TMB - T N Merc. Bank

📊 NSE: TMB 🏢 Banks - Private Sector 📅 Last Updated: 12/14/2025 14:05

💰 Financial Performance

Revenue Growth by Segment

Total Income reached INR 6,141.75 Cr in FY25, a 12% YoY increase. Interest Income grew 9% to INR 5,291 Cr. By segment (Mar'25), Agriculture advances grew 28.93% YoY to INR 18,591 Cr, Retail grew 8.35% to INR 9,186 Cr, while MSME saw a slight decline of 0.49% to INR 13,520 Cr. Total RAM (Retail, Agri, MSME) advances grew 13.19% YoY to INR 41,297 Cr.

Geographic Revenue Split

Operations are highly concentrated in Tamil Nadu, which accounts for 79.4% of total advances, 73.8% of deposits, and 73.5% of the bank's 601 branches as of March 31, 2025.

Profitability Margins

Net Profit for FY25 was INR 1,182.61 Cr, up 10% YoY. Net Interest Margin (NIM) stood at 3.83% in Q2FY26, down from 4.25% in Q2FY25. Return on Assets (ROA) was 1.85% and Return on Equity (ROE) was 13.77% as of Q2FY26.

EBITDA Margin

Operating Profit for FY25 was INR 1,745.73 Cr, up 18% YoY. Operating Profit margin (as % of Total Income) improved to 28.4% in FY25. However, Q2FY26 Operating Profit was INR 452.44 Cr, a 2.74% YoY decline due to lower recoveries from written-off accounts compared to the previous year.

Capital Expenditure

Planned investment in technology for FY26 is INR 250 Cr, a significant increase from INR 151 Cr in FY25. The bank also expanded its physical footprint to 601 branches.

Credit Rating & Borrowing

CRISIL Ratings maintains a 'Stable' outlook. The bank's Cost of Funds was 5.91% in Q2FY26, compared to 5.92% in Q2FY25. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CRAR) remains robust at 29.40% as of September 2025.

⚙️ Operational Drivers

Raw Materials

As a financial institution, 'raw materials' constitute the cost of capital. Cost of Deposits represents the primary expense at 5.90% (Q2FY26), while Cost of Funds is 5.91%.

Import Sources

Not applicable for banking operations; resources are sourced from a granular domestic depositor base.

Key Suppliers

Not applicable. The bank relies on a granular depositor base where the top 30 depositors constitute only 12% of total deposits as of FY25.

Capacity Expansion

Current branch network stands at 601 branches across 17 states and 4 Union Territories. The bank plans to open 12 new branches in the next 6 months, specifically targeting non-Tamil Nadu regions to diversify its footprint.

Raw Material Costs

Interest Expenses for H1FY26 were INR 1,622.95 Cr, up 11.47% YoY, reflecting the rising cost of maintaining a deposit base in a competitive environment.

Manufacturing Efficiency

Credit-Deposit (CD) Ratio improved to 82.64% in March 2025 from 80.72% in March 2024, indicating better utilization of the deposit base for lending.

Logistics & Distribution

Distribution is driven by digital channels; 96.79% of all transactions are now digital as of Q2FY26, up from 95.62% in Q2FY25.

📈 Strategic Growth

Expected Growth Rate

17%

Growth Strategy

Growth will be driven by a 'breakout' FY27 strategy focusing on technology upgrades (INR 250 Cr investment), expanding the branch network outside Tamil Nadu, and scaling the RAM (Retail, Agri, MSME) portfolio which already constitutes 93% of gross advances.

Products & Services

Retail loans, Agricultural credit, MSME financing, Fixed Deposits (FDs), Savings Accounts, Current Accounts, and digital banking services via the 'DEH' platform.

Brand Portfolio

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB).

New Products/Services

Implementation of a new Customer Experience (CX) platform, a Vendor Management System, and a revamped Internet Banking platform (DEH by Edgeverve) to drive fee-based income and customer retention.

Market Expansion

Targeting expansion in non-Tamil Nadu regions with 12 new branches planned in the immediate 6-month horizon and increased recruitment of local staff in new states.

Market Share & Ranking

TMB is classified as a small old private sector bank with an asset base of INR 66,450 crore as of March 2025.

Strategic Alliances

Partnerships with Manipal and IBPS for human resource recruitment and Infosys (Edgeverve) for the digital banking platform.

🌍 External Factors

Industry Trends

The industry is shifting toward Expected Credit Loss (ECL) frameworks. TMB's impact analysis suggests additional provisions of INR 517 Cr under new norms, though it currently holds INR 250 Cr in contingency provisions to buffer this shift.

Competitive Landscape

Competes with other old private sector banks and larger private banks in South India; maintains competitive edge through a 1.01% GNPA ratio, which is among the best in the market.

Competitive Moat

The bank's moat is its 100-year legacy and deep-rooted community ties in Tamil Nadu, resulting in high deposit stickiness (75% FD renewal rate) and a granular, low-cost deposit base.

Macro Economic Sensitivity

Sensitive to interest rate cycles; a 10.10% increase in interest expenses in Q2FY26 impacted Net Interest Income growth, which was flat at 0.18% YoY.

Consumer Behavior

Rapid shift to digital; digital transaction share increased to 96.79% in Q2FY26 from 95.62% YoY.

Geopolitical Risks

Minimal direct exposure, though regional political stability in South India is critical due to 73.5% branch concentration.

⚖️ Regulatory & Governance

Industry Regulations

Compliance with RBI's IRAC norms and upcoming Expected Credit Loss (ECL) guidelines. The bank maintains a CRAR of 29.40%, well above the regulatory 12% requirement.

Environmental Compliance

The bank emphasizes social responsibility and uplifting underprivileged communities as part of its corporate values.

Taxation Policy Impact

Effective tax rate for H1FY26 was approximately 25.6% (INR 213.94 Cr tax on INR 836.34 Cr PBT).

Legal Contingencies

The bank faces a long-standing ownership dispute and prolonged adjudication of cases related to shareholding, which remains a key monitorable for credit rating agencies.

⚠️ Risk Analysis

Key Uncertainties

The transition to ECL norms could require INR 517 Cr in additional provisions, potentially impacting capital adequacy by 73 basis points if the full impact is taken at once.