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Bank Of Cyprus Delivers Resilient Performance With €509 Million Revenue In H1 2025

Strong Financial Metrics Amid Challenging Conditions

The Bank Of Cyprus has announced its H1 2025 financial results, reporting total revenue of €509 million despite a 7 percent year‐on‐year decline—primarily due to a contraction in net interest income. The institution posted post-tax profits of €235 million during this period, with Q2 maintaining a consistent performance at €118 million, reflecting stability in a fluctuating market.

Solid Capital Structure and Liquidity

Exceeding its strategic targets, the bank achieved a Return on Tangible Equity (ROTE) of 18.4 percent, well above its set objectives for 2025. Enhanced by a strong Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio of 20.6 percent and an overall capital adequacy ratio of 25.8 percent, the bank’s robust balance sheet is underscored by total equity (excluding minority interests) of €2.79 billion as of June 30, 2025.

Robust Growth in Lending and Customer Deposits

A notable highlight this period was the 31 percent year‐on‐year increase in new lending, which rose to €1.6 billion driven by demand for business and international operations loans. The serviced loan portfolio expanded by 5 percent to €10.66 billion, while the retail-dominated deposit base grew by 6 percent, reaching €20.9 billion. With individual customer deposits accounting for the majority of assets and liabilities, the bank continues to fortify its market position.

Operational Efficiency and Strategic Initiatives

The bank maintained a disciplined cost-to-income ratio of 36 percent, despite an increase in overall expenses—attributable to heightened staffing and operating costs. These strategic initiatives, including an anticipated 4 percent increase in the serviced loan portfolio, reflect the bank’s proactive efforts to adapt operationally and remain competitive in a dynamic financial landscape.

Stress Test Success and Forward-Looking Confidence

CEO Panicos Nicolaou highlighted that the bank’s resilient business model, strong organic capital generation, and improved liquidity underpin its sustained performance. The favorable results from the 2025 Single Supervisory Mechanism Stress Test—which placed the bank in the top category based on maximum CET1 reduction—further attest to its competitive edge relative to peers.

Positive Outlook Amid a Robust Economic Backdrop

Nicolaou also noted that the domestic economy continues to experience robust growth, with Cyprus forecast to reach a 3 percent growth rate in 2025—significantly outperforming the Eurozone’s 0.9 percent expectation. The bank’s strategic outlook, coupled with a strong balance sheet and expanded lending portfolio, provides a solid foundation for enduring success amid ongoing global economic uncertainty.

Cyprus Tourism Shows Strength As Clean Monday Hotel Bookings Surge

Hotels Embrace A Bright Outlook

Recent figures point to growing momentum in hotel reservations ahead of the Clean Monday weekend, signaling renewed confidence in Cyprus’ tourism sector. Christos Angelides, Director of PASYXE, emphasized the positive trend while also underscoring the need to gradually extend the tourism season beyond traditional peak months.

Favorable Conditions And Festive Spirit

Angelides noted that bookings recorded during the past weekend reached encouraging levels, a development attributed to multiple converging factors. The return of sunny weather after prolonged rainfall, coupled with the festive aura of carnival events and children’s parades in cities such as Nicosia, Limassol, and Paphos, has motivated many to opt for short getaways. This seasonal momentum is further boosted by the strategic initiatives of local hotels, many of which are curating special menus for Clean Monday events, offering guests an enhanced stay experience by keeping them on-premise.

Positioning For The Off-Season

Despite the positive indicators, Angelides cautioned that average occupancy rates of 25%–30% highlight the need for continued innovation rather than complacency. He described the current period as part of a longer process of building winter tourism and pointed to opportunities in conferences, corporate events and niche travel segments as potential drivers of year-round demand.

Expanding Air Connectivity and Collective Ecosystem

Industry expectations are further supported by expanded air connections from established markets such as the United Kingdom and Israel, alongside increased routes from Armenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia and Poland. While recovery in the German market remains gradual, broader improvements in connectivity continue to strengthen overall tourism prospects. Angelides added that sustainable year-round tourism depends on a wider ecosystem that extends beyond accommodation to include restaurants, museums, cultural venues and community events.

The Path Forward

Cyprus continues to benefit from strong competitive advantages in climate, accessibility and hospitality infrastructure. With coordinated planning across tourism stakeholders and consistent investment in diversified offerings, the sector is positioned to contribute more steadily to the national economy and support a more balanced, all-season travel model.

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