Bank of Ireland sees half-year profit rise 5%

Reuters

Bank of Ireland reported a better than expected 5 per cent rise in first half pre-tax profit on Wednesday and lifted its net interest income guidance for 2024 for the second time this year.

First half profit rose 5 per cent to €1.1 billion, ahead of the €968 million forecast in a company poll of analysts, primarily due to lower regulatory fees and levies and a "materially" lower than expected impairment charge.

Ireland's biggest lender said it expects net interest income of €3.55 billion for 2024, at the higher end of its previously upgraded guidance from May and that it also expects to generate more capital that previously flagged.

Ireland's highly concentrated sector of mainly retail-focussed lenders make more of their profit through interest revenue than European peers.

Bank of Ireland now expect its return on tangible equity for the year to be ahead of the 2023 level of 17.3 per cent, compared to previous guidance that it would be above 15 per cent.

It also commenced an interim dividend for the first time since the Irish banking crash of 2008, and will return €352 million to shareholders, the equivalent of 40 per cent of first half profit after tax. - Reuters