In Jan-Sept 2016 banking system of Armenia paid $58.9 mln in taxes

ArmInfo. In Jan-Sept 2016 the banking system of Armenia paid 27.9 bln AMD or $58.9 mln in taxes, 12.5% less than in Jan-Sept 2015. The share of direct taxes (including profit tax and income tax) was over 89% or 25.1 bln AMD, 13.1% less than in Jan-Sept 2015.  The share of commercial banks in the total amount of taxes paid by top 1000 taxpayers was 5.3%. The top 1000 taxpayers paid a total of 525 bln AMD ($1.1 bln) in taxes in Jan-Sept 2016.

According to the State Revenue Committee of Armenia, the list of the top 100 taxpayers of Armenia included 13 out of the 19 commercial banks (ProCredit Bank and BTA Bank exclusive) (versus 14 banks in Jan-Sept 2015). The top 5 taxpayers among the banks were Ameriabank, VTB Bank (Armenia), ACBA- Credit Agricole Bank, Ardshinbank, and Armbusinessbank, which paid a total of 13.9 bln AMD (down 15.8% versus Jan-Sept 2015), including 12.7 bln AMD in direct taxes (down 15.7% versus Jan-Sept 2015).

Ameriabank held the 23rd position on the list of the largest taxpayers (15th position a year before), having paid 3.3 bln AMD, including 3.1 bln AMD in direct taxes. VTB Bank (Armenia) was the 27th (26th a year before); it paid 2.8 bln AMD, including 2.4 bln AMD in direct taxes. ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank was the 28th (38th a year before) - 2.7 bln AMD, including 2.4 bln AMD in direct taxes. Ardshinbank held the 29th position (32nd a year before) - 2.6 bln AMD, including 2.5 bln AMD in direct taxes. Armbusinessbank was the 33rd (32nd a year before) - 2.4 bln AMD, including 2.2 bln AMD in direct taxes.

The top 100 taxpayers also included INECOBANK (37th position - 2.3 bln AMD, including 2.2 bln AMD in direct taxes), Unibank (45th position -1.8 bln AMD, including 1.5 bln AMD in direct taxes), HSBC Bank Armenia (54th position - 1.5 bln AMD, including 1.4 bln AMD in direct taxes), Converse Bank (75th position - 1.2 bln AMD, including 1 bln AMD in direct taxes), Armeconombank (76th position - 1.1 bln AMD, including 999 mln AMD in direct taxes), Anelik Bank (81st position - 1.1 bln AMD, including 964.2 mln in direct taxes), Areximbank-GPB Group (94th position - 961 mln AMD, including 777.8 mln AMD in direct taxes), and Araratbank (96th position - 930.1 mln AMD, including 825.7 mln AMD in direct taxes). 

The top 200 taxpayers of Armenia included ArmSwissBank - 124th position with 734.7 mln AMD (708.8 mln AMD in direct taxes), Armenian Development Bank - 155th position with 567.4 mln AMD (529.9 mln AMD in direct taxes), and Prometey Bank - 165th position with 540 mln AMD (493.4 mln AMD in direct taxes). The top 1000 taxpayers of Armenia included Mellat Bank - 210th position with 427.5 mln AMD (412.8 mln AMD in direct taxes), Byblos Bank Armenia - 251st position with 355 mln AMD (245.7 mln AMD in direct taxes), and Artsakhbank - 392nd position with 214.2 mln AMD (164 mln AMD in direct taxes).

According to ArmInfo's Ranking of Armenian Banks, as of 1 October 2016, the aggregate accumulated profit of the Armenian banking system amounted to 154.6 bln AMD (down 5% versus a year before). The top 5 banks in terms of accumulated profit were HSBC Bank Armenia - 31.1 bln AMD, Ardshinbank - 28.9 bln AMD, Ameriabank - 21.5 bln AMD, ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank - 16.2 bln AMD, INECOBANK - 14.4 bln AMD. In Jan-Sept 2016, the banking system of Armenia ensured a 20.3 bln AMD pre-tax profit (up 11.1% versus a year before), and 16.3 bln AMD net profit (up 24.7% versus a year before). (On 30 Sept 2016, the AMD/USD exchange rate was 474.46 AMD/$1). To note, in late 2015 ProCredit Bank and BTA Bank announced their mergers with INECOBANK and Armeconombank, respectively. In early October 2016, Areximbank-GPB Group announced its merger with Ardshinbank. The Armenian Development Bank is also negotiating to merge with one of the banks. The consolidation of the banking system was dictated by the need to meet the Central Bank's new total capital standard (30 bln AMD), which will come into effect on 1 Jan 2017. As of 1 Oct 2016, only 9 banks complied with that standard.