Bank Negara Indonesia to distribute dividends worth Rp2.69 trillion

Jakarta, March 16 (Antara) - State-owned lender Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) plans to distribute Rp2.696 trillion, or 25 percent of the profits it earned last year, as dividends. "Nearly 25 percent (of profits earned last year), or Rp2.696 trillion, has been allocated as dividends for the book year 2014 and will be distributed among registered shareholders," President Director of BNI Gatot Suwando, in his capacity as the chairman of the bank's annual general shareholders' meeting, said here on Tuesday. As compared to that of 2013, dividends in 2014 fell in terms of value and ratio to net profit, he added. The bank had set aside Rp2.716 trillion, which was 30 percent of its net profit in 2013, as dividends. At the general shareholders' meeting, it was also agreed that Rp1.796 trillion, which is 16.65 percent of the net profit of 2014, would be allocated as appropriated reserve to support investment. The remaining amount of net profits in the book year 2014 was approved to be retained earnings. BNI posted a net profit of Rp10.783 trillion last year, up by 19.1 percent from the Rp9.1 trillion recorded the year before. The profit was fueled by an increase in net interest income and non-interest income. The bank saw its net interest income rise by 17.4 percent to Rp22.4 trillion in 2014 from Rp19.1 trillion a year earlier. Its non-interest income also rose by 13.5 percent to Rp10.7 trillion in 2014 from Rp9.4 trillion the previous year. The increase in non-interest income was driven by an increase in fee-based income from the management of accounts, card business, ATM transactions, and other non-interest income.