National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has become the fifth listed bank on the Pakistan Stock Exchange to surpass a market capitalization of USD 1 billion.
The bank has delivered an exceptional 338 percent return so far in calendar year 2024, making it one of the top-performing stocks this year. With a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 28 percent, the highest in the banking sector, NBP is strongly positioned to support a more sustainable and stronger dividend payout profile going forward, according to Arif Habib Ltd.
Despite this strong performance, NBP continues to trade at a deep discount relative to peers. Its price-to-book (P/B) ratio currently stands at just 0.7x, compared to the industry average of 1.26x, making it the most attractively valued among the top five banks.
