China Banking Corp. on Thursday reported consolidated net income of ₱20.2 billion for the first nine months of 2025, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year. This translated to a 15.3 percent return on equity and 1.6 percent return on assets, among the highest in the industry.
The bank’s core operations drove the growth, with interest income rising 13 percent on the back of expanding earning assets. Despite a 9 percent rise in interest expenses, net interest income climbed 15 percent to ₱53.5 billion, while the net interest margin stayed strong at 4.6 percent. Fee-based income also improved to ₱3.1 billion, supported by higher trust and bancassurance commissions.
Operating expenses went up 15 percent to ₱25.3 billion due to investments in manpower and technology, but efficiency improved as the cost-to-income ratio dropped to 45 percent. The bank boosted provisions to ₱7 billion, giving it an NPL cover of 123 percent, above the industry average.
Chinabank’s total assets rose 8 percent year-on-year to ₱1.7 trillion, keeping it the fourth largest private universal bank in the country. Gross loans increased 14 percent to ₱994 billion, driven by both corporate and consumer borrowers, while the NPL ratio improved to 1.6 percent. Deposits grew 9 percent to ₱1.4 trillion, led by a 12 percent increase in checking and savings accounts.
The bank’s capital base reached ₱184.4 billion, up 13 percent, with a capital adequacy ratio of 15.8 percent and CET1 ratio of 15 percent, both well above regulatory requirements. Book value per share rose to ₱68.49.
Chinabank also earned multiple industry honors, including the Four Golden Arrow award for corporate governance, Outstanding Wealth Management Service for the Affluent from Private Banker International, and Philippines’ Best Bank for Customer Experience from Euromoney. It was again named among TIME’s World’s Best Companies 2025 and the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 list.
