Bank Asia’s profit falls 16% in H1 2026
Higher interest expenses and weaker investment and fee-based income dragged down Bank Asia’s earnings in the first half of 2026.
Bank Asia PLC's consolidated earnings per share (EPS) fell 16% year-on-year to Tk1.77 in the first half of 2026, from Tk2.11 a year earlier, mainly due to higher interest expenses and lower investment and fee-based income.
The bank's board approved its financial statements for the January-June period on Thursday, according to the lender's price-sensitive information published on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) website.
Bank Asia said the decline in EPS was primarily driven by an increase in interest expenses compared with interest income, along with lower investment income and reduced commission, exchange and brokerage income.
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On a consolidated basis, the bank's net asset value (NAV) per share stood at Tk26.92 at the end of June 2026, up from Tk24.33 at the same time last year.
Its net operating cash flow per share also increased to Tk48.77 in the first half of 2026, compared with Tk37.60 a year earlier.
Explaining the rise in NAV, Bank Asia said it was mainly due to growth in shareholders' equity, driven by an increase in paid-up capital and statutory reserves, as well as the transfer of startup funds from other liabilities.
The increase in net operating cash flow was mainly due to higher cash inflows from deposits and borrowings, the bank said.
In 2025, Bank Asia reported a profit of Tk407.25 crore, with EPS of Tk3.18.
The bank paid a 17% dividend for 2025, comprising an 8.5% cash dividend and an 8.5% stock dividend to shareholders.
On Thursday, Bank Asia shares closed at Tk18.50 each on the Dhaka Stock Exchange.
