Region: India
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Fundamental View
AS OF 29 Apr 2025We are comfortable with Reliance’s large diversified scale of operations and dominant presence in various key sectors (refining, petrochemicals, retail and telecom), which allows for earnings resilience.
We believe a lackluster oils-to-chemicals outlook is well mitigated by strong outlooks for telecom and retail.
Plans to ramp up its renewable energy business could provide the next leg of growth and improve ESG perception.
Reliance incurs significant capex that has weighed on free cash flow generation, though we acknowledge its historically prudent financial management and robust credit metrics that provide ample elbowroom for some credit profile deterioration.
Business Description
AS OF 29 Apr 2025- RIL is an Indian diversified conglomerate engaged in oil & gas refining, marketing, petrochemicals, organized retail, telecom and digital services, amongst others. It is the largest company in India by revenue, profits, exports and market capitalization (INR 20 tn).
- It is the second largest refiner in India and produces petroleum products such as petrol, high-speed diesel (HSD), aviation turbine fuel (ATF), LPG and lubricants.
- It is the largest petrochemicals producer in India, boasting production of ~38 mn tons in FY20. Through its integrated Jamnagar refinery complex, it produces Polymers/Plastics, Elastomers (synthetic rubber) and Polyester products.
- It is the largest retailer in India in terms of revenue. It operates 18.8k stores (as of March 2024) to sell products ranging from consumer electronics, fashion and lifestyle, grocery, petrol retail and telecom and digital services. It launched its online retail channel, 'JioMart', in December 2019.
- Reliance Jio is the largest mobile telecom operator by subscriber base (482 mn as of March 2024) in India and boasts the widest 4G wireless network in the country.
- In 2021, RIL announced investments to the tune of INR 750 bn/ $10 bn (for next 3 years) to build a renewable energy ecosystem which will include 4 giga factories. Set to be located in Gujarat, the factories will produce solar modules, hydrogen, fuel cells and battery grid to store electricity. Long-term goals also include building 100 GW of PV solar plants by 2030.
Risk & Catalysts
AS OF 29 Apr 2025Reliance’s O2C (oil-to chemicals) margins remain under pressure from global tariff-led growth slowdown concerns and persisting oversupply conditions in China.
Reliance incurs significant capex at historically high levels, particularly from continued investments into its O2C, retail, and nascent renewables businesses. This has weighed on its free cash flow generation, though we take comfort in Reliance’s historically prudent financial management and robust credit metrics.
Reliance faces key-person risk; 65-year old Chairman Mukesh Ambani has begun to hand over the reins of the company’s different business divisions to his children.
Key Metric
AS OF 29 Apr 2025INR bn | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Debt to Book Cap | 25.9% | 26.4% | 35.3% | 33.1% | 31.9% |
Net Debt to Book Cap | 24.3% | 23.4% | 29.9% | 26.1% | 24.8% |
Debt/Total Equity | 34.9% | 35.9% | 54.5% | 49.6% | 46.9% |
Debt/Total Assets | 21.1% | 21.3% | 28.1% | 26.1% | 24.3% |
Gross Leverage | 3.5x | 2.9x | 3.2x | 2.8x | 2.9x |
Net Leverage | 3.2x | 2.6x | 2.7x | 2.2x | 2.2x |
Interest Coverage | 3.1x | 5.7x | 5.0x | 7.0x | 6.8x |
EBITDA Margin | 16.6% | 15.3% | 15.9% | 17.7% | 16.9% |
CreditSight View Comment
AS OF 29 Apr 2025We have a Market perform recommendation on Reliance (RIL); we prefer its 2032 and would avoid its 2045 and 2052. We see room for RIL 2032 to tighten 10-15 bp versus Bharti 2031 and PTTGC 2032. We like RIL’s large diversified operations and dominant market shares in key sectors (refining, retail and telecom) that boosts earnings resilience. Its growing renewable business could aid ESG investor sentiment too. While we acknowledge persisting weakness in the O2C segment and RIL’s elevated capex needs, we think the impact is mitigated by RIL’s prudent financial management and healthy credit metrics that provide ample elbowroom for some credit profile deterioration. While key man risk remains a concern, we take comfort in gradually progressing succession plans.
Recommendation Reviewed: April 29, 2025
Recommendation Changed: June 30, 2021
Who We Recommend
International Container Terminal Services Inc
BDO Unibank
Woori Financial Group


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Fundamental View
AS OF 27 Mar 2025ICICI Bank is one of the leading private banks in India and has a good diversified business model, with well regarded life and general insurance subsidiaries.
Under its previous CEO, the bank suffered setbacks from sizeable bad debt problems in FY17/18, but the situation has since stabilised following a leadership change and the bank has done well ever since.
Business Description
AS OF 27 Mar 2025- The original Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) was established in 1955 by the World Bank, the Government of India and representatives of Indian industry as a financial institution to provide Indian businesses with medium and long-term project financing.
- In 1994, ICICI established a commercial banking subsidiary, ICICI Bank as India's financial sector opened up, and in 2002 ICICI merged with ICICI Bank, keeping the latter's name.
- Retail now accounts for 52% of its loan book, corporates are at 21%, while rural and business banking & SMEs are at 6% and 19% respectively, and overseas (which is being de-emphasised) consists of just 2% at F3Q25.
- The bank has well regarded life insurance (ICICI Prudential) and general insurance (ICICI Lombard) businesses.
Risk & Catalysts
AS OF 27 Mar 2025India banking system liquidity is tight and so the Indian banks have moderated their loan growth to minimize the impact on NIMs and returns, and as the RBI has guided banks to align their loan and deposit growth. ICICI however has continued to deliver both relatively strong loan and deposit growth momentum, while maintaining its leading LDR and profitability, in testament to its strong franchise.
The RBI has commenced the rate cutting cycle with a 25 bp reduction in February, and we do anticipate more rate cuts to come through which will feed through to lower NIMs over the coming quarters.
We are cautious about Indian unsecured retail and microfinance given a stretched urban middle and lower-middle class consumer with high inflation and interest costs, and economic activity in India has slowed as we had anticipated. ICICI’s earlier prudence towards the segment than peers however is keeping asset quality well controlled. We are watchful though of the MSME and business banking segments where growth has been brisk.
Leadership and governance issues under the previous CEO Ms. Chanda Kochhar have been dealt with well, since her replacement in Oct-18.
Key Metric
AS OF 27 Mar 2025INR bn | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | 9M25 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NIM | 3.69% | 3.96% | 4.48% | 4.53% | 4.29% |
ROAA | 1.39% | 1.77% | 2.13% | 2.37% | 2.37% |
ROAE | 12.3% | 14.7% | 17.2% | 18.7% | 18.2% |
Equity/Assets | 12.0% | 12.1% | 12.6% | 12.7% | 13.4% |
CET1 Ratio | 16.7% | 17.3% | 16.9% | 15.4% | 13.9% |
Gross NPA Ratio | 4.96% | 3.60% | 2.81% | 2.16% | 1.96% |
Provisions/Loans | 2.05% | 0.97% | 0.65% | 0.30% | 0.37% |
PPP ROA | 3.13% | 2.97% | 3.28% | 3.36% | 3.41% |
CreditSight View Comment
AS OF 05 May 2025ICICI Bank is a preferred name among the Indian FIs we cover. We like the bank’s robust capital and loan loss buffers, strong asset quality, as well as peer leading margins, profitability and liquidity position. Under its previous CEO, the bank suffered setbacks from sizable bad debt problems in FY17/18 but the situation has since stabilised following a leadership change. The bank has emerged stronger from a capital, asset quality and earnings perspective, as it de-risked its book, and took pro-active actions to protect its capital by raising equity and selling small stakes in its well-regarded insurance subsidiaries to raise funds and set aside more general provisions. ICICI last issued a $ bond in 2017.
Recommendation Reviewed: May 05, 2025
Recommendation Changed: December 07, 2020
Who We Recommend
International Container Terminal Services Inc
BDO Unibank
Woori Financial Group


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Fundamental View
AS OF 27 Dec 2024The Export-Import Bank of India (EXIMBK) was founded in 1982. Its credit standing is built upon the key role it plays in the promotion of India’s cross border trade and investment development, as India’s official export credit agency.
EXIMBK is 100% owned by the Government of India. Given its crucial policy role, close governmental links and quasi-sovereign status, we view it as inconceivable that the Indian government would fail to provide EXIMBK with support in a timely manner, if needed.
Business Description
AS OF 27 Dec 2024- EXIMBK presently serves as a growth engine for the internationalization efforts of Indian businesses, facilitating the import of technology and export product development, export production, export marketing, pre- and post-shipment, as well as overseas investment.
- As at F1H25, EXIMBK's loan portfolio was principally made up of export finance (68%) and term loans to exporters (18%), with the remaining 14% split among the financing of overseas investment, import finance, and export facilitation. 44% come under the policy business/face GOI risk while the remaining 56% are to the commercial business.
- By geography, the bank has a primary exposure of 33% to Africa, 56% to Asia (mainly South Asia), 7% to Europe and the Americas, and the remaining to the rest of the world.
Risk & Catalysts
AS OF 27 Dec 2024As a quasi-sovereign issuer with backstops from the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), it is viewed as a proxy to the sovereign. Any downgrade to India’s sovereign rating will flow through to EXIMBK as well.
EXIMBK’s policy role may require it to, at times, take on exposures that could lead to financial losses. This has led to poor asset quality and high impairment charges similar to the public sector commercial banks during the years leading up to the pandemic.
Capital standing, however, is robust thanks to capital infusions from the Government of India which have been stepped up in recent years – INR 50 bn was injected in FY19, followed by infusions of INR 15 bn and INR 13 bn in FY20 and FY21 respectively. The bank received INR 7.5 bn in FY22 despite capital levels remaining strong during the year. No infusions have been made since FY23 due to the comfortable capital position.
Key Metric
AS OF 27 Dec 2024INR mn | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | 1H25 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Net Interest Margin (Annual) | 1.84% | 2.19% | 2.29% | 2.06% | 1.70% |
ROAA | 0.19% | 0.54% | 1.04% | 1.43% | 1.16% |
ROAE | 1.49% | 3.97% | 7.76% | 11.47% | 9.54% |
Equity/Assets | 13.23% | 14.12% | 12.87% | 12.06% | 12.31% |
Tier 1 Capital Ratio | 24.0% | 28.6% | 23.7% | 19.6% | 27.4% |
Gross NPA Ratio | 6.69% | 3.56% | 4.09% | 1.94% | 2.02% |
Provisions/Loans | 2.46% | 0.90% | 1.24% | 0.29% | 0.16% |
Pre-Impairment Operating Profit / Average Assets | 2.13% | 2.31% | 2.41% | 2.12% | 1.68% |
CreditSight View Comment
AS OF 06 Jan 2025Exim Bank of India is the country’s key policy bank with full government support. It provides financial assistance to exporters and importers with a view to promote trade in India. It is 100% owned by the Government of India (GoI) and is a proxy to the India sovereign in international debt markets (quasi-sovereign status). The bank cannot be liquidated without the government’s approval and has a track record of government capital infusions. The bank’s asset quality is back on track after some wobbles in previous years. Capital levels are strong. We maintain a Market perform recommendation on the bank.
Recommendation Reviewed: January 06, 2025
Recommendation Changed: January 04, 2021
Who We Recommend
International Container Terminal Services Inc
BDO Unibank
Woori Financial Group

