Zenith Bank Plc has ended the third quarter of 2023 with N1.33 trillion earnings, a remarkable triple-digit growth of 114 percent from N620.6 billion reported in Q3 2022.
This performance demonstrates the Group’s resilience and strong market share despite a challenging macroeconomic environment.
According to the bank’s unaudited third-quarter financial results presented to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), the triple-digit growth in the topline also enhanced the bottom line, as the Group recorded a 149 percent year-on-year (YoY) increase in profit before tax, growing from N202.5 billion in Q3 2022 to N505 billion in Q3 2023. Profit after tax also grew by 149 percent from N174.3 billion to N434.2 billion in the same period.
The growth in the topline arose from both interest income and non-interest income. Interest income grew in the current period by 72 percent to N670.9 billion from N390.8 billion in Q3 2022, while non-interest income grew by 186 percent from N212 billion to N607.2 billion. The profit growth is similarly attributable to the twin effects of the improvement in interest and non-interest income. Interest income increased because of the growth in risk assets as well as the effective pricing thereon. The revaluation gain largely drives the non-interest income growth due to the unification of exchange rates during the year. The cost-to-income ratio reduced from 55.8 percent in Q3 2022 to 37.8% in the current period. Impairment levels increased due to the deliberate incremental provisions necessitated by the conservative approach towards the heightened risk environment and the creation of a counter-cyclical buffer needed to deal with any impending volatility of exchange rates. This caused the cost of risk to deteriorate from 1.3 percent in Q3 2022 to 5.5 percent in Q3 2023. However, this is an improvement from Q2 2023 where the cost of risk printed at 8.8 percent because of prudent management of risk assets.
Total assets grew by 48 percent from N12.3 trillion to N18.2 trillion in the period ended 30 September 2023, mainly driven by growth in customers’ deposits. Customers’ deposits grew by 49 percent from N8.98 trillion in December 2022 to N13.38 trillion in September 2023. The growth in customers’ deposits cuts across both corporate and retail segments with the savings portfolio (all currencies) growing from N2.7 trillion in December 2022 to N4.6 trillion in September 2023.
Gross loans increased by 48 percent from N4.1 trillion in December 2022 to N6.1 trillion in September 2023 due to the revaluation of foreign currency-denominated loans as well as the growth in local currency loans to strategic and thriving sectors of the economy. The non-performing loan ratio improved to 3.8 percent in the period ended 30 September 2023, which is well below prudential limits. Net interest margin (NIM) printed at 5.6 percent from 6.2 percent reported in September 2022 due to low yields on government securities. The capital adequacy ratio improved marginally to 20.1 percent from 19.8 percent while the liquidity ratio declined from 75 percent to 68 percent. However, all our prudential ratios remain above regulatory thresholds.
The Group is optimistic about finishing the year 2023 strong, with a focus on sustainable quick wins that would boost growth across all business segments and enhance stakeholder value.
Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital, for the 14th consecutive year, in the 2023 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria, for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023, in the World Finance Banking Awards; Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2022 and 2023; Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020 and 2022; Best Bank in Nigeria, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best in Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa, for four successive years from 2020 to 2023, by the Ethical Boardroom; Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in the International Banker 2023 Banking Awards; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation In Retail Banking, Nigeria in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.
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