Group 1 - HSBC Holdings plans to privatize Hang Seng Bank with approximately HKD 106 billion, amidst market speculation regarding Hang Seng's real estate bad debts, despite management's insistence on no connection [1] - Hang Seng Bank's financial report indicates an increase in provisions, expecting credit losses of HKD 4.86 billion, with HKD 2.54 billion attributed to Hong Kong commercial real estate [1] - The total impaired loans for Hang Seng reached HKD 54.82 billion, with HKD 25 billion already impaired in Hong Kong commercial real estate [1] Group 2 - HSBC Holdings anticipates a credit loss of HKD 1.9 billion for the first half of the year, an increase of HKD 0.9 billion compared to the first half of 2024, reflecting updated models for expected credit losses [2] - The bond maturity scale for Hong Kong real estate developers is projected to rise from USD 4.2 billion this year to USD 7.1 billion next year, indicating a nearly 70% increase in repayment pressure [2] - The real estate sector accounts for about one-quarter of Hong Kong's GDP, and rising defaults could impact the economic outlook and creditors, including HSBC [2] Group 3 - Analysts predict more defaults among small developers in Hong Kong due to tightened bank lending, with office and retail asset valuations dropping over 50% since their peak in 2019 [3] - Major developers like New World Development and Lai Sun Development face significant bond repayment obligations in the coming years, with New World expected to repay USD 168 million next year and USD 630 million by 2027 [3] - Several small developers have high net debt ratios, with Kaiming Group at 213.6%, indicating financial strain [3] Group 4 - The Hong Kong Monetary Authority believes that the credit risk associated with commercial real estate loans is manageable, with most exposures directed towards financially stable large local enterprises [4] - Banks have implemented credit risk buffers for loans to small and medium-sized developers, with most loans secured by collateral [4] Group 5 - The calculation of "expected credit losses" is primarily an accounting measure and does not necessarily indicate bad debts, suggesting a more nuanced view of bank asset quality is needed [5] - The specific classified loan ratio has risen from 0.89% at the end of 2021 to around 2%, still significantly lower than the 7.43% seen after the Asian financial crisis in 1999 [5]

Group 1 - UBS forecasts a significant decline in Hang Seng Bank's (00011) earnings per share for the first half of this year due to compression in net interest income (NII) and an expected rise in expected credit loss (ECL) expenses [1] - The bank is currently trading at 1.3 times the one-year forward price-to-book ratio, with a target price of HKD 112 and an estimated dividend yield of 5.4% for 2025 based on the target price [1] - Hang Seng Bank is expected to announce a new share buyback plan alongside its earnings report on July 30, despite a weak profit outlook [1] Group 2 - UBS notes that the Hong Kong Interbank Offered Rate (HIBOR) has remained below 1% for a month, deviating from seasonal patterns, and predicts HIBOR will stabilize between 2% and 2.5% by year-end [2] - As a result of the low HIBOR environment, UBS has revised down its forecast for Hang Seng Bank's NII for 2025, while slightly increasing the forecast for non-interest income due to potential boosts in net fee income and trading income [2] - UBS has also slightly raised its estimate for ECL expenses for Hang Seng Bank in light of cautious views on non-performing loan (NPL) risks [2]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Buy" (maintained) [1] Core Views - The company aims to achieve an average tangible equity return of approximately 15% over the three-year period from 2025 to 2027, excluding the impact of notable items. The forecast for net interest income from banking operations in 2025 is approximately $42 billion, with expected credit loss provisions ranging from 30 to 40 basis points of average loans [4][5] - The company plans to maintain a common equity tier 1 capital ratio between 14% and 14.5% and a target payout ratio of 50% for 2025. A share buyback plan of up to $2 billion is expected to be completed before the announcement of Q1 2025 results [4][5] - The company has repurchased a total of $20 billion in shares between 2023 and 2024, representing about 11% of shares outstanding as of the end of 2022 [4][5] Financial Performance Summary - For the fiscal year 2024, total revenue is projected to be $65.9 billion, with a year-on-year growth of -0.3%. The net profit attributable to ordinary shareholders is expected to be $22.9 billion, reflecting a 2.2% increase year-on-year [5][6] - The diluted earnings per share (EPS) for 2024 is estimated at $1.24, with dividends per share projected at $0.87 [5][6] - The company reported a net interest margin of 1.56% for 2024, a decrease of 10 basis points compared to 2023, with net interest income of $43.7 billion, down $4 billion year-on-year [4][5]