AUB H1 profit inches up to P6.19B

MANILA, Philippines — Asia United Bank (AUB) posted slightly higher first-half earnings as stronger lending and fee income offset a sharp increase in provisions for potential credit losses.

In a disclosure on Thursday, the Ng family-led bank said net income edged up to P6.19 billion in the first six months of 2026 from P6.13 billion a year earlier.

READ: AUB delivered record profit in Q1

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“Our steady results in the first half of 2026 reflect a strong foundation that enables us to aggressively accelerate our future-ready digital roadmap,” said AUB president Manuel A. Gomez.

The results translated to a return on equity of 18.3 percent and a return on assets of 3 percent.

Operating income rose 10.1% to P12.32 billion, driven by a 14.9 percent jump in net interest income to P10.11 billion as loans grew 10% to P281 billion; NIM was 5.1 percent.

Fee and trust income climbed 16 percent to P1.2 billion, driven by HelloMoney, credit cards, trust services, AUB PayMate and branch transactions.

Total assets grew 5.6 percent to P427 billion as of June 30, while deposits rose 3.8 percent to P338 billion, with low-cost current and savings accounts comprising 76.12 percent of the total.

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READ: AUB plans capital buildup

Operating expenses increased 11 percent to P4 billion as AUB continued investing in growth, while maintaining a cost-to-income ratio of 32.6 percent.

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Loan loss provisions surged 227 percent to P596 million as the bank strengthened reserves amid the current macroeconomic environment. Even so, asset quality remained sound, with a non-performing loan ratio of 0.44 percent and an NPL coverage ratio of 107.2 percent.

Total equity increased 8.7 percent to P70.54 billion. Its common equity tier 1 ratio stood at 18.62 percent, while its capital adequacy ratio reached 19.28 percent, both comfortably above regulatory requirements. /pai INQ