Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024

SCB X Surpasses Profit Expectations Despite Muted Loan Growth

SCB X Overview

Date: October 21, 2024
Broker: CGS International Securities


Financial Performance

  • 3Q24 Net Profit: THB 10.9 billion
    • Year-on-Year Growth: +13.2%
    • Quarter-on-Quarter Growth: +9.3%
    • Comparison to Consensus Forecast: 6.6% above Bloomberg consensus, 8.8% higher than internal estimates.
  • 9M24 Net Profit: THB 32.2 billion
    • Year-on-Year Change: -0.9%
    • Contribution to FY24 Forecast: 76.3%

Operating Metrics

  • Pre-Provision Operating Profit Growth: -0.7% YoY, flat QoQ in 3Q24.
  • Loan Growth:
    • YoY: -0.6%
    • QoQ: -0.2%
    • Compared to End-2023: +0.3%
  • NPL Ratio: 3.9% (unchanged QoQ).
  • NPL Coverage Ratio: 164%, up from 162% in 2Q24.
  • Net Interest Margin (NIM): Flat at 4.08% in 3Q24.

Income Breakdown

  • Non-Interest Income Growth: -18.2% YoY, -9.5% QoQ in 3Q24.
  • Net Fee Income Growth: -4.9% YoY but +2.8% QoQ.

Dividend and Valuation

  • Dividend Yield: Expected to be between 9.1% and 9.7% p.a. for FY24F-26F.
  • Target Price: THB 111 (based on 0.76x P/BV).
  • Current Price: THB 110.0
  • Market Capitalization: US$ 11,176 million (THB 370,382 million).

Analyst Rating

  • Recommendation: Hold
  • Consensus Ratings:
    • Buy: 13
    • Hold: 12
    • Sell: 3

Risks and Opportunities

Downside Risks:

  • Potential spike in NPLs for housing and unsecured loans.
  • Sluggish fee income growth.

Upside Risks:

  • Stronger-than-expected loan growth in 2H24F, particularly in large corporate segments.
  • Effective cost-saving initiatives that could lower the cost-to-income ratio.

ESG and Sustainability

  • ESG Combined Score: A- (LSEG ESG Scores, 2023).
  • Sustainability Goals: Targeting net zero emissions for operations by 2030 and for lending/investment by 2050.
  • Financial Support for Climate Projects: Aiming to provide THB 100 billion by 2025 to support businesses mitigating climate change.

This comprehensive overview encapsulates the key details for SCB X as provided in the report.

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