HDBank ranks among Việt Nam’s top 50 listed companies in 2020 for its high growth rate, good asset quality and high operational efficiency. — Photo courtesy of HDBank

HCM CITY — HDBank has been ranked among the top 50 listed companies in Việt Nam in 2020 by Forbes Vietnam.

The magazine on Thursday announced the list, which also includes a number of other major names such as Vietcombank and Vinamilk.

They had to pass three rigorous screening rounds to have their names in the list of listed companies with good business results, capitalisation value and revenue of over VNĐ500 billion (US$21.5 million).

They were also rated on the basis of compounded annual growth, profit, return on equity, return on assets, and criteria for measuring the quality of operations.

For the banking industry, the organisers applied a set of additional indicators, including net profit margin (NIM), rate of provision (RCC), non-performing ratio (NPL), and earnings per share (EPS) for five years between 2015 and 2019.

After these, companies are assessed by Forbes on the sustainable development of their businesses, including criteria for branding, quality of corporate management and historical source of profit.

HDBank received the highest scores in all the above criteria, and was one of the leading banks in terms of value added for shareholders.

According to Forbes, HDBank has a solid foundation with impressive business results and resilience despite the economic volatility and challenges.

In three years since its IPO, its return on equity has increased sharply from 15.8 per cent at the end of 2017 to 21.6 per cent at the end of 2019.

Its earning per share in the period from 2015 to 2019 rose 55 per cent from VNĐ633 per share to VNĐ3,675 per share, putting it in the list of top players in the finance - banking industry.

Every year HDBank sets a new high for pre-tax profits while maintaining outstanding asset quality.

It has a history of paying high and steady dividends in cash and stocks.

HDBank’s 2020 annual general meeting approved a plan to distribute up to 65 per cent of profits, with 50 per cent payment in stock dividends and a 15 per cent bonus issue.

This is the highest yield in the banking industry this year.

HDBank has made the first dividend payment as planned in early October at a rate of 30 per cent. After the dividend payment, investors expect HDB shares to continue to gain.

This year the bank has undertaken a series of programmes to help customers cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, including credit at preferential interest rates, and rollover of loans.

With its efficient business model, the bank has won many prized awards from prestigious domestic and foreign organisations such as for the Best Domestic Retail Bank in 2020 from Asian Banking & Finance for a second straight year, and has been the only Vietnamese bank in the list of Best Companies to Work for in Asia named by HR Asia magazine for three consecutive years.

Credit rating agency Moody’s has retained the B1 long-term credit rating for HDBank even as many businesses had their ratings downgraded due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Most recently HDBank was honoured as one of the outstanding enterprises of Vietnam - ASEAN in 2020. — VNS