Launch Of UPISetu And Neo Will Drive Digital Expansion

Key Takeaways

• Investments in technology, analytics, and digital solutions are expected to drive efficiency, optimize expenses, and enhance Axis Bank's long-term competitive edge.
  
• Strategic expansion in branches, digital payment trends, and wealth management services supports revenue growth potential and increased market share.
  
• Increased competition and regulatory constraints may compress margins and affect profitability amid rising costs and stressed credit conditions.

Catalysts

Engages in the provision of various banking and financial products and services.

• Axis Bank's focus on technology, analytics, and cybersecurity investments is expected to drive long-term competitive advantages and enhance efficiencies, likely benefiting net margins as operating expenses are optimized.
  
• The launch of innovative digital solutions like UPISetu and Neo for businesses indicates an emphasis on digital expansion and service offerings, which can generate additional revenue streams and potentially improve revenue growth.
  
• Key growth in customer deposits and new customer acquisitions, combined with strategic expansion of physical branches, supports future revenue growth potential and increased market share in the banking sector.
  
• Strong performance in the bank's premium services, like Burgundy Private, indicates growth in high-margin wealth management services, likely benefiting earnings and net margins due to premium service fees.
  
• Axis Bank's efforts in expanding its market share in the UPI payer space, along with strategic partnerships, suggest an ability to capitalize on digital payment trends, enhancing transaction volumes and fee income, thereby driving revenue growth.

Axis Bank Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming Axis Bank's revenue will grow by 18.9% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will shrink from 41.8% today to 31.2% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to reach ₹350.2 billion (and earnings per share of ₹116.8) by about December 2027, up from ₹279.3 billion today. However, there is some disagreement amongst the analysts with the more bullish ones expecting earnings as high as ₹388.5 billion.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 17.4x on those 2027 earnings, up from 12.7x today. This future PE is greater than the current PE for the GB Banks industry at 13.1x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 1.05% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 14.15%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Axis Bank Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• The bank's net interest margin (NIM) saw a slight decline in comparison to previous quarters, largely due to increased cost of funds. This points to pressure on earnings if the cost of funds can't be maintained or reduced.
  
• Retail slippages, especially from unsecured lending segments, have increased, highlighting stressed credit conditions which may adversely impact the bank's asset quality and future earnings.
  
• The ongoing need for prudent provisioning, despite adequate existing buffers, suggests potential concerns about asset quality, which could impact earnings if these provisions are realized.
  
• Competition in deposit growth could require increasing interest rates to attract funds, potentially compressing net interest margins and affecting profitability.
  
• Tightening regulations, such as those regarding liquidity coverage ratios (LCR), could constrain growth if additional liquidity needs are required, impacting future earnings potential.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of ₹1363.14 for Axis Bank based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of ₹1590.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just ₹1216.0.
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2027, revenues will be ₹1121.7 billion, earnings will come to ₹350.2 billion, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 17.4x, assuming you use a discount rate of 14.1%.
• Given the current share price of ₹1147.5, the analyst's price target of ₹1363.14 is 15.8% higher.
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.