Report
Alex Boulougouris, CFA ...
  • Research Team
  • Stefan Lungu, CFA

WOOD Flash – Romania: budget woes starting

According to statements released by Finance Minister Teodorovici to the press, the 2019 budget will include several bold new policy changes. The statements provide a very incomplete picture and we expect the budget negotiations to prove volatile and lengthy, similar to what we saw in 2017. Overall, these measures do not affect the trajectory we had expected for the country, but we could see significant volatility and a spike in bond yields going forward.
According to the preliminary statements, the government is considering: 1) capping gas prices for consumer and industrial users for three years; 2) the introduction of a new bank tax linked to ROBOR rates; 3) the introduction of allowing savers in the second pension pillar to withdraw their cash for a minimal penalty as long as they have participated for five years; 4) a new tax on energy and telecom tax of 3ppts; 5) additional dividends from SOEs of 35% of unrealised investment; 6) a EUR 10bn development fund to boost infrastructure, education and healthcare; and 7) a further pension increase of 10-15% from September 2019.
The full proposal is due out tomorrow (20 December).
Underlyings
Banca Transilvania S.A.

BRD-Groupe Societe Generale

C.N.T.E.E. Transelectrica

Conpet SA

Digi Communications NV

Erste Group Bank AG

Erste Group is a financial services provider based in Austria. As of Dec 31 2015, Co.'s total assets amounted to Euro199,743 million and the number of customers was approximately 16.5 million. Co.'s key business is the retail business, covering the entire spectrum from lending, deposit and investment products to current accounts and credit cards. In addition to providing financial services to private individuals, Co.'s core activities also include advisory services and support for corporate clients in financing, investment and access to international capital markets, public sector funding and interbank market operations.

Fondul Proprietatea S.A. GDR (Reg S)

Globalworth Real Estate Investments Limited

Globalworth Real Estate Investment is a integrated real estate company operating in the Central and Eastern Europe and South-Eastern Europe region with a primary focus on Romania, where it acquires, develops and directly manages primarily office and logistics/light-industrial real estate assets. Co. has three reportable operating segments: the Offices segment, which acquires, develops, leases and manages offices and spaces; the Residential segment, which builds, acquires, develops and leases apartments; and the Other segment, which acquires, develops, leases and manages industrial spaces and corporate holding offices.

Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA

Hellenic Telecommunications Organization is a full-service telecommunications group. Co. provides local, long-distance and international fixed-line telecommunications services in Greece and Romania, and mobile telephony services through its Cosmote subsidiary in Greece, as well as in Albania, Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Romania. Co. also provides internet access services and Internet Protocol (IP) -based telecommunications applications, as well as information technology application development and hosting services using IP technologies. Also, Co. provides several other telecommunications services, including value-added services and public telephone services.

Med Life

NEPI Rockcastle Plc

NEPI Rockcastle is engaged in developing, acquiring and holding commercial properties, either directly or indirectly through the acquisition of listed equities.

OTP Bank Nyrt

OTP Bank is a financial institution based in Hungary. Co. is engaged in retail banking (account management, bankcards and Electronic sevices - OTPdirekt) corporate banking and private banking. In Hungary traditional banking operations are performed by Co. while specialized services, including car leasing, investment funds and insurance are developed and offered by Co.'s subsidiaries. Co. expands its operations throughout the region via its foreign subsidiaries. As of Dec 31 2011, Co. had total assets of HUF10,200,527,000,000 and deposits of HUF6,398,853,000,000.

Petrom S.A.

Raiffeisen Bank International AG

Raiffeisen Bank International is a universal bank focusing on corporate and retail customers in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and on corporate customers in Austria. In CEE, Co. consists of a network of banks, leasing companies and financial service providers. In Austria, Co. is involved in corporate finance and export and trade finance banks. Co. provides services to customers in 2,800 branch offices. In the retail banking business, Co.'s product and service portfolio comprises inter alia credit services (mortgages, credit cards and personal loans), as well as payment transaction and current account package services. As of Dec 31 2014, Co.'s total assets amounted to Euro121.6 million

Societatea Energetica Electrica

Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale ROMGAZ SA

Societatea Nationala de Transport Gaze Naturale Transgaz S.A.

Societatea Nationala Nuclearelectrica SA

Sphera Franchise Group SA

Provider
Wood and Company
Wood and Company

WOOD & Company is the leading investment bank in Emerging Europe. Founded in 1991 and head-quartered in Prague, our footprint spans the region and touches investors around the globe.

A pioneer in Emerging Europe, WOOD executed many of the first CEE equity trades and landmark investment banking transactions. Our electronic trading platform was the first in the region, and remains the best. We are continually expanding our relevance and reach in these ever-evolving markets.

Our equity market share reflects our stature: 7% in Warsaw, 20% in Bucharest, 16% in Hungary, 40% in Prague and 5% in Vienna. Our distribution is unparalleled, with the largest salesforce in the region, servicing a uniquely diverse investor base.

We couple local expertise with a truly international perspective. With offices on the ground in the region, and in key financial hubs such as London and Milano, we are never far from our clients and we remain at the forefront of what’s afoot in the CEE emerging and frontier landscape.

Analysts
Alex Boulougouris, CFA

Research Team

Stefan Lungu, CFA

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