Best bank - CSOB
Best local partner - Patria Finance
Best debt house - Deutsche Bank
Best M&A - Merrill Lynch
Best equity, local partner - Wood & Co
The Czech Republic's banking sector included some strong performers in the past 12 months, particularly Komercni Bank, owned by Société Générale; Ceska Sporitelna, owned by Erste Bank; and CSOB, owned by KBC.
Komercni enjoyed enormous growth on the stock market, its stock price appreciating by 101% in 2002. But CSOB wins thanks to its 25% market share in corporate banking, its strong position in mutual funds, and its leading role in investment banking through its subsidiary Patria Finance. Patria has done by far the most M&A transactions in the country, including the acquisition of a stake in Ceska Sporitelna by Erste Bank, and is also one of the best banks for equity trading and research. It is the best local partner.
Merrill Lynch is the leading international M&A house, thanks to the advisory mandate on the e1 billion acquisition of eight power distributors from the government by CEZ. Merrill Lynch has not done as many M&A deals in the region as some other banks, but the ones it has done, such as this deal or BP's merger with TNK, have been among the biggest in the region.