Industry Investment Rating - Neutral | Maintain [2] Core Viewpoints - The overall operating performance of listed banks improved significantly in the first half of 2025, driven by the expansion of interest-earning assets and a low base effect from the previous year. However, the decline in net interest margin was the only drag on net profit attributable to shareholders [5][13] - The growth rate of interest-earning assets for listed banks was 9.77% year-on-year, with stable credit growth and ongoing demand for bond allocation. City commercial banks showed the most significant expansion, while rural commercial banks faced some pressure in deposit collection [5][6] - The trend of declining net interest margin has stabilized, with a slight decrease of 1.4 basis points to 1.35% in the first half of the year. The overall trend is expected to stabilize, and pressure on net interest margin is anticipated to ease in the second half of the year [5][6] Summary by Sections 1. Performance Recovery Driven by Scale, Net Interest Margin as Main Drag - In the first half of 2025, the overall revenue, pre-provision profit, and net profit attributable to shareholders of listed banks grew by 1.04%, 1.08%, and 0.80% respectively, showing a recovery compared to the first quarter [13] - City commercial banks outperformed other types of banks in terms of revenue, pre-provision profit, and net profit [13] 2. Significant Growth in Interest-Earning Assets, Weak Loan Demand - The year-on-year growth rate of interest-earning assets for listed banks was 9.77%, with stable credit growth and ongoing demand for bond allocation [5][6] 3. Stabilization of Declining Net Interest Margin Trend - The net interest margin for listed banks decreased by 1.4 basis points to 1.35% in the first half of the year, but the overall trend is stabilizing [5][6] 4. Bond Market Fluctuations Affect Non-Interest Income, Net Fee Growth Turns Positive - Non-interest income for listed banks increased by 7.01% in the first half of 2025, with significant contributions from other non-interest income [6] 5. Overall Asset Quality Stable, Credit Costs Decline Year-on-Year - The non-performing loan ratio for listed banks remained stable at 1.23%, with a slight increase for rural commercial banks [6] 6. Investment Recommendations - Focus on banks with significant deposit maturity and potential for net interest margin improvement, such as Bank of Communications and Chengdu Bank [7] - Consider state-owned banks benefiting from consumer loan interest subsidy policies, such as China Merchants Bank and Agricultural Bank of China [7]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" and is maintained [9]. Core Views - The company's mid-year performance in 2025 continues to show a double U-shaped high-quality development, with a year-on-year revenue growth of 8.6% and a net profit growth of 8.8% in the first half of the year. The second quarter saw revenue and net profit growth both exceeding 10% [2][6]. - Total assets and loan growth have improved compared to the same period last year, with loans increasing by 10.4%, driven by a significant 12.7% growth in corporate loans. The net interest margin stands at 1.86%, down 8 basis points from the full year of 2024, with an accelerating improvement in funding costs expected to stabilize the margin [2][6]. - Asset quality remains robust, with a non-performing loan ratio of 0.84% at the end of the first half, and a provision coverage ratio of 312%, indicating a strong absolute level [2][6]. - The company's current price-to-book (PB) ratio is 0.76x, with an expected dividend yield of 4.8%, highlighting its attractive valuation [2][6]. Summary by Sections Financial Performance - In the first half of 2025, the company's revenue grew by 8.6% year-on-year, with Q1 growth at 6.5% and Q2 at 10.8%. Net profit increased by 8.8%, with Q1 at 7.1% and Q2 at 10.6% [6]. - The net interest income growth was 22.1%, with significant contributions from strong credit expansion in Q2. Non-interest income saw a decline of 4.3% [13]. - The cost-to-income ratio improved, decreasing by 0.6 percentage points to 25.1% [13]. Loan and Deposit Growth - Total assets increased by 12.0% compared to the beginning of the year, with loans growing by 10.4%. Corporate loans saw a notable increase of 12.7% [13]. - Retail loans grew by 3.7%, with housing loans increasing by 8.6% due to a recovery in the Nanjing real estate market [13]. Interest Margin and Cost - The net interest margin is reported at 1.86%, with a projected stabilization due to improving funding costs. The loan yield has decreased by 24 basis points to 4.56% [13]. - The cost of deposits has decreased by 23 basis points to 2.11%, contributing to the overall improvement in the interest margin [13]. Asset Quality - The non-performing loan generation rate has decreased, reflecting an increase in low-risk loans. The corporate loan non-performing rate is at 0.65%, while retail loans are at 1.43% [13]. - The company maintains a strong asset quality profile, with a provision coverage ratio of 312% [2][6].

Core Viewpoint - Xi'an Bank (600928.SH) reported a significant increase in revenue and net profit for the first half of 2025, indicating strong financial performance and growth potential [1] Financial Performance - The total operating revenue for the first half of 2025 reached 5.205 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 43.7% [1] - The net profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company was 1.452 billion yuan, showing an increase of 8.59% compared to the previous year [1] - The basic earnings per share stood at 0.33 yuan [1]

Core Viewpoint - The banking industry is showing signs of stabilization and recovery in the first half of 2025, with improvements in revenue and profit growth expected as net interest margins stabilize and non-interest income pressures ease [1][2][3]. Group 1: Performance Overview - Hangzhou Bank reported a 3.89% year-on-year increase in revenue and a 16.67% increase in net profit attributable to shareholders for the first half of 2025 [2]. - Changshu Bank achieved a revenue of 6.062 billion yuan, a 10.10% year-on-year growth, and a net profit of 1.969 billion yuan, reflecting a 13.55% increase [2]. - Analysts predict that the overall performance of A-share listed banks will show stabilization and recovery, with a projected revenue decline of only 1.6% year-on-year for the first half of 2025, a significant improvement compared to the previous year [2][3]. Group 2: Revenue and Profit Trends - Analysts expect that the revenue and profit growth rates for listed banks will improve in the second quarter compared to the first quarter, with a forecast of a 0.6% year-on-year revenue growth in Q2 [2][3]. - The net profit for listed banks is anticipated to show a slight decline of 0.3% year-on-year for the first half, with a positive growth of 0.8% expected in Q2 [2][3]. Group 3: Net Interest Margin and Income - The net interest margin is expected to stabilize, with a projected decrease of 3-4 basis points in Q2 due to the impact of LPR adjustments [5]. - Non-interest income is anticipated to recover, with fee income expected to improve as the previous year's low base effects diminish [5][6]. Group 4: Asset Quality - Both Hangzhou Bank and Changshu Bank reported a non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 0.76%, indicating strong asset quality [6]. - The overall asset quality of banks is expected to show a trend of improvement, with public sector loans performing better than retail loans [6][7]. Group 5: Credit Growth Dynamics - The credit growth remains skewed towards corporate loans, which accounted for over 75% of new loans in Q2, while retail loans contributed only about 4% [7]. - The overall credit issuance by listed banks is expected to outperform the national average, maintaining a stable year-on-year growth [7].

Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Positive" and maintained [12]. Core Insights - The Yangtze Bank Index increased by 3.8% this week, outperforming the CSI 300 Index by 2.2% and the ChiNext Index by 2.3%. The bank index has accelerated its rise since July, indicating that the brief adjustment at the end of June was mainly due to institutional rebalancing, with solid fundamentals and core investment logic for bank stocks [2][6][18]. - The performance of city commercial banks exceeded expectations, primarily due to improved net interest margins and stable non-interest income amid bond market impacts. Overall, bank performance is expected to remain stable, with narrowing declines in net interest margins being a key highlight [8][36]. Summary by Sections Market Performance - The Yangtze Bank Index has shown a significant increase, reflecting a strong market sentiment towards bank stocks, particularly those with low price-to-book ratios such as Zheshang Bank, Minsheng Bank, and Pudong Development Bank [2][6][18]. - As of July 4, the average dividend yield of the five major state-owned banks' A-shares has decreased to 3.94%, with a spread of 229 basis points over the 10-year government bond yield. The average dividend yield for H-shares is 5.08%, indicating a more pronounced advantage for H-shares [20][23]. Earnings Outlook - The overall performance of banks is expected to remain stable, with city commercial banks maintaining their strong performance due to improved net interest margins and stable non-interest income. The decline in net interest margins is anticipated to narrow, supporting stable or improved interest income in the first half of the year [8][36][37]. - The asset quality of listed banks is expected to remain stable, with the overall non-performing loan ratio stabilizing due to rapid balance sheet expansion and write-offs. The retail loan non-performing pressure is expected to remain stable compared to last year [9][39][42]. Trading Dynamics - The trading congestion indicators for bank stocks have remained stable compared to the previous week, with a notable rotation towards low PB valuation stocks. The market's overall risk appetite has strengthened compared to previous quarters, indicating a recognition of the core investment logic [28][29].