ZACKSยท2025-10-28 18:01Core Insights - HSBC Holdings reported a third-quarter 2025 pre-tax profit of $7.30 billion, a decline of 13.9% year-over-year, primarily due to increased operating expenses and higher expected credit losses [1][7] - Total revenues increased by 4.6% year-over-year to $17.79 billion, driven by higher net interest income and net fee income [2][7] Financial Performance - Operating expenses rose by 19.9% year-over-year to $9.12 billion, excluding amortization and impairment of intangible assets [2] - Expected credit losses (ECL) were $1.01 billion, up 2.2% from the prior-year quarter [2] Business Segment Performance - The Hong Kong Business reported a pre-tax profit of $2.45 billion, up 10.4% year-over-year, driven by higher revenues [4] - The UK Business saw a pre-tax profit of $1.64 billion, down 1% year-over-year due to higher ECL charges and increased expenses [4] - Corporate and Institutional Banking reported a pre-tax profit of $2.55 billion, a decrease of 15.6% year-over-year, attributed to higher ECL charges and operating expenses [5] - International Wealth and Premier Banking's pre-tax profit increased by 9.7% year-over-year to $1.29 billion, supported by higher revenues and lower ECL charges [5] - The Corporate Centre reported a pre-tax loss of $637 million, compared to a pre-tax income of $400 million in the previous year [5] Capital and Dividend Updates - HSBC completed a $3 billion share buyback plan and announced a third interim dividend of 10 cents per share for 2025 [6] - The common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio as of September 30, 2025, was 14.5%, down from 14.9% as of December 31, 2024 [3] Management Outlook - For 2025, management expects banking net interest income (NII) of $43 billion or better, reflecting increased confidence in policy rates in key markets [7][8] - Operating expenses are anticipated to rise by 3% in 2025, with expected ECL charges at 40 basis points of average gross loans [8][9] - The company aims for a return on average tangible equity in the mid-teens range for 2025, excluding notable items [9] Strategic Initiatives - HSBC plans to incur $1.8 billion in expenses related to business overhaul by the end of 2026, aiming for annualized cost savings of $1.5 billion by the end of 2027 [8] - The company is divesting operations in underperforming regions and has exited retail banking in multiple markets to improve operating efficiency [12]