The Asian Banker Saturday, 9 November 2024

Bank Watch List

Balance sheets and financial results-based evaluations are by nature and definition backwardlooking. To overcome this, we introduced a forwardlooking element called the “Bank Watch List” into the strongest bank evaluation.

It identifies and considers the impact of specific evaluation parameters on balance sheet strengths, should macro-economic and business conditions change. By identifying the parameters and institutions that are most likely to be impacted by such changes, we aim to provide a holistic 360 degree view of the ranking without materially changing the composition of the scorecard.

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2021 2020
2019
2018
Strength Rank 2019 AB 500 Rank 2019 Commercial Bank Country Gross NPL Ratio (%) Loan Loss Reserves to Gross NPLs (%)
493419Janata Bank Bangladesh33.619.1
464164IDBI Bank India27.570.3
450355Sonali Bank Bangladesh26.142.7
417215UCO BankIndia25.363.5
384203Indian Overseas BankIndia22.155.8
477160Central Bank of IndiaIndia19.361.6
457496Rupali Bank Bangladesh17.933.4
466433Agrani Bank Bangladesh17.848.7
460204Allahabad BankIndia17.674.1
346296United Bank of IndiaIndia16.551.2
460275Bank of MaharashtraIndia16.470.0
444202Andhra BankIndia16.268.5
43768Punjab National BankIndia15.961.4
45088Bank of IndiaIndia15.964.9
497225Corporation Bank India15.366.6
470111Union Bank of IndiaIndia15.057.2
496224Suruga BankJapan13.055.6
237314National Bank of PakistanPakistan12.799.7
415193Oriental Bank of Commerce India12.755.8
473347Punjab & Sind BankIndia11.841.4
489174Syndicate BankIndia11.447.4

Source: Asian Banker Research, S&P Global Market Intelligence

What does it mean to be in the Bank Watch List?
In this year’s ranking, we have identified gross non-performing loan (NPL) ratio (above 10%) and loan loss reserves to gross NPLs ratio (below 100%) as key parameters that will impact financial strength. The “Bank Watch List” is a tool to monitor and review the parameters to give a holistic view of the financial strengths of the institutions under evaluation. This is the first iteration of what we think will be a powerful tool for the industry to benchmark financial strength and will be continuously enhanced.

Who are in the Bank Watch List?
Although there were slight improvements in the overall asset quality of Asia Pacific banking sector in the financial year 2018, asset quality remains a crucial issue in the region. While India, Indonesia and Pakistan saw their banks’ asset quality improved, banks in Bangladesh, Brunei, the Philippines and Sri Lanka recorded higher average gross non-performing loan (NPL) ratios.


This year’s Bank Watch List includes fifteen Indian banks, four Bangladeshi banks and one each from Japan and Pakistan. Among all the 20 countries and territories, the asset quality of banks in Bangladesh and India remained the weakest. The lower formation of new bad loans,higher recoveries and resolutions from large stressed assets under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) contributed to the improved asset quality of Indian banks. Nonetheless, the levels of non-performing assets were still higher than in the financial year ended 31 March 2017.