The Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna), Inc. announced a strong performance for H1 2025, reflecting accelerated growth across key financial and operating metrics following its acquisition by fintech company Salmon Group Ltd in January 2024.
Salmon leverages AI and digital solutions to serve underserved Southeast Asian banking customers.
Key financial highlights for the six-month period compared to year-end 2024 include:
- Total assets surged 43% to P1.8 billion.
- Shareholder equity expanded 2.7 times to P707 million from P261 million.
- Deposits rose 66.7% to P952 million, led by time savings accounts.
- Net consumer loans increased 33.8%, reaching P1.2 billion with a focus on a high-quality, diversified portfolio.
- Profitability metrics strongly outpaced rural banking averages, with a return on equity (ROE) of 58.9% and return on assets (ROA) of 24.9%.
- Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) stood at 32.7%, well above the 18.0% sector benchmark.
Chairman Raffy Montemayor attributed the results to targeted investments in digital technology, product development, and governance enhancements.
The bank recently launched an 8.88% time deposit via the highly rated Salmon app, which has a 4.8 rating on major app stores. Online onboarding for new customers is expected in the coming weeks to further improve user experience.
Montemayor also highlighted governance progress with the addition of independent director lawyer Juan De Zuñiga, Jr., a former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official.
With its strong capital base, innovative products, and digital-first approach, the bank is positioned for continued growth in the evolving Philippine rural banking sector.
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