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CARE Ratings stated that the reaffirmation of the rating assigned to Jana Small Finance Bank (JSFBL) factors in the bank’s adequate capitalisation, steady growth in business scale, and increasing diversification of its loan portfolio.
The credit profile is supported by the bank’s ongoing strategic shift to secured retail and micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) segments from unsecured microfinance lending, which would enhance portfolio stability in the medium term but would also exert pressure on yields going forward.
Share of microfinance loans in the advances book declined to 27% as on 31 December 2025, from 40% as on 31 March 2024, while the proportion of secured advances increased to 73% from 60%, with management targeting a further increase to 80% in the medium term.
Improvement in microfinance asset quality indicators in recent quarters supported a gradual resumption of growth in the unsecured portfolio from Q3 FY26.
However, ratings are constrained by deterioration in asset quality and moderation in profitability in FY25 and 9MFY26, primarily due to stress in the microfinance segment, which resulted in elevated credit costs and impacted earnings.
On the liability side, while the bank continued to expand its deposit base and improve its credit-to-deposit ratio, the current account savings account (CASA) ratio remained relatively low at 20% as on 31 December 2025, with a relatively high dependence on bulk deposits.
The rating remains constrained by elevated refinancing and repayment risks at the holding companies, Jana Capital and Jana Holdings.
The agency further said that factors like increasing scale of operations, while maintaining adequate capitalisation levels; improvement in deposits profile, with improvement in the CASA proportion and credit to deposit (CD) ratio on a sustained basis; and an improvement in the asset quality and profitability on a sustained basis.
However, a deterioration in asset quality leading to significant moderation in profitability parameters and a deterioration in capital adequacy parameters with capital adequacy ratio (CAR) falling below 17% on a sustained basis could lead to negative rating action.
Jana Small Finance Bank is a Bengaluru-based SFB focused on retail banking, with emphasis on microfinance, housing loans, micro housing/M-LAP, and micro and small enterprise lending. As on 31 December 2025, the bank operated through 816 branches and reported deposits of Rs 33,733 crore and advances of Rs 33,324 crore.
The scrip shed 0.70% to currently trade at Rs 391.10 on the BSE.
“The RBI has returned the application made for voluntary transition to a universal bank due to non-fulfilment of the criteria mentioned in the RBI circular in this regard,” Jana Small Finance Bank stated in its filing.
For an SFB to transition into a universal bank, it must meet a series of eligibility requirements laid out by the RBI. The bank should have a minimum net worth of Rs 1,000 crore and be operating as a scheduled bank with a satisfactory performance record for at least five years. Financially, it must have posted net profits in the past two financial years, with gross non-performing assets not exceeding 3% and net NPAs capped at 1% over the same period. The bank’s shares also need to be listed on a recognized stock exchange.
Additionally, the RBI does not allow the introduction of new promoters or changes to existing promoter structures during the transition process. Any previously approved promoter shareholding dilution plan must remain unchanged. Preference is generally given to SFBs that have a well-diversified loan portfolio, signaling stability and reduced risk.
The move delays the Bengaluru-based lender's plans to expand its operations and product offerings under a universal bank license. Jana Small Finance Bank, which began operations as a small finance bank in 2018, has been aiming to upgrade its status as part of its long-term growth strategy.
Jana Small Finance Bank, a scheduled commercial bank, is the 4th largest Small Finance Bank in India. The bank has a national presence across 23 states and 2 union territories, spread across 814 branches.
On a standalone basis, net profit of Jana Small Finance Bank declined 22.47% to Rs 74.99 crore while net interest income rose 4.04% to Rs 618 crore in Q2 September 2025 over Q2 September 2024.