Analysts anticipating Bank Pekao dividend pay-out

The price of Bank Pekao shares has increased by over 21% since the beginning of the year, on expectations that the bank may be planning to pay shar eholders a dividend from its profit for 2001. Under an agreement with the Treasury, Pekao had to allocate any profit to increasing its funds. Now, with that agreement no longer applicable, analysts are speculating that Pekao may elect to share part of its profit with shareholders. "In my opinion, this will be 30% of profit. This would mean that the shareholders will receive in total zl.375 million, which is almost zl.2.30 per share," said analyst with brokerage WBK, Marcin Wroblewski. (Puls Biznesu, p. 6) M.T.