Indonesia's BNI expects 20 pct rise in '07 profit
JAKARTA, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Indonesia's fourth-largest lender, PT Bank Negara Indonesia Tbk (BNI) (BBNI.JK), expects its 2007 net profit to rise about 20 percent to 2.3 trillion rupiah ($245.4 million), its president director said.
The state-owned bank made a 2006 net profit of 1.9 trillion rupiah.
"Based on our prognosis, profit will increase by 20 percent compared with 2006," Sigit Pramono said late on Thursday on the sidelines of a parliamentary hearing, citing lower non performing loans ratio as one of the main drivers.
"As of January 17, BNI is no longer under intensive supervision of the central bank."
The government is considering selling a 20 percent stake in the bank to a strategic investor this year as parts of efforts to help finance the state budget and strengthen the firm's corporate governance to boost performance.
State enterprises minister Sofyan Djalil said on Thursday the government is considering selling stakes in 37 state firms including BNI this year, as parts of its effort to boost the performance of state enterprises.
The government currently owns about 76.4 percent of BNI after selling a 23 percent stake in the bank in August.
BNI shares were trading up 3.5 percent at 1,780 rupiah by 0437 GMT, compared with a 2.3 percent rise in the broader market .JKSE. ($1=9,371 rupiah) (Writing by Andreas Ismar, editing by Ed Davies)
