RBL Bank shares rally 3% as Dubai-based Emirates NBD Bank eyes up to 20% stake
ADVERTISEMENT The stock, which has rallied more than 21% in the past month and over 64% in the past six, rose for an eighth time in nine sessions. It closed Tuesday at Rs 259.95, up 4.6%, with a market value of Rs 15,831.21 crore.
The Emirates NBD Bank PJSC is in advanced discussions to acquire a minority stake in RBL Bank through a preferential allotment. This would mark a primary capital infusion into RBL and help the Dubai-government-owned lender deepen its Asia strategy.
The deal, still under negotiation, could be similar in structure to the recent SMBC-Yes Bank investment. Emirates NBD may end up holding around 15–20% of RBL's expanded capital base, just below the open offer threshold, pending regulatory approval. That would translate to an investment of approximately Rs 3,166.24 crore. 'However, the deal is likely to take place at a premium to the current price,' people familiar with the matter told The Economic Times.
RBL Bank is entirely publicly owned, with several domestic institutions holding modest stakes. Quant Mutual Fund owns 6.65%, Nippon Life India 3.11%, ICICI Prudential Life 1.06% and LIC 1.19%. Mahindra and Mahindra acquired a 3.48% stake in 2023, while Zerodha holds 1.24%. British International Investment exited its 3.82% holding in April.
ADVERTISEMENT The Reserve Bank of India in May granted in-principle approval to Emirates NBD to convert its existing Indian branches in Chennai, Gurugram and Mumbai into a wholly owned subsidiary. The Dubai-based bank also recently launched investment banking operations in India.'There is a deep connect between UAE and India, both diplomatic and commercial. The bank has been eyeing opportunities but has not been very keen to buy into NBFCs (non-banking finance companies) unlike some of their peers,' an industry executive told The Economic Times. 'There is also a lot of synergy in wealth and other product distribution.'
ADVERTISEMENT RBL Bank, originally set up 70 years ago in Maharashtra, transformed itself into a national player beginning in 2010, focusing on credit cards and microfinance. However, its differentiated asset strategy is considered cyclical and exposed to stress in unsecured lending.In the March quarter, RBL Bank's net profit fell 80% sequentially to Rs 68.7 crore, despite a rise in other income to Rs 1,000 crore. Net interest income dropped 2.3% year-on-year to Rs 1,563 crore.
ADVERTISEMENT 'Business growth is gaining traction and slippages are expected to normalise by 2QFY26,' Nitin Aggarwal, analyst at Motilal Oswal told The Economic Times. 'Margins will be flattish to lower before it will claw back up. The trajectory is expected to improve starting FY26. The cards business is expected to grow in the mid-single digits.'
Despite the stock's recent rally, analysts say it still trades below book value and remains among the most affordable banking stocks in India, with a P/E ratio of over 21. However, sources caution that talks may not result in a deal. The lender is also exploring a capital raise from institutional investors as a fallback.
ADVERTISEMENT If successful, Emirates NBD's move will mark the second major investment from West Asia into an Indian bank this quarter. In April, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Warburg Pincus committed Rs 7,500 crore to IDFC First Bank.
Also read | Emirates NBD eyes RBL Bank stake for India, Asia play
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
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