Bank of Ningbo(SZ:002142) Guotou Securities·2025-04-10 04:34Investment Rating - The investment rating for Ningbo Bank is "Buy-A" with a target price of 28.09 CNY, compared to the current stock price of 23.36 CNY [5]. Core Views - Ningbo Bank's 2024 revenue showed a steady growth of 8.19% year-on-year, with pre-provision profit increasing by 13.92% and net profit attributable to shareholders rising by 6.23% [1][11]. - The bank's net interest margin demonstrated resilience, with a slight decrease of only 2 basis points compared to 2023, outperforming peers [8][10]. - The bank's asset quality remains stable, with a non-performing loan generation rate gradually declining, benefiting from controlled consumer credit expansion [9][10]. Summary by Sections Financial Performance - In Q4 2024, Ningbo Bank's net profit attributable to shareholders grew by 3.78% year-on-year, driven by scale expansion, widening net interest margin, and cost savings, despite a slowdown in non-interest income growth and increased taxes [1]. - The average daily balance of interest-earning assets grew by 16.01% year-on-year, although the growth rate decreased by 5.64 percentage points compared to Q3 2024 [1][8]. - The bank's non-interest income decreased by 12.3% year-on-year in Q4 2024, primarily due to a decline in other non-interest income [8]. Credit and Asset Quality - New loans in Q4 2024 totaled 214 billion CNY, a decrease of 153 billion CNY year-on-year, with both corporate and retail credit growth lagging behind 2023 levels [2][10]. - The non-performing loan ratio remained stable at 0.76%, with improvements in corporate loan asset quality [9][32]. - The provision coverage ratio decreased to 389.35%, indicating strong risk resistance capabilities [9][32]. Future Outlook - The bank is expected to achieve a revenue growth of 6.50% and a net profit growth of 5.48% in 2025, with a focus on maintaining a strong balance sheet while controlling risk [11][12]. - The dividend payout ratio has significantly increased to 22.77%, reflecting a stronger commitment to shareholder returns [10][11].