HDFC Bank introduces Missed Call Banking

Private Sector Bank HDFC Bank has also started "missed call banking". The customer who intends to use this service has to register his mobile with the bank. Once his mobile number is linked to his account a customer can call any of the Toll Free number that the bank provides to get the services.

HDFC Bank Q3

HDFC Bank, the country’s second largest private bank, posted a 25% jump in net profit in the October-December quarter on the back of robust loan growth, lower provisioning and tighter cost control. This is the second consecutive quarter that the bank’s year-on-year profit growth has been below 30%. The net profit was Rs 2,326 Cr as compared with Rs 1,859 Cr in the year-ago period. Net interest income grew 16% and other income, 11%. The bank recorded an overall loan growth of 23% as on December 31, 2013, boosted by loans to NRIs (nearly $2 billion) and large and mid-size firms (22% growth).

Result Season to start

Result season for the banking sector for half year ending Sept. 2013 will kick off with HDFC Bank and IndusInd Bank declaring their results on 15th October 2013.

HDFC Bank - Investment opinion

HDFC Bank (Rs 621.9): This bank appears to be operating in another planet. Even as most bank stocks are trading well below their 2008 peaks, this stock trades 72 per cent above this peak. Both medium and short-term trends are up in the stock.

Investors should therefore ride this uptrend with suitable stop-loss to protect their profits. Stop-loss for short-term investors can be at Rs 580 while medium-term investors can hold with deep stop-loss at Rs 520.

 

The third leg of the uptrend from the 2009 low of Rs 156 is currently in motion. This leg has the targets of Rs 615 and then Rs 748.

 

If the stock manages a clean break beyond Rs 650, it can move on to Rs 748 over the long-term.

Long-term investors can stay invested as long as the stock trades above Rs 450.

 

Corrections to this level can also be construed as an opportunity to accumulate this stock by long-term investors.

 

(As appeared in Business Line dtd 07.10.2012)

HDFC Bank increases credit card payment fees through Cash/ATM

If you have HDFC Bank credit card and usually make payment of your card dues by cash at HDFC Bank outlet or ATM then from next time be ready to pay double the charges you are paying now, as HDFC Bank will charge Rs.100 towards each credit card payment received in cash or ATM with effect from November 1, 2012.  The bank at present has credit card customer base of 56 lakh or 32% of overall credit card market size in the country.

HDFC Bank shakes hand with PUNGRAIN

HDFC Bank has joined hands with Punjab Grains Procurement Corporation Ltd (PUNGRAIN) to facilitate payment to its commission agents spread over 350 mandis in Punjab.  For this project, HDFC Bank will install its Point of Sales (POS) machines in over 350 mandis to facilitate the payment to commission agents dealing in agriculture products. It said this initiative will facilitate faster payments to them and in turn will benefit farmers.

HDFC readies plan to lend against agri land

HDFC has put up a proposal before five or six state governments, including Punjab and Karnataka, to allow mortgage against agriculture property. It is fixing up parameters like fertility of the soil, quality of produce and financial record of farmers for providing loans. If it gets the governmental nod for the proposal, farmers having at least 7 acres of land would be eligible for this scheme. HDFC joint managing director Renu Sud Karnad says, “We have asked for their permission. We are looking at states where the land is more fertile, like in case of Punjab. Around 72% of India lives in rural areas and we see this as a huge potential. With these new initiatives, I think we should be able to fund almost 20% of the rural farmers.” On the other hand, agri experts opine that this will not be of any help to the small and micro farmers as they have very small land holdings. Indian Society of Agriculture Economics president SS Johl said. ”Still I feel, banks should be made to follow some conditions. Like - a house and at least five acre property of the farmer should not be mortgaged by any bank. Rate of interest should be the prime lending rate , in addition to maximum of 4% on it. If the repayment is double the capital borrowed, it should be considered as money paid back to the bank by the borrower. If banks agree to this, the state government should not have any problem in allowing them to mortgage the agriculture property of farmers.”