The results are disappointing but I won't complain coz it could have been worse. As for the dividend, not bad. I can see one Nelson Muguku literally smiling all the way to the bank to collect his 85milli.

Not bad. Total assets up by 22B to 100B. Barclays on the other hand had assets going down by 3B to 165B but reported increased profits. Looks like Equity is heading somewhere.

The link Waithaka has provided has all the answers.

click on dismal 2009 performance on Waithaka;s post

Loans are part of a banks business. Call it high risk high return.

@selah - If there is no asset(Loans) growth in the bank business then it means no balance sheet growth.

In the statement by BBK's Adan Mohamed He said the "growth in assets was flat" meaning the growth in profits was not from interest income (which is the core business of the bank) but from other alternative investment if not from cost cutting.

For that divident to keep coming, they have to to grow their balance sheet (both assets and liabilities).
Without Liabilities What will they lend and to whom?
Without Assets(Loans)Where will The 5B(Equity) & 9B(Barclays) come from?

The higher the risk, the higher the returns, the happier the shareholders.