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Habib Bank Limited II

Summary of Proposed Investment

This Summary of Proposed Investment is prepared and distributed to the public in advance of the IFC Board of Directors’ consideration of the proposed transaction. Its purpose is to enhance the transparency of IFC’s activities, and this document should not be construed as presuming the outcome of the Board decision. Board dates are estimates only.

Project number 26095
Company nameHabib Bank Limited (HBL)
CountryPakistan
SectorFinance & Insurance
Environmental categoryC
DepartmentGlobal Financial Markets Group
StatusPending Signing
Date SPI disclosedJune 6, 2007
Projected board dateJuly 9, 2007
Previous EventsApproved: July 12, 2007
  Overview     Sponsor/Cost/Location     Development Impact     Contacts     Attachments  

Project description
Habib Bank Ltd (HBL or the Bank) was incorporated in Pakistan in 1947. Privatized in 2004, HBL is the largest and most important private sector bank in Pakistan with a market share of approximately 20% in terms of loans and deposits, approximately $9.6 billion in assets and $877 million in shareholders equity as of December 31, 2006. Having a diversified line of businesses, HBL has a strong background in corporate and SME lending and has also recently focused on increasing its lending to consumers.

The project is a continuation of an earlier project (project #24135 approved by IFC’s Board on April 27, 2006) which involved an eight-year Tier 2 subordinated loan of up to $50 million to HBL and an equity investment of up to 5% of the Bank’s capital.

This project seeks an increase in proposed IFC equity investment amount in HBL, from $50 million approved by the IFC Board to up to $125 million, for a stake of up to 5% of the Bank’s capital as part of the divestment of government ownership in HBL. The increase in proposed investment amounts has been necessitated by the improved performance/fundamentals of HBL and increases in equity market valuations in Pakistan since early 2006, reflecting global and emerging market trends.

IFC has committed the Tier 2 subordinated loan of up to $50 million to HBL in June 2006.