PSU stocks frenzy: Madhu Kela comfortable in buying PSU banks, but wary of ‘unsustainable valuations’ in THESE firms

The valuations of some PSU stocks have become very unsustainable, with some state-run finance companies becoming more expensive than HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, according to market veteran Madhusudan Kela.

In an interview with news channel NDTV Profit, Kela, the Managing Director of MKVentures Capital, said that the narrative for the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) has changed as compared to earlier.

“Markets will become very selectively going forward. In some pockets valuations have become unsustainable… I am not going to pay at this kind of valuation to buy any story,” Kela said.

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He is of the view that it was not a case of a basket buying or selling entirely PSU stocks, noting that some PSU Finance companies have become more expensive than HDFC Bank and Axis Bank.

However, the veteran investor believes some of the PSU banks are still trading at comfortable levels and there may be buying opportunities for the long term. 

According to Kela, the balance sheets of state-run lenders have improved significantly. A lot of PSU banks are at 18-20% ROE and some are still trading at 1x book value. 

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Kela said he was more “comfortable in buying PSU banks”.

PSU stocks are in focus recently after the Lok Sabha election results 2024, wherein the ruling Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to achieve a majority on its own in the lower house of the parliament. PSU stocks took a massive beating for two days amid profit booking by investors on concerns over policy continuity.

However, with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) supporting the government, PSU stocks bounced back on Thursday.

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