GCB Bank PLC has reported a 42.6% increase in profit before tax to GHS 2.87 billion for the nine months ending September. The bank's operating income rose by 32.4% year-on-year to GHS 5.70 billion, while profit after tax surged by 44% to GHS 1.86 billion.
Earnings per share lifted to GHS 9.38 from GHS 6.51 a year ago.
The bank's interest income increased by just 1.3% to GHS 4.39 billion, reflecting the pressure from lower market rates. However, interest expense fell by nearly a third to GHS 816 million, allowing net interest income to rise by 14.0% year-on-year to GHS 3.57 billion. Non-funded income contributed about 37% of operating income, up from about 27% a year earlier.
The bank's balance sheet expanded strongly, with customer deposits growing by 22.8% to GHS 50.88 billion and net loans and advances rising by 57.3% to GHS 25.23 billion. The Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) ratio fell to 4.8% from 10.8% a year earlier.
Farihan Alhassan, Managing Director of GCB Bank PLC, said the lower-interest-rate environment was forcing banks to return to commercial banking fundamentals. He expressed confidence in the bank's strategy, saying the focus remained on delivering stronger customer value and solutions that met the needs of businesses, households and the wider economy.
The outlook for GCB Bank PLC is positive, with lower rates and resilient domestic activity expected to support credit demand and transaction volumes. The bank's broader earnings mix offers more than one engine for growth, but the operating environment places a premium on disciplined underwriting, capital management and liquidity control.