SYDNEY, Aug 15 (Reuters) - National Australia Bank NAB.AX , the country's top lender, on Monday posted a small drop in third-quarter unaudited cash profits as bad debts ticked higher.
Cash profits fell 3 percent to A$1.6 billion ($1.22 billion) during the three months to June 30. The charge for bad and doubtful debts rose 21 percent to A$228 million compared with the quarterly average of the first-half ended March, it said in a limited trading update.
CEO Andrew Thorburn is under pressure to boost growth and shareholder returns at home where competition from its three main rivals is stiff. ($1 = 1.3062 Australian dollars)