Research and consultancy, Tabbush Report

Daniel Tabbush

Research and consultancy

Tabbush Report

We provide research and consultancy on Asian banks. Our focus is on what we call “Asian bank research, without the noise.” We are interested in the most critical swing-factors for banks, the NPL and credit cycle, and where we believe there is a gap between perception and reality. We often focus on the less studied components of bank financial statements.  Our research is highly thematic, sometimes examining unlisted banks and companies as a window on mainstream banks. 

Being independent allows us to look at smaller banks, often overlooked by others. Analysis of BIS bank guidelines in the context of Asia, is also a focal point, while we also analyze global banks operating in the region. We use what we believe is the most comprehensive, reliable financials database, SNL Financial. S&P Capital IQ augments our database, with corporate data and CEIC, with economics. 

Asian bank research, without the noise.

Equity Bottom-Up

National Australia Bank / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>NAB reported its 3Q24 results with slightly lower profit, but major divergence inside the figures </li>
<li>The bank shows a staggering decline in credit costs in 3Q24, which means the results were flattered</li>
<li>This is despite a very sharp rise in bad loans in major segments, corporate and residential mortgages, up around 50% YoY annualized in 3Q24</li>
</ul>


NAB reported its 3Q24 results with slightly lower profit, but major divergence inside the figures 
The bank shows a staggering decline in credit costs in 3Q24, which means the results were flattered
This is despite a very sharp rise in bad loans in major segments, corporate and residential mortgages, up around 50% YoY annualized in 3Q24


NAB - Profit Slightly Down in 3Q, Credit Costs Collapsed, but Bad Loans Are Rising Significantly

<ul>
<li>NAB holds significantly more maturing debt in the coming year than its largest 3 peer banks in Australia and also more than the 3 banks in Singapore, by comparison</li>
<li>The bank has grown its business loans aggressively, which can see lumpy bad loans in a poor economy, with high unseasoned loans, yet its HoH credit costs were flat</li>
<li>CRE loans are meaningful at NAB, adding another risk to maturing debt at the top of the rate cycle with what appears to optimistic credit costs in recent results</li>
</ul>


NAB holds significantly more maturing debt in the coming year than its largest 3 peer banks in Australia and also more than the 3 banks in Singapore, by comparison
The bank has grown its business loans aggressively, which can see lumpy bad loans in a poor economy, with high unseasoned loans, yet its HoH credit costs were flat
CRE loans are meaningful at NAB, adding another risk to maturing debt at the top of the rate cycle with what appears to optimistic credit costs in recent results


NAB - Maturing Debt AUD40bn | At Top of Rate Cycle | With High Unseasoned Loans, CRE Loans

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/asx-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:552:1" rel="noopener">ASX Ltd (ASX AU)</a> is seeing weakness across key revenue items with best delta in what is non- core, net interest income. Suddenly, its operating cash flow is negative. </li>
<li>New listings are down from 217 companies to 57 companies YoY to FY23 and their market capitalization is down from AUD59bn to AUD3bn YoY to FY23. </li>
<li>SG&amp;A costs seem to be rising structurally now at 28% of gross profit in FY23 compared with 23% in FY22 and compared with 17-19% in preceding years. </li>
</ul>



ASX Ltd (ASX AU) is seeing weakness across key revenue items with best delta in what is non- core, net interest income. Suddenly, its operating cash flow is negative. 
New listings are down from 217 companies to 57 companies YoY to FY23 and their market capitalization is down from AUD59bn to AUD3bn YoY to FY23. 
SG&amp;A costs seem to be rising structurally now at 28% of gross profit in FY23 compared with 23% in FY22 and compared with 17-19% in preceding years. 


ASX - New Listings Big Decline, SG&A Costs Up Substantially, Best Income Delta Is Non-Core

<ul>
<li>The results for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-of-queensland-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16606:1" rel="noopener">Bank Of Queensland (BOQ AU)</a> are illustrative of risks for the mainstream banks in Australia and market expectations</li>
<li>Even with almost all residential mortgage loans, BOQ's credit costs rose from AUD13m to AUD71m YoY and Pillar 3 data shows mortgage NPLs up nearly 10% in past 2 months</li>
<li>Net interest income only +6% YoY and -8% HoH, with operating costs +8% YoY and fee income down, there is nothing core holding the P&amp;L together</li>
</ul>


The results for Bank Of Queensland (BOQ AU) are illustrative of risks for the mainstream banks in Australia and market expectations
Even with almost all residential mortgage loans, BOQ's credit costs rose from AUD13m to AUD71m YoY and Pillar 3 data shows mortgage NPLs up nearly 10% in past 2 months
Net interest income only +6% YoY and -8% HoH, with operating costs +8% YoY and fee income down, there is nothing core holding the P&amp;L together


BOQ - Illustrative of Australia Bank Risks Even for Nearly Pure Mortgage Lender and Mkt Expectations

<ul>
<li>QBE Insurance is seeing a deteriorating combined operating ratio, in part due to CAT events and it unclear to us how underwriting, exposures will immediately improve</li>
<li>Net profit is nearly static, USD750m in FY21, USD770m in FY22. USD400m profit in 1H23 may note repeat in 2H23, due in part to USD700m more debt in interim.</li>
<li>North America net earned premiums are seeing far more distribution toward Commercial, where the COR is especially poor at 109% in 1H23</li>
</ul>


QBE Insurance is seeing a deteriorating combined operating ratio, in part due to CAT events and it unclear to us how underwriting, exposures will immediately improve
Net profit is nearly static, USD750m in FY21, USD770m in FY22. USD400m profit in 1H23 may note repeat in 2H23, due in part to USD700m more debt in interim.
North America net earned premiums are seeing far more distribution toward Commercial, where the COR is especially poor at 109% in 1H23


QBE Insurance - COR 109% in N America Commercial, Where Growth Is High | Debt Surges USD700m in 1H23

Australia

Challenger Limited is an investment management firm  The Company offers annuities and other retirement income products as well as manages assets for domestic and international clients.

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Challenger Ltd (CGF AU)

NAB - Profit Slightly Down in 3Q, Credit Costs Collapsed, but Bad Loans Are Rising Significantly

NAB reported its 3Q24 results with profit down slightly, but the figure is exaggerated with sharply lower credit costs, despite much higher bad...

Daniel Tabbush

NAB - Maturing Debt AUD40bn | At Top of Rate Cycle | With High Unseasoned Loans, CRE Loans

NAB has more maturity debt than large peers, which can mean worse NIM impact when refinancing at the top of the rate cycle. Business loan growth...

Daniel Tabbush

ASX - New Listings Big Decline, SG&A Costs Up Substantially, Best Income Delta Is Non-Core

New listings in major decline, operating cash flow just turned negative, with SG&A moving well higher. Key profit delta is non-core and not likely...

Daniel Tabbush

BOQ - Illustrative of Australia Bank Risks Even for Nearly Pure Mortgage Lender and Mkt Expectations

Results today show the rampant deterioration in credit metrics, causing profit to fall 70% YoY, with other factors also at play. Read-through to...

Daniel Tabbush

QBE Insurance - COR 109% in N America Commercial, Where Growth Is High | Debt Surges USD700m in 1H23

COR is now at 109% in North America Commercial segment, where growth of premiums is especially high. Debt is now rising, this is new, up USD700m in...

Daniel Tabbush

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