Oma Savings Bank Plc’s Interim Report 1.1.-31.3.2025: High costs and declining market interest rates weighed on the result, work to strengthen OmaSp continues

Core Insights - Oma Savings Bank Plc reported a challenging first quarter in 2025, with high costs and declining market interest rates negatively impacting results [1][2] - The bank's comparable profit before taxes for Q1 2025 was EUR 4.6 million, a significant decrease from EUR 25.6 million in the same period last year [3][12] - The company is focused on strengthening its operations and customer relationships while addressing the challenges posed by increased costs and regulatory scrutiny [2][10] Financial Performance - The net interest income decreased by 18.3% year-on-year, totaling EUR 46.9 million, primarily due to lower market interest rates [5][13] - Total operating income fell by 19% compared to the previous year, amounting to EUR 60.1 million [12][13] - Total operating expenses increased by 31.9%, driven by costs associated with the risk management action plan and personnel growth [13][14] Risk Management and Provisions - Impairment losses on financial assets totaled EUR -22.3 million, with one-third related to updates in the expected credit loss (ECL) calculation model [7][13] - A provision of EUR 3.0 million was made in anticipation of potential sanctions from the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA) due to identified deficiencies [8][15] Customer and Employee Engagement - Customer and employee satisfaction levels remain high, with the bank gaining 10,000 new customers following the acquisition of Handelsbanken [9][10] - The bank has a strong customer base of over 200,000 and continues to focus on providing personalized services [9][20] Outlook and Guidance - The company maintains its earnings guidance for 2025, expecting comparable profit before taxes to be between EUR 65–80 million, likely below the midpoint of this range [15][18] - The outlook is influenced by ongoing high costs related to IT investments and the uncertain economic environment [16][18]