Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited, the country’s largest and oldest International bank announced its Annual Results for 2023 today.
The Bank delivered a record performance in 2023 with a Profit before tax of Rs. 89.2 billion, which is 78 percent higher than last year. Profit after tax registered a growth of 115 percent to close at Rs. 42.6 billion, the highest ever since its incorporation.
Overall revenue grew 72 percent whereas client revenue increased by 78 percent year on year with positive contributions from all segments. Operating expenses increased 29 percent from last year in line with the prevalent inflationary trend. Moreover, a prudent risk approach coupled with recoveries of bad debts led to a net release of Rs. 163 million in loan impairments during the year.
On the asset side, the Bank achieved a milestone of crossing Rs. 1.0 trillion in total assets, which grew 8 percent from the start of the year. On the liabilities side, the Bank’s total deposits stood at Rs. 720 billion. Current accounts registered a healthy growth of Rs. 34 billion (up 10 percent) since the start of the year and comprise 50 percent of the deposit base.
During 2023, the Bank contributed around Rs. 63.5 billion to the national exchequer in lieu of direct income taxes and as a withholding agent of Federal / Provincial Tax Authorities.
With a strong Return on Equity (ROE) of 46.4 percent for the year and a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 20.1 percent, the Bank remains well-positioned for future growth. On the back of robust performance and a well-capitalized balance sheet, the Board of Directors has recommended a final cash dividend of 25 percent (Rs. 2.50 per share).
This is in addition to the 65 percent (Rs. 6.50 per share) interim cash dividend announced during the year, thereby taking the total dividend payout to a record high of 90 percent (Rs. 9.00 per share).
Rehan Shaikh, Chief Executive Officer Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited said, “We are incredibly proud to announce our exceptional performance in 2023, delivering highest ever profit for the franchise. These results are a testament to the work we have put in over the last few years to transform and grow our business. The results also signify the strong foundations, resilient and innovative business model, trust of our clients and the value that we are creating for our shareholders”.
He explained, “We aim to build on this success by taking action to deliver sustainably higher returns with a focus on driving income growth and improving operational leverage. We will continue to pursue simplification and digitization of our business with a goal to further improve our productivity, client and employee experience and create capacity to reinvest in incremental growth initiatives”.
Shaikh added, “Although the external environment remains challenging, we are committed to sustainable growth in our performance, whilst delivering innovative solutions for our clients and contributing positively to Pakistan’s progress.”