Fitch Ratings has revised the outlook from Stable to Positive. All other ratings remain unchanged.
The rating action follows the announcement by NKBM that it has signed a sale and purchase agreement with the Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) for the acquisition of 100% of the shares of Abanka. Abanka’s acquisition by NKBM and their subsequent merger, if completed, will create the second-largest bank in Slovenia with a market share of around 22.5%. The acquisition is significant for NKBM in terms of size as it would increase its total assets and risk-weighted assets (RWA) by around 70%. The Positive Outlook for NKBM reflects Fitch’s expectation that the merger of banks will be coupled with further improvements in asset quality and maintenance of a solid capitalisation.
