Affin Bank stock initiated with Buy rating at UBS on Sarawak partnership

Published 10/08/2025, 08:44
Affin Bank stock initiated with Buy rating at UBS on Sarawak partnership

Investing.com - UBS initiated coverage on Affin Bank Bhd (KLSE:ABANK) with a Buy rating and a price target of MYR3.30, implying 40% potential upside.

The investment bank views Affin Bank, Malaysia’s seventh-largest domestic bank by assets, as undervalued at its current 0.5x forward price-to-book ratio, given expected improvements in return on equity (ROE) from 4.5% in 2024 to 7.0% by 2028.

UBS highlights the unique advantage Affin Bank gained when Sarawak state became a major shareholder in September 2024, a relationship already yielding results through higher CASA deposits, lower funding costs, and net interest margin improvements that contrast with sector-wide margin declines.

The bank expects further synergies from this partnership to materialize over the next few years, including stronger loan growth, an improved deposit franchise, and higher fee income, all contributing to enhanced profitability.

While UBS’s 2025 earnings per share forecast aligns with consensus estimates, its 2026 projection exceeds market expectations by approximately 15%.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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