RBL Bank Q3 profit slips 69 pc to Rs 70 cr

RBL Bank on Wednesday reported a 69 per cent dip in its net profit at Rs 69.9 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2019 on account of rise in bad loans.

The private sector lender had registered a net profit of Rs 225.20 crore in October-December period of the previous fiscal.

However, total income increased to Rs 2,64,430 crore as against Rs 1,029.20 crore for the same period year ago, the bank said in a regulatory filing.

Net interest income was up 41 per cent to Rs 922.6 crore during the quarter as against Rs 655.10 crore in the year-ago period.

Asset quality of the bank deteriorated with gross non-performing assets (NPAs) rising to 3.33 per cent of gross advances as on December 31, 2019 from 1.38 per cent in the year-ago period.

Net NPAs also rose to 2.07 per cent of net loans from 0.72 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, the bank said.

As a result provisions (other than tax) and contingencies rose significantly to Rs 638.29 crore from Rs 160.68 crore in the same quarter a year ago.

However, net interest margin improved year-on-year basis to 4.57 per cent in the reported quarter from 4.12 per cent.

The bank in a separate regulatory filing said it has approved re-appointment of Rajeev Ahuja as the executive director for a period of three years with effect from February 21, 2020, subject to the approval of the Reserve Bank of India.