Arab National Bank, Saudi Arabia's seventh-largest lender by assets, reported a 2.1 percent fall in second-quarter net profit on Thursday, broadly in line with analysts' estimates, as expenses rose.

Net profit in the three months to June 30 was SR818 million ($218.1 million), compared to SR835.3 million in the corresponding period of the previous year, it said in a bourse statement.

Six analysts polled by Reuters had forecast on average the lender would make a quarterly net profit of SR773.7 million.

Arab National Bank, 40 percent owned by Jordan's largest lender Arab Bank Group, cited an 8.8 percent rise in total operating expenses, mainly due to an increase in impairment charges for credit losses and investments. Higher depreciation and amortisation expenses were also to blame for the profit fall, it said.

Net banking fees and commission income also sank, as well as net foreign exchange income, it added without elaborating.

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

The bank announced on June 26 its board had proposed a cash dividend of SR0.45 per share for the first half of 2016, in line with the payout for the corresponding period of last year.  - Reuters