August 20, 2020
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5min

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted economies around the globe, Amãna Bank through its resilient performance continued its profitability trend in 2020. The Bank recorded a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of Rs 250.5 million and Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 170.4 million for the first half of the year whilst PBT and PAT for Q2 stood at Rs 70.3 million and Rs 40.6 million respectively.

Supported by the continuous trend in profitability, the Bank in July 2020 announced its third consecutive dividend since 2018; a Scrip Dividend of eight cents per share in line with the directions issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to all licensed commercial banks which restricted payment of cash dividends for the rest of the year. The Scrip Dividend, which totals over Rs. 200 million from the Bank’s retained earnings, is issued in proportion of one share for approximately every 25 shares held in the Bank. The XD date for the Scrip Dividends is 18 September 2020 while uploading of the shares to the respective CDS accounts will be completed by 28 September 2020.

The Bank maintained a positive momentum in customer deposits throughout the period to close the first half with a deposit portfolio of Rs 78.9 billion reflecting a 6 month growth of 10%. As a result of conscious strengthening of credit risk parameters in the backdrop of challenging market conditions, advances grew by 2% to close at Rs 58.6 billion.  At the end of the first half, the Bank’s Total Assets stood at Rs 94.2 billion, 9% higher than the 2019 closing figure, resulting in the Bank’s Net Asset Value improving to Rs. 4.81 per share. The Bank also continued to maintain a healthy asset portfolio with non performing ratios being well below industry averages, where Net NPA and Gross NPA stood at 2.2% and 4.6% respectively.

 



 

Commenting on the Bank’s financial performance Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Azmeer said “In the backdrop of unfavourable business environment, drop in market rates and the moratorium owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, which impacted business profitability, I am happy to note our resilient performance. I believe the economy is in a much better position than where it was a few months ago, and I am confident this positive momentum will continue and reinforce economic development”.

During the pandemic, in facilitating CBSL’s stimulus to support the economic turnaround, especially focusing on SMEs, Amana Bank set up a dedicated unit to enable the channeling of relief and Saubhagya Scheme. During this process, the Bank accommodated over 5000 relief requests, impacting a portfolio of over Rs. 28 billion which comprised 47% of the Bank’s total advances. Further, the Bank processed 64 Saubhagya applications and disbursed over Rs. 500 million to its SME customers who requested for working capital assistance.

Strengthening the Bank’s position as a growing and stable franchise, Fitch Ratings Sri Lanka in June 2020 upwardly revised the Bank’s National Long Term Rating to BB+(lka) from BB(lka) with a Stable Outlook. Amidst the economic challenges, the Bank’s flagship CSR project ‘OrphanCare’ continued to benefit over 2700 orphan children around the country as it paid its fourth disbursement in July 2020, since its launch in March 2019.

Amana Bank PLC is a stand-alone institution licensed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange with Jeddah based IsDB Group being the principal shareholder having a 29.97% shareholding of the Bank. The IsDB Group is a ‘AAA’ rated (S&P, Moody’s & Fitch) multilateral development financial institution with a membership of 57 countries. Amãna Bank does not have any subsidiaries, associates or affiliated institutions, other than the ‘OrphanCare’ Trust.




 
 


January 10, 2020
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6min

Amãna Takaful’s (ATL) DeerghaYOU Plus continues to help Sri Lankans across the country, invest in their future and put adequate funds aside, to achieve greater financial freedom and independence when they retire. Saving for your future, should not be left for the later stages of your life, but should ideally be invested in from your early working years – to ensure that you have enough money to support yourself and continue to enjoy a decent standard of living, when the time comes for you to leave the workforce. The golden years of your life, should be a time filled with relaxation and enjoyment, and by investing in DeerghaYOU Plus, you can enjoy peace of mind and rest assured that you will always be provided for in the future.

Simply by putting a pre-agreed monthly amount aside with ATL’s plan will ensure your financial freedom, independence, and a stress-free lifestyle when you retire. Your monthly contribution, will be set aside in a dedicated fund, which you can leave to accumulate and then claim over a period of between 15-30 years. One of the most unique aspects and key benefits of this product, is unlike a traditional savings account or fixed deposit, it will continue to grow even in the unfortunate event that a policyholder passes away, ATL in this case will continue making the investment on their behalf up to the pre-determined date, and thereafter the spouse will be able to access the funds and enjoy a peaceful and stress-free retirement.

In order to ensure that the funds you put aside grow over time, policyholders also get to choose four fund options – a Protected Multiple Fund that is designed to protect your savings, and a Growth Multiple Fund that is designed to benefit from market performances at moderate risk, each fund has the capacity to grow over time. You can also choose the fund and amount that best suits your long-term financial needs.

Commenting on this policy and the importance of planning for your future Mr. Gehan Rajapakse – Chief Executive Officer, ATL Life, stated, “At ATL, we understand how important it is for you to establish a financial safety net for your retirement. Unfortunately, many people don’t really think about future savings until well into their late forties and fifties. However, by this time, it might be too late and ultimately the amount saved is much less than it could have been had you simply started saving earlier. That is where DeerghaYOU Plus can help you. Once you’re locked into the plan, you can simply forget about it. The flexibility of DeerghaYOU Plus allows you to access the funds as a lump sum or through monthly payments, while the amount set aside can be topped up easily.

“Most importantly, DeerghaYOU Plus also ensures that even in the unfortunate event of the death of the policyholder, ATL will step forward to match the deceased’s payment plan up until the pre-determined date of maturity. This means that the assigned beneficiary will gain access to the full allotment of funds. This guarantee ensures that as a valued ATL client, you can relax, as your investments will go exactly as planned. We understand that saving is not something that comes naturally to many of us, which is why we hope to remove that burden, provide convenience and guarantee your future financial security as you go about living life.”

Highlighting the interest in the plan, he added: “We are seeing a growing number of policyholders in their mid-thirties to early forties, opting into our DeerghaYOU Plus plan, instead of leaving it as an after-thought to be dealt with at the end of their working lives. This is extremely encouraging and a prudent approach to financial planning. Life is filled with uncertainties, and by putting aside a small amount each month, you can ensure that you are well prepared and able to face unexpected challenges that come your way.”

ATL’s DeerghaYOU Plus is also designed to serve as a flexible plan, and you can opt to switch between the two fund options that are available. Additionally, after completing five years of payment at the maximum value, you can opt for up to two partial withdrawals.

With a focus on customer-centricity and ensuring the protection of Sri Lankans from all corners of the island, ATL continuously reaches out to its ever-expanding customer base and offers innovative and state-of-the-art insurance products that are convenient, affordable and reliable. With a decent branch network in place, ATL’s multi-ethnic team works tirelessly to ensure that all policyholders are well taken care of at all times.

To find out more about how you can enjoy a happy and stress-free retirement with ATL’s DeerghaYOU Plus, kindly call our hotline



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