Singapore's OCBC says 2024 targets on track after Q3 profit beat
Q3 net profit rises to S$1.97 bln vs S$1.91 bln analyst estimate
Net interest margin 2.18% in Q3 vs 2.27% a year earlier
Return on equity climbs to 14.1% in Q3 from 14.0% a year prior
Wealth management AUM up 5% on year to S$284 bln
Adds CEO comments, earnings detail, context throughout
By Yantoultra Ngui
SINGAPORE, Nov 8 (Reuters) -Singapore's Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp OCBC.SI said it was firmly placed to achieve its 2024 targets after posting on Friday a 9% rise in third-quarter net profit that beat market expectations.
Southeast-Asia's second-largest lender by assets after compatriot DBS DBSM.SI said July-September net profit increased to S$1.97 billion ($1.49 billion) from S$1.81 billion a year earlier, beating the mean estimate of nearly S$1.91 billion from analysts polled by LSEG.
OCBC said it was set to achieve full-year net interest margin, a key profitability gauge, at around the 2.20% level, as well as low single-digit loan growth, full-year credit costs in the range of 20 basis points and return on equity above 14%.
"Looking ahead, we will continue to proactively manage our balance sheet to prepare for a lower interest rate environment," said Group CEO Helen Wong in a statement.
"We are closely monitoring potential volatilities arising from uncertain geopolitical conditions," she said.
OCBC's results rounded up a strong third-quarter earnings season by Singapore banks, which have benefited in recent years from higher global interest rates and strong inflows of wealth drawn by the city-state's political stability.
Both local peers DBS and United Overseas Bank UOBH.SI posted record quarterly earnings on the back of higher fee income and increased markets trading income.
OCBC's improved performance was also driven by increased wealth management activity that lifted fee and trading income, in addition to higher insurance income and lower allowances.
Net interest margin was however lower at 2.18% during the quarter from 2.27% a year earlier, a trend similar with DBS and UOB too.
OCBC's return on equity rose slightly to 14.1% in the third quarter from 14.0% in the same period of 2023.
($1 = 1.3201 Singapore dollars)
Reporting by Yantoultra Ngui; Editing by Jamie Freed and Christopher Cushing
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
