Sustaining their strong upward momentum for the third consecutive trading session, shares of ICICI Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India, gained 2.28% in today's trade, setting a new record high of ₹1,013.85 apiece. The stock's previous peak was recorded in July 2023 at ₹1,008.70.
According to the latest data from BSE, ICICI Bank is currently ranked as the fourth most valued Indian listed firm. Taking the stock's all-time high of ₹1,013.85 into account, the bank's m-cap reached ₹7,08,062 crore.
Over the last six trading sessions, the stock jumped 7.38%, and year to date, it has yielded a return of 12.81%, outperforming the Nifty Bank index, which gained 8.95% in the same period.
The recent strong performance of the BJP in state elections has instilled confidence of political stability for 2024. This positive outlook bodes well for India's macroeconomic and policy momentum, especially considering the country's leading growth among major economies in terms of both GDP and corporate earnings. This in turn could boost financial and banking activities going forward, according to a recent note from domestic brokerage firm Motilal Oswal.
"We like ICICI Bank as it is making progress towards a sustainable growth which is evident from its strong contingency buffers, robust underwriting and risk-monitoring mechanisms," the brokerage said.
According to Motilal Oswal, the bank maintains an impressive profile with one of the highest proportions of retail deposits, a robust CASA mix of 43%, and a best-in-class Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR) of 83%. In light of these factors, the brokerage retains its 'buy' call on the stock with a target price of ₹1,120 apiece.
For the September-ending quarter (Q2FY24), ICICI Bank demonstrated significant growth, with net interest income (NII) expanding by 23.8% YoY to ₹18,308 crore. The net interest margin (NIM) also increased by 22 basis points YoY to 4.53%.
The gross non-performing asset (GNPA) and net non-performing asset (NNPA) ratios stood at 2.48% and 0.43%, respectively (compared to 2.76% and 0.48% in Q1 FY24).
The pre-provisioning profit reached ₹14,229 crore, marking a 21.8% YoY increase, while the profit after tax (PAT) surged by 35.8% YoY to ₹10,261 crore, supported by lower provisioning.
Following the bank's Q2FY24 performance, brokerage firm Geojit Financial Services updated the rating on the stock to 'buy' from 'hold' with a SOTP-based target price of ₹1,054 apiece.
With strong growth momentum in advances and deposits, healthy asset quality, robust digital capabilities, and sufficient capitalisation, the bank is poised to deliver strong earnings performance. Although NIM may moderate in the near term due to the lagged impact of an increase in term deposit rates in FY23, the brokerage remains positive about the bank's long-term growth prospects.
At 12:15 PM, the stock was trading with a gain of 1.80% at ₹1,009 apiece.
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
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