(Bloomberg) -- One of South Africa’s newest banks is planning to almost double the number of customers and boost its lending book as it seeks to lift profit to 3 billion rand ($173 million) by 2029.  Six-year-old Discovery Bank, a unit of insurer Discovery Ltd., broke even in the second half of its fiscal year that ended June 30, a year earlier than expected. For the full year, the lender shrank its loss to 68 million rand and plans to leverage its existing 1.2 million clients and the 1,000 new customers ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q1 2025, the company reported net income of $0.70 per diluted share, a significant improvement from a net loss of $0.83 per diluted share in Q1 2024 [4] - Interest income increased by $23.6 million to $22 million in Q1 2025, compared to a net loss of $1.6 million in Q1 2024, driven by higher rates [5] - Earnings available for distribution rose to $0.41 per diluted common share in Q1 2025 from negative $0.46 per diluted share in the same period of 2024 [5] - Cash available for distribution was $0.45 per diluted common share in Q1 2025, down from $0.60 per diluted common share in Q1 2024 [5] - Book value per share increased by 1.47% from Q4 2024 to $17.22 per diluted common share, primarily due to unrealized gains on preferred stock investments [6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The portfolio consists of 85 investments with a total outstanding balance of $1.2 billion, allocated as follows: 49.4% multifamily, 31.9% life sciences, 15.6% single-family rental, 1.6% storage, 0.9% specialty manufacturing, and 0.6% marina [8] - The assets collateralizing investments are 75.2% stabilized with a loan-to-value ratio of 58.7% and a weighted average debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) of 1.46 times [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the life sciences sector, lab leasing remains challenging due to tariff and NIH funding uncertainties, but there are signs of recovery with positive leasing momentum in specific projects [11][12] - The residential sector saw strong demand with over 138,000 units absorbed in Q1 2025, indicating a robust rental market [13] - The company has observed positive new lease growth across 40% of its rental portfolio, up from just 5% in Q4 2024 [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to focus on the residential sector and is actively pursuing opportunities in self-storage development, with expected yields between 8.1% to 8.5% [14][15] - The strategy includes underwriting shorter-term senior loans to stabilize assets and facilitate lease-up in the residential front [30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism for the residential sector over the next two to three years, despite temporary challenges in the life sciences sector [21] - The company remains active in the market and anticipates continued growth in key verticals [16] Other Important Information - The company paid a regular dividend of $0.50 per share in Q1 2025 and has declared the same for Q2 2025, with a coverage ratio of 0.9 times based on cash available for distribution [6] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you comment on the credit side and notable credit loss provision? - Management indicated that a weighted average base case and downside scenario for CECL reserve was implemented, contributing to the uptick in credit loss provision [18] Question: What is the leasing momentum for the life science project? - The project is expected to be two-thirds leased, resulting in a debt yield of nearly 11% across two tenants [23] Question: What are the future investment plans? - The company plans to focus on residential space, participating in K deals with Freddie, and underwriting opportunities in the multifamily sector [30]