ING Launches New €1 Billion Share Buyback to Optimize Capital Ratios

ING Groep N.V. announced on Thursday the launch of a new share buyback program valued at up to €1 billion. The initiative, which commenced on April 30, is scheduled to conclude no later than October 26, 2026. This new program follows the successful completion of a prior buyback mandate initiated in October 2025. Under that previous program, the bank repurchased 47.04 million ordinary shares at an average price of €23.46, totaling €1.10 billion in capital returned to shareholders. Due to performance arrangements with its executing broker, the effective average price for the company was €23.38. The primary driver for the current buyback is the maintenance of the bank's Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio. ING reported a CET1 ratio of 13.0% at the end of the first quarter of 2026, which remains comfortably above the regulatory minimum requirement of 11.06%. Management expects the total distribution to have a 29 basis point impact on the CET1 ratio, with 23 basis points already reflected in the reported Q1 figures. This strategic capital return highlights the bank's ability to reward shareholders while maintaining a robust capital buffer. Market reaction was mixed during the session, with ING closing down 1.60% at $27.65 on the New York Stock Exchange. However, the stock showed strength in after-hours trading, rising 1.92% to $28.18.