Financials & FinTech research, Galliano’s Financials Research

Victor Galliano

Financials & FinTech research

Financials & FinTech, EM & Developed Markets

Galliano’s Financials Research

Galliano's Financials Research provides fundamental research in Emerging Markets financials, including FinTech, as well as financials in select Developed Markets.

The investment style applied is generally value oriented, although Growth At Reasonable Price (GARP) strategies can also be used where appropriate. 

Our investment research approach aim is often contrarian, looking to capitalise on overly sceptical or optimistic consensus views. In terms of valuation techniques, the focus is on PBV ratio to ROE, PE multiples and dividend yield, as well as the application of PEG ratios and, where appropriate, Sum of the Parts (SOTP) valuations.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Our proprietary scorecard applies a series of metrics related to valuation, returns, capital adequacy, funding, liquidity and credit quality to generate rankings in an investment valuation scorecard</li>
<li>Driven by the scorecard results, we keep Baroda on the buy list adding Canara and UBI, with the latter two replacing Bandhan and PNB previously on the buy list</li>
<li>We remove Kotak Mahindra from the sell list; IndusInd ranks bottom on the scorecard, but we feel that a lot of bad news is now discounted, limiting further downside risk</li>
</ul>


Our proprietary scorecard applies a series of metrics related to valuation, returns, capital adequacy, funding, liquidity and credit quality to generate rankings in an investment valuation scorecard
Driven by the scorecard results, we keep Baroda on the buy list adding Canara and UBI, with the latter two replacing Bandhan and PNB previously on the buy list
We remove Kotak Mahindra from the sell list; IndusInd ranks bottom on the scorecard, but we feel that a lot of bad news is now discounted, limiting further downside risk


Indian Banks: Adding Canara and UBI to the Buy List, Dropping Bandhan and PNB

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
Context: This article provides an update on a previously identified pair trading opportunity between <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/icici-lombard-general-insura" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25882:1" rel="noopener">ICICI Lombard (ICICIGI IN)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sbi-life-insurance-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25899:1" rel="noopener">SBI Life (SBILIFE IN)</a>, based on statistical mean reversion analysis.</li>
<li>
Key Insights: The trade has now reached its exit signal as the price ratio reverted to its one-standard deviation band, yielding a +9% return.</li>
<li>
Why Read It: For investors interested in quantitative trading strategies, this article demonstrates how statistical arbitrage can generate short-term alpha and highlights actionable similar opportunities in the current market.</li>
</ul>



Context: This article provides an update on a previously identified pair trading opportunity between ICICI Lombard (ICICIGI IN) and SBI Life (SBILIFE IN), based on statistical mean reversion analysis.

Key Insights: The trade has now reached its exit signal as the price ratio reverted to its one-standard deviation band, yielding a +9% return.

Why Read It: For investors interested in quantitative trading strategies, this article demonstrates how statistical arbitrage can generate short-term alpha and highlights actionable similar opportunities in the current market.


ICICI Lombard (ICICIGI IN) Vs. SBI Life (SBILIFE IN): Mean Reversion Delivers Gains, Trade Exit

Market & Forensics Analyst, Beat the Street

Nimish Maheshwari

Market & Forensics Analyst

Beat the Street

Beat The Street was founded by Nimish Maheshwari and Sudarshan Bhandari, both of whom are Chartered Accountants by Profession, known for their expert analysis in the fields of Business, Sectoral analysis, and Corporate governance.

With a strong social media presence of 45,000+ Subscribers across various platforms, they are considered trusted voices in the industry. Their insights and analysis have been featured in some of India’s most prominent publications, including the Economic Times, Dalal Street Investment Journal, The Morning Context, and The Ken.

Their analysis on Bankrupt & Insolvent companies has been instrumental in saving investors from significant losses. They have a keen eye for identifying red flags and has identified exclusive redflags earlier in Vedanta, Nykaa, Dhani Services, Adani and many more.

Read Business Not Stock Prices

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The banking sector will likely see earnings growth bottom out in FY26, with the second half potentially performing better than the first half as deposit rate reductions eventually flow through.</li>
<li>This divergence between declining lending rates and sticky deposit costs is the core driver of NIM compression.</li>
<li>This monetary easing is expected to exert downward pressure on banks' lending yields, impacting NIMs, particularly in the first half of fiscal year 2026 (1HFY26). </li>
</ul>


The banking sector will likely see earnings growth bottom out in FY26, with the second half potentially performing better than the first half as deposit rate reductions eventually flow through.
This divergence between declining lending rates and sticky deposit costs is the core driver of NIM compression.
This monetary easing is expected to exert downward pressure on banks' lending yields, impacting NIMs, particularly in the first half of fiscal year 2026 (1HFY26). 


Impact of Rate Cut on Indian Banking Sector: NIMs & Earnings to Contract Further Amid Slowdown

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will announce its monetary policy decision on Friday, June 6, 2025. Market consensus expects a rate cut to 5.75%.</li>
<li>Analysis of the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nse-nifty-bank-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26811:1" rel="noopener">NSE Nifty Bank Index</a> over the past decade shows consistent negative returns on rate decision days when a cut is expected—regardless of whether the cut is delivered.</li>
<li>This Insight highlights actionable insights for traders by revealing historical patterns in the Nifty Bank Index’s behavior on RBI rate decision days and breaking down market reactions by scenario.</li>
</ul>


The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will announce its monetary policy decision on Friday, June 6, 2025. Market consensus expects a rate cut to 5.75%.
Analysis of the NSE Nifty Bank Index over the past decade shows consistent negative returns on rate decision days when a cut is expected—regardless of whether the cut is delivered.
This Insight highlights actionable insights for traders by revealing historical patterns in the Nifty Bank Index’s behavior on RBI rate decision days and breaking down market reactions by scenario.


This Friday’s RBI Decision: Nifty Bank Slips Either Way, History Suggests

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Akshat Shah

APAC IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

Niva Bupa Health Insurance / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/niva-bupa-health-insurance" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:43716:1" rel="noopener">Niva Bupa Health Insurance (1226871D IN)</a> (Niva Bupa) raised around US$260m in its India IPO in Nov 2024. The lockup on its pre-IPO investors is set to expire soon.</li>
<li>Niva Bupa is a health insurance firm. Its portfolio consists of health (including retail and group), personal accident, and travel insurance.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the lockup dynamics, possible placement and updates since our last note.</li>
</ul>



Niva Bupa Health Insurance (1226871D IN) (Niva Bupa) raised around US$260m in its India IPO in Nov 2024. The lockup on its pre-IPO investors is set to expire soon.
Niva Bupa is a health insurance firm. Its portfolio consists of health (including retail and group), personal accident, and travel insurance.
In this note, we will talk about the lockup dynamics, possible placement and updates since our last note.


Niva Bupa Health Insurance IPO Lockup-Bunch of PE Investors Could Pare Around US$500m Worth of Stock

India

Punjab National Bank provides financial services such as corporate and personal banking, industrial finance, agricultural finance, financing of trade and international banking. The Company provides services to domestic conglomerates, medium and small industrial units, exporters, non-resident Indians and multinational companies.

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Punjab National Bank (PNB IN)

Indian Banks: Adding Canara and UBI to the Buy List, Dropping Bandhan and PNB

Our proprietary scorecard places Baroda, Canara, and UBI on the buy list, replacing Bandhan and UBI; Kotak Mahindra is no longer on the sell list....

Victor Galliano

ICICI Lombard (ICICIGI IN) Vs. SBI Life (SBILIFE IN): Mean Reversion Delivers Gains, Trade Exit

Update on the pair trading opportunity between ICICI Lombard and SBI Life shows the trade has reached its exit signal with a profit, highlighting...

Gaudenz Schneider

Impact of Rate Cut on Indian Banking Sector: NIMs & Earnings to Contract Further Amid Slowdown

Banking sector earnings growth expected to improve in FY26 as deposit rate reductions flow through, but NIM compression likely due to declining...

Nimish Maheshwari

This Friday’s RBI Decision: Nifty Bank Slips Either Way, History Suggests

RBI set to announce rate decision on June 6, with expectations of a cut to 5.75%. Analysis shows negative returns in the Nifty Bank Index on rate...

Gaudenz Schneider

Niva Bupa Health Insurance IPO Lockup-Bunch of PE Investors Could Pare Around US$500m Worth of Stock

PE fund True North (via Fettle Tone) and Niva Bupa's MD and CEO, Krishnan Ramachandran have launched a INR10.8bn (US$126m) block of 132m shares or...

Akshat Shah

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Indian Banks: Adding Canara and UBI to the Buy List, Dropping Bandhan and PNB

​Our proprietary scorecard places Baroda, Canara, and UBI on the buy list, replacing Bandhan and UBI; Kotak Mahindra is no longer on the sell list....

Victor Galliano

ICICI Lombard (ICICIGI IN) Vs. SBI Life (SBILIFE IN): Mean Reversion Delivers Gains, Trade Exit

Update on the pair trading opportunity between ICICI Lombard and SBI Life shows the trade has reached its exit signal with a profit, highlighting...

Gaudenz Schneider

Impact of Rate Cut on Indian Banking Sector: NIMs & Earnings to Contract Further Amid Slowdown

​Banking sector earnings growth expected to improve in FY26 as deposit rate reductions flow through, but NIM compression likely due to declining...

Nimish Maheshwari

This Friday’s RBI Decision: Nifty Bank Slips Either Way, History Suggests

​RBI set to announce rate decision on June 6, with expectations of a cut to 5.75%. Analysis shows negative returns in the Nifty Bank Index on rate...

Gaudenz Schneider

Niva Bupa Health Insurance IPO Lockup-Bunch of PE Investors Could Pare Around US$500m Worth of Stock

PE fund True North (via Fettle Tone) and Niva Bupa's MD and CEO, Krishnan Ramachandran have launched a INR10.8bn (US$126m) block of 132m shares or...

Akshat Shah

Our proprietary scorecard places Baroda, Canara, and UBI on the buy list, replacing Bandhan and UBI; Kotak Mahindra is no longer on the sell list....

Banking sector earnings growth expected to improve in FY26 as deposit rate reductions flow through, but NIM compression likely due to declining...

RBI set to announce rate decision on June 6, with expectations of a cut to 5.75%. Analysis shows negative returns in the Nifty Bank Index on rate...