BEIJING -- Net profit at the Bank of Communications rose 15.87 percent year-on-year to 44.5 billion yuan ($7.1 billion) in the first three quarters of 2012.

At the end of September, the bank's total assets reached 5.17 trillion yuan, up 12.19 percent from the beginning of 2012. Customer deposits reached 3.64 trillion yuan, up 10.88 percent. Its loan balance rose 11.98 percent to 2.86 trillion yuan.

As of the end of September, the bank's capital adequacy ratio stood at 14.51 percent, while core capital adequacy ratio was 11.58 percent. The bank's outstanding non-performing loan ratio stood at 0.87 percent, up 0.01 percentage point from the beginning of the year.

The bank's overseas branches saw their assets surge 30.63 percent to 433.56 billion yuan and net profits rise 42.65 percent to 2.22 billion yuan.

The bank is China's fifth biggest lender measured by assets.