Guoxin Securities·2026-03-07 10:13Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform" rating for the banking sector [4][5]. Core Insights - The banking sector is expected to transition from a policy bottom to an earnings bottom, with high-quality stocks leading the value reassessment [1]. - The economic environment in 2026 is anticipated to resemble the second half of 2016, with a strong expectation for a bottoming out of the banking sector's fundamentals, although no clear upward momentum is seen yet [2]. - The pricing power of bank stocks is expected to gradually shift from insurance capital and central Huijin to public and foreign funds in 2026 [3]. Summary by Sections Historical Context - The banking sector has experienced two significant market cycles: 2016-2017 driven by a fundamental upturn and 2023-2025 characterized by defensive strategies led by insurance and ETF investments [11][12]. Fundamental Outlook - The banking sector's fundamentals are expected to stabilize, with a projected annual earnings growth of 3.0% for 2026 [8][52]. - The net interest margin has been under pressure, with a decline from approximately 2.09% in early 2022 to 1.41% in the first three quarters of 2025 [54]. Funding Outlook - Insurance capital remains the most stable and sustainable core allocation in the banking sector, although marginal growth is slowing [3]. - Central Huijin's strategy has shifted from aggressively increasing ETF holdings to a more neutral approach, while public funds are expected to adopt a structural allocation strategy [3][58]. Investment Recommendations - The report suggests selecting stocks with recovery potential, emphasizing the importance of high-dividend, stable stocks while maintaining a focus on quality recovery stocks [3][4]. - Key recommendations include China Merchants Bank, Ningbo Bank, Changsha Bank, and Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank, with a focus on Jiangsu Bank, Chengdu Bank, and Industrial Bank as stable core holdings [3][4].