For two consecutive years, Banco de Oro Universal Bank (BDO) has been cited as the country's Best Managed Company by a renowned regional publication providing leading coverage of the financial markets in the Asia Pacific.

 

Asiamoney once again awards BDO the distinction of "Best Managed Company - Mid-Cap Corporate for the Philippines for 2006." BDO also received the same recognition in 2005.

 

Furthermore, for 2005, BDO and its wholly owned investment banking subsidiary BDO Capital & Investment Corp. (BCIC) were both cited by Asiamoney magazine as the best in their respective fields. BDO Universal Bank was adjudged  "Best Domestic Bank", while BCIC received the "Best Equity House" and "Best Debt House" awards. This was a first-ever sweep of all country awards by a single banking group.

 

Asiamoney conducts a poll yearly to determine which are the best-managed companies in each country. For each country, the survey involves key analysts/investors some of whom are heads of research or senior  (all-sector) fund managers/CIOs for the leading international and domestic players.  As a result, Asiamoney is able to provide a qualitative as well as quantitative view of the corporates in the individual markets.  Judging included a mix of factors: overall financial and business performance, management strategy and vision, IR/access to mgmt and transparency, Corporate governance, focus on shareholder value and operational efficiency.

 

In the poll, all the companies are judged based on their performance over the previous year.  There is one winner for each of the 12 countries in the region.  The yearly polls has 3 categories for the   Best   Managed Companies, these are:  Small  Cap  Categories with capitalization  of  less  than  US$ 300 Million, Medium Cap Companies, with capitalization  of  more than US$ 300 Million but less than US$ 700 Million and the Large Cap Companies with over US$ 700 Million in capitalization.

 

Asiamoney mentioned in the Awards article that "By March (of this year), BDO will no longer be a mid cap. It will have merged with Equitable PCI Bank, becoming the largest bank in the country on some measures. The resulting institution will have market leading positions in corporate- and middle-market banking, consumer banking, credit cards, asset management, leasing and finance."

 

The magazine declares, "None of these (developments) could have happened without BDO?s prudent management." A featured quote from one analyst goes: "It's (BDO) well run, with very good management, good principles, and a sound approach in terms of market segmentation."

 

In a statement, SMIC vice chairman and incoming chairman of the merged entity, BDO-EPCI Bank Tessie Sy-Coson says, "The Asiamoney award is an affirmation of what we have been trying hard to achieve as an organization - professionalism and reliability. We work hard to give our clients nothing but the best."  

 

In the last quarter of 2006, BDO was ranked 5th in terms of resources, loans, deposits and capital according to industry data.  The Bank's consolidated total assets as of end-2006 was at P305.97 billion, up from year-end 2005 level of P234.0 billion. Asset quality indicators (NPL & NPA) are among the best in the industry. 

 

The merged institution which will be called Banco de Oro-EPCI, Inc. will be among the top three banks in the Philippines with combined total assets of P630.78 billion as of end-2006. The distribution network will be the third largest footprint in the industry with 698 branches and 1,214 ATMs nationwide.