Facing Shortcomings and Fully Rectifying Them, Isn't Cangzhou Bank's Future Full of Promise?

Listing | Zhongfang.com

Review | Li Xiaoyan

As a core local financial institution in Cangzhou, Hebei Province, Cangzhou Bank has been deeply rooted in the community and serving the real economy since its establishment in 1998. Relying on the development synergy of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and regional industrial upgrades, it has achieved simultaneous growth in scale, efficiency, and brand influence, becoming a key supporter of the local economy and small and micro enterprises. By 2025, the bank’s operating performance will steadily grow, capital strength will continue to solidify, and inclusive finance will be precisely targeted. At the same time, it will address risk control shortcomings and accelerate reforms and optimization, steadily advancing on the path of high-quality development.

In 2025, Cangzhou Bank delivered a solid performance: in the first three quarters, operating income reached 4.498 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.92%; net profit was 1.322 billion yuan, up 6.35%, demonstrating strong profitability. Asset size steadily surpassed 300 billion yuan, ranking among China’s top 100 banks and the global top 500 banks, with brand influence and comprehensive competitiveness reaching new heights.

Liabilities remain stable, with deposit scale steadily increasing, providing sufficient funding for credit issuance and business expansion. Asset structure has been optimized, with credit focus on key regional industries, major projects, and inclusive micro and small businesses. Corporate and retail businesses develop in synergy, net interest margin remains within a reasonable range, and profitability stability continues to strengthen. Despite macroeconomic pressures and intensified industry competition, Cangzhou Bank maintains growth in both revenue and net profit, reflecting its solid management foundation as a local bank.

In recent years, Cangzhou Bank has continuously promoted capital increases and share expansions, with registered capital rising to 8.963 billion yuan, significantly enhancing its capital strength and providing a solid financial foundation for serving the real economy and risk resistance. In 2024, through additional issuance to supplement core Tier 1 capital, the capital adequacy ratio increased from 11.55% at the end of 2023 to 15.1%, and the core Tier 1 capital adequacy ratio rose from 9.04% to 12.29%, effectively easing capital constraints.

In the third quarter of 2025, due to business expansion and increased risk-weighted assets, the capital adequacy ratio declined to 13.15%, and the core Tier 1 capital adequacy ratio fell to 10.5%, but both remained within a safe and stable range. The bank emphasizes external capital supplementation and internal profit accumulation, accelerating asset structure optimization and improving capital efficiency. It is shifting from “external blood transfusion” to “internal self-sustaining,” enhancing sustainable capital support. Meanwhile, net asset per share remains stable, and capital appreciation capacity is steadily recovering, laying a foundation for long-term development.

Cangzhou Bank adheres to the positioning of “based in Cangzhou, serving Hebei, radiating to Beijing-Tianjin,” directing credit resources precisely toward key regional sectors. Focusing on port economy, industrial upgrading, green development, and saline-alkali land management, it has increased credit support, with loans in related fields reaching 49 billion yuan by the end of the third quarter of 2025, injecting financial vitality into local infrastructure and industrial transformation.

Inclusive finance has been improved in quality and efficiency, focusing on the financing pain points of small and micro enterprises. The bank has innovated product systems, simplified approval processes, and reduced financing costs. In 2025, it added 7.32 billion yuan in inclusive micro loans, with total credit lines reaching 27.4 billion yuan, nourishing market entities with financial support. The bank’s 122 branches extend into urban and rural areas, bridging the “last mile” of financial services. Through localized, professional, and convenient services, it has become a trusted primary bank for local businesses and residents.

While maintaining steady growth, Cangzhou Bank actively addresses operational risks and challenges, proactively strengthening weaknesses. Regarding customer loan concentration, by the end of 2024, the top ten customers’ total loans accounted for 70.61% of net capital, and loans to a single group customer accounted for 35.31%, exceeding regulatory red lines. This reflects a concentration of credit to large local enterprises and urban investment platforms, indicating a need to optimize customer structure and industry distribution.

In response to concentration risk, the bank has launched targeted rectification measures: optimizing customer access standards, dispersing credit issuance, reducing large exposure ratios; increasing small and micro, green finance, and retail lending to lower corporate loan concentration; and using syndicate loans and joint loans to diversify client risk and promote a more balanced customer and industry structure.

In terms of related-party transactions and credit risk control, some related parties have been listed as persons subject to enforcement, exposing deficiencies in due diligence, risk monitoring, and post-loan management. Cangzhou Bank has quickly strengthened its full-process risk control: upgrading the “Yinhe Fenghuo Tai” intelligent early warning system, utilizing big data and modeling algorithms to enhance risk identification and early warning; strictly reviewing related-party transactions and information disclosure; strengthening qualification review and dynamic monitoring of related parties; and improving management across the entire loan process—pre-, during, and post-disbursement—to close risk control gaps.

Additionally, the bank has improved its credit management system, revising more than ten credit management policies, establishing a three-tier supervision mechanism of self-inspection, departmental review, and audit, implementing the “five separations” in loan management, and strengthening compliance culture. The concept that “safety is more important than growth” is integrated into all aspects of operations.

Looking ahead, Cangzhou Bank will adhere to the main themes of “steady operation, serving the real economy, risk prevention, and quality enhancement,” promoting reforms for improvement and innovation for development. First, it will continue optimizing capital management, enhancing internal accumulation, improving capital efficiency, and safeguarding capital security. Second, it will optimize the credit structure, disperse concentration risks, and increase lending to inclusive, green, technological, and retail sectors to promote balanced growth. Third, it will strengthen technological empowerment, improve intelligent risk control systems, and enhance management of related-party, credit, and liquidity risks. Fourth, it will stay true to its local roots, deeply connect with regional strategies, and provide better financial services to support local economic transformation and upgrading, achieving mutual growth for the bank and the region.

As a local legal entity bank, Cangzhou Bank remains clear-headed amid achievements and courageous in facing challenges. In the future, it will pursue more stable operations, stricter risk controls, and higher-quality services, writing a new chapter of high-quality development and contributing greater financial strength to regional economic and social progress.