French bank BNP Paribas announced slightly higher fourth-quarter earnings and a new growth plan.
BNP earned €952 million in the quarter compared with €927 million a year earlier.
Revenues rose 12 per cent in the quarter to €4.918 billion and gross operating profit, or revenues minus costs, rose 10.8 per cent to €1.802 billion.
The bank also said it would propose a dividend increase after making gains at core units and cutting provisions for bad loans.
Fourth-quarter results included a €233 million hit from non-operating items. The improved economy has enabled banks to cut their provisions for possible loan defaults.
BNP, Europe's sixth largest bank by market value, also saw gains in consumer banking businesses like mortgage lending and wholesale banking activities such as debt finance, and good returns at its money management arm help.
BNP said it would propose lifting its annual dividend nearly 38 per cent to €2 a share, and outlined 2007 goals that included retail banking growth and the widening of its wholesale bank in Europe and selectively in the United States and Asia.
Rival Deutsche Bank also posted fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday, and said it would raise its dividend. It earned an above-forecast €269 million in the quarter.