Vestjysk Bank to buy Ringkjobing and Bonusbanken

COPENHAGEN, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Denmark's Vestjysk Bank (VJBA.CO) on Monday said it planned to buy smaller peers Ringkjobing Bank RIBA.CO and Bonusbanken (BONU.CO) after the small lenders had both been forced into larger-than-expected loan writedowns.

The deals are the latest in a wave of consolidation in Denmark's banking sector, which boast more than 130 smaller lenders, that started with the collapse last month of Roskilde Bank.

Ringkjobing Bank, in a statement, cut its full-year profit outlook after realising larger-than-expected loan provisions writedowns on loans, mostly where the collateral consists of securities that have decreased dramatically in value in recent weeks.

Bonusbanken said in a statement it had been forced to make larger-than-expected writedowns on some of its business and that its equity had been lost.

Vestjysk Bank said it would take over the activities of Bonusbanken with immediate effect, including all commitments relating to deposit customers. (Reporting by Kim McLaughlin; Editing by David Cowell)