Barclays Q3 Earnings Dip Y/Y as Costs, Credit Impairment Charges Rise

Core Insights - Barclays reported a third-quarter 2025 net income of £1.46 billion ($1.97 billion), a decrease of 6.8% year-over-year, primarily due to increased expenses and higher credit impairment charges, although revenues and a solid balance sheet provided some support [1][6]. Financial Performance - Total income for the quarter was £7.17 billion ($9.67 billion), reflecting a year-over-year increase of 9.5% [2]. - Operating expenses, excluding litigation and conduct costs, rose to £4.25 billion ($5.73 billion), marking a 7.6% increase year-over-year [2]. - The cost-to-income ratio increased to 63%, up from 61% in the same period last year [2]. - Credit impairment charges surged to £632 million ($852 million), a 69% increase year-over-year [2][6]. - Pre-tax income was reported at £2.08 billion ($2.80 billion), up 6.9% from the prior-year quarter [2]. Balance Sheet Strength - As of September 30, 2025, total assets were £1,629.2 billion ($2,189.8 billion), an increase of 7.3% from December 31, 2024 [3]. - Total risk-weighted assets slightly decreased to £357.4 billion ($480.4 billion) as of September 30, 2025 [3]. - The Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio improved to 14.1%, compared to 13.6% as of December 31, 2024 [3]. Shareholder Returns - Barclays announced a £500 million share buyback plan, bringing forward a portion of its 2025 distribution plans [4]. Future Guidance - For 2025, management expects a loan loss rate of 50-60 basis points and net interest income (NII) exceeding £12.6 billion, with Barclays UK projected to generate more than £7.6 billion [5]. - The cost-to-income ratio is anticipated to be 61%, including £0.5 billion in gross efficiency savings [5]. - The CET1 ratio is expected to remain between 13-14%, with a return on tangible equity (RoTE) projected to exceed 11% [5]. - For 2026, total income is projected at £30 billion, with operating expenses expected to be £17 billion and a cost-to-income ratio in the high 50s [7]. Capital Return Strategy - Barclays plans to return at least £10 billion between 2024 and 2026 through dividends and share buybacks, with a focus on buybacks [9].