L&T Finance Q3: Strong Profit Growth Overshadowed by Asset Quality Concerns
L&T Finance delivered robust Q3FY26 financial performance with profit rising 17.9% YoY to ₹738.60 crores, driven by strong retail business expansion and 13.4% growth in net interest income. However, the positive results were tempered by IIFL's concerns over deteriorating asset quality, with credit costs increasing approximately 45 basis points quarter-on-quarter to 2.9%, prompting analyst disappointment despite the company's continued retail focus and strategic acquisitions.

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L&T Finance Limited reported robust financial performance for Q3FY26, with consolidated profit after tax rising 17.9% year-on-year to ₹738.60 crores from ₹626.40 crores in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. However, the strong results were overshadowed by asset quality concerns highlighted by IIFL analysts, who noted significant disappointment on asset quality metrics.
Strong Financial Performance
The company delivered impressive growth across key financial metrics during the quarter. Net interest income grew 13.4% to ₹2,537.00 crores from ₹2,237.00 crores in the year-ago period, reflecting sustained momentum across its retail lending portfolio.
| Financial Metric | Q3FY26 | Q3FY25 | Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net Profit | ₹738.60 cr | ₹626.40 cr | +17.9% |
| Net Interest Income | ₹2,537.00 cr | ₹2,237.00 cr | +13.4% |
| Revenue from Operations | ₹4,240.07 cr | ₹3,806.38 cr | +11.4% |
| Total Income | ₹4,581.49 cr | ₹4,105.13 cr | +11.6% |
| Basic EPS | ₹2.95 | ₹2.51 | +17.5% |
Asset Quality Concerns Emerge
Despite the strong financial performance, IIFL analysts expressed major disappointment regarding the company's asset quality metrics. According to IIFL's analysis, L&T Finance's reported credit costs rose by approximately 45 basis points quarter-on-quarter to 2.9%. The brokerage firm noted that "buffers cease, reality hits," indicating concerns about the sustainability of the current asset quality trends.
| Asset Quality Metrics | Current Status |
|---|---|
| Credit Costs (QoQ change) | +~45 bps |
| Reported Credit Costs | 2.9% |
| IIFL Assessment | Major Disappointment |
Retail Business Expansion
L&T Finance demonstrated exceptional growth in its retail segment, with disbursements for Q3FY26 reaching ₹22,690.00 crores, marking a sharp 49% increase from ₹15,210.00 crores in the year-ago quarter. The growth was broad-based across rural, urban, small and medium enterprise, and farmer finance segments.
| Retail Metrics | Q3FY26 | Q3FY25 | Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Disbursements | ₹22,690.00 cr | ₹15,210.00 cr | +49.0% |
| Retail Loan Book | ₹1,11,000.00 cr | ₹92,224.00 cr | +21.0% |
| Retailisation | 97% | ~97% | Stable |
The retail loan book expanded to ₹1,11,000.00 crores as of December 31, 2025, registering a year-on-year growth of around 21% from ₹92,224.00 crores. Retailisation remained strong at 97% during the quarter, broadly in line with last year, underscoring the lender's continued pivot away from wholesale exposures.
Nine-Month Performance and Strategic Initiatives
For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, L&T Finance maintained its growth trajectory with consolidated profit after tax of ₹2,173.71 crores, representing an 8.3% increase from ₹2,007.58 crores in the corresponding period. During the current financial year, L&T Finance acquired the gold loan business of Paul Merchants Finance Private Limited for approximately ₹711.00 crores through a slump sale on a going concern basis. Shares of L&T Finance closed marginally higher at ₹296.25, up 0.15%, ahead of the earnings announcement made after market hours.
Historical Stock Returns for L&T Finance
| 1 Day | 5 Days | 1 Month | 6 Months | 1 Year | 5 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +3.54% | +3.16% | -7.50% | +46.48% | +95.94% | +226.41% |


































