Emirates NBD Reports 45% Slump In Profit After $1.1bn Provisions

Emirates NBD continues to have a good underlying operating performance, said CFO Patrick Sullivan

Emirates NBD first-half profit slumped 45% after it set aside $1.1 billion in provisions to cover an expected spike in bad loans brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Dubai’s biggest bank increased impairments allowances more than three times to 4.2 billion dirhams, according to a statement. Profit dropped to 4.1 billion dirhams due to the higher impairment charges and a gain on the sale of a stake in Network International Holdings Plc last year wasn’t repeated.

Emirates NBD joins regional competitors in increasing provisions as they face an “earnings shock” from the plunge in oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic.

Pockets of existing vulnerabilities may yield rising nonperforming loans if the dual crises drag on, the International Monetary Fund said this month.

The crisis is also prompting a new wave of consolidation talk among banks in the Middle East, including potential mergers in Saudi Arabia.

Emirates NBD 1H numbers:

  • Profit 4.1 billion dirhams vs 7.5 billion  
  • Excluding the gain from Network International, profit fell 24%
  • Impairment allowances 4.2 billion vs 1.23 billion  
  • Total income 12.63 billion dirhams vs 9.53 billion
  • Net interest income 9.31 billion dirhams vs 6.85 billion
  • Cost to income ratio 31.7% vs 29.7%
  • Net interest margin 2.84% vs 2.77%

“We are acting to manage costs to reflect lower levels of economic activity, albeit cost reduction will not entirely offset lower levels of income,” Group chief financial officer Patrick Sullivan said in the statement.

“Emirates NBD continues to have a good underlying operating performance, coupled with a robust balance sheet to help navigate these multiple challenges from low interest rates, low oil prices and lower economic growth due to disruption from Covid-19.”

For all the latest banking and finance news from the UAE and Gulf countries, follow us on Twitter and Linkedin, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.
RECENT NEWS

UAEs Maseera Acquires Egyptian Fintech ADVA

The move marks a critical milestone in Maseera’s regional expansion strategy Read more

Oman Mandates IBAN For Domestic Transfers From July 2025

The move follows the Oman Central Bank's implementation of the IBAN system for international transfers from March 31, 2... Read more

Egypt And Jordan Thank The European Parliament For New Financial Aid

The European Union members recently approved loans worth $4.4 billion in three instalments to Egypt and $555 million to... Read more

Standard Chartereds SC Ventures To Replicate Asia, Africa SME Model In GCC

SC Ventures to bring its successful SME building strategy in India, South East Asia and Africa to GCC, and plans to rol... Read more

UAE Central Bank Revokes Licence Of Dynamics Insurance Brokers For Regulatory Breaches

Dynamics Insurance Brokers "failed to comply with the licensing terms and requirements issued by the Central Bank and w... Read more

Eid Al Fitr Holidays In The GCC; Dubais 100 Most Influential People; UAE Petrol Prices To Change; Royal Baby Announced – 10 Things You Missed This Week

Eid holidays, the Dubai 100, UAE petrol prices, Royal Baby named, Palm Jebel Ali investments and more top news stories ... Read more