Saudi Hollandi Bank, the kingdom's oldest lender, posted a 12.3 per cent rise in second-quarter net profit on the back of higher operating income, it said on Thursday, beating analysts' expectations.

The lender said it made SR539.2 million ($143.8 million) in the three months to June 30 compared to SR480.3 million in the corresponding quarter of 2014, according to a bourse filing.

Five analysts surveyed by Reuters had forecast it would post, on average, a net profit of 488.9 million riyals in the quarter.

Saudi companies issue brief earnings statements early in the reporting period before publishing more detailed results later.

Hollandi's loans portfolio stood at SR71.2 billion at the end of June, 17.8 percent higher than at the same point in 2014, according to the statement.

The bank is aiming for faster loan growth this year than the 11 to 12 per cent growth projected for the entire banking sector, managing director Bernd van Linder told Reuters in April.

Total operating income for the second quarter rose 13.8 per cent to SR923.4 million, while profit from special commissions grew 17.3 per cent to SR563.8 million.-Reuters