Summary of China Merchants Bank Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: China Merchants Bank (招商银行) - **Date**: May 22, 2025 Key Points Financial Performance - **Net Interest Income**: Increased by nearly 2% year-on-year in Q1 2025, attributed to a narrowing of interest rate cuts, despite a decline in net interest margin by 11 basis points year-on-year [2][7][8] - **Loan Pricing**: Overall slight decrease in loan pricing; corporate loans saw a significant decline while retail loans remained stable or slightly decreased due to regulatory guidance [2][3][6] - **Deposit Growth**: Weak loan demand has led to sluggish deposit growth, with M1 and M2 widening [2][10] - **Wealth Management Fees**: Grew by 10.5% year-on-year in Q1 2025, marking the first significant positive growth since 2022, driven by nearly 30% growth in fund sales, wealth management, and trust services [2][13] - **Card Fees**: Card transaction fees and settlement fees declined by 7-8% year-on-year due to weak consumption [2][14] Loan Demand and Credit Quality - **Credit Demand**: Remains weak in Q2 2025; retail loans showed marginal recovery in early May but overall demand is still not significantly improved [3][4] - **Asset Quality**: Retail loan non-performing loans (NPLs) are rising, but the bank maintains a solid provision coverage ratio [3][17][18] - **Corporate Loan Risks**: Concentrated in real estate and related sectors, with overall asset quality in other sectors remaining low [3][19][20] Market Conditions and Economic Outlook - **Trade War Impact**: Limited short-term impact from the US-China trade war observed; however, long-term effects depend on future tariff policies [4][5] - **Interest Rate Trends**: New loan pricing has slightly decreased; retail loan pricing remains stable or slightly down due to regulatory constraints [6][8] - **Deposit Rate Adjustments**: Recent adjustments in deposit rates have raised concerns about potential deposit outflows, but the bank views the changes as beneficial due to its high proportion of demand deposits [9][11] Future Strategies - **Loan Strategy**: The bank will not rigidly increase any specific type of loan but will adjust based on market demand [4][21] - **Wealth Management Focus**: Continued emphasis on wealth management services to enhance fee income, with expectations for further growth in Q2 2025 [13][14] - **Dividends**: Plans for mid-term dividends in 2025 have been announced, with distributions expected in early and mid-2026 [23] Risks and Challenges - **Economic Uncertainty**: The bank faces significant operational pressure due to geopolitical factors and weak loan demand, with Q1 2025 expected to be the most challenging period of the year [15][16][22] - **Retail Loan Quality**: While retail loan quality is under scrutiny, the bank has sufficient provisions to manage potential risks [18][22] Conclusion - China Merchants Bank is navigating a challenging economic landscape with a focus on maintaining asset quality, adjusting loan strategies based on market conditions, and enhancing wealth management services to drive fee income growth. The outlook remains cautious due to external economic pressures and internal loan demand weaknesses.

Group 1 - The importance of financial services to the real economy is increasingly highlighted in the current economic context, with the People's Bank of China issuing documents to enhance the technology finance policy framework in 2024 [1] - China Merchants Bank Nanchang Branch is actively responding to national policies by developing digital guarantee products to support enterprises and inject financial vitality into the real economy [1] Group 2 - The bank prioritizes customer experience and has developed domestic guarantee products, optimizing service processes and creating a digital brand called "Guarantee Butler" [2] - In 2020, the "Guarantee Butler" service was launched, allowing for T+0 automatic issuance of guarantees, achieving full online, paperless, and automated processes [2] Group 3 - The bank has seen continuous growth in domestic guarantee customers and issuance amounts for three consecutive years, serving over 600 clients and issuing more than 14,000 guarantees, setting historical records [3] - The variety of guarantee products has expanded to include special types such as customs payment guarantees and wage payment guarantees, enhancing the product system [3] Group 4 - The bank has been innovative in guarantee services, becoming one of the first banks to achieve data transmission with the General Administration of Customs and establishing various electronic guarantee platforms [4] - By 2025, the bank has connected with multiple important platform systems, issuing electronic guarantees totaling over 10 billion yuan [4]

作者 胡群 新一轮存款降息潮来袭，5月20日起，包括工、农、中、建、交、邮储、招行、光大在内的主要银行纷纷下调存款利率。其中，五大国有银行活期及一年期 以内定期存款利率下调5-15个基点，三年期、五年期定期存款利率下调25个基点。邮储银行及招行、光大等全国性股份制银行也于同日下调存款利率。 其中，邮储银行3个月、6个月、1年期、2年期、3年期、5年期定期存款利率（整存整取）分别为0.65%、0.86%、0.98%、1.05%、1.25%、1.3%；招行同期限 定期存款利率分别为0.65%、0.85%、0.95%、1.05%、1.25%、1.3%；光大银行同期限定期存款利率略高，分别为0.7%、0.95%、1.15%、1.2%、1.3%、 1.35%。 中国金融业步入低利率时代，各家机构都在积极思考如何在逆境中突围。在银行业普遍降息的背景下，招商银行的资产负债结构使其具备一定的抗风险能 力。2025年一季报显示，招行活期存款日均余额占比达51.80%，显著高于行业水平。较高的活期存款占比降低了资金成本对利率波动的敏感性，使招行在 降息周期中受影响相对有限。此外，依托强大的品牌效应、客户黏性及差异化服务能力，招行 ...

Core Viewpoint - The recent reduction in deposit rates by multiple banks, including state-owned and joint-stock banks, aligns with market expectations and aims to stabilize net interest margins while supporting the real economy [1][5][6]. Group 1: Deposit Rate Adjustments - Nine out of twelve joint-stock banks have announced reductions in deposit rates, with significant cuts in medium to long-term deposit rates, particularly a 25 basis points (BP) decrease for 3-year and 5-year fixed deposits [1][2][3]. - Specific banks like Ping An Bank and Minsheng Bank have adjusted their deposit rates, with Ping An Bank's rates for various terms now at 0.70%, 0.95%, 1.15%, 1.20%, and 1.30%, reflecting reductions of 15 BP for most terms and 25 BP for longer terms [2][3]. - The speed of these adjustments is seen as necessary for banks to manage their liabilities effectively and maintain competitiveness in the current economic environment [5][6]. Group 2: Market Reactions and Expectations - Investors have anticipated the decline in deposit rates, with no significant rush to lock in rates observed at bank branches, indicating a broader acceptance of a long-term downward trend in deposit rates [3][5]. - Experts believe that the synchronized reduction in deposit rates by banks is crucial for reducing financing costs for the real economy and stabilizing net interest margins [5][6]. Group 3: Implications for Banking Sector - The current trend of deposit rate reductions is expected to create more room for lowering financing costs in the future, which is essential for improving banks' profitability and sustainability in serving the real economy [6][7]. - The recent adjustments have seen deposit rate cuts that exceed the reductions in the Loan Prime Rate (LPR), indicating a strategic move by banks to manage their interest expenses more effectively [6][7].

5月20日，中国人民银行授权全国银行间同业拆借中心公布，5月贷款市场报价利率（LPR）报价出炉： 5年期以上LPR为3.5%，1年期LPR为3%，均较前期下降10个基点。 同日，国有六大行、招商银行宣布即日起下调存款挂牌利率，最大降幅25个基点。5月21日，多家股份 行跟进下调存款挂牌利率。 继国有六大行之后， 9家股份制银行也跟进下调存款利率 。 5月21日，兴业银行、中信银行、浦发银行、平安银行、民生银行、华夏银行、广发银行7家股份行均宣 布，自5月21日执行新的存款挂牌利率。5月20日，招商银行、光大银行已执行下调后的存款挂牌利率。 9家股份行均 对定期整存整取3个月、6个月、1年期、2年期存款挂牌利率下调15个基点，对3年期、5年 期存款挂牌利率下调25个基点。 招商银行整存整取1年期、2年期、3年期、5年期存款挂牌利率分别下调至0.95%、1.05%、1.25%、 1.30%。其余8家股份行整存整取1年期、2年期、3年期、5年期挂牌利率降至1.15%、1.2%（民生银行为 1.15%）、1.30%、1.35%。 | 银行 | | 3个月定期整存整取 | | 6个月定期整存整取 | | 1年期定期整存 ...

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article is that several banks in China have announced a reduction in RMB deposit rates, following a trend initiated by major state-owned banks, which is linked to the recent decrease in the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) [1][4][5] Group 2 - On May 20, six state-owned banks and several others, including China Merchants Bank and China Everbright Bank, announced a reduction in RMB deposit rates, with the adjustment range being 5 to 25 basis points [1] - Following this, on May 21, seven additional banks, including Ping An Bank and CITIC Bank, also announced similar reductions, with the new rates for demand deposits set at 0.05% and various fixed-term deposit rates adjusted accordingly [1][2] - The new fixed-term deposit rates for three months, six months, one year, two years, three years, and five years are 0.7%, 0.95%, 1.15%, 1.20%, 1.30%, and 1.35% respectively [1] - The recent LPR adjustments include a decrease in the 5-year LPR to 3.5% and the 1-year LPR to 3%, both down by 0.1% from the previous month [4] - The reduction in deposit rates is expected to lead to an overall decrease in deposit rates by approximately 0.11 to 0.13 percentage points, which may help stabilize banks' net interest margins [4][5] - As of the first quarter of 2025, the net interest margin for commercial banks was reported at 1.43%, a decrease of 0.09 percentage points, marking a historical low [5]

Core Viewpoint - The recent reduction in deposit rates by nine joint-stock banks follows the earlier actions of the six major state-owned banks, indicating a broader trend in the banking sector to lower interest rates in response to the People's Bank of China's (PBOC) adjustments to the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) [1][3][6] Group 1: Deposit Rate Adjustments - On May 21, seven joint-stock banks announced a reduction in their deposit rates, with a decrease of 15 basis points for 3-month, 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year fixed deposits, and a reduction of 25 basis points for 3-year and 5-year fixed deposits [1][2] - Specific rates for China Merchants Bank were adjusted to 0.95% for 1-year, 1.05% for 2-year, 1.25% for 3-year, and 1.30% for 5-year deposits, while other banks set their rates at 1.15%, 1.20%, 1.30%, and 1.35% respectively for similar terms [1][2] Group 2: LPR and Monetary Policy - The PBOC announced a decrease in the LPR, with the 1-year LPR at 3% and the 5-year LPR at 3.5%, both down by 10 basis points [3] - Analysts suggest that the PBOC is establishing a transmission mechanism from policy rates to LPR and deposit rates, indicating a coordinated approach to monetary policy [3][4] Group 3: Market Implications - The reduction in deposit rates is expected to enhance the attractiveness of bond assets by lowering the yield advantage of loan assets, thereby improving the configuration value of bonds [3][4] - The larger reduction in deposit rates compared to LPR is seen as a measure to protect bank interest margins while encouraging credit growth [6]

中经记者 慈玉鹏 北京报道 继5月20日国有六大行以及招商银行、光大银行宣布下调存款利率后，《中国经营报》记者统计发现，5 月21日又有七家股份行再次跟进下调存款利率，其中长期存款利率下调幅度大于短期。 记者注意到，截至目前，九家股份制银行普遍对六个月、一年期、二年期定存挂牌利率下调15个基点， 三年期、五年期定存挂牌利率普遍下调25个基点。其中长期存款利率下调幅度更大。 同时，除招商银行与五大行保持一致外，其余8家股份制银行整存整取一年期、三年期、五年期挂牌利 率分别降至1.15%、1.3%、1.35%。 或推动"存款搬家" 东方金诚首席宏观分析师王青表示："截至2025年4月末，活期存款占比34.5%，此次六大行下调存款利 率并带动其他商业银行跟进调整后，或将带动整体存款利率下调0.11—0.13个百分点左右，基本能够覆 盖本次LPR报价下调带动各类贷款利率下行对银行资产端收益的影响，稳定银行净息差。" 从影响看，王青表示，最新数据显示，2025年一季度商业银行净息差为1.43%，较上季度下行0.09个百 分点，再创历史新低，且已明显低于1.8%的警戒水平。本次LPR报价下调带动银行存款利率同步下调， 在 ...

Core Viewpoint - The retail banking sector is facing significant challenges with increasing personal non-performing loans (NPLs) and a declining recovery rate, indicating a tough operating environment for banks [1][3][12]. Group 1: Personal Loan Market Trends - The scale of personal NPL batch transfers reached 370.4 billion yuan in Q1 2025, a significant drop from 715.4 billion yuan in Q4 2024, but a 7.6-fold increase year-on-year compared to 43 billion yuan in Q1 2024 [4]. - The discount rate for personal NPLs fell to 4.1% in Q1 2025, down from 4.8% in the previous quarter and 4.6% year-on-year, while the average principal recovery rate also hit a near two-year low of 6.9% [6][7]. - Personal consumption loans accounted for 72.4% of the NPLs, with credit card overdrafts at 14% and personal business loans at 13.5% [8]. Group 2: Factors Influencing NPLs - The increase in personal NPL transfers is attributed to three main factors: expansion of institutions allowed to conduct batch transfers, a shift in strategy from collection to batch transfer for efficiency, and worsening credit conditions for borrowers during economic downturns [5]. - The longer the overdue period, the lower the recovery rates and higher the discount rates, confirming the trend that personal bad debts are becoming less valuable [11]. Group 3: Bank Performance and Strategies - Many banks reported a decline in personal loan balances in Q1 2025, with notable examples including Ping An Bank and Industrial Bank, which saw reductions of 2.2% and 1.31% respectively [16][17]. - Banks are adopting a cautious approach to retail lending, with several institutions reporting personal loan growth rates below overall loan growth rates, indicating a shift towards more conservative lending practices [15]. - For instance, China Merchants Bank reported a retail NPL ratio of 1.01%, up from 0.98% at the end of the previous year, highlighting the ongoing challenges in managing retail loan quality [13].

Core Viewpoint - Nine joint-stock banks in China have followed state-owned banks in rapidly lowering deposit interest rates, focusing on medium to long-term deposits, particularly three-year and five-year terms [2][4][5] Group 1: Deposit Rate Adjustments - As of May 21, seven banks including Ping An Bank and CITIC Bank have announced reductions in deposit rates, with three-year and five-year fixed deposit rates lowered by 25 basis points (BP) [2][4] - The adjusted rates for Ping An Bank are now 0.70% for three months, 0.95% for six months, 1.15% for one year, 1.20% for two years, and 1.30% for three years, reflecting a decrease of 15 BP for shorter terms and 25 BP for longer terms [3][4] - Minsheng Bank has also reduced its deposit rates, with similar decreases across various terms, including a 25 BP drop for three-year and five-year deposits [3][4] Group 2: Market Expectations and Reactions - Investors had anticipated the recent reductions in deposit rates, with no significant rush to lock in rates observed at bank branches [4][5] - The speed of the banks' responses to the need for lower deposit rates aligns with market expectations, indicating a proactive approach to stabilize net interest margins and support the real economy [5][6] Group 3: Implications for Banking Sector - The adjustments in deposit rates are seen as necessary to reduce financing costs for the real economy, with banks needing to lower their liability costs to maintain profitability [5][8] - The current trend shows that the reductions in deposit rates are larger than the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) decreases, which may help banks manage interest expenses and improve their financial performance [8]