Italy’s BPER Banca posts double-digit net profit growth

November 5 (Reuters) – BPER Banca (EMII.MI), , Italy’s fifth-largest bank, posted on Thursday a double-digit increase ​in adjusted net profit for the ‌first nine months of the year, as it looks to benefit from Intesa ​Sanpaolo (ISP.MI), ‘s bid for Monte dei Paschi (MPS) (BMPS.MI),

MPS ​shareholders rejected CEO Lovaglio’s plan to fend ⁠off Intesa’s offer last month, ​which if successful would see main investor Unipol(UNPI.MI), ​merging BPER with 635 MPS branches, taking over most of the Siena lender’s central operation ​and its historic brand.

• BPER’s adjusted net ​profit in the nine-month period grew to €2.01 billion ($2.26 ‌billion), ⁠up 16.4% year-on-year
• Its net interest income (NII) for the third quarter stood at 1.16 billion, up almost 8% from the ​same period ​in ⁠2025, boosted by rising interest rates
• It will distribute a €0.33 per ​share interim dividend on its ​2026 ⁠results, totalling €694 million
• The bank slightly improved its 2026 guidance, now targeting cost ⁠of ​risk below 35 basis ​points and CET1 ratio above 14.5%

($1 = 0.8880 euros)

Reporting ​by Enrico Sciacovelli, editing by Alvise Armellini