RNS Number : 3916C
  Bank Hapoalim B.M.
  31 August 2008
   

    Head Office
    63 Yehuda Halevi St., Bank Hapoalim Bldg., Tel Aviv 65781
    Tel: 03-5673800; Fax: 03-5674576
    Date: August 28, 2008
    Reference: 802/08

    To    :    The London Stock Exchange

    Dear Sir or Madam, 



    RE:    Immediate Report regarding the Approval of the 
Financial Statements as at June 30, 2008
    

    1. We wish to inform you that at its meeting held at 4:00 p.m. on August 27, 2008, the Board of Directors of Bank Hapoalim resolved to
approve the Financial Statements as at June 30, 2008.

    2. An Immediate Report as required under the Securities (Periodical and Immediate Reports) Regulations, 5730-1970 and the Securities
(Electronic Signature and Reporting) Regulations, 5763-2003, together with a copy of the financial statements has been filed with the Israel
Securities Authority and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange through the Securities Authority's computer system on August 28, 2008, and has been
sent to the Bank of Israel and the Registrar of Companies in Israel.

    3. Enclosed is a summary of the Financial Statements of the Bank as at June 30, 2008. The full Financial Statements are available upon
request, and can be accessed on the Bank's internet site: http://www.bankhapoalim.com. 



    Sincerely yours,

    Bank Hapoalim B.M.
    Head Office
                               ( - )                                                                      ( - )

  Barry Ben-Zeev            Ofer Levy
   Senior Deputy      Senior Deputy Managing
 Managing Director           Director
        CFO              Chief Accountant
      

    Bank Hapoalim reported today its Financial Results for the Second Quarter of 2008
    Net Profit for Q2 of 2008 totaled NIS 594 million
    Capital Adequacy Ratio at end of Q2-08 reached 11.0%
    Tel Aviv, Israel -- Bank Hapoalim (IT: POLI, LI: BKHD, OTC: BHKYY)  
    Highlights of the financial statements: 
    *     Net Profit for the second quarter of 2008 totaled NIS 594 million compared with a loss of NIS 1,567 million in the previous
quarter and a profit of NIS 1,002 million in the same quarter last year. 
    *     Return on equity for the second quarter of 2008 was 13.8%, on an annualized basis compared with a negative return in the previous
quarter and 23.0% in the same quarter last year. 
    *     Net operating profit for the second quarter of 2008 totaled NIS 545 million compared with a loss of NIS 2,005 million in the
previous quarter and a profit of NIS 716 million in the same quarter last year. 
    *     Net return of operating profit on equity for the second quarter of 2008 was 12.6%, on an annualized basis compared with a negative
return in the previous quarter and 16.1% in the same quarter last year. 
    *     The Bank's capital adequacy at the end of the second quarter of 2008 stood at 11.01% compared with 9.74% at the end of the first
quarter of 2008 and 10.26% at the end of 2007. Tier 1 Capital reached 7.65% at the end of the second quarter of 2008 compared with 6.88% at
the end of the first quarter of 2008 and 7.50% at the end of 2007. 
    *     Profit from financing activity before provision for doubtful debts totaled NIS 1,943 million in the second quarter of 2008
compared with a loss of NIS 2,012 million in the previous quarter and a profit of NIS 1,995 million in the same quarter last year. 
    *     The provision for doubtful debts totaled NIS 252 million in the second quarter of 2008 compared with NIS 32 million in the
previous quarter and NIS 202 million in the same quarter last year. 
    The ratio of the specific provision for doubtful debts to the balance of balance-sheet credit to the public reached 0.44% in the second
quarter of 2008. The ratio to the balance of overall balance-sheet and off-balance-sheet credit risk to the public reached 0.25% in the
second quarter of 2008. 
    *     Problematic debt for the Bank Group decreased from NIS 14.7 billion at the end of 2007 to NIS 12.2 billion in the second quarter
of 2008, a decrease of 16.5%, while non-income- bearing debt declined from NIS 3.8 billion at the end of 2007 to NIS 3.4 billion at the end
of the second quarter of 2008, a decrease of 11.9%.
    *     Operating and other income totaled NIS 1,205 million in the second quarter of 2008 compared with NIS 1,284 million in the previous
quarter and NIS 1,254 million in the same quarter last year, a decrease of 6.2% and 3.9%, respectively. 
    *     Income from Credit cards - the contribution of the subsidiary "Isracard" to the Bank's operating income totaled NIS 339 million in
the second quarter of 2008 compared with NIS 328 million in the previous quarter and NIS 300 million in the same quarter last year, an
increase of 3.4% and 13.0%, respectively. 
    *     Operating and other expenses totaled NIS 1,911 million in the second quarter of 2008 compared with NIS 2,268 million in the
previous quarter and NIS 1,868 million in the same quarter last year, a decrease of 15.7% and an increase of 2.3%, respectively. 
    *     Contribution to the community - The community-service activities of the Bank's employees are varied and extensive, and take the
form of community involvement, monetary donations, and wide-ranging volunteer activities. This activity of the Bank Group in the second
quarter of 2008 had a monetary value of approximately NIS 20 million. 

    Chairman of the Board of Directors Dan Dankner commented:
    "The slowdown in growth in the developed countries (especially in the United States) and the sharp upsurges in raw-material prices
started to take a toll on economic activity in Israel in the second quarter of 2008. We believe the economy now faces external conditions
that could slow its growth in the second half of the year, and possibly in 2009 as well. These trends are apparent in most of the world's
advanced economies. 
    The crisis in the financial markets, primarily in the United States, has not passed over the Israeli banking industry, including the
Bank Hapoalim Group. Recall, in May 2008 the Bank sold the entire portfolio of mortgage-backed securities held at its New York branch. I am
certain that this was the right move to make, and the results of the second quarter prove that the sale did not have a significant impact on
the Bank's financial strength. 
    In line with the strategy we adopted at the beginning of this year, we have continued to take steps aimed at improving our
capital-adequacy ratio. In the first quarter, the Bank's overall ratio of capital to risk-adjusted assets was 9.7%. Our objective was to
reach a ratio of 11% by the end of this year and improve the ratio to 12% by the end of 2009. The 11% target has already been attained, at
the end of the first half of 2008, by raising capital from York Capital, raising capital through subordinated notes, selling the entire MBS
portfolio, and reducing risk assets abroad. 
    Bank Hapoalim will pursue its accelerated business development process in Israel and abroad and will continue to be a leading,
innovative bank providing its customers with the highest-quality financial products and services in the market. "

    CEO Zvi Ziv commented: 
    "The financial results for the second quarter of 2008 are affected by the first signs of a slowdown in economic activity in Israel, as a
result of the crisis in global financial markets, while, at the same time, they prove that the Bank's core business remains strong, despite
the losses incurred from the MBS crisis and especially considering the fact that this was the first quarter for which the Bank ceased to
collect management fees from provident funds, a significant revenue source in the past. 
    Note that several factors weighed down our results, including accounting asymmetries arising from differences between fair value and
measurement on an accrual basis in credit derivatives, as well as the fact that significant steps taken by the Bank during the first half of
the year are not expected to generate benefits until a later date. Among these measures, it is important to note our voluntary-retirement
program, which is expected to reduce payroll expenses in the long term. 
    Other significant measures were carried out during the first half of the year: We concluded the sale of Bank Massad and Bank Yahav,
which generated profits for the Bank, and we stepped up preparations for the launch of pension-advising activity. In the corporate sector,
volumes of activity have continued to grow while strictly maintaining the quality of our credit portfolio. In fact, this quarter, the volume
of problematic debt in the Bank continued to decrease significantly, despite the increase in credit balances and the relative worsening of
economic conditions during the second quarter. 
    After putting behind us the MBS crisis, albeit with a heavy price, we continue to devote maximum energy on all fronts to realize the
Bank's business plans and cope with the challenges of the future. "

    Highlights of the financial statements for the second quarter of 2008: 
    Net Profit - the decrease in net profit, compared to the same period last year, is mainly a result of the following:
    Profit from financing activity - financing profit, before provisions for doubtful debts, decreased by 2.6%, especially due to the
differences in measurement of credit derivatives on a fair value basis in contrast to measurement of balance sheet financial activity on an
accrual basis.
    Provision for doubtful debts - increased by 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year, mainly due to an increase in specific
provisions related to a small number of borrowers.
    Operating Income - decreased by 3.9% compared to the same quarter last year, mainly due to the completion of the sale of provident fund
management rights, the cessation of inclusion of Bank Massad and a decrease in income from capital market activity and investment in shares
due to a decline in volumes of activity in the market.

    Developments in Balance-Sheet Items
    The consolidated balance sheet as at June 30, 2008 totaled NIS 300.9 billion, compared with NIS 303.0 billion at the end of 2007, a
decrease of 0.7%. 
    Credit to the public totaled NIS 211.6 billion, an increase of 3.2% compared to the end of 2007. Appreciation of the shekel against most
foreign currencies moderated the increase in credit to the public at a rate of 2.9%. Likewise, balances decreased by NIS 1.9 billion, as a
result of the cessation of consolidation of Bank Massad data following its sale.
    Deposits from the public totaled NIS 227.0 billion, a decrease of 2.1% compared to the end of 2007. The decline in deposits from the
public was caused by, among other things, the appreciation of the shekel against most foreign currencies and as a result of the cessation of
consolidation of Bank Massad data following its sale.

      
    About Bank Hapoalim
    Bank Hapoalim is Israel's leading financial group. In Israel, the Bank Hapoalim Group includes financial companies involved in
investment banking, credit cards, trust services and portfolio management. The Group also has holdings in non-banking sectors. 
    Internationally, Bank Hapoalim operates through 44 branches, subsidiaries and representative offices, in North and Latin America,
Europe, the Far East, Turkey and Australia. In these markets, the Bank is engaged in trade, corporate finance, private banking and retail
banking. 
    Bank Hapoalim is the only Israeli Bank listed on both the Tel Aviv and London Stock Exchange. In addition, a Level-1 ADR is traded
"over-the -counter" in New York. 


    For further information please contact the Bank's Spokesperson:
    Tel: +972-3-567-3635; Fax: +972-3-567-3500 
    spokesperson@bnhp.co.il

      Principal Data of the Bank Hapoalim Group
                                 For the three months ended on June 30   Change      For the six months      Change
 Profit and profitability                                                             ended on June 30
                                            2008                  2007                   2008         2007
 Profit (loss) from financing              1,943                 1,995     (2.6%)        (69)        3,775  (101.8%)
 activities before provision
 for doubtful debts 
 Provision for doubtful debts                252                   202      24.8%         284          383   (25.9%)
 Operating and other income                1,205                 1,254     (3.9%)       2,489        2,621    (5.0%)
 Operating and other expenses              1,911                 1,868       2.3%       4,179        3,717     12.4%
 Operating profit (loss) before              985                 1,179    (16.5%)     (2,043)        2,296  (189.0%)
 taxes
 Provision for taxes (tax                    431                   440     (2.1%)       (521)          928  (156.1%)
 benefit) on operating profit
 (loss)
 Operating profit (loss) after               554                   739    (25.0%)     (1,522)        1,368  (211.3%)
 taxes
 Operating profit (loss)                     545                   716    (23.9%)     (1,460)        1,406  (203.8%)
 Net profit from extraordinary                49                   286    (82.9%)         487          231    110.8%
 transaction, after taxes
 Net profit (loss)                           594                 1,002    (40.7%)       (973)        1,637  (159.4%)

 Balance Sheet - Principal
 Items
                                                                                               Change compared with
                                                  30.6.2008             30.6.2007  31.12.2007  30.6.2007  31.12.2007

 Total balance sheet                              300,909               290,829    302,991          3.5%      (0.7%)
 Credit to the public                             211,575               191,705    205,016         10.4%        3.2%
 Securities                                       31,313                46,017     48,115        (32.0%)     (34.9%)
 Deposits from the public                         226,955               224,880    231,750          0.9%      (2.1%)
    Debentures and subordinated                   19,111                17,914     18,812           6.7%        1.6%
                          notes
 Shareholders' equity                             18,758                19,214     18,778         (2.4%)      (0.1%)

 Principal financial ratios
                                                                                   30.6.2008   30.6.2007  31.12.2007
 Shareholders' equity to total assets                                                    6.2%       6.6%        6.2%
 Tier I Capital to risk-adjusted assets                                                 7.65%       7.5%        7.5%
 Total Capital to risk-adjusted assets                                                 11.01%     10.38%      10.26%
 Credit to the public to total assets                                                   70.3%      65.9%       67.7%
 Deposits to the public to total assets                                                 75.4%      77.3%       76.5%
 Operating income to operating expenses                                                 59.6%      70.5%       66.1%
 Operating expenses to total income                                                    172.7%      58.1%       65.2%
 Provision for doubtful debts to credit to the public                                    0.2%       0.2%        0.1%
 (balance sheet and off-balance sheet)(a)
 Rate of provision for taxes                                                            25.5%      40.4%       39.1%
 Return of operating profit (loss) on equity, net(a)                                  (15.3%)      15.6%       12.3%
 Return of net profit (loss) on equity (a)                                            (10.3%)      18.3%       14.1%
 Return of net profit (loss) on total assets (a)                                       (0.6%)       1.1%        0.9%


    (a) Annualized


This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
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