Sberbank has laid out a three-year strategic plan centered on delivering sustained profitability and shareholder value. The bank’s leadership has committed to achieving a return on equity (ROE) of no less than 22 percent in every year covered by the strategy, signaling a strong emphasis on capital efficiency and disciplined growth. This commitment was announced during Sber Investor Day, with Taras Skvortsov, who heads the Sber Finance bloc, confirming the target as part of the company’s formal communications and press materials.
The top management stressed that the profitability targets are designed to be resilient, even under conditions that analysts expect could challenge the sector. In particular, 2024 is anticipated to bring headwinds for some banks due to high interest rates and regulatory constraints imposed by the Central Bank. Against that backdrop, Sber argues that its diversified business model, prudent risk management, and ongoing efficiency improvements should enable the bank to maintain robust earnings momentum.
Skvortsov highlighted that the ambition set for ROE is a clear signal to the market that shareholders can expect not only higher profits but also an increased dividend stream. The executive noted that the strategy calls for distributing 50 percent of net profit as dividends, a policy aligned with the goal of returning substantial value to investors while sustaining capital resilience for future growth initiatives.
During the briefing, Skvortsov also underscored expectations that the upcoming year could surpass the record profitability the bank achieved in the current period. He framed the year ahead as one with favorable conditions for earnings expansion, driven by core lending activities, fee income growth, and continued enhancements in funding structure. This outlook positions Sber to potentially outperform prior records while maintaining strict financial discipline and risk controls.
Kirill Tsarev, who previously served as First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors, noted the sizable scale of client deposits in 2023, pointing to a deposit base that underpins liquidity and funding stability. The acknowledgment of a substantial pool of deposits reflects user confidence and the bank’s ability to mobilize household and corporate funds efficiently. Tsarev’s observations reinforce the overall narrative of a bank that leverages strong core funding to support its strategic growth, capital allocation, and dividend strategy over the forecast horizon.