Zenith Shareholders Smile As Results Stun Markets

Zenith Bank Plc is to pay an impressive N2.70 dividend per shareholder upon impressive 2020 results that beat local and international headwinds in its operations. The payment brings final dividend in the year to N3 per share making Zenith shareholders smile at results that beat expectations.

The result laid before the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Tuesday was a rare display of resilience and doggedness, with impressive result for the year ended December 31, 2020, with a year-on-year growth of 10% in profit after tax (PAT) from N208.8 billion recorded in 2019 to N230.7 billion. This is in spite of a challenging macroeconomic environment exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic.  

According to the bank’s audited financial results for the 2020 financial year presented to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday, February 23 2021, the Group recorded a growth in gross earnings of 5% from N662.3 billion in the previous year to N696.5 billion.

The Group result also to the delight of Zenith shareholders showed 8% growth in non-interest income from NGN232.1 billion in 2019 to NGN251.7 billion in 2020 and a 1% increase in interest income from NGN415.6 billion in 2019 to NGN420.8 billion in 2020. 

Profit before tax (PBT) also increased by 5%, growing from N243.3 billion in 2019 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 NGN267.0 billion in 2019 to NGN299.7 billion in 2020. 

The Group’s increased retail activities translated to a corresponding increase in retail deposits and loans. Thus, retail deposits grew by NGN612.7 billion from NGN1.11 trillion to NGN1.72 trillion year-on-year (YoY), while savings balances significantly grew by 88% YoY and closed at NGN1.16 trillion.

This retail drive, coupled with the low-interest yield environment, helped reduce the cost of funding from 3.0% to 2.1% and also reduced interest expense. 

However, the low-interest environment also affected the net interest margin, which declined from 8.2% to 7.9% in the current year due to the re-pricing of interest-bearing assets.

Zenith shareholders would also be delighted that operating costs even if it grew by 10% YoY but were still tracking well below inflation which at the end of the year stood at 15.75%. Although returns on equity and assets also reduced from 23.8% to 22.4% and from 3.4% to 3.1%, respectively, the Group still delivered improved Earnings per Share (EPS), which grew 10% from NGN6.65 to NGN7.34 in the current year.

The Group also increased corporate customer deposits, which alongside the growth in retail deposits, delivered total deposit growth of 25%, to close at N5.34 trillion, driving growth in market share. Total assets also increased significantly by 34%, from N6.35 trillion to N8.48 trillion.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated challenges, the Group created new viable risk assets as gross loans grew by 19%, from N2.46 trillion to N2.92 trillion.

This was achieved while maintaining a stable and low overall NPL ratio of 4.29% (2019: 4.3%) across the entire portfolio and an increase in the cost of risk from 1.1% to 1.5%, reflecting the elevated risk environment in 2020.  The Group recorded impressive liquidity and capital adequacy ratios of 66.2% and 23.0% and remained above regulatory thresholds of 30% and 15%, respectively. 

In a demonstration of its commitment to Zenith shareholders, the bank has announced a proposed final dividend payout of N2.70 per share, bringing the total dividend to N3.00 per share.

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.

The remarkable dividend is upon an impressive 5% increase in 2020 gross earnings which rose from N662.3 billion to N696.5 billion during the year that was marked by COVID-19 lockdown, the #EndSARS protest and a challenging operating environment.

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