Strong profitability and capital position
Return on equity of 15.4% in Q1 2026; earnings per share EUR 0.36 (up from EUR 0.35). CET1 ratio of 15.7%, 1.9 percentage points above current regulatory requirements, supporting lending growth and shareholder distribution.
Robust lending and deposit growth
Corporate lending increased 11% year‑on‑year with contributions from all countries; corporate deposits up 2%. Mortgage lending up 2% and retail deposits increased 5% year‑on‑year, indicating higher household savings and gradual housing market pickup.
Assets under management and flows
Group assets under management up 9% to EUR 464 billion. Private Banking net flows of EUR 1 billion; Life & Pension net flows of EUR 1.7 billion; gross written premiums EUR 4.0 billion (up from EUR 3.7 billion). Life & Pension AUM up 10% year‑on‑year to EUR 185 billion.
Fee income resilience
Net fee and commission income increased 6% year‑on‑year, driven by higher savings fee income, brokerage/advisory growth, stronger debt capital markets activity and 11% growth in secondary equities income.
Deposit hedge and NII momentum
Deposit hedge contributed positively, improving net interest income by EUR 55 million in Q1. Net interest margin was 1.57%, unchanged from Q4, and management reported moving beyond the daily NII trough with NII returning to growth during Q1.
Exceptional credit quality and provisioning actions
Strong credit quality: net loan losses and similar net result was a reversal of EUR 99 million (including release). Management fully deployed remaining COVID-era management buffer: EUR 116 million reallocated to modeled provisions and EUR 160 million released as surplus. Excluding the release, net loan losses were EUR 61 million (6 basis points).
Cost discipline and strategic cost program
Operating expenses flat year‑on‑year before FX (up 2% including FX). Underlying cost-to-income ratio was below 45%. Announced restructuring to affect ~1,500 employees (2026–27) expected to deliver at least EUR 150 million annual savings from 2028; EUR 190 million of restructuring costs were booked in Q1 (reported as an item affecting comparability).
Guidance maintained
Full‑year 2026 outlook unchanged: expect return on equity greater than 15% and a cost-to-income ratio of around 45% despite elevated short‑term market uncertainty.