DBS Group Holdings Ltd has launched a S$3 billion (US$2.25 billion) share buyback following strong third-quarter results driven by wealth management fees and markets trading income. The Southeast Asian bank’s robust capital position supports this buyback, marking a continued commitment to returning capital to investors, a strategy championed by outgoing CEO Piyush Gupta.
DBS shares surged nearly 6% in Singapore on Thursday, outperforming rivals OCBC and UOB, with the stock up over 36% this year. Analysts at Morgan Stanley noted that while the buyback is positive, the high valuation—DBS trades at 1.7 times book value—limits value creation.
DBS reported a 15% increase in net income to S$3.03 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of S$2.74 billion, with wealth management contributing significantly, echoing trends at global banks like HSBC and Standard Chartered. The bank also announced an interim dividend of 54 Singapore cents, yielding 5.5%.
Looking ahead, DBS expects a global minimum tax of 15% to impact net profit in 2025. CEO Gupta anticipates high-single-digit growth in non-interest income, led by wealth management and treasury services, while a slight decline in the net interest margin could be balanced by loan growth.
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