CUB - City Union Bank

📊 NSE: CUB 🏢 Banks - Private Sector 📅 Last Updated: 12/13/2025 21:05

💰 Financial Performance

Revenue Growth by Segment

Total Interest Income grew 15% YoY to INR 3,258.5 Cr in H1 FY26. Segmental loan book composition includes SME at 41% (INR 23,599 Cr), Retail banking at 26% (INR 14,965 Cr), Corporate banking at 18% (INR 10,360 Cr), and Agriculture/Inclusive banking at 15% (INR 8,634 Cr). Interest on Loans specifically grew 18% YoY to INR 2,622 Cr in H1 FY26.

Geographic Revenue Split

High regional concentration with 67% of total advances (INR 38,565 Cr) originating from Tamil Nadu as of September 30, 2025. Approximately 83% of the 889 branches are located in South India, with 57% of branches situated in semi-urban and rural areas.

Profitability Margins

Net Interest Margin (NIM) stood at 3.59% in H1 FY26, slightly down from 3.60% in FY25. Return on Assets (RoA) improved to 1.57% in H1 FY26 from 1.55% in FY25. Return on Equity (RoE) increased to 13.15% in H1 FY26 from 12.63% in FY25. Net Profit for H1 FY26 was INR 635 Cr, a 15% increase from INR 550 Cr in H1 FY25.

EBITDA Margin

Operating Profit (Gross Profit) for FY25 was INR 1,678.6 Cr, representing an 11% YoY growth from INR 1,516.7 Cr. Operating expenses grew 17% YoY in H1 FY26 to INR 873.3 Cr, driven by capacity creation in retail and MSME verticals.

Capital Expenditure

Planned expansion includes the addition of approximately 75 branches per year to the existing network of 889 branches. Capital position is strong with a Networth of INR 9,926 Cr as of September 30, 2025, up 4.8% from INR 9,467 Cr in March 2025.

Credit Rating & Borrowing

Long-term rating of 'AA-' (High Degree of Safety) and short-term rating of 'A1+' (Very Strong Degree of Safety) assigned by CARE and ICRA. Cost of average interest-bearing funds increased to 5.73% in H1 FY26 from 5.55% in FY25 due to a lower CASA ratio of 28.1%.

⚙️ Operational Drivers

Raw Materials

Cost of Deposits represents the primary 'raw material' cost, with interest expense on deposits growing 21% YoY to INR 1,895 Cr in H1 FY26. CASA deposits account for 28.1% of the total deposit base.

Import Sources

Not applicable as CUB is a financial institution sourcing deposits primarily from retail customers in South India.

Key Suppliers

Not applicable. The bank relies on a granular retail deposit franchise where 67% of term deposits have a ticket size of less than INR 1 Cr.

Capacity Expansion

Current branch network stands at 889 branches and 1,709 ATMs as of September 30, 2025. The bank plans to maintain a growth trajectory of adding 75 new branches annually to increase its physical footprint.

Raw Material Costs

Interest expenses on deposits grew 21% YoY to INR 1,895 Cr in H1 FY26. Total interest expenses rose 16% YoY to INR 1,966.7 Cr. The bank's procurement strategy focuses on granular retail deposits to maintain a stable resource profile.

Manufacturing Efficiency

Cost-to-income ratio is targeted in the range of 48% to 50%. Employee costs grew 19% YoY to INR 425 Cr in H1 FY26 due to the creation of specialized sales verticals for Retail and MSME.

Logistics & Distribution

Distribution is handled through 889 branches and digital channels. Digital banking investments are being prioritized to reduce future operating costs and enhance customer interface.

📈 Strategic Growth

Expected Growth Rate

15%

Growth Strategy

Growth will be achieved by maintaining a rate 2-3% above the industry average through the expansion of the 'Secured Retail' vertical, leveraging the BCG-led project for sourcing/processing capacity, and continuing the SME-focused lending strategy (41% of book). The bank is also adding 75 branches annually to deepen market penetration.

Products & Services

MSME loans, Gold loans (28% of advances), Agriculture loans, Corporate banking, Retail banking (Secured Retail), and Digital banking services.

Brand Portfolio

City Union Bank (CUB).

New Products/Services

Expansion of the 'Secured Retail' vertical, which is expected to break even in FY26 and contribute to RoA growth starting in FY27.

Market Expansion

Targeting growth in new geographies beyond South India while maintaining the current pace of 75 branch additions per year.

Market Share & Ranking

CUB holds a market share of approximately 0.3% in net advances and total deposits as of September 30, 2025.

Strategic Alliances

Obtained a US$50 million commitment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support MSMEs in adopting energy-efficient solutions.

🌍 External Factors

Industry Trends

The industry is shifting toward digital banking and transitioning to ECL-based loan loss provisioning. CUB is positioned with a strong capital base (21.68% CRAR) to manage this transition.

Competitive Landscape

Competes with other private sector banks (PVBs). CUB's NIM of 3.59% is competitive, though its funding costs are slightly higher than the PVB average due to a lower CASA ratio.

Competitive Moat

Durable moat derived from a 120-year-old retail franchise and a granular deposit base (67% of term deposits < INR 1 Cr). This provides a stable, low-cost funding source compared to bulk-deposit-dependent peers.

Macro Economic Sensitivity

Sensitive to SME sector health and interest rate cycles. A 1% change in interest rates impacts the cost of funds, which stood at 5.73% in H1 FY26.

Consumer Behavior

Shift toward digital banking is allowing the bank to reduce operating costs and enhance customer engagement through digital interfaces.

Geopolitical Risks

Prevailing geopolitical conditions and tariff impacts on export-oriented SME sectors could adversely affect asset quality metrics.

⚖️ Regulatory & Governance

Industry Regulations

Subject to RBI's IRAC norms and the upcoming transition to Expected Credit Loss (ECL) provisioning. The bank maintains an excess SLR of INR 7,000 Cr (11% of NDTL) over regulatory requirements.

Environmental Compliance

Financed Green/Solar ventures to the extent of ~INR 450 Cr (0.85% of total advances) in FY25. ESG focus includes solar rooftop installations and reducing plastic use.

Taxation Policy Impact

Provision for tax was INR 160 Cr in H1 FY26, compared to INR 143 Cr in H1 FY25, representing an 11.9% increase.

Legal Contingencies

The bank reported no instances of regulatory fines for misconduct and has a 100% redressal rate for investor complaints in FY25.

⚠️ Risk Analysis

Key Uncertainties

The 'vulnerable book' (SMA 0, 1, and 2) remains sizeable at 5.6% of total advances (INR 3,223 Cr), which could impact future asset quality if economic conditions worsen.