▁AG ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁heavily ▁weight ed ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁" AT X " ▁share ▁index , ▁which ▁tracks ▁the ▁blue - ch ip ▁shares ▁trad ed ▁on ▁the ▁Vienna ▁Stock ▁Exchange . ▁( 2 5 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 8 ) ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Er ste ▁Group ▁received ▁the ▁" Best ▁Bank ▁in ▁Central ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Europe " ▁award ▁from ▁Eur om oney . ▁That ▁year , ▁the ▁publication ▁also ▁named ▁Er ste ▁Group ' s ▁subs idi ary ▁banks ▁in ▁Austria , ▁the ▁Czech ▁Republic ▁and ▁Mont en eg ro ▁" Best ▁Bank " ▁in ▁their ▁respective ▁mark ets , ▁while ▁it ▁hon ored ▁Group ▁subs idi ary ▁Ban ca ▁Com er cial a ▁Rom ana ▁( BC R ) ▁in ▁Roman ia ▁as ▁" Best ▁Bank ▁Trans formation ▁in ▁Central ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Europe ". ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁ranking ▁by ▁For bes ▁Magazine ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁largest ▁stock ▁corpor ations ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Er ste ▁Group ▁Bank ▁came ▁in ▁ 6 7 2 nd ▁place ▁and ▁was ▁third ▁among ▁Aust rian ▁companies . ▁ ▁Exp and ing ▁into ▁Central ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Europe ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁After ▁rest ruct uring ▁and ▁going ▁public , ▁Er ste ▁Bank ▁– ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁uniform ▁organization ▁– ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁its ▁expansion ▁strategy ▁into ▁Central ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Europe . ▁The ▁first ▁take over ▁was ▁the ▁Hung arian ▁Me ző bank ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁After