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Investing.com - UBS raised its price target on Bajaj Finance (NSE:BJFN) Ltd. (NSE:BAJFINANCE) to INR750.00 from INR720.00 on Friday, while maintaining a Sell rating following the company’s earnings report.
The price target adjustment comes after Bajaj Finance reported a 5% beat on profit after tax (PAT), driven by higher fee and other income. Despite the earnings beat, UBS noted weaker-than-expected outlooks on near-term credit costs and FY26 assets under management (AUM) growth.
Bajaj Finance reported a 2% credit cost in the quarter, up 5 basis points quarter-over-quarter, and expects similar credit costs in the second quarter. The company is experiencing increased stress in its MSME book, which represents 12% of its overall unsecured loan portfolio, with signs of over-leveraging and impacts from macroeconomic slowdown.
On a positive note, the company’s cost of funds declined by nearly 20 basis points in the quarter, with expectations for another 15-20 basis points decline in FY26, which would support net interest margins. Additionally, any successor to CEO Rajeev Jain will only be announced closer to the end of his tenure in 2028, removing near-term leadership uncertainty.
UBS’s revised price target of INR750 implies a multiple of 19 times FY27 estimated earnings per share, reflecting the firm’s continued cautious stance on the stock despite the modest target increase.
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