Secure Trust Bank (STB) Interim Results Overview - August 2026

Hi, I'm Ian Corfield, Chief Executive of Secure Trust Bank, and I'm gonna spend a few minutes highlighting the key points from our twenty/twenty-six half-year results.

We delivered a strong first half performance with growth in lending, profits, and returns while making good progress against the strategic priorities we announced earlier this year.

Importantly, we remain on track to deliver our twenty twenty-six guidance, driving targeted growth for higher returns while continuing to build a simpler, stronger, and more focused bank.

Our financial performance demonstrates that the actions we've taken over the past year are delivering results.

Profit before tax increased by nine percent, lending balances grew to over three point five billion pounds, returns continue to improve, and we strengthened our capital position.

We're also returning capital to shareholders through our ten million pounds share buyback program, reflecting confidence in both our strategy and our future prospects.

These results are important because they're not just strong financial outcomes.

They also demonstrate clear progress against our strategy of targeted growth for higher returns.

That strategy is focused on three priorities, product expansion, effective digital solutions, and capital discipline.

Starting with product expansion, we've continued to build momentum across retail finance and bus- business finance.

We're expanding both our products and our routes to market.

We've secured major new partnerships in retail finance, successfully launched new propositions in business finance, and broadened access to our savings products.

Together, these initiatives are creating new opportunities for sustainable growth.

Alongside expanding our product and distribution, we're also making it easier for customers and brokers to do business with us through investment in digital solutions.

Digital investment is helping us improve customer journeys, increase efficiency, and support future growth.

We're seeing more customers choose to interact with us digitally while automation is helping us deliver better service and operate more efficiently.

At the same time, we're maintaining a strong focus on capital discipline and ensuring growth is delivered sustainably.

We completed the sale of our vehicle finance business, strengthening our capital position, and continued to make progress on our cost transformation program.

Our CET1 ratio increased to fourteen point three percent.

As already mentioned, we've launched our inaugural share buyback program, and we're delivering the cost savings needed to support higher long-term return.

Looking ahead, our priorities remain clear.

We're focused on delivering our twenty twenty-six guidance, continuing disciplined growth, and executing against our medium-term targets.

While the external environment remains uncertain, we're encouraged by the quality of new business we're writing and the opportunities we continue to see across our chosen markets.

So in summary, the first half of twenty twenty-six has demonstrated clear execution against our strategy of targeted growth for higher returns.

We continue to believe Secure Trust Bank represents a compelling investment opportunity.