Two leading city commercial banks in the Yangtze River Delta region released their 2025 annual reports on the same day. One is Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd., based in Hangzhou and deeply rooted in Zhejiang province, while the other is Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd., headquartered in Jiangsu and serving the broader Yangtze River Delta and Beijing areas.
Both banks are regarded as top performers in the industry. They exhibit distinct characteristics with certain differences in asset scale efficiency. Some online commentators summarized that "Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. achieves high growth through volume-to-price compensation, whereas Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. relies more on quality dividends from existing assets."
This analysis compares Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. and Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. across multiple dimensions including asset scale, profitability, cost control, and asset quality to present a clearer picture of these city commercial banks.
Regarding asset scale, Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. achieved higher growth than Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. from a larger base. By the end of 2025, Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd.'s total assets exceeded 3 trillion yuan, increasing 16.61% from year-end 2024. Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.'s total assets surpassed 2.36 trillion yuan, growing 11.86% during the same period.
In terms of credit structure, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.'s loan growth rate was slightly higher than Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd.'s, although its personal loan scale declined. By end-2025, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.'s total loans and advances reached 1,071.876 billion yuan, an increase of 134.378 billion yuan or 14.33% from year-end 2024. Corporate loans totaled 769.869 billion yuan, rising 21.88%, while personal loans amounted to 302.007 billion yuan, decreasing 1.26%.
In comparison, Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd.'s total loans reached 1,424.356 billion yuan in 2025, increasing 13.37%. Corporate loan balances were 1,089.289 billion yuan, up 16.35%, and personal loan balances stood at 335.067 billion yuan, growing 4.64%.
In profitability metrics, Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. demonstrated higher revenue growth than Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.. In 2025, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. achieved operating revenue of 38.799 billion yuan, up 1.09% year-on-year, with net profit attributable to shareholders of 19.029 billion yuan, increasing 12.05%. During the same period, Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. reported operating revenue of 55.542 billion yuan, growing 10.48%, and net profit attributable to shareholders of 21.807 billion yuan, up 8.08%.
Both banks shared similarities: net interest income growth reached double digits, while non-interest net income declined for both. Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.'s net interest income was 27.592 billion yuan, increasing 12.82%, while non-interest net income was 11.207 billion yuan, falling 19.51%. Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd.'s net interest income reached 34.902 billion yuan, surging 31.08%, whereas non-interest net income was 20.64 billion yuan, down 12.71%.
Regarding cost control, Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. maintained superior management capabilities compared to Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.. In 2025, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.'s cost-to-income ratio was 30.03%, rising 0.62 percentage points year-on-year, while Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd.'s ratio was 26.07%, decreasing 2.01 percentage points.
During the period, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.'s total business and management expenses were 11.65 billion yuan, compared to Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd.'s 14.479 billion yuan. Their respective employee costs were 7.878 billion yuan and 9.744 billion yuan. By end-2025, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. had 14,724 employees, adding 315 people during the year, while Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. had 17,938 employees, reducing staff by 107. This translates to average employee costs of 535,000 yuan per person at Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. and 543,200 yuan at Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. in 2025.
Total compensation for all directors and senior executives at Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. amounted to 21.7444 million yuan, higher than Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd.'s 21.6897 million yuan. Specifically, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. Chairman Song Jianbin received an annual salary of 762,500 yuan, slightly lower than Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. Chairman Xie Ning's 870,000 yuan.
In asset quality, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. demonstrated stronger capital foundation. In 2025, its non-performing loan ratio was 0.76% with a provision coverage ratio of 502.24%, both considered high industry standards. However, influenced by the overall economic situation, its personal loan NPL ratio increased from 0.77% in 2024 to 1.21% in 2025. Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd.'s asset quality remained solid, with an NPL ratio of 0.83% and provision coverage of 313.62%, maintaining stable operations.
The data speaks for itself. Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. leads comprehensively in aggregate indicators including assets, deposits, loans, and revenue, while Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. maintains strong risk resistance capacity.
When evaluating which bank is more generous, dividend distribution ratios provide insight. For 2025, Bank Of Nanjing Co.,Ltd. distributed total cash dividends of 6.542 billion yuan (pre-tax), representing 31.6% of net profit attributable to common shareholders in the consolidated statements. In contrast, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd. proposed total cash dividends of 4.784 billion yuan for 2025, accounting for 26.43% of net profit attributable to common shareholders. Furthermore, Bank Of Hangzhou Co.,Ltd.'s annual dividend payout ratio has not exceeded 30% over the past five years.
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