- Bank earns $19.5 billion in first half, beats forecast
- Resumes share buybacks after three-quarter pause
- Lifts net interest income guidance
- Hong Kong shares come off fresh all-time high
HONG KONG/LONDON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - HSBC Holdings reported a better-than-expected first-half profit and raised its net interest income target, driven by revenue growth in lending and wealth management fee earnings on robust money flows.
Europe's largest bank posted a pretax profit of $19.5 billion for the first six months of this year, up 23% from $15.8 billion a year earlier and ahead of the $18.9 billion that analysts forecast.
HSBC's solid performance reflects the payoff of its Asian focus, where an overhaul targeting wealth and cross-border banking drove fee income growth alongside a favourable rate backdrop.
It also caps a strong earnings season for Europe's big banks, which have extended a more than two-year-long recovery thanks to a surge in trading activity and resilient interest income despite dips in central bank rates.
HSBC lifted its guidance for net interest income for this year, saying it now expects to exceed $46 billion, having previously said it would hit that level.
The lender announced a resumption of its share buybacks with an up to $1 billion plan, after pausing them when it announced late last year it was taking smaller Hong Kong lender Hang Seng Bank private.
HSBC also set a second interim dividend of $0.1 per share, following a $0.1 payout in May.
The bank's Hong Kong-listed shares were flat in Tuesday afternoon trading, dropping from a record high of HK$169.5 after the earnings release.
Citi analysts said in a note the new buyback of $1 billion was below the consensus of $2.2 billion, raising questions about whether HSBC is "transitioning to lower quarterly buybacks, or is this quarter's re-launch a stepping stone?"
The half-year update from HSBC showed CEO Georges Elhedery continuing his strategy of streamlining the lender by exiting markets where it lacks scale, as the bank sold its Singaporean insurance, Egyptian retail banking and Australian mortgage businesses.
Wealth revenue in the first half grew 18% from a year ago, backed by strong growth from its Asian markets.
The half-year update from HSBC showed CEO Georges Elhedery continuing his strategy of streamlining the lender by exiting markets where it lacks scale, as the bank sold its Singaporean insurance, Egyptian retail banking and Australian mortgage businesses.
Wealth revenue in the first half grew 18% from a year ago, backed by strong growth from its Asian markets.
Reporting by Selena Li in Hong Kong and Lawrence White in London; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman
Source: Reuters