Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company

Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company

Type	Public (PSE: MBT)
Industry	Finance and Insurance
Founded	Manila, Philippines (1962)
Headquarters	Makati, Philippines
Number of locations	552 domestic, 8 foreign branches 803 ATMs
Key people	Antonio S. Abacan, Jr., Chairman Arthur V. Ty, President
Products	Financial Services
Total assets	US$ 1.75 billion (4%) (September 2010)[1]
Employees	10,759
Website	www.metrobank.com.ph

The Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company (PSE: MBT), commonly known as Metrobank. It has a diverse offering of financial services, from regular banking to insurance. Metrobank is the second largest bank in the Philippines.

History

Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company (Metrobank) was established by a group of businessmen on September 5, 1962 at the Wellington Building in Binondo, Manila. In August 1963, the bank’s first branch was established in Divisoria. Four years later, Metrobank opened its Davao branch, the bank’s first provincial branch. At the onset of the 70s, Metrobank opened its first international branch in Taipei.

The Central Bank, on April 1977, authorized Metrobank to operate a Foreign Currency Deposit Unit (FCDU). In the same year, branches and offices totaled 100 and the bank inaugurated its new Head Office at Metrobank Plaza in Makati.

On August 21, 1981, the Central Bank authorized Metrobank to operate as a universal bank. Following the grant of the universal banking license, Metrobank entered the following ventures: the acquisition of majority ownership of Philippine Savings Bank (the second largest savings bank in the country at that time); the establishment of a joint travel agency venture with Thomas Cook Group in Thomas Cook Phils., Inc. in 1986; and the tying-up with Toyota Motor Corporation of Japan and Mitsui to put up Toyota Motor Philippines in 1988. Metrobank subsequently entered into joint ventures with several renowned corporations like Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation of Japan to create Sumigin Metro Investment Corporation; the National Mutual Holdings Ltd. of Australia to create Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corporation; and the ORIX of Japan to create ORIX Metro Leasing and Finance Corporation.

File:Metrobank Logo old.png

The Old Metrobank Logo used until 2009

In September 1982, the number of Metrobank branches, offices and subsidiaries surpassed the 200 mark. A year later, Metrobank topped all the private domestic bank in total resources with P8.8 billion.

The bank continued to experience steady growth through the years and in September 1989, it increased its authorized capital stock from P2 billion to P5 billion. The bank’s total capital funds on June 30, 2006 stood at P57.3 billion. Its consolidated resources amounted to P588.1 billion as of the same period. As of June 2007 assets reached P669.1 billion ($14.5 billion) (P46=$1).

Metrobank’s subsidiaries are Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation, Philippine Savings Bank, First Metro Investment Corporation, Metrobank Card Corporation, ORIX Metro Leasing and Finance Corporation, SMBC Metro Investment Corporation, First Metro Travelex (formerly Thomas Cook (Phils.)), Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corporation, Mirant Global Corporation, Philippine Charter Insurance Corporation, MBTC Technology, Inc., Toyota Financial Services Corporation, Toyota Cubao, Inc., Toyota Manila Bay Corporation, First Metro Securities Corporation, First Metro International Investment Co. Ltd., Metropolitan Bank (Bahamas) Ltd., MB Remittance Center Inc. (USA), Metro Remittance Singapore, Metro Remittance UK Limited, Metro Remittance (Italia) SpA, Metro Remittance S.A. (Spain) and MBTC Exchange Services GmbH (Austria).

The Metrobank Group has a combined network of over 800 local and international branches/offices, remittance offices and subsidiaries worldwide. It has 557 domestic branches and 32 offices in New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Pusan, Guam, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Madrid, Barcelona, Vienna, Rome, Bologna, Milan, Singapore, Chicago, Hawaii, and Shanghai.

On September 28, 2009, Metrobank is the first local bank to offer a line of CNY denominated offerings.^[2]

Lehman Brothers' exposure

On September 17, 2008, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. announced Banco de Oro and Metrobank set aside provisions totalling $ 94.7 million to cover their exposure to the Lehman Brothers' collapse.' Metrobank set aside $ 14 million in provisional funds, and it has $ 20.4 million worth of bonds issued by Lehman Brothers and P 2.4 billion ($ 51.28 million) in loans to a Philippine-based subsidiary of the US investment bank.^[3][4] The BSP data revealed Metrobank has a Lehman Brothers exposure of $ 71 million, and it set aside a buffer^{[disambiguation needed ]} equivalent to 70% of its exposure.^[5][6]

Subsidiaries and affiliates

Metrobank is divided into the following subsidiaries and affiliates, which are listed depending on their location of operation:

Domestic subsidiaries and affiliates

• First Metro Investment Corporation
• First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation
• First Metro Travelex
• Metrobank Card Corporation
• Orix Metro Leasing and Finance Corporation
• Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corporation
• Philippine Charter Insurance Corporation
• Philippine Savings Bank
• SMBC Metro Investment Corporation
• Toyota Cubao
• Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corporation
• Toyota Manila Bay Corporation
• Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation

International subsidiaries and affiliates

• First Metro International Investment Corporation Ltd HK
• MBTC Exchange Service GmbH - Vienna
• MB Remittance Center HK
• Metro Remittance Center SA - Spain
• Metro Remittance (Italia) SpA
• Metro Remittance Singapore Pte Ltd
• Metro Remittance (UK) Limited

Ownership

• George S.K. Ty: 18.26%
• PCD Nominee Corporation: 17.96% (11.47% Filipino, 6.49% foreign)
• Federal Homes: 7.53%
• Philippine Securities Corporation: 7.5%
• Mary Vy Ty: 6.43%
• Metrobank directors: 3.75%
• Metrobank officers: 0.003%
• Public stock: 37.57%

Competition

Metrobank, as the 2nd largest Philippine bank, is always trying to stave off competition to stay as one of the country's largest bank. Its main competitor is Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), but other major competitors include Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), Banco de Oro (BDO), Land Bank of the Philippines, and Philippine National Bank.

See also

• BancNet (the Metrobank ATM network)
• List of banks in the Philippines

References

1. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "INQUIRER.net, Bank offers Chinese currency services". Newsinfo.inquirer.net. 2009-09-25. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/topstories/topstories/view/20090925-226866/Bank-offers-Chinese-currency-services. Retrieved 2010-07-29. 
3. ^ "monstersandcritics.com, Philippine banks set aside funds after Lehman collapse". Monstersandcritics.com. 2008-09-17. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1431347.php/Philippine_banks_set_aside_funds_after_Lehman_collapse_. Retrieved 2010-07-29. 
4. ^ (AFP) – Sep 16, 2008 (2008-09-16). "afp.google.com, Philippines banks set provisions for Lehman exposure". Afp.google.com. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jgmKoszw98Iog3g4bbT_JnvWzGLw. Retrieved 2010-07-29. 
5. ^ "reuters.com, Philippines' BDO says exposure to Lehman at $134 mln". Reuters.com. 2008-09-19. http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSMAN36424920080919. Retrieved 2010-07-29. 
6. ^ "business.inquirer, 7 Philippine banks have $386M in exposure to Lehman". Business.inquirer.net. 2008-09-19. http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20080919-161523/7-Philippine-banks-have-386M-in-exposure-to-Lehman. Retrieved 2010-07-29. 

External links

• Metrobank
• Reuters, Stock Quote
• Reuters, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co (Philippine Stock Exchange), Analyst Research
• Reuters Full Description
• Top 10 Commercial Banks in the Philippines, as of December 31, 2008