UBS retains ‘buy’ rating on this private sector lender; sees 23% upside potential

Shares of HDFC Bank in Thursday’s morning deals (June 6, 2024) traded with gains of nearly 1 per cent after global brokerage UBS retained its ‘buy’ call on the counter with a target of Rs 1900, translating into a potential upside of 23 per cent from the previous close.

At the last count, shares of the bluechip lender traded higher by 0.42 per cent at Rs 1,557.75 apiece.

As per the brokerage, HDFC Bank emerges as a candidate for the hike in adjustment factor in the August MSCI review, likely resulting in passive flows to the tune of US$3-6 billion or Rs 25,000-54,000 crore.

The investment headroom for FPIs in the country’s largest private sector lender was 24.95 per cent as of March 2024 versus the required 25 per cent.

Post March 2024, foreign investors have sold $1.1 billion of stocks in April in financial services and $3.1 billion in May across sectors, added the brokerage. So, accordingly the headroom for HDFC Bank may have increased, it added.

Besides, the global brokerage estimates the lender’s Net interest margin (NIM), return on assets (RoA) profile to gradually improve over the next two years.

HDFC Bank’s Q4FY24 results

For the quarter ended March 31, 2024, the company net profit logged 37.1 per cent on-year growth to Rs 16,512 crore as against Rs 12,047 crore reported  during the same quarter of the previous year.

Net interest income (interest earned less interest expended) clocked 24.5 per cent growth to Rs 29,080 crore.

Furthermore, the lender’s core net interest margin came in at 3.44 per cent on total assets, while the same was 3.63 per cent considering interest earnings assets.