Bank of China Ltd. - ADR

Strong Financial Performance in 2024: Bank of China (BoC) reported total assets exceeding RMB 35 trillion and total liabilities reaching RMB 32 trillion, representing growth of 8.11% and 8.20% YOY, respectively. Operating income reached RMB 632.8 billion, a 1.38% YOY growth, while after-tax profit increased by 2.58% to RMB 252.7 billion. Key performance indicators, including NIM at 1.4%, ROA at 0.75%, and ROE at 9.5%, remained within reasonable ranges.

Focus on Loan Growth and Asset Quality: BoC's domestic RMB loans grew steadily, supporting over 102,900 technology-based enterprises and boosting the balance of inclusive loans for small and micro enterprises by 29.63%. However, the NPL rate was stable at 1.25%, indicating effective risk management despite pressures in some sectors, particularly real estate.

Challenges Ahead in 2025: The bank anticipates continued pressure in a low-interest-rate environment and increased competition. Factors such as demand being constrained, the impact of LPR adjustments, and potential risks from the real estate sector are expected to challenge credit quality. Management emphasized the need for robust risk management to maintain asset quality.