QNB Group Grows Net Profit by 6% to $3b in Q3

By Dipo Olowookere

Largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, QNB Group, has recorded a net profit of QAR10.8 billion ($3 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

According to the financial results of the lender, the rise in the net profit is a 6 percent increase when compared with the same period last year, despite the impact of the Turkish Lira devaluation.

Total assets increased to QAR853 billion ($234 billion), up by 8 percent from September 2017.

It was disclosed that the key driver of total assets growth was from loans and advances which grew by 4 percent to reach QAR604 billion ($166 billion).

This was mainly funded by customer deposits which increased by 7 percent to reach QAR615 billion ($169 billion) from September 2017. The growth of the Group assets and liabilities has been partly affected by the devaluation in the Turkish Lira.

Despite the devaluation impact, QNB’s strong asset liability management capabilities helped QNB Group to improve its loans to deposits ratio to 98.3 percent as at September 30, 2018.

The Group’s drive for operational efficiency is yielding cost-savings in addition to sustainable revenue generating sources, enabling the Group to improve the efficiency ratio (cost to income ratio) to 26 percent, from 29 percent last year, which is considered one of the best ratios among large financial institutions in the MEA region.

Robust credit quality is underpinned by non-performing loans ratio of 1.8 percent as at September 30, 2018, a level considered one of the lowest amongst financial institutions in the MEA region. The Group’s conservative policy in regard to provisioning resulted in the coverage ratio at 106 percent as at September 30, 2018.

Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) as at September 30, 2018 amounted to 15.6 percent, higher than the regulatory minimum requirements of the Qatar Central Bank and Basel Committee. Currency headwinds in our core markets had limited impact on the CAR.

QNB’s successful funding from the international markets during the year which includes, amongst others, (1) capital market issuances of $560 million (AUD700 million) with a 5 and 10-year maturity in Australia and (2) $720 million bonds with 30 year maturity in Taiwan.

This reflects the Group’s success in diversifying funding sources by entering new debt markets, sourcing sustainable long-term funding, extending the maturity profile of funding sources and the trust of international investors in the strong financial position of QNB Group and its strategy.

During the year, Fitch Ratings and Moody’s have revised the Outlook to Stable due to successful management of the impact from the blockade. Also QNB remains the highest-rated bank in Qatar and one of the highest-rated banks in the world from the major rating agencies of Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings.

QNB Group serves a customer base of more than 23 million customers with more than 29,000 staff resources operating from more than 1,200 locations and 4,300 ATMs.