OREANDA-NEWS. May 21, 2012. Expert RA rating agency notes that as of year-end 2011, the proportion of defaults in Uniastrum small business credit portfolio was three times below the market average of 8.2%. Before year-end 2012 the Bank says its plans to cut the figure to 2.5% by continuing to pursue prudent lending policies and keeping a close eye on debt delinquency.

In 2011 Uniastrum boosted its small business credit portfolio 49%. Results for the reporting year released by Expert RA show the Bank among the country’s Top-10 SME lenders, placing 7th by portfolio value and 9th for total credit disbursed.

Uniastrum’s SB client base currently amounts to 3,000 small enterprises operating in all areas of the Russian Federation. Last year their number increased 50%. The Bank’s most popular borrowing option for smaller businesses remains its Smart Loan program, an exclusive multi-product package at competitive rates that includes loans for business development, targeted loans, overdraft facilities, specially tailored schemes for specific business sectors, as well as a program for renegotiating loans with other banks.

“These latest impressive results were achieved thanks in part to our decision to adopt a niche approach toward small business lending,” notes Svetlana Chubakova, Uniastrum’s Vice President for Small Business Development. “Such niche solutions mean that we are able to simplify loan application procedures and cut decision times for clients operating in specific sectors, while still maintaining a high-caliber credit portfolio.”