In 2023, Permanent TSB (PTSB) reported a substantial increase in operating profit, shooting up from €14 million in 2022 to €164 million. This was due in part to the uptake in loans inherited from Ulster Bank and a rise in interest rates. The bank experienced a 71% growth in net interest income, which rose to €620 million. Additionally, non-interest income witnessed a slight boost of 2%, equalling €48 million.
Since 2022, the bank’s loan book swelled by 50% to a staggering €21.1 billion. This leap was owing to the gradual transfer of €6.25 billion in mortgage and small business loans from Ulster Bank as the latter pulled out from the Irish market. Last year, however, they observed a 29% rise in working expenses, which accumulated to €444 million.
A notable downturn was observed in PTSB’s pre-tax earnings, which sunk by 70% to €79 million as a consequence of €87 million in outstanding charges, influenced by costs and the initial impairment charge on acquired Ulster Bank loans. Despite a badwill gain of €362 million following the discounted procurement of €5.2 billion of Ulster Bank’s mortgage assets in November 2022, the past year’s tallies had been bolstered.
CEO Eamonn Crowley is optimistic for the future, with the bank set to bolster its growth while concentrating on enhancing the experience for customers, employees, and the community and yielding sustainable returns for shareholders.
December marked a significant step for PTSB as financial regulators gave the green light to resume the distribution of dividends, a move hastened by the transformative Ulster Bank transaction. Experts believe it will not be until early 2025 that they will announce dividends based on this year’s earnings.
PTSB, 57.4% of which is in the hands of Irish taxpayers, stands as the only surviving bailed-out bank among the state’s three that has not resumed dividend payments since the crash in 2008. Over a decade has seen the bank consistently report mediocre profits as its balance sheet substantially declined.
On a more positive note, the bank has managed to bring down its non-performing loans count from an alarming 28% post-crisis to a more stable 3.3%, with this reduction achieved through loan portfolio sales and the restructuring of mortgages. Following this evolution, the group decided to change its name from Permanent TSB to just PTSB in October.
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