LHV Bank has reported a profit after tax of £6.4 million in its first year of operation as a licensed bank.
Over the past year, LHV has entered the personal savings market through a deal with deposit platforms Raisin and Flagstone and moved into SME loans after taking over the lending book of Manchester-based regional lender Bank North.
By year end LHV Bank’s SME loans business in the UK had built a £69 million lending portfolio, supporting commercial real estate investment entities and trading SMEs, while retail deposits hit £207 million.
“Well capitalised and funded, we are now in a strong position to continue to build our propositions and extend customer support across all areas of our business”, states CEO Erki Kilu. “In particular, LHV Bank will focus on increasing business volumes, transferring euro payments and launching our retail bank offering.”