📉 Fitch Downgrades NDB Rating Following LKR 13.2 Bn Fraud

Fitch Ratings has downgraded National Development Bank PLC’s (NDB) National Long-Term Rating to 'A-(lka)' from 'A(lka)' with a Negative Outlook. The downgrade follows a significant fraud incident that has weakened the bank’s credit profile and exposed internal risk control deficiencies compared to peers. • Fraud Impact: NDB reported an estimated loss of LKR 13.2 Bn, involving employees and external parties. This amount represents approximately 1.3% of the bank's total assets (as of March 2026) and 2.3% of its risk-weighted assets. • Capital & Profitability: The incident is expected to reduce the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio by 1.1% to approximately 11.8%. While still above regulatory minimums, buffers are now thin. Operating profit as a percentage of risk-weighted assets is projected to drop below 2% for 2025. • Regulatory & Dividends: Cash dividend payments remain suspended by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka until capital buffers are restored. The Negative Outlook reflects ongoing uncertainty regarding investigation outcomes and potential operational shifts. • Liquidity Status: NDB’s loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) stood at 91% at end-2025. Fitch warns that further deposit mobilization challenges or regulatory sanctions could trigger additional downward pressure on the rating.