Global rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has upgraded the long-term issuer credit rating of the Joint Stock Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV).

BIDV’s credit ratings have been improved with one notch upgrade for BIDV's long-term issuer credit rating from B+ to BB-, Outlook “Stable”. Details are as follow:

• Long-term issuer credit rating:        BB-
• Short-term issuer credit rating:       B
• Outlook:                                                  Stable

In S&P’s opinion, the rating actions follow S&P upgrade of Vietnam's sovereign credit rating to BB from BB-, reflecting BIDV's high systemic importance to the Vietnam banking system.

BIDV is the largest bank by total assets in Vietnam with a dominant market share of about 14% loans and 13% deposits. BIDV enjoys a high degree of customer confidence due to its size, long operating history, and government ownership. BIDV has strong franchise and satisfactory profitability and asset quality relative to peers' in Vietnam. The bank’s management has recognized the need for capital conservation to support its financial profile and meet more stringent Basel II capital standards in 2020.

The “stable” outlook reflects S&P’s expectation that BIDV will maintain its strong franchise, satisfactory profitability, while pursuing capital-enhancement measures over the next 12 to 18 months.

2019 marks the tenth consecutive year that BIDV is reviewed by S&P, as well as the 14th consecutive year that BIDV is reviewed by Moody’s Investors Service. This shows BIDV’s commitment to improving transparency and to complying with the latest international standards in its business operations.