Financials | Public Sector Banks
22 May 2014
Sector Update
Financials
PSBs: Deep cyclicals at cusp of rebound
Play 4 R’s: Recovery | RoA acceleration| Reforms | Re-rating
Banks covered in the report
Public sector banks (PSBs) are deep cyclicals, with RoAs of 0.5-0.7% at the bottom of
the cycle and 0.9-1.4% at the peak of the cycle. Similarly, P/BV ranges between 0.3-
0.6x and 1.3-2.3x.
State Bank of India
Bank of Baroda
Bank of India
Punjab National Bank
Canara Bank
Union Bank of India
Oriental Bank of Commerce
Indian Bank
Our economist expects GDP growth to accelerate from 4.8% in FY14 to 5.5% in FY15
and 6.5%+ in FY16, with a positive bias. As India has voted a strong mandate for
development and governance, in favor of Mr Modi, we expect the reform process and
GDP growth to accelerate. This augurs well for Financials.
Growth improvement coupled with conducive liquidity and capital markets would lead
to acceleration in de-leveraging for corporate India and deceleration in incremental
stress addition. This would drive margin expansion and lower credit cost for PSBs, and
in turn support RoAs, which are currently at bottom of the cycle levels at ~0.6%.
We have upgraded PSBs’ earnings estimates for FY16 by 10-20% and our estimates
could see further upside, with growth cycle acceleration. Other things remaining
unchanged, every 10bp NIM expansion and 20bp reduction in credit cost has the
potential to upgrade FY16E earnings by ~20%, RoA by ~15bp and RoE by ~250bp.
Overall sector earnings growth could increase to 40%+.
While the PSB index has rallied 40%+ YTD and has outperformed the Nifty by 25%, it is
still ~40% below its peak levels. Valuations are still 20% below the long-period average
and at 50%+ discount to peak levels.
Improvement in operational performance is likely to drive the first leg of re-rating,
with structural reforms (Nayak Committee recommendations) goading the re-rating
process further. Our top picks are SBIN, PNB, CBK, OBC and INBK.
Beginning of upgrade cycle
PAT upgrade (%)
FY15
FY16
5.3
16.8
0.0
9.0
7.0
21.9
12.1
20.8
4.9
19.1
4.8
14.1
12.3
18.8
3.4
12.2
Entering upgrade cycle: Asset quality holds key
PSBs’ earnings are at FY10-11 levels, despite 2x increase in the loan size, as higher
asset quality stress impacted core operations. A strong government at the center
will lead to acceleration in growth cycle, infrastructure reforms and faster corporate
de-leveraging (led by conductive capital markets), in turn leading to better operating
environment, robust core earnings and stock re-rating. While we have upgraded
FY16 earnings estimates for PSBs by 10-20% to factor better growth and asset
quality, these remain conservative. We have not assumed major reduction in
interest rates, fee income acceleration and significant recoveries.
SBIN (Cons)
PNB
BOB
BOI
CBK
UNBK
OBC
INBK
Better operating environment to reduce fears of BV-dilutive capital raising
PSBs account for 75% of the banking system and would continue to play an
important role in the Indian economy. Considering structural challenges, GoI will
have to introduce a slew of reforms (reducing dividend payout, reducing GoI
shareholding to 51%, creation of stress asset funds, among others), which would
strengthen the PSBs. Higher economic growth and upgrades would lead to
continued re-rating, prodded further by reforms aimed at PSBs. This would, in turn,
reduce fears of BV-dilutive capital raising.
All exhibits pertain to the eight
banks covered in the report unless
otherwise mentioned
Alpesh Mehta
(Alpesh.Mehta@MotilalOswal.com); +91 22 3982 5415
Sohail Halai
(Sohail.Halai@MotilalOswal.com); +91 22 39825430
22 May 2014
Investors are advised to refer through disclosures made at the end of the Research Report.
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