Note 1 - Accounting principles

SpareBank 1 SMN prepares and presents its quarterly accounts in compliance with the Stock Exchange Regulations, Stock Exchange Rules and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), including IAS 34, Interim Financial Reporting. As from 2007 the company accounts are also prepared and presented under IFRS. This entails that investments in associates and subsidiaries are recognised using the cost method. For this reason results recorded by associates and subsidiaries are not included in the parent bank's accounts.

Further, the Group has in this quarterly report used the same accounting principles and calculation methods as in the latest annual report and accounts. The quarterly accounts do not include all the information required in a complete set of annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the annual accounts for 2011.

As from the first quarter of 2012, return on treasury bills is to be presented as net interest income instead of, as previously, capital gains or losses. Historical data have been correspondingly restated.

IAS 19 – Employee Benefits was adopted by the EU on 6 June 2012. See note 2 Estimates for further information.