Bank Pekao - 2Q06 results slightly above consensus

Net earnings came in at PLN 446.1m, up 6.5% q/q and 12.7% y/y, above our expectation PLN 428.5m and to a lesser extent the consensus estimate of PLN 438m (with a wide range of PLN 428-PLN 468m, according to PAP). Whilst the bank demonstrated typically strong cost containment, the key driver of revenue growth in the quarter was a better-than-expected net trading result. The net provisioning requirement also came in lower-than-expected. We expect a muted market reaction to these results, which were only slightly above consensus.

We reiterate our Hold rating on the stock. Given the potential synergy from a planned merger with Bank BPH, we believe Bank Pekao ought to trade at some premium to the sector average but the stock appears fully valued at a 2006F P/E of 18.8x. This puts Bank Pekao at a 15.1% premium to the CEE sector of 16.3x and on even wider one to the FTSE 300 Eurofirst banks on 12.2x.