Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The underlying Return on Tangible Equity for 2025 was 14.7%, with record annual income of $20.9 billion, up 8% year-on-year [3][5] - Profit before tax increased by 18% to $7.9 billion, with earnings per share rising by 37% [12][21] - The full-year net interest income (NII) was $11.2 billion, up 1%, while non-NII increased by 13% year-over-year [13][14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB) income was $12.4 billion, up 4%, with Global Banking up 15% and Global Markets up 12% [22][23] - Wealth and Retail Banking (WRB) income was $8.5 billion, up 6%, driven by a 24% increase in Wealth Solutions [24][30] - The affluent segment saw a cumulative total of $52 billion in net new money for 2025, reflecting a 14% growth in affluent AUM [24][30] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Underlying customer deposits increased by 12% in the year, with growth in CASA and term deposits across WRB and CIB [20] - Risk-weighted assets were $258 billion, up 4% in 2025, with a CET1 ratio of 14.1% [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to shift to reporting on a reported basis, moving away from underlying financials to provide clearer financial disclosures [6][25] - The focus remains on sustainable growth, with a commitment to maintaining a high-performance culture and optimizing resources [7][29] - The company aims to create a distinctive and high-performing institution that delivers growth across all dimensions for clients and shareholders [36] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The management expressed confidence in the resilience of global trade and capital flows despite geopolitical tensions and market volatility [2][4] - The outlook for 2026 anticipates income growth at the lower end of the historical 5-7% range, with a focus on maintaining a statutory return on tangible equity of greater than 12% [25][26] Other Important Information - A new $1.5 billion share buyback was announced, alongside a 65% increase in the full-year dividend per share [4][21] - The company has mobilized $157 billion in sustainable finance since 2021, aiming for $300 billion by 2030 [34] Q&A Session Summary Question: On investments and account opening capacity in wealth - The company is currently delivering 60,000 new clients per quarter without capacity constraints, with ongoing investments to remove bottlenecks [39][41] Question: On episodic income performance in Q4 - Q4 episodic income was weak due to large client transactions, but overall growth in financial markets remains strong [46][49] Question: On net interest income and HIBOR impact - The majority of the NII increase in Q4 was due to HIBOR movements, and Q4 should not be used as a baseline for future projections [61][65] Question: On guidance for income growth and dividend payout ratio - The company expects double-digit growth in non-interest income, with a focus on broad-based growth across all business lines [71][84]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The underlying Return on Tangible Equity (RoTE) for 2025 was 14.7%, with record annual income of $20.9 billion, representing an 8% year-on-year increase [2][4] - Profit before tax increased by 18% to $7.9 billion, with earnings per share rising by 37% [10][19] - The full-year net interest income (NII) was $11.2 billion, up 1%, while non-NII increased by 13% year-on-year [11][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB) income was $12.4 billion, up 4%, with Global Banking growing by 15% and Global Markets by 12% [20] - Wealth and Retail Banking (WRB) income reached $8.5 billion, up 6%, driven by a 24% increase in Wealth Solutions [21][27] - The affluent segment saw a cumulative total of $52 billion in net new money for 2025, equivalent to 14% growth in affluent assets under management (AUM) [21][27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Underlying customer deposits increased by 12% in 2025, with growth in both CASA and term deposits across WRB and CIB [18] - Risk-weighted assets rose by 4% to $258 billion, with a Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 14.1% [19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to shift to reporting on a reported basis, moving away from underlying financials to provide clearer financial outcomes [5][22] - The focus remains on sustainable growth, with a commitment to mobilize $300 billion in sustainable finance by 2030 [31] - The company aims to enhance its competitive advantages and deliver high-quality growth across all dimensions [33] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of global trade and capital flows despite geopolitical tensions and market volatility [1][2] - The outlook for 2026 includes a target for statutory RoTE of greater than 12%, with income growth expected at the lower end of the historical 5%-7% range [23][32] Other Important Information - A new $1.5 billion share buyback was announced, alongside a 65% increase in the full-year dividend per share [3][19] - The Fit for Growth program has achieved over $700 million in run rate savings, with expectations for total savings to reach around $1.3 billion [14][16] Q&A Session Summary Question: On investments and account opening capacity in wealth - Management confirmed that current capacity is sufficient to deliver 60,000 new clients per quarter, with ongoing investments to remove bottlenecks [35][38] Question: On episodic income performance in Q4 - Management clarified that the weak performance in episodic income was due to large client transactions being lower than expected, but overall growth in flow income remains strong [43][46] Question: On guidance for income growth and dividend distribution - Management indicated that non-interest income is expected to grow double digits, with a focus on maintaining a balanced approach between dividends and buybacks [68][70]