Handelsbanken UK's best ever quarterly results show continued customer trust in its unique offering

15 July 2022

As the Bank celebrates 40 years in the UK, its Q2 results indicate solid, sustainable growth

Summary of Handelsbanken UK Q2 2022 results, January-June 2022 figures compared with January-June 2021 (1): 

  • UK result before credit losses up by 55% to £114.1m 
  • UK operating profits up by 43% to £112.8m 
  • UK income increased by 13% to £304.7m
  • UK deposits up 2% to £19.5bn: household deposits up 3% to £5.6bn, corporate deposits up 1% to £13.9bn 

Mikael Sorensen, UK CEO, says: “As we mark 40 years in the UK, we are happy to celebrate with our best ever quarterly results.

They build on the firm foundations of the first quarter, and the increase in overall deposits shows that our customers continue to view us as a trusted place to put their money.

Although we can attribute part of the growth to changes in the Bank of England base rate, our Q2 results indicate that our UK business is robust and growing sustainably. This strength is further evidenced by Handelsbanken being awarded the highest credit rating of any UK commercial bank, and higher than the UK sovereign rate (2).

As a bank which is committed to forming lasting relationships with its customers, the results are testament to our unique relationship approach continuing to bring solid results for Handelsbanken.

The services we and our colleagues in Handelsbanken Wealth and Asset Management provide, which offer our customers the benefit of having their banking and wealth management under one roof, are even more important as the global economy faces yet more uncertainty. 

We are proud to be a values-led bank with customers at the centre of our work. With that in mind, we are continuing to look at ways we can help our customers live and work more sustainably as well as take advantage of the opportunities which the transition to a more sustainable economy offers.”

Handelsbanken forms long-term, personal relationships with customers, through its distinct local relationship banking model. Customers have direct access to experienced branch teams who are empowered to make decisions locally, based on each customer’s specific needs and without product or sales targets. 

This formula has led to Handelsbanken being top-ranked for satisfaction, for both personal and business banking, in an independent survey of British bank customers (3). In addition, for the eighth time, the Bank has topped recommendations for relationship-led banking in the Competition and Markets Authority’s independent service quality survey for business banking, the results of which were most recently published in February 2022 (4).

Handelsbanken launched in the UK in 1982 and, over the years, has developed its UK business, based on customer demand for its personal approach to banking. 

In December 2018, in a demonstration of its long-term commitment to the UK, Handelsbanken became a fully licensed UK bank, Handelsbanken plc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of its Swedish parent, Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ). 

Handelsbanken has since continued to invest in its UK infrastructure, strengthening its foundations for ongoing growth and securing its long-term presence in the UK.

- ENDS -

For more information please contact: 

Sonia Rothwell, External Communications Manager UK

sonia.rothwell@handelsbanken.co.uk

+44 (0)7790 887513


Notes to editors

1 Please note that the release reports Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ)’s UK segment figures for Q2 2022. Segment reporting presents income / expenses and assets / liabilities broken down by business segments. A business segment is a part of the Group and runs operations which generate external or internal income and expenses; and of which the profit / loss is regularly assessed and followed up by the company management, as part of corporate governance. 

Handelsbanken Plc Credit Ratings : Fitch Ratings Opens in a new window. To see other agencies’ ratings please visit our investor relations page: https://www.handelsbanken.com/en/investor-relations/debt-investors/rating Opens in a new window

Handelsbanken plc has been assigned a long-term credit rating of AA with a stable outlook by international credit ratings agency, Fitch. Handelsbanken plc also has a long-term credit rating of AA- by Standard & Poor’s. The ratings are the same as those given for the subsidiary’s Swedish parent, Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ), and confirm the Bank’s strength, stability and creditworthiness. For reference the UK’s sovereign debt rating according to Standard & Poor’s is AA with a stable outlook, while Fitch’s rating is AA- with a stable outlook.

3 EPSI Rating, September 2021. For more information, please visit -  https://www.epsi-rating.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/EPSI-Bank-UK-2021.pdf Opens in a new window.

4 CMA Business Banking Quality survey Feb 2022  https://www.bva-bdrc.com/products/business-banking-service-quality/ Opens in a new window

For photos and logos, please visit: www.handelsbanken.co.uk/media.

Handelsbanken is the trading name of Handelsbanken plc, which is incorporated in England and Wales with company number 11305395. Registered office: 3 Thomas More Square, London, E1W 1WY, UK. Handelsbanken plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Financial Services Register number 806852.

Handelsbanken plc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ).

Handelsbanken was established in Stockholm in 1871 and in Sweden, it is one of the country’s leading banks with a nationwide branch network. The Bank’s home markets are Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and the UK. It also has operations in Luxembourg and the USA.

In the UK, Handelsbanken is a relationship bank with a decentralised way of working, a strong local presence due to a nationwide network of branches, and a long-term approach to customer relations. Handelsbanken specialises in providing personalised and competitive banking services to both businesses, individuals, and property investors, and offers wealth and investment management services through its UK subsidiary Handelsbanken Wealth & Asset Management. Each Handelsbanken branch operates as a small business enabling it to make decisions at a local level and provide a bespoke service. The focus is always on the need of the individual customer and not on the sale of specific products.

For information regarding sustainability at Handelsbanken, please see here: https://www.handelsbanken.co.uk/en/about-us/sustainability.