Bladex announces 1Q25 Net Profit of $51.7 Million, or $1.40 per share, resulting in an annualized return on equity of 15.4%

Core Insights - Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. (Bladex) reported a net profit of $51.7 million for the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a 1% year-over-year increase, supported by a 7% rise in total revenues [5][4] - The bank's net interest income (NII) grew by 4% year-over-year to $65.3 million, driven by increased business volumes, while the net interest margin (NIM) was recorded at 2.36% [5][6] - The credit portfolio reached an all-time high of $11,950 million, marking a 22% year-over-year increase, with a significant contribution from the commercial portfolio [5][7] Financial Performance - Total revenues for 1Q25 were $77.9 million, compared to $72.6 million in 1Q24, indicating a 7% increase [4][5] - Operating expenses were reported at $21.0 million, a slight decrease from $22.9 million in the previous quarter [4][5] - The efficiency ratio improved to 26.9% in 1Q25 from 29.2% in 4Q24, reflecting effective cost management despite increased headcount [5][6] Asset Quality and Capital Position - The bank maintained a healthy asset quality, with 97.9% of the credit portfolio classified as low risk or Stage 1, and impaired credits at only 0.1% of the total credit portfolio [5][7] - The Tier 1 capital ratio stood at 15.1%, and the regulatory capital adequacy ratio was 13.5%, both within the bank's risk appetite [5][7] - Liquid assets accounted for 14.9% of total assets, with a strong liquidity position of $1,852 million as of March 31, 2025 [5][7] Recent Developments - The Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.625 per share for 1Q25, to be paid on June 3, 2025 [8] - The Annual Shareholders' Meeting held on April 29, 2025, resulted in the election and reelection of several directors and the approval of the bank's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 [9]