Zenith Bank Plc has announced an impressive result for the year ended December 31, 2020, with gross earnings rising by 5percent to N696.5 billion from N662.3 billion reported in the previous year. This is in spite of a challenging macroeconomic environment exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a demonstration of its commitment to its shareholders, the bank has announced a proposed final dividend payout of N2.70 per share, bringing the total dividend to N3 per share.
The proposed dividend will no doubt attract investors seeking dividend income to the stock which at N26 it closed on Tuesday February 23 represents 4.8percent increase year-to-date (ytd).
According to the bank’s audited financial results for the 2020 financial year presented to the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday, the Group recorded 8percent growth in non-interest income from N232.1 billion in 2019 to N251.7 billion in 2020 and a 1percent increase in interest income from N415.6 billion in 2019 to N420.8 billion in 2020.
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Profit before tax also increased by 5percent, growing from N243.3 billion to N255.9 billion in the current year. The increase arose from a combination of growth in the topline and a significant reduction in interest expense. Interest expense reduced from N148.5 billion in 2019 to N121.1 billion in 2020, significantly increasing the net interest income from NGN267 billion in 2019 to N299.7 billion in 2020.
The Group’s increased retail activities translated to a corresponding increase in retail deposits and loans. Thus, retail deposits grew by N612.7 billion from N1.11 trillion to N1.72 trillion year-on-year (YoY), while savings balances significantly grew by 88percent YoY and closed at N1.16 trillion. This retail drive, coupled with the low-interest yield environment, helped reduce the cost of funding from 3percent to 2.1percent and also reduced interest expense. However, the low-interest environment also affected the net interest margin, which declined from 8.2percent to 7.9percent in the current year due to the re-pricing of interest-bearing assets. Operating costs grew by 10percent YoY but are still tracking well below inflation which at the end of the year stood at 15.75percent. Although returns on equity and assets also reduced from 23.8percent to 22.4percent and from 3.4percent to 3.1percent, respectively, the Group still delivered improved Earnings per Share (EPS), which grew 10percent from N6.65 to N7.34 in the current year.
The Group also increased corporate customer deposits, which alongside the growth in retail deposits, delivered total deposit growth of 25percent, to close at N5.34 trillion, driving growth in market share. Total assets also increased significantly by 34percent, from N6.35 trillion to N8.48 trillion. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated challenges, the Group managed to create new viable risk assets as gross loans grew by 19percent, from N2.46 trillion to N2.92 trillion. This was achieved while maintaining a stable and low overall NPL ratio of 4.29percent (2019: 4.3percent) across the entire portfolio and an increase in the cost of risk from 1.1percent to 1.5percent, reflecting the elevated risk environment in 2020. The Group recorded impressive liquidity and capital adequacy ratios of 66.2percent and 23percent and remained above regulatory thresholds of 30prcent and 15percent, respectively.
As a testament to this superlative performance and in recognition of its track record of excellent performance, Zenith Bank was voted as Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020, Best Bank in Nigeria in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards 2020 and Best Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa 2020 by the Ethical Boardroom. Also, the bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria, for the fourth consecutive year, in the Banker Magazine “Top 500 Banking Brands 2021” and Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital in the “2020 Top 1000 World Banks” Ranking published by The Banker Magazine. Similarly, the bank was recognised as Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020, Retail Bank of the year at the 2020 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards, and Best Company in Promotion of Good Health and Well-Being as well as Best Company in Promotion of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment at the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2020.
