HBL posts 9M’26 profit before tax of Rs115bn

HBL on Thursday declared a record quarterly profit before tax of Rs41.9 billion for the third quarter of 2026. The Bank’s total profit before tax for nine months ended September 30, 2026, increased to Rs 115 billion while the profit after tax rose to Rs54.1 billion. EPS for 9M’26 increased to Rs36.84.

Along with the results, the Bank declared an interim cash dividend for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, at Rs 6.0 per share. This is in addition to the interim cash dividend already paid at Rs 12 per share i.e. 120%.

HBL’s balance sheet grew by 16% to Rs8.9 trillion, with total deposits closing at Rs5.9 trillion. Domestic deposits increased to Rs5.1 trillion, driven by strong current account mobilization. Consequently, the domestic CA mix improved from 37.6% in December 2025 to 40.2% in September 2026.

HBL’s leading lending book continued to strengthen, with total advances increasing to Rs2.2 trillion. The flagship consumer lending portfolio continued its stellar growth trajectory, reaching Rs199 billion, while the Group’s agriculture financing increased to over Rs119 billion.

HBL’s net interest income rose to Rs210 billion, supported by volumetric expansion of Rs600 billion in the average balance sheet and a stronger funding mix led by consistent growth in the average current deposits. The Bank’s non-fund Income rose to Rs73 billion, driven by double-digit growth in fees and commissions and a solid performance from the treasury business. HBL’s premier Cards business continued to be the largest fee driver, while healthy contributions from Trade and G2P income further supported growth. HBL’s total revenue thus increased to Rs283 billion.

Disciplined cost management remained a priority, resulting in a subdued growth of 6% in the Bank’s administrative expenses. With sustained profitability, HBL’s Tier I CAR of 12.75% and total CAR of 16.09% remained well above required levels.

Commenting on the Bank’s performance, HBL President & CEO Muhammad Nassir Salim, said:“HBL’s 9M’26 results reflect the continued momentum across our businesses and the disciplined execution of our strategy. Supported by a diversified revenue base, sustained investments in technology and client experience, and a continued focus on efficiency, we are successfully advancing our objective of accelerating scale with profitability.

“Our Core Banking Transformation is strengthening our ability to innovate, enhance agility and create a better experience for our clients. As we approach the close of the year, our focus remains on deepening client relationships and delivering long-term value for our clients, stakeholders and Pakistan’s economy.“

Delivering value for stakeholders

With a view to strengthening digital payments and payment capabilities in Pakistan, in a landmark development, in China, HBL and UnionPay International (UPI) agreed to enhance their longstanding relationship into a strategic cooperation. HBL has been issuing UnionPay debit cards since 2013 and has issued more than 1.8 million UnionPay debit cards to date. HBL is also the only issuer from Pakistan with permanent representation on the UnionPay International Council.

HBL is fully committed to growing the “S” of SME business in a significant and sustainable way. Furthering this agenda, HBL inaugurated its first Trade Business Center in Sindh in Hyderabad, bringing comprehensive trade services under one roof for Commercial and SME clients. With a network that now spans more than 20 Trade Business Centers nationwide, HBL continues to expand access to specialized trade services across Pakistan.

Reinforcing its commitment to providing a world-class banking experience to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), the Bank inaugurated its first HBL Prestige Lounge in Sukkur, the Bank’s 60th HBL Prestige Lounge across its network.

To provide Pakistani exporters with export credit insurance solutions, HBL and the Export-Import Bank of Pakistan (EXIM Bank) entered into a Bank Master Policy (BMP) arrangement. This arrangement is an important step in supporting Pakistan’s exporters by creating more opportunities for Pakistani businesses to expand into international markets. 

In recognition of HBL Islamic’s extensive banking network and its focus on this key national economic imperative, HBL Islamic was appointed as the Exclusive Banking Partner for Hajj 2027, in collaboration with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Government of Pakistan.

HBL’s Islamic Banking credentials were underscored at the 5th AlBaraka Summit in London, where HBL led a high-level discussion on how a Maqasid-al-Shariah-driven approach can strengthen Islamic finance.

HBL’s technology modernization journey continued through the third quarter with the ongoing implementation of Temenos Transact. To date, 800+ branches have been onboarded to the platform.

HBL’s international network reinforces its role as a leading regional bank and a trusted partner for clients operating across borders. In this context, HBL celebrated 50 years of operations in Bangladesh, marking decades of partnership with the country and its businesses.

To engage with overseas Pakistanis and highlight banking and investment opportunities in Pakistan, HBL hosted Roshan Digital Account (RDA) roadshows in London and Birmingham. HBL’s cumulative RDA inflows exceed USD 2 billion, underscoring the platform’s role in connecting overseas Pakistanis with investment opportunities in Pakistan. The engagements also highlighted the PASBAN Remittance Reward Scheme (PRRS), a State Bank of Pakistan-supported initiative designed to encourage remittances to Pakistan through formal banking channels.

During the first nine months of 2026, the HBL Foundation allocated approximately Rs. 300 million towards healthcare, education, community development, inclusive rehabilitation, and humanitarian assistance initiatives across Pakistan.

In recognition of its continued leadership and innovation, HBL was named ‘Pakistan’s Best Bank’ by Euromoney this year. The Bank also received multiple industry accolades during Q3 2026, including ‘Best Islamic Investment Bank’, ‘Best Project Finance Loan’ and ‘Best Syndicated Loan – Sovereign’ at The Asset Triple A Islamic Finance Awards 2026, and the ‘Gold Award – Financial Sector category’ at the 5th Annual Employer of Choice, Gender Diversity Awards 2026, organized by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Pakistan Business Council (PBC).