S&P Rating Upgrade to Weak AA
SEB received an S&P upgrade to a weak AA rating after more than 10 years in the making, strengthening the bank's credit quality positioning among global peers.
Strong Customer Satisfaction and Market Positions
Maintained #1 position for large corporates; Institutional Banking ranked #1 in Sweden, Finland and Norway, #3 in Denmark and #2 overall; #1 in syndicated loans; Private Banking improved from position 6 to 4; award for best Swedish equity fund.
Employee Engagement at All-Time High
Employee engagement reached a new all-time high, placing SEB in the top decile for employee satisfaction within the financial industry.
Fee and Commission Growth
Fees and commissions increased ~SEK 500 million quarter-on-quarter (+8% QoQ) and were up 5% year-on-year (8% in constant FX), with broad-based increases across divisions (corporate finance, equities, DCM, cards, WAM performance fees).
Cost Discipline and FY25 Cost Target Met
Reported full-year operating expenses of SEK 32.6 billion were in line with the FX-adjusted 2025 cost target (SEK 32.5 billion ± SEK 300 million); Q4 operating expenses were SEK 8.5 billion. Total FTEs declined during 2025 for the first time since 2018 and an external hiring pause remains in place.
AirPlus Consolidation and EPS Outlook
AirPlus consolidation contributed positively; implementation charges (~SEK 800 million FY25, with ~SEK 100 million acceleration) were recorded but AirPlus is now EPS accretive excluding restructuring and is on track to be EPS accretive including implementation costs in 2026.
Loan and Baltic Growth
FX-adjusted corporate lending increased 3% year-on-year and group lending increased 2% YoY. Baltic division showed broad-based volume growth (e.g., mortgage sales up 43% YoY in local FX) and was a standout contributor to lending growth.
Capital Distributions and Capital Buffer Management
Board proposed ordinary dividend SEK 8.50/share and special dividend SEK 2.50/share plus a SEK 1.25 billion share buyback program (Q1 2026). After distributions, SEB remains within its management buffer range: reported CET1 target approximations place SEB at ~300 bps above regulatory minimum (pro forma buffer ~250 bps after Baltic IRB phase-in adjustments).
Stable Asset Quality and Low Credit Losses
Net expected credit losses were just under SEK 400 million for Q4, corresponding to ~5 basis points; asset quality described as stable with only a handful of counterparties driving specific provisions.