In February 2024, Sberbank’s quarterly update drew commentary from market observers, with Sergei Suverov, an investment strategist at Arikapital Management and an associate professor at the University of Finance under the Government of the Russian Federation, highlighting the ongoing improvement in the lender’s financial metrics from month to month. These remarks come as analysts track Sberbank’s performance through the latest reporting period, noting a pattern of steady progress rather than abrupt shifts. (Source attribution: market analytics from Arikapital Management and the University of Finance)
According to the February 2024 results released by Sberbank, net profit rose 4.8% year over year, increasing to 120.4 billion rubles. When considering the first two months of the year, Sberbank’s net profit totaled 235.5 billion rubles, up 4.7% compared with the same period in the previous year. These figures reflect a resilient earnings profile for the bank amid a challenging macro environment. (Source attribution: Sberbank financial statements for February 2024)
German Gref, the bank’s President and Chairman of the Board, noted that the total loan portfolio expanded by 0.5% during February, despite continued pressure on both corporate and consumer lending. The portfolio reached 38.9 trillion rubles, underscoring the bank’s ongoing lending activity. Gref also emphasized that customer savings have been rising more rapidly than loan book growth, with deposits increasing by 2.3% in the month to reach 34.3 trillion rubles. This divergence — rising deposits alongside steady loan growth — signals a favorable mix for liquidity and resilience in the bank’s funding base. (Source attribution: Sberbank leadership statements)
Speaking on the broader implications, Suverov remarked that Sberbank’s results appear nearly exceptional given prevailing forecasts for the sector. He attributed the outperformance to a combination of motivated staff and the positive impact of new technologies deployed within the bank’s operations. (Source attribution: expert commentary from Arikapital Management)
As the market responded, Suverov noted that investor sentiment remained favorable toward Sberbank, with the bank’s shares breaching the psychologically important threshold of 300 rubles per share and continuing to show upside potential. This market enthusiasm aligns with expectations of sustained demand for the stock among portfolio managers and retail investors alike. (Source attribution: market commentary from Arikapital Management)
Financial analyst Dmitry Tsarkov described Sberbank as the highest quality enterprise among Russian corporate issuers, suggesting a substantial investment case for the bank within domestic markets. He estimated an investor potential of roughly 20–22 percent for this security, reflecting a persuasive upside scenario to those holding or considering a position in Sberbank shares. (Source attribution: analysis from Dmitry Tsarkov)
Alexey Antonov, head of the investment advisory department at Alor Broker, offered a contrarian view for holders of Sber shares, advising a strategy shift toward dividend income. He suggested divesting some stock positions to lock in dividends, presenting a case for a dual approach that balances equity exposure with cash-return opportunities. (Source attribution: expert guidance from Alor Broker)
Looking ahead, the bank signaled that shareholders could expect to receive a portion of the profits generated in 2023 as dividends. Specifically, plans indicate that 50% of the net profit for 2023 would be distributed to shareholders, amounting to approximately 750 billion rubles in dividends for the year. This prospective payout reinforces the stock’s appeal to income-focused investors while aligning with broader expectations of capital return from leading Russian financial institutions. (Source attribution: corporate dividend guidance for Sberbank)