WBS Annual Review 2025

WBS is a locally owned loans and investment provider. We are owned by our members and the WBS Charitable Trust, and our profits go back into the local community.

We support our members and clients by offering competitive loan and investment rates, and by sponsoring local events to encourage a thriving community. We also donate to the WBS Charitable Trust, which then supports the community through grants to local entities.

OUR PURPOSE

To help our community prosper

OUR VALUES

Community focused, Relevant, Dependable, Accessible, Flexible

OUR CREDIT RATING

The credit rating agency Fitch gave us a BB+ (stable) credit rating again this year, a secure rating that we’ve now had for over 17 years.

‘This year WBS has continued, in many ways, to fulfill its purpose: ‘Helping our community prosper’. For a small organisation I think we do an amazing job, thanks to our staff, our Board and all our supporters in the community.’

John Healy, Chief Executive, WBS

Continued strong performance

Despite the challenges of falling interest rates and competition for customers, WBS continued to strengthen its liquidity and capital positions – two critical elements for a financially sustainable business. Remaining flexible and customer-focussed has been key to our performance over the past year.

Equity

0.6%

Return

on equity

18%

Capital

Ratio

RBNZ Minimum
Requirement 8%

Call and Term

Deposits

(Retail Funding)

Loans to

customers

$0.7M

Operating

Profit

Before revaluations and taxes

2.2%

Net Interest

Margin

Helping our members prosper

We are owned by our members and the WBS Charitable Trust. We continued to support our members with competitive investment rates again this year.

Our members and customers

Number of

members

People who

invest

with us

Term investment accounts

Call/savings accounts

Customer

Loans

People we lend to

72% Residential property mortgages
14% Commercial loans
11% Property development loans
3% Rural Loans

Download our full 2025 Consolidated Financial Statements.

‘After many years of service, I am retiring from the WBS Board at the 2025 AGM. I am very proud of what we have accomplished together and confident that WBS will continue to thrive.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the Board of Directors and WBS staff for their collaboration during my tenure. I would also like to thank customers and the community for their ongoing support of WBS. I am proud to have been part of an organisation that is such a valuable asset to the Wairarapa community and one which I hope will continue for many years to come.’

Kristy McDonald ONZM KC
Chair, WBS Board of Directors

How we supported our community

This year we supported more community groups than ever before, with 77 local entities receiving $141,000 in sponsorship and grants.

%

of operating profit

before revaluations

and taxes

Number of

organisations

supported in 2025

Total spend

for the 2025

financial year

The types of groups

we support

Arts and culture, sports and recreation, environment and sustainability, education, community support.

‘One thing that surprises me each year on the WBS Charitable Trust is the sheer number of groups in our community doing good. Each funding round brings some familiar and many new groups to our attention. Our toughest task as Trustees is always to decide where to allocate the Trust’s funds – most applicants seem more than worthy.

Thanks again to our investors and borrowers for their support, enabling us to offer grants. And kudos to all the volunteers out there making our region the great place to live that it is.’

John Booth, Chair, WBS Charitable Trust