ICICI Bank shares end over 6% up despite poor Q4 results

New Delhi: Despite posting a dull year on year performance shares of ICICI Bank rose more than 6 percent in the closing trade on Tuesday. The bank's stock was the star performer in today's session, comfortably topping the gainers' list.

The shares of India's third largest lender by assets closed 6.86 percent higher to Rs 309.25 a piece. The company's market cap stood at Rs 1,98,812.96. In the intra-day trading, the scrip touched a high of 314.50 and a low of 300.00.

ICICI Bank on Monday reported a steep 45 percent drop in March quarter net at Rs 1,142 crore, driven down by fresh slippages of around Rs 10,000 crore due to changes in asset classification norms.

On a standalone basis, the bank, currently grappling with allegations of conflicts of interest involving chief executive Chanda Kochhar, saw its net profit halving to Rs 1,020 crore.

Asset quality worsened for the bank with the gross NPA ratio rising marginally to 8.84 percent but net NPA moved down marginally to 4.77 percent from from 4.89 percent in the year-ago period.

The bank had to set aside almost three times more in provisions at Rs 6,625 crore as slippages soared as against a low Rs 2,898 crore. But that helped the bank improve its provision coverage ratio to 60.5 percent from 53 percent.

Meanwhile, ICICI`s long-serving Chief Executive Chanda Kochhar has also been battling allegations of nepotism in a loan the bank gave to the Videocon conglomerate.

The board of ICICI Bank, which is also listed in New York, has backed Kochhar and denied any wrongdoing.

With PTI Inputs