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Sterling Bank Improves Core Business, Asset Quality in Q3

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Sterling Bank - Investors King
  • Sterling Bank Improves Core Business, Asset Quality in Q3

Sterling Bank Plc rode on the back of increasingly better operating and credit management efficiency to build up the quality and profitability of its core banking business in the third quarter.

Key extracts of the interim report and accounts of Sterling Bank for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016 released at the weekend at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed considerable improvements in key underlying fundamentals of the bank as it continues to grow its main focus of retail banking.

The report showed that net interest margin, which measures the profitability of the core lending business, improved to 8.5 per cent in third quarter 2016 as against 7.9 per cent in comparable period of 2015. The proportion of non-performing loans (NPL) to gross loans and advances, which indicates assets quality and the efficiency of the credit risk management, also improved significantly from 4.8 per cent December 2015 to 2.5 per cent in third quarter 2016. This brings Sterling Bank well ahead of the 5.0 per cent industry thresholds for NPL set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The bank’s cost of funds also improved to 5.3 per cent in third quarter 2016 compared with 6.2 per cent in corresponding period of 2015.

Managing director, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Yemi Adeola said the improvements in the underlying fundamentals in the third quarter in spite of the depressing effect of the tough macroeconomic conditions on the overall performance of the sector, underlined the resoluteness of the bank in building a sustainable business anchored on effective risk management and a robust retail business.

According to him, a 37.7 per cent growth in net interest income was largely due to a 12 per cent reduction in interest expense, which underpinned the 60 basis points increase in net interest margin.

“Sterling Bank has grown its active customer base by over 40 per cent year-to-date with improved penetration across all digital channels. The non-interest banking business has also witnessed significant growth in deposits and profitability by 87 per cent and 415 per cent respectively. This gives fillip to our resolve to diversify our business significantly over the coming years,” Adeola said.

He outlined that the bank would continue to prioritise operating efficiency and aggressively drive retail funding, noting that these priorities will guide bank’s business in the final quarter of the year and serve as the fulcrum for 2017. He noted that the tough operating environment characterised by foreign exchange supply shortages, rising inflation, negative economic growth and generally recessionary environment has sustained downward pressure on core earnings in the industry.

“Although macroeconomic conditions could witness some modest improvements, the operating environment would continue to be challenging and business confidence somewhat subdued. Nonetheless, Sterling Bank remains committed to building a sustainable business anchored on efficiency,” Adeola assured.

Further analysis of the financial statement showed that net interest income rose by 37.6 per cent from N30.2 billion in third quarter 2015 to N41.5 billion in third quarter 2016. Non-interest income however reduced by 47.6 per cent to N10.8 billion as against N20.5 billion mainly because of 34.2 per cent decline in fees and commission. This moderated the gross earnings to N79.65 billion in third quarter 2016 as against N81.81 billion in comparable period of 2015. With curtailed increase of 5.0 per cent in total expenses in spite of a 17.9 per cent inflation rate year-on-year in September 2016, profits before and after tax stood at N6.07 billion and N5.54 billion respectively in third quarter 2016. Profits before and after tax were N8.30 billion and N7.55 billion respectively in third quarter 2015.

The balance sheet of the bank emerged stronger during the period. Net loans and advances increased by 46.2 per cent to N495.3 billion in September 2016 as against N338.7 billion recorded at the beginning of this year. This was driven primarily by foreign exchange revaluation. Customer deposits also improved from N590.9 billion as at December 31, 2015 to N595.1 billion in September 2016. Total assets excluding contingent liabilities increased by 11.4 per cent to N890.3 billion as against N799.5 billion at the start of the year.

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Crude Oil

Oil Prices Continue to Slide: Drops Over 1% Amid Surging U.S. Stockpiles

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Crude Oil

Amidst growing concerns over surging U.S. stockpiles and indications of static output policies from major oil-producing nations, oil prices declined for a second consecutive day by 1% on Wednesday.

Brent crude oil, against which the Nigerian oil price is measured, shed 97 cents or 1.12% to $85.28 per barrel.

Similarly, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slumped by 93 cents or a 1.14% fall to close at $80.69.

The recent downtrend in oil prices comes after they reached their highest level since October last week.

However, ongoing concerns regarding burgeoning U.S. crude inventories and uncertainties surrounding potential inaction by the OPEC+ group in their forthcoming technical meeting have exacerbated the downward momentum.

Market analysts attribute the decline to expectations of minimal adjustments to oil output policies by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, known collectively as OPEC+, until a full ministerial meeting scheduled for June.

In addition to concerns about excess supply, the market’s attention is also focused on the impending release of official government data on U.S. crude inventories, scheduled for Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT).

Analysts are keenly observing OPEC members for any signals of deviation from their production quotas, suggesting further volatility may lie ahead in the oil market.

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Energy

Nigeria Targets $5bn Investments in Oil and Gas Sector, Says Government

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Crude Oil - Investors King

Nigeria is setting its sights on attracting $5 billion worth of investments in its oil and gas sector, according to statements made by government officials during an oil and gas sector retreat in Abuja.

During the retreat organized by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, explained the importance of ramping up crude oil production and creating an environment conducive to attracting investments.

He highlighted the need to work closely with agencies like the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to achieve these goals.

Lokpobiri acknowledged the challenges posed by issues such as insecurity and pipeline vandalism but expressed confidence in the government’s ability to tackle them effectively.

He stressed the necessity of a globally competitive regulatory framework to encourage investment in the sector.

The minister’s remarks were echoed by Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, who spoke at the 2024 Strategic Women in Energy, Oil, and Gas Leadership Summit.

Kyari stressed the critical role of energy in driving economic growth and development and explained that Nigeria still faces challenges in providing stable electricity to its citizens.

Kyari outlined NNPCL’s vision for the future, which includes increasing crude oil production, expanding refining capacity, and growing the company’s retail network.

He highlighted the importance of leveraging Nigeria’s vast gas resources and optimizing dividend payouts to shareholders.

Overall, the government’s commitment to attracting $5 billion in investments reflects its determination to revitalize the oil and gas sector and drive economic growth in Nigeria.

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Commodities

Palm Oil Rebounds on Upbeat Malaysian Exports Amid Indonesian Supply Concerns

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Palm Oil - Investors King

Palm oil prices rebounded from a two-day decline on reports that Malaysian exports will be robust this month despite concerns over potential supply disruptions from Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil exporter.

The market saw a significant surge as Malaysian export figures for the current month painted a promising picture.

Senior trader David Ng from IcebergX Sdn. in Kuala Lumpur attributed the morning’s gains to Malaysia’s strong export performance, with shipments climbing by a notable 14% during March 1-25 compared to the previous month.

Increased demand from key regions like Africa, India, and the Middle East contributed to this impressive growth, as reported by Intertek Testing Services.

However, amidst this positivity, investors are closely monitoring developments in Indonesia. The Indonesian government’s contemplation of revising its domestic market obligation policy, potentially linking it to production rather than exports, has stirred market concerns.

Edy Priyono, a deputy at the presidential staff office in Jakarta, indicated that this proposed shift aims to mitigate vulnerability to fluctuations in export demand.

Yet, it could potentially constrain supply availability from Indonesia in the future to stabilize domestic prices.

This uncertainty surrounding Indonesian policies has added a layer of complexity to palm oil market dynamics, prompting investors to react cautiously despite Malaysia’s promising export performance.

The prospect of Indonesian supply disruptions underscores the delicacy of global palm oil supply chains and their susceptibility to geopolitical and regulatory factors.

As the market navigates these developments, stakeholders remain attentive to both export data from Malaysia and policy shifts in Indonesia, recognizing their significant impact on palm oil prices and market stability.

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