IDFC First Bank logs Rs 630 cr Q1 loss on higher Covid provisioning

Private lender IDFC First Bank on Saturday reported a net loss of Rs 630 crore in the April-June quarter due to provisioning measures for cushioning the impact of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The bank had posted a net profit of Rs 93.55 crore in the year-ago quarter ended in June 2020 and that of Rs 127.81 crore in the previous quarter ended in March 2021.

"Net loss of Rs 630 crore for Q1FY22 is because of prudent provisions for Covid wave 2.0. Covid provision pool increased from Rs 375 crore to Rs 725 crore during the current quarter on a prudent basis to act as a cushion for Covid impact," IDFC First Bank said in a release.

The bank expects to collect a reasonable proportion of these dues in due course, it added.

Total income (net of interest expense) grew by 36 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,034 crore in Q1FY22, driven by the growth in NII and fee income, the bank said. Its total income during Q1FY21 stood at Rs 2,229 crore in June 2020 quarter.

The bank said its net interest margin (NIM) -- the difference of interest earned and expended -- was the highest ever at 5.51 per cent during the reported quarter. The NIM was 4.86 per cent in year ago quarter.

The net interest income (NII) rose by 25 per cent year-on-year to Rs 2,185 crore.

On the asset front, bank's gross and net non-performing assets (NPAs) were at 4.61 per cent and 2.32 per cent respectively as of June 30, 2021.

The NPA ratios were up from 1.99 per cent and 0.51 per cent respectively, from year ago period.

"The GNPA and NNPA include impact of 84 bps (basis points, which is one hundredth of a percentage) and 71 bps respectively on account of one Mumbai based infra toll account which slipped during the quarter. The bank expects no material economic loss in this account eventually as this is an operating toll road and is only delayed."

Bank deposits were up by 36 per cent to Rs 84,893 crore. The retail loan book of the lender increased to Rs 72,766 crore as on June 30, 2021 from Rs 56,043 crore.

The year-on-year growth of the retail loan book was 27 per cent excluding Emergency Credit Guarantee Line loan book of Rs 1,645 crore. However, it declined by 1.2 per cent on a sequential basis. The wholesale loan book fell by 15 per cent to Rs 34,232 crore from Rs 40,275 crore.

Capital adequacy ratio stood at 15.56 per cent with CET-1 (common equity tier-1) ratio at 14.86 per cent. Average liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) was at 166 per cent for Q1FY22.

"Within just two years we have made tremendous progress at the bank. Our CASA (current account savings account) ratio is high at 50.86 per cent despite reducing savings account interest rates by 200 bps recently, which points to the trust customers have in our bank and service levels.

"Because of our low cost CASA, we can now participate in prime home loans business, which is a large business opportunity," V Vaidyanathan, Managing Director and CEO, IDFC First Bank, said. Regarding the loss during the quarter, he said the bank has made prudent provisions for Covid second wave.

"We expect provisions to reduce for the rest of the three quarters in FY22. We guide for achieving pre-Covid level gross and net NPA, with targeted credit loss of only 2 per cent on our retail book by Q4FY 22 and onwards, assuming no further lockdowns," he said further.