Abu Dhabi: Union National Bank (UNB), on Sunday reported a net profit of Dh1.03 billion for the first half of 2014, up 5 per cent compared to Dh987 million in the same period last year.

The profit for the second quarter of 2014 was Dh520 million, an increase of 6 per cent compared to Dh492 million reported in the second quarter of 2013 and was up by 2 per cent compared to the first quarter of this year.

“The UNB Group further improved its performance in the second quarter of the year, with the profit for the first half of the year crossing the Dh1 billion mark,” said Mohammad Nasr Abdeen, Chief Executive Officer, UNB.

The operating income for the six month period of 2014 was Dh1.59 billion, slightly lower compared to Dh1.64 billion during the same period last year. The net interest income and net income from Islamic financing for the first half of 2014 was Dh1.27 billion compared to Dh1.32 billion, impacted mainly by a reduction in the net interest margin.

The bank said competitive banking pressures led to a reduction in the net interest margin to 2.86 per cent for the first half of this year compared to 3.2 per cent during the same period last year.

The non-interest income remained relatively stable at Dh323 million compared to Dh327 million in the first half of last year with the net fee and commission income up by 15 per to Dh283 million compared to Dh246 million in same period last year.

Deposits

UNB’s total assets grew by 15 per cent year-on-year to Dh92.2 billion. The loans and advances increased to Dh62 billion as at 30 June 2014 compared to Dh60.3 billion at the close of the first half of last year. Customers’ deposits also grew strongly by 16 per cent to reach at Dh67 billion as at 30 June 2014 compared to Dh58 billion at the close of the first half of 2013. The loan to deposit ratio was 92.5 per cent at 30 June 2014.

“After a decent performance in the first quarter of 2014, UNB’s credit growth cooled down in the second quarter of 2014 with a mere 1 per cent quarter on quarter expansion. We expected the bank to continue its push into the retail and SME segment, similar to trends seen in the first quarter of 2014 yet we believe management has opted to preserve margins during the quarter in favour of loan growth,” Shuaa Capital said in a note.

Bank’s asset quality measures have continued to improve with the NPLs to gross loans ratio declining to 3.9 per cent at the end of the first half of this year compared to 4.3 per cent at the close of last year. The loan loss coverage as at 30 June 2014 was 91.3 per cent compared to six months ago.

“The asset quality continues to improve with the non-performing loans reducing both on an absolute basis as also relative to the gross loans, with the coverage being maintained at adequate levels,” Abdeen.

The annualised return on average equity, excluding Tier 1 capital notes was 15.2 per cent for the first half of the year and the annualised return on average assets was 2.3 per cent for the first half of the year.