KBank maintains debt quality target, loan growth goal despite recent default
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Kasikornbank (KBank) is satisfied with the efficiency of its debt-quality control, and expects this year’s non-performing loans (NPLs) to end up within a range of 3.3-3.4 per cent.
Alluding to cash-strapped Energy Earth’s recent bills of exchange (B/E) default, KBank president Pipit Aneaknithi said on Tuesday: “In the overall credit portfolio, the bank’s debt quality remains normal. As far as I see, it [the listed firm’s B/E default] has not had an impact. The bank’s target for debt quality has not been revised.”
The bank’s NPLs fell slightly to 3.31 per cent at the end of the first quarter, from 3.32 per cent on December 31.
KBank, meanwhile, is maintaining its target for this year’s overall loan growth at 4-6 per cent, while expecting loan extension to accelerate following Thai economic growth in the latter half, which could be driven by the government’s investment, exports and tourism, Pipit said.
