TOP NEWS: StanChart confident after positive momentum in first half

(Alliance News) - Standard Chartered PLC on Tuesday reported "encouraging" first half results, ...

Alliance News 3 August, 2021 | 6:00AM
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(Alliance News) - Standard Chartered PLC on Tuesday reported "encouraging" first half results, with profit improved thanks to a credit release, and expects the momentum to continue into the second half.

In the six months to June 30, the London-headquartered but Asia-focused lender recorded pretax profit of USD2.56 billion, up sharply from USD1.63 billion a year before.

Aiding the profit boost was a sharp drop in the bank's credit provision, which turned into a USD51 million release in the first half compared to the USD1.58 billion provision booked last year.

StanChart's operating income slipped 6% year on year to USD7.63 billion from USD8.10 billion. Net interest income fell 4% to USD3.38 billion from USD3.50 billion, while other income dropped 7% to USD4.24 billion from USD4.55 billion.

The lender's net interest margin worsened to 1.22% from 1.40%.

Chief Executive Bill Winters said: "I am encouraged by our positive performance in the first half of 2021 despite an uneven recovery from Covid-19. We grew profit before tax 37% year on year, helped by improved loan impairments, strong underlying business momentum and good progress across our strategic priorities.

"We are more confident in achieving our return on tangible equity targets and we are pleased to announce today an additional share buy-back programme together with the resumption of our interim dividend payment."

StanChart has declared an interim dividend of 3 US cents, and has embarked on a USD250 million share buyback - which is expected to start "imminently".

The bank's operating expenses grew to USD5.22 billion from USD4.75 billion, leading to its cost-to-income ratio worsening to 68.4% from 58.6%.

StanChart ended the first half with a loan book of USD298.00 billion, up from USD281.70 billion at the end of 2020, while customer accounts grew to USD441.15 billion from USD439.34 billion over the six-month period.

The bank's CET1 ratio stood at 14.1% versus 14.4% at December 31.

"We are encouraged by our financial results in the first half of this year, and the underlying business momentum, and are confident of a return to income growth in the second half. We believe that we will soon be back on the same performance trajectory that we were on before the pandemic set us back. As that happens, we are redoubling our efforts to execute our strategic priorities, deliver on our financial commitments and drive progress on the three areas we are taking a stand on," Winters added.

StanChart is guiding for income in 2021 to be "similar" to 2020 - which was USD14.75 billion - based on strong customer demand and a "normalised" net interest margin.

The bank also expects 2021 expenses to come below USD10 billion.

Standard Chartered was trading 0.8% lower in Hong Kong on Tuesday.

By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com

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Securities Mentioned in Article

Security Name Price Change (%) Morningstar
Rating
Standard Chartered PLC 666.80 GBX 0.79

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