Fidelity Bank Plc Q1 2020 Unaudited Results – Higher Costs Pressure Earnings

Fidelity Bank Plc (FIDELITYBK: NGSE) recorded a 1.4% YoY decline in earnings in its unaudited Q1’20 result. The bank’s weak performance reflected the combined impact of higher operating costs (+29.6% YoY), surge in loan loss charges (2x increase), and lower non-interest revenue (-27.4% YoY). Pressures from the mentioned income statement items offset the 48.8% YoY growth in net interest income during the review quarter. Annualised ROE was 9.8% (December: 13.3%).

Highlights:

• Net interest income surged 48.8% YoY, supported by higher interest income (+11.4% YoY) and falling interest expenses (-15.6% YoY). The growth in interest income relates to increased income from loans and advances (+16.4% YoY), in line with the 19.0% YoY loan growth. Similarly, the lower interest expenses reflected the 36.7% YoY and 18.7% YoY declines in interest costs on term deposits and debt securities respectively

• Non-interest income weakened 27.4% YoY, dragged by lower fees and commission income (-27.5% YoY) and net FX gains (-35.6% YoY). Among others, the decline in fees and commission reflect 34.5% YoY and 13.4% YoY fall in E-Banking and ATM fees respectively. These pressures may have been impacted by the recent review of fees by the CBN

• Operating expenses rose 29.6% YoY leading to a jump in cost to income to 71.3% from 68.4% in Q1’19. Loan loss provisions also increase two-fold to N2.1 billion, leading to higher cost of risk of 0.7% compared to 0.4% in Q1’19

• Gross loans and advances to customers increased by 3.5% during the quarter. NPL ratio also rose to 4.7% from 3.3% in December 2019. Also, deposits rose 10.4%, with low cost deposits accounting for 78.8% compared to 79.8% in December 2019.

Originally posted here.