REG - Nova Ljubljanska - Annual Financial Report

Nova Ljubljanska Banka dd LjubljanaAnnouncement

10/04/2025 16:30

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
https://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20250410:nRSJ5512Ea&default-theme=true

RNS Number : 5512E  Nova Ljubljanska Banka d.d.  10 April 2025

Nova Ljubljanska Banka d.d.

April 10, 2025

 

NLB Group: Here We Are a Part of Something Bigger

 

Pursuant to the Rules of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange relating to Article 158
of the Market Financial Instruments Act NLB d.d., Trg republike 2, 1000
Ljubljana, announces:

 

By now, you know us well. You know that our deepest commitment extends to
continuously providing our customers with meaningful services, maintaining
stability, and fostering growth in the markets of our operations, as well as
driving shareholder value and advancing their interests. You also know that we
constantly strive to exceed expectations and that we do not shy away from
seizing opportunities that lie beyond not yet discovered horizons. This was
also the case for NLB Group in 2024.

 

In the preceding year, we clearly and confidently demonstrated our ambition
that reaches beyond the known by introducing NLB Group's new business strategy
- a strategy designed to devote our Group and its talents to growth and
development in a rapidly changing financial environment. The strategy
stipulates that the Group's ambition remains to create sustainable growth to
support individuals and businesses alike. It foresees the doubling of NLB
Group's balance sheet (to more than EUR 50 billion assets), recurring revenues
of more than EUR 2 billion, and a profit of more than EUR 1 billion by 2030.

 

Although the recent economic turmoil from US policies indirectly effects our
region, it is still our base case that potential realignment in the European
economic structure might ultimately even strengthen our geographies with a
case of near shoring becoming even more compelling. Short-term market turmoil
and its effect on customer confidence could however temporarily affect loan
demand.

 

2024 has helped establish the foundation of our business strategy with the
strong business result reaching EUR 515 million of net income after tax.
Further milestones we have reached in 2024 have been the successful completion
of the acquisition of SLS Group, meaningfully accelerating our growth plan in
this important product segment and also marking NLB's re-entry into the
Croatian market after three decades. We also remain committed to our
sustainability goals and significantly improved our ESG Risk Rating (to 10.5).

 

The Group's robust performance in the previous year generated substantial
value for our shareholders, as NLB honoured its commitment by increasing its
2024 dividend payment by 100%, with a total payment of EUR 220 million or 40%
payout ratio from 2023 profit. Importantly, we retained 50% from 2024 profit
for our year-end capital ratio, meaning 50% of 2024 profit or EUR 257 million
are available for distribution in 2025. As in previous years, we intend to
propose to the General Meeting that the distribution be made in two tranches
in 2025, subject to no material M&A activity becoming actionable. The
first tranche is expected to be proposed at the regular General Meeting
scheduled for June 2025.

 

All major milestones and details of the Group's operations in 2024 are
disclosed in the NLB Group Annual Report 2024, which was confirmed by NLB
Supervisory Board and published today. The report introduces the inaugural
Sustainability Statement under the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting
Directive, reaffirming NLB's tradition of sustainability reporting. You may
find the report, as well as updated Investor presentation on the links below:

·    NLB Group Annual Report 2024
(https://www.nlb.si/nlb/nlb-portal/lp2024/ANG/NLB_Group_Annual_Report_2024.pdf)

·    Investor Presentation
(https://www.nlbgroup.com/content/dam/nlb/nlb-group/documents/investor-relations/financial-reports/2024/NLB%20Group%20Presentation%20Audited%20Q4%20FY%202024.pdf?sh=84ab4c72_35ed_4f9a_b386_ab364c2c9181.lMaV5MR_YShBY3yOWDqok7xGvxFvV-Jef8X-9i319n0)

 

"All our achievements, strategically structured plans and ambitions keep us
firmly positioned for further growth and development. Consequentially - and
perhaps even more importantly - they also ensure our stability in supporting
all the markets, societies, and communities where we operate. More
specifically, our dedication to Southeastern Europe, our home region, goes
beyond simply providing financial solutions and services. We are committed to
fostering a thriving community where individuals and businesses identify new
opportunities and explore new horizons. We know that here we are a part of
something bigger," wrote NLB d.d. Management Board in their message to
shareholders, clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders.

 

Full text of the Annual Report is available on FCA's National Storage
Mechanism and on Ljubljana Stock Exchange website, as well as on the Company's
website
(https://www.nlb.si/nlb/nlb-portal/lp2024/ANG/NLB_Group_Annual_Report_2024.pdf)
.

 

This announcement will be available on the company's website (www.nlbgroup.com
(http://www.nlbgroup.com/) ) as of 10 April 2025.

 

Investor Relations,

NLB d.d., Ljubljana

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
 or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
.   END  ACSEAFLEFSASEFA