HDFC Bank net profit surges 20%, bad loans edge up too

Mumbai: Second largest private sector lender HDFC Bank on Thursday reported a 20.2 percent growth in net profit to Rs 3,239 crore for the three months to June on the back of a healthy rise in core net-interest income, even as the asset quality marginally worsened.

The Aditya Puri-led bank, known for retail lending focus that has been helping it grow much higher than the industry and maintain industry-best asset quality for long, has also begun to face challenges its peers have been suffering.

While gross non-performing loans rose to 1.04 percent from 0.95 percent, its net NPA remained flat at 0.3 per cent. Accordingly, provisions rose to Rs 866.7 crore from Rs 728 crore a year ago.

But, deputy managing director Paresh Sukthankar was quick to dismiss any concern on the asset quality front saying the bank is "comfortable" with the rise in bad loans.

"We are still very comfortable," Sukthankar told reporters adding "no serious large chunky" corporate account had contributed to the rise in the bad loans.

"Primary growth driver is the rise in net interest income, which is 71 percent of our net revenue and grew 21.8 percent. So, that clearly sets the tone for the topline," Sukthankar said.

He said loan growth, which grew nearly three times the industry average at 23.2 percent, was driven by small-and- medium corporate borrowers and individuals.

Growth in NIIs was driven by average assets growth of 20.2 percent and a expansion in net interest margins at 4.4 percent from 4.3 percent. Net revenue rose 20 per cent to Rs 10,588 crore.

Net interest margin for the quarter stood at 4.4 percent, and Sukthankar guided for the margins to remain in the 4-4.4 percent range.

Fees and commissions rose to Rs 1,977.9 crore from Rs 1,713 crore, but foreign exchange and derivatives revenue dipped to Rs 314.5 crore from Rs 348 crore.

Total income rose to Rs 19,322.63 crore during the quarter under review, up 17.08 as against Rs 16,502.97 crore in the same period last year.

Net interest income grew 21.8 per cent to Rs 7,781.4 crore from Rs 6,388.8 crore last year, while other income (non- interest revenue) grew 14 per cent to Rs 2,806.6 crore. Other income accounted for 26.5 per cent of net revenue.

On asset quality deterioration, Sukthankar said: "There is really isn't any one chunky segment or a business which is contributing to these 8-9 basis points increase. And that the higher provisions are largely to ensure that we have a very healthy coverage on our NPLs."

It did not sell any bad loans to asset reconstruction companies in the quarter.

Total balance sheet size stood at Rs 755,100 crore compared to Rs 629,322 crore a year ago.

While total deposits rose 18.5 percent to Rs 573,755 crore, advances grew 23.2 percent to Rs 470,622 crore.

Sukthankar said growth on the retail side came from usual products like personal loan, credit card and home loan.

The bank saw its commercial vehicle segment and auto loans growth at at 18.8 per cent and 18.9 per cent, respectively.

Total capital adequacy ratio as per Basel III guidelines, was at 15.5 percent as against a regulatory requirement of 9 per cent. Tier-I CAR was at 13.3 per cent as on June 30, 2016 compared to 12.8 percent as at June 30, 2015.

The shares of the country's most valuable bank in terms of market capitalisation of about USD 46 billion ended at Rs 1,228.45, showing a marginal drop of 0.30 per cent on BSE.