Rating Rationale
August 27, 2019 | Mumbai
UCO Bank
Ratings Reaffirmed 
 
Rating Action
Lower Tier-II Bonds Aggregating (Under Basel II) Rs.1800 Crore CRISIL A+/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Upper Tier-II Bonds Aggregating (Under Basel II) Rs.500 Crore  CRISIL A/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Lower Tier-II Bonds Aggregating (Under Basel II) Rs.275 Crore CRISIL A+/Stable (Withdrawn)
Rs.10000 Crore Certificate of Deposits Programme CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has withdrawn its rating on UCO Bank's lower Tier-II bonds (under Basel II) of Rs 275 crore (See Annexure 'Details of Rating Withdrawn' for details) since the same has been redeemed and there is nothing outstanding against the same. The withdrawal is in line with CRISIL's policy of withdrawal of bank facilities. CRISIL has also reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A+/CRISIL A/Stable' ratings on other debt instruments of the bank.
 
The ratings continue to reflect expectation of strong support from the Government of India (GoI) and the bank's moderate resource profile. However, these strengths are partially offset by weak asset quality and earnings profile.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has considered the standalone business and financial risk profiles of UCO Bank. CRISIL has also factored in the strong support that the bank is expected to receive from GoI, both on an ongoing basis and in the event of distress.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Strong expectation of support from government
The to factor in expectation of strong government support, both on an ongoing basis and in the event of distress. This is because GoI is both the majority shareholder in public sector banks (PSBs) and the guardian of India's financial system. The stability of the banking sector is of prime importance to the government, given the criticality of the sector to the economy, the strong public perception of sovereign backing for PSBs, and the severe implications of any PSB failure in terms of political fallout, systemic stability, and investor confidence in public sector institutions. The majority ownership creates a moral obligation on GoI to support PSBs, including UCO Bank.

As a part of the Indradhanush framework, the government had pledged to infuse at least Rs 70,000 crore in PSBs over fiscals 2015 to 2019, of which Rs 25,000 crore each was infused in fiscals 2016 and 2017. Further, in October 2017, the government had outlined a recapitalisation package of Rs 2.11 lakh crore over fiscals 2018 and 2019; UCO Bank received Rs 6,508 crore in fiscal 2018 and Rs 6,406 crore in fiscal 2019.
 
* Moderate resource profile
Current account and savings account deposits as a proportion of total deposits increased to 42.3% as on June 30, 2019 (44.5% as on March 31, 2019), from 37.1% a year before. There was an increase in a proportion of current account deposits (to total deposits) to 13.4% as on March 31, 2019, from 5.3% as on March 31, 2018, owing to the bank being designated as one of the banks for settling payments with companies doing oil-trade from Iran. Additionally, the bank's savings account deposits as a proportion of total deposits has been steadily increasing over the past few years and stood at 30.8% as on June 30, 2019. The bank will maintain its resource profile over the medium term, supported by its well-established market position in eastern India, which has helped maintain a stable deposit base in the east.
 
Weaknesses:
* Weak asset quality
Asset quality of the bank has been under pressure for the past few fiscals. Gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio, was high at 24.9% as on June 30, 2019 (25.0% as on March 31, 2019 and 25.7% as on June 30, 2018).  However, the bank's absolute NPAs declined to Rs 29,432 crore as on June 30, 2019, from Rs 29,888 crore as on March 31, 2019. In line with other PSBs, corporate segment (around 65%) forms majority of the total NPAs. The bank's slippages also remained elevated at 8.5% of net advances for fiscal 2019, though declining from 12.6% for fiscal 2018. However, incremental lending to more granular assets such as retail, agriculture and MSME (RAM) book and better rated corporate accounts should reduce the slippages to NPAs from the current levels. Nevertheless, the ability of the bank to contain slippages to NPAs and improve recoveries remains a key monitorable.
 
* Weak earnings profile
Earnings have been negatively impacted due to the deterioration in asset quality in the past few fiscals. Its credit cost stood at 3.2% for the quarter ended June 30, 2019, as against 3.4% for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal (3.2% for fiscal 2019). This has led to a negative return on assets of 1.1% for the quarter ended June 30, 2019, as against 1.2% for corresponding period of the previous fiscal (negative 1.9% for fiscal 2019). There was a net loss of Rs 601 crore in the quarter ended in June 30, 2019, as against a net loss of Rs 634 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. However, the provisioning coverage ratio of the bank has improved to 70.2% as on June 30, 2019, from 57.8% as on June 30, 2018 (67.7% as on March 31, 2019). Ability to improve asset quality and credit costs, and hence profitability, remains key monitorables.
Liquidity

Liquidity should remain supported by strong retail deposit base. Liquidity coverage ratio of the bank stood at 203.5% as on June 30, 2019, as against statutory minimum of 100%. Further, excess statutory liquidity ratio stood at Rs 55199.8 crore (~28.7% of net demand and time liabilities) as on June 30, 2019. Additionally, the bank's liquidity benefits from access to systemic sources of funds, such as the liquidity adjustment facility from the Reserve Bank of India and access to the call money market.

Outlook: Stable

UCO Bank's credit risk profile derives significant strength from strong support expected from GoI, both on an ongoing basis as well as in the event of distress. The bank's asset quality and profitability though will remain under pressure over the medium term.
 
Upside scenario
* Sustained improvement in bank's asset quality and profitability
 
Downside scenario
* Sharper-than-expected deterioration in asset quality or profitability, leading to further stress on capital position of the bank
* Ratings on hybrid instruments under Basel II are also sensitive to the bank's overall capital adequacy levels.

About the Bank

UCO Bank was founded in 1943 as United Commercial Bank, and got its current name by an Act of Parliament in 1985. In 2003, the bank made its initial public offering, resulting in dilution of GoI's ownership. GoI owned 92.5% stake in the bank as on June 30, 2019. As on June 30, 2019, the bank has total advances and deposit base of Rs 97,744 crore and Rs 192,363 crore, respectively.
 
The bank reported a loss of Rs 601 crore on total income of Rs 4,447 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2019, as against Rs 634 crore and Rs 4,361 crore, respectively, for the corresponding quarter of previous fiscal. For fiscal 2019, UCO Bank reported total income (net of interest expenses) of Rs 5,825 crore and net loss of Rs 4,321 crore, against total income (net of interest expenses) of Rs 4,246 crore and a net loss of Rs 4,426 crore for fiscal 2018.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Total assets Rs crore 224488 206816
Total income Rs crore 4447 4361
Profit after tax Rs crore -601 -634
Gross NPA % 24.9 25.7
Overall capital adequacy ratio % 10.9 9.2
Return on assets % -1.1 -1.2

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Note on hybrid instruments under Basel II
As hybrid capital instruments (Tier-I perpetual bonds and Upper Tier-II bonds; under Basel II) have characteristics that set them apart from Lower Tier-II bonds (under Basel II), ratings on the two instruments may not necessarily be identical. The factors that could trigger a default event for hybrid instruments include: the bank breaching the regulatory minimum capital requirement, or the regulator's denial of permission to the bank to make payments of interest and principal, if the bank reports losses. Hence, the transition from one rating category to another may be significantly sharper for these instruments than in the case of Lower Tier-II bonds; this is because debt servicing on hybrid instruments is far more sensitive to the bank's overall capital adequacy levels.
 
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of instrument Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity
date
Issue size (Rs crore) Rating outstanding
with outlook
NA Certificate of Deposits NA NA NA 10,000 CRISIL A1+
INE691A09169 Lower Tier-II Bonds (under Basel II) 8-Mar-10 8.92% 8-Mar-20 800 CRISIL A+/Stable
INE691A09185 Lower Tier-II Bonds (under Basel II) 28-Dec-12 9.00% 28-Dec-22 1000 CRISIL A+/Stable
INE691A09177 Upper Tier-II Bonds (under Basel II) 25-Mar-10 8.90% 25-March-25 (Call Option 25-Mar-20) 500 CRISIL A/Stable
 
Annexure - Details of Rating Withdrawn
ISIN Name of
Instrument
Date of
Allotment
Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue Size
(Rs.Cr)
INE691A09151 Lower Tier-II Bonds (under Basel II) 22-Dec-08 9.75% 22-Apr-19 275
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Certificate of Deposits  ST  10000.00  CRISIL A1+      31-08-18  CRISIL A1+  12-09-17  CRISIL A1+  28-10-16  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
            25-01-18  CRISIL A1+      27-05-16  CRISIL A1+   
                    09-02-16  CRISIL A1+   
Infrastructure Bonds  LT    --    --    --    --  10-03-16  Withdrawal  CRISIL AA+/Negative 
                    09-02-16  CRISIL AA+/Negative   
Lower Tier-II Bonds (under Basel II)  LT  1800.00
27-08-19 
CRISIL A+/Stable      31-08-18  CRISIL A+/Stable  12-09-17  CRISIL A+/Negative  28-10-16  CRISIL A+/Negative  CRISIL AA+/Negative 
            25-01-18  CRISIL A+/Stable      27-05-16  CRISIL AA-/Negative   
                    10-03-16  CRISIL AA/Negative   
                    09-02-16  CRISIL AA+/Negative   
Perpetual Tier-I Bonds (under Basel II)  LT    --    --    --  12-09-17  Withdrawal  28-10-16  CRISIL A/Negative  CRISIL AA/Negative 
                    27-05-16  CRISIL A+/Negative   
                    10-03-16  CRISIL AA-/Negative   
                    09-02-16  CRISIL AA/Negative   
Tier I Bonds (Under Basel III)  LT    --    --    --    --  27-05-16  Withdrawal  -- 
                    10-03-16  CRISIL A-/Negative   
                    09-02-16  CRISIL A+/Negative   
Upper Tier-II Bonds (under Basel II)  LT  500.00
27-08-19 
CRISIL A/Stable      31-08-18  CRISIL A/Stable  12-09-17  CRISIL A/Negative  28-10-16  CRISIL A/Negative  CRISIL AA/Negative 
            25-01-18  CRISIL A/Stable      27-05-16  CRISIL A+/Negative   
                    10-03-16  CRISIL AA-/Negative   
                    09-02-16  CRISIL AA/Negative   
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Links to related criteria
Rating Criteria for Banks and Financial Institutions
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Entities Based on Government Support
Rating Criteria for Hybrid Capital instruments issued by banks under Basel II guidelines
Rating criteria for Basel III - compliant non-equity capital instruments

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