Standard Chartered earnings
Standard Chartered's next results are expected on October 28, 2026. Standard Chartered should show whether recurring client income survives normalising markets, rising capital demands and unresolved legal exposures.
What has Standard Chartered guided for the year?
Return on tangible equity, or RoTE, measures profit for ordinary shareholders against their equity after removing intangible assets such as goodwill. If shareholders supply $100 of tangible equity, an 18% return means the bank earns about $18 from it each year. Management’s framework aims for reported RoTE above 15% in 2028 and approximately 18% in 2030, with income growing by 5–7% a year from 2025 to 2028.
Management’s July update placed 2026 income growth around the middle of its range. Expenses excluding notable items should be approximately $13.3bn at constant exchange rates, while RoTE should remain above 12%. The 2028 cost-to-income target means spending about $57 to produce $100 of income, so income must grow faster than costs even as the bank invests.
| Period it covers | Target in the bank's words | Date it was given | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CET1 ratio target | Ongoing | Operate across 13-14% range | 01 October 2026 |
| Income | 2025–2028 | 5-7% CAGR 2025-2028 (constant currency, ex-notable items) | 01 October 2026 |
| Cost-to-income ratio | 2028 | ~57% in 2028 (ex-notable items) | 01 October 2026 |
| Cost of risk | Through the cycle | 30-35bps through-the-cycle loan loss rate | 01 October 2026 |
| Dividend payout ratio | Ongoing | ≥30%, progressive DPS | 01 October 2026 |
| RoTE | 2028; 2030 | >15% in 2028; ~18% in 2030 | 01 October 2026 |
Has Standard Chartered kept its past promises?
There is evidence that management has delivered. Standard Chartered reached underlying RoTE of 14.7% in 2025, above its earlier 13% milestone. But future payouts remain unknown, as does whether the committee will use its discretion over Winters’ LTIP on retirement. Stock pay also has a cost across the workforce, so the final test is whether returns remain durable after all compensation costs.
What has Standard Chartered's revenue and profit trend been?
Revenue rose to $5,702 million from $5,527 million. Profit after tax reached $1,761 million from $1,734 million. Diluted EPS rose to 75.30 cents from 70.50 cents, helped by the share count as well as profit.
| Jun 2026 | Mar 2026 | Dec 2025 | Sep 2025 | Jun 2025 | Mar 2025 | Dec 2024 | Sep 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 5,702 | 5,902 | 4,926 | 5,110 | 5,527 | 5,379 | 4,802 | 4,950 |
| Net interest income | 1,470 | 1,531 | 1,503 | 1,408 | 1,463 | 1,581 | 1,709 | 1,482 |
| Profit after tax | 1,761 | 1,910 | 473 | 1,298 | 1,734 | 1,592 | 526 | 1,147 |
| EPS, diluted | 75.30 | 72.00 | 19.80 | 43.20 | 70.50 | 55.10 | 19.60 | 35.90 |
What this means. The quarterly figures show only the three months in that quarter, even though some row descriptions say they are for the whole year.
What should investors watch in Standard Chartered's next results?
The next scheduled checkpoint is 28 October 2026. Third-quarter results should show whether the July income upgrade remains achievable, alongside expenses, credit losses and capital after the buyback. The full-year release on 19 February 2027 should show the complete 2026 return and provide guidance for 2027.