9 per cent to BGN 4.49 billion (1-9 2011: BGN 4.24 billion). At the end of Q3/2012 the loans to households grew by 1.6 per cent to BGN 1.4 billion (compared to the same period last year), while deposits from private individuals increased by 8 per cent to BGN 2.27 billion.

Capital adequacy ratio at 16.8 per cent, the minimum requirement being 12 per cent

As of 30 September 2012, Raiffeisenbank’s capital base amounted to BGN 781.5 million and the bank's total capital adequacy ratio (CAR) stood at 16.8 per cent, considerably above the 12 per cent minimum requirement established by Regulation 8 of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB).

Customer base increased by 3.2 per cent

Raiffeisenbank continued to enlarge its customer base in the first nine months of 2012. As of 30 September 2012 Raiffeisenbank serviced 782,180 individual and corporate customers, compared to 757,710 customers in 2011 a growth of 3.2 per cent or 24,470 customers year-on-year.

Support of SME in the country through partnership with international financial institutions

During the third quarter of 2012, Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) EAD signed a framework agreement with the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) amounting to EUR 30 million. Due to this agreement, which is the third facility with CEB, Raiffeisenbank ramped up its support to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) in the country, by offering financing with more favourable terms. Thus, as of September 30, the total amount of the long term financing attracted by Raiffeisenbank in credit lines and guarantee agreements with international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Investment Fund (EIF), KfW, the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), etc., reached EUR 376 million.

The Raiffeisen group in Bulgaria

Raiffeisen Asset Management EAD
As of 30 September 2012, the net asset value under management at the mutual funds of Raiffeisen Asset Management (Bulgaria) EAD rose by 6.5 per cent to BGN 161.49 million compared with 2011, which strengthened the company’s leading position among Bulgaria's asset management companies with a market share of about 34 per cent. Raiffeisen Asset Management manages the two biggest mutual funds in Bulgaria – Raiffeisen (Bulgaria) Money Market Fund and Raiffeisen (Bulgaria) Protected EUR Fund. In addition to six local funds, Raiffeisen Asset Management offers 12 foreign funds from Raiffeisen Capital Management (Vienna).

Raiffeisen Leasing Bulgaria OOD
As of 30 September 2012, the total assets of Raiffeisen Leasing Bulgaria OOD and Raiffeisen Auto Leasing Bulgaria EOOD reached BGN 332 million. The leasing portfolio of the two companies stood at BGN 300 million. According to the statistical data from the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) and the Bulgarian Leasing Association, the market share held jointly by Raiffeisen Leasing Bulgaria OOD and Raiffeisen Auto Leasing Bulgaria EOOD stood at 9 per cent at the end of September 2012.

Raiffeisen Insurance Broker EOOD
Raiffeisenbank’s subsidiary Raiffeisen Insurance Broker EOOD is one of the leaders in insurance brokerage market in Bulgaria offering insurance products from 15 companies.

Raiffeisen Real Estate EOOD
In the first nine months of 2012, Raiffeisen Real Estate EOOD reported a growing number of deals, but mainly, due to lower process and reduced budgets of real estate buyers, the bank retained the volume of real estate deals on the same level as 2011.
The company offers its services through offices in the towns of Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Bourgas and Rousse.
Apart from its real estate brokerage services, Raiffeisen Real Estate EOOD provides market research and analyses.

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Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) EAD (www.rbb.bg) was established in 1994. The bank is fully owned by Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI).

RBI regards both Austria, where it is a leading corporate and investment bank, and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as its home market. In CEE, RBI operates an extensive network of subsidiary banks, leasing companies and a range of other specialized financial service providers in 17 markets.
RBI is the only Austrian bank with a presence in both the world's financial centres and in Asia, the group's further geographical area of focus.

Around 61,000 RBI employees service about 14.1 million customers through more than 3,100 business outlets, the great majority of which are located in CEE (these figures include Polbank).
RBI is a fully-consolidated subsidiary of Raiffeisen Zentralbank Oesterreich AG (RZB). RZB indirectly owns around 78.5 per cent of the common stock, the remainder is in free float. RBI's shares are listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange.