KUALA LUMPUR: Malayan Banking Bhd
's (Maybank) net profit in the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, was up slightly year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM2.69bil as compared to RM2.63bil in the previous corresponding quarter amid improved cost discipline and lower net impairment provisions.
Quarterly revenue dipped to RM16.08bil from RM17.08bil in the previous-year quarter.
Pre-tax profit for the quarter rose 3.7% y-o-y to RM3.64bil while return on equity improved to 12% from 11.6% a year earlier.
The board declared a first interim dividend of 31 sen per share, of which five sen is electable under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP).
According to Maybank, income growth in 2QFY26 was driven by net fund-based income, rising 1.9% y-o-y, and an increase in core fees, particularly wealth, investment banking and banking-related fees.
The bank said net interest margin expanded 10 basis points to 2.1%.
With disciplined cost management, overhead expenses declined 2.5% y-o-y to RM3.69bil, lowering the cost-to-income ratio (CIR) to 49.1%. Personnel costs declined 6.9%, while marketing expenses dropped 21.9%, partially offset by higher establishment cost from continued investment in technology initiatives.
For the cumulative first-half of the year, the bank posted a net profit of RM5.17bil in the first half ended June 30, 2026, down from RM5.22bil in the year-ago period.
During the six-month period, the bank reported revenue of RM30.99bil as compared to RM33.95bil in the year-ago period.
Over 1HFY26, group loans grew 2.7% y-o-y to RM695.9bil, supported by growth across its key home markets. Group current account savings account (Casa) rose 7.6% y-o-y, lifting Casa ratio to 41.5% from 37.8% a year earlier.
President and group CEO Datuk Seri Khairussaleh Ramli said the group's performance reflects the continued traction across key businesses and the progress of its strategic priorities.
"As we execute ROAR30, we will continue to sharpen our focus on businesses where we can lead, strengthen our capabilities and capture opportunities across the region.
"In the second half, our priority is to sustain this pace of execution, translate opportunities into quality earnings and remain agile in responding to changing customer needs and market conditions, keeping us firmly on track towards our FY2026 ambitions,” he said in a statement.
