Kathmandu, August 22 The collective profit of commercial banks increased by 26.59 per cent to Rs 45.26 billion in the fiscal 2016-17, compared to net profit of Rs 35.75 billion in the previous fiscal, according to the unaudited financial statements published by 28 commercial banks in operation. The profit of commercial banks in the last fiscal increased at a similar level as compared to fiscal 2015-16, when profitability had increased by 26.33 per cent. Nabil Bank topped the list of profit makers. The government-owned Nepal Bank secured the second position. Nepal Investment Bank, state-owned Rastriya Banijya Bank and Agricultural Development Bank rounded up the top-five profit makers. Top five Bank Profit in fiscal 2016-17  Nabil Bank Rs 3.62 billion Nepal Bank Rs 3.22 billion  Nepal Investment Bank Rs 3.16 billion Rastriya Banijya Bank Rs 3.08 billion Agricultural Development Bank Rs 2.78 billion Bottom five Mega Bank Rs 791.41 million Kumari Bank Rs 700.38 million Janata Bank Rs 641.83 million Century Bank Rs 447.49 million   Civil Bank Rs 338.11 million In terms of the amount of profit made in the review period, the top five profit makers have 35 per cent weightage on the total profit of the banking industry. The profit of four banks, namely Nabil, Nepal Bank, Nepal Investment Bank and RBB stood at over Rs 3 billion each. The profit of 23 commercial banks, out of the 28 that are in operation, was above Rs 1 billion. Only 15 banks were in the billionaire club in fiscal 2015-16. Nabil Bank posted a profit of Rs 3.62 billion, Nepal Bank (Rs 3.22 billion), Nepal Investment Bank (Rs 3.16 billion), Rastriya Banijya Bank (Rs 3.08 billion) and Agricultural Development Bank (Rs 2.78 billion) during the review period. Banks were able to keep the momentum of high profit growth in the last fiscal due to their aggressive lending along with the rise in paid-up capital. The increase in the paid-up capital also helped improve the lending capacity of the banks and the rapid loan expansion contributed to interest income of the banks, which is a major contributor to banks’ profit. In terms of profit growth, Bank of Kathmandu (90.76 per cent), Nepal Credit and Commerce Bank (87.69 per cent), Laxmi Bank (49.25 per cent), Global IME bank (47 per cent) and Machhapuchhre Bank (46.06 per cent) rounded up the top five. Bank of Kathmandu had earned a profit Rs 655 million in 2015-16, which increased to Rs 1.24 billion in the last fiscal. Nepal Credit and Commerce Bank ranked in the second position in terms of profit growth. It made a total profit of Rs 1.33 billion in the last fiscal as compared to Rs 707 million in fiscal 2015-16. Laxmi Bank was able to generate a profit of Rs 1 billion, Global IME Bank Rs 2.04 billion and Machhapuchhre Bank made a profit of Rs 1.3 billion in the last fiscal. Civil Bank, Century Bank, Janata Bank, Kumari Bank and Mega Bank fared the worst among commercial banks in terms of making profit in fiscal 2016-17. However, none of the commercial banks landed in the red during the review period.