Led by CCD, large corporate book roils RBL Bank, net slumps 73% to Rs 53 cr

Its stressed book involving large borrowers stands at Rs 1,800 crore, up from Rs 1,000 crore estimated earlier due to the troubles in Cafe Coffee Day during Q2

Small sized private sector lender RBL Bank on Tuesday said its September quarter net plummeted 73 per cent to Rs 54.3 crore on lumpy loans turning sour, and guided towards more pains in the next three months as well.

Its stressed book involving large borrowers stands at Rs 1,800 crore, up from Rs 1,000 crore estimated earlier due to the troubles in Cafe Coffee Day during the second quarter, managing director and chief executive Vishwavir Ahuja told PTI here this evening.

He said Rs 800 crore of this slipped during the quarter, taking its gross non-performing assets ratio to 2.60, almost double from 1.40, and resulting in loan provisions shooting up to Rs 539 crore from Rs 109 crore.

"Our slippages are Rs 200-250 crore usually, which have now gone up to Rs 1,100 crore. We are recognising the impact upfront and declaring the stress that exists and making provisions for the same," Ahuja said.

He said apart from the South-based coffee company, whose promoted had committed suicide alleging harassment by taxmen and a PE fund later July, other accounts included in the Rs 1,800-crore stressed book are a media company, a plastic player and a realty company, among others.

A bulk of the pain has been recognised by providing for it in the September quarter, he said, adding there will be a lower provision in the December quarter and a small number in the fourth quarter if need be.

While the provisions will be elevated in the third quarter, Ahuja exuded confidence that profits will be higher.

It can be noted that the RBL scrip has been repeatedly hammered by investors in the last few weeks after negative news flows.

For the reporting quarter, its core net interest income grew 47 percent to Rs 868.7 crore, while other income was up 33 percent to Rs 441.5 crore.

Its advances growth slowed to 27 percent because of cautious approach to corporate loans, but still net interest margin widened to 4.35 percent from 4.08 percent.

"On all operational parameters we are performing better and our operating profit is also up 42 percent," Ahuja said, adding all the pain is coming from large corporates.

In the run-up to results announced after the market hours, the bank scrip shed 2.84 percent to close at Rs 286.90 on the BSE as against a 0.85 percent correction in the benchmark.