American card issuer Discover Financial Services has posted a net income of $563m, or $1.40 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2016, a 12.6% increase compared to $500m, or $1.14 per diluted share, for the same period in 2015.

The firm's credit card loans grew 6% to $61.5bn for the quarter ended 31 December 2016, while the card sales volume increased 3% from the last year.

The payment services unit of Discover Financial reported a pre-tax income of $15m, down $6m from the prior year driven by expense increases.

Payment Services transaction dollar volume was $46.1bn, flat to the prior year, while PULSE transaction dollar volume dipped 1% year-over-year due to the loss of volume from a large debit issuer. Diners Club International volume increased 8% from the prior year driven by continued growth in Asia.

Discover Financial Services chairman and CEO David Nelms said: "We delivered robust revenue growth in the fourth quarter with a solid operating efficiency ratio. While the seasoning of loans from the past several years of growth continued to drive provisions, overall credit performance remained healthy.

“We are proud of all we accomplished in 2016, including record originations in personal and student loans as well as strong new card account growth, all of which helped us to achieve nearly 7% loan growth. In 2017, we will continue to invest for long-term growth and remain focused on capital return."

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.