Cibest (Bancolombia) Full-Year 2025 Profits Improve Despite Negative 4Q
Medellin-based multinational banking giant Cibest (Bancolombia) announced February 23 a full-year 2025 corporate-wide profit of COP$3.8 trillion (US$1.02 billion) — despite a negative fourth quarter (4Q).
“Excluding the effect of the Banistmo [Panama] sale, the result would have been COP$7.27 trillion [US$1.96 billion], 16.09% higher than that recorded in 2024, driven by lower provisioning expenses associated with improved portfolio performance, especially in the consumer segment,” according to Cibest.
On the other hand, “the net result for 4Q 2025 showed a loss of COP$1.85 trillion [US$499 million],” the company explained.
“The loss for the [fourth] quarter is explained by the impairment of goodwill associated with Banistmo, amounting to COP$3.4 trillion [US$916 million], resulting from the sale agreement.
“Excluding this effect, the profit for the quarter would have been COP$1.6 trillion [US$431 million], lower than that recorded in 3Q 2025, mainly due to higher provision expenses related to specific corporate clients and the updating of macroeconomic models,” the company added.
Grupo Cibest had announced on December 18, 2025, that it executed a share purchase agreement with Inversiones Cuscatlán Centroamérica S.A. for the sale of 100% of its shares in Banistmo S.A.
“The net interest margin for 4Q 2025 was 6.16% and remained stable compared to 3Q 2025. Net interest income was COP$4.8 trillion [US$1.29 billion], decreasing 2.35% compared to 3Q 2025 and increasing 3.13% compared to 4Q 2024.
“Cibest Group’s gross loan portfolio reached COP$256 trillion [US$ billion], representing a decrease of 8.44% compared to the previous quarter and 8.27% compared to Q4 2024. The decrease is mainly explained by the reclassification of Banistmo’s portfolio to assets related to investments in subsidiaries held for sale.
“Also noteworthy is the impact of the 4.24% appreciation of the Colombian peso against the U.S. dollar during the latest quarter, which reduced the portfolio balance. Deposits closed 4Q 2025 at COP$264 trillion [US$69 billion], decreasing 5.99% compared to 3Q 2025 and 5.25% compared to 4Q 2024.
“Net loan loss provisions in 4Q 2025 totaled COP$1.5 trillion [US$404 million], representing a 74.7% increase compared to 3Q 2025 and an annualized quarterly cost of credit of 2.12%.
“The higher level of provisions during the quarter is mainly due to specific cases in the corporate segment and an impairment charge associated with an adjustment in macroeconomic variables in Colombia due to expectations of an increase in the Central Bank’s interest rate,” the company added.
