• Record P28 billion net income, up 13 percent
• Return on equity at 15.6 percent, return on assets at 1.6 percent
• Loans top P1.1 trillion as asset quality holds firm
• Book value per share up 13 percent to P71.04
China Banking Corp., the banking giant backed by the Sy family’s SM Group, delivered its strongest year yet in 2025, with net income climbing 13 percent to a record P28 billion as core lending and fee businesses powered growth.
Return on equity stood at 15.6 percent while return on assets reached 1.6 percent, keeping the bank among the industry’s top performers.
Chinabank is among the most resilient banking stocks in 2026, with shares gaining over 20 percent since the start of the year to P69 each.
Key figures
Interest income rose 12 percent to P105.2 billion on solid corporate and consumer loan demand. Gross loans grew 13 percent to P1.10 trillion, the first time the bank crossed the P1 trillion mark.
Deposits increased 9 percent to P1.4 trillion, with a 48 percent current account and savings account ratio helping cushion funding costs. Net interest margin held at 4.6 percent.
Total operating income jumped 16 percent to P75.7 billion, supported by higher transactional fees, trust fees, and bancassurance commissions.
Costs and credit
Operating expenses rose 12 percent to P34.4 billion due to manpower, taxes, and technology spending. Even so, the cost-to-income ratio improved to 45 percent.
The bank booked P7 billion in credit provisions, lifting non-performing loan coverage to 109 percent. The non-performing loan ratio was steady at 1.6 percent, better than the industry average.
Balance sheet
Total assets grew 8 percent to P1.80 trillion. Capital increased 13 percent to P191.3 billion, with a common equity tier 1 ratio of 15.2 percent and total capital adequacy ratio of 16.1 percent.
Book value per share rose 13 percent to P71.04.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
