Swedish Handelsbanken's Q4 profit falls less than expected, raises dividend (updated)
04/02/2026 06:14
Adds background in paragraph 2 and 6, detail in 3, 5-6 Net profit falls less than expected STOCKHOLM, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Swedish lender Handelsbanken SHBa.ST reported on Wednesday a drop in net fourth-quarter profit that was smaller than expected and proposed an increased dividend. Handelsbanken, like Nordic rivals such as Swedbank SWEDa.ST, SEB SEBa.ST and Nordea NDAFI.HE, has seen income hit as central banks lower interest rates. "Net interest income was negatively affected during the quarter by lower net interest margins due to lower market rates," Handelsbanken said in a statement. "At the same time, the savings business continued to exhibit good growth with assets under management reaching the highest level so far." Net profit at the more than 150-year-old bank fell to 5.97 billion crowns ($672 million) from 6.85 billion a year ago, against a mean forecast of 5.49 billion in an LSEG poll of analysts. Net interest income, which includes revenues from mortgages, fell to 10.04 billion crowns from a year-ago 11.75 billion, just shy of the 10.15 billion seen by analysts. The oldest company on the Swedish stock exchange proposed a dividend payout to shareholders of 17.50 crowns per share compared to 15.00 crowns a year earlier, above the 12.10 crowns seen by analysts. (Reporting by Johan Ahlander, editing by Anna Ringstrom) ((johan.ahlander@thomsonreuters.com; +46 707 211027;))