FCMB Group Plc has alerted stakeholders to a potential delay in the publication of its Audited Financial Statements for the fiscal year 2025. The bank stated that the release, typically due on the Nigerian Exchange by March 31, 2026, might be postponed.

In a formal notice submitted to the Nigerian Exchange, FCMB Group explained that the delay is primarily due to the pending approval of its audited financial performance by its principal regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The financial institution is actively working to expedite this regulatory process and anticipates submitting the audited results to the Nigerian Exchange once the CBN's clearance is obtained, likely on or shortly after the stipulated March 31 deadline.

This disclosure follows the recent release of FCMB's unaudited financial results on January 29, 2026. These unaudited figures revealed a robust pretax profit of N200.91 billion, marking an impressive 80% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. A detailed review of these unaudited statements indicates that interest income was the primary driver of profitability, surging by 61% year-on-year to reach N1.002 trillion from N621.8 billion recorded in the prior year. The group also saw a healthy rise in income from fees and commissions, with net fees and commission income climbing to N73.8 billion from N58.7 billion. Additionally, share of post-tax income from associates, amounting to N758.5 million, contributed to the group’s pretax profit of N200.9 billion for the period.

Further analysis of the unaudited financial statements shows a notable expansion in the group's asset base. FCMB's total assets swelled to N7.5 trillion, up from N7.05 trillion reported in 2024. On the Nigerian Exchange, shares of FCMB have demonstrated positive performance, with a year-to-date gain of 6.22% as of March 5, 2026, trading at N12.80 per unit. The stock experienced significant upward momentum in February 2026, surging by 25.23% in the month following the release of its unaudited results on January 29. Despite some declines in January and early March, the overall year-to-date performance remains positive.

Looking ahead, a December earnings forecast projected that FCMB Group anticipates a pretax profit of N62.5 billion in the first quarter of 2026. This represents a substantial 94% increase from the N32.2 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2025. Analysts suggest that the market may begin to factor in potential price dips around the N12 to N13 per share range, which could potentially support continued upward momentum in the stock price.