Journey of Bandhan Bank

Bandhan Bank is the first microfinance entity in India to transform into a universal bank. Originally named Bandhan Konnagar, the organization was formed in 2001 as an NGO that provided microfinance services to socio-economically disadvantaged women in rural West Bengal. Later, the NGO transferred its microfinance business to Bandhan Financial Services (BFSL) in 2009. Bandhan Bank Ltd came into existence as on December 23, 2014, in Kolkata, West Bengal, as a public limited company. At the time BFSL transferred its microfinance business to the bank, it had become India's largest microfinance company by the sheer number of customers and size of its loan portfolio. It launched its general banking business in 2015 by opening a greenfield network of 501 bank branches along with 50 ATMs. Bandhan Bank issued its initial public offer (IPO) between March 15, 2018 to March 19, 2018. The IPO was a combination of a fresh issue of 9.76 crore shares and an offer for sale of 2.16 crore shares from selling shareholders. The IPO price was set at ₹375 per share, and the stock debuted at a premium of 29.33% over the IPO price. In FY 2021, Bandhan Bank launched its digital account opening journey named Neo+ Savings account.

Business Segments of Bandhan Bank

Bandhan Bank has the following business segments:

1. Loans
2. Savings accounts, recurring deposits, fixed deposits
3. Mutual Funds
4. Debit Cards, bill payments, money transfers, internet banking, mobile banking, doorstep banking

Let us check these services in more detail. The bank offers a wide array of loans through its Banking Unit (BU) outlets to benefit small businesses in need of financial assistance. The bank offers group loans and Small Business and Agri Loans (SBAL) via its BU outlets. Other than loan and deposit products, the bank also offers products and services that generate non-interest income and meet the additional needs of its customers. Such products and services include debit cards, internet and mobile banking, EDC-POS terminals, online payment services, and the distribution of third-party general insurance and mutual fund products. Out of nearly 6,000 banking outlets, 35% are in rural areas, 37% in semi-urban, 18% in urban and 10% in metro locations as of September 2023.

Key Personnel of Bandhan Bank

• Mr. Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, Founder, CEO and MD

Mr. Ghosh founded Bandhan Bank in 2001. It was a not-for-profit enterprise to promote sustainable livelihood creation for women. He led the transformation of Bandhan into an NBFC-MFI and then eventually a universal bank in August 2015. Ghosh, who holds an M.Sc. in Statistics, is a former President of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCC&I). He has also served as the former Chairman of CII, Eastern Region and is a member of the Managing Committee of the Indian Banks' Association (IBA). He co-chairs the Financial Inclusion Committee of FICCI.

Corporate Actions

The following are some of the key corporate actions undertaken by Bandhan Bank in the past few years:

Mergers and Acquisitions

• In January 2019, Bandhan Bank, one of India's leading private sector banks, announced the acquisition of Gruh Finance, a subsidiary of the erstwhile Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (HDFC).
• In January 2023, IDFC Mutual Fund was gained complete control of by a consortium comprising Bandhan Financial Holdings Limited (BFHL), GIC and ChrysCapital.

Bandhan Bank has not announced any stock splits or issue of bonus shares or rights issues.

Financial Performance Highlights

The following are some of the key financial highlights of Bandhan Bank in the past few years:

• In the 7 years between March 2016 and March 2023, Bandhan Bank’s revenue has grown by nearly 10x, from ₹1,581 crore to ₹15,905 crore.
• Its net profit increased multifold from ₹126 crore in FY 2022 to ₹2,195 crore in FY 2023.
• Its cash flows have been volatile, recording an outflow of ₹2,125, an inflow of ₹3,093 crore and again an outflow of ₹1,071 crore in FY 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively.