Standard Chartered (02888) announced its full-year 2025 results. On a constant currency basis, the group recorded operating income of $20.9 billion, an increase of 6% compared to the previous year, or 8% excluding significant items. Underlying profit before tax reached $7.9 billion, representing an 18% year-on-year increase. Statutory profit before tax was $7.0 billion, also up 18%. Basic earnings per share were 229.7 US cents, and the board proposed a final dividend of 49 US cents per share.

Group Chief Executive Bill Winters stated, "We demonstrated strong momentum again in 2025, achieving a return on tangible equity of 14.7%, reaching our three-year target a full year ahead of schedule. The current year has also started well, continuing to benefit from a favorable business environment. We are growing steadily in our larger markets, and structural shifts in global trade and investment allow us to fully leverage our unique strengths in serving clients' needs for cross-border banking and affluent client services. We have increased the full-year dividend per share by 65% and announced a new $1.5 billion share buyback."

Based on the year's performance, the group expects client activity to continue being influenced by structural adjustments in the global economy. These trends, including increased global multi-alignment, the growing digitalization of money, and greater participation in wealth management markets, are anticipated to persist. A Capital Markets Day will be held in May this year to elaborate on how these trends will impact the group's next phase of growth and detail expected financial outcomes.

The group's guidance for 2026 is as follows: • Statutory operating income growth is expected to be near the lower end of the 5-7% range (on a constant currency basis), with net interest income projected to be broadly flat year-on-year (on a constant currency basis). • Statutory costs are expected to be broadly flat (on a constant currency basis), including expenditures for the final year of the 'Efficiency and Effectiveness' program. • The statutory return on tangible equity is expected to be above 12%.