First Abu Dhabi Bank has reported a nearly 24 per cent rise in net profit for 2025 as revenue increased on business growth.
Net profit for the 12 months attributable to shareholders reached Dh21.1 billion ($5.7 billion), the largest lender in the UAE by assets said on Wednesday in a statement to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, where its shares are traded.
Group revenue for the period rose 16 per cent to Dh36.68 billion, driven by sustained business momentum and growing contributions from non-interest income, the lender said.
Non-interest income increased 36 per cent to Dh16.35 billion, while net interest income also rose 4 per cent annually to Dh20.32 billion.
The results reflect “the strength of our franchise and the disciplined execution of our strategy throughout the year”, said group chief executive Hana Al Rostamani.
“We enter 2026 with strong momentum and a focused strategic road map.”
FAB’s earnings growth comes as the UAE continues to record strong economic expansion on the back of its diversification efforts.
The country's economy is projected to have grown 5 per cent in 2025, the UAE Central Bank said in its outlook in December.
That was driven by a 4.9 per cent growth in the non-oil sector and 5.4 per cent expansion in the hydrocarbon sector due to the “faster-than-expected reversal of oil production cuts following the Opec+ quota increases”, the banking regulator said.
This year, the country's economy is projected to accelerate to 5.2 per cent, driven by stronger expansion in the hydrocarbon and non-oil sectors.
FAB's performance for the year was “underpinned by record levels of revenue and net profit, supported by a well-diversified income base, resilient margins, and prudent balance sheet deployment”, said group chief financial officer Lars Kramer.
“Asset quality strengthened further over the course of the year with our non-performing loans ratio at a historical low, reflecting conservative underwriting standards and effective risk management across varying market conditions.”
FAB's total assets reached Dh1.4 trillion at the end of last year, up 16 per cent annually. Loans and advances grew 17 per cent to Dh616 billion, while customer deposits increased 7 per cent to Dh841 billion.
The lender, which has a presence across 20 markets, said its international franchise also “maintained strong momentum” last year, with loans up 35 per cent and deposits up 25 per cent annually.
FAB’s international franchise contributed 19 per cent of revenue for the year.
Revenues from its investment banking and markets division rose 16 per cent to Dh11.79 billion. This was driven by a 29 per cent increase in lending year-on-year, following "several landmark transactions" both in the UAE and overseas, the lender said.
Wholesale banking revenues increased by 11 per cent to Dh6.4 billion, led by markets including the Gulf, the US and Asia.
Meanwhile, its personal, business, wealth and privileged client banking group revenues grew 10 per cent to Dh12.65 billion.
The bank's board has recommended a cash dividend of 80 fils per share for the financial year 2025, representing a total distribution of Dh8.84 billion and the highest cash dividend in FAB’s history, it said.
