The HCM City Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank, or HDBank, is seeking shareholders' approval to issue convertible bonds worth US$500 million to international investors.

HDBank is also seeking approval to increase the foreign ownership limit from 18 per cent to 20 per cent.

In 2020 and 2021 the lender has issued convertible bonds worth $325 million to well-known financial institutions including Affinity Equity Partners, IFC, DEG and Leapfrog Investments, according to announcement on the bank’s website.

Bondholders may choose to convert their bonds into common shares of the bank.

Proceeds from the issuance will help the bank supplement its medium- and long-term capital, and get ready for high growth plans in line with its strategy.

At the same time the proceeds will help enhance the lender’s asset quality indicators, capital adequacy ratio, and get it ready to soon adopt Basel III standards.

HDBank currently has charter capital of VND25.3 trillion (US$1.02 billion).

The maximum foreign ownership limit (FOL) is to be lifted from 18 per cent to 20 per cent. HDB shares receive strong interest from foreign institutional investors who net purchased more than 21 million of HDB shares this year and the FOL of 18 per cent has been reached.

At a recent conference, Chairman Kim Byoungho said HDBank received strong interest from foreign investors as their third-quarter business results were the best ever. HDBank forecasts its pretax profit to exceed VND10 trillion ($408.2 million) this year, up 25 per cent year-over-year.

Despite the market volatility, HDBank maintains its B1 credit rating, its non-performing loan ratio is among the healthiest in the industry and it tops the industry in profitability and capital adequacy ratio. — VNS