SBI Q3 Results Preview: NII likely to rise 6% with double-digit loan growth, improving asset quality

State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, is scheduled to report its financial results for the October-December period on Saturday, February 3. Analysts expect the PSU bank to stage a mixed overall performance for the fiscal third quarter (Q3 FY24) with growing interest income and improving asset quality, but also rising operational and wage revisions-related expenses, and increasing slippages. 

According to Zee Business research, State Bank of India is estimated to register a standalone net profit of Rs 13,050 crore for the fiscal third quarter, a decrease of 8.1 per cent compared with the corresponding period a year ago. The analysts peg the state-run lender’s net interest income (NII), or the difference between interest earned and interest paid, for the three-month period at Rs 40,300 crore, which translates into growth of 5.9 per cent on a year-on-year basis. 

Zee Business analysts expect loan growth at SBI to come in the range of 13-14 per cent for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, and deposit growth to the tune of 14-15 per cent. They estimate the bank’s net interest margin (NIM), a key measure of profitability for a lender, to be in the range of  3.3-3.4 per cent as against 3.43 per cent a year ago. 

Analysts widely expect the lender’s asset quality to improve sequentially. 

SBI’s gross non-performing assets (GNPAs), or gross bad loans, are pegged at 2.4 per cent of total loans and net non-performing assets (NNPAs) at 0.6 per cent of total loans for the quarter ended December, as against 2.43 per cent and 0.89 per cent three months ago, according to the research. 

How SBI fared in July-September period (Q2 FY24)

For the quarter ended September 30, 2023, the PSU lender reported an 8.0 per cent increase in standalone net profit to Rs 14,330 crore with a 12.3 per cent incrase in NII to Rs 39,500 crore, both better than analysts’ estimates. 

Zee Business analysts had pegged SBI’s net profit at Rs 1,350 crore and NII at Rs 39,111 crore for the fiscal second quarter. 

SB shares: Past performance

State Bank of India shares rose 7.2 per cent in the December quarter, underperforming gains of 10.7 per cent and 8.3 per cent in the Nifty50 and the Nifty Bank respectively. 

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