| Key indicators for Bulgarian banks, June 30 1997 | ||||
| Expressbank | Post Bank | Hebrosbank | Biochim | |
| Number of branches |
93 |
104 |
166 |
140 |
| Assets ($ million) |
144 |
160 |
98 |
172 |
| Loan portfolio ($ million) |
51 |
67 |
25 |
47 |
| Equity capital ($ million) |
4.3 |
8.5 |
6.0 |
9.1 |
| Present government stake (%) |
98.0 |
78.2 |
97.6 |
99.3 |
| Capital adequacy (%) |
12 |
21 |
9 |
5 |
| Deposits ($ million) |
123 |
135 |
78 |
141 |
| Most recent annual profits ($) |
1,062,230 |
7,167,673 |
1,961 |
- |
This month Bulgaria starts drafting plans to privatize Bulbank. This is the biggest and best of the six state-owned banks which the pro-market Union of Democratic Forces government slated for privatization when it took power earlier this year. The first to be sold was United Bulgarian Bank in July. Expressbank, Bulgarian Post Bank, Hebrosbank and Commercial Bank Biochim are next in line along with Bulbank.