Guoxin Securities·2025-09-03 05:14Investment Rating - The industry maintains an "Outperform" rating, indicating expected performance above the market benchmark [2][93]. Core Views - The report suggests that 2025 may mark the end of the current earnings downturn cycle for the banking sector, with expectations of improved fundamentals in the following year [2][90]. - The overall revenue and net profit growth for listed banks in the first half of 2025 showed a slight increase, with total operating income reaching 2.92 trillion yuan, up 1.0% year-on-year, and net profit attributable to shareholders at 1.10 trillion yuan, up 0.8% year-on-year [2][12]. - The net interest margin (NIM) for listed banks decreased by 14 basis points to 1.41% year-on-year, with expectations of a slight narrowing in the decline due to policy support and a reduction in deposit rates [2][31]. - Asset quality pressures have slightly increased, primarily in the retail sector, with rising overdue rates and an increase in non-performing loan generation rates [2][42]. Summary by Sections Overall Review - The banking sector's revenue and profit growth have rebounded, driven by improvements in non-interest income [2][12]. - The total assets of listed banks grew by 9.6% year-on-year, with significant contributions from major banks and city commercial banks [2][75]. Non-Interest Income - Fee income has stabilized after a period of decline, while other non-interest income has seen renewed growth due to favorable market conditions [2][81][85]. Industry Outlook - The report anticipates that 2025 will be a year of bottoming out for the banking sector, with a potential turning point for revenue and profit growth expected in 2026 [2][90]. - Key drivers for the sector include a slight narrowing of NIM declines, positive growth in fee income, and stable non-interest income trends [2][89]. Investment Recommendations - The report recommends focusing on high-quality cyclical stocks such as Ningbo Bank, Changshu Bank, Changsha Bank, Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank, and China Merchants Bank [2][93].