There's "flexibility in our business" Bendigo CEO Mike Hirst said yesterday, pitching a profit showing promise on key business fronts.Core retail and third party mortgages are doing okay, but Wealth and Rural Bank are not at Australia's fifth-largest bank.The Homesafe income contribution doubled to A$50 million - more than the rise in cash earnings and much more than the rise in net profit."We can compete on the lesser side," Hirst said."When price competition is on the liability side we focus on the asset side. Now we've flipped."CFO Richard Fennell said: "The key is very active margin management.""The cost base is pretty stable."An ROTE in the teens will continue to drag the ROE up," he said.ROE at nine per cent is taking its time waking up at Bendigo. The ROTE meanwhile slumbers at 13 per cent.