May 2026 was a month of strong performance for Bigbank. Growth in both the loan and deposit portfolios remained at a high level, monthly profit once again exceeded 4 million euros, and, as an important milestone, current accounts were introduced for business customers in Latvia. From now on, current accounts are available to retail customers in all Baltic countries as well as to business customers in Estonia and Latvia.
The loan portfolio increased by 50 million euros during the month. Growth was driven by the business loan portfolio, which grew by 32 million euros, the home loan portfolio, which increased by 13 million euros, and the consumer loan portfolio, which grew by 5 million euros.
The deposit portfolio grew by 64 million euros in May. Growth was mainly driven by term deposits, which increased by 55 million euros. As a positive development, the number of customers actively using Bigbank for daily banking continued to grow at an accelerating pace, alongside an increase in current account balances. Current account balances grew by 10 million euros during the month. As of the end of May, the volume of the savings deposit portfolio remained close to the level recorded at the end of April.
The expanding loan portfolio was the main driver of net interest income growth. Although the 6-month Euribor, which has remained at approximately 2.5% in recent months, has not yet had a significant impact on interest income - a higher interest rate environment will increasingly affect both interest income and interest expenses over time. Compared to the same period last year, net interest income increased by 7.0 million euros over the first five months of the year.
The credit quality of the loan portfolio remained strong. Despite the significant growth in the loan portfolio, the total expense on the net allowance for expected credit losses and provisions decreased by 3.3 million euros (-49%) compared to the first five months of the previous year. The share of non-performing loans (Stage 3) improved further, declining from 4.3% in recent months to 4.2% of total loan receivables.
Bigbank employed 682 people at the end of May. Team expansion and salary growth resulted in a 3.8-million-euro increase in personnel expenses in the first five months of the year compared to the same period last year. Administrative expenses increased by 1.3 million euros over the same period.
Net profit for May amounted to 4.1 million euros. The increase in net interest income driven by business growth, together with the decline in expected credit loss expenses resulting from the strong quality of the loan portfolio, had a more positive impact on profitability than the increase in personnel and administrative expenses. Nevertheless, net profit for the Group for the first five months of the year declined by 0.6 million euros compared to the same period in 2025. This decrease was primarily due to a 2.6-million-euro impairment of the Group's agricultural land recognised in the first quarter. Excluding this impairment, net profit for the first five months would have increased by 2.0 million euros.
Bigbank's key financial indicators for May 2026:
- Customer deposits and loans received increased by 571 million euros year-on-year, reaching 3.1 billion euros (+22%).
- Loans to customers grew by 537 million euros year-on-year, reaching 3.0 billion euros (+22%).
- Net interest income amounted to 10.5 million euros in May and 49.8 million euros for the first five months of the year. Compared to the same period last year, net interest income increased by 7.0 million euros (+16%).
- The net allowance for expected credit losses and provisions totalled 3.4 million euros for the first five months, 3.3 million euros less than a year earlier (-49%).
- Net profit for May was 4.1 million euros. Net profit for the first five months amounted to 15.7 million euros, declining by 0.6 million euros compared to the same period in 2025 (-4%).
- Return on equity (ROE) for May was 15.9%.
| Income statement, in thousands of euros | May 2026 | YTD26 | YTD25 | Difference YoY | |
| Total net operating income, incl. | 11,068 | 52,548 | 47,716 | 4,832 | +10% |
| Net interest income | 10,464 | 49,816 | 42,785 | 7,031 | +16% |
| Net fee and commission income | 652 | 3,998 | 4,197 | -198 | -5% |
| Total expenses, incl. | -5,795 | -29,104 | -20,862 | -8,241 | +40% |
| Salaries and associated charges | -3,355 | -16,569 | -12,742 | -3,827 | +30% |
| Administrative expenses | -1,612 | -5,883 | -4,569 | -1,314 | +29% |
| Profit before loss allowances | 5,273 | 23,444 | 26,853 | -3,409 | -13% |
| Net allowance for expected credit losses and provision expenses | -219 | -3,416 | -6,679 | 3,264 | -49% |
| Income tax expense | -1,005 | -4,315 | -3,882 | -433 | +11% |
| Profit for the period | 4,050 | 15,713 | 16,292 | -579 | -4% |
| Business volumes, in thousands of euros | May 2026 | YTD26 | YTD25 | Difference YoY | |
| Customer deposits and loans received | 3,145,546 | 3,145,546 | 2,574,153 | 571,393 | +22% |
| Loans to customers | 2,950,903 | 2,950,903 | 2,413,543 | 537,360 | +22% |
| Key figures | May 2026 | YTD26 | YTD25 | Difference YoY | |
| ROE | 15.9% | 12.4% | 14.3% | -1.9pp | |
| Cost / income ratio (C/I) | 52.4% | 55.4% | 43.7% | +11.7pp | |
| Net promoter score (NPS) | 57 | 58 | 58 | +0 | |
Bigbank AS (www.bigbank.eu), with over 30 years of operating history, is a commercial bank owned by Estonian capital. As of 31 May 2026, the bank's total assets amounted to 3.6 billion euros, with equity of 307 million euros. Operating in nine countries, the bank serves over 202,000 active customers and employs more than 650 people. The credit rating agency Moody's has assigned Bigbank a long-term bank deposit rating of Ba1, along with a baseline credit assessment (BCA) and an adjusted BCA of Ba2.
Argo Kiltsmann
Member of the Management Board
Telephone: +372 5393 0833
Email: argo.kiltsmann@bigbank.ee
www.bigbank.ee
