ING announced October 29 that it will return €1.9 billion to shareholders after reporting a 3.5% increase in third-quarter net profit to €1.85 billion.
The distribution combines a new €1.65 billion share buyback with an additional €250 million cash payment planned for January 2027, Reuters reported. Announcing a buyback authorizes a program; it does not mean all the shares have already been purchased.
The bank reported €11 billion in net core lending growth and €12.1 billion in net core deposit growth during the quarter. Its mobile primary customer base increased by 259,000, with Germany, the Netherlands and Romania among the contributors.
Fee income rose 9.3% from a year earlier to €1.273 billion. Profit before tax increased 5.7% to €2.705 billion, and ING reported a 16.3% return on tangible equity.
Net profit nevertheless fell below the €1.97 billion analyst forecast cited by Reuters. Loan-loss charges of €403 million and somewhat higher costs weighed on that comparison. A rise from the previous year and a miss against market expectations describe different benchmarks.
ING’s common-equity Tier 1 capital ratio was 13.3%. The bank linked its planned capital distribution to that position and its ongoing capital generation.
Management said it remains on track for its 2026 outlook and is simplifying its wholesale-banking business. Those statements describe management’s plans and expectations alongside the completed quarterly financial results.
The announcement follows completion of the bank’s previous buyback program, according to Reuters.
Sources ING Group — October 29 Results via GlobeNewswire/Ritzau: https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/15256146/ing-group?publisherId=90446 Reuters — October 29 ING Report: https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/ing-unveils-165-billion-buyback-despite-profit-miss-2026-10-29/