Bei Jing Shang Bao·2025-09-01 15:14Core Viewpoint - The core viewpoint of the article emphasizes the long-term strategy of China Merchants Bank, highlighting its ability to achieve a positive net profit in a challenging banking environment characterized by low interest rates and low spreads [1][2]. Financial Performance - In the first half of 2025, China Merchants Bank reported a net profit attributable to shareholders of 74.93 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 0.25%, maintaining the leading position among joint-stock banks [2][3]. - The bank's operating income was 169.97 billion yuan, a decrease of 1.72% year-on-year, with net interest income at 106.09 billion yuan, up 1.57%, and non-interest income at 63.88 billion yuan, down 6.73% [2][3]. Retail Banking Insights - The bank's retail customer base reached 216 million, growing by 2.86% from the end of the previous year, with high-net-worth clients increasing to 5.63 million, a growth rate of 7.57% [3]. - Retail financial business pre-tax profit was 52.04 billion yuan, up 1.64%, accounting for 58.53% of total pre-tax profit, an increase of 1.42 percentage points year-on-year [3]. Credit Risk and Strategy - The bank faces challenges in the retail credit sector, with rising risks and a significant decline in new credit growth across the industry [3][4]. - The bank's strategy includes focusing on quality, scale, efficiency, and structure in its credit offerings, with 90% of retail loans coming from high-quality clients and over 80% being secured loans [4]. Interest Margin Situation - As of June 30, 2025, the bank's net interest yield was 1.88%, down 12 basis points year-on-year, and the net interest margin was 1.79%, down 9 basis points [5]. - The average annual yield on interest-earning assets was 3.14%, down 46 basis points, while the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities was 1.35%, down 37 basis points [5]. Internationalization Strategy - The bank is accelerating its internationalization strategy, driven by the increasing overseas investment needs of Chinese enterprises and the integration of the Chinese economy into the global market [7][8]. - As of the reporting period, the bank had established six branches and three wholly-owned subsidiaries overseas, with total assets of overseas institutions growing by 6.56% year-on-year [8]. Future Development Focus - The bank aims to enhance its digital transformation by investing in financial technology for risk control and efficiency improvement [9]. - It plans to offer more comprehensive financial services, particularly in emerging sectors like technology and green finance, while also diversifying its international retail product offerings [9].