At the 2026 interim results conference held on August 27, China Citic Bank Corporation Limited (SH: 601998) / CITIC BANK (HK: 00998) deputy president Zhao Yuanxin outlined the bank's performance in the first half of the year. He noted that despite a complex and challenging external environment, the bank adhered to central government directives and regulatory requirements, effectively managed risks, and seized growth opportunities. By actively implementing the "Five Major Articles" strategy and advancing its strategic plans, the bank achieved new progress in high-quality development, further cementing its balanced, stable, and sustainable growth trajectory.
Zhao summarized the bank's results across five key areas. First, profitability maintained steady growth with consolidated development momentum. In the first half, net profit reached RMB 37.6 billion, up 3.08% year-on-year, while total revenue climbed 3.05% to RMB 109.4 billion.
Second, asset quality remained stable with adequate risk coverage. As of the end of June, the non-performing loan ratio stood at 1.15%, and the provision coverage ratio was 203.1%, keeping risk resilience at a reasonable level.
Third, balance sheet scale grew steadily with continued structural optimization. Total assets reached RMB 10.38 trillion by June 30, an increase of RMB 252.8 billion or 2.5% from the end of the previous year. Customer loans surpassed RMB 6 trillion, with general loans rising to 56.2% of total assets. Total liabilities amounted to RMB 9.49 trillion, up RMB 209.6 billion or 2.26% from year-end 2025.
Fourth, capital management was further strengthened, with capital adequacy ratios solidly reinforced. As of the end of June, the core Tier 1, Tier 1, and total capital adequacy ratios were 9.37%, 10.98%, and 12.81%, respectively, all maintaining healthy levels while supporting internal capital accumulation. This enabled a virtuous cycle where stable dividends were preserved alongside internally generated capital to fuel business growth.
Fifth, international ratings improved steadily, enhancing the bank's brand profile. According to data released this year, the bank ranked 18th in the global banking brand top 500 list, and was the only joint-stock bank to achieve growth in both brand value and brand strength index. In the global top 1000 banks ranking by Tier 1 capital, it moved up two places to 16th. Both Fitch and S&P assigned the highest ratings among joint-stock banks, while its ESG rating was recognized as globally best-in-class for commercial banking. Additionally, the performance of its A-share and H-share prices ranked second and first, respectively, among joint-stock banks.
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