Equitable PCI Bank posts P1.1-B profit in Jan-Sept

Equitable PCI Bank, one of the country‘s top three banks, reported P458 million in profits for the third quarter of 2000, bringing its total year-to-date profits to P1.128 billion. The bank‘s financials were submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday in compliance with the regular quarterly statement of condition for banks.

The third quarter figures showed Equitable PCI Bank as a major force in Philippine banking, accounting for close to 10 percent of the total banking system. Among Philippine private banks, Equitable PCI Bank accounts for 13.7 percent of total resources.

Equitable PCI Bank’s numbers confirmed its financial strength, achieved despite a difficult operating environment and shown in the high ratings given by top international rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s which rank Equitable PCI Bank as one of the top two strongest private banks in the country today.

The bank’s capital adequacy ratio is 15.25 percent for the third quarter of this year, far superior to the BSP and the required 10 percent BIS (Bank of International Settlements) capital ratio.

Equitable PCI Bank is also the third largest in terms of capital with P45.75 billion. The bank‘s enormous capital strength is larger than the combined capital of the next three largest banks put together (whose capital range from P11 to P13 billion) and more than six times larger than the average capital for the banking industry.

The bank‘s liquid assets totaled P86 billion. Its 51 percent ratio of liquid assets to deposit compares favorably with the lower average for the industry of 45 percent. Equitable PCI Bank’s rate reflects a high proportion of liquid assets from cash to trading account securities to back up customer deposits.

Equitable PCI Bank grew its asset by 10 percent or P25 billion from end of 1999 levels. The bank‘s resources thus reached P280 billion, a level more than four times larger than the average asset size of a Philippine commercial bank.

Equitable PCI Bank’s NPL (non-performing loans) ratio at 11.61 percent is the lowest among the top five banks in the country. This puts the bank among the best domestic banks in terms of asset quality. Loans to deposits ratio is at 74 percent, reflecting the bank‘s safe and comfortable proportion of loans in relation to customers’ deposits.

The Equitable’ PCI Bank’s net loans of P111 billion, which is the third largest in the industry, captures a nine percent share of the market. Deposits stood at P170.5 billion, making Equitable PCI Bank the third largest in deposits with a nine percent market share. This level is more than four times larger than the average deposit base of commercial banks in the country.