Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) reported solid first-half 2026 results, underscored by higher operating income and improved asset quality.
ICBC’s operating income climbed 9.1 % year on year to RMB 446.16 billion, driven by an 8.8 % increase in net interest income to RMB 341.24 billion and a 9.9 % rise in non-interest revenue to RMB 104.93 billion. Net profit attributable to equity holders reached RMB 173.68 billion, up 3.3 %, lifting return on average equity to 8.63 %.
The bank’s balance sheet expanded 6.7 % versus end-2025, with total assets at RMB 57.07 trillion. Customer loans grew 4.9 % to RMB 31.99 trillion, supported by a RMB 1.25 trillion increase in corporate lending. Customer deposits rose 5.0 % to RMB 39.17 trillion, keeping the loan-to-deposit ratio at 80.0 %. Net interest margin held broadly stable at 1.29 %.
Asset quality continued to improve: the non-performing loan ratio edged down 2 basis points to 1.29 %, while the allowance coverage ratio strengthened to 217.58 %. Credit impairment charges rose 22.1 % to RMB 127.02 billion, reflecting proactive provisioning.
Capital buffers remained solid: the common equity tier 1 ratio stood at 13.21 %, tier 1 at 14.43 % and total capital adequacy at 18.57 %, all above regulatory minima, despite modest declines from year-end levels. The leverage ratio was 7.20 %.
ICBC generated RMB 1.37 trillion in net operating cash inflow, compared with RMB 786.32 billion a year earlier, aided by stronger deposit growth and repo funding.
Segment-wise, corporate banking contributed RMB 106.67 billion to pre-tax profit, personal banking RMB 46.98 billion and treasury operations RMB 52.43 billion.
The board proposes an interim dividend of RMB 1.511 per ten shares (pre-tax), subject to shareholder approval.
Management highlighted priorities for the second half, including continued support for strategic sectors, advancement of digital transformation and strict risk control, with a focus on maintaining capital strength and liquidity.
No material legal, regulatory or contractual breaches were reported during the period.