Finance
Russia's Sberbank targets significant profit growth in 2026, CFO says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 21, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 21, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Sberbank targets significant profit growth in 2026, with projections surpassing 2025's record earnings, according to CFO Skvortsov.
MOSCOW, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Russia's Sberbank plans to significantly increase profit in 2026 compared to 2025, Sberbank's CFO Taras Skvortsov said on Wednesday evening on RBC TV.
Sberbank’s net profit for 2025 reached a record 1.69 trillion roubles ($21.95 billion) under Russian accounting standards. The figure under IFRS, to be published on February 26, is expected to be even higher.
Analysts forecast that Sberbank could set another profit record in 2026, with estimates hovering around 1.8 trillion roubles.
Skvortsov said the group’s net profit in 2026 is unlikely to reach 2 trillion, though it could come close.
"Yes, we are targeting a 22% (return on equity). That’s definitely achievable - in fact, our calculations suggest it could exceed what we earned this year, and by a considerable margin. We’ll see how the round numbers shape up over time," Skvortsov said.
“Overall, I see no reason why 2026 should be worse than 2025 - rather, it should be better."
Sberbank currently expects Russia’s economy to grow by 1% in 2026, with inflation projected at 5% to 6%. Early January data do not warrant revising these forecasts, Skvortsov said.
"Everyone expected VAT to rise in December, but we didn’t see it then - instead, we felt its full impact in January. But these are one-off factors," he added.
Skvortsov suggested the Central Bank of Russia could cut its key rate in both February and March, with the rate seen settling at 12-13% by the end of 2026, from 16%.
The bank’s forecasts assume the ruble will gradually weaken, driven by low oil prices and a recovery in import demand.
($1 = 76.9955 roubles)
(Reporting by Elena Fabrichnaya; Editing by Nia Williams)
Net profit is the amount of money a company retains after all expenses, taxes, and costs have been deducted from total revenue. It is a key indicator of a company's profitability.
Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises, eroding purchasing power. It is usually measured annually.
Return on equity (ROE) is a financial ratio that measures a company's profitability relative to shareholders' equity. It indicates how effectively management is using a company’s assets to create profits.
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