Finance
Bajaj Finance loan loss provisions jump, NBFC to focus on collection efficiency | Mint
Mumbai: Bajaj Finance’s loan loss provisions surged in the first quarter (April-June) of this financial year, driven largely by muted collections and higher provisioning requirements for ageing delinquencies.
This, the Pune-based non-bank lender said, has prompted it to now focus on improving its collection efficiency, which indicates the proportion of a loan’s repayment amount that is collected.
Gross loan losses and provisions for the quarter were ₹1,790 crore. During the quarter, the non-banking financial company (NBFC) utilized a management overlay of ₹105 crore towards loan losses and provisions, as a result of which net loan losses and provisions were at ₹1,685 crore.
Management overlay is a kind of management-level provision buffer made by companies for use during emergencies or crises. In this case, Bajaj Finance built this overlay largely during the pandemic.
Also read | Bajaj Finance Q1 results: Net profit up 13.8% YoY to ₹3,912 crore, revenue at ₹14,04 crore
In an analyst call late on Tuesday, the management said that while portfolio quality was steady and bounce rates were lower compared with the March quarter, significant movement of delinquent loans from stage 1 to stage 2 owing to muted collections led to the rise in loan losses in the June quarter.
Stage 2 assets, which warrant higher provisioning as against stage 1 assets, increased by ₹865 crore sequentially.
“The company is augmenting its debt management infrastructure as a mitigation measure,” it said in the investor presentation, with the management adding that they remain watchful of portfolio stress across business verticals and are “proactively pruning” exposure to certain customer segments.
“BAF (Bajaj Finance) reported higher than expected credit cost at 1.97%, an increase of 33 basis points sequentially. The surge in credit cost was on account of collection efficiency being impacted due to the elections,” Emkay Global Financial said in a note, adding that credit cost is expected to normalize over the next two quarters and be around 1.75-1.85% for FY25.
A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.
Also read | HUL Q1 Results: Net profit rises 2.7% to ₹2,538 crore, revenue up 1.3% YoY
The company had also seen a rise in loan losses during the previous election cycle in 2019 and is seeing similar trends this time, the management said, adding that when loan losses surge either due to higher bounce rates or muted collections, it takes one to three quarters for levels to stabilize. As a result, loan losses are expected to remain at current levels in the ongoing quarter and should start to normalize by the third quarter (October-December) onwards, they said.
The company will have a clearer view on whether the muted collection trend is transient or not by the October quarter, they added.
Bajaj Finance’s gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio improved marginally to 0.86% in the June quarter, from 0.87% a year ago. However, the net NPA ratio worsened to 0.38% from 0.31% a year ago, owing to the higher provisions. In the previous quarter, the gross NPA ratio was 0.85% and net NPA ratio at 0.37%.
So far, the stress is largely being seen in two- and three-wheeler finance, rural business-to-consumer, or B2C, (retail lending) and SME (small and medium enterprise) loan portfolios, even as growth in the rural business-to-business segment remains robust. Asset quality for the urban B2C segment is also steady, but the management is watchful for any signs of stress.
The management highlighted that the rural B2C portfolio has been seeing sluggish growth of 5-6% for the past year, including the 5% growth seen in Q1FY25. However, it expects some pickup going forward, pegging credit growth for FY25 at 10-11%. The company has been fine-tuning the borrower profile for the past year and is looking to broad-base the customer profile as was the case pre-Covid, it said.
Rural B2C loans for Bajaj Finance largely comprise cross-selling of personal loans, which have taken a hit following the increase in risk weights for the segment by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This led to stagnation in disbursements from November 2023 to June 2024 and is expected to temper growth in unsecured loans for the industry going forward.
Bajaj Finance’s share of unique customers, with no existing credit exposure, fell to 58% in June 2024 from 63% in March 2020. This means that of the current customers, 42% already have a relationship with the market in terms of unsecured or personal loans, an increase of 3% on year.
However, the company said that the overall borrower profile remains healthy, with the share of customers with outstanding personal loans having fallen from FY23 to FY24 in percentage terms.
The RBI, on 2 May, lifted the restrictions on sanction and disbursal of loans under ‘eCOM’ and ‘Insta EMI Card’ verticals, following which the NBFC restarted the EMI card business from May 10 and eCOM business from the first week of June, leading to a drag on disbursements during Q1. Both of these should pick up over the next three quarters, the company said, pegging overall loan growth for FY25 at 26-28%.
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Finance
What is Considered a Good Dividend Stock? 2 Financial Stocks That Fit the Bill
Written by Jitendra Parashar at The Motley Fool Canada
Dividend investing can be one of the simplest ways to build long-term wealth while creating a steady stream of passive income. But in my opinion, a good dividend stock is about much more than just a high yield. Beyond dividend yield, investors should also look for companies with durable businesses, reliable cash flows, and a history of rewarding shareholders consistently over time.
That’s exactly why many investors turn to financial stocks. Banks and asset managers often generate recurring earnings through lending, investing, and wealth management activities, allowing them to support stable dividend payments even during uncertain market conditions.
Two Canadian financial stocks that stand out right now are AGF Management (TSX:AGF.B) and Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD). Both companies offer attractive dividends backed by solid financial performance and long-term growth strategies. In this article, I’ll explain why these two financial stocks could be worth considering for income-focused investors right now.
AGF Management stock continues to reward shareholders
AGF Management is a Toronto-based asset manager with businesses across investments, private markets, and wealth management. Through these divisions, the company offers equity, fixed income, alternative, and multi-asset investment strategies to retail, institutional, and private wealth clients.
Following a 59% rally over the last 12 months, AGF stock currently trades at $16.67 per share with a market cap of roughly $1.1 billion. At current levels, the stock offers a quarterly dividend yield of 3.3%.
One reason behind AGF’s strong recent performance is its increasingly diversified business model. The company has expanded its investment capabilities and broadened its geographic reach, helping it perform well across varying market environments.
In the first quarter of its fiscal 2026 (ended in February), AGF posted free cash flow of $36 million, up 14% year over year (YoY), driven mainly by higher management, advisory, and administration fees. These fees climbed to $92.5 million as demand for the company’s investment offerings strengthened.
AGF has also been focusing on expanding its alternative investment business and introducing new investment products. With strong cash generation and growing demand for alternative investments, AGF Management looks well-positioned to continue rewarding investors over the long term.
TD Bank stock remains a dependable dividend giant
Toronto-Dominion Bank, or TD Bank, is one of North America’s largest banks, serving millions of customers through its Canadian banking, U.S. retail banking, wealth management and insurance, and wholesale banking operations.
Finance
UK watchdog says car finance legal challenge hearing unlikely before October
Finance
Martha Aguirre, former El Paso ISD interim superintendent, resigns as CFO as district finds ‘key financial challenges’
El Paso Independent School District Chief Financial Officer Martha Aguirre, who served as interim superintendent last year, resigned this week as the district said it had discovered “key financial challenges.”
The district issued a news release late Thursday afternoon that lacked details but indicated that a recent review had raised questions about the district’s fund balances, a key indicator of financial health.
“Through this process, key financial challenges were identified that must be addressed prior to closing out the 2025-26 school year including a current budget shortfall that is being actively addressed ahead of the district’s final financial presentation to the Board of Trustees in June,” the news release said.
A CFO is charged with developing a school district’s budget and overseeing its finance department. The EPISD Board of Trustees must adopt a budget for the 2026-27 school year by the end of the fiscal year June 30. The operating budget for the current school year is $547 million.
EPISD Deputy Superintendent David Bates will oversee the budget while the district searches for an interim and permanent CFO, district officials said in a statement.
EPISD Board President Leah Hanany said trustees were notified about Aguirre’s resignation this week. She said the district plans to give the public more information on the current year’s budget during a board meeting later this month.
“The board was also notified of a potential budget shortfall for the 2025 budget, but we don’t have final numbers yet. My understanding is that we are still primed to pass a balanced budget for fiscal year 2026-27 in June,” Hanany said in a statement.
Aguirre could not be reached for comment. EPISD’s CFO makes $148,200 to $209,900 a year, according to the district’s administrative pay plan.
She served as EPISD’s interim superintendent from June to December 2025 after the district’s former superintendent, Diana Sayavedra, resigned under pressure from the board. She returned to her position as CFO when Brian Lusk was hired as EPISD’s new permanent superintendent.
Aguirre’s resignation comes amid an uncertain budget season after a state funding calculation error tied to school property tax breaks caused EPISD to lose out on $17 million in projected revenue. In late April, EPISD officials estimated it would cause the district’s spending to exceed its revenue next year by $10 million.
The district is also considering calling for a bond election in November to upgrade its aging campuses as part of the larger 2024 Destination District Redesign initiative to close schools and improve the ones that remain open.
El Paso Teachers’ Association President Norma De La Rosa said Aguirre’s departure was unexpected.
“We’re right in the middle of the committee meetings for a possible bond and getting ready to get that budget to the June board meeting for next school year. So, to say that I’m highly surprised is an understatement,” De La Rosa told El Paso Matters.
Aguirre started working with the district in 1996 as a general clerk, according to a video published by the district.
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