National Bank of Bahrain B.S.C. (NBB) has reported a 23% increase in its net profit attributable to the shareholders for the first quarter ended 31 March 2024, posting BHD 27.5 million (USD 72.9 million) compared to BHD 22.4 million (USD 59.4 million) for the same period of 2023. The increase in net profit is mainly due higher net interest income driven by a stronger average balance sheet compared to the first quarter of 2023, higher gains from investment securities and hedging activities, as well as lower provisioning requirements.
Total comprehensive income attributable to NBB’s shareholders for the quarter increased by 108% to BHD 32.0 million (USD 84.9 million) compared with BHD 15.4 million (USD 40.8 million) in 2023. The increase is attributable to the positive mark-to-market movements of the equity and Bahrain sovereign bond portfolios.
Balance sheet
The Group’s total equity attributable to shareholders decreased by 2% as of 31 March 2024 to BHD 551.2 million (USD 1,462.1 million) compared to BHD 565.0 million (USD 1,498.7 million) reported as of 31 December 2023.
The Group’s total assets decreased by 3% during the quarter to BHD 5,229.2 million (USD 13,870.6 million) compared to BHD 5,372.5 million (USD 14,250.7 million) recorded on 31 December 2023. The decrease was mainly due to lower placements compared to the year-end level as part of the Group’s normal balance sheet management activities. Despite the decline in total assets, loans and advances have registered a 1% growth from 31 December 2023.
Commentary
On first quarter performance, Mrs. Hala Ali Husain Yateem, Chairperson of NBB said, “NBB Group has continued its growth trajectory across its key markets of Bahrain, UAE and Saudi Arabia, with attributable profit reaching a record BHD 27.5 million in the first quarter of 2024, making it the highest quarterly profit in the Group’s history, with a growth of 23% compared to the same period last year. The balance sheet at the end of the quarter remains strong with total assets exceeding BHD 5.0 billion. This performance translates into an annualised average return on equity of 19.3%, highlighting our commitment to delivering exceptional value to our shareholders. The quarter also marked our strong focus on ESG alongside financial success. These achievements reflect a strong start to 2024, and we look forward to a successful rest of the year.”