Banco Santander-Chile Announces Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings

Core Insights - Banco Santander Chile reported a strong financial performance for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2025, with a net income attributable to shareholders of Ch$ 1.053 billion, reflecting a 22.8% year-over-year increase and a return on average equity (ROAE) of 23.5% [2][3] Financial Performance - The bank's operating income increased by 10.2% year-over-year, driven by improved net interest margins, higher fees, and better financial transaction results [2] - Compared to the previous quarter, net income attributable to shareholders rose by 3.2% quarter-over-quarter, supported by improved margins and effective cost control [3] - The net interest margin (NIM) improved to 4.0% in 12M25, up from 3.6% in 12M24, due to a reduction in funding costs from 4.7% to 3.8% [4] Customer Growth - The total customer base expanded by 6.9% year-over-year, reaching approximately 4.6 million customers, with nearly 2.3 million being digital customers [6] - The bank maintained a strong market share in current accounts at 21.8% as of November 2025, driven by increased demand for US dollar accounts [7] Fee and Efficiency Metrics - Net commissions increased by 8.9% in 12M25, resulting in a recurrence ratio of 63.7%, indicating that over half of the bank's expenses are financed by customer-generated fees [8] - The efficiency ratio improved to 36.0% in 12M25, down from 39.0% in the previous year, despite a 1.8% increase in total operating expenses [9] Capital and Ratings - The Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio stood at 11.0%, with a capital generation of 50 basis points for the year, while the BIS ratio reached 16.9% [10] - Banco Santander Chile holds high credit ratings from various agencies, including A2 from Moody's and A- from Standard & Poor's, all with a stable outlook [11] Asset and Loan Metrics - As of December 31, 2025, the bank's total assets amounted to US$ 75.6 billion, with total gross loans at US$ 45.4 billion and total deposits at US$ 33.9 billion [12]