Kenya Commercial Bank released their 2008 financial results over the weekend.
No. 1 but… KCB is now Kenya’s largest bank by bank assets and group assets, though Barclays still has a much larger book of loans and deposits, as well as higher profits.
Also with less than half the assets, Equity may be more profitable than KCB by 2010 if its exponential growth continues.
KCB assets were up 56% and profits 40%, with deposits up 28% and loans up 40% compared to 2007. 2008 was a balanced year for the bank actually performed quite well in Q4.
IPO Killer KCB has effectively delivered the final nail in the coffin of the Kenya Pipeline IPO by suing the corporation for almost $14 million of missing oil. The bank is also leading the case against Triton.
KCB beats expectations A January 2009 analysis by African Alliance pegged a Kshs. 2 billion hit to KCB profit and a pre-tax profit for the bank of Kshs. 2.2 billion - yet KCB managed to report a pre-tax profit of Kshs. 5.3 billion. AA also had an overweight recommendation with a price target of Kshs. 28.85 (at the time KCB was 21) and it looks very attractive at Kshs. 15.5 today.
Q4 watch In the September to December 2008 period deposits were up by 9% and loans by 4% - compared to Q1 loans which were up 4% and deposits 17%. KCB also built up quite a huge cash position with 39 billion (~$500 million) in bank placements at the end of the year.
2009 watch This year the bank has announced, a surprising decision to extend real estate finance to estate developers t the tune of Kshs 250 million (~$3.1 million each) and is also one of the few banks to continue offering personal loans in a very public way with media advertisements
More Nairobist analysis on KCB and KCB and Triton
