OREANDA-NEWS. July 24, 2007. In the first half of 2007 SEB Unibanka Group has derived net profit* of 28 million Lats, while operating income for this period has amounted at 55,2 million Lats, reported the press-centre of  SEB Unibanka Group.

The total value of assets as of June 30, 2007 was billion Lats, thus in the first half of 2007 increasing by 15%. Capitals and reserves of SEB Unibanka Group on June 30, 2007 have reached 203,5 million Lats.

Ainars Ozols, President of SEB Unibanka: "The first six months of 2007 in the work of SEB Unibanka Group was marked by a closer integration into the SEB group, opening the door to even more rapid professional development and allowing us to offer our customer services appropriate for various financial situations in a time and place convenient for them. The results of the first six months indicate that our customers have approved our accomplishments and consider our services as essential part of their daily financial life.

More than 842 000 customers – that is the highest approval. Last week we have received a significant approval from the international business magazine Euromoney – the best Latvian Bank. This is an important approval for the team of SEB Unibanka of its accomplishments. This allows furthering the development of the bank with new determination in order to make its services and their quality which meet the requirements of our customers. In 2007 we will continue the work at changing of the brand, initiated already in spring of 2005, fully changing to one – SEB brand. Similar to SEB Unibanka, other Baltic banks – SEB Vilniaus bankas and SEB Eesti Uhispank have planned in spring of 2008 to successfully complete their integration into SEB Group.

Moreover, in June 2007 SEB Group has obtained the right to carry out the final purchase of the shares in SEB Unibanka. At the moment 100% of the shares in SEB Unibanka belong to SEB Group. Simultaneously with these processes we will keep up with the further development of Latvia as well which is an important foundation for sustainable welfare and stability of our country. Crediting just like until now will be a significant support to companies which produce and export. Crediting will remain the means for Latvian inhabitants to purchase their own dwelling, on condition that this process should be well-thought-out, not causing undesirable financial instability to households and businesses, as the previous experience demonstrates that the changes in financial markets may significantly affect both the family budget and the financial plans of companies."

The amount of deposits entrusted by the customer of SEB Unibanka in the first half of this year has increased by 14% and amounted at 1,3 billion Lats. More than 245 000 participants have entrusted their savings of the pension level 2 and 3 to SEB Unibanka Group. Due to the activity of Latvian population in formation of pension reserves, SEB Unipensija with certainty is the leader among the private pension foundations in Latvia, increasing the savings of the customer by almost 20 million Lats. More than 600 Latvian companies build private pensions savings of their employees in SEB Unipensija for motivation.

As of June 30, 2007 both private persons and companies have entrusted their savings in the amount of 186,2 million Lats to SEB Unifondi – the joint stock investment management company of SEB Unibanka. Since the beginning of the year the total portfolio of SEB Unifondi has grown by 28%.

The total amount of subscribed premiums in SEB Dzivibas apdrosinasana in the first half of this year has almost tripled in comparison with the previous year amounting to more than 7,3 million Lats. It has allowed SEB Dzivibas apdrosinasana to strengthen its leading position in Latvia, forming 41% of the total life insurance market.  22% of the new customers have chosen to build individual investment strategies, saving in the unit-linked service attracted to investment foundations, while 78% prefer savings with guaranteed profit.

At the end of the accounting period the gross value of credits issued by SEB Unibanka Group was 2,6 billion Lats, thus increasing by 17% since the beginning of the year. In the first six months financing of purchase of new dwellings covered 143 million Lats. The total amount of credits issued to households at the end of June was 661.8 million Lats.

SEB Unilizings – the enterprise of SEB Unibanka Group experienced a rapid growth of business dimensions in the first half of the year – the total amount of leasing and factoring portfolio had increased by 59 million Lats or 19%, amounting at 373 million Lats. The leasing portfolio has grown by 18% amounting at 338 million Lats, while the factoring portfolio – by 24% amounting at 35 million Lats. More and more often lease agreements or agreements of operative leasing are concluded at SEB Unilizings – they constitute 18% of the new transactions.

On June 30, 2007 the online bank Ibanka of SEB Unibanka for daily payments were used by 352 565 customers of SEB Unibanka. The number of persons using SMS bank in the first six months has increased by 18% – at the end of June this service was used by 247 353 customers of SEB Unibanka, in order to get the latest information about the changes in their account by means of SMS. Payment cars with the brand of SEB Unibanka are used already by more than half a million customers. In order to provide safety of transactions carried out with the payment cards, all payment cards issued by SEB Unibanka are produced with a chip or a microprocessor. For online purchases SEB Unibanka has introduced a 3D solution which allows making purchases even safer. For cash withdrawal and payment of accounts SEB Unibanka has installed 192 automated teller machines, including seven automated teller machines for depositing and withdrawal of cash, which allows depositing of cash the account of the card by means of the automated teller machine.

In the first six months of this year SEB Unibanka has continued its participation in social, cultural, educational and sports life of Latvia. The season of SEB Baltic basketball league (SEB BBL) has successfully completed. In cooperation with Junior Achievement Latvia the best young advertisement creators have been identified. In the second quarter of 2007 SEB Unibanka has granted the scholarship of the Professor Indulis Zarins to the Student of Academy of Arts Karine Paronjanc. There have also been established new scholarship programs to students of Latvian institutions of higher education. SEB Unibanka was the first bank in Latvia which within the framework of SEB Group has joined the project "SEB Trainee" or the program of young gifted persons, allowing one promising youth of Latvia to acquire job experience in SEB Group of one year. Right now there is actively going on SEB competition of mountain bikes, supported by SEB Unibanka already for six years. SEB Unibanka has become the general sponsor of the celebrations of the 800th Anniversary of Sigulda, as well as provided financial support to Art festival of Cesis, becoming the patron of this festival. Since beginning of the year SEB Unibanka has supported 178 ideas of inhabitants and businessmen of Latvia.

In order to ensure more convenient use of the services, offered by the bank, SEB Unibanka in the first half of the year has opened the second 24-hour customer service centre (in Jelgava) in which electronic services of the bank are available 24 hours a day. In the second quarter of this year in Riga, at Vilipa iela there was opened new and spacious customer service centre.

SEB Unibanka Group is formed by the bank, leasing company "SEB Unilizings", open pension foundation "SEB Unipensija", joint stock investment management company "SEB Unifondi", life insurance company "SEB Dzivibas apdrosinasana", limited liability company "SEB Enskilda", registered in Latvia, which performs the functions of investment bank.

* - here and henceforth – consolidated nonaudited data of balance and profit and loss account of SEB Unibanka Group.

SEB Group is a financial institution of Northern Europe, providing banking services to more than 400 thousand companies and institutional customers, as well as 5 million private persons in Scandinavia, Baltic Countries, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia and is internationally represented in 10 more countries. As of December 31, 2006 the amount of assets of SEB had amounted at 213 billion euros, while the total amount of assets entrusted in management to SEB Group amounted at 139 billion euros. More about SEB Group: www.sebgroup.com.