India's finance companies' loan books to grow at 22-21 pc for next 2 years: Report

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) India's top-rated finance companies (fincos) are projected to grow their loan books at 21-22 per cent over the next two years -- higher than 11-12 per cent for banking sector loan growth, thus grabbing market share from banks, a report said on Thursday.

One driver for the sector is its strong presence in retail lending, which is still underpenetrated in India, S&P Global Ratings said in its report.

Upper-layer fincos have strong capital levels, which will support high loan growth and provide downside buffers.

"We also expect earnings momentum to sustain, with slightly higher net interest margins over the next two years. This will add to the buffer," the report said.

"Stricter underwriting standards for India's fincos will rein in growth plans and defuse risk buildup for this financial niche," said S&P Global Ratings credit analyst, Geeta Chugh.

At the same time, some slowdown in certain products is likely to continue due to a stronger focus on risk management.

This is reflected in improved underwriting--lending primarily to low-risk customers and with generally low loan approval rates.

According to the report, tighter regulatory supervision in some lending niches, including gold-backed loans, could also rein in asset expansion.

"Asset quality for fincos is holding up, though some pockets of stress persist in micro finance and unsecured loans," Chugh noted.

This stress can be attributed to rapid growth and exuberant lending practices directed toward borrowers with weak credit profiles, without adequate consideration of their repayment capacity.

The report emphasised that unsecured personal loans, particularly small-ticket loans with a higher risk appetite, have experienced increased leverage and delinquency rates.

The Reserve Bank of India’s proactive adjustments to the risk weight of unsecured retail loans, coupled with tighter underwriting standards, could lead to a slight decline in the growth rate of unsecured personal loans to approximately 8-9 per cent in the fiscal year that ended in March 2025, the report stated.

--IANS

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