BPI 2014 net income down slightly

MANILA, Philippines - The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has reported a full year net income of P18 billion, down slightly by four percent from the P18.8 billion recorded in 2013. But better than P16.3-billion earnings in 2013. In the fourth quarter alone, net earnings expanded to P5.2 billion, or a 72-percent increase over P3 billion in net income earned in the same period in 2013. It is also the fourth straight consecutive increase in quarterly net income for the Bank. BPI’s core business in lending to corporate and retail clients continued to drive growth. Net loans reached P800 billion, an increase of 26 percent over year-end 2013. Deposits ended at P1.17 trillion, an increase of 19 percent. Low-cost CASA ratio stood at a strong 69 percent. For all of 2014, net interest income grew 15 percent to P34.8 billion.