Rallying NIM Supports Steady Profit Growth
发布时间:2026-05-07 来源:华泰证券
For 1Q26, Bank of Communications' (BoCom) revenue/attributable net profit (NP)/PPOP grew by 4.9/3.1/10.3% YoY (+2.9/+0.9/+8.7pp vs 2025). The first quarter saw a robust start as balance sheet expansion continued apace. Annualized ROA/ROE fell by 0.02/1.28pp YoY to 0.66/9.07%, mainly due to the dilution effect resulting from a private placement; the decline in ROE was primarily due to a high base effect rather than any deterioration in underlying profitability. Overall, the bank's operations demonstrate quality and resilience. In its home market of Shanghai, BoCom enjoys inherent advantages. The bank is also benefitting from aggressive issuance of loans serving the five priorities of the financial market, namely technology finance, green finance, inclusive finance, pension finance, and digital finance. Front-loaded credit extension, coupled with optimized liability costs are also likely to continue supporting earnings, possibly paving the way for robust growth throughout 2026, in our view. Maintain OVERWEIGHT/BUY on A-/H-shares.
Credit expansion robust, earnings momentum strong
At end-1Q26, total assets/loans/deposits grew by 6.4/5.9/6.4% YoY (+2.1/-0.7/ +0.7pp vs 2025). Assets and deposit intakes showed accelerated. Growth in loan issuances moderated slightly but remained robust enough to ensure the annual extension target is met. Meanwhile, the bank continues to optimize the credit mix, allocating a higher share of loans to the real economy. Corporate loans were the primary driver of new lending in 1Q26, rising RMB360.8bn and contributing 112.4% to the total new loans of RMB321.0bn. Inclusive micro and small loans, green credit, and pension loans maintained relatively fast growth following clear policy guidance. Retail loans contracted by RMB39.1bn (-12.2%) vs the beginning of the year, which we attribute to weak credit demand and early repayment of residential mortgages; bills accounted for -0.2%. For 1Q26, net interest margin (NIM) was 1.23% (+3bp vs 2025). Both volume and price supported a 7.2% YoY rise in 1Q26 net interest income, signaling strong earnings momentum.
Fee income under short-term pressure
For 1Q26, non-interest income grew by 0.7% YoY (-1.5pp vs 2025). Net fee and commission income fell by 3.0% YoY (-6.5pp vs 2025) amid capital market fluctuations and the impact of fee reduction and profit concession policies. However, other non-interest income rose by 4.3% YoY (+2.9pp vs 2025), forming an effective buffer. Structurally, investment income fell by 66.9% YoY on a high base caused by a large-amount gains from the derecognition of financial assets measured at amortized cost in 1Q25. Gains from changes in fair value increased by RMB4,566mn YoY (vs losses in 1Q25), which offset the decline in fee income. Regarding capital strength, at end-1Q26, the capital adequacy ratio (CAR)/core Tier-1 CAR was 15.61/11.25% (-35/-18bp vs 2025). The capital cushion remained thick and far above regulatory requirements, providing solid support for robust business expansion and dividend sustainability.
Target A-/H-share valuations: 0.63/0.60x 2026E PB
Given the NIM rebound, we project 2026/2027/2028 NP of RMB98.7/103.4/ 108.4bn (flat/+0.94%/+1.76% vs previous forecasts). We forecast 2026E BVPS of RMB13.73, implying a 2026E PB ratio of 0.51/0.47x for the A-/H-shares. Considering the bank's effective and comprehensive operations, yet given the relatively low dividend yield attractiveness of its A-shares, we value its A-/H-shares at 0.63/0.60x 2026E PB, vs their peers' averages of 0.70/0.55x on Wind consensus (previous: 0.67/0.46x). Our A-/H-share target price is RMB8.65/ HKD9.44 (previous: RMB8.24/HKD9.05, based on 0.60/0.58x 2026E PB). Maintain OVERWEIGHT/BUY on A-/H-shares.
Risks: Policy implementation and the economic recovery falling short of our expectations.