ADIB fourth-quarter net profit up 33.4% on fees income, lower impairments

Full-year net profit in 2017 rose 17.7 per cent to Dh2.3 billion from Dh1.95bn

ADIB's fees and commissions income rose 52.4 per cent, while credit provisions and impairments declined 33.8 per cent. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

Profits at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, the capital’s biggest Sharia-compliant lender, rose 33.4 per cent increase in the fourth quarter of 2017, beating analysts’ estimates, as fees and commissions income rose and impairments dipped.

The bank's net profit for the three months to the end of December reached Dh607.2 million, up from Dh455.1m in a year-earlier period, the bank said.

Bloomberg had forecast a net income of Dh502.5m, based on estimates from two analysts.

Net revenue from funding fell 4.7 per cent year-on-year to Dh935m from Dh981.3m. Fees and commissions income rose 52.4 per cent to Dh283.3m, while credit provisions and impairments declined 33.8 per cent to Dh166.9m.

Full-year net profit rose 17.7 per cent to Dh2.3 billion from Dh1.95bn.

"Looking ahead, we believe ADIB is well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities that are expected to arise from the positive economic outlook of the UAE," said Khamis Buharoon, vice chairman and acting chief executive of ADIB. "We are confident that our financial strength and our focus on leveraging innovation and providing a high-quality banking experience will help us attract more customers and deliver long-term shareholder value."

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ADCB, Mashreq 2017 net profits rise, but miss analysts' forecast

Economic recovery a boon for GCC banks in 2018 and beyond, says BMI

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UAE lenders have reported a mixed bag of earnings for 2017. Net profit at Dubai Islamic Bank, the emirate’s largest Sharia-compliant lender, rose 20 per cent in 2017, beating analysts' estimates; while Emirates NBD, Dubai's largest lender, said its net profit for 2017 rose 15 per cent.

However, profits at First Abu Dhabi Bank, the UAE's biggest bank by assets, fell 3.5 per cent in 2017, hurt by lower revenues and merger-related costs.

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank recorded a 3 per cent growth in 2017 net income, while Dubai's Mashreq bank, one of the oldest lenders in the UAE, reported a 6.5 per cent increase. Both ADCB and Mashreq's net income came in below analysts’ forecast.

Commercial banks in the Arabian Gulf will benefit from the brighter macroeconomic environment this year and beyond as region’s businesses resume expansion plans, improving the operating environment and boosting credit demand, BMI research said last week.

Slowly rising interest rates and funding by the GCC governments will also support deposit growth, ensuring broader stability for the banking sector, it said.