Fitch Affirms ACBA-Credit Agricole Rating at `B +` with Stable Outlook

ArmInfo. Fitch Ratings affirmed  the rating of Bank ACBA- Credit Agricole at the level of "B +" with  the forecast "Stable" (long-term Issuer Default Rating - IDR - issuer  rating of long-term debt obligations). As the press service of the  Bank told ArmInfo, the assignment of ACBA-Credit Agricole to this  rating level in the report of the agency Fitch is stipulated by a  strong core of internal financial viability.

Fitch confirmed the rating of the Bank, taking into account such  criteria as the exceptionally leading position of ACBA-Credit  Agricole in the agro-sector lending market, high liquidity level,  infrastructure saturation, including coverage of the branch network  with presence in all regions of Armenia.

The Fitch report also indicates that in difficult macroeconomic  conditions in recent years, the Bank has focused on improving the  quality of assets: "This in turn has helped and will further reduce  the level of asset risk and increase profitability." The rating  assigned to the Bank is the highest rating level that can be assigned  to organizations / companies functioning in Armenia. Assigning a  rating similar to the country rating in the world practice to the  Bank is considered a high valuation, and this Fitch Ratings  assessment of ACBA-Credit Agricole activity confirms the leading  positions and transparency of this financial structure.  To note, in  June 2017 Fitch Ratings assigned to the Bank ACBA-Credit Agricole a  "B +" rating with a "Long-term Issuer Default Rating" (IDR) rating.    According to the Financial Rating of Armenian Banks as of January 1,  2018, prepared by ArmInfo News Agency , ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank is  included in the TOP-5 branch network coverage, and the third position  is retained by the number of regional branches. On the main balance  sheet indicators, the Bank holds positions in the TOP-5. The total  capital of the bank at that date was 60.2 billion AMD (3rd position),  assets - 311 billion (4th position), loan portfolio - 209.3 billion  (4th position), total liabilities - 250.8 billion (4th position). In  2017, ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank completed with a net profit of 5.6  billion AMD (4th position), increasing it 3 times in annual terms.  ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank - a permanent leader in the agricultural  credit market - 76 billion AMD or over 33% of the loan portfolio of  the bank, and in the total agrocredits of the banking system, the  share of ACBA-Credit Agricole is about 48%. 46.5 bln AMD or over 22%  of the bank's loan portfolio were invested in the SME sector. (The  calculated exchange rate of AMD as of December 31, 2017 was 484.10  AMD / $ 1).  

To recall, "ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank" JSC has been  operating in Armenia since 1995. The majority shareholders of the  bank are: the largest European banking group Credit Agricole S.A.  with a 15.56% interest in the capital, after which SJSC "Sacam  International" (a member of Credit Agricole S.A) - 12.44% followed by  the size of participation, "ACBA Federation" JSC - 71%.