Bank of Maharashtra Q2 results: Net profit doubles

State-owned Bank of Maharashtra has doubled its net profit at Rs 264 crore in the September quarter as against Rs 130 crore in the year-ago period, riding on sharp rise in net interest income and recovery from the Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL) exposure.

Its net interest margin, a gauge for efficiency, has improved to 3.27 per cent from 2.57 per cent over the same period. Operating profit grew 40.22 per cent at Rs 1061 crore as against Rs 756 crore. Its net interest income grew 34 per cent at Rs 1500 crore.

The bank recovered Rs 258 crore following DHFL's corporate resolution exercise.

Its asset quality also improved with gross non-performing assets ratio falling to 5.6 per cent at the end of September compared with 8.8 per cent a year ago. Net NPA reduced to 1.7 per cent from 3.3 per cent. Its provision coverage ratio was at 92.4 per cent.

The Pune-based lender grew its advances by 11.44 per cent year-on-year to Rs 1.15 lakh crore. "We are envisaging credit growth of 14-15 per cent for the entire FY22," chief executive AS Rajeev said.

It raised Rs 1,000 crore in bonds Wednesday to augment capital. The fund is raised at 7.8 per cent coupon.

"We have decided to raise another Rs 1000 crore in tier 2 bonds later in the year to keep its capital adequacy ratio (CAR) at around 14.5 per cent level," the CEO said.

Its CAR now stands at 14.67 per cent, an improvement from 13.18 per cent a year back.

Rajeev said the bank may consider raising equity capital in the first quarter next fiscal which would help it bring down government’s holding from 91 per cent. It had raised Rs 403 crore of equity through share sales to institutional investors that helped pare government holding marginally from 93.33 per cent.

The bank restructured loans worth Rs 1181 crore in the quarter under review, taking the total restructuring of standard loans to Rs 6,000 crore. The micro small and medium enterprise (MSME) borrowers accounted for about Rs 2400 crore of loan restructuring while restructuring of retail loans amounted to Rs 2,077 crore and corporate loans amounted to Rs 1000 crore. The balance amount is related to the farm sector.