Axis Bank clocks marginally dip in Q4 profit, NII jumps 5 pc
Mumbai, April 25
Private lender Axis Bank on Saturday reported a 0.64 per cent drop in profitability for the March quarter of FY26, with net profit dropped 0.64 per cent year-on-year to Rs 7,071 crore.
The lender had posted a net profit of Rs 7,118 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year (Q4 FY25), according to its latest stock exchange filing.
The bank's interest income showed healthy growth during the quarter, rising 4.7 per cent to Rs 32,724 crore from Rs 31,243 crore a year ago.
At the same time, interest expenses climbed 4.7 per cent year-on-year to Rs 18,267 crore, compared to Rs 17,432 crore in year-ago period.
Net Interest Income (NII), a key measure of a bank's core earnings, stood at Rs 14,457 crore in Q4 FY26, marking a 5 per cent increase from the year-ago period. However, the Net Interest Margin (NIM) came in at 3.62 per cent, the lender said in its regulatory filing.
On the operational front, Axis Bank reported an operating profit of Rs 10,013 crore, while core operating profit stood slightly higher at Rs 10,619 crore.
Operating costs rose by 6 per cent year-on-year during the quarter, suggesting continued investment in business expansion and infrastructure.
Sequentially, the bank saw a stronger performance, with profit after tax (PAT) jumping 9 per cent compared to Rs 6,490 crore reported in the December quarter (Q3 FY26).
The bank's Board of Directors has recommended a dividend of Re 1 per equity share for the financial year ended March 31, 2026.
The payout remains subject to shareholder approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.
The shares of the private lender closed Friday's trading session at Rs 1,362, down by Rs 7.6 or 0.55 per cent.
In last five days, the shares of the firm were down by Rs 8.6 or 0.63 per cent. In last one month, the shares were up by Rs 139.90 or 11.45 per cent.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a small shareholder, I'm happy with the dividend announcement—Re 1 per share is a token but better than nothing. However, I wish the bank would focus more on reducing operating costs. They rose 6% in a single quarter, that's concerning. 🤔
Net interest margin at 3.62% is decent for a private bank in this environment. The sequential improvement of 9% in PAT shows resilience. But let's be honest—customer service at Axis needs serious improvement. Paid for premium services, still face issues. 😕
Good to see NII up 5%, but the overall profit dip is minimal—just 0.64%. In a tough quarter for banking globally, Axis has held up well. The share price has gained 11% in a month, so investors are clearly optimistic. 🏦
Respectfully, I think the management needs to control expenses better. Operating costs rising faster than NII growth is a red flag. Still, compared to some PSU banks, Axis is doing a better job. Hope they keep up the momentum. 💼
That 5% NII growth is encouraging, but I wonder how much of it is from retail vs corporate loans. Axis needs to improve its digital banking experience—the app crashes too often. But as a long-term investor, I'm holding. 🚀
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