Erste Group stock: Bank lifts 2026 loan target above EUR 290bn

Erste Group reported stronger customer lending for the first nine months of 2026 on Friday, October 30, and raised parts of its full-year outlook. The company said in a release carried by finanzen.at that loans including Erste Bank Polska reached EUR 287.4 billion, up 23.9 percent from EUR 232.0 billion at the end of 2025.

Customer lending drives revenue

Excluding Poland, customer loans rose 5.8 percent year to date. Retail lending increased 5.1 percent and corporate lending 6.5 percent, with mortgage business and investment financing supporting demand. Erste Group said around 85,000 new mortgage loans were concluded in the first nine months outside Poland, while more than 28,500 investment loans were granted to companies.

Customer deposits including Poland climbed 28.1 percent to EUR 324.1 billion. Net interest income rose 43.4 percent to EUR 8.3 billion including the Polish business, while net fee and commission income increased 24.0 percent to EUR 2.9 billion. On a comparable basis excluding Poland, net interest income grew 7.0 percent and fee income 9.5 percent.

Guidance moves higher

Erste Group lifted its target for customer loans including Erste Bank Polska to more than EUR 290 billion, compared with the previous goal of approximately EUR 290 billion. Excluding Poland, net interest income is now expected to grow by more than 6 percent in 2026, up from guidance of about 5 percent. Fee and commission income is projected to rise by around 10 percent, compared with the previous range of 7 to 9 percent.

The bank also expects its cost-to-income ratio excluding Poland to fall below 46 percent, an improvement from the previous target of below 47 percent. The reported net result for the first nine months rose 20.6 percent to EUR 3.1 billion including Poland. Erste Group said the first-time consolidation of the Polish subsidiary materially contributed to the increase, while net profit excluding Poland rose 7.9 percent.

Poland remains a strategic focus

Erste Group plans to launch its voluntary tender offer for shares in Erste Bank Polska on Monday, November 2, with the subscription period starting on November 3. The offer price is expected to be approximately PLN 713 per share and is intended to lift Erste Group's stake from 49 percent to more than 50 percent, while keeping it below 75 percent. Settlement is expected in December, subject to sufficient participation and regulatory requirements.

For investors, the upgraded targets point to continued momentum in lending, payments and asset management, but the headline growth figures include the newly consolidated Polish business. The bank reported a non-performing loan ratio of 2.3 percent at the end of the third quarter, compared with 2.4 percent at the end of 2025. The CET1 ratio stood at 15.0 percent on a pro forma basis.

The real-time quote of Erste Group stock stood at 108.80 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 10:33 Berlin time on Friday, October 30, 2026.

European bank stocks remain sensitive to interest-rate expectations, credit costs and economic growth across Central Europe. Current ATX market coverage provides the broader regional context.

More news and analyses on Erste Group stock will follow developments around the Polish tender offer and the bank's 2026 performance.