
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Reaffirms Credit Ratings with CARE Ratings
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited (USFB) announced that Care Ratings Ltd. has reaffirmed its ratings as part of a press release dated March 23, 2026. The reaffirmation considers the bank’s comfortable capitalization and improving scale of its loan book, supported by increasing diversification.Here's a breakdown of the reaffirmed ratings:
| Facilities/Instruments | Amount (Rs. Crores) | Rating | Rating Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-term bank facilities | 500 | CARE AA-; Stable | Re-affirmed |
| Subordinated non-convertible debentures | 500 | CARE AA-; Stable | Re-affirmed |
| Fixed Deposit | 10000 | CARE AA-; Stable | Re-affirmed |
According to Care Ratings, USFB’s advances rebounded to 15% in 9MFY26, led by sustained traction in secured lending and a gradual recovery in microfinance. The bank is actively reducing its reliance on micro-banking (52% share) by increasing the proportion of secured loans, which rose to 48% of the loan book as on December 31, 2025 (March 31, 2025: 44%) and is targeted to increase to 60-65% over the medium term.
Slippages increased to 4.21% in FY25 and 3.60% in 9MFY26 (FY24: 2.25%), but the bank has maintained gross non-performing assets (GNPA) and net NPA (NNPA) below 3% and 1%, respectively. Profitability, impacted by margin compression, elevated credit costs, and higher operating expenses, resulted in a return on total assets (ROTA) of 1.66% in FY25 and 1.10% in 9MFY26, compared to 3.50% in FY24.
Rating Sensitivities:
Positive factors:
- Significant scale up of the business and profitability accompanied by a meaningful diversification into a secured asset class.
- Sustained improvement in the CASA proportion resulting in lower cost of funds.
Negative factors:
- Significant deterioration in profitability with ROTA remaining below 1% on a sustained basis.
- Material deterioration in the asset quality.
- Capital adequacy ratio (CAR) remaining below 18% on a sustained basis.
The stable outlook reflects the likely continuation of comfortable capitalization despite near-term pressures on profitability and asset quality. As of December 31, 2025, the overall CAR stood at 21.62% and the Tier-I CAR at 20.13%.
Source:
Disclaimer: Due care and diligence have been taken in compiling and presenting news and market-related content. However, errors or omissions may arise despite such efforts.
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any securities. Readers are advised to rely on their own assessment and judgment and consult appropriate financial advisers, if required, before taking any investment-related decisions.
Last edited by a moderator: