First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB.AD) announced a 22% rise in net profit for the fourth quarter on Wednesday, supported by higher operating income, sustained business momentum and an increase in non-interest income.
The UAE’s largest bank by assets posted a net profit of 5.1 billion dirhams (USD 1.39 billion) for the final quarter of 2025, surpassing analysts’ average forecast of 4.9 billion dirhams, based on LSEG-compiled estimates.
FAB, whose largest shareholder is sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, also proposed a cash dividend of 80 fils per share.
Banks across the UAE have recently gained from stronger credit demand, as governments in the region channel investments into areas such as tourism and infrastructure to reduce reliance on oil revenues.
Chief Financial Officer Lars Kramer noted that earnings quality continued to improve, reflecting a larger contribution from non-funded income alongside consistent performance across business segments and geographic markets.
For the full year, FAB reported a record net profit of 21.1 billion dirhams in 2025, driven by revenue growth that included a 36% increase in non-interest income.
During the year, loans and advances expanded by 17% to 616 billion dirhams, while customer deposits rose 7% to 841 billion dirhams. This growth lifted total assets to 1.4 trillion dirhams by the end of December.
