DUBAI: Qatar National Bank (QNB) , the biggest lender in the Gulf, said on Sunday its first quarter net profit fell by 7 percent from a year earlier to 3.3 billion riyals ($906 million) as it booked 1.4 billion riyals in "precautionary" loan loss provisions.
The bank's total assets grew by 8 percent from a year earlier to 1.042 trillion riyals at the end of March, the bank said in a statement. That growth was mainly due to a 2 percent increase in loans advances to 721 billion riyals.
QNB's ratio of non-performing loans rose to 2.2 percent at the end of the quarter from 1.9 percent at the end of March 2020.
It said its loan to deposit ratio of 96.1 percent was "healthy" and complemented by conservative credit underwriting in the first quarter.
"In addition, QNB Group continued its drive for cost rationalization in addition to sustainable revenue generating sources. This helped QNB Group to improve the efficiency (cost to income) ratio to 23.4 percent, which is considered one of the best ratios among the large financial institutions in the MEA region," it said.
The cost to income ratio improved from 25.6 percent in the first quarter of 2020 and 24.3 percent in the fourth quarter.
The loan loss provisions were "a precautionary measure taking into account the long-term view of the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic," said QNB, which according to its website is 50 percent owned by Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority.
Provisions rose from 972.8 million riyals in the first quarter of last year.
QNB's capital adequacy ratio was at 19 percent in the first quarter from 18.4 percent a year earlier.
Qatar National Bank net profit falls 7% as provisions climb
https://arab.news/w4udh
Qatar National Bank net profit falls 7% as provisions climb
- Total assets grow by 8%
- Bad loans ration increases
Closing Bell: Saudi stocks slip as Tadawul falls 1% amid broad market weakness
RIYADH: Saudi stocks fell sharply on Tuesday, with the Tadawul All Share Index closing down 108.14 points, or 1.03 percent, at 10,381.51.
The broader decline was reflected across major indices. The MSCI Tadawul 30 Index slipped 0.78 percent to 1,378.00, while Nomu, the parallel market index, fell 1 percent to 23,040.79.
Market breadth was strongly negative on the main board, with 237 stocks falling compared to just 24 gainers. Trading activity remained robust, with 164.7 million shares changing hands and a total traded value of SR3.19 billion ($850.6 million).
Among the gainers, SEDCO Capital REIT Fund led, rising 2.73 percent to SR6.77, followed by Chubb Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co., which gained 2.69 percent to SR20.20.
National Medical Care Co. added 1.72 percent to close at SR141.60, while Alyamamah Steel Industries Co. and Thimar Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing Co. advanced 1.57 percent and 1.13 percent, respectively.
Losses were led by Al Masar Al Shamil Education Co., which tumbled 8.36 percent to SR24.65. Raoom Trading Co.fell 6.75 percent to SR64.20, while Alkhaleej Training and Education Co. dropped 6.60 percent to SR18.12 and Naqi Water Co. declined 5.51 percent to SR54.00. Gulf General Cooperative Insurance Co. closed 5.44 percent lower at SR3.65.
On the announcement front, Chubb Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co. signed a multiyear insurance agreement with Saudi Electricity Co. to provide various coverages, expected to positively impact its financial results over the 2025–2026 period. The deal will run for three years and two months and is within the company’s normal course of business.
Meanwhile, Bupa Arabia for Cooperative Insurance Co. announced a one-year health insurance contract with Saudi National Bank, valued at SR330.2 million, covering the bank’s employees and their families from January 2026. Despite the sizable contract, Bupa Arabia shares fell 0.8 percent to close at SR137, weighed down by the broader market weakness.
In contrast, United Cooperative Assurance Co. revealed an extension of its engineering insurance agreement with Saudi Binladin Group for the Grand Mosque expansion in Makkah. The contract value exceeds 20 percent of the company’s gross written premiums based on its latest audited financials and is expected to support results through 2026. However, the stock came under selling pressure, ending the session down 4.51 percent at SR3.39.
