Hotline +255 768985500

Whistleblowing

Equity Bank Group, on Thursday announced that its profit after tax for the third quarter of 2014 grew by 26% to Kshs. 11.2 billion up from Kshs. 8.9 billion in the same period last year.


With a complement of 9.2 million customers, the bank’s net income recorded enhanced growth during the trading period ending September 2014, in what Equity Bank Group CEO, Dr. James Mwangi attributed to growing economic activity across the region. Inter country and regional trade within the East African community has risen to above 30%.


The bank’s successful implementation of its regional expansion strategy saw Equity Bank Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan subsidiaries collectively posting a 51% and 137% growth in deposits and a profit after tax respectively promising growing contribution by the regional subsidiaries going forward. 


Additionally the bank’s strategy to grow its alternative strategic income streams was further re-affirmed with a growth of 23% being realized against the bank’s net interest income growth of 9%. Merchant business commissions posted a 69% growth while insurance, custodial and brokerage fees rose by 35%, Diaspora remittances grew by 19% and foreign exchange trading income grew by 15%.


The Bank’s agency banking network also maintained its rapid development and now has 15,875 agents representing a 70% Year on Year growth. Plans, Dr. Mwangi said, are also underway to expand the agency offering to include other services including Insurance and Air Ticket sales. Added Dr. Mwangi, “Agents are now processing more cash withdrawals and deposit transactions than the branches and ATMs combined.”


Comparatively, Equity Bank Group’s  revenues drawn from other Fees and commissions income at Kshs 6.5billion up from Kshs 5.1billion registered within the same period last year, appears to be growing faster than the Fees and commissions income on loans & advances which has been a traditional income driver for commercial banks. Further confirming the bank’s growing reputation as an economic development financier, Equity Bank’s loan book grew by 30% to Kshs 206.7billion up from Kshs 158.6billion and was supported by a 27% growth in deposits of Kshs 243Billion up from Kshs 192Billion and a 38% growth in long-term debt to Kshs 34Billion up from Kshs 24Billion.


The Bank achieved a notable improvement in the quality of the loan book with a reduction of cost of risk from 2.7% to 0.6% resulting in reduction of provisions for bad debts from Kshs 2.4 billion to Kshs 900 million while at the same time enhancing NPL coverage from 52% to 62%.  The quality of the loan book improved significantly reducing the ratio of non-performing loans from 5.5% to 4.3%.


The Bank’s total operating income rose by 14% to close at Kshs 34.5Billion up from Kshs 30.2Billion posted in the same period last year while total expenses marginally grew by 6% from 17.7Billion to stand at Kshs 18.8Billion resulting in profit before tax growth of 25% to Kshs 15.9 billion up from Kshs 12.6 billion. Return on Equity improved to 27.6% up from 26.4 % while return on assets increased from 4.9% from 4.6% for the same period last year. Despite a reduction of 30% in lending rates, net interest margin declined marginally due to sustained cost of funds. The decline on interest yield saw income cost ratio deteriorate slightly from 46% to 48%.


Speaking when he released the bank’s 3rd quarter results, Dr. Mwangi acknowledged that the current growth comes hot on the heels of a rapid expansion of East African economies as witnessed by the recent rebasing of Kenya’s GDP which reflected a 25% expansion of the economy. The sustained 6-8% growth rate of Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda over the recent past boosted the performance of the regional banking subsidiaries.


“Recent Vision 2030 infrastructure investment in energy, roads, ports, airports, railways and revival of manufacturing and construction sector will offer enormous banking opportunities going forward,” an optimistic Dr. Mwangi said. Dr Mwangi also observed that the changing global perception about Kenya and rebranding of the East Africa as an oil rich region and relocation of global brands’ Africa head offices to Nairobi together with the upgrade of the UNEP office into a Class 1 status UN Office will enhance business attractiveness of the region.


Dr. Mwangi acknowledged that the current growth comes hot on the heels of the recent launch of American Express products in Kenya as part of the bank’s Equity 3.0 corporate growth strategy announced early this year.


The partnership with American Express will facilitate Equity Bank to serve American Express Card Members from any part of the world visiting East Africa. Currently, American Express holds more than 107.2million cards worldwide with US$ 33Billion annual revenues.


“With the recent launch of American Express products locally, Equity Bank is now firmly entrenched as the bank with the widest international payments partnerships and ecosystem in Sub Sahara Africa,” Dr. Mwangi said. “Indeed, we are now a preferred partner for American Express, Visa, PayPal, Google and Union Pay, SWIFT, JCB, VFX, Diners Club and MasterCard,” he added.


“The strong financial performance that Equity Group has experienced throughout 2014 is an encouraging indicator that the Equity 3.0 strategy is off to a good start with a clear chance of growing our revenues further once the complementary business drivers such as our MVNO operations are commercially launched,” said Dr. Mwangi.


As part of the Equity 3.0 Strategy, the Bank plans to enhance its payment systems significantly on all fronts including mobile based platforms.

Related stories

Equity Bank Tanzania limited imeingia ubia na Klabu ya Simba

Equity Bank Tanzania limited imeingia ubia na Klabu ya Simba katika kutoa kadi zenye chapa zao...

View More
Equity Bank Kicks Off Issuance of Simba Fan Cards

Equity Bank has today kicked off the issuance of Simba Fan Cards to over 20 million fans of the...

View More
Equity Bank Tanzania Donates 5 Mobile Police Posts to Ministry of Home Affairs in Tanzania

Equity Bank Tanzania has today handed over 5 mobile police posts to the Ministry of Home Affairs...

View More
Benki Ya Equity Tanzania Inazindua Suluhisho Jipya Ya Benki Kimtandao

Benki ya Equity imezindua huduma za benki kwa njia ya kimtandao, huduma hizi zilizopewa jina...

View More
Equity Bank and Tanzania Revenue Authority in Partnership for Payment of Taxes

The new tax settlement avenue will be available for all TRA clients including non- Equity Bank...

View More
Regional Expansion and Diversification Strategy Pays Off as Equity Bank Posts a 21% Growth

Regional financial services provider Equity Bank Group has returned to its traditional growth path...

View More
Equity Bank Group’s Investment in Ict and Focus on Sme Boosts Profits by 11% in the 2013

Equity Bank Group’s investment in ICT and Focus on SME boosts profits by 11 percent in the year...

View More
Equity Bank and American Express Announce Card Issuing and Merchant Acquiring Partnership

Equity Bank and American Express today announced a partnership agreement, through which Equity Bank...

View More
Equity Group Secures Its Shareholders Nod for a Kshs 20 Billion Pan African Expansion Bid

The approvals, which were secured during the firm’s 11th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held today...

View More
Equity Bank’s Focus on Innovation Boosts First Half Year 2013 Profit

Regional banking group, Equity Bank's reduction of interest rates by 700 bps from 25% to 18% has...

View More
Equity Bank Group Strengthens Its Fundamentals While Expenses of Ict, Innovation and Product Rollout Slows Profit Growth To 7%

Equity Bank Group strengthens its fundamentals while expenses of ICT, Innovation and Product Rollout...

View More
Equity Bank's Strategy Increases Profits by 36 Percent

The Group’s total assets posted a 24% growth during the year to close at Ksh 243 billion up from...

View More
MasterCard and Equity Bank Announce Partnership to Introduce PayPass™ Enabled Cards

Partnership to increase financial inclusion and boost EMV migration efforts in the region.

View More
Equity Tanzania unveils a new identity in line with the Bank’s ongoing journey of transformation

The new identity is aimed at creating a sustainable growth path and service delivery in today’s...

View More
Equity ranks position 7 in the list of top 10 banks in Africa in The Banker’s Top 100 African Banks 2020.

Equity becomes the 1st bank in Eastern and Central Africa to achieve this milestone paving way for...

View More
EQUITY CROSSES THE KSH 1,000,000,000,000 BALANCE SHEET MARK

Becomes the first bank in Eastern and Central Africa to achieve the trillion-shilling balance sheet...

View More
Equity CEO, Dr. James Mwangi, wins coveted Oslo Business for Peace Award

The Award is conferred annually to exceptional individuals who exemplify their outstanding `business...

View More
EQUITY BANK (T) ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH WORLD REMIT, MONEY GRAM AND WESTERN UNION TO EASE INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFERS TO TANZANIA

The service presents the exciting prospect for the Tanzania community to receive seamless...

View More
EQUITY BANK (T) LTD YAZINDUA KAMPENI MPYA YA KUWEKA AKIBA (JIJENGE)

Equity Bank (T) leo imenzidua rasmi akaunti maalum ya utunzani fedha kwa kujiwekea kidogo kidogo ili...

Zaidi
EQUITY BANK (T) yaleta mfumo wa kidijitali wa “Eazzy-Kikundi” ili kuongeza tija na uwazi katika uendeshaji wa Vicoba nchini.

Equity Bank (T) imeahidi kuendelea kutoa elimu ya fedha na mikopo nafuu kwa vikundi vya uwekezaji na...

Zaidi
Equity Bank (T) introduces Interbank money transfers and SADC-(SIRESS) Services to boost cross boarders' and regional remittance services

Customers with Equity Bank accounts can now transact seamlessly in any of the Equity Bank branches...

View More
Equity Bank launches EazzyFX, An Electronic Channel for Settling Forex Transactions

Customers will have the freedom to execute forex requirements in real-time in a safe, convenient and...

View More
Equity receives double International Standards Certification on IT Service and Information Security Management Systems

Equity Bank Kenya Limited has received two International Standards Certifications - ISO 20000 and...

View More
Equity Bank Tanzania Limited Appoints Managing Director

Equity Bank Tanzania has announced the appointment of Ms. Isabel Maganga as the new Managing...

View More
Equity Group Launches Kshs. 678 billion (USD 6 Billion) Regional Private Sector Economic Recovery and Resilience Stimulus Plan

Equity’s Eastern and Central Africa Recovery and Resilience plan is envisaged to provide financing...

View More
Equity Group Returns to Growth

Equity Group has eased its defensive strategy that had been deployed during the economic uncertainty...

View More
THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA (AfCFTA) SECRETARIAT AND EQUITY GROUP CEMENT A PARTNERSHIP TO DEEPEN ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

The partnership will champion the implementation of the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan which...

View More
EQUITY BANK TANZANIA HOSTS AMERICAN DELEGATES FOR A TRADE AND INVESTMENT TRADE MISSION

Delegates from the United States of America (USA) have arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for a...

View More
EQUITY GROUP REPORTS STRONG 3RD QUARTER PERFORMANCE

Equity Group Holdings Plc today reported Kshs.34.4 billion shillings profit after tax for the nine...

View More
EQUITY GROUP REPORTS A RECORD KES 46.1B NET PROFIT AND A DIVIDEND PAYOUT OF KES 15.1B

EQUITY GROUP REPORTS A RECORD KES 46.1B NET PROFIT AND A DIVIDEND PAYOUT OF KES 15.1B

View More
Equity Group Holdings Registers Strong Recovery

Nairobi Monday 13th May 2024… After reporting a 5% decline in profit after tax for the year ended...

Read More
Equity Group Unveils 2023 Sustainability Report: “A Sustainable World is a Transformed Africa” Showcasing Bold Vision and Impact

Nairobi, Kenya, 3rd September 2024: Equity Group unveiled its third annual sustainability report for...

Read More
Equity Group Holdings Plc Reports 3rd Quarter 2024 Profit After Tax of Kshs 40.9 Billion

NAIROBI, 12th November 2024: Against a backdrop of continued macroeconomic headwinds of high...

Read More
Service finder
Equity Bank is Regulated by Bank of Tanzania (BOT)