Bank of Ireland expects to grow earnings, boost shareholder returns to 2028

Mon, 02nd Mar 2026 08:22

DUBLIN, March 2 (Reuters) - Bank of Ireland said on ⁠Monday that it expects to increase earnings, accelerate returns to shareholders and cut costs over the next three years, after ‌reporting lower-than-expected pretax profit for 2025.

Shares in Ireland's biggest lender ⁠were 3.5% lower in early trading, similar to ⁠the 2.7% drop in main rival AIB as bank stocks fell throughout Europe due to the conflict in the Middle East.

The bank said it expects to increase its ‌net interest income to 3.85 billion euros ($4.51 billion) in 2028 from 3.37 billion euros last year by lending more and attracting more deposits in Ireland's fast-growing economy, and "disciplined growth" in its much smaller international business.

At the same time, it plans to cut its ‌cost-income ratio to the mid-40% range from 52% last year. Artificial intelligence will be at the ‌core of the new three-year strategy, CEO Myles O'Grady said.

"Ireland continues to be a highly attractive market and our unique business model is superbly positioned to both support and benefit from this backdrop," he said in ‌a statement.

Full-year pretax profit fell to 1.4 billion euros from 1.86 billion a year earlier, and below the 1.53 billion euros expected ⁠by analysts ⁠polled by LSEG SmartEstimate.

The bank plans ‌to return 1.2 billion euros to shareholders through a mix of dividends and share buybacks, equivalent to 100% of its earnings.

The new strategy will ‌drive significant shareholder value creation, including the distribution of surplus capital on at least an annual basis, the bank added.