MILAN, May 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intesa Sanpaolo delivered net income of €2.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026, the best quarterly result in the Bank's history (+6% vs. Q1 2025).
Q1 operating income reached a record €7.2 billion, driven by balanced growth across net interest income, commissions, insurance activities and trading. Net fees and commissions recorded the best first quarter ever, while insurance income reached record levels, both up 3% year-on-year. Operating costs declined by 0.7%.
Net income guidance for 2026 is confirmed at around €10 billion. Together, first-quarter revenue growth - driven by fees and commissions and insurance income - along with lower costs and provisions and a CET1 ratio above 13% underline Intesa Sanpaolo's low risk profile, solid outlook and sustainable profitability.
Wealth Management: a strategic growth driver
With over €1.4 trillion in customer financial assets, Intesa Sanpaolo further strengthens its leadership in Wealth Management, Protection & Advisory. Customer financial assets grew by €64 billion over the past twelve months, reflecting the strength of the Group's advisory model and continued customer confidence.
The Group's business model - unique in Europe - is built on an integrated Wealth Management, Protection & Advisory platform, with a sector-leading contribution from fees and insurance activities to revenues.
In its 2026-2029 Business Plan, the Group aims to further reinforce this leadership through growth in Private Banking, expansion of its advisory network and enhancement of its digital and international offerings.
Revenues and profitability: the strength of a well-diversified business model
Operating income reached a record €7.2 billion, up 5.3% year-on-year.
Net interest income (€3.6 billion) increased slightly despite lower interest rates, while growth was driven by fees and commissions (€2.5 billion), insurance income (€476 million), and a strong contribution from profits on financial assets (€505 million). The revenue mix confirms a well-diversified and resilient business model.
Operating margin amounted to €4.6 billion and net income to €2.8 billion, marking the best quarterly result ever recorded by Intesa Sanpaolo. ROE of 21% and ROTE of 25% underline best-in-class profitability.
Operating efficiency: lowest-ever Cost/Income ratio, best-in-class in Europe
The cost/income ratio stood at 35.9% in Q1, the lowest ever and among the best in the European banking sector.
Operating costs declined 0.7% to €2.6 billion, reflecting rigorous cost discipline despite ongoing investments in technology and innovation and supporting structurally high efficiency. Since 2022, Intesa Sanpaolo has invested around €5.7 billion in its tech transformation.
Asset quality: Intesa Sanpaolo's Zero-NPL Bank model
The net NPL ratio stood at 0.8% at the end of the first quarter - among the lowest in the sector - with bad loans nearly zeroed. NPL coverage increased to 49.5%.
The annualized cost of risk declined to 16 basis points, in line with the Group's Zero-NPL Bank model.
Intesa Sanpaolo's strong risk profile is supported by a solid capital position, with a CET1 ratio exceeding 13%, well above regulatory requirements.
Shareholder returns: among the highest in European banking
Intesa Sanpaolo continues to deliver one of the highest shareholder returns in the European banking sector. This year, the Group expects to return around €9.4 billion to shareholders through the May final dividend, the July share buyback and the expected interim dividend in November.
In the first quarter alone, around €2.1 billion was accrued for shareholder cash dividends. Intesa Sanpaolo's dividend yield stands at 7.5%, with an overall payout ratio of 95% of net income.
Serving communities: a global leader in Social Impact
Since 2023, Intesa Sanpaolo has allocated around €1.1 billion to initiatives to combat /poverty and reduce inequalities.
In the first quarter of 2026, the Group disbursed €4.2 billion to support the sustainable transition, including energy efficiency measures and initiatives to support SMEs.
The takeaway
The first-quarter performance suggests that Intesa Sanpaolo's strategy - focused on Wealth Management, commissions, technology, capital strength and a structurally low cost of risk - is enabling the Group to deliver resilient growth despite a more uncertain geopolitical environment.
It marks a strong start to the execution of the 2026-2029 Business Plan, supported by a resilient, efficient and scalable business model.
For detailed financial and operating information, please refer to the Q1 2026 results presentation: https://group.intesasanpaolo.com/en/investor-relations
international.media@intesasanpaolo.com
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