Banco Macro Announces Results for the First Quarter of 2009

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, May 11  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Banco Macro S.A. (NYSE: BMA; Buenos Aires: BMA) ("Banco Macro" or "BMA" or the "Bank") announced today its results for the first quarter period ended March 31, 2009 ("1Q09").  All figures are in Argentine pesos (Ps.) and have been prepared in accordance with Argentine GAAP.

SUMMARY

-- The Bank's net income totaled Ps.156.0 million.  This result was 3% higher than the Ps.151.6 million posted for the first quarter of 2008 ("1Q08"). The annualized 1Q09 ROAE and ROAA were 21.7% and 2.6%, respectively.

-- The Bank's net financial income was Ps.496.7 million, increasing 40% year to year ("YoY").  Banco Macro's operating income rose 74% YoY to Ps.309.5 million.

-- Banco Macro's financing to the private sector grew 11% YoY, or Ps.1.2 billion. Loans to SMEs and export-financing led the expansion with a 28% YoY growth, while personal loans, which represent a strategic product for the Bank, grew 8% YoY.

-- Total deposits grew 9%, or Ps.1.5 billion quarter to quarter (QoQ), totaling Ps.17.3 billion and representing 79% of the Bank's liabilities. The growth in QoQ deposits was led by private sector CDs (21% increase).

-- Banco Macro continued showing a strong solvency ratio, with an excess capital of Ps.1.90 billion (24.6% capitalization ratio). In addition, the Bank's liquid assets remained at a high level, reaching 56.0% of its total deposits.

-- The Bank's non-performing loans to total loans ratio was 3.06% and the coverage ratio reached 121.16%.

A longer version of this press release with detailed information is available on our web site: http://www.macro.com.ar/

QUARTERLY CONFERENCE CALL

A conference call to discuss this press release will be held on May 12, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. Buenos Aires time (12:00 p.m. EDT), with the presence of Jorge Pablo Brito (Member of the Executive Committee), Guillermo Stanley (Board Member), Guillermo Goldberg (Deputy General Manager) and Jorge Scarinci, (Finance and Investor Relations Manager).

  Dial in information:
  [phone] (Within the U.S.)
  [phone] (Outside the U.S.)
  Conference ID: 4061819

  INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS:
  In Buenos Aires:
  Jorge Scarinci, CFA
  Finance and Investor Relations Manager
  Tel: [phone]
  E-mail: 
  Visit our website at: http://www.macro.com.ar/

DATASOURCE: Banco Macro S.A.



CONTACT:  Jorge Scarinci, CFA, Finance and Investor Relations Manager,

Banco Macro S.A., +011-5411-5222-6730, 



Web site:  http://www.macro.com.ar/ 

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