CIMB’s profit falls 2.86% to $483m on lower interest income

NIM fell but CIMB sees early signs of this compression bottoming out.

CIMB Group Holdings Berhad (CIMB) reported a net profit of $483m (MYR1.92b) in the first quarter of 2026, 2.86% lower than the same period a year earlier.

Net interest income fell to $669.22m (MYR2.66b) during the quarter, a 5.64% year-on-year (YoY) decline, according to the group’s financial report.

Group net interest margin (NIM) compressed 2 basis points during the quarter. CIMB said it is seeing early signs of NIM compression bottoming out as country-level NIM expanded in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

“We are encouraged by the resilience of our performance and the early signs of NIM stabilisation, supported by disciplined balance sheet management and sustained customer activity across our core markets,” said Novan Amirudin, group CEO of CIMB Group.

Operating income is $1.36b (MYR5.4b), supported by a non-interest income (NOII) of $428.1m (MYR1.7b). Trading and foreign exchange (FX) income was stronger in Q1 than in Q4 2025.

Income from Islamic operations is $297.15m (MYR1.18b), a 2.11% YoY dip from a year earlier.

Expected credit losses on loans, advances, and financing rose to $89.97m (MYR357.27m) in Q1, from MYR287.617 from a year earlier.

Basic earnings per share is MYR17.75, and diluted is MYR17.71.

(US$1 = MYR 3.97)