Bank return on equity (%, before tax) in Australia
Australia: Bank return on equity (%, before tax) was 13.5% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Bank return on equity in Australia, 2000–2021
Source: Bankscope, Bureau van Dijk (BvD). Measured in %, before tax.
Analysis
Australia recorded 13.5% for bank return on equity in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 48.3% on the previous year and down 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, bank return on equity in Australia peaked at 43.6% in 2006 and was at its lowest, -11.3%, in 2001.
Australia ranks 73rd of 168 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Bank return on equity (%, before tax) in Australia, year by year
| Year | %, before tax | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.0% | — |
| 2001 | -11.3% | -180.8% |
| 2002 | 12.6% | -210.8% |
| 2003 | 17.9% | +42.7% |
| 2006 | 43.6% | +142.9% |
| 2007 | 22.7% | -47.8% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | -25.9% |
| 2009 | 13.2% | -21.9% |
| 2010 | 16.5% | +25.7% |
| 2011 | 17.6% | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 17.2% | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 19.1% | +11.0% |
| 2015 | 17.2% | -10.3% |
| 2016 | 14.5% | -15.7% |
| 2017 | 17.5% | +21.2% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 12.9% | -25.0% |
| 2020 | 9.1% | -29.6% |
| 2021 | 13.5% | +48.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 13.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.1%, 1.3× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Australia's 13.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 11.2%, 1.2× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Bank return on equity (%, before tax) in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +210.8% | -11.3% | 12.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.2% | -11.3% | 43.6% | 8 |
| 2010s | 16.7% | 12.9% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.3% | 9.1% | 13.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More financial sector data for Australia
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 11.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0013 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 83.74 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 6.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 61.14 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 11.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0013 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 83.74 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 6.56 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is bank return on equity in Australia?
- Bank return on equity in Australia was 13.5% in 2021, according to Bankscope, Bureau van Dijk (BvD).
- What is the highest bank return on equity recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 43.6% in 2006.
- What is the lowest bank return on equity recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was -11.3% in 2001.
- How does Australia rank for bank return on equity?
- Australia ranks 73rd out of 168 countries with data for 2021.
- Is bank return on equity rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Bankscope, Bureau van Dijk (BvD), published as part of Bank return on equity (%, before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Raw data are from Bankscope. Data10270[t] / ((data2055[t] + data2055[t-1])/2). Numerator and denominator are first aggregated on the country level before division. Note that banks used in the calculation might differ between indicators. Calculated from underlying bank-by-bank unconsolidated data from Bankscope.