Zenith Bank Plc has announced its audited results for the half-year ended 30 June 2024, recording triple-digit growth of 117% in gross earnings from N967.3 billion in H1 2023 to N2.1 trillion in H1 2024.
The impressive performance comes as the banking industry in the country navigates a challenging macro environment.
The bank’s audited half-year financial results presented to the Nigerian Exchange, NGX, on Friday, August 30, 2024, showed that the triple-digit growth in the top line also drove growth in the bottom line as the Group recorded a 108% Year-on-Year (YoY) increase in profit before tax, from N350 billion in H1 2023 to N727 billion in H1 2024.
Profit after tax also grew by 98% from N292 billion to N578 billion in the same period, which led to growth in earnings per share (EPS) by 98% from N9.29 in H1 2023 to N18.41 in the period under review.
According to the bank, the growth in gross earnings was driven by an acceleration in both interest income and non-interest income.
Propelled by the growth of and effective pricing of risk assets, interest income surpassed the N1 trillion mark, a half-year record, growing by 177% from N415.4 billion in H1 2023 to N1.1 trillion in H1 2024, while non-interest income grew by 74% from N515.7 billion to N899.3 billion.
The Group continued to strive for operational efficiency, resulting in only a marginal increase in cost-to-income ratio Year-on-Year (YoY) from 38.5% to 39.4%.
The heightened risk environment has fuelled a growth in impairment levels, thus mildly elevating the cost of risk from 8.8% to 9.7%. Cost of funds grew Year-on-Year (YoY) from 2.6% to 4.4%, given the high-interest rate environment.
This also resulted in growth in interest expense from N153.6 billion in H1 2023 to N434.4 billion in H1 2024.
The bank said despite this, net interest margin grew by 49% from 5.9% in H1 2023 to 8.8% in H1 2024, underscoring the efficient repricing of interest earning assets and interest accruing liabilities.
According to the bank, total assets grew by 35% from N20.4 trillion in December 2023 to N27.6 trillion in June 2024, while customer deposits grew by 29% from N15.2 trillion in December 2023 to N19.6 trillion in June 2024.
Similarly, gross loans also grew by 44% from N7.1 trillion in December 2023 to N10.2 trillion in June 2024, aided by loans disbursements to customers and the translation effect of foreign currency denominated loans.
The group’s consistent stringent risk acceptance criteria helped ensure that the non-performing loan ratio continued to show only modest growth, increasing from 4.4% in December 2023 to 4.5% in June 2024, despite the challenging macroeconomic environment.
Capital adequacy ratio, the bank said, improved from 21.7% in December 2023 to 23% in June 2024, loan-to-deposit ratio grew by 11% from 46.5% to 51.7%, while liquidity ratio reduced from 71% to 59% in the current period. All prudential ratios are still well above regulatory thresholds.
In maximizing value to its highly esteemed shareholders, the group has declared an interim dividend of N1.00 per share, which represents the highest half year dividend pay-out in its history, and also the highest interim dividend in the banking sector till date.
The management said the group’s strong brand equity and excellent service quality has positioned it to mine new business opportunities in strategic sectors of the economy, in existing geographies where it had presence, and in new geographies it was exploring.
‘’In furtherance of its expansion plans, the Group has received regulatory approval for the establishment of a third-country branch in Paris, France, which, when fully operational, will enhance its product offerings in international markets.
‘’The group will continue to invest in enhancing its digital banking capabilities and is expediting the completion of its technology infrastructure upgrade. Its track-record of successful capital raises puts it on a solid footing to meet the new minimum capital requirements for commercial banks with international authorisation, well ahead of the deadline set by the CBN.
‘’The group remains undoubtedly on track for a record year in its financial performance and will continue to deliver maximum value to its shareholders, while ensuring a strong corporate governance culture,’’ the management stated.
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