Bladex's First Quarter Net Income Increases 98% Y-O-Y to $32.2 Million, or $0.86 Per Share; ROE Rises to 16.6%

Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. (NYSE: BLX) announced today results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012. First quarter 2012 Business HighlightsBladex's first quarter 2012 Net Income (*) totaled $32.2 million, a $15.9 million, or 98%, improvement from first quarter 2011, driven by strong increases in Net Income within the Commercial (+$15.3 million, +147%) and Treasury Divisions (+$2.6 million, +108%), while the Asset Management Unit contributed $1.5 million to the Bank's quarterly result. The $7.4 million, or 30%, increase in Net Income compared to fourth quarter 2011 was mainly the result of improved performances in the Commercial (+$8.0 million, +45%), and Treasury Divisions (+$1.7 million, +52%). Increased Net Income resulted in a 16.6% annualized return on the Bank's average stockholders' equity ("ROE") in first quarter 2012, compared to 9.4% in first quarter 2011, and 13.1% in the previous quarter, while the Bank's Tier 1 capital ratio remained strong at 17.9%, compared to 19.3% as of March 31, 2011, and 18.6% as of December 31, 2011. The Bank's equity consists entirely of issued and fully paid ordinary common stock. Net interest income totaled $29.6 million in first quarter 2012, compared to $21.4 million in first quarter 2011, and $29.1 million in fourth quarter 2011. The $8.2 million, or 38%, increase from a year ago was mainly attributable to improved net interest margins (+18 bps), and higher average interest-earning asset balances (+24%).