My Analysis of United Overseas Bank Limited’s 3Q and 9M FY2025 Business Update – The Singaporean Investor

Core Viewpoint - United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) reported disappointing financial results for the third quarter and the first nine months of FY2025, with significant declines in net profit attributable to shareholders due to increased allowances for credit and other losses [3][15]. Financial Performance Summary 3Q FY2024 vs. 3Q FY2025 - Net Interest Income decreased by 7.9% year-on-year to S$2,265 million, attributed to margin compression as net interest margin fell by 0.23 percentage points to 1.82% [4][5]. - Net Fee & Commission Income fell by 2.4% to S$615 million, impacted by card rewards expenses but partially offset by growth in loan-related, wealth, and card activities [4]. - Other Non-Interest Income dropped by 30.4% to S$518 million due to lower trading and investment income compared to record highs last year [4]. - Total Income declined by 11.4% to S$3,398 million, while Total Expenses decreased by 5.6% to S$1,535 million [3]. - Net Profit Attributable to Shareholders plummeted by 72.5% to S$443 million due to a significant increase in allowances for credit and other losses [5]. 9M FY2024 vs. 9M FY2025 - Net Interest Income decreased by 3.0% to S$7,009 million, reflecting a 13 basis point contraction in net interest margin to 1.91% [7]. - Net Fee & Commission Income increased by 6.4% to S$1,945 million, driven by record contributions from wealth management and loan-related fees [6]. - Other Non-Interest Income fell by 12.2% to S$1,565 million as trading and investment income normalized [7]. - Total Income decreased by 2.9% to S$10,519 million, while Total Expenses slightly decreased by 2.1% to S$4,629 million [6]. - Net Profit Attributable to Shareholders declined by 27.7% to S$3,271 million due to a 176.1% increase in allowances for credit and other losses [8]. Key Financial Ratios - Net Interest Margin decreased from 1.91% to 1.82%, reflecting the impact of falling benchmark rates [10]. - Return on Equity fell by 7.6 percentage points to 3.5%, a multi-year low, due to a significant drop in profit attributable to shareholders [11]. - Non-Performing Loans Ratio remained stable at 1.6%, despite a 7.8% increase in non-performing assets to S$5,809 million [11]. Management Outlook - The CEO emphasized the bank's resilience and commitment to enhancing provision coverage, while maintaining dividend commitments and share buyback plans [12][13]. - The bank aims to leverage its strengths and invest in growth opportunities within the ASEAN region despite global uncertainties [14].