NatWest profit jumps as it upgrades 2025 guidance on loan growth

The upgrade helped to send NatWest shares to their highest level since December 2008 during the depths of the global financial crisis, and reflected the transformation of the bank that returned to full private ownership in May.
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The British lender reported pretax operating profit for the July to September period of 2.2 billion pounds ($2.95 billion), up from 1.7 billion a year earlier and above the 1.8 billion expected by analysts.
It also said it expected to make a return on tangible equity this year of above 18%, from previous guidance of above 16.5%, as it reported broad-based loan growth across its mortgages and business lending that lifted overall income.
The bank’s increased return on tangible equity guidance to the highest among British peers and one of the highest across Europe, showed the strength of NatWest’s strong underlying business, as it emerged from the distraction of its state ownership and swerved the UK motor finance scandal.
NatWest’s performance could also prompt it to seek more acquisitions, said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst for the UK at investment and trading platform IG.