Vienna International Professional Services Industry News

Read the latest headlines about developments in the international service industry in Vienna and Austria

New Structure and Management for Raiffeisen Leasing

The Austrian banking group is reorganizing its leasing business. Three new subsidiaries will deal with business in Austria, large customers and in-house projects.

August 26, 2011

Sberbank Reduces Offer for VBI after Drop of Share Prices

Sberbank wants to pay less for the purchase of Volksbank International after European bank shares have dropped more than 20%. Executives are going to meet on 28 August to negotiate the deal.

August 26, 2011

VBAG: Reduced Consolidated Net Income in First Half of Year

The Austrian bank recorded net income of € 1m. The result was negatively impacted by write-downs of Greek bonds.

August 25, 2011

Sharp Rise in Earnings for CA Immo

Rental income of the Austrian real estate group increased by 54% in the first half of the year. EBIT amounted to € 112.4m, up 53% from the reference period.

August 25, 2011

RBI – Capital Increase May Be an Option

The Austrian bank posted strong results for the first six months of the year. Consolidated profit increased by almost one third year-on-year.

August 25, 2011

Eco Business to Continue Redimensioning

The Austrian real estate company registered a strong decline in EBIT and incurred a net loss of € 3.0m in the first six months of the year.

August 24, 2011

Significant Decline in Profits for Bawag

Net profit of the Austrian bank dropped 18.5% to € 78.5m in the first six months of the year. The bank levy totaled € 10.2m.

August 24, 2011

Vienna Insurance Group Expands Involvement in Albania

With the acquisition of a 75% stake in Intersig, the Austrian insurance company raises its market share in Albania to 30%.

August 24, 2011

BKS Bank Continues Expansion Course

The Carinthian/Styrian regional bank recorded an increase in profit of 11.7%. Step-by-step expansion in international markets will be continued.

August 19, 2011

Sustainable Increase in Earnings for VIG

The Austrian insurance company recorded profit before taxes of € 282.2m, up 10.4% in the first half of the year.

August 18, 2011

Hypo Alpe Adria with First Profit since 2007

The Austrian bank returned to black figures after four years. A half-year profit of € 90.8m was achieved despite risk provisions of € 134.9m.

August 17, 2011

conwert: Lower Income despite New Sales Record

The Austrian real estate company recorded a decline in income of 33% year-on-year. Proceeds on the sale of properties are expected to reach a total of € 600m in the full year.

August 17, 2011

Massive Decline in Profits for C-Quadrat

The Austrian fund company recorded a drop in performance fees in the first six months of the year. Net profit fell from € 8.5m to € 2.0m.

August 16, 2011

Erste Group not Interested in Polish Bank Millenium

The Austrian bank continues looking for opportunities to expand into Poland after it has ruled out an acquisition of Bank Millenium.

August 16, 2011

Atrium with Significant Increase in Profit

The real estate company achieved a plus of 19.4% in net rental income in the first half of the year. Profit before tax increased by 8.9% to € 113.7m.

August 16, 2011

Financial Market Authority Terminates Inquiry against CEO of Immofinanz

The head of the Austrian real estate group had been accused of insider trading and delayed shareholder information.

August 12, 2011

Hypo: New Charges against Former CEO Kulterer

The Carinthian bank’s former CEO and three other persons are accused of having caused a damage of € 5.5m.

August 12, 2011

BayernLB Demands Rescission of Hypo-Deal

The German bank has taken action against the employee fund which is accused of having misled the management about Hypo’s equity base.

August 10, 2011

Demand for Real Estate Remains on a High Level

In the first half of 2011 Austrians invested € 8.3bn in real estate. Vienna remained the number one region with a total volume of € 2.31bn.

August 10, 2011

Atrium to Develop Hypermarket in Poland

The real estate company will develop a shopping center in the city of Lublin for the French retail chain Auchan.

August 10, 2011

Hypo Upper Austria Expects Stable Results

The Austrian regional bank achieved profit before taxes of € 16.6m in the first half of the year, up 1.2% year-on-year.

August 8, 2011

Greek Bonds Burden Kommunalkredit’s Results

The state-owned Austrian bank reported a significant decline in profits due to a write-off of Greek government bonds.

August 8, 2011

conwert Confirms Outlook after Half-Year Results

The Austrian real estate company expects an operating result of between € 61m and € 63m for the first half of 2011 and an increase of 15% for the full year.

August 8, 2011

Erste Group Strives for Full Control over Romanian BCR

The Austrian bank does not want its Romanian subsidiary to be listed at the stock exchange although it was a condition for the privatization.

August 4, 2011

Significant Increase in Profit for Bank Austria

The Austrian subsidiary of UniCredit achieved a plus in net profit of 52% despite a negative one-off effect of € 100m from Greek government bonds.

August 4, 2011

Hypo Alpe Adria Sells Stake in Hypo Insurance

All of the Austrian bank’s 20% stake will be taken over by majority owner Grawe insurance.

August 4, 2011

Immofinanz with Strong Results in Financial Year 2010/11

The Austrian real estate company recorded an increase in net profit of 60% and will pay a dividend for the first time since 2007.

August 4, 2011

Trend towards More Bonds in Corporate Financing

Companies will increasingly rely on the capital market as bank loans are becoming more expensive due to Basel III and stricter liquidity requirements.

August 3, 2011

Erste Group Planning New Branch Concept for Czech Republic

The Austrian bank’s Czech subsidiary is working on a modern concept which will be targeted at new customer groups.

August 3, 2011

Bank Austria Finances Portfolio of Apartment Houses in Vienna

The Austrian bank generates a stimulus for Vienna’s real estate market and finances 53 apartment houses with € 110m.

August 2, 2011

Hypo Alpe Adria Sells Off German Biogas Plants

The Austrian nationalized bank pulls out of the biogas sector. Sale of its plants in Austria is planned for the second half of 2011.

August 2, 2011

Immofinanz Acquires Development Site in Poland

The Austrian real estate company plans to develop a shopping center in the Polish city of Lublin. Opening is scheduled for 2013.

August 2, 2011

AutoBank with Improved Half-Year Results

The Austrian specialist bank increased new business volume by 4.2%. Stable growth was achieved in all areas.

August 1, 2011

Immofinanz Completed Sale of Office Campus Gasometer

The Austrian real estate company and its partner sold an office property in Vienna for € 75m to Bank Austria Real Invest.

August 1, 2011

Martin Schwedler Appointed CEO of Raiffeisen Investment in Moscow

The previous board member of RIAG will focus on expanding the Austrian bank’s presence in Russia’s growing M&A and ECM business.

August 1, 2011

Bawag Sells Stiefelkönig to Leder & Schuh

The Austrian shoe retail chain is taken over by its strongest competitor. The deal is subject to approval by the competition Authority.

July 29, 2011

Hypo Alpe Adria Sells Schlosshotel Velden

The Austrian bank signed a purchase agreement with Amisola Immobilien AG. Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group will take over management of the hotel.

July 29, 2011

Erste Group Increased Net Profit from January to June

The Austrian bank’s results were burdened by bank taxes in Austria and Hungary. Net profit was up 5.2%, based on a solid operating result and lower risk costs.

July 29, 2011

Warimpex Sells Hotel in Warsaw

The Austrian real estate company sells the Sobieski Hotel in Warsaw, together with an adjacent 6,000 square meter office building to Wenaasgruppen, headquartered in Norway.

July 28, 2011

Banks Expect Tightening of Credit Guidelines in 2012

Austrian banks’ lending policies did not change in the second quarter of 2011. For two years already, no tightening of lending conditions has been observed.

July 28, 2011

Erste Bank Fixed the Takeover of Intermarket Bank

Erste Bank took over 56% in Austria’s largest factoring bank from the Polish subsidiary of Commerzbank and will acquire another 10% from Coface.

July 28, 2011

Austrians Still Prefer Building Society Savings

Erste Group’s s Bausparkasse benefits from the continuing trend. The amount of new lending increased by almost 25% year-on-year.

July 27, 2011

VIG: Trouble at Romanian Subsidiary

The Austrian insurance group has reportedly lost millions due to illegal actions at one of its Romanian subsidiaries. Company representatives denied any misconduct.

July 27, 2011

Kärntner Sparkasse Starts Withdrawal from Italy

The Carinthian regional bank is closing down two branches as a consequence of the economic crisis and new capital requirements.

July 26, 2011

Strong Growth for Car Leasing Companies

Booming car sales are boosting the leasing business in Austria. All major leasing banks recorded growth in the first half of 2011. The trend is expected to continue.

July 25, 2011

Immofinanz Generated New Funds in Russia

The Austrian real estate company reached an agreement on the refinancing of its logistics center in St. Petersburg. The new funds will be invested in further projects in Russia.

July 21, 2011

Credit Costs to Rise in the Wake of Basel III

The new regulatory requirements are expected to increase the cost of credits and to reduce the Austrian banks’ profitability.

July 20, 2011

Hypo Alpe Adria Opens New Branches in Italy

The Carinthian bank is expanding its business in the neighboring country although the subsidiary will soon be in the hands of a new owner.

July 19, 2011

RBI’s Direct Bank Zuno Starts Operations in the Czech Republic

Following the launch in Slovakia at the end of 2010, Raiffeisen’s direct bank now takes up business in a second country.

July 19, 2011

Stress Test: Erste Group and Raiffeisen Passed, Volksbank Failed

Volksbanken Group is the only Austrian bank that failed the stress test. Taking into account the measures that are currently being implemented, the core tier I ratio would be above the benchmark.

July 15, 2011