ING shows continued commercial momentum in 3Q2026 and is well on track to deliver on 2026 outlook
The further €1.9 billion distribution follows completion of the share buyback programme announced in April 2026.
Sentiment and the balance of points
Rhea-AI Sentiment reads the wording of the document, how positive or negative its language is on a 1 to 5 scale. The balance of points shown with the takes weighs what the document actually discloses, so the two can disagree, for example when a trial that missed its main goal is described in upbeat language.
Rhea-AI Summary
ING (ING) reported a third-quarter 2026 net result of €1,850 million, alongside growth in customer balances and fee income. Net result rose 3.5% year-on-year, while profit before tax increased 5.7% to €2,705 million. Total income grew 5.6%, and fee income rose 9.3% to €1,273 million. Return on tangible equity was 16.3%.
ING added 259,000 mobile primary customers during the quarter. Net core lending grew €11.0 billion and net core deposits grew €12.1 billion. Operating expenses increased 1.1% quarter-on-quarter, and risk costs were affected by a management overlay. With a 13.3% CET1 capital ratio, ING announced a further €1.9 billion distribution after completing its April 2026 share buyback programme. Two risk-transfer transactions provided €3.0 billion of risk-weighted asset relief. ING said it remained on track for its 2026 outlook and plans to simplify Wholesale Banking.
How this balance works
Rhea-AI gives every point it takes from this document a weight. Minor counts 1, Moderate 3 and Major 9, so one Major point outweighs several Minor ones. The bar adds up the weights on each side, and when neither side holds more than 65% of the total the balance reads Mixed.
It reads the document as published, with the same rules for every company, and it does not look at what the market expected or at how the stock traded, so a point can be objectively good on a day the stock falls.
Rhea-AI Sentiment measures something else, the tone of the wording.
Hollow bars mark forward-looking points. How the balance works
Positive
- Moderate pointThird-quarter 2026 net result increased 3.5% year-on-year to €1,850 million.
- Moderate pointProfit before tax rose 5.7% year-on-year to €2,705 million in 3Q2026.
- Moderate pointTotal income grew 5.6% year-on-year in the third quarter.
- Moderate pointFurther shareholder distribution of €1.9 billion announced after completion of the April 2026 buyback programme.
- Moderate pointTwo completed risk-transfer transactions generated €3.0 billion of relief in risk-weighted assets.
- Moderate pointMobile primary customer base increased by 259,000 during the quarter.
- Moderate pointRetail lending grew €8.5 billion, or 6% annualised, including €6.9 billion in mortgages.
- Moderate pointWholesale Banking lending grew €2.5 billion on continued client demand.
- Moderate pointRetail deposits increased €2.7 billion during the quarter.
- Moderate pointWholesale Banking deposits increased €9.4 billion.
- Moderate pointAssets under management and e-brokerage rose €6.7 billion during the quarter to €328 billion, up 22% year-on-year.
5 minor points
- Minor pointCommercial interest income recorded double-digit year-on-year growth.
- Minor pointFee income increased 9.3% year-on-year to €1,273 million.
- Minor pointRisk costs excluding one-offs remained well below the through-the-cycle average of 20 basis points of average customer lending.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.ING expects to deliver on its 2026 outlook.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Wholesale Banking simplification is planned to make client interactions easier.
Negative
- Minor pointOperating expenses increased 1.1% quarter-on-quarter, with wage inflation partly offset by cost initiatives.
- Minor pointOther income was lower, reflecting interest-rate volatility effects that ING expects to reverse over time.
- Minor pointRisk costs were affected by a management overlay.
Key Figures
- Net result
- €1,850 million; up 3.5% year-on-year
- 3Q2026
- Profit before tax
- €2,705 million; up 5.7% year-on-year
- 3Q2026
- Return on tangible equity
- 16.3%
- 3Q2026
- Net core lending growth
- €11.0 billion
- 3Q2026
- Net core deposit growth
- €12.1 billion
- 3Q2026
- Fee income
- €1,273 million; up 9.3% year-on-year
- 3Q2026
- CET1 ratio
- 13.3%
- 3Q2026
- Further distribution
- €1.9 billion
- Announced after completion of the share buyback programme
Historical Context
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ING completed its April-announced programme, repurchasing 34,954,008 shares within €1.0 billion consideration.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Key Terms
cet1 ratio financial
return on tangible equity financial
significant risk-transfer financial
rwa relief financial
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
ING shows continued commercial momentum in 3Q2026 and is well on track to deliver on 2026 outlook
| 3Q2026 net result of | |
| • | Mobile primary customer base increases by 259,000 in the third quarter |
| • | Net core lending growth of |
| • | Fee income of |
| • | Operating expenses remain under control; risk costs affected by a management overlay |
| • | Profit before tax increases |
| • | Strong capital generation and CET1 ratio of |
| • | We are refocusing and simplifying Wholesale Banking to better serve our clients |
CEO statement “ING has had a strong third quarter of 2026 as we continue to execute on our strategy and deliver solid commercial and financial performance,” said Steven van Rijswijk, CEO of ING. “Against a backdrop of continuing geopolitical uncertainty, volatility and pressure on consumer and corporate confidence, our clients continue to show their trust in ING and increasingly turn to us for more of their financial needs across our various segments. This demonstrates the strength and resilience of our business, and we remain well on track to deliver on our outlook for 2026. “We’re proud that more customers are choosing ING as their bank. We have added 259,000 mobile primary customers during the quarter, with strong contributions from Germany, the Netherlands and Romania. Total income has grown “In Retail Banking, our mortgage portfolio has increased by contributing to lending growth of “In Wholesale Banking, lending growth was contributions from Daily Banking & Trade Finance. As part of the ambition to become the best European bank, we are taking a next strategic step in Wholesale Banking to simplify and make it easier for our clients to do business with us. As a reliable banking partner, we aim to create greater value for our clients and all our stakeholders. “Operating expenses have remained under control, with a "Our capital remains strong, with a CET1 ratio of significant risk-transfer (SRT) transactions during the quarter, generating total RWA relief of "Operating at the right level of capital is in the best interest of all our stakeholders, including our customers and the economies where we do business. After completing the share buyback programme that we announced in April 2026, we today announce a further distribution of “We enter the remainder of this year with good momentum and continued customer growth. I would like to thank our employees for their dedication to supporting our customers and clients and for driving our progress in a complex geopolitical and macroeconomic environment. We remain focused on delivering our strategic priorities and look forward to providing an update on our strategy at our Capital Markets Day on 14 June 2027.” | |
| Further information All publications related to ING’s 3Q 2026 results can be found at the quarterly results page on ing.com. For more on investor information, go to the Investor Overview on ing.com. A short ING ON AIR video with CEO Steven van Rijswijk discussing our 3Q 2026 results is available on Youtube. For further information on ING, please visit www.ing.com. Frequent news updates can be found in the Newsroom or via the @ING_news feed on X. Photos of ING operations, buildings and its executives are available for download at Flickr. |
| Investor conference call and webcast Steven van Rijswijk (CEO), Ida Lerner (CFO) and Andrea Cesaroni (CRO) will discuss the results in an Investor conference call on 29 October 2026 at 9:00 a.m. CET. Members of the investment community can join the conference call at +31 20 708 5074 (NL), or +44 330 551 0202 (UK) (registration required via invitation) and via live audio webcast at www.ing.com. |
| Investor enquiries T: +31 20 576 6396 E: investor.relations@ing.com Press enquiries T: +31 20 576 5000 E: media.relations@ing.com |
| ING Profile ING is a global financial institution with a strong European base, offering banking services through its operating company ING Bank. The purpose of ING Bank is: empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and in business. ING Bank’s more than 60,000 employees offer retail and wholesale banking services to customers in over 100 countries. ING Group shares are listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam (INGA NA, INGA.AS), Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange (ADRs: ING US, ING.N). ING aims to put sustainability at the heart of what we do. Our policies and actions are assessed by independent research and ratings providers, which give updates on them annually. ING's ESG rating by MSCI has been upgraded from 'AA' to 'AAA' in October 2025. As of July 2026, in Sustainalytics’ view, ING’s management of ESG material risk is ‘Strong’ with an ESG risk rating of 16.7 (low risk). ING Group shares are also included in major sustainability and ESG index products of leading providers. Here are some examples: Euronext, STOXX, Morningstar and FTSE Russell. |
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION
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Attachment
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What were ING's third-quarter 2026 profit and return on tangible equity?
ING reported a €1,850 million net result, up 3.5% year-on-year, and a 16.3% return on tangible equity for 3Q2026. The four-quarter rolling average return on tangible equity was 14.8%.
Why did ING's other income decline in the third quarter of 2026?
Lower other income reflected effects from heightened interest-rate volatility, which ING expects to reverse over time. The decline partly offset growth in commercial interest income and fee income.