PAB(SZ:000001) ZHESHANG SECURITIES·2025-03-15 15:10Investment Rating - The investment rating for Ping An Bank is "Buy" (maintained) [7][26]. Core Views - Ping An Bank's revenue decline has narrowed, and the bad debt generation has shown a downward turning point [1]. - The bank's 2024 net profit attributable to shareholders decreased by 4.2% year-on-year, with revenue down by 10.9%, but the decline is less severe compared to the first three quarters of 2024 [2]. - The non-performing loan (NPL) ratio at the end of 2024 was 1.06%, remaining stable compared to the end of Q3 2024, with a provision coverage ratio of 251% [1][3]. Summary by Sections Revenue and Profitability - In 2024, Ping An Bank's net profit attributable to shareholders decreased by 4.2%, and revenue fell by 10.9%, but the decline rate has improved by 1.6 percentage points compared to the first three quarters of 2024 [2]. - Other non-interest income grew significantly by 68.7% year-on-year, driven by strong performance in the bond market in Q4 [2]. - The bank's net interest margin (NIM) for Q4 2024 was 1.70%, a significant decrease of 17 basis points from Q3 2024, primarily due to a decline in asset yields [3]. Asset Quality - The NPL ratio, attention rate, and overdue rate at the end of Q4 2024 were stable at 1.06%, 1.93%, and 1.52%, respectively, indicating an improvement in asset quality [4][3]. - The true NPL generation rate improved by 12 basis points to 2.53%, suggesting that the pressure on bad debt generation has peaked and is now declining [4]. Earnings Forecast and Valuation - The forecast for net profit attributable to shareholders for 2025-2027 is expected to grow by -1.11%, 5.07%, and 5.36%, respectively, with corresponding book values per share (BPS) of 23.37, 24.97, and 26.69 yuan [5]. - The current price corresponds to a price-to-book (PB) ratio of 0.51, 0.48, and 0.45 for the years 2025-2027, with a target price of 14.00 yuan per share, indicating a potential upside of 17% [5].