SINGAPORE, Feb 10, 2026, 14:48 SGT — Regular session
- Shares of DBS Group Holdings Ltd (SGX:D05) slipped roughly 0.8% on Tuesday, with the bank’s latest outlook pointing to pressure from rates.
- The lender put out word of a 66-cent final dividend alongside a 15-cent capital return dividend for the quarter.
- OCBC and UOB are both set to update investors on margins and credit costs later this month, and the focus will be on how the banks lay out those numbers.
DBS Group Holdings Ltd shares slipped 0.8% to S$57.75 Tuesday afternoon, following a quarterly earnings miss and warnings from management about squeezed margins amid lower rates. The stock had ended the last session at S$58.19. On Tuesday, price action ranged from S$57.60 up to S$58.05. 1
DBS just planted the flag on Singapore’s bank earnings season, setting the pace for rivals. Investors, hungry for payouts from the top lenders, tend to treat any tweak in profit outlook as a signal for the entire sector.
This round, attention is divided. Some traders are eyeing the stronger cash payout, but there’s also the squeeze on net interest margins with borrowing costs slipping. Add to that: credit provisions are ticking up again, especially where there’s exposure to property.
DBS posted a 10% drop in fourth-quarter net profit to S$2.26 billion, coming up short of the S$2.55 billion analyst consensus. Net interest margin narrowed to 1.93%, down from 2.15%, and trading income left markets underwhelmed. The bank expects 2026 net profit to land “slightly below” 2025’s figure. Provisions for bad loans jumped 81% to S$415 million, citing real estate exposure as the main culprit. Shareholders get a 66-cent ordinary dividend and a 15-cent capital return dividend. “Buckle up, it’s going to be a volatile year,” CEO Tan Su Shan said during the results briefing. 2
The investor relations page lists April 8 as the ex-dividend date for both the fourth-quarter final dividend and the capital return, with shareholders getting paid on April 17. 3
Capital management remained front and center for sentiment, analysts in Singapore said. Thilan Wickramasinghe at Maybank Securities flagged possible “room for special dividends” should DBS fall short of its buyback target. But with the stock price high, Morningstar equity analyst Kathy Chan cautioned that buybacks may not happen as quickly. 4
The risk is clear enough: should rates drop more quickly than banks are able to adjust deposit pricing, net interest margin may take another hit. And if stress tied to property extends further, rising credit costs could chip away at apparent dividend buffers.
DBS has kicked off earnings season among the big three local lenders, putting the spotlight on what comes next. United Overseas Bank is set to report on Feb. 24, with OCBC following on Feb. 25. Traders are keen to catch any shifts in commentary—margins, loan growth, provisions—as each bank steps up.
