AMC Sector: Growth-oriented funds lead the strong inflows, says BK Securities – check key triggers

Despite weak market conditions, Indian Mutual Fund industry has been seeing consistent strong inflows, particularly in the growth-oriented funds, a domestic brokerage firm BK Securities said.

“Improving awareness about mutual funds as a savings avenue and development of a SIP culture has been a key driver for such consistent inflows,” the report further said.

The Indian asset managers should benefit from this tailwind, in a brokerage’s view. While headwinds in terms of yield compression remain, it is expected to stabilise going ahead and offset by leaner cost structures in certain cases, it added.

“We believe AMCs present a structural growth story made more attractive by valuation levels at which few companies trade. However, market conditions in the near term can impact the AMC business and we remain watchful of the same,” BK Securities said in its report.

The brokerage initiates coverage on Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited with a Hold rating and maintain Hold ratings on HDFC Asset Management Company Limited (HDFCAMC) and Nippon Life India Asset Management Limited (NAM).

Similarly, BK Securities also initiates coverage on UTI Asset Management Company Limited (UTIAMC) with a Buy rating due to its high teens PAT CAGR expectation and inexpensive valuations.

The brokerage believes re-rating can happen in AMC stocks as markets recover and AMC’s funds outperform the market/competition and attract inflows.

Indian investors have put in Rs 2.6 trillion in growth oriented (equity and balanced) schemes in FY22.  While gross SIP inflows in FY22 was at Rs 1.25 trillion.

These strong inflow levels demonstrate an investor base who are keen on investing in riskier asset classes, and should continue going ahead and act as a tailwind for growth of the industry, it said.

While behaviour of retail investors amidst market volatility is a key monitorable, Indian asset managers should benefit from this tailwind in the longer term, in BK Securities. Additional green-shoots are expected to   emerge   from   non-mutual   fund   businesses, like   portfolio management, offshore and alternative assets.