OREANDA-NEWS. On 03 February 2009 was announced, that according to preliminary results, BIGBANK's branch in Lithuania continued expansion and increased all main financial indicators during the year 2008.

BIGBANK's Lithuanian branch total assets amounted to 50.3 million LTL by the end of 2008 in comparison with 14.5 million LTL the year before. The loan portfolio of the branch increased by 34.3 million LTL or 250% during 2008, amounting to 48.0 million LTL by the end of the year. Loan portfolio grew 26.1% or 9.9 million LTL in Q4. Interest income for the year amounted to 12.1 million LTL. Other income amounted to 1.9 million LTL.

According to Rolandas Norvilas, the deputy head of BIGBANK Lithuanian branch, BIGBANK has reached all the goals set for 2008 in Lithuania and managed to achieve monthly profitability in the last quarter of 2008. The branch showed annual loss of 0.6 million LTL that is 85.3% less than a year before. "The loss derives from investments made for launching of Lithuanian operations for opening Lithuanian sales offices. Currently we have achieved profitability and our intention is to end 2009 with positive numbers on profit line," said Rolandas Norvilas.

In the end of 2008 BIGBANK in Lithuania had 8 sales offices and 69 employees.

Audited results of the BIGBANK group will be published by the end of February.