ATB has kicked off the 2026 fiscal year with a striking performance, posting a 13.2% rise in its Net Banking Income (NBI) for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. The indicator reached 103.9 million dinars, up from 91.8 million dinars a year earlier.
This achievement is particularly noteworthy as it came against a backdrop of declining banking operating income, which fell from 207.1 million to 193 million dinars over the same period.
The apparent paradox is explained by a sharp 22.8% reduction in banking operating expenses, which dropped to 89.1 million dinars driven mainly by lower interest incurred, signaling improved optimization of the bank’s cost of funds.
On the balance sheet side, ATB is undergoing a significant transformation in its deposit mix. Although total customer deposits declined to 6,567 million dinars, certain segments showed resilience and growth.
Demand deposits rose by 6.3% to 2,187 million dinars, while savings deposits recorded a solid 8% increase, reaching 1,942 million dinars. In contrast, net customer loans contracted, falling to 4,962 million dinars at end-March 2026, compared to 5,446 million dinars a year earlier.
The bank continues to face upward pressure on operating expenses, which climbed to 68.9 million dinars from 60 million dinars in March 2025. The increase is mainly attributed to staff costs, which totaled 44.1 million dinars.
At the same time, ATB maintained a strong investment securities portfolio, which grew by over 114 million dinars year-on-year to reach 1,296 million dinars, underscoring the bank’s commitment to strategic asset allocation despite challenging operating conditions.
