Company Name: Housing & Urban Development Corporation Ltd | NSE Code: HUDCO | BSE Code: 540530 | 52 Week high/low: 354 / 145 | CMP: INR 227 | Mcap: INR 45,551 Cr | P/BV – 2.66

HUDCO delivered an exceptional performance in Q3FY25, with its Profit After Tax (PAT) surging to INR 7.35bn, surpassing estimates of INR 6.32bn. The PAT grew by 6.7% QoQ and an impressive 41.6% YoY, driven by robust business momentum, strong Net Interest Income (NII), and significant provision writebacks due to marked improvement in asset quality.

Strong Net Interest Income and Stable Margins
NII for the quarter came in at INR 9.83bn, well above expectations of INR 8.32bn, reflecting growth of 23.3% QoQ and 47.3% YoY. This stellar growth was fueled by healthy interest income, supported by stable Net Interest Margins (NIM) at 3.19% for 9M FY25, compared to 3.2% in the same period last year.

Record AUM Growth Driven by Urban Infrastructure
The company’s Asset Under Management (AUM) reached a historical high of INR 1,189.3bn, growing 7.1% QoQ and 40.9% YoY, exceeding expectations. Urban Infrastructure emerged as the key driver, growing 6% QoQ and 72% YoY, and now accounts for 60% of AUM. Meanwhile, the Housing segment showed subdued growth of 8% QoQ and 11% YoY, though it is expected to gain momentum in Q4FY25 with disbursements under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Resilient Disbursements Despite Prior Glitch
Disbursements for the quarter stood at INR 100.6bn, registering an 11% QoQ growth following a temporary setback in Q2FY25. Urban Infrastructure disbursements were particularly robust, rising to INR 98.5bn, an increase of 22% QoQ and an astonishing 189% YoY. However, Housing disbursements remained subdued at INR 2.1bn, witnessing a decline of 78% QoQ and 66% YoY.

Moderate Sanctions and Declining Other Income
Sanctions for the quarter were recorded at INR 156.8bn, a significant 53% YoY growth, although they declined by 75% QoQ from the record levels seen in Q2FY25. Other income witnessed a decline of 63.8% QoQ and 43.5% YoY, amounting to INR 242mn.

Efficient Cost Management and Operating Performance
Operating expenses for Q3FY25 came in at INR 925mn, down 4.9% QoQ but up 26.5% YoY. The cost-to-income ratio improved to 9.2% from 11.3% in Q2FY25, reflecting better efficiency. Pre-Provision Operating Profit (PPoP) stood at INR 9.1bn, significantly above estimates of INR 8bn, with a growth of 19.3% QoQ and 43.5% YoY.

Improvement in Asset Quality and Recoveries
Asset quality saw a notable improvement, with Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPAs) declining to 1.88%, down 16bps QoQ and 126bps YoY. Absolute GNPA stock reduced by 2% QoQ and 16% YoY, to INR 22.3bn. During FY25, the company resolved four long-pending NPA accounts, recovering INR 2.6bn, bringing total recoveries to INR 4.6bn, including INR 1.7bn from six government agencies.

Status of Stressed Accounts
HUDCO continues to address stressed accounts, with INR 12.2bn worth of consortium projects under NCLT resolution and INR 0.35bn of projects outside NCLT, both fully provided for. For non-consortium projects, INR 0.3bn is under NCLT, while suit-filed or DRT cases involve projects worth INR 4.3bn, all with 100% provisions.

Valuation and Outlook
At the current market price, HUDCO is trading at an FY27E PABV of 1.9x. With a strong growth trajectory, improvement in asset quality, and robust performance in key segments, the company is well-positioned for sustained growth. We maintain our conviction BUY rating and will revisit our estimates in light of these outstanding results.