Strong expansion in loans, along with improved trading income, among others, boosted Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co.’s net income by 4 percent in the first nine months of 2025 to a record P37.3 billion.

In a disclosure with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Tuesday, the bank reported a 12.1 percent annual rise in pre-provision operating profit to P59.2 billion.

Metrobank president Fabian Dee said their “prudent approach” in boosting core businesses drove the rise in their performance as of end-September.

“We’re confident that the Philippines’ long-term growth story remains strong," he said.

“We continue to be committed in helping our clients seize opportunities for growth as we navigate together any challenges and uncertainties on our journey ahead.”

Specifically, Metrobank’s net interest income rose 7.1 percent to P91.8 billion as of September, attributed to “broad-based gains across business segments and sustained quarterly margin improvement.”

Total loans grew 10.8 percent to P1.9 trillion, led by consumer loans after it increased by 15.8 percent.

Total deposits rose 7.6 percent to P2.5 trillion, with low-cost current and saving account (CASA) accounting for P1.5 trillion.

Service fees and trust income backed the 5.3 percent rise in non-interest income to P25.4 billion, while trading and foreign exchange gains went up 18 percent to P6.6 billion.

Expansion in operating cost rose by 1.7 percent on an annual basis, while the cost-to-income ratio slipped to 49.8 percent from 52.2 percent in end-September last year.

METROBANK WEBSITE PHOTO