The bank said in a statement net profit rose to 8.32 billion Swedish crowns ($793.9 million) from a year-ago 6.79 billion to come in slightly above a mean forecast of 8.26 billion in an LSEG poll of analysts.

Sweden's biggest mortgage lender proposed an annual dividend of 15.15 crowns per share, up from 9.75 crowns a year ago and just below the LSEG smart estimate of 15.24 crowns per share.

($1 = 10.4798 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Niklas Pollard and Anna Ringstrom, editing by Terje Solsvik)