Best bank
Public Bank
Best equities house
CIMB
Best debt house
CIMB
Best M&A house
CIMB
Public Bank wins the award for best bank in Malaysia for a third straight year and in the past 12 months its performance has improved yet again. Although revenues in fiscal 2003 increased 13.8%, a drop in the costs meant that the bank?s operating profit jumped 72.6%. The balance sheet also remains strong, with non-performing loans reduced further to just 2% and shareholders? funds at M$8.7 billion ($2.3 billion).
Public Bank dominates the consumer market and this has protected it from the fallout as a result of the imposition of capital controls. As the economy has recovered, so has the bank?s loan portfolio, as its asset base has increased to M$64.6 billion. Returns on assets are a respectable 2.3% and net interest margin 3.8%. Public Bank is also one of Malaysia?s best-capitalized banks, with a core capital ratio of 17.6%.
Commerce International Merchant Bankers (CIMB) dominates domestic investment banking and this year has made a clean sweep of the investment banking awards. A subsidiary of financial services group Commerce Asset-Holding, CIMB tops all three league tables.