NatWest reported a bigger-than-expected jump in first-half earnings, with operating pre-tax profit rising 20% year-on-year to £4.3 billion, beating the £4.1 billion analyst consensus. Income grew 11%, driven by its retail, commercial, and wealth management arms, while the cost-to-income ratio fell 2.8 percentage points, helped by around £250 million in gross cost savings from structural simplification and technology investments. Chief Executive Paul Thwaite highlighted the bank’s AI drive, including deploying AI tools to 60,000 staff and launching the first agentic AI assistant, as well as the recent acquisition of wealth management firm Evelyn Group, which he said positions NatWest to capture a fast-growing opportunity in financial planning and investment advice.
NatWest Group PLCBeat profit estimates with 20% rise, cost savings, and AI/wealth strategy.
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