Axis Bank Q3 Preview: PAT Seen Falling 8% YoY on Margin Pressure; Loan Growth Recovery Expected
**Market Update: Axis Bank Q3 FY25 Performance Brief**
**Headline Results: Mixed Numbers, Stock Under Pressure**
Axis Bank delivered a muted Q3 FY25 report card, largely missing street estimates. While profitability showed modest growth, the lender grappled with slower balance sheet expansion and margin compression, triggering a sharp correction in its stock price.
**Key Financial Metrics**
* **Net Profit:** Reported at **₹6,304 crore**, up **4%** year-on-year (YoY). This fell short of broader analyst expectations for stronger bottom-line growth.
* **Net Interest Income (NII):** Rose **9%** YoY to **₹13,606 crore**, supported by loan assets but weighed down by higher funding costs.
* **Net Interest Margin (NIM):** Compressed to **3.93%**, down **6 basis points** sequentially. The squeeze reflects the ongoing industry-wide challenge of rising deposit costs outpacing yield improvements.
**Business Growth vs. Expectations**
* **Loan Growth:** Advances grew **9%** YoY to **₹10.14 lakh crore**, significantly lagging the earlier projected **14%** rebound. Retail and SME segments drove the bulk of this growth, while corporate lending remained sluggish.
* **Deposit Growth:** Deposits increased **9%** YoY, barely keeping pace with loan growth. This effectively dashed hopes of the bank outboundarying the industry average significantly this quarter.
**Asset Quality & Provisions**
* **Gross NPA:** Improved to **1.46%** (down **12 bps** YoY).
* **Net NPA:** Stable at **0.35%**.
* **Provisioning Spike:** Provisions for bad loans jumped **110%** to **₹2,155 crore**, a key factor dragging down net profit growth despite healthy operating numbers.
**Market Reaction**
Investors reacted negatively to the sluggish credit growth and margin pressure. The stock dropped approximately **3.5% to 5%** following the announcement, touching new 52-week lows as brokerages adjusted their outlooks downward.
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**Watch: Axis Bank Q3 Earnings Breakdown**
[Axis Bank Q3 Results 2025: PAT Grows 3.8% YoY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTv6P6RIpsM)
This video provides a concise visual summary of the earnings report, highlighting the specific areas where the bank missed analyst estimates.
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