Punjab National Bank

Punjab National Bank

120.35
INR
-1.95
(-1.59%)
16.65EPS
6.45P/E
1.23TMarket Cap
Jan 29Next Earn

Q4 FY2026 · Earnings Call TranscriptMay 5, 2026

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, good day, and welcome to the Punjab National Bank Q4 FY 2026 earnings call hosted by Elara Securities. As a reminder, all participants' line will be in the listen-only mode, and there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions after the presentation concludes.

Should you need assistance during this conference call, please signal an operator by pressing star then zero on your touch-tone phone. Please note that this conference is being recorded.

I now hand the conference over to Ms. Palak Shah, ma'am.

Thank you, and over to you.

Palak Shah

[Hello?] everyone, and welcome to Q4 FY 2026 earnings conference call of Punjab National Bank.

Today we have with us the management of the bank headed by Mr. Ashok Chandra, MD and CEO; Mr.

Paramasivam, Executive Director; Mr. Bibhu Prasad Mahapatra, Executive Director; Mr.

D. Surendran, Executive Director; and Mr.

Amit Kumar Srivastava, Executive Director. With this introduction, I would like to hand over the call to Mr.

Ajay Kumar Singh, Strategic Management and Economic Advisory, to read out the disclaimer statement, post which the MD sir will address the conference. Thank you, and over to you, sir.

Operator

Sir, please go ahead.

Ajay Kumar Singh

good afternoon, ma'am. Just 2 minutes time is required.

Just give us 2 minutes. Ma'am, there is just 5 minutes delay.

Please wait for 5 minutes.

Operator

Sir, please go ahead.

Ajay Kumar Singh

At the outset, let me read the disclaimer. This representation contains certain forward-looking statements apart from historical information.

These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. Punjab National Bank undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the present date.

Now I'll request MD sir to address the analysts. MD sir, please.

Ashok Chandra

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Q4 and financial year 2025-2026 analyst meet of the bank.

During FY 2026, the bank delivered broad-based sustainable performance across all core dimensions: customer service, business growth, asset quality, profitability, and operational efficiency. We met or exceeded our stated guidance for 2025-2026 financial year across most key parameters.

The only areas of variance were the CASA ratios and margins, which were largely influenced by liquidity and interest rate dynamics. To drive growth, the bank is sharpening its focus on retail, agriculture, and MSME segments through targeted outreach campaigns.

A calibrated network expansion is complementing this. We added 144 branches in FY 2026 and plan to open 250 more in current financial year.

These branches will be primarily in the southern and western regions. A new zonal office in Bengaluru has already been operationalized to strengthen our presence and execution in the southern region.

We are also leveraging digital enablers to accelerate growth and enhance operational efficiency. A key initiative is the Digi MSME prime schemes launched on our 132nd foundation day, offering end-to-end digital MSME loan up to ₹10 crore.

We remain highly vigilant on asset quality, delivering a sharp reduction in both GNPA and NNPA. Our sustained focus on profitability has driven sequential growth in operating and net profit, reaching their highest ever levels.

Now I will touch upon the segment-wise business figures, profitability, asset quality. First the business.

The bank's financial performance for the period ending March 2026 reflects steady growth coupled with ongoing strategic realignment. Our gross global business reached ₹29.7 lakh crore, marking a healthy 10.7% YoY growth.

On the asset side, advances grew by 12.7% YoY to ₹12.59 lakh crore despite a ₹18,231 crore reduction in IBPC exposure, which we have done consciously. Excluding the IBPC book, underlying average growth remains strong at 15% YoY, reflecting robust core business momentum.

Our retail book, excluding IBPC, grew by 18.2%, MSME by 19.9%, Agri Priority Sector witnessed growth of 16.2%. Future credit growth remains well supported by a strong pipeline.

The bank sanctioned over ₹4 lakh crore in corporate credit lines during financial year 2025-2026, with ₹1.18 lakh crore still pending for disbursement. Global deposits of the bank have reached to ₹17.11 lakh crore, up by 9.2% on a YoY basis.

CD ratio of the bank is at comfortable level of 73.6%, which gives us comfort to grow in advances while being mindful of raising high-cost deposits. On account of various customer-centric initiatives and revamped products, the CASA ratio of the bank has stabilized at around 37% and was consistent around 37% in all the four quarters of that financial year.

In CASA, we strategically focused on enhancing our individual savings account balances. Over 35% of our customers are under 30 years of age, giving us a strong foothold in the next-generation segment.

We are focusing on serving them across their financial lifecycle with tailored digital-first solutions driving long-term relationship value. Coming to the profitability, our domestic NIM stood at 2.61% for Q4, whereas global NIM stood at 2.47%.

In Q3, the impact of the December rate cut was limited to 26 days, whereas in Q4, it played out over the full quarter. While we had anticipated and offset through moderation in deposit rates, deposit rates remained sticky and did not fully compensate for the compression in yield on advances.

We expect the margins to improve moving forward and our NIM to witness QoQ increase from the level of Q4 2025-2026. We expect our global NIM to remain in the range of 2.6% to 2.7% for financial year 2026-2027.

Operating profit of the bank increased on sequential basis. Operating profits for the Q4 are ₹7,500 crore as against ₹6,776 crore for Q4 of 2025.

This is witnessing a growth rate of 10.7%. For the full year, there is a 9.2% growth, well above the guidance of 8% to 9%.

Net profit of the bank for Q4 of FY 2026 stands at ₹5,225 crore as against ₹4,567 crore for Q4 FY 2025, depicting a healthy YoY growth of 14.4%. Coming to the efficiency ratio, efficiency ratios of the bank are increasing consistently.

Our return on asset is at the level of 0.89% for FY 2026 as against 0.97% for FY 2025 as the bank has taken one-time hit on account of switching to new tax regime in the Q1 of 2025-2026. In remaining three quarters, return on asset has consistently remained above 1% at 1.05% in Q2, 1.06% each in Q3 and Q4.

Return on equity stands at 15.67% for FY 2026. Our tangible book value per share as on 31st March 2026 is ₹102.95, which was significantly improved from the level of ₹84.83 as on 31st March 2025.

We are quite mindful of improving our cost-to-income ratio, and the same has remained at reduced to 51.79% in FY 2026 as against 54.59% in FY 2025. Coming to asset quality, our asset quality is improving consistently, and our GNPA has reduced to 2.95% as on 31st March 2026 from 3.95% in March 2025.

Similarly, the net NPA percentage, which was 0.40% in March 2025, has reduced to 0.29% in March 2026. We are well within our guidance for gross NPA as well as net NPA ratio.

Our PCR stands at 97.14% as on March 2026, which is well above our guidance of more than 96% for financial year 2025-2026. Total fresh slippages during Q4 2026 was ₹2,674 crore as against ₹2,904 crore in Q4 of FY 2025.

Our guidance for slippages ratio was to remain below 1% in FY 2025-2026, and we are well within our guidance level as slippages ratio for the full year is 0.60%. Total recovery stood at ₹4,082 crore for Q4 2026, and for the financial year is ₹15,501 crore.

Our recovery is 2.4x of the slippages in FY 2025-2026, reflecting our commitment towards improving asset quality. We have made additional floating provision of ₹270 crore on prudential basis in Q4 of this financial year of financial year 2025-2026.

I will provide and I will talk about some underwriting standards. I will provide an analysis on underwriting standards which will provide confidence regarding the asset quality and underwriting standards of the bank.

From 1st July 2020 to 31st March 2026, almost 5.75 years, we have sanctioned around 14.28 lakh lakh crore loans, out of which we have disbursed ₹12.46 lakh crore. The outstanding in this loan as on 31st March is ₹8.75 lakh crore, which is close to 69.5% of our total outstanding loan book.

The NPA in this book is hardly ₹5,034 crore, which is only 0.40% of the disbursed amount under fresh underwriting. I will talk about the capital.

Our capital adequacy is 17.74% as on March 2026 compared to 17.01% as on March 2025, which is 73 basis points above March 2025. Our CET1 capital stands at 13.62% against a regulatory requirement of 8%.

Tier 1 capital stands at 15.15% against a regulatory requirement of 9.5%, and Tier 2 capital stands at 2.59% as on 31st March 2026. More than 85% of the total externally rated advance above ₹25 crore and above A-rated and more than 52% are AAA-rated, which indicates our balance sheet strength from risk point of view.

Institutional participation has strengthened progressively throughout the year, underpinned by our proactive and structured investor outreach across both global and domestic markets. FII holdings increased from 5.71% to 6.39%, while domestic investors and mutual fund shareholding rose from 14.67% to 15.95%, signaling rising conviction in bank's strategy, performance, and future trajectory.

I will talk about digital banking. Punjab National Bank is rapidly evolving into tech-first financial powerhouse, leveraging advanced AI, machine learning, and analytics to drive unprecedented operational efficiency and growth.

We have established end-to-end digital journeys across most lending products, which are being leveraged to scale digital lending and drive growth. We have sanctioned and disbursed more than ₹20,873 crore through digital mode in Q4 to 4.8 lakh customers.

Every third loan is being sanctioned in digital mode in our bank. On gross basis, bank has crossed digital sanction of ₹1 lakh crore, demonstrating commitment towards faster technology-enabled credit solutions.

The digital-first approach has shifted the landscape of the bank's operations, with digital transactions now accounting for more than 95% of all transactions. The flagship PNB One mobile app leads the charge, offering 350-plus features and enterprise-grade security like mobile threat detection and SIM binding.

There is a very good traction in our corporate mobile apps PNB One Biz, which serves to 3 lakh customers with more than 200 features. Number of WhatsApp banking users has grown by 77% from 61.5 lakh as on March 2025 to 1.09 crore as on March 2026.

Combined with a robust WhatsApp banking platform and an internet banking ecosystem, PNB is delivering a highly accessible, secure, and automated banking experience built for the scale of modern India. Human resources: under our Udaan transformation initiative, the bank is driving growth through a robust, objective performance framework aligned with strategic priorities.

We have revamped the digital performance management system to strengthen accountability, integrating new-age metrics such as conduct risk and customer feedback alongside launching the Unnati Path to accelerate women's leadership development. We have also announced the tentative dividend, we need to wait for the AGM approval, but board has approved ₹3 for every ₹2 of the face value the shareholding almost it comes to 150% of the face value.

While concluding, Punjab National Bank is sharpening its strategic focus on core franchise strength with targeted efforts to build a stronger CASA base and expand the RAM portfolio, supporting better margins and operating efficiency. A disciplined approach towards risk management, anchored on containing slippages and accelerated recoveries, continues to reinforce asset quality trends, while digital and workforce transformation are reshaping operational operating capabilities.

Bank has strengthened three important verticals: credit card, cash management services, and supply chain finance. We will see lots of transaction in current financial year in these segments.

With these structural levers in place, the bank is poised to sustain growth momentum and progressively strengthen its competitive positioning across all the segments. Thank you very much.

along with me, all my executive directors and top management of our bank is they are here. I welcome any clarity or any query or anything which you would like to discuss about the financial result of our bank 2025-2026.

Thank you very much.

Operator

Thank you very much. We'll now begin the question-and-answer session.

Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and one on their touch-tone telephone. If you wish to remove yourself from the question queue, you may press star and two.

Participants are requested to use handsets while asking a question. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll wait for a moment while the question queue assembles.

The first question is from the line of Ashok Ajmera from Ajcon. Please go ahead.

Ashok Ajmera

Thanks for giving this opportunity. Compliments to Ashok Chandra and the entire team of the Punjab National Bank for achieving most of the parameters guidance on the most of the parameters, and especially very heartening to note that the credit growth for FY 2026 has been 12.7%, which is better than even the guidance which was given.

Everybody was apprehensive about that which you achieved. Very good even reasonably good deposit growth also and good business growth also.

Having said that, sir, I have got a couple of data point and some discussion, some comments of yours on a few points. Sir, if you look at the slippages in this quarter, the slippages in this quarter has gone up a little bit higher by almost about ₹800 crore, and SMA-2 numbers have come down from ₹1,800 crore to ₹450 crore, in which major is MSME and Agri, which has come down.

Does it mean that many of these accounts have slipped because you have given only SMA-2 numbers? We would like to also know the overall color on the SMA book because of the present situation, and also about the slippages, sir.

This is the first question, sir.

Ashok Chandra

Thank you very much, Ajmera saab. First I will touch the slippages part.

See, in this financial year, the slippages is ₹2,758 crore, and if you compare it with the last financial year 2024-2025, that time the slippages was ₹3,001 crore, almost ₹3,000 crore. We have seen the trend almost every year, Q4, because of the review renewal that falls in this particular month the quarter, from January to March, and most of these MSME loans and Agri loans that comes for the review renewal, and because of those things, in this particular quarter, there will be slightly elevated slippages will happen compared to the Q1, Q2, and Q3.

Still, if you see the overall slippages which has happened in the bank, it is well within the guidance which we had given: 0.60%, our guidance was below 1%. We have kept the slippages fully under control.

I will give you the figure also: in the retail, ₹439 crore has slipped compared to ₹490 crore had slipped in 2024-2025 in the same quarter; Agri it is ₹1,069 crore, which was ₹1,400 crore which had slipped in 2024-2025; and MSME, ₹1,100 crore, whereas it was ₹995 crore. Almost in all parameters we have brought it down, and it is fully under control, absolutely there is no challenge.

Now SMA-2, you have mentioned that ₹5 crore and above which we have given in the analyst presentation, but I will give you what is the total SMA 0, 1, 2. The actual number is 3.30%.

It is lowest ever in our bank now. The everything is fully under control.

Retail it is 8.21%, Agri it is 3.06%, MSME it is 6.43%, others it is 0.28%. Almost all segments put together, grand total is only 3.30% for SMA 0, 1, 2, irrespective of the amount.

Ashok Ajmera

Okay. Sir, point well taken, sir, and you have explained it very well.

Sir, this now ECL guidelines have been finalized by RBI, we have been talking about it for last four to six quarters about the preparedness of the bank, every bank, on the ECL. Now the guidelines having come out in full and final, where do we stand to take care of the additional provisions which will be required?

You have already said that you have got a floating provision additional of ₹2,045 crore. Is it to take care of the ECL provisions only?

How are we prepared, and how do we plan to take care of that, sir, in the coming years? See,

Ashok Chandra

if you see our capital position and the CRAR and the CET1, both the parameters, the capital is 17.74% in the CRAR and the CET1 is also 13.62%. We have enough cushion to take care of any requirement which will come on account of implementation of ECL from 1st April 2027, that is first thing.

Second, keeping in view that additional provision which is likely to come, we have already kept more than ₹2,000 crore, which already you have also mentioned, ₹2,045 crore in precise. It is kept for the floating provision that can take care of my ECL requirements or any eventuality which comes because of the Middle East crisis or anything.

We have enough room to take care of anything which happens in the system. Since I have already mentioned the underwriting standards of our bank and the SMA position, we do not see any much challenge in implementation of the ECL from 1st April 2027.

Ashok Ajmera

Sir. Sir, one thing I observed in the employee cost, which has gone tremendously down as compared to the last quarter of ₹5,089 crore to ₹3,747 crore.

Does it mean that in the earlier quarters a little more provision for the employee cost were taken, or is it because of the rate change in the pension and other this thing? What is the reason which can be for ₹1,342 crore reduction in this quarter, and which is added to the profit?

Having if that would not have been there, then our profitability would have been terribly affected.

Ashok Chandra

Ajmera saab, in the financial ratios, there is always if and things will be there, if this happens. See how I will tell you why and how it has happened.

One is the some additional provision which was kept during the Q1, Q2, and Q3, definitely some plowback has happened because of the additional thing. AS 15 also, what has happened, bond yield has gone up.

Now if it would have reduced, it would have increased my treasury income. Now my treasury income is very, very subdued in this quarter.

Somewhere that impact will be there, so that impact has come on the AS 15 in a positive way. In the entire system, somewhere some challenge will be there, somewhere some opportunity also will come.

Now in the Q1, Q2, and Q3, we had calculated as per the yield which was prevailing at that point of time. Now that yield had hardened, so that has affected my treasury income, but that has put me in the gain by the actual calculation which has happened through the acturian.

We need to see the overall how the bank is performing, and it is not a one-time the operating profit has happened in this particular See, Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, all four quarters, we are more than ₹7,000 crore of operating profit, more than ₹5,000 crore of the net profit we are giving. It is the consistency will be there, and you see our chart, whether it is a net profit, operating profit, or the ROA, all those ratios if you see, very, very consistent growth is there, and I can assure you to you and the entire investors who are here that this consistency will be there in the system.

Ashok Ajmera

Yes, sir. Point well taken, sir.

Treasury income has gone down, and that is what is reflected here in the because of that reduction, the treasury income loss is offsetted by the reduction in the employee cost. sir, one thing we again see in the taxation also, sir.

In the first quarter, the hit was taken of ₹5,083 crore coming into the new regime.

Ashok Chandra

Thereafter,

Ashok Ajmera

it is ₹1,700 crore, then ₹1,200 crore, then again now ₹1,852 crore. Is that some other factors because in this quarter the profit before tax has increased only by ₹745 crore, on that, the tax is increased by ₹621 crore, almost 90% of the 85% of the additional profit before tax.

Is there any still some some items which are going in the tax, or some of the item which we do not know about?

Ashok Chandra

Yeah. I will ask my CFO, Mr.

Grover, to answer this question.

Raman Grover

Sir, last quarter our this rate of Actually, we are paying at the rate of 25.168%. Last quarter, quarter 3, it was 19.44%.

we also conveyed earlier in our this investor meet that quarter 3 we got a refund of about 506.01. It was not a refund, it was a release of the earlier provisions which were made in anticipation of our higher tax outflow.

Last quarter was this reversal, and this quarter, 26.16% is our rate against our 25.168%.

Ashok Ajmera

So [thode se sir hamare ko jo hai disallowances milte hain?] , jo hamara 25.168% ka rate hai, usi percent pe bhi hum jo hai tax ka jo hai humne is bar expense jo hai book kiya hai.

Quarter 3 or quarter 4 [unclear] Which is even beyond 25.17% also it is more by about ₹60, ₹70 crore. Ha

Raman Grover

sir,

Ashok Ajmera

uske

Raman Grover

andar [unclear] 1 minute,

Ashok Ajmera

ha batayiye.

Raman Grover

Usme sir

Ashok Ajmera

thode se disallowances hamare ko rehte hain. To disallowances ko factor karte hue 26.16% aaya hai.

Sir. Now one point last is on the NIM, that you had given a very good target of the NIM of 2.8% to 2.9%, but we have landed up to 2.57%, and that is what in this scenario, everybody is under that pressure.

Going forward, you have given the 2.6% to 2.7%. Can we not think of again giving the guidance of 2.8% or 2.9% something and try to achieve it rather than slimming down or lowering down the NIM target?

This is one. Second is last is, now what is happening in the West Asian crisis, the war which is going on between Iran and USA and Israel, have you started seeing any impact on our account, specially the MSMEs?

Some pressure is being seen, or we are almost neutral on that, or muted on that?

Ashok Chandra

[Sabse pehle to sir NIM ka part ko?] , I will touch that.

See, we could have done that 2.8% to 2.9%, but considering the prevailing situation which is there and the deposit rate, which is still at very elevated level even in the first month and first quarter of this financial year also, we do not see much change happening in the deposit front as far as the rate is concerned. Deposit is available, there is no challenge in the liquidity, but rate is little bit high.

You are seeing the totally environment that bond rate is very high. Things are totally different at this point of time.

Ashok Ajmera

We thought

Ashok Chandra

that instead of giving 2.8% to 2.9% and showing a very rosy picture and coming down, we thought let us keep that 2.6% to 2.7%. We will watch the situation for Q1 and Q2, and then if it is any required to be modified, we will do take a call in the third quarter of this financial year.

Now coming to the stress, as of now, we have not seen any challenge in our book now. In fact, we had interaction with my exporters and importers of the all these affected areas, and we had conducted twice a webinar with all those people, and we have also told them that any challenge which it comes in the system, we are there to protect them, we are day there to help them.

Any such eventuality comes, definitely bank is there to take care of those requirements. Absolutely no challenge.

Ashok Ajmera

Sir. Thanks a lot, sir.

Thanks a lot, sir, and all the best to you, sir. Thank you.

Ashok Chandra

Thank you. Thank you, Ajmera saab.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Mahrukh Adajania from Tara Capital.

Please go ahead.

Mahrukh Adajania

Good evening, sir. I had a question Good evening.

On your provisions, see, earlier also there was a write-back from IL&FS, one of the accounts, and you had not taken it into the numbers. Now other banks this year have this quarter have taken another account, Sterling Biotech, in their numbers as a write-back.

Have we accounted for the write-backs on these two accounts in our numbers now? Were they both accounted for in 4Q, and under which line item?

Ashok Chandra

Sterling has been factored, madam. Sterling is technically write-off account, so that amount is factored in our operating profit.

The IL&FS still it is in the standard provision it is kept. We have not taken up in our the operating profit.

We will see that maybe Q1 or Q2, depending upon the situation, we will take back in the operating profit.

Mahrukh Adajania

There was a reversal in your standard asset provision also this quarter, right? It's a negative number, what was that for?

Ashok Chandra

That is because of the 7th June circular implementation, the restructuring which we keep it or the account gets upgraded. Those things the reversal happened, madam.

Raman Grover

One thing, NPLL [Ek

Ashok Chandra

aur tha, madam. NPLL also reversal has happened because of the RBI modified guidelines.?]

Mahrukh Adajania

No, I didn't get that. Could you please explain again?

Ashok Chandra

There was a release of ₹727 crore which was kept in the standard account provision because of the large borrowal account framework under the guidelines of RBI, which the RBI modified that guidelines, and it was effective from 1st January 2026. Because of that, there is a release of ₹727 crore in the standard account provision has happened.

Mahrukh Adajania

Got it, sir. Sir.

Sir, these were my questions. If I have more, I'll come back.

Thank you.

Ashok Chandra

Yes, madam. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Jayant Kharote from Axis Capital.

Please go ahead.

Jayant Kharote

Thank you, sir. Sir, first question is on the LCR.

What was the average LCR during the quarter, and what is our comfort for the next year? At what levels do we want to run it?

Ashok Chandra

Around 125% we would like to keep it, and we are at almost the same level as on March 2026: 125%.

Jayant Kharote

Great, sir. Sir, the second question is in your guidance, I can see that you are building in a NII growth of 7% despite the fact that you expect NIMs to be slightly better and credit growth of 12% to 13%, which means essentially you are running down your non-loan assets, right?

It could be investment book or others, but your LCR doesn't have that headroom, how do you plan to achieve that?

Ashok Chandra

See, two things which we are planning now and we are already started working on that. One is if you see our CASA growth, and especially in the CASA SB individual, there has been a very significant growth has happened.

9.2% growth has happened in the SB individual front, which is a core deposit. Last year a lot of initiative the bank has taken.

Entire CASA products of the bank was revamped, and more than 40 lakh new quality accounts were opened, and in that, good traction has happened. Because of that, 9.2% growth has happened.

We are expecting in those accounts further accretion will happen and the new account will get opened. One is that we are expecting the good traction should happen in the CASA deposit this quarter.

Second is the retail term deposit, bank is putting a lot of focus now. Because of this two things, we are expecting that cost of deposit going forward it will come down.

Second important aspect from the asset side is that we have started putting last year onwards focus on mobilization in the RAM portfolio: retail, agri, and MSME. We have seen the impact that is happening.

20% every quarter there has been a growth in the MSME front. We know that MSME is the largest contributor and highest contributor in the profitability of the bank, not only our bank, in all the banks.

Yield will be highest in the MSME segment. There we want to build up a good portfolio.

Second is the agri sector, we have grown at 16% in the Agri Priority Sector. Retail we have grown at 18%.

Core retail, agri, and MSME, last year a lot of activities has happened, a lot of outreach plans were happened. Because of that, this growth we have seen, and this momentum is going to continue in this financial year also.

Already in the first month itself, massive outreach activity for the retail has happened in the more than 200 centers. We have mobilized ₹9,000 crore of the retail portfolio, in the lead we have generated.

27th of April, we had the MSME outreach activity at MSME clusters at 200 centers, 220 centers in the country. We have mobilized ₹21,000 crore of lead under that MSME segment.

Then 8th March we are going to have a Agri the expo at more than 200 centers. These are the activities which we are doing it so that the dependency on the corporate loan book as of now, which is there to the extent of around 46% to 47%, we want that share down to in the long term it is 40%, short term it is 42%, and in the RAM we want to bring it to 60% in the long run and around 58% in the this financial year.

If that composition happens, automatically my yield on advances will go up, and that will contribute in a bigger way in our NII.

Jayant Kharote

Sir, but this would be baked in your NIM guidance of 2.6% to 2.7%, right?

Ashok Chandra

This we are definitely going to do this.

Jayant Kharote

I'm just trying to understand why would you guide for an NII growth of only 7% then when you are expanding expecting NIM expansion and 12%, 13% credit growth?

Ashok Chandra

You are talking about NII, okay.

Jayant Kharote

Now

Ashok Chandra

see, when we are talking about this growth to happen, and it is not that the entire scenario will get changed. When my NIM will be in the range of 2.6% to 2.7%, I don't think, and we should not expect that NIM will grow at 10% to 12%.

It will not happen. If my NIM is just growing by 10 basis point improvement is going to happen, then definitely I think the NII also will be in the same range.

We are going to revisit because of the present situation. We have kept this for the next two quarters.

We'll watch the situation how the deposit rate happens in the system and how the credit outflow happens. Based on that, we'll revisit in the month of October.

Jayant Kharote

Sir, just one data point, I don't know if you've given already. What was the adjustment in the employee cost on the yield hardening, the amount?

Ashok Chandra

Total impact of positive impact is ₹2,121 crore.

Jayant Kharote

₹2,121 crore.

Ashok Chandra

Yeah.

Jayant Kharote

Thank you very much.

Ashok Chandra

Yeah.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Jai Mundhra from ICICI Securities.

Please go ahead.

Jai Mundhra

Hi. Good evening, sir.

Continuing from the previous question, sir, it looks like mathematically, the guidance if you were to break down, loan growth will remain at 12%, 13%, and NII we are saying will be lower than credit growth. Then mathematically NIM should decline, right?

How these three things tally? If the NII growth is lower than credit growth, then ideally your NIM should decline.

Or if NIM is expanding, then NII growth should be higher than credit growth. That is the question, sir.

Ashok Chandra

Or are these

Jai Mundhra

NIM number is exit quarter though it does not look like that, but just wanted a clarity there. No, see,

Ashok Chandra

we have kept this NII at 7% as a conservative level because the portfolio under the deposit and portfolio under the asset side still a lot of things have to happen in the system. See, our core RAM growth RAM share in the overall credit is around 54%.

Now in this financial year, we are trying to at least from 54% to 56%, 57% we are trying to reach now. If that happens, there will be some improvement in our yield on advances, because as of now, bank is totally we were towards the corporate side.

We had, in fact, 1 year back, we were having around almost 49%, 50% in the corporate loan book, which we have brought it down to around 46% now. The moment my corporate loan book starts coming down and it comes to around 40% and the RAM share becomes 60%, I think the lever of the NII will definitely it will improve now because then we will have a total visibility that at what rate we have quoted and what rate that the asset is started.

I think that is going to continue. Corporate loan book, everyday there is a challenge.

There is a uncertainty in the corporate loan book, and that is the reason we can't the forecast that my NII can grow at 12% to 13% since our credit growth is happening at 12% to 13%. That doesn't happen.

We need to rebalance and re the design our portfolio in such a way that there has to be sustainable growth in the the interest side, it should be there. That is the reason we have kept some conservative level at the NII level.

Jai Mundhra

Sure. Secondly, sir, this portfolio core retail, core RAM, and the reported RAM, it looks like that IBPC portfolio is still ₹70,000 crore.

Is that the number broadly correct?

Ashok Chandra

No. It has come down to ₹32,000 crore now.

Jai Mundhra

Okay. This will come down to almost negligible level by, let's say, FY 2027 end?

Ashok Chandra

Yes. See, last year almost ₹19,000 crore we have shed, and that too in the retail segment, because this was all the low-yielding advances.

Despite that, we have grown at reasonably well. What we are doing, we are going to replenish all those IBPC at whatever is there at the lower rate, and around ₹18,000 to ₹20,000 crore further it will be reduced.

We want to totally come out of this IBPC business. In fact, going forward, a lot of things you will see happening in the retail, agri, and MSME side, the core activities.

Jai Mundhra

Right. No, sir, I'm just looking at the slide 10, which says that retail ₹2,80,000 crore and retail excluding IBPC is ₹2,51,000, roughly ₹29,000 there.

Agri and Agri PS, okay, only Agri PS is Priority Sector, right? The difference is not the IBPC.

Ashok Chandra

The only

Jai Mundhra

IBPC sitting is only in retail.

Ashok Chandra

No, it is only in the retail. Only in the retail.

It is only in the retail.

Jai Mundhra

Okay. Sure.

Sir, coming back to NIM question, there are two components: one is yield, which you explained as this core retail portfolio improves, there will be uptick in the yield. On the cost of deposit side, this quarter the cost of deposit has only declined by 4 basis point, maybe there was some activity on the wholesale, bulk deposit, short-term also.

How should one look at cost of deposit? Will your cost of deposit keep declining or they will be broadly stable, or they will start moving up?

How to look at cost of deposit?

Ashok Chandra

I think we are seeing and we are very closely watching our incremental cost of deposit. I have compared the January, February, March, and April, 30th April also.

There has been some decline happening in the incremental cost of deposit. That is one part.

Second part is that 2024-2025 we had one special scheme which I had mentioned last time also, 7.25% and 7.75% 444 days. Almost 95% of those things also have been repriced by end of the Q4.

Whatever the new deposit which we are garnering it, and that too if it is happening at a lower cost, we are expecting that the Q1 and Q2, definitely there will be some improvement on account of this in our NII. Maybe around 5 basis point I am expecting that definitely some improvement it will happen in the cost of deposit side.

Jai Mundhra

Right. Sure.

Secondly, sir, on let's say on the SMA book and ECL, sir, last quarter we had said that ₹9,000 to ₹10,000 crore was the provisioning shortfall as per the draft guidelines. Now if you had a chance to look at the final circular, does that ECL transition impact of ₹9 to ₹10,000 crore, does that broadly number remains or there is a revision to that number?

Ashok Chandra

I think for the final number, I think we'll just wait for another two quarter because already we have onboarded the digital platform now, and modeling is also in place. I can assure you one thing, that the capital adequacy which the bank is having and the provisioning, the floating provision which we have kept, it is sufficient to take care of my ECL requirement, which will start from the 1st April.

Absolutely we don't see any challenge and any the threat on our balance sheet at all.

Jai Mundhra

Right. No, sir, capital is very robust, maybe all-time high, and that NPA anyway has been coming down.

Ashok Chandra

One more thing I will tell you towards this capital side. See, last year we had taken permission for ₹4,000 crore CET1 and ₹4,000 crore of AT1, ₹8,000 crore of capital raising which we had planned, and we had taken the approval from the board.

We didn't get a opportunity or didn't feel that we should go to the market, and we have not raised any capital last year. Despite that, ₹5,489 crore got matured: AT1 ₹495 crore, and Tier 2 ₹5,000 crore maturity was there.

With all those things and not raising the capital, our capital position is 17.74% now. To some extent, the interest which we were paying on these bonds, that also we have calculated that how much additional gain which we are going to happen because of non-raising of the bond.

That amount is coming to around ₹175 crore. That accrual will happen in this financial year.

We are very mindful, and in fact this year also ₹5,890 crore AT1 bond plus Tier 2 is they are completing now, and we are not going to raise any capital.

Jai Mundhra

Sure. Sir, if you have this number in absolute rupees crore for SMA 0, 1, and 2, you had given 3% for total, but I just needed the 0, 1, and 2 separately at the bank level.

Ashok Chandra

I will give you.

Jai Mundhra

Yes, sir.

Ashok Chandra

Yeah. Then

Jai Mundhra

I have one question. Yes, sir.

Ashok Chandra

What you want, retail segment-wise want or SMA 0, 1, 2 you want?

Jai Mundhra

0, 1, 2, sir.

Ashok Chandra

SMA-0 is ₹24,643 crore.

Jai Mundhra

Okay.

Ashok Chandra

SMA-1 is ₹13,970 crore.

Jai Mundhra

Sure.

Ashok Chandra

SMA-2 is ₹2,922 crore. All put together, it is ₹41,534 crore, 3.30%.

This is irrespective of amount.

Jai Mundhra

Right.

Ashok Chandra

Entire SMA 0, 1, 2 portfolio.

Jai Mundhra

Right. Last question, sir, on AFS reserves, right?

We have had some I think ₹500 crore of revaluation

Ashok Chandra

a

Jai Mundhra

negative number, but last quarter we also had one listed investment which keeps fluctuating, was it due to that, and what was the change in AFS reserves? What is the outstanding AFS reserves as of March 31st versus maybe December 31st?

Ashok Chandra

It is only because of that particular asset which you are mentioning. Mainly because of that only the fluctuation has happened, one asset only.

Jai Mundhra

Okay. Sir, we had taken the MTM hit in last quarter also, and then this again we had a MTM hit.

Ashok Chandra

See, what has happened, the March 2026 what has happened because of the crisis, market had deeply

Jai Mundhra

it had

Ashok Chandra

fallen down on that particular date,

Jai Mundhra

and

Ashok Chandra

we take the figure as on March 2026. Now it has gone up now.

That is the challenge in the system.

Jai Mundhra

Theek hai. Sir, if you have the number for outstanding AFS reserves as of March and maybe as of December, that would be it from my side, sir.

Ashok Chandra

You can give now, yeah. We'll give you.

Jai Mundhra

Sure, sir. No problem.

I'll take it from Grover-ji. No problem, sir.

Thank you.

Ashok Chandra

Yeah.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Param Subramanian from Investec.

Please go ahead.

Param Subramanian

Hi. Good evening, sir.

Thanks for taking my question. Sir, firstly, on the ECL, I think you spoke about the one-time adjustment, rough numbers about that.

On a say on a run-rate credit cost basis, have you evaluated what can be the impact? You're saying credit cost is below 0.4% is your guidance for FY 2027,

Ashok Chandra

but

Param Subramanian

say if you were to implement ECL, how much, say, would the impact be on your run-rate credit cost?

Ashok Chandra

We have roughly calculated, and I will tell you that for ECL, let us wait for another two quarters. By July, I think we will have a very clear visibility that what is going to happen in our system.

Rough calculation which we have done, we are perfectly in line with the capital requirement, what is to be done, and the asset quality, what should be there. We are perfectly We don't have any challenge.

Floating provision we have already kept more than ₹2,000 crore, ₹2,045 crore. Rough calculation which bank has done, we are able to meet all those things which is going to happen in the system from 1st April 2027.

Actual number, let us wait for some time, and then we will discuss about the actual number which is there in the system.

Param Subramanian

Sure, sir. Sir, just a follow-up on that.

I think capital I think we appreciate, right,

Ashok Chandra

that you are very well

Param Subramanian

capitalized, but the question is more how it affects your ROA. Will you be able to deliver over 1% ROA,

Ashok Chandra

even Yes, absolutely. Why I will tell you.

See, we have 97% PCR, right?

Param Subramanian

Yes.

Ashok Chandra

Stage 3, I think sufficient releases can happen in the system now once the ECL gets implemented. Having 97% PCR, ₹2,000 crore of floating provision in the system, and 17.74 the capital adequacy, I think this three things should give the confidence to all the investors that perfectly bank is in a very, very comfortable position.

Param Subramanian

Perfect, sir.

Ashok Chandra

That too has to be implemented in 5 years. We don't require 5 years, I can tell you.

We will do it in 1 or 2 years itself.

Param Subramanian

Perfect, sir. Look forward to the more detailed numbers that you'll discuss from next quarter.

Sir, secondly, on your NIM, last quarter you had given this, on TD repricing you had given some rough numbers that 70% of your term deposits had repriced. Where are we now roughly?

Ashok Chandra

Now

Param Subramanian

those higher,

Ashok Chandra

those special deposit which I had mentioned in our previous call, that is almost 95% have been repriced in the end of March. We have not seen much the traction happening or the reduction happening in the cost of deposit because what has happened, we were expecting that the February and March the deposit rate will come down because of the repo rate cut and the inflation scenario, but that has not happened in the system.

Still the deposit rate is little bit elevated. That is one of the reasons why the impact we are not able to see in our NII and the NIM.

I will tell you, incremental the deposit, incremental deposit which we are mobilizing it in the month of February, March, and April, every month there has been reduction now. Of course, 2 to 3 basis point reductions are happening every month.

Fair enough, sir.

Param Subramanian

This improvement in NIM that you are talking about to 2.6% to 2.7% will mainly be funding cost, or it will mainly be the mix shift

Ashok Chandra

you

Param Subramanian

are talking about on the loan book? What will drive that?

Ashok Chandra

No, both I am talking. One is the deposit side, and second is the RAM share which we are planning to increase and the activity which we are doing it, both side it will improve now.

Param Subramanian

Fair enough, sir. Sir, one last question.

Sir, on the wage revision, Finance Ministry has started asking the public sector banks to start the negotiations. By when can we and where are we positioned, say, if you have any rough numbers that we can talk about in terms of say Yeah.

Ashok Chandra

See, the wage revision due itself is the 1st November 2027.

Param Subramanian

Yes.

Ashok Chandra

Financial year 2026-2027, it doesn't impact at all.

Param Subramanian

Sure, sir. It is not you will not start making provisions for this

Ashok Chandra

beforehand? No, not required.

Param Subramanian

Okay. Fair enough, sir.

Thank you so much, and congrats on the quarter. Thank you.

Ashok Chandra

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. The next question is from the line of Ashlesh Sonje from Kotak Securities.

Please go ahead.

Ashlesh Sonje

Hi, sir. Good afternoon.

Sir, firstly, just a clarification on the AS 15 provision number you gave of about ₹2,100 crore. Is that the amount of provision that you have reversed in this quarter?

It was a negative provision which you made in this quarter?

Ashok Chandra

Correct. My CFO will respond to you.

Yeah.

Raman Grover

Sir, we have a total provision of ₹1,814 crore AS 15 for this financial year. There was a reversal, but not to that extent.

It was in three digits only. It is up to ₹736 crore,

Ashlesh Sonje

sir. In this quarter the provision towards AS 15 was a negative ₹2,100 crore, is that understanding correct?

Raman Grover

No, it's not. Sir, I tell you.

First quarter it was ₹1,185 crore we made the provision, second quarter we again made a provision of ₹700 crore, quarter 3 again we made a provision of ₹700 crore, and this time because of the hardening of the government security rates, there was no need of making the for the provisions in AS 15. We treated as a prepaid AS 15 to the extent of ₹736 crore, and the balance ₹1,814 crore has been booked as an expenditure in the employee cost, sir.

Ashlesh Sonje

Understood. Sir.

Sir, and secondly, if you can share what is the average yield on your corporate book versus the average yield on the RAM book so that we can get a sense of how much benefit you can get from a loan mix shift?

Ashok Chandra

Yes. Corporate yield is 7.55%, and MSME yield is 9%.

If you see our domestic yield, that is 8.23%. Corporate loan book gives us lower than the domestic yield of all the sectors.

Ashlesh Sonje

Understood, sir. Got it.

Thank you, sir. Those were all the questions I had.

Ashok Chandra

Thank you.

Operator

That was the last question for the day. I now hand the conference over to the management for closing comments.

Ashok Chandra

Thank you very much to all the esteemed the investors and analysts. I think the way you are reposing faith in our bank, on behalf of the entire bank, I can assure you that we have a very, very robust system in place, and we are mindful of growth, profitability, and asset quality.

I think the faith which you have maintained, my request that you maintain the same trust and confidence in PNB. We will continue to give the very consistent profit performance.

Thank you very much.

Operator

Thank you. On behalf of Elara Securities, that concludes this conference.

Thank you for joining us, and you may now disconnect your lines.