Siam Commercial Bank's (SCB) unreviewed consolidated net profit shot up 27.9% year-on-year, due largely to the sharp decline in impairment charges and higher net interest income.
The country's third largest lender by assets recorded a quarterly net profit of 11.5 billion baht for the three months to September, compared with 9.02 billion over the same period last year, the bank said in statement.
The bank's loan-loss provisions set aside for the third quarter fell by 56.2% from last year to 7.01 billion. SCB during the July-to-September quarter set aside 16 billion baht in loan-loss provisions to fully cover loans secured by debt-ridden Sahaviriya Steel Industries Plc (SSI) and its loss-making subsidiary SSI UK after the steel maker defaulted.
Its coverage ratio rose to 129% at the end of September from 110% at the end of last year, slightly lower than 130% at the end-June.
Higher net interest income and the lower loan-loss reserves eclipsed a 37.6% decline in non-interest income, the statement read.
The lack of large gains on investments realised in the third quarter last year was attributed to the sharp decline in non-interest income, the bank said.
The bank's gross non-performing loans (NPLs) at the end-September amounted to 61.4 billion baht, down 1.4% from 62.3 billion at the end of 2015. Its gross NPL ratio also dropped to 2.85% at the end of September from 2.89% at the end of last year, but rose from 2.77% at the end-June.
SCB's loans outstanding at the end-September increased 5.3% year-on-year to 1.91 trillion baht.
Thanachart Bank (TBank), a subsidiary of Thanachart Capital Plc (TCAP), posted an unreviewed third quarter net profit of 3.2 billion baht, up 1.39% over the same period last year, thanks to a 2.83% increase in net interest income and a 9.85% rise in non-interest income, it said in a statement.
The bank's gross NPL ratio fell to 2.44% at the end-September from 2.84% at the end of last year, with loan loss coverage ratio rising to 136.31%.
Lower loan-loss provision also helped boost the bank's bottom line for the three months to September.
TBank's total impairment charges during the July-to-September quarter amounted to 1.68 billion baht, down from 1.71 billion a year ago.
The bank's first nine-month net profit soared 15.4% year-on-year to 9.2 billion baht, it said.
SCB shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 146 baht, down 1 baht, in trade worth 973 million baht.