Kuwait Finance House: 363.1 million KD in net profit in the first half
With a growth rate of 6.1% compared to the corresponding period last year... and earnings per share reached 18.86 fils
Hamad Al-Marzouq:
We renew confidence with our shareholders through sustainable profits and interim dividends
We have demonstrated our ability to adapt and show flexibility in dealing with economic changes
Khaled Al-Shamlan:
Sustainable growth driven by operational performance efficiency and business model flexibility
Exceptional performance in challenging conditions and integrated operations across all sectors
The Board of Directors at Kuwait Finance House (KFH), Hamad Abdulmohsen Al-Marzouq, announced that the bank achieved net profits attributable to shareholders of KD 363.1 million for the first half of 2026, representing a growth of 6.1% compared to the same period last year.
Earnings per share reached 18.86 fils for the first half of 2026, reflecting a growth of 4.9% compared to the same period last year.
Net financing revenues rose during the first half of 2026 to reach KD 649.4 million, a growth rate of 6.9% compared to the same period last year.
Total operating revenues also increased, supported by growth across all main activities, reaching KD 990.5 million, a growth rate of 9.9% compared to the same period last year.
As a result of expense control and cost rationalization, total operating expenses decreased by 2.1% compared to the same period last year.
Consequently, net operating revenues rose to KD 687.9 million, achieving a growth of 16.2%. Due to the increase in total operating revenues and the decrease in total operating expenses, the cost-to-income ratio improved to 30.6% during the current period, compared to 34.3% in the corresponding period last year.
The balance of financing receivables reached approximately KD 22.8 billion by the end of the first half of 2026, a growth of 11.5% compared to the end of the first half of last year. Total assets amounted to KD 42.2 billion by the end of the first half of 2026, a growth of 9.7% compared to the end of the first half of last year. Total shareholders’ equity for the first half of the current year reached KD 5.8 billion, a growth of 4.2% compared to the end of the first half of last year. Customer account balances reached KD 21.6 billion in the first half, a growth of 9.4% compared to the end of the first half of last year. The capital adequacy ratio stood at 17.47%, exceeding regulatory requirements, reflecting the strength of the bank’s capital base.
The Board recommended distributing semi-annual cash dividends to shareholders at a rate of 10 fils per share.
Continuation of Interim Cash Dividend Distributions
Al-Marzouq stated that Kuwait Finance House renewed confidence with its shareholders and clients by continuing to achieve the highest profits in the banking sector and capturing the largest share of total Kuwaiti market profits. This confirms the success of efforts to maximize asset utilization, improve resource deployment efficiency, and adhere to approved strategies and plans to ensure sustainable growth and profitability while strengthening the Group’s financial position. He noted that the continuation of interim cash dividend distributions provides cash flows to shareholders, enhances the attractiveness of the stock, and strengthens confidence in the bank.
He added: “Despite the challenges posed by recent geopolitical developments at both the regional and global levels, and the resulting economic and financial pressures, the results of the first half of this year have demonstrated Kuwait Finance House’s resilience and its high capacity to manage risks efficiently and prudently. They have also confirmed the strength of its capital base, its comfortable liquidity levels, and its robust operational performance, which contributed to achieving sustainable growth across most key financial indicators and balance sheet items.”
Al-Marzouq emphasized that Kuwait Finance House’s strategy is not limited to profit generation, but focuses on building long-term sustainable value for customers, shareholders, and society through investment in digital transformation, human capital development, and the enhancement of services and products to meet customer aspirations and market needs.
Al-Marzouq stated that Kuwait Finance House continues its role in supporting the national economy, noting that the corporate banking sector continued to contribute to growth through domestic and cross-border business, while enhancing services via digital platforms to boost operational efficiency. Meanwhile, the retail banking sector recorded strong performance across various services and products, reflecting the bank’s ability to quickly adapt to economic changes and the strength of its strategy based on trust, flexibility, and clear vision.
Exceptional Performance in the First Half
For his part, Khalid Al-Shamlan, CEO of Kuwait Finance House Group, said the bank continued to achieve exceptional performance during the first half of 2026, recording growth in operating revenues, profits, financing, and deposits, alongside an improvement in asset quality.
He added that the bank recorded growth across all its main business segments compared to the same period last year, reflecting high operational efficiency and confirming its success in implementing its strategy and achieving its set objectives. Al-Shamlan said the bank maintained sustainable growth by leveraging the strength and flexibility of its business model, while preserving strong capitalization levels and continuing to record the highest net profit margins in the Kuwaiti banking sector. He highlighted the bank’s distinction in adopting technology and digital transformation in banking and operational services, integrating sustainability into all its operations, and continuing its efforts for continuous service development, which helped expand its customer base, keep pace with their aspirations, and maintain their trust.
Al-Shamlan affirmed that the bank continued to strengthen its credit capabilities, driven by its pivotal role in providing the necessary financing to support the growth of the national economy and the economies of the countries where the Group operates. This includes continuing to finance major development projects and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), benefiting from the synergy of the Group’s operations spread across approximately 10 countries, with a branch network exceeding 600 branches. He added that this reflects growing customer confidence and contributes to diversifying revenue sources and enhancing financial sustainability.
He stressed the continuation of efforts to maintain integrated performance across all business segments and to deal efficiently and flexibly with market changes, thereby reinforcing Kuwait Finance House’s position as a trusted financial partner.
Al-Shamlan noted that the bank secured first place in Kuwait and twelfth regionally on Forbes’ list of the top 100 public companies by market capitalization. It also ranked among the top five banks in the Middle East and Africa by market capitalization, which reached $44.69 billion by the end of the first quarter of 2026, according to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence. Notably, it was the only financial institution from Kuwait to join the list of the region’s top five banks.
He added that the bank continues to develop its partnerships with global academic institutions to enhance employee capabilities, particularly national and young staff, in order to build leadership capable of achieving future aspirations. He highlighted the recognition of 100 employees who obtained specialized professional certifications and graduated from the “Injaz” scholarship program.
600 million digital transactions in a year via KFHonline
Al-Shamlan stated that Kuwait Finance House succeeded in establishing digital services as a primary banking option for customers, by processing over 600 million digital transactions in one year and providing more than 200 integrated digital services through KFHonline. He explained that the bank delivered a comprehensive digital transformation model grounded in strategic vision, customer needs, and tangible operational results.
Al-Shamlan further noted that Kuwait Finance House won more than 25 awards and rankings during the first half of the current year, in recognition of its excellence across all areas of banking operations. These included the “Best Islamic Bank in the World” award from Global Finance magazine, “Best Digital Bank in Kuwait” from MEED, “Best Private Banking Services Bank” from Euromoney, and “Best Islamic Bank for Corporate Banking Services in the World” from Global Finance, alongside numerous other global accolades that reflect the bank’s leading international standing.
