First quarter report 2008

First quarter report 2008

Financial highlights

First quarter 2008
· Pre-tax operating profits before write-downs were NOK 1.5 billion (3.8)
· Profit for the period was NOK 1.1 billion (2.9)
· Return on equity was 5.7 per cent (17.2)
· Earnings per share were NOK 0.79 (2.11)
· Expenses represented 74.3 per cent of income (49.8)
· The core capital ratio, including 50 per cent of interim profits, was 7.0 per cent (7.6)

DnB NOR in first quarter 2008: Robust operations - profits affected by international financial turmoil

DnB NOR in first quarter 2008: Robust operations - profits affected by international financial turmoil

The turmoil in international financial markets was a contributing factor behind the decline in DnB NOR's pre-tax operating profits before write-downs to NOK 1.5 billion, from NOK 3.8 billion in the year-earlier period, mainly reflecting value adjustments on bonds and shares. The Group showed sound underlying performance, with an increase in net interest income of 26 per cent, healthy income from customer trading, a controlled cost trend and low write-downs on loans.

First quarter 2008

  • Pre-tax operating profits before write-downs were NOK 1.5 billion (3.8)
  • Profit for the period was NOK 1.1 billion (2.9)
  • Return on equity was 5.7 per cent (17.2)
  • Expenses represented 74.3 per cent of income (49.8)
  • The core capital ratio, including 50 per cent of interim profits, was 7.0 per cent (7.6)
Reduced market values due to the financial market turmoil resulted in total write-downs of NOK 2.5 billion in the first quarter of 2008. Of this, NOK 1.6 billion represented unrealised losses on the bank's bond portfolio, while ownership interests in and the guarantee issued for the bond portfolio in Eksportfinans represented NOK 309 million. The net loss recorded by Vital and write-downs on the bank's equity portfolio totalled NOK 600 million. No permanent losses are expected on any of the securities included in the bond portfolios. "The financial market turmoil resulted in widening credit risk spreads, which also had a knock-on effect on high-quality bonds. DnB NOR's bond portfolio has a very good rating, and we have registered no rise in the portfolio's credit risk. Write-downs resulting from the decline in value will be reversed over the residual maturity of the bonds. The Group has satisfactory access to funding, and the trust we enjoy in the financial markets was recently confirmed through the upgrading to an AA rating," says Rune Bjerke, group chief executive. If the markets stabilise, pre-tax operating profits before write-downs in line with the 2007 figure should be within reach in 2008. "We enjoy very healthy underlying operations and growth. Our credit portfolios are of very high quality, and our targeted cost programme underpins our ambition to achieve pre-tax operating profits before write-downs of NOK 20 billion in 2010," says Bjerke. Ordinary operations showed a healthy trend in the first quarter of the year. In spite of the financial market turmoil, pre-tax operating profits before write-downs were up 8 per cent in Corporate Banking and Payment Services, while profits in Retail Banking increased by 18 per cent. DnB NORD's operations in Denmark, Poland and the Baltic States generated 37 per cent growth in profits compared with the year-earlier period. Lending growth was 18.1 per cent over the 12-month period, while deposit growth was 11.9 per cent. "All of our key markets continue to develop well with respect to both volumes and profitability. We are expanding in both the retail and corporate markets, and write-downs on loans remain at a low level," says Bjerke. Contact person: Trond Bentestuen, group executive vice president, Corporate Communications, tel. +47 22 48 16 91, mobile +47 95 02 84 48 The quarterly report, presentation and Supplementary Information for Investors and Analysts can be downloaded from www.dnbnor.com

DnB NOR: Annual General Meeting 30 April 2008

DnB NOR: Annual General Meeting 30 April 2008

The Annual General Meeting in DnB NOR ASA on 30 April 2008 approved the Board of Directors' proposal for the 2007 annual report and accounts, including the distribution of a dividend for 2007 of NOK 4.50 per share to registered shareholders as at 30 April 2008, to be distributed as from 15 May 2008. The shares in DnB NOR ASA will be quoted ex-dividend on 2 May 2008. The Annual General Meeting authorised the Board of Directors of DnB NOR ASA to acquire own shares for a total face value of up to NOK 1,332,653,615, corresponding to 10 per cent of share capital. The shares may be purchased through the stock market. Each share may be purchased at a price between NOK 10 and NOK 150. The authorisation will be valid for a period of 12 months from 30 April 2008. Acquired shares shall be sold in accordance with regulations on the reduction of capital. An agreement has been signed with the Ministry of Trade and Industry for the redemption of a proportional share of government holdings to ensure that the government's percentage ownership does not change as a result of the redemption of repurchased shares. The General Meeting also endorsed the recommendation from the Board of Directors and Supervisory Board and elected the auditing firm Ernst & Young AS new auditor for DnB NOR ASA with effect from 2008. In addition, the General Meeting approved the Board of Directors' proposed amendment to Article 6-1 of the Articles of Association to read as follows: "The Election Committee shall consist of up to five members. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board shall be a permanent member and will chair the Election Committee. The other members shall be elected by the General Meeting for a term of two years."

Trade subject to notification

Trade subject to notification

Bjørn Sund, board member in DnB NOR, has 30.04.2008 sold 15524 shares in DnB NOR ASA at a share price of NOK 71,-. The shares are sold to Bjørn Sund Invest AS, org. nr. 989124137, a 100 % owned company by Bjørn Sund. After this transactionBjørn Sund owns 0 shares in DnB NOR ASA.

Board of Directors of DnB NOR ASA

Board of Directors of DnB NOR ASA

The Supervisory Board will elect members to the Board of Directors of DnB NOR ASA on 18 June 2008. Board chairman Olav Hytta has announced that he will not stand for re-election. The Election Committee recommends the following composition of the Board of Directors (shareholder-elected members): Anne Carine Tanum, board chairman (up for election) Bjørn Sund, board vice-chairman (up for election) Bent Pedersen, board member (up for election) Tore Olaf Rimmereid, board member (new member) Trine Sæther Romuld, board member (not up for election) Siri Pettersen Strandenes, board member (not up for election) Benedicte Berg Schilbred is chairman of the Election Committee.

DnB NOR to Bjørvika

DnB NOR to Bjørvika

DnB NOR has signed an agreement with Oslo S Utvikling (OSU) to lease a new head office which is to be built in Bjørvika in Oslo, in the so-called Barcode Row. The new head office will provide approximately 80 000 square metres of office space. "Our vision to be the most attractive financial services house in the Nordic region does not only refer to the building, but also to our entire organisation. Coordination, cooperation and the streamlining of operations will promote the development and modernisation of the entire organisation. By gathering our employees in Oslo in one office complex, we will reduce time and costs now spent on transport between the different units and achieve more effective service functions," says Rune Bjerke, group chief executive. DnB NOR's new head office will consist of three buildings totalling approximately 80 000 square metres. The agreement with OSU regards the leasing of the buildings and includes a future purchase option. "Bjørvika is a completely new, innovative part of Oslo, a result of ambitious city planning. This is the location of the recently opened new opera building, and we have all seen how people are flocking to Bjørvika. When Bjørvika is completed, the variety of activities will create a dynamic environment both day and night. In addition, Bjørvika is a very central location with respect to public transport," says Liv Fiksdahl, group executive vice president in DnB NOR. The new head office will house more than 4 000 employees who are now working in several different locations in Oslo. Centralising staff in one, new effective office complex will halve the bank's office space requirements in Oslo. The commencement of the project is scheduled for the first quarter of 2009, and the first building phase will be completed in 2012. "DnB NOR is a multifaceted financial services group, which will fit well into Oslo's urban landscape in the future Bjørvika. This new part of Oslo will have a good mix of commercial businesses, cultural instititutions and housing," says Paul E. Lødøen, managing director of OSU. Contact persons: DnB NOR ASA: Eivind Grønstad, senior vice president, mobile: (0047) 920 31 505 Liv Fiksdahl, group executive vice president, tel. (0047) 22 94 46 32 Oslo S Utvikling AS: Paul E. Lødøen, managing director, mobile: (0047) 911 25 760