Germany's Commerzbank, fending off a possible takeover by Italy's UniCredit, said today that its net profit in 2026 would probably exceed its original target of €3.2 billion.
It attributed the rise to a rosier outlook for net interest income, from €8.4 billion to around €8.5 billion.
It follows news yesterday that the bank's net profit in 2025 fell slightly as it incurred restructuring costs, though the figure beat analysts' expectations and the bank said it would buy back shares.
Italy's UniCredit has amassed a 26% equity stake in the German lender as it pushes for a tie-up between the banks, despite resistance from Commerzbank management, employees, and the German government.
Commerzbank executives have been trying to convince shareholders of their standalone strategy by delivering robust earnings.
"We are convinced that we can realise significant additional potential in the coming years," CEO Bettina Orlopp said.
