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Equity Group became the first listed bank on the Nairobi Securities Exchange to reach a KSh 250 billion market valuation on Friday, 31 October, after its share price surged 9.5% in two days following the release of record Q3 2025 results.
- •The stock rose from KSh 60.50 at Wednesday's close to KSh 66.25 by Friday driven by strong buy interest and limited selling pressure at higher levels.
- •The results released on Thursday showed a Q3 2025 profit after tax of KSh 54.1 billion, exceeding its full-year 2024 profit of KSh 48.8 billion.
- •Growth was driven by net interest income, fee income, and disciplined cost control across its regional subsidiaries, with credit quality indicators remaining stable.
Listed in 2006, the bank executed a 2-for-1 bonus issue in 2007 and a 10-for-1 share split in 2009. Consequently, one original share at listing is equivalent to 30 shares today.
Group CEO Dr. James Mwangi during the Q3 results media/investor briefing attributed the milestone to the strength of the brand.
“The market has been kind to us. This is not about balance sheet size; this is about brand value. We are the most valuable brand in the region,” he said.
“We protect the Equity brand carefully because it is very valuable. People buy into the brand before they buy the product.”
Consistent Value
From 2007 to 2025, Equity has paid KSh 39.50 per current share in dividends. For a continuous holder, this translates to KSh 1,185 in total cash dividends on the original share position (KSh 39.50 × 30 shares).
At the current market price of KSh 66.25, the market value of that original position is KSh 1,987.50. Combined with KSh 1,185 in dividends already received, the total value created from one original share is approximately KSh 3,172.50, excluding the benefits of dividend reinvestment.
Banking Sector
While Equity now leads on total market value, its year-to-date price gain of 37.2% places it in the middle of a broadly rallying sector, with HF Group and NCBA posting the strongest YTD returns.
| Bank | Price | Market Cap (KSh B) | YTD Return (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Group (EQTY) | 66.25 | 250.0 | 37.2% |
| KCB Group (KCB) | 61.50 | 197.6 | 47.8% |
| NCBA Group (NCBA) | 88.00 | 145.0 | 82.6% |
| Co-operative Bank (COOP) | 21.10 | 123.8 | 28.3% |
| Absa Bank Kenya (ABSA) | 23.00 | 124.9 | 27.4% |
| Standard Chartered Kenya (SCBK) | 303.00 | 114.5 | 8.3% |
| Stanbic Holdings (SBIC) | 196.00 | 77.5 | 42.8% |
| I&M Group (IMH) | 43.90 | 72.6 | 21.1% |
| Diamond Trust Bank (DTK) | 105.00 | 29.4 | 52.2% |
| HF Group (HFCK) | 10.65 | 20.1 | 136.1% |