Deutsche Bank reported a first-quarter net profit of 1.9 billion euros, up about eight percent from the previous year and beating analyst expectations. CEO Christian Sewing praised the results as a strong start to the new strategy phase. Shares dropped more than two percent anyway.
Deutsche Bank announced in Frankfurt that it performed better than expected in the first quarter. Net profit reached 1.9 billion euros, exceeding the average analyst forecast of 1.77 billion euros. The private customer business contributed significantly to the result.
CEO Christian Sewing called the outcome "a very good start into the next phase of our strategy." It underscores the bank's ambition to become "the European champion in banking." Management is sticking to its forecasts despite crises and aims for a return above 13 percent by 2028.
Despite the strong profit, Deutsche Bank shares were among the DAX's weakest, falling more than two percent. Investors reacted negatively to higher-than-expected risk costs and an unexpected drop in the CET1 capital ratio to 13.8 percent from 14.2 percent at the end of 2025.