PETALING JAYA: Another resilient earnings quarter has put Hong Leong Bank Bhd
on a steady growth path in the first nine months of financial year 2026 (9M26).
In the third quarter ended March 31, 2026 (3Q26), the bank said net profit rose to RM1.03bil from RM946.7mil in the previous corresponding quarter.
Earnings per share rose to 50.2 sen from 46.18 sen previously.
Quarterly revenue was slightly higher at RM1.58bil as compared to RM1.55bil in the previous comparative quarter.
For 9M26, net profit was RM3.29bil against RM3.18bil in the year-ago period, while revenue rose to RM4.93bil from RM4.78bil previously.
Net interest income increased 3.5% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM3.79bil on the back of higher loans and financing base.
The net interest margin stood at 1.83%.
Non-interest income grew 2.2% y-o-y, buoyed by an increase in wealth management activities and global markets franchise sales.
Its group managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) Kevin Lam said gross loans and financing have sustained the bank’s growth momentum with an 8.4% y-o-y expansion, driven by growth across key segments including mortgage, auto loans, small and medium enterprise and commercial banking, as well as key overseas markets.
“We continue to be proactive in providing continued and steadfast support to our customers, ensuring those facing disruption see this challenging phase through, while delivering a healthy asset quality with an overall gross impaired loan ratio of 0.6%,” he said.
For 9M26, customer deposits grew 8.3% y-o-y to RM243.5bil. Current account savings account (Casa) increased 14.1% y-o-y to RM77.9bil, leading to a Casa mix of 32%.
Separately, Hong Leong Bank’s holding company, Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd (HLFG), posted a net profit of RM2.49bil in 9M26, as compared to RM2.4bil in the year-ago period.
The group’s revenue climbed to RM5.55bil from RM5.45bil in the previous comparative quarter.
HLFG said HLA Holdings Sdn Bhd, its insurance arm, delivered a 5.2% y-o-y increase in pre-tax profit to RM515mil, mainly driven by stronger net investment income from Hong Leong Assurance Bhd as well as improved contributions from its associate, MSIG Malaysia and the Singapore general insurance business.
Hong Leong Capital Bhd, the investment banking and fund management arm, recorded a pre-tax profit growth of 4.2% y-o-y to RM59mil due to higher trading and markets income and higher gains in equity investments, offsetting lower earnings from stockbroking and fund management.
“HLFG’s sustained growth in revenue, together with rigorous cost management and robust asset quality, highlights the strength of our operations, delivering an improved performance for 9M26,” it further said.
“The group remains well positioned to pursue future opportunities while remaining vigilant of external headwinds stemming from geopolitical uncertainties,” HLFG president and CEO Tan Kong Khoon said.
