Asia United Bank (AUB) posted a record net income of P9.4 billion in the first nine months of 2026, nearly unchanged from a year earlier, as trading losses tempered growth in lending and fee-based earnings.
The bank and its subsidiaries’ earnings edged up 0.3 percent, translating into a return on equity of 18 percent and a return on assets of 2.9 percent.
In a disclosure on Thursday, the Ng family-led bank reported a net loss on trading and securities of P11.8 million, reversing the P1.37-billion gain recorded in the same period last year.
Its core banking business, however, continued to expand.
Net interest income increased by 14.5 percent to P15.5 billion, supported by loan growth and a 10.2-percent reduction in interest expenses. Net interest margin widened to 5.1 percent.
Gross total loans rose 13.8 percent to P292.3 billion, driven by demand from corporate and consumer borrowers.
Fee-based income also climbed 14.5 percent to P1.5 billion. These earnings came from HelloMoney, AUB PayMate, credit cards, and branch transactions.
Total other operating income stood at P2.5 billion, reflecting the trading and securities losses. Operating expenses increased by 7.2 percent to P6.1 billion, while the cost-to-income ratio settled at 33.1 percent.
AUB said it continued to invest in digital transformation while managing costs. Total assets expanded by 3.9 percent year-on-year to P433.4 billion. The nonperforming loan ratio stood at 0.56 percent, with a nonperforming loan coverage ratio of 95 percent.
Deposit liabilities grew 2.5 percent to P344.7 billion. Low-cost current and savings account deposits accounted for 76 percent of the total.
Total equity increased by 11.6 percent to P73.3 billion. AUB ended the period with a capital adequacy ratio of 19.12 percent and a Common Equity Tier 1 ratio of 18.29 percent, both above regulatory requirements, the bank said.
AUB president Manuel Gomez also cited recent stockholder approval to increase the bank’s capital base fivefold to P72.5 billion.
‘However, we remain vigilant toward emerging market headwinds and inflationary pressures,’ Gomez said.
He said the capital enhancement would strengthen the bank’s capacity to sustain profitability and support clients through changing economic conditions.