Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2026-01-20 06:20Core Viewpoint - The report from Guotai Junan predicts that the revenue and net profit growth rate for listed banks in 2025 will be 1.5% and 2.2% respectively, benefiting from stable interest margins and declining credit costs [1][2] Revenue and Profit Forecast - The expected revenue and net profit growth rates for the sample banks (26 listed banks) in 2025 are 1.5% and 2.2%, which represent an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to the first three quarters of 2025 [2] - The net interest income growth is projected to turn positive, with an expected annual growth rate of 0.3%, improving from a negative growth of -0.6% in the first three quarters of 2025 [1][2] Asset Growth - For Q4 2025, the growth rates of interest-earning assets and loans are expected to be 9.04% and 8.07% respectively, showing a slight decline from Q3 2025 [2] - By the end of December 2025, the growth rates for loans and bond investments are projected to be 6.9% and 16.4%, respectively, both lower than the end of September 2025 [2] Interest Margin - The interest margin for 2025 is expected to stabilize at 1.40%, with the net interest income growth projected to improve to 0.3% for the year [2] - The stability in interest margin is attributed to the repricing of high-cost long-term deposits and a stable Loan Prime Rate (LPR) [2] Non-Interest Income - The growth rate for non-interest income is expected to be 4.8% in 2025, a decrease of 2.8 percentage points compared to the first three quarters of 2025 [3] - The attractiveness of dividend insurance products is expected to drive growth in fee income through the bancassurance channel [3] Asset Quality - The credit cost for 2025 is projected to be 0.58%, a decrease of 8 basis points compared to the first three quarters of 2025 [4] - The non-performing loan (NPL) ratio is expected to remain stable at 1.21%, with a slight decrease in the provision coverage ratio to 239.1% [4] Investment Recommendations - For 2026, the investment focus in the banking sector includes identifying banks with potential for growth, recommending Ningbo Bank, China Merchants Bank, and Nanjing Bank [4] - Emphasis on banks with convertible bond expectations, recommending Chongqing Bank and Changshu Bank [4] - Continuation of dividend strategies is anticipated, recommending Bank of Communications, Jiangsu Bank, and others [4]