First International Bank of Israel (FIBI) (FIBI.TA) reported a 15% drop in second-quarter net profit on Tuesday after posting a large one-off, post-COVID gain last year, and said it would distribute 50% of that as a dividend, Reuters informs.
Quarterly net profit was 342 million shekels ($104 million), versus 404 million a year earlier when it had an "exceptional credit loss income" as it unwound a provision set aside during the pandemic.
The bank's board approved a dividend distribution of 170 million shekels, or 1.69 shekels a share.
FIBI said it had 31 million shekels in credit loss expenses for the quarter, after a credit loss income of 128 million last year.
The total value of problematic credit dropped by about 21% compared with the same period last year, and by 15% against the end of 2021, it said.
Net interest income rose 21% to 859 million shekels.
