PNB Housing Finance Ltd Q2 FY2026 Concall Summary & Transcript Notes

Source transcript PDF: https://www.stockscans.in/document/4fdxrsdj3dhrs3m01htizdqd.pdf

# 1. Financial Performance

## A. Key Figures
   *   **Net Interest Income:** **₹765 Cr** (+14% YoY)
   *   **Pre-Provision Operating Profit:** **₹646 Cr** (+16% YoY)
   *   **PAT:** **₹582 Cr** (+24% YoY)
   * **Spread Margin:** **2.26%** in Q2 FY26 (from 2.23% in Q1)
   * NIM: 3.67% in Q2 FY26 (from 3.74% in Q1) · 3.7% avg in H1 FY26
   * ROA: 2.73% in Q2 FY26 · 2.65% annualized in H1 FY26
   * ROE: 13.14% annualized in Q2 FY25
   * CRAR: 29.8% · Tier 1: 29.2% · Book Value: ~₹690/share
   *   **Provision Release:** **~₹70 Cr**
   *   **Total Write-Off Pool:** **~₹1,000 Cr** (Corporate: ₹675 Cr)

## B. Revenue & Profit
   *   **Robust Profitability Growth:** Strong double-digit expansion in net interest income, pre-provision profit, and PAT driven by operating leverage and cost discipline.
   *   **Margin Dynamics:** Spread margin improved sequentially despite NIM compression from lower investment yields; management expects margins to stabilize in the second half.
   *   **Leadership Resilience:** Solid quarterly performance maintained amid leadership transition, underscoring operational stability.

## C. Net Interest Margin
   *   **NIM Pressure Offset by Funding Gains:** NIM declined due to lower asset yields, though partially offset by materially lower incremental cost of borrowing.
   *   **Gradual Yield Improvement Expected:** Asset yield benefits will flow in incrementally over coming quarters rather than through a step-up.

## D. Asset Quality
   *   **Significant Recovery Opportunity:** Large pending write-off pool of **~₹1,000 Cr** represents potential upside if recoveries materialize, particularly in the corporate book.

## E. Capital & Liquidity
   *   **Healthy Capital Buffer:** Strong capital adequacy with CRAR and Tier 1 well above regulatory minimums, supporting book value growth to **~₹690/share**.

---

# 2. Loan Book & Disbursements

## A. Key Figures
   *   **Retail Loan Book:** **₹79,440 Cr** (+17% YoY) · **6%** of total loan book
   *   **Total Loan Book:** **₹79,771 Cr** (+15% YoY)
   *   **Q2 FY26 Disbursements:** **₹6,000 Cr** (~) · **₹5,995 Cr** retail (+12% YoY)
   *   **Roshni Disbursements:** **₹828 Cr** (+31% YoY)
   *   **Corporate Loan Book:** **₹332 Cr** (down from prior)

## B. Retail Growth
   *   **Resilient Momentum:** Strong YoY and sequential disbursement growth despite Q2 headwinds, led by robust demand in Affordable and Emerging Markets.
   *   **High-Growth Segments:** Emerging and Affordable segments grew at a **34% YoY** pace, now representing **38% of the retail book**, underscoring strategic focus.
   *   **Operational Efficiency Lag:** Per-branch disbursement remains flat despite **25% branch network expansion** (160 to 200), indicating underutilization or ramp-up lags.
   *   **Pipeline Strength:** Sanction levels estimated at **over ₹8,000 Cr**, with a healthy **68–70% sanction-to-disbursement conversion rate**, supporting near-term disbursement visibility.

## C. Corporate Activity
   *   **Corporate Rebound in Motion:** After a foreclosure-driven decline, reactivation is underway with new sanctions expected to drive disbursements in H2 FY26.
   *   **Larger Ticket Outlook:** Management signaled appetite for **deals up to ₹150–200 Cr**, beyond initial ₹50–60 Cr focus, suggesting scaling in corporate lending capacity.

## D. Segment Mix
   *   **Balanced Growth Trajectory:** Management affirms continued expansion across both retail and larger corporate segments, aligned with full-year guidance.

---

# 3. Branch & Distribution Network

## A. Key Figures
   *   **Branch Network:** **356** locations nationwide (**198** Affordable, **85** Emerging, **73** Prime)
   * **Disbursement Targets:** **₹1.8 Cr/month** (Ganga) · **₹1.3 Cr/month** (Yamuna) · **₹70–80 Lakh/month** (Kaveri)
   *   **Geographic Mix:** **33%** North · **35%** West · **32%** South

## B. Branch Expansion
   *   **Sustained Expansion:** Aggressive growth trajectory with **40 new branches added** in the past year, fully operational and contributing to performance; **40–50 new branches planned annually**.
   *   **Efficiency Optimization:** Recent branch reductions in Affordable and Prime segments reflect **routine consolidation of unprofitable locations**, not strategic retreat; expansion continues in parallel.
   *   **Scale Target:** Network on track to reach **250 operational branches by year-end**, with gross additions and closures to be disclosed separately.

## C. Branch Performance
   *   **Performance Drag from Ramp-Up:** Disbursement per branch flat YoY due to **40 new branches still scaling below optimal levels**, suppressing overall average.
   *   **Tiered Productivity Model:** Branches categorized by size (Ganga, Yamuna, Kaveri) with clear monthly disbursement thresholds for self-sustainability, especially in **Tier-4 and Tier-5 locations**.

## D. Geographic Coverage
   *   **Balanced Regional Footprint:** Revenue contribution evenly spread across North, West, and South zones, enhancing **resilience to regional economic fluctuations**.
   *   **Strategic Regional Focus:** Plans to deepen presence in **Punjab, Chandigarh, and the Northeast**; **Tamil Nadu leads in AUM**, supported by UP, Maharashtra, and MP.
   *   **Segment Alignment:** Network skewed toward **Affordable and Emerging segments**, reinforcing growth strategy, while Prime segment expansion remains **range-bound due to macro conditions**.

---

# 4. Product & Portfolio Mix

## A. Key Figures
   *   **Affordable Housing Loan Book:** **₹6,531 Cr** (Q2 FY26) (+121% YoY, +14% QoQ)
   *   **Affordable & Emerging Disbursements:** **31%** and **23% YoY growth** respectively, contributing **~50% of total retail disbursements**
   *   **Emerging Business Disbursements:** **₹2,122 Cr** (+23% YoY)
   * **Total Accounts Serviced:** **3.5 lakhs**

## B. Affordable Housing
   *   **Explosive Loan Book Growth:** Affordable housing loan book more than doubled YoY, reflecting strong market penetration and portfolio scaling.
   *   **Seasonal Headwinds:** Monsoon-related construction delays muted segment growth in first half, particularly impacting self-construction and plot-plus-construction disbursement timing.
   *   **Stable Balance Transfer Dynamics:** BT in/out rates remain favorable at **9% and 4%**, indicating limited customer churn and pricing resilience.

## C. Emerging & Prime Segments
   *   **High-Growth Engine:** Affordable and Emerging segments collectively grew 34% YoY, now representing **38% of the retail loan book**, reinforcing strategic focus on financial inclusion.
   *   **Emerging Segment Gains Share:** Emerging business now accounts for **41% of Prime+Emerging mix**, up from 36% YoY, signaling successful expansion into underserved markets.
   *   **Prime Segment Discipline:** Prime disbursements grew only 2% YoY, consistent with strategy of **profitable growth** and margin stability in a volatile rate environment.

## D. Customer Composition
   *   **Portfolio Diversification:** Self-employed and informal segment exposure increased to **43% and 30%** respectively, aligning with inclusive lending mandate and risk-adjusted return targets.
   *   **Ticket Size & Product Mix:** **72% of portfolio** is concentrated below **₹25 Lakh** ticket size, with **35% non-housing loans**, highlighting granular, diversified asset composition.
   *   **FY27 Mix Guidance Confirmed:** Strategic AUM targets unchanged—**15% Affordable (~₹15,000 Cr), 65% Prime, balance Emerging**—providing clear roadmap for portfolio evolution.

---

# 5. Funding & Borrowing Costs

## A. Key Figures
   * Cost of Borrowing: 7.69% in Q2 FY26 (↓7 bps QoQ) · 7.42% incremental cost (↓2 bps QoQ)
   * Portfolio Yield: 12.13% (marching towards 12.25% in coming quarters)
   * **Incremental Yield – Roshni:** **12.1%** in Q2 FY26 (↑from 12% YoY)
   * Yield: 9.95% in Q2 (↓4 bps QoQ despite 10 bps rate pass-through)

## B. Cost of Borrowing
   *   **Funding Cost Relief:** Significant decline in incremental borrowing costs driven by repo rate cuts and active bank negotiations, with **66% of loan book repriced** to lower rates.
   *   **Gradual Margin Benefit:** Lower incremental costs to progressively reduce overall funding expense, though full benefit may be moderated by planned customer pass-throughs.
   *   **Competitive PLR Pressure:** PNB Housing’s **10 bps PLR cut lags peers**, raising concerns over **Prime segment borrower retention**, though management confirms **10 bps already passed on** of a 14–15 bps funding benefit.
   *   **Forward Pass-Through:** Additional rate cuts possible if further meaningful reductions in borrowing costs occur, with timing likely aligned to **next monetary policy decision**.

## C. Incremental Pricing
   *   **Roshni Yield Expansion:** Strong double-digit growth in incremental yields due to strategic shift toward **higher-yielding segments** and **expansion into tier 3/4 markets**.
   *   **Margin Resilience:** Business maintains healthy margins despite rate pass-through, with investor focus on whether **further PLR reductions** will be implemented.

---

# 6. Risks & Asset Quality

## A. Key Figures
   * Gross NPA: 1.04% (Sep 2025) (↓ from 1.06% in Jun 2025 & 1.24% YoY)
   *   **Credit Cost:** **-53 bps** (reversal) (driven by ₹60 Cr recoveries & ₹70 Cr ECL release)
   * **30+ Delinquency Rate:** **1.40%** (vs. industry 3.7%)
   * **1+ DPD (Affordable):** **~2.5%** (below industry)
   *   **Repossessed Properties Auctioned:** **178** (Q2 FY26) · **276** (H1 FY26)
   *   **Recoveries from Write-off Pool:** **₹59 Cr** (Q2) · Pool size: **₹1,000 Cr** (₹675 Cr corporate)

## B. Delinquency Trends
   *   **Asset Quality Improvement:** Sustained reduction in Gross NPA to 04%, supported by strong collections and **negative credit costs**, reflecting effective resolution and conservative legacy provisioning.
   *   **Recovery Momentum:** Robust execution in recoveries with **steady quarterly inflows from written-off pool**, including a **₹70 Cr ECL release from a foreclosed Stage-I corporate loan**, underpinning credit cost reversals.
   *   **Collection Efficiency:** Collection infrastructure remains resilient, with **bounce rates contained at 4%** (mostly technical), aided by omni-channel engagement and segmentation.
   *   **Forward Guidance on Credit Costs:** Negative credit costs expected to persist for **2–3 quarters**, potentially extending to **4–6 quarters** depending on corporate resolutions, though **lumpy recoveries could accelerate extinguishment before FY27 ends**.

## C. Portfolio Maturation
   *   **Seasoning-Driven Delinquency:** Recent uptick in 30+ delinquencies and GNPA linked to **12–18 month vintage loans**, consistent with typical mortgage seasoning; no broad-based deterioration observed.
   *   **Affordable Housing Pressure:** Sequential increase in delinquencies in affordable segment attributed to **portfolio maturation**, with over **₹2,500 Cr in loans >2 years old**, and exposure to **EWS/LIG, Tier-3/4, and informal borrowers**.
   *   **Cyclical & Structural Factors:** Q1 disruptions (monsoon, state ordinances) added pressure, but trends remain **within industry benchmarks**; management emphasizes long-term stability over short-term volatility.

## D. Informal Segment Exposure
   *   **Strategic Shift to Higher-Yield Segments:** Portfolio mix evolving with **informal segment exposure rising to 30%**, driven by **PMAY2 focus on EWS/LIG**, while formal salaried accounts still represent **50–53%** of book.
   *   **Risk Management Guardrails:** Internal caps set at **45–50% for self-employed** and **35–40% for informal sector** to balance yield enhancement with credit discipline.
   *   **Proactive Mitigation:** EMI affordability maintained via **city-tier-based loan structuring**, minimizing delinquency risk despite segmental shift.

---

# 7. Guidance & Outlook

## A. Key Figures
   *   **Loan Growth Guidance:** **17–18%** annual target maintained
   * Corporate Disbursements: INR 100–150 Cr aspirational for FY26, gradual restart underway
   * NIM Guidance: 3.6–3.7% range expected for FY26, with exit rate in this band
   *   **Branch Expansion:** **40 new branches** added to network of 198; productivity ramp-up underway

## B. Loan Growth & Segment Dynamics
   *   **Sustained Growth Trajectory:** Full-year loan growth guidance reaffirmed, supported by **strong momentum in retail and affordable housing segments**.
   *   **Affordable Housing Inflection:** Festival season tailwinds expected to boost disbursement growth from Q3 onward.
   *   **Branch Ramp-Up Lag:** Near-term per-branch disbursement softness attributed to new branch ramp-up and **management transition phase**, with improvement expected as productivity normalizes.

## C. Margin Outlook & Funding Strategy
   *   **NIM Stabilization:** Margins likely **bottomed out in Q2**, with gradual improvement anticipated within the guided range, aided by lower borrowing costs.
   *   **Mix Pressure Persists:** Continued shift toward **Prime and Emerging segments** to exert modest downward pressure on NIM despite cost benefits.

## D. Strategic Continuity & Leadership
   *   **Strategy Unchanged:** Core strategic pillars—**retail expansion, affordable housing, asset quality leadership, and risk discipline**—remain fully intact despite MD & CEO transition.
   *   **Corporate Business Resumption:** Gradual restart under **revamped policy framework**, maintaining original guardrails but updated for current market conditions; no strategic pivot.
   *   **Leadership Confidence:** Interim management emphasizes **responsible, accountable growth**, with incoming CEO expected to **continue existing high-yield segment focus** through March '27.