Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank), one of the country’s leading banks, reported a net income of PHP12.6 billion in the first quarter of 2026, a modest 2.9 percent increase over the PHP12.25 billion in the same period last year, driven by asset expansion alongside better margins and healthy fee income growth.
“Our first quarter results underscore the resilience of Metrobank’s core businesses and the consistency of our execution. With strong capitalization, solid asset quality and healthy buffers, we remain well-positioned to manage risks while continuing to support the growth and funding needs of our customers,” said Metrobank President Fabian S. Dee.
In a statement, Metrobank said its net interest income rose by 13.6 percent to PHP33.4 billion, with net interest margin higher by 12 basis points to 3.7 percent. Gross loans grew by 9.2 percent year-on-year with corporate and commercial loans up 8.6 percent and consumer loan growth increasing by 11.2 percent, indicative of economic growth trends.
Total deposits expanded to PHP2.6 trillion, with low-cost Current and Savings Accounts (CASA) rising by 8.4 percent year-on-year, accounting for 59.2 percent of total deposits. The Bank continues to have sufficient capacity to support lending with loan to deposit ratio of 76.6 percent.
Meanwhile, fee and trust income jumped by 11.8 percent to PHP5.1 billion, mitigating the impact of volatile markets on trading income.
Operating costs grew by 9.8 percent to PHP21.1 billion, mainly driven by transaction related taxes and technology expenses. Cost to income ratio stood at 52.5 percent.
Metrobank’s portfolio health remains intact. Non-performing loans (NPL) ratio stood at 1.75 percent during the quarter, largely steady from end-2025 level and well below industry’s 3.44 percent, as of February 2026. NPL cover of 137.1 percent further provides a strong buffer against risks to asset quality.
Metrobank’s total consolidated assets expanded by 8.3 percent to PHP3.8 trillion, making it the second largest among private universal banks, in asset terms. Equity increased by 5.1 percent to PHP396.4 billion.
In addition, the bank’s capital position remains strong with Capital Adequacy Ratio of 14.9 percent and Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 14.2 percent, well above the BSP’s minimum regulatory requirements. Metrobank’s Liquidity Coverage Ratio also remains high at 151.1 percent.
