OREANDA-NEWS. National Rating Agency has affirmed its national scale Metallinvest 'AA-' credit rating on Metallinvest JSCB PJSC with a stable outlook. The company was assigned NRA's national scale credit rating of '+' in August 2007. The latest rating action on Metallinvest Bank (national scale 'A-' credit rating affirmation) dates Dec. 25, 2014.

The rating benefits from Metallinvest's strong market position, stable customer base and highly profitable operations. The rating also recognizes the bank's highly skilled management team and strong business management practices, combined with adequate underwriting policies, flexible approach to the development of lending operations and its high reliability in managing customer and counterparty relations. NRA also notes the potential positive implications of support from OMK Group, the bank's parent, on Metallinvest's financial strength and liquidity position.

The rating is constrained by the bank's highly volatile customer deposits, the single name concentration in its deposit portfolio and the increasing level of nonperforming loans (a challenge facing the banking sector in general).