Philippine National Bank (PNB) recorded a consolidated net profit of PHP12.5bn ($215mn) in the first half of 2025, representing a 22% increase from the same period last year, Philstar Global reports. This performance was attributed to the consistent rise in core income streams and significant trading gains.
Between April and June alone, the bank under the leadership of Lucio Tan, achieved PHP6.4bn in net earnings, a 29% improvement compared to the second quarter of 2024.
Interest income climbed by 7% to PHP25.8bn, driven by a 5% growth in loans and a 10% rise in investment holdings. Revenue from service charges and commissions also advanced by 8% to PHP2.8bn, supported by increased activity in deposits, credit card usage, and bancassurance.
Trading and foreign exchange profits soared by 64% to PHP1.4bn, further bolstering the bottom line.
Operating costs, excluding provisioning, rose 9%, largely due to heightened business operations leading to higher tax obligations and other expenses.
Total assets reached PHP1.29 trillion ($22.6bn) by the end of June. Notably, deposits surpassed the PHP1-trillion threshold, with current and savings accounts forming the majority—highlighting the bank’s strong consumer banking presence.
President and CEO Edwin Bautista credited the results to successful strategic measures, including a tie-up with Japan’s Digital Wallet Corp. and enhancements in remittance platform security using facial recognition, ID verification, and real-time fraud detection tools.
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