Aktia launches an acceleration programme to implement its revised strategic plan with new long-term financial targets and updates its dividend policy

Aktia Bank Plc
Stock Exchange Release
27 February 2025 at 1.00 a.m.

Aktia launches an acceleration programme to implement its revised strategic plan with new long-term financial targets and updates its dividend policy

Aktia Bank Plc’s Board of Directors has approved the company's updated strategy with new long-term financial targets and an updated dividend policy. An acceleration programme is being launched to drive the implementation of the strategic plan focusing on organic growth in wealth management.

The core of Aktia's growth strategy is to accelerate our journey towards becoming a unique, leading wealth manager empowered by a strong banking heritage. Aktia has a strong customer base and high customer satisfaction in the core segments, Premium and Private Banking, demonstrating the value of our personalised advisory services and product quality.

During the strategic plan period 2025–2029, we will strengthen our focus on the strategic customer segments Premium, Private Banking, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and institutions. In these customer segments, we aim for growth and an excellent customer experience. Efficiency and outstanding processes are ensured, for example, through investments in digital development. Aktia stands out by high-quality, personal, and attentive service and comprehensive financial solutions offered to a growing customer base.

Programme for accelerated strategy implementation

An acceleration programme is launched to strengthen the implementation of the revised strategic plan and strategic priorities. The objective of the programme is to generate comparable operating profit annualised run rate improvements of approximately EUR 7 million by the end of 2025, and a total of approximately EUR 20 million by the end of 2026 – aligned with, Aktia’s new long-term financial targets. The programme is expected to generate one-off costs, which do not affect the comparable operating result, of approximately EUR 6 million in 2025. The costs relate mainly to external advisory services and are dependent on the financial performance of the programme.

“Our three strategic priorities are active wealth management, growth in our core segments and a first-class customer experience – enabled by investments in digital development, streamlining our business processes, and developing the Aktia way of working. A cornerstone of our revised strategic plan is to increase the availability of personal service and wealth management solutions for a wider customer base. We intend to go beyond the established segment borders in the market and democratise private banking services. In this way, we want to give more customers the opportunity to benefit from our award-winning asset management, our peak competence in wealth management and our unique customer experience. With a robust financial basis, a unique market position, skilled employees and an ambitious leadership team, we are well equipped to deliver results and drive profitable growth. I strongly believe in our ability to achieve our new financial targets, especially with the acceleration programme now launched to implement our strategic plan,” says Aleksi Lehtonen, CEO of Aktia.

Aktia’s strategic priorities are:

1. Active Wealth Management

As wealth transitions across generations, customers need accessible, sustainable financial solutions. Aktia helps customers grow and transfer wealth with clear, long-term plans and a holistic approach.

2. Winning in Strategic Segments

Finland’s growth relies on bold investments, cross-generational legacies and work, and thriving communities. Aktia takes an active role by driving success in Premium, Private Banking, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and institutional segments.

3. The Aktia Experience

We will stand out by specialising in attentive personal service for a growing customer base and by bringing them the Aktia experience. Skilled and committed employees work together to deliver tailored solutions and to respond to the customers’ financial needs and goals.

Key enabler: Powered by Data and Technology

Enhancing our IT setup to enable growth in a scalable and efficient way.

Long-term financial targets for 2029:

Comparable return on equity (ROE) over 15 per cent by 2029
Assets under management over EUR 25 billion* by 2029
Organic net commission income growth over 5 per cent per year
Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio 2–4 percentage points above the regulatory requirement.

* This figure reflects gross AuM, corresponding to all AuM in the asset management business for which Aktia receives fee commissions. In the future, Aktia will report both gross and net AuM, rather than only net.

Updated dividend policy:

Aktia’s goal is to offer its shareholders a competitive total return, including dividends, the amount of which depends on the Group's profit development as well as growth and investment needs. In addition, Aktia wants to ensure sufficient capital adequacy in changing market circumstances. Aktia's capital and dividend policy has been updated.

Updated dividend policy: Aktia intends to pay a dividend of approximately 60 per cent of the profit for the reporting period to its shareholders.

In addition, excess capital may be distributed to shareholders using e.g. extra dividends or share buy-backs.

(Previous dividend policy: Aktia intends to pay out a dividend of approximately 60 per cent of the profit for the reporting period to its shareholders.)

Investor Event 27 February 2025:

Aktia invites investors, analysts and media representatives to an investor event on 27 February 2025 at 12:30 p.m. During the investor event, CEO Aleksi Lehtonen, together with other members of Aktia's Executive Committee, will present the company's updated strategic priorities and an overview of the acceleration programme for the implementation of the strategic plan with new financial targets. The event will be held in English.

You can follow the investor event via a live webcast or a post-event recording on https://aktia.events.inderes.com/2025-investor-event. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of Aktia’s Executive Committee during the event. The presentation will be available on Aktia’s website www.aktia.com prior to the event.

Aktia Bank Plc

For more information, please contact:
Oscar Taimitarha, Director of Investor Relations, tel. +358 40 562 2315, ir (at) aktia.fi

Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd
Mass media
www.aktia.com

Aktia is a Finnish asset manager, bank and life insurer that has been creating wealth and wellbeing from one generation to the next for 200 years. We serve our customers in digital channels everywhere and face-to-face in our offices in the Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Vaasa and Oulu regions. Our award-winning asset management business sells investment funds internationally. We employ approximately 850 people around Finland. Aktia's assets under management (AuM) on 31 December 2024 amounted to EUR 14.0 billion, and the balance sheet total was EUR 11.9 billion. Aktia's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd (AKTIA). aktia.com.