[DigitalToday reporter Ji-young Lee] NH NongHyup Financial Holdings posted net profit of 2.53 trillion won for the first nine months of the year, its best result since its launch. Interest income rose as lending grew centred on corporate finance. Strong results at capital-market affiliates such as securities and asset management also lifted non-interest income. Third-quarter net profit, however, fell from the previous quarter.

According to the group’s third-quarter results released on Oct. 28, net profit for the first nine months totalled 2.53 trillion won, up 11.9 percent from a year earlier when it posted 2.26 trillion won. It was the highest result on record, surpassing last year’s full-year net profit.

Third-quarter net profit was 748.7 billion won, down 161.7 billion won from the previous quarter’s 910.4 billion won. It was up 117.5 billion won from 631.2 billion won a year earlier.

Operating profit for the first nine months was 4.61 trillion won, up 16.0 percent from 3.98 trillion won a year earlier.

Both interest income and non-interest income rose, contributing to improved performance. Interest income for the first nine months was 6.65 trillion won, up 7.5 percent from a year earlier. An expansion in loan assets centred on corporate finance and management of funding costs supported the growth in interest income.

Corporate loans increased by 1.26 trillion won from a year earlier and by 880.0 billion won from the end of last year. Net interest margin in the bank and card units rose to 1.71 percent at end-September from 1.67 percent at end-2025.

Non-interest income was 2.60 trillion won, up 38.5 percent from a year earlier. Fee income rose 55.9 percent to 2.35 trillion won, helped by higher brokerage revenue linked to stock trading and an expansion in assets under management. Securities investment income, however, was 1.28 trillion won, down 72.7 billion won from a year earlier.

By affiliate, NH NongHyup Bank posted net profit of 1.75 trillion won for the first nine months, up 10.9 percent from 1.58 trillion won a year earlier. NH Investment & Securities posted 1.35 trillion won, up 80.3 percent from 748.1 billion won a year earlier.

NH-Amundi Asset Management posted net profit of 88.7 billion won, up 242.3 percent, and NH NongHyup REITs Management posted 7.9 billion won, up 33.5 percent. NH NongHyup Life Insurance, however, posted 6.8 billion won, sharply down from 210.9 billion won a year earlier, and NH NongHyup Property & Casualty Insurance posted 95.0 billion won, below 121.9 billion won a year earlier.

Capital adequacy indicators were managed based on a paid-in capital increase of about 1.20 trillion won received from the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation in June and capital allocation to key affiliates.

At end-September, the group’s total capital ratio was 16.16 percent, the tier-1 capital ratio was 15.09 percent and the common equity tier-1 ratio was 13.05 percent. Return on assets was 0.66 percent, up 0.06 percentage point from a year earlier, and return on equity was 9.72 percent, up 0.23 percentage point.

The group’s ratio of substandard and below loans was 0.65 percent, up 0.02 percentage point from 0.63 percent at end-2025. The loan loss reserve coverage ratio fell to 144.67 percent from 164.80 percent over the same period. Credit loss provisions were 403.6 billion won, down 89.5 billion won from a year earlier.

At end-September, the group’s total assets on a consolidated basis were 655.2 trillion won, up 8.7 percent from end-2025. Total assets including trust and assets under management were 878.8 trillion won, up 9.2 percent.