Wednesday, Sep 10, 2025 | 16 Rabi ul Awal 1447
Wednesday, Sep 10, 2025 | 16 Rabi ul Awal 1447
Among various financial institutions operating in Pakistan, commercial banks hold a dominant position due to their vast customer base, nationwide branch networks, and significant involvement in both retail and corporate banking services.
At the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), commercial banks represent a major portion of market capitalisation and trading volume, reflecting their importance to investors and the overall economy.
These banks are not only instrumental in facilitating financial intermediation but also act as key drivers of liquidity and investor confidence in the equity market.
This article profiles the top 10 commercial banks listed at the PSX, based on their market capitalisation as of September 8, 2025.
United Bank Limited is a banking company incorporated in Pakistan and is engaged in commercial banking and related services. The Bank is a subsidiary of Bestway International Holdings Limited which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bestway Group Limited.
UBL enjoys its position as the second most valuable listed company on the PSX.
According to Muhammad Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities, UBL’s market capitalisation experienced an astounding six-fold surge in just two years, leaping from under $0.5 billion to $3 billion.
The bank posted consolidated Rs36.11 billion profit after tax (PAT) during the quarter ending March 31, 2025, up massive 124% from the PAT of Rs16.14 billion in the same period of 2024.
The market capitalisation of UBL at the PSX currently stands at $3,352 million.
Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL) was incorporated in Pakistan on January 27, 1997, as a public limited company under the Companies Act, 2017 (previously Companies Ordinance, 1984). The Bank was granted a ‘Scheduled Islamic Commercial Bank’ license on January 31, 2002 and formally commenced operations as a Scheduled Islamic Commercial Bank with effect from March 20, 2002. Currently, the bank is engaged in corporate, commercial, consumer, investment and retail banking activities.
Meezan Bank posted consolidated profit after tax of Rs22.42 billion for the quarter that ended March 31, 2025, down by 12% from Rs25.08 billion in the same period of the preceding year. According to its notice sent to the PSX then, earnings per share (EPS) clocked in at Rs12.32 for the period as compared to Rs13.93 in 1QCY24. The Board of Directors of the bank also announced a cash dividend for the period ended March 31 at Rs7 per share i.e. 70%.
The market capitalisation of Meezan Bank at the PSX currently stands at $2,516 million.
MCB Bank Limited is one of the pioneers of the banking sector of Pakistan. The bank was incorporated in the private sector in 1947, however, in 1974, it was nationalised. The bank was later privatised in 1991. MCB is the first Pakistani bank that got its global deposit receipts (GDRs) listed on London Stock Exchange in 2006. It is also the first Pakistan bank to incorporate a wholly owned Islamic subsidiary.
MCB Bank reported a profit after tax of Rs63.47 billion in 2024, a decrease of nearly 3% against Rs65.27 billion recorded in 2023. In its consolidated statement released to the PSX, the bank’s EPS clocked in at Rs53.35 per share during the year as compared to earnings of Rs54.94 per share in 2023.
In 2024, the bank saw its fee and commission income rise to Rs24.78 billion, a yearly growth of over 10%.
The market capitalisation of MCB Bank at the PSX currently stands at $1,501 million.
Habib Bank Limited (HBL) is incorporated in Pakistan and is engaged in commercial banking related services in Pakistan and overseas. The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), S.A. is the parent company of the Bank and its registered office is in Geneva, Switzerland.
HBL declared a consolidated profit before tax of Rs75.3 billion for the half year ended June 30, 2025, 30% higher than in the same period last year.
The profit after tax increased 19% to Rs34.4 billion despite a 4% higher tax rate further burdening banks. EPS for H1’25 improved from Rs20.18 in H1’24 to Rs23.44. Along with the results, the bank declared an interim cash dividend for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025, at Rs4.50 per share i.e., 45%. This is in addition to the interim cash dividend already paid at Rs4.50 per share i.e., 45%.
The market capitalisation of HBL at the PSX currently stands at $1,360 million.
National Bank of Pakistan was incorporated in Pakistan under the National Bank of Pakistan Ordinance, 1949. The bank is engaged in providing commercial banking and related services in Pakistan and overseas. The bank also handles treasury transactions for the Government of Pakistan as an agent to the State Bank of Pakistan.
In June this year, NBP announced that it had surpassed Rs100 billion in total outstanding loans secured against gold, serving both the agriculture and consumer segments.
Later in August, the bank reported a pre-tax profit of Rs56.7 billion, which had come despite recognising an extraordinary cost of Rs68.0 billion in compliance with the judgment of the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding pension litigation, it added.
The market capitalisation of NBP at the PSX currently stands at $1,296 million.
Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited was incorporated in Pakistan on 19 July 2006 and was granted approval for commencement of banking business by State Bank of Pakistan, with effect from 30 December 2006. The ultimate holding company of the bank is Standard Chartered Plc., incorporated in England. The bank is engaged in the banking business as defined in the Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962.
SCBPL posted a profit before tax of Rs32.9 billion in first half of 2025, lower than Rs49.3 billion in the same period last year.
The bank recorded total revenue of Rs44.4 billion in H12025, down 24% from H12024, primarily due to a reduction in interest rates. The decline was partially offset by higher non-funded income and a lower cost of funds.
The market capitalisation of SCBPL at the PSX currently stands at $1,022 million.
Bank AL Habib Limited (BAHL) ($758 million)
Bank AL Habib Limited is a banking company incorporated in Pakistan on 15 October 1991 as a public limited company under repealed Companies Ordinance, 1984. It is a scheduled bank principally engaged in the business of commercial banking.
Earlier this year, BAHL officially closed its representative office in Kenya, following formal approvals from the central banks of both Pakistan and Kenya.
For the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, BAHL reported a net interest income of Rs33.71 billion, as compared to Rs37.21 billion a year ago. Basic earnings per share from continuing operations clocked in at Rs9.65 compared to Rs9.22 a year ago.
The market capitalisation of BAHL at the PSX currently stands at $758 million.
Allied Bank Limited, incorporated in Pakistan, is a scheduled bank, engaged in commercial banking and related services. Ibrahim Holdings (Private) Limited is the parent company of the bank and it’s registered office is in Pakistan. The bank is the holding company of ABL Asset Management Company Limited.
ABL posted a profit after tax of Rs44.4 billion ($159.4 million) in 2024, a growth of over 7% more than earnings recorded in the preceding year.
As per ABL’s consolidated financial results, the bank’s earnings per share clocked in at Rs38.77 in 2024, as opposed to Rs36.07 in 2023.
The market capitalisation of ABL at the PSX currently stands at $707 million.
Bank Alfalah Limited is a banking company incorporated in Pakistan on June 21, 1992 as a public limited company. It commenced its banking operations on November 1, 1992. The Bank is engaged in banking services as described in the Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962.
Bank Alfalah saw its consolidated profit jump to Rs39.9 billion in 2024, over 10% higher than its earnings in the same period of the previous year.
The increase in profit after tax was attributed to much higher non-markup income amid the jump in commission income and massive gains on securities.
The bank reported earnings per share of Rs25.27 in 2024 compared to Rs23.15 in the same period last year.
The market capitalisation of Bank Alfalah at the PSX currently stands at $591 million.
Habib Metropolitan Bank Limited was incorporated in Pakistan on 3 August 1992, as a public limited company, under the Companies Ordinance, 1984 (now Companies Act, 2017) and is engaged in commercial banking and related services. The bank is a subsidiary of Habib Bank AG Zurich - Switzerland (the Holding Company with 51% shares in the Bank) which is incorporated in Switzerland.
Through its network of over 500 branches, HMB offers a suite of conventional banking services. The bank also offers Islamic banking services through its dedicated Islamic banking branches and Islamic windows. HMB has its presence in ten countries across four continents.
The market capitalisation of Habib Metropolitan Bank at the PSX currently stands at $454 million.
Market capitalisation for each company was calculated on Monday, September 8, 2025.
For the purpose of this calculation, the exchange rate was used at Rs282 to 1 US dollar.
The above article was contributed by Rehan Ayub, News Editor at Business Recorder (Digital), with assistance from Hussain Afzal (Graphics) and Junaid Sanawar (Data).
