Company Profile
Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (ESFB) is a Chennai-based Small Finance Bank (SFB) which has commenced its banking operations on September 05, 2016. ESFB is a subsidiary of Equitas Holdings Ltd (EHL, holding company of the group). ESFB is currently focused in retail banking business with focus on micro-finance, vehicle finance, housing finance, business loans, loan against property (LAP) and providing financing solutions for individuals and micro and small enterprises (MSEs) that are underserved by formal financing channels while providing a comprehensive banking and digital platform for all.
Investment Arguments
Equitas stands out amongst SFB peers
Equitas is well-diversified amongst SFBs that started as MFI. Diversification has helped it in maintaining its growth trajectory and asset quality better than peers during bad cycles, as overdependence on MFI creates immense volatility. Focus on mass and affluent customers along with attractive interest rates have enabled it to create a strong CASA franchise (highest amongst peers), one that is likely to sustain due to deepening of customer relationship through cross sell.
Demand across products remains healthy
The management has indicated that the demand across products remains healthy and is likely to sustain with Small Business Loans (SBL), Affordable Housing (AFH), Microfinance (MF) and Commercial Vehicles (CV) being the key growth drivers. Thus, supported by credit demand tailwinds, the management expects to clock an advances growth of 25%+ in FY23. We believe ESFB’s addressable market remains fairly large, offering the bank ample opportunities to ensure sustainable growth.
Slippages moderation to ensure asset quality improvement
The management remains confident of moderation in slippages as the restructured book (currently at 2.9% vs. 4.3% QoQ) runs down as non-restructured book slippages are largely at comfortable levels. Thus, with slippages tapering, ESFB should witness asset quality improvement, thereby enabling credit costs to revert to pre-COVID levels of ~1-1.2% over the medium term. The management expects to exit FY23E with a credit cost of 1.5%.
Improving productivity a key RoA improvement driver
The bank will continue to invest in building the franchise, tech and towards strengthening the team to ensure robust growth. Thus, strong growth, improving productivity, and improving the mix of long-tenor products will be key drivers to improve the bank’s operational efficiency, thereby reducing its C-A Ratio to sub-6% over the medium term from the current 6.4%.
New products introduction and expansion of product suite in existing products to drive growth
SBL segment (~37% Mix) is a key credit growth driver for the bank and ESFB plans to build a moat around this segment along with leveraging the digital capability to ensure improved efficiency and reduce costs. In SBL loans, the bank has launched a new loan origination system, currently in the pilot phase in 15 branches and will look to scale up this system pan-India in the next 3-6 months. Log-ins in the SBL segment continues to remain healthy.
The bank had earlier introduced Merchant OD as an extension to the SBL segment and tapped existing-to-bank (ETB) customers to offer this product, the bank will now look to tap New-to-bank (NTB) customers going forward as it looks to create a niche in this segment. The progress on this product is encouraging and the book currently stands at ~Rs 150 Cr.
The revival in the CV segment, improving freight demand and improving availability of return load are factors driving growth in the CV financing segment (25% Mix). Collections in this book continue to remain healthy and at pre-COVID levels.
The bank has been witnessing strong growth in the AFH segment (10% Mix) and has been present predominantly in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The bank is looking to enter newer high-growth markets of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. MF segment (18% Mix) is exhibiting strong demand, however, the bank will look to cap the MF exposure to 15- 20% of the overall portfolio.
MF segment (18% Mix) is exhibiting strong demand, however, the bank will look to cap the MF exposure to 15- 20% of the overall portfolio.
The focus remains on retail-dominated deposits
ESFB’s liability franchise continues to be dominated by retail deposits (~82% Mix), with a healthy CASA Ratio of 46.2% in Q3FY23. The moderation in CASA Ratio owes to shift of customer preference towards TDs, given higher interest rates on TDs vs SA deposits. While the focus continues to remain on the mobilization of CASA deposits, the bank will look to maintain its CASA Ratio at ~45% amidst intensifying competition for low-cost deposits. The bank does not intend to hike SA rates in the near term. Additionally, ESFB is witnessing healthy traction of NR Deposits and expects the momentum to continue.
Q3FY23 Financial Analysis
Equitas SFB reported a strong Q3FY23 driven by a) continued strong AUM and deposit growth momentum (+26.5% and +31% YoY respectively), b) robust operating profits (+24% YoY, +15%QoQ) and c) further improvement in asset quality (GNPL/NNPL down to 3.6%/1.8%). Strong AUM growth across key segments – MFI, SBL and vehicle finance (+25%, +32% and +28%YoY) was driven by pick-up in disbursements. NII growth was healthy at +20%YoY/+6% QoQ despite steady NIMs 9.0%, flat QoQ which along with controlled opex (+16% YoY, +2% QoQ) led to robust operating profits. While slippages continue to be on a higher side at 5.6% (annualized vs 6.5% QoQ), higher quantum of recoveries and upgrades led to improvement in GNPLs/NNPLs/Par1-90to 3.6%/1.8%/7.5%.
CASA ratio moderated marginally to 46%, it is still one of the highest in SFB space. Retail deposit share remained steady QoQ at 66% vs 68% in Q2FY23. While overall cost of funds increased by 16bps QoQ to 6.4%, SA cost fell marginally by 3bps QoQ to 6.25%.
Management remains confident of maintaining the growth at minimum 25% CAGR over the medium term. Management indicated that NIMs might remain range-bound with expectation to moderate in medium term as proportion of secured book increases.
Key Risks & Concerns
Outlook & Valuation
The continuation of the current MD-CEO in office and the successful completion of the reverse merger remove the major overhangs on the stock's performance. The reverse merger scheme has become applicable from Feb 02, 2023 (merged financials to be reported from 4QFY23). We expect strong demand across products will continue in coming quarters. Improving operational performance and improving asset quality will improve return ratios. At CMP of Rs.70, the stock is trading at 1.40x FY25 (Book Value –Rs.49.9) which appears reasonable. Given its better liability profile, acceleration in loan growth, moderating credit costs, diversified asset portfolio and ability to deliver better return ratios, we recommend a BUY on the stock.