NatWest Group Reports Strong Q1 2026 Results with 14.4% Profit Growth and Raised Income Guidance
Summary
NatWest Group reported strong Q1 2026 profits and EPS, increased its full-year income guidance, and maintained a robust capital position, signaling continued operational strength.
Key Events
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Strong Profit Growth
Attributable profit to ordinary shareholders increased by 14.4% year-over-year to £1.432 billion, with basic EPS rising 15.5% to 17.9 pence.
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Raised Income Guidance
The company now expects total income (excluding notable items) to be at the top end of its previously guided range of £17.2 - £17.6 billion for the full year 2026.
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Robust Capital Position
Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio strengthened to 14.3%, an increase of 30 basis points from Q4 2025, demonstrating strong capital generation.
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Increased Impairment Losses
Impairment losses rose significantly by 49.7% year-over-year to £283 million, primarily due to updates in economic scenarios and increased Stage 3 flows in credit cards.
Analysis
NatWest Group plc delivered robust financial performance in Q1 2026, with attributable profit to ordinary shareholders increasing by 14.4% year-over-year and basic earnings per share rising by 15.5%. The company also raised its full-year income guidance, now expecting to be at the top end of its previously guided range. This strong operational performance, coupled with a solid capital position (CET1 ratio of 14.3%), provides a positive outlook despite a notable increase in impairment losses. Investors should monitor the trend in impairment losses in future quarters.
At the time of this filing, NWG was trading at $15.42 on NYSE in the Finance sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $63.4B. The 52-week trading range was $12.72 to $19.36. This filing was assessed with positive market sentiment and an importance score of 8 out of 10.