PNB Q3 Results Preview: Net profit likely to grow by one-fourth with 15% loan growth; margin may improve

Punjab National Bank — India's third largest PSU lender by market value — is likely to report a net profit of Rs 1,410 crore for the October-December period, increasing by one-fourth compared with the corresponding period a year ago, according to Zee Business research. 

The lender's net interest income (NII) — or the difference between interest earned and interest paid — is pegged at Rs 8,750 crore, which translates to growth of 12.1 per cent compared with the year-ago period, according to the research. 

PNB will report its financial results for the third quarter of the current financial year on January 30.

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Loan growth for the state-run bank is estimated at 15 per cent for the three-month period, according to Zee Business research, and deposit growth in the range of 8-9 per cent.   

Punjab National Bank's net interest margin (NIM) — a key measure of profitability for lenders — is likely to improve by 10-15 basis points on a year-on-year basis, according to the research. 

Analysts will closely track the lender's slippages — or new bad loans — in the quarterly earnings report.

According to Zee Business research, Punjab National Bank's provisions are estimated to increase and credit cost to rise. 

PNB shares rewarded investors with a return of 54.4 per cent in the quarter ended December 31, a period in which the Sensex benchmark rose 5.9 per cent.  

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