BNP Paribas' Polish business aims to maintain dividends (updated)

BNP Paribas Bank Polska SA

01/03/2024 12:39

(Adds CEO quotes in paragraph 3-4, share move in paragraph 5)
    By Mateusz Rabiega and annamaria  nowak
       GDANSK, March 1 (Reuters) - French bank BNP Paribas'
 BNPP.PA   BNP1.WA  Polish business aims to continue paying
dividends in the long run, its CEO Przemyslaw Gdanski said, a
day after announcing its first.
    Gdanski also made clear on Friday that BNP Paribas BP has
not set in stone the maximum amount of profit earmarked for
dividends after its management board said it would recommend a
dividend for 2023 of 3.41 zlotys ($0.8539) per share.
    "Our shareholders have waited a long time for a first
dividend, while still investing in growth and increasing the
strength of our bank," he said on a call, adding that he hoped
future payouts will not be lower.
    "We're not the most aggressive bank when it comes to
dividend payments, but I think 50% is not our final word."
    BNP Paribas BP reported a net loss of 381 million zlotys in
the fourth quarter. Although this cut its full-year results to
1.01 billion zlotys, that was still a record high for the bank,
whose shares were down 0.5% at 1232 GMT.
($1 = 3.9934 zlotys)

 (Reporting by Mateusz Rabiega and Anna Maria Nowak; Editing by
Jan Harvey and Alexander Smith)
 ((Mateusz.Rabiega@thomsonreuters.com; +48 58 769 67 57;))