MILAN, May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intesa Sanpaolo delivered its best-ever quarterly net income in 1Q25, exceeding €2.6 billion and generating an annualized Return on Equity of 20%.

This outstanding start to the year supports guidance for 2025 net income well above €9 billion.

Strong revenue growth and cost efficiency

Intesa Sanpaolo posted a record first quarter for commissions (+7% vs 1Q24), with 11% growth in Wealth Management & Protection related activities. Insurance income saw its best quarter ever (+9% vs 4Q24).

Customer financial assets grew by €45.5 billion from March 31, 2024, to around €1.4 trillion, supported by €900 billion in direct deposits and Assets under Management (AuM).

Despite significant investments in technology, cost discipline remains a priority. The Cost/Income ratio hit a record low of 38%, one of the best in Europe.

Technology investments and digital transformation

Technology remains central to Intesa Sanpaolo’s strategy. The bank has invested €4.4 billion in its digital transformation, hiring ~2,350 IT specialists and migrating 62% of applications to the cloud.

Isybank—Intesa Sanpaolo’s digital bank—has reached one million clients, with a strong acceleration in Q1 that confirms the success of the Group’s digital strategy.

Commitment to Social Impact

Intesa Sanpaolo continues to lead in social impact initiatives, deploying more than €0.7 billion from 2023 to 1Q25—including around €65 million in the first quarter—to combat poverty and reduce inequality, supported by a dedicated team of ~1,000 professionals.

Outlook for 2025

Thanks to this strong start, Intesa Sanpaolo confirms its outlook with 2025 net income well above €9 billion. Intesa Sanpaolo plans to return over €8.2 billion to shareholders this year, with additional distributions to be quantified at year-end.

Pull quotes from CEO Carlo Messina

Carlo Messina, CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo, remarked on the results:

“The results achieved in the first quarter of 2025 confirm and reinforce Intesa Sanpaolo’s standing among Europe’s major banks.”

“In terms of market capitalization, we rank among the leading European banking groups, alongside competitors with significantly larger balance sheets.”

“Amid market volatility and shifting interest rates, we are facing these challenges from a position of strength, thanks to a resilient, efficient and well-diversified business model.”

“We rank first in the eurozone for the contribution of fees and insurance activities to total revenues.”

“Capital generation remains strong: our CET1 ratio stands at 13.3%. During the quarter, we increased it by approximately 45 basis points, confirming the Bank’s ability to generate capital consistently and robustly.”

“Technological innovation is a key driver of our success.”

“We are strongly committed to the environmental transition. From 2021 to the first quarter of 2025, we have provided €72.2 billion in support of the green economy.”

“The quality of our people is a decisive factor in generating strong, sustainable results. I am proud of what we have achieved and thank all our people for their extraordinary contribution.”

“Our well-diversified business model, solid capital position and strong income-generating capacity are the pillars of Intesa Sanpaolo’s success. We are confident that the Group’s existing potential will sustain our leadership in Europe in the years ahead.”

Click here for more information on Intesa Sanpaolo’s financial results and strategic outlook.

Contact: international.media@intesasanpaolo.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/19fa4ad4-2506-402c-beff-ada3953bc85a