KBC Group: Third-quarter result of 1 002 million euros

We recorded an excellent net profit of 1 002 million euros in the third quarter of 2025. Compared to the previous quarter, our total income benefited from an increase in net interest income, insurance revenues and net fee and commission income, while trading and fair value income, net other income and dividend income (following the seasonal peak in the second quarter) were down. Our loan portfolio continued to expand, increasing by 2% quarter-on-quarter and by 8% year-on-year. Customer deposits – excluding volatile, low-margin short-term deposits at KBC Bank’s foreign branches – were stable quarter-on-quarter and up 3% year-on-year. Operating expenses excluding bank and insurance taxes were marginally higher, and remained perfectly within our guidance. Insurance service expenses after reinsurance were also up, but loan loss impairment charges decreased significantly, leading to a very favourable credit cost ratio of just 12 basis points for the first nine months of 2025 (13 basis points excluding the changes in the reserve for geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties). Consequently, when adding up the results for the first three quarters of the year, our year-to-date net profit amounted to 2 566 million euros, up 12% on the year-earlier figure.

Our solvency position remained strong, with an unfloored fully loaded common equity ratio under Basel IV of 14.9% at the end of September 2025. Our liquidity position remained very solid too, as illustrated by an LCR of 158% and an NSFR of 134%. In line with our dividend policy, we paid out an interim dividend of 1 euro per share on 7 November 2025 as an advance on the total dividend for 2025. We further increased our full-year 2025 guidance for net interest income to at least 5.95 billion euros (up from 5.85 billion euros as guided in the previous quarter), as well as for total income growth to at least 7.5% (up from 7.0%).

We continue to lead the way in digital innovation. Kate, our AI-powered personal digital assistant, has recently been further upgraded to enable even more natural and intuitive conversations, which will further boost autonomy and customer usage. Kate now autonomously resolves seven out of ten customer queries across our core markets. And with our enhanced Kate Coin programme, it is now even easier for customers to earn and use Kate Coins. Among other things, customers can earn Kate Coins at one partner and use them at another. Besides this, we are working together with eight European banks in developing a MiCAR-compliant euro stablecoin that brings stability to the rapidly evolving world of crypto and tokenisation. 

We regularly receive external recognition for our innovative approach and are particularly proud that independent international research agency Sia has again named KBC Mobile the world’s best mobile banking app. KBC has now won this prestigious title three times: in 2021, 2024 and 2025.

Furthermore, we recently reached an agreement to acquire Business Lease in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, for a total consideration of 72 million euros. This transaction will enable KBC to significantly expand its leasing activities in Central Europe and strengthen its market position in both countries. The deal will have an immaterial impact on our capital position and is still subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities. It is expected to be closed in the first quarter of 2026. 

I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all our employees for their contribution to our group’s continued success. I also wish to thank all our customers, shareholders and all other stakeholders for their trust and support, and to assure them that we remain committed to being the reference in bank-insurance and innovation in all our home markets.’.

Johan Thijs, Chief Executive Officer

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