PNB looks to sustain growth in 2026

The Philippine National Bank (PNB) is aiming to at least match—and possibly exceed—the growth it posted in the first nine months of 2025, as it adopts a more aggressive stance following the modernization of its core banking systems.

PNB President and Chief Executive Officer Edwin Bautista said the bank is targeting similar growth levels in both its top and bottom lines this year to ensure sustainability.

For the January to September 2025 period, PNB posted a 23% increase in consolidated net income and an 8% rise in revenues.

“Beat the previous year. The growth last year was big already. If we can match it, it’s good. If we can beat it, that’s excellent,” Bautista told reporters in an interview.

Bautista said the bank still has room to expand, citing widening net interest margins and a lower non-performing loan (NPL) ratio. He also pointed to PNB’s capital adequacy ratio, which indicates its capacity to lend more.

“Are we looking at a 20% increase in income? Because if we’re going to increase by 20%, the dividends should also increase by 20%. So if we increase by 20%, the implied share price would be 20% higher than where it is today,” he said.

With the latest figures, Bautista said an up-rating of PNB’s share price could be in the offing. Shares of PNB closed on Monday, January 26, at P61.10 apiece, down from P61.35 at the previous session’s close.

“If you look at my capital adequacy ratio, we’re pushing 20%. I’m overcapitalized. That means I don’t have capital constraints. I can push, I can leverage. I can be more aggressive. We can be more aggressive,” he added.

Bautista said the bank is also accelerating its digitization efforts, including plans to reduce its branch network to 600 from the current 635.

“When I came in, I gave instructions—we’re not going to increase our branches. So we had plans to increase branches, but I scrapped them,” he said.

“BSP just announced that the rate of digitization in the Philippines is faster than their original forecast. People are shifting to digital much faster,” he added.

PNB ended September 2025 with P1.25 trillion in total assets and P1.02 trillion in total liabilities.—MCG, GMA Integrated News