Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2025-12-23 06:26Core Viewpoint - UBS maintains a cautious outlook on Hong Kong bank stocks, projecting that market focus will shift to banks' profit prospects for next year, with net interest income and credit costs being the main drivers [1] Group 1: Profit Forecasts - UBS forecasts that the net profit growth for Bank of China Hong Kong (02388) and Bank of East Asia (00023) will remain flat for 2026, with expected per-share dividends increasing by 2% to 3% [1] - Target prices for Bank of China Hong Kong and Bank of East Asia have been raised to HKD 40 and HKD 13.5 respectively, reflecting a decrease in the cost of equity following interest rate cuts [1] Group 2: Interest Income and Market Conditions - Despite a backdrop of the Federal Reserve's interest rate cut cycle, the one-month Hong Kong Interbank Offered Rate (HIBOR) has rebounded, with the average for the fourth quarter so far at 3.19%, up 113 basis points from the third quarter, providing strong support for banks' net interest income [1] - It is anticipated that net interest income for Hong Kong bank stocks in the fourth quarter will exceed that of the third quarter, with market forecasts likely to be revised upwards [1] Group 3: Credit Risk - UBS warns that while net interest income for Hong Kong bank stocks has improved, the risk of non-performing loans has also increased in the second half of the year, leading to an upward adjustment in credit cost forecasts for Bank of China Hong Kong and Bank of East Asia [1]