METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) continued to deliver strong results as it ended 2022 with a 48 percent year-on-year increase in net income to P32.8 billion on the back of better corporate and consumer lending businesses, healthy fee income, subdued operating expense growth, and lower provisions on stable asset quality. For the October to December period alone, the bank’s earnings rose to P9.3 billion, a 55 percent increase from a year ago. With the bank’s strong capital base and higher profitability, the Board of Directors approved a total cash dividend of P3 per share for the year. The regular dividend of P1.60 per share will be paid out on a semi-annual basis at P0.80 per share. On top of this, a special cash dividend of P1.40 per share was also declared. The bank’s net interest income jumped by 14 percent fueled by higher loan demand and a better net interest margin of 3.6 percent. Gross loans expanded by 14 percent year-on-year, supported by a 15 percent growth in corporate and commercial loans as businesses started to build their inventories and resumed their investment spending. Likewise, net credit card loans increased by 29 percent, leading the recovery in consumer lending. (PR)