ING Launches $1.28 Billion Buyback as Earning Beat Expectations

By Adam Whittaker

ING Group will launch a share buyback worth 1.1 billion euros, equivalent to $1.28 billion, after reporting a smaller-than-expected drop in net profit, while raising its full-year total income guidance.

The Dutch lender said Thursday that third-quarter net profit slipped nearly 5% to 1.79 billion euros from 1.88 billion euros in the same period last year, but beat the 1.66 billion euros analysts had expected, according to a company-compiled consensus.

ING said its performance was boosted by strong growth in fee income and customer lending.

The lender said it would return 1.6 billion euros to shareholders, with the buyback supplemented by a 500 million euro cash distribution to be paid in January.

ING's total income was broadly flat year-over-year, coming in at 5.90 billion euros, compared with analyst expectations of 5.7 billion euros.

The bank raised its full-year total income guidance to around 22.8 billion euros, citing volume growth and an expected increase in fee income of more than 10%. It had previous expected it around the same level as 2024 when it reported 22.615 billion euros.

It also lifted its 2025 return-on-equity forecast to above 12.5%, from around 12.5%, and adjusted its CET1 capital ratio target to about 13% ahead of anticipated higher capital requirements.

Write to Adam Whittaker at adam.whittaker@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 30, 2025 03:05 ET (07:05 GMT)