Colombian-owned banks contributed a mixed performance in this year’s Top 100 Central American ranking. On the one hand, BAC Panama, owned by Colombia’s Grupo Aval, remained on top as its Tier 1 capital increased by almost 9% and its balance sheet expanded considerably, with a 33.02% increase in assets. The bank also boasts an impressive return on capital – at 34.54% – which sets it apart from similarly sized banks in the region.
Other Colombian operations retained their positions in the region as some of its best capitalised banks. And their ranks have been added to with former regional leader HSBC completing its exit from Central America with the sale of its last local subsidiary, HSBC Panama, to Bancolombia. This deal adds another bank to provide a 15-strong Colombian presence in the region’s Top 100.